text:
The informed voter's guide to election cyberthreats
Singapore held its most recent general election on July 10 2020, and although they used the electoral system called first-past-the-post (FPTP), a sche
Singapore held its most recent general election on July 10 2020, and although they used the electoral system called first-past-the-post (FPTP), a scheme favored by the US, UK, and most English-speaking countries, the road leading to Election Day was not without challenges and obstacles.
While all voters used paper ballots (thus removing the exposure to risk that comes with using electronic voting machines), phishing attempts, disinformation, threats of hacking political parties, and other election cyberthreats were nonetheless ever-present.
In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the election technologies we know could be abused in the wrong hands, we look at these and other potential election cyberthreats—past, present, and (if pervasive enough) future—that the security world has observed for quite a while now, so that informed voters can remain informed and hopefully continue exercising your right to vote whenever and wherever that may be.
Ask, and ye shall know
Avid readers of this blog would know that we stress upon the importance of asking the right questions when it comes to deciding on what to do online, what to buy (and where), and which technologies to use. In this case, we'd like to know which election threats that we'd be facing and the ways we can protect against them or otherwise address them.
And in attempting to answer these, we first need to know what or who could be targeted during an election. This way, we'd also know what to protect and how. So, we ask—
What are election assets?
To identify the threats we can likely see/face/observe during election period, it is important to identify an election's critical assets, which will in turn aid us in recognizing and categorizing threats to these assets and to the election as a whole.
Election assets are:
Infrastructure. This pertains to places where polling is held, including storage facilities for elections and locations where election systems are physically set up. If we want to be granular, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) listed some of these as: voter registration databases and their associated IT systems, election management systems (for counting, auditing, displaying election results, etc.), and voting systems.
Materials. Pretty self-explanatory. These pertain to the objects used during the election process. For example, paper ballots or voter registration cards, pens, and indelible inks.
As of this writing, there have been no real or theorized election cyberthreats lodged against such materials. However, this doesn't mean that no one has attempted to circumvent their use.
Take, for example, the use of the electoralink. Its indelibility is a means to prevent constituents from casting more than one vote. With the ongoing pandemic, however, hand sanitizing before and after casting votes could impact the product's effectiveness. Not to mention that there have been cases in the past where the ink used washed off easily and completely.
People and information. Although they are two completely different entities, we cannot really separate them. The people are the political candidates, their staff, and the parties they represent; the third-party organizations that are directly or indirectly involved in the elections; electoral officials and staff; and, of course, the voters. Under third parties, we can include software and hardware manufacturers. Information, of course, refers to all of the content these people share to the public, amongst each other, and within election systems.
Technology. Voting machines aren't the only technology that countries use for and during an election. Political candidates have freely made use of printers, mobile phones, and the Internet to reach out and communicate with their supporters. Voting technology also includes systems that are used to efficiently manage the elections. Examples of systems are information management systems, election management systems, and yes, the machine's operating system itself.
With these in mind, we can start identifying potential threats to these assets. Note that such threats can happen before, during, or even after elections.
Why would cybercriminals do this?
Oftentimes, it is easy to pin down intent based on the kind of threat being carried out. A phishing email, for example, gives a clear indication that whoever is behind the campaign is aiming to gather something from their target—be it sensitive information or money.
In many cases, the phishing email carries with it a malware payload, or a link to its download location. The malware, once executed, then seeks and siphons out information back to its command center. But things don't end here.
The malware could reside and remain undetected, allowing attackers to gain a foothold onto the target's network. Sensitive data, credentials, and other information they may have gleaned can be used for their own benefit—from selling to the highest bidder, leaking to disrupt normal operations or call into question a victim's reputation, and—if some of the files seem personal enough—used to blackmail the victim to extort money.
When it comes to elections, one would likely assume that nation-state actors would interfere to tip the political scales in their favor. Other actors would insert physical disruptions to the otherwise normal election process, either to cover up their true intent—which is usually something more sinister than causing trouble—or "just because."
There is, however, a solid belief among cybersecurity professionals that the main motivation behind election-fueled attacks is to sow distrust among voters against either their government, the electoral staff and their processes, or the technologies used in conducting the elections. It's also possible that their aim is all of the above.
How do threat actors disrupt or interfere in elections?
Now that we have identified what threat actors would likely target and why they would target them, we move to answering how threat actors would likely attack these targets. Here's a comprehensive list of (potential) adversarial activities that has been observed (if not theorized) so far:
Discourse manipulation
We already mentioned earlier that election threats can happen months before election day arrives. Suffice to say that while politicians and election administrators are busy planning and preparing for election day, expect that threat actors are doing the same. One of the more subtle (yet still nefarious) ways of interfering with elections in the run-up to election day is to manipulate the discourse to favor one candidate over another, or simply to cast doubt on the entire election process.
When one manipulates the discourse, one asserts "The Good Me" while also highlighting "The Bad Them." Unfortunately, we're all too familiar now with the ways in which cybercriminals (and politicians alike) do this through disinformation, fake news, and computational propaganda.
Disinformation, fake news, and computational propaganda
Several forms of disinformation from all sides of the political spectrum have been around almost as long as politics itself, and certainly pre-date the Internet. Word of mouth and traditional media have helped amplify such campaigns.
With the Internet, and now especially social media, it is easier than ever to, say, cook up stories about what a certain politician purportedly said regarding a sensitive matter that would anger a certain group of people. This can even be accomplished in real time. According to The Global Disinformation Order [PDF], a paper from the Oxford Internet Institute, online disinformation campaigns have been on the uptick since 2017.
There are those who have no real affiliation with government and politics and merely want to earn easy money by targeting certain partisan groups. However, the cybersecurity industry has seen its share of serious organized criminals—often backed by their respective governments—that bank on disinformation campaigns and fake news to accomplish political subterfuge.
There are a number of reasons why governments and political parties spread disinformation, and the classic reasons are to:
Discredit their opponents
Bury views that oppose theirs
Erode trust in the election/election systems
Erode trust in democracy or other forms of government
It's interesting to note that when it comes to conducting deliberate disinformation campaigns, our gut reaction is to point the finger at foreign nationals. There's certainly precedent. For one, Russia has a known history of spinning phony political stories since the 1920's.
But nowadays, Russia isn't the only country engaged in such campaigns—or what others have started calling computational propaganda, which the Oxford Internet Institute defines as "the use of algorithms, automation, and big data to shape public life." Iran is expanding its online disinformation operations, as are at least 70 more countries. Among these, China has dethroned Russia to become the new king of disinformation.
And then, there is social media manipulation, wherein engineered content is deployed using social networking platforms, and the proliferation of computational propaganda techniques themselves. Threat actors both domestic and foreign have been copying and honing Russia's disinformation methods from the previous election to influence the outcome of this year's US general elections.
The Oxford study also asserted that although we have countless social platforms currently in existence, Facebook remains the platform of choice to spread disinformation and fake news.
While governments and groups continue to either point fingers or deny allegations, let's not forget that the recipients of such material can also amplify disinformation to their network, whether that's their intention or not. Some may judge the veracity of the material as legitimate. Others may question it but circulate nonetheless to kick off discourse. Either way, both efforts serve to circulate baseless claims and call into question what is the truth.
In one of our blogs about election systems in the vital Infrastructure series, we touched on how vulnerable elections could be, highlighting that although voting machines have been hacked successfully on many occasions, doing so at a large scale can actually prove more challenging than what was initially thought. To further complicate matters for potential hackers, not all states use the same voting machine make, model, and supplier. But that doesn't mean elections are safe from hacking.
Websites can also be hacked, too. Remember that news about the website of the Florida Secretary of State being successfully infiltrated via an SLQ injection done by an 11-year old? Okay, granted, the website was actually a replica of the real thing, but one can't but help think how potentially vulnerable these supposed critical websites are, especially when being accessed and interacted to by various people—including those with ill intent.
In the last quarter of 2019, McAfee found that swing state election websites aren't secure from cyberattacks. For starters, the connections of these websites are problematic, as they don't use HTTPS by default, making them far, far easier to infiltrate. Cybercriminals could make small but significant changes, like altering the websites' content, that could cause confusion about the dates, locations, and times to vote or otherwise disrupt the election process.
Perhaps, on an even more dangerous note, hackers could do as little as claim to have compromised the site to sew seeds of doubt, casting a shadow over the efficacy of the democratic voting system and eroding the integrity of election results in that state.
Hacking is one of the many attacks on infrastructure that a state or country may encounter during a sensitive time like general elections. The act of infiltrating systems and infrastructures is also usually just the first step of a much larger campaign aimed at destabilizing government or other organizations.
For example, once an election or government site has been hacked, cybercriminals could use information and credentials to kick off a social engineering campaign. This could branch off to cyber espionage (which usually involves using malware), data theft, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, and extortion. Come election season, attack campaigns would widen to include the possible interruption of ballots for their modification, deletion, or blocking (the act of blocking ballots from arriving to their supposed destination by threat actors).
Cyber espionage
Foreign spying has always been a challenge for governments, and it doesn't just happen during the election season. Through the years, cybersecurity experts have investigated nation-state actors who had been involved in election-fueled espionage, particularly advanced persistent threat groups such as APT28, otherwise known as Fancy Bear; the Sandworm team; and APT40, otherwise known as Leviathan.
So far, persistent threat actors have infiltrated diverse targets during elections, from those on staff for a particular candidate or campaign to those responsible for administering ballots or distributing election materials. They are targeted for the sensitive information they have access to, but also for cybercriminals to familiarize themselves with the network's infrastructure, so they can identity the locations housing critical information that they may use to their advantage.
Data theft is a known and given problem during the elections since there is a huge exchange of information going on within distinct groups: among constituents and the registration databases; chat, email, or phone conversations between or among political staff and candidates; and credential information of electoral staff and administrators among others. And one way of stealing such data is via phishing.
In 2017, then-presidential candidate for France Emmanuel Macron confirmed that his staff and party, "En Marche!" or "Onwards!," were targeted by several advanced phishing campaigns. However, no campaign data was stolen. And this is just one of the many "hundreds if not thousands" of attacks they received from locations inside Russia at that time.
Feike Hacquebord, a researcher from Trend Micro, confirmed these phishing campaigns with some emails containing a malware payload. He also noted that these attacks had telltale signs that connected them previous attacks targeting the campaigns of Hilary Clinton and Angela Merkel in 2016.
Perhaps the most notable political phishing story we can mention here is how President Macron's campaign was able to turn the tide against the threat actors who were after their data. Led by Mounir Mahjoubi, the campaign's digital director, they outplayed their attackers using a method called cyber-blurring or digital blurring.
This is a known diversionary tactic in the banking industry, and the Macron campaign used it to slow down and confuse hackers. They did this by deliberately creating fake documents—with some containing outright ridiculous information—accounts, and credentials and mixing them with real but otherwise uninteresting data. As a result, the attackers' time was wasted, and the burden of proof to justify why they stole or leaked useless information was successfully shifted to the attackers.
Ransomware is seen as one of the big threats during the election season. Some might believe that by using ransomware, threat actors' primary motivation must be profit in the form of digital coins. In fact, security researchers have reason to believe that, just as with other attack methods and threats used during elections, threat actors are more motivated to undermine the confidence of the results, either at the local level or state level.
"If a ransomware hits an election system, you can pay the ransom or pay a consultancy service. You can restore the data, but you still have the damage done. You cannot undo that damage," said Lee Imrey, Cybersecurity Advisor for Slunk, in a candid webinar on election threats, "Because, even if you restore all the votes, you've lost confidence that the votes you're restoring are valid votes."
Possible scenarios also include poll workers not being able to access voter information databases due to them being locked up, which could also happen with websites that post unofficial results on and after Election Day. Some files impacted by ransomware may not being able to reverse their encryption—remember that a notable majority of files affected by a ransomware attack are not typically 100 percent recovered. Finally, a ransomware attack could result in the possible deletion of voter databases and other sensitive data.
It is known that, like some organizations in the private sector, several local governments are ill-equipped to protect themselves from ransomware attacks. Not only do they lack the manpower, they also lack the in-house expertise needed to at least guide them on what to do before, during, and after such a devastating attack.
SIM swapping/SIM swap attack/SIM intercept attack
SIM swapping is a form of identity theft, and it isn't a new attack. But because of that successful takeover of Jack Dorsey's own Twitter account, SIM swapping is a thing again.
This is considered an electoral threat because of its high potential to take over high profile accounts belonging to individuals involved in the election proceedings or the politicians themselves with simple social engineering tactics.
Although we have yet to see SIM swap attacks against individuals who are related to the 2020 US General Elections, there is the case of Euridice Pamela Sanchez, an Associated Students Incorporated (ASI) President and CEO candidate for California State University/East bay (VSUEB), being SIM swapped days before ASI elections in March of this year. The still-unknown actor was able to delete all her 3000+ Instagram connections. Since all candidate campaigning is done via social media due to the ongoing pandemic, Sanchez couldn't reach her supporters to continue her campaign. The attacker also compromised her family's AT&T account and attempted to access her personal email.
We can only imagine the scale of damage this could cause if political candidates or poll officials—even those in lower positions who may not directly report to them—would become victims of SIM swapping at this crucial time.
DDoS can, no doubt, hinder an election process at any point. Take, for example, the cyber attack that affected the UK's Labor Party's websites during the 2019 general elections. Not only was the party hit once but twice over. The first attack failed, as confirmed by a National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) spokesperson with the BBC.
A DDoS attack against websites also disrupted the voting procedures in South Korea in 2011. It was notable that a botnet attack from 200 devices happened in the morning, the time when the younger population of voters would be able to vote before they head for work. Investigators proclaimed that the threat actors were aiming for a low turnout of voters during this time, which in turn would have benefited the conservative party in South Korea.
Such attacks against this part of the election infrastructure could hinder candidates and their staff from accessing data they can use to plan on what campaigns to run in what areas and who they would be targeting to attempt to change their minds.
Deepfakes (and its other forms)
Deepfakes have come under the watchful eye of not just technology and cybersecurity experts but law enforcement as well. And why not? In the wrong hands—from nation-states with agendas tipping to their favor to naughty miscreants who just want to disrupt—it could turn the tides of any election cycle.
Many see deepfakes as another way to make disinformation campaigns more impactful and believable. But perhaps the good thing here is that, at this point in time, people are already familiar with this technology and are actually expecting a form of a politically motivated deepfake to emerge before Election Day, especially at the last minute.
But what really worries Kathryn Harrison, founder and CEO of the DeepTrust Alliance, an alliance devoted to fighting deepfakes and misinformation in general, is the emergence of something that is not a deepfake—a video, for example—of which its veracity cannot be verified. A candidate caught doing or saying something questionable could easily cry "Deepfake!" even if a video is truly legit. Researcher in deepfake circles call this conundrum Liar's Dividend.
Other foreseen worries include an authority figure reading out wrong elections results, some fake disruptions at certain polling stations, or miseducating constituents on how they can stay safe during Election Day.
How can we protect ourselves from these threats?
For voters, it's overwhelming to look at this lengthening list of election cyberthreats they might get affected by and feel they have so little time to prepare for to counter or protect themselves from. Fret not—most challenges on this list can only be addressed by governments in the state, local, and national level.
However, there are two things that voters must start doing (if they haven't already):
Stay informed. Keeping apprised with the current news, especially those that touch on election cycles that are about to happen in your country or state, is one way of staying informed. And while it's important to know what's going on, it is equal if not more important to know credible sources of news you can refer to. Disinformation could be anywhere, and we must become smarter. With the elections drawing near, expect such campaigns to pop up in social media and other platforms.
Vote. Whether you feel like going to the polling station—wearing proper protection and following the recommended guidelines, of course—or you prefer to cast your vote via mail, please vote. The more people exercise their democratic right, the less likely electoral fraud can influence the overall outcome of the elections. It's a numbers game, and we better make sure that the numbers weigh heavy on the side of an honest election cycle.
Good luck and stay safe!


text:
Klimczakowie – ród zbojników, wywodzących się z Żywiecczyzny. Dowodzili oni bandami, grasującymi w XVII wieku na terenie dzisiejszych Beskidów: Żywieckiego, Śląskiego i Małego. Z imienia najczęściej wymienia się trzech (czasami określanych jako braci):

Wojciech Klimczak
Wojciech Klimczak – hetman zbójnicki, ujęty podczas napadu na dwór w Rajsku wraz z dziewięcioma kompanami w 1695 r. lub 1696 r., stracony w Oświęcimiu przez powieszenie za żebro.
Wojciech był ożeniony z siostrą Filipa Gąsiorka ze Straconki. Podczas najścia na dwór w Rajsku tamtejszy dziedzic przyjął zbójników z pozorną gościnnością, spoił ich okowitą do nieprzytomności, a następnie zawiadomił okoliczną szlachtę i znajdujące się w pobliżu oddziały zbrojne. Po ujęciu hetman zbójnicki został wydany na męki, czyli poddany torturom, a następnie stracony. Jego dziewięciu towarzyszy poćwiartowano.

Mateusz Klimczak
Mateusz Klimczak – hetman zbójnicki, urodzony  w Lipowej, ujęty w 1697 w Mikuszowicach po napadzie na Łodygowice i stracony na krakowskich Krzemionkach.
Mateusz po raz pierwszy został schwytany w nieznanych okolicznościach. Prawdopodobnie z początkiem roku 1697 udało mu się zbiec z więzienia w Pilicy. Tajemnicze okoliczności tej ucieczki stały się tematem wielu opowieści, których echa znajdujemy w podaniach o wielu innych sławnych zbójach, m.in. o Janosiku. Po udanej ucieczce Mateusz zorganizował ponownie swoją gromadę i kontynuował zbójowanie. Za jego głowę wyznaczono pokaźną nagrodę, która zapewne spowodowała, że ktoś zdradził jego miejsce schadzek w chałupie Wojciecha Kubicy w Łodygowicach. Kryjówka została otoczona przez oddział harników polskich, ale zbójcy zastrzelili ich dowódcę szlachcica Michałkowskiego i uciekli na Śląsk. W Mikuszowicach doszło do zbrojnego starcia ze strażnikami hr. Sunnegka, właściciela Bielska, w wyniku którego dwóch zbójników zginęło, a Mateusz wraz z dwoma innymi kamratami dostał się do niewoli. Hetman zbójnicki został wkrótce wydany władzom polskim i przewieziony do Krakowa.

Jan Klimczak
Jan Klimczak – hetman zbójnicki, któremu król Jan Kazimierz odpuścił zbójeckie przewiny za pomoc, udzieloną oddziałowi królewskiemu podczas potopu szwedzkiego.

Oddziały (towarzystwa) dowodzone przez Klimczaków oprócz niechlubnych, miały także chlubne karty w swej historii. Miało to miejsce w latach wspomnianego już potopu szwedzkiego, kiedy to m.in. dzięki ich działaniu ocalony został w 1656 r. Żywiec. W latach 1685-1686 trzy oddziały posiadały glejty, pozwalające na swobodne poruszanie się w terenie, a król Jan Kazimierz oddzielnym pismem polecał opiekę nad najbardziej zasłużonymi,

Postacie i czyny zbójników z rodu Klimczaków posłużyły jako pierwowzór do powstania legendy o zbójniku Klimczoku.

Przypisy

Zbójnicy beskidzcy
Postacie z polskich legend
Polscy przestępcy

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: String replacement in loops and recursions with unexpected side effects I'm trying to create a program where I go through files (in a folder and all its sub folders) and dynamically replace parts of a line with other parts. To do this I made a program but found out that it behaved unexpectedly.
Instead of just the string being replaced the WHOLE line got replaced. Then I did some experiments and saw that outside of the loops the string replacement behaved as expected but inside.......strangeness began.
Below is a pretty basic example with a normal string replacement inside a loop.
@echo off
call :Rekursiv
goto :eof

:Rekursiv
    set str=teh cat in teh hat
    echo "Outside"
    echo %str%
    set str=%str:teh=the%
    echo %str%
    echo "Outside end"

    for /D %%d in (*) do (
            cd %%~fd

            set str=teh cat in teh hat
            echo %str%
            set str=%str:teh=the%
            echo %str%

            call :Rekursiv

            cd..
    )

    exit /b

Now normally I would expect:
teh cat in teh hat
the cat in the hat

and a few outside and outside end strewn in between, but what I get is:
"Outside"
teh cat in teh hat        <--- as expected
the cat in the hat        <--- as expected
"Outside end"
the cat in the hat        <--- Completely unexpected as its the replaced string already!
the cat in the hat
"Outside"
teh cat in teh hat
the cat in the hat
"Outside end"
the cat in the hat
the cat in the hat
"Outside"
teh cat in teh hat
the cat in the hat
"Outside end"
the cat in the hat
the cat in the hat
"Outside"
teh cat in teh hat
the cat in the hat
"Outside end"

All replacements outside the loops work as I thought they should. But inside the loop it looks like the sets are all done BEFORE the echoes are done. As I think this and my line replacement problem have the same source/cause my question is here: WHY does the program produce this unexpected output? And what can I do to get the expected output?
EDIT: After MCDNs comment I tried things out:
@echo off
call :Rekursiv
goto :eof

:Rekursiv
    set str=teh cat in teh hat
    echo "Outside"
    echo %str%
    set str=%str:teh=the%
    echo %str%
    echo "Outside end"

set "test=before"
if defined test (
    set "test=after"
    echo %test%
)

    for /D %%d in (*) do (
            cd %%~fd

            set str=teh cat in teh hat
            echo %str%
            set str=%str:teh=the%
            echo %str%

set "test=before"
if defined test (
    set "test=after"
    echo %test%
)

            call :Rekursiv

            cd..
    )

The first occurance of "echo %test%" is "before"  the second is "after"

A: Short: Percent expansion is done BEFORE a block will be executed, while parsing.
You can see the block with fixed strings before anything is executed inside.
Therefore the delayed expansion exists, this is evaluated when a single command is executed.
The syntax is nearly the same, but instead of percent signs exclamation marks are used.
But before you can use delayed expansion it must be enabled with
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion

So your code would look like
@echo off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
call :Rekursiv
goto :eof

:Rekursiv
    set str=teh cat in teh hat
    echo "Outside"
    echo %str%
    set str=%str:teh=the%
    echo %str%
    echo "Outside end"

    for /D %%d in (*) do (
            cd %%~fd

            set "str=teh cat in teh hat"
            echo !str!
            set str=!str:teh=the!
            echo !str!
    )

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
//
//  IFTTTAnimatedScrollViewController.h
//  JazzHands
//
//  Created by Devin Foley on 9/27/13.
//  Copyright (c) 2013 IFTTT Inc. All rights reserved.
//

#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
@class IFTTTAnimator;

@protocol IFTTTAnimatedScrollViewControllerDelegate;

@interface IFTTTAnimatedScrollViewController : UIViewController <UIScrollViewDelegate>

@property (nonatomic, weak) id <IFTTTAnimatedScrollViewControllerDelegate> delegate;

@property (nonatomic, strong) IFTTTAnimator *animator;
@property (nonatomic, strong) UIScrollView *scrollView;

@end

@protocol IFTTTAnimatedScrollViewControllerDelegate <NSObject>

@optional

/**
 *  The user has scrolled to the last page of the scrollview.
 *
 *  @param animatedScrollViewController the scroll view controller that's been scrolled
 */
- (void)animatedScrollViewControllerDidScrollToEnd:(IFTTTAnimatedScrollViewController *)animatedScrollViewController;

/**
 *  The user has released the scrollview (ended dragging) at the last page of the scrollview.
 *
 *  @param animatedScrollViewController the scroll view controller that's been scrolled
 */
- (void)animatedScrollViewControllerDidEndDraggingAtEnd:(IFTTTAnimatedScrollViewController *)animatedScrollViewController;

@end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
How Joe Biden won back blue-collar workers in the crucial Rust Belt states
Trump's appeal has waned in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan - the trio of traditionally Democratic states that turned to him in 2016
By Josie Ensor in Philadelphia 4 November 2020 • 7:07pm
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden gestures after speaking during election night at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware, early on November 4, Credit: AFP
US Election Article Bar
For Joe Biden, the "scrappy kid from Scranton", it has always been about the Midwest. If he lost there, he told himself, he had no hope of winning.
Mr Biden spent the majority of his campaign trying to appeal to the men and women he believed he could win back from Donald Trump in places like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan - the trio of traditionally Democratic industrial states that cost the party the White House in 2016.
And now, with Mr Biden and the president locked in a race that has gone down to the wire, the path to 270 Electoral College votes for either man will wind through the three.
If predictions based on early returns bore out, Mr Biden could well pull off the hat-trick to claim victory.
A nail-bitingly tight race in Wisconsin was called for the former vice president with the thinnest of margins. In Michigan, with 96 per cent of ballots cast, he was one percentage point ahead.
Pennsylvania, which holds out the biggest prize of 20 electoral votes, was leaning right but was set to veer sharply left once the mail-in ballots were counted in deep-blue cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Mr Trump had tried desperately to eat into the Democrats' share of the blue-collar vote, claiming his rival would end fracking and put in jeopardy jobs in one of the country's top oil-and-gas producing states.
"At every turn, they've twisted the knife into the back of Pennsylvania workers," Mr Trump told crowds in the Rust Belt state last week.
"They keep saying it's close [in Pennsylvania] but I don't think it's close."
It was a much easier claim to make when he was running against Hillary Clinton. Mr Biden, however, is seen by many here as a working-class son, just another "middle class Joe" who used to take the Amtrak train to work in DC during his time as a senator, like any other commuter.
"You can tell he's down-to-earth," said Michael Karnoff, 66, from Mr Biden's hometown of Scranton, as he sat anxiously waiting for Pennsylvania to be called. "If he comes from this area you know he's honest, we don't harvest thieves around this way."
Mr Karnoff, who was an electronics distributor before he retired, voted for Mr Trump in 2016, hoping the businessman could create jobs for the area, which has suffered from economic depression since the coal mines closed.
"Trump got in because a lot of people here don't trust Washington," he told The Telegraph. "Biden is part of the establishment, but this is what we need in the trying times we're in now.
Biden talks to supporters gathered outside the Carpenters Local Union 645 in Scranton, Pa. on Election Day Credit: Christopher Dolan /The Times-Tribune
"We need a (Theodore) Roosevelt, or a (Winston) Churchill, not an isolationist who is only concerned with himself."
Lackawanna County, which covers Scranton, swung hard toward Mr Trump in 2016. This year, with 99 per cent reporting, Mr Biden was carrying it by 8 points.
Mr Karnoff said he was not surprised: "People are tired of the shenanigans," he said. "We all just want to return to normality."
In winning Pennsylvania and other states such as Michigan and Wisconsin that had not voted Republican in decades, Mr Trump broke through what the Democrats had dubbed their "blue wall" in the Midwest.
State polls had wildly underestimated the president's support in the Rust Belt by more than five points, the largest such polling error so far this century.
Joe Biden's poll lead over Donald Trump in six key swing states
The most important reason, according to a postmortem from the American Association for Public Opinion Research, was that they undercounted non-college-educated voters, who turned out in droves for the president.
Early returns pointed to Mr Biden expanding Mrs Clinton's margins in the outskirts of Philadelphia and Mr Trump failing to put up the same kind of numbers he did in 2016 in central, western and northeastern Pennsylvania.
The 77-year-old has appeal in big cities, like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, too.
"When's the last time you saw Trump on main street?," said cab driver Tyler Wolf, 26, from west Philadelphia. "He's always holding his rallies in the airport miles out of town. And this is someone who claims to be a man of the people."
Both candidates had campaigned furiously in the must-win state right up until the last minute, with Mr Trump even visiting Scranton, Mr Biden's birthplace, on the eve of the election.
The former vice-president paid a visit himself on Election Day, where he was greeted by throngs of supporters who patted him on the back and chanted his name.
"We love you Joe," they shouted outside his childhood home. "We got this."
Joe Biden,
US economy,
US Politics,
Democrats,
US 2020 election,
Trump-Kim summit

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Inspired by the Moorish architecture combined with a modern touch, Kronos Homes brings you this idyllic paraside in the heart of one of the most sought out regions in Europe: Algarve.
All apartments and villas are completely furnished and equipped with entertainment systems that include smart TVs, kitchens with the all home appliances you need, and comfortable and spacious living rooms and bedrooms. For your pleasure, we also offer air conditioning and TV in all accommodation types, in addition to free high-speed internet delivered through fiber-optic.


'Blue Eyes' is a 111.55ft /34m Custom yacht built in 2007 by Pax Navi Yachts, and last refitted in 2008. She was previously named Cem Boz, and her luxurious interior is designed by Erkan Ozhan.
Blue Eyes's elegant interior layout sleeps up to 10 guests in 5 rooms, including a master suite, 3 double cabins and 2 twin cabins. She is also capable of carrying up to 7 crew members onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience. Timeless styling, beautiful furnishings and sumptuous seating feature throughout to create an elegant and comfortable atmosphere.
Blue Eyes's impressive leisure and entertainment facilities make her the ideal charter yacht for socialising and entertaining with family and friends. She has the feel of a luxury hotel, and is exceptionally elegant and comfortable.
Blue Eyes has a cruising speed of 10 knots, and you'll be able to take in the stunning views from deck as you sail across crystal waters.
For fun and recreation, toys include Jet-Ski, 4 x Water-Skis, Snorkelling Equipment, and Fishing Equipment.


text:
Did you know? Savannah College of Art and Design motion media design students are actively recruited by today's powerhouse companies, including Apple, Sony Pictures Entertainment, ESPN, MTV, Turner Broadcasting, CNN, The Weather Channel, Showtime Networks, FOX Sports, NBC Sports, Industrial Light & Magic, and DIGITALKITCHEN. Learn more.
Art Schools in Oklahoma
With a population of more than 3.7 million, Oklahoma is the country's twenty-eighth largest state. The largest cities here are Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman, Broken Arrow, and Lawton. While Oklahoma has dozens of unique citied and towns that have experienced overall growth throughout the decades, most transplants end up in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, or Norman—the state's largest cities. These cities are home to some of the state's top art museums, galleries, performance venues, and many art and design schools.
Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Philbrook Museum of Art (Tulsa), and Feed Jones Jr. Museum of Art (Norman) are just a few major attractions for artist and art lovers alike. The state's art museums, art galleries departments such as the each city's department of cultural affairs, and organizations such as the Oklahoma Arts Council, Allied Arts, and the Oklahoma Art Guild (OAG) help contribute to a healthy art and culture scene in The Sooner State.
Oklahoma's academic institutions also play an integral role in encouraging growth in the art and culture scene. Some school's here offer programs for aspiring painters, illustrators, and photographers, while others offer programs for aspiring animators, filmmakers, and experimental artists. University of Oklahoma-School of Art and Art History and are just a few popular options.
Oklahoma Art Schools
According to the most recent figures released by the National Center for Education Sciences, Institute of Education Sciences (NCES IES), Oklahoma is home to 60 accredited colleges and universities, with more than 200,000 students enrolled. More than 200 students are enrolled in the state's top art programs alone. Scroll through the list below to take a look at Oklahoma's best options for aspiring artists and what they have to offer.
East Central University - Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Art with Concentration in Graphic Arts
The University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma - Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Art with Concentration in Graphic Design
University of Oklahoma - Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Art with Visual Communication Emphasis; M. F. A. Art with Time Based Media or Visual Communication Emphasis
Northeastern State University - Degrees Offered: B. A. Art with Graphic Design Emphasis, B. A. Visual Communication with Photography or Multimedia/Web Design Option
University of Tulsa - Degrees Offered: B. A., B. F. A. Art with Graphic Design Emphasis; M. A. Art with Graphic Design Emphasis
More Art related programs to consider:
Employment and Salary Trends for Oklahoma Artists
According to the latest report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (March 29, 2012) Oklahoma is home to 12,770 salaried artists and designers. This industry consists of everything from fine artists and art directors to photographers and filmmakers. Although the talent pool decreased slightly since 2002 (when the state was home to 13,120 salaried artists and designers), salaries are on the rise.
In 2002, salaried artists here averaged $29,950. Salaries increased substantially over the next 10 years, with an average salary today of $38,520. Salaries and employment growth vary by field. For example:
Fine Artists: Oklahoma was home to 50 salaried fine artists in 2002. Today, the population is around 60. Salaries for fine artists fell somewhat between 2002 and today. In 2002, Oklahoma's fine artists averaged $52,010 Today, the average salary is $51,130.
Art Directors: Oklahoma had a population of 120 art directors in 2002. Today, the population is around 80. However, salaries for art directors skyrocketed between 2002 and today. In 2002, Oklahoma art directors averaged $38,910. Today, the average salary is $82,510
The U.S. is home to more than 1.7 million salaried artists and designers, up from 1.5 million in 2002. Salaries are up nationwide as well. The mean annual wage for artists across the U.S. is $53,850, up from $41,660 in 2002.


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Forceville-en-Vimeu – miejscowość i gmina we Francji, w regionie Hauts-de-France, w departamencie Somma.

Według danych na rok 2011 gminę zamieszkiwało 260 osób, a gęstość zaludnienia wynosiła 87 osób/km² (wśród 2293 gmin Pikardii Forceville-en-Vimeu plasuje się na 738. miejscu pod względem liczby ludności, natomiast pod względem powierzchni na miejscu 1057.).

Przypisy

Miejscowości w departamencie Somma


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Innovative and stable during world economic crisis
With the presentation of its new high-power product line at the 17th World Congress on Non-destructive Testing in Shanghai, COMET underscored its leading position in industrial x-ray technology. While 450 kV was previously considered to be the maximum possible output, this was exceeded with the launch of a 600 kV x-ray source. This boost in power allows the inspection of large engine blocks or turbine blades, something previously only possible using costly linear accelerators.
ebeam technology was recognized with the Swiss Technology Award in 2009. With its compact, low-voltage electron emitter, COMET developed a top-quality product suitable for sterilizing packages in in-line processes.
In 2010, the COMET Group emerged even stronger from one of the most severe global financial crises thanks to its systematic implementation of Group strategy, improved productivity and cost optimization efforts. This was demonstrated by 44% growth in sales to CHF 217.4 million as well as an increase in profit margin to 13% (EBITDA).
2011, the acquisition of the German-based Stolberg HF-Technik AG, specializes in the development and manufacture of RF and VHF generators, takes place.
COMET is therefore fully equipped to develop entire RF power supply systems featuring fully compatible components, all from a single source, and to rapidly conquer this new market.
2012, Tetra Pak praised ebeam technology at the FoodTec Fair Anuga and in field tests, already 50 million containers have been sterilized and sold.
2013, COMET Group celebrates its 65th anniversary as a leading company in the area of x-ray, high frequency and ebeam technology.
The last three years


PWN: War, war is stupid and people are stupid….
Fair warning, on this edition of the Pagan Weekly News both RevKess and Zaracon get up on their soapboxes. Way up!
War is a topic that no one really wants to talk about. Unfortunately it is the topic on a lot of people's minds these days. In the United States, the Middle East, Russia, and elsewhere around the globe. Neither Zaracon nor RevKess have served in the military, but they know many people who have or are currently serving active duty. RevKess's father served over seas during the Korean "Conflict" (War) and several of his nieces and nephews have been in the Middle East during the second Gulf War. War, conflict, strife. It all touches us somewhere and somehow. Whether we are at work, serve in the military, or know someone who is. It touches us all.
Before diving into the meat and bones of the main topic for the show, Z and Kess spoke briefly about crowd sourcing and funding. Taylor Ellwood recently published an article on that very topic on the Agora for Patheos Pagan Channel. The Pagan-Musings Podcast Channel has been a big proponent of crowd sourcing and plans to continue to be so. Having helped with projects for Tuatha Dea, Brendan Myers, Frenchy and the Punk, The New Alexandrian Library, and many others.
A note about the Israeli-Palestinian War: Heather Greene, columnist on The Wild Hunt and National Public Information Officer for Covenant of the Goddess, encouraged RevKess to reach out to Pagans in the Gaza area. Several false starts later he concluded that technology was not going to allow it to happen. Facebook messages and other attempts met with error messages and software failures. There are Pagans in that area and the hosts of PWN hope to be able to give them a voice in the near future.
Call it a conflict, call it a war. The military shambles in the Gaza Strip have been going on for decades, if not centuries. Here are some links to articles that give background and current information on the war in the Israeli-Palestinian area.
Wikipedia has an article on the History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.
Israel's Prime Minister defends actions in Gaza during a peace summit is Cairo.
John McLaughlin explains why the conflict in the area is different than it has ever been before – USA Today.
Michael Cohen on The Guardian's The Observer asks if the Israeli-Palestinian war is ever going to end.
Even China has a peace proposal.
Haaretz, an Israel media outlet, has live updates on the conflict. At the time of broadcast, this was the current article on the updates page. Since then the cease-fire has collapsed with serious effects on Gaza.
NPR's Morning Edition asks if there is any empathy left for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Iran sees some light at the end of the tunnel in regards to Gaza.
Syria's civil unrest is a four-point war.
Obama authorizes air strikes in Iraq against ISIS/ISIL in defense of the isolated Kurdish religious sect Yazidi.
The ancient religion is threatened with extermination by ISIL.
NATO warns that Russia may be poised to invade.
Canadian Prime Minster Harper announces intentions to send military and equipment aid to Ukraine. Included is a list of individuals and entities involved on the pro-Russian side that Canada is filing sanctions against.
Russia bans the import of food from the United States and other Western countries as a reaction to imposed sanctions from the US and the European Union.
Mortar round strikes a hospital in Eastern Ukraine, killing one.
On July 29, 2014, the US Airforce approved Asatru and Heathen as a listed religious preferences for all personnel. This is thanks to Msgt Matt Walters the Open Halls Project, according to The Wild Hunt.
Hellenic Polytheist, blogger and author Cara Schulz is running for City Council in Burnsville, MN.
Peter Dybing eulogizes Margot Adler on his Pagan in Paradise blog.
KaliSara and RevKess talk gem and crystal magick on this week's edition of the Pagan-Musings Podcast. This topic was requested by listeners. Neither host is an expert in the field, but both have personal experience working with gems, crystals, stones, and metals (minerals) in their magickal practices.
Listeners are encourage to suggest topics for the show. Listeners can also make recommendations for potential guests, or maybe even become guests themselves. Such suggestions can be made through the Facebook page for the show or through email.
A 2013 revised addition is available.
Selenite/Selenium: Sometimes called TV stone as it was used to make the screens of the older style tube TVs. "Selenite is a calm stone that instills deep peace and is excellent for meditation or spiritual work. Telepathy is enhanced by each person holding a piece of pure-vibration selenite." [The Crystal Bible] RevKess mentioned during the show that he has used selenite to treat muscle issues in his back.
Clear quartz: One of the most commonly found and used stones, quartz in its clear form is a universal stone. It can be used for healing, grounding, cleansing, psychic work and so much more. Clear or rose quartz can be placed on electronics to help balance the electromagnetic fields. Quartz, in its many variations, has 53 pages devoted to its uses and properties in Melody's book.
Lapis Lazuli: A dark blue stone with flecks of gold, lapis lazuli is perhaps most known for its use by the ancient Egyptians, the blue markings on the face of Tutankhamun's funeral mask are inlays of lapis. Lapis resembles the night sky and perhaps is assoiciated with Nuit, Goddess of the night sky, and her Babylonian counterpart Ishtar. Lapis is RevKess's "power stone".
Metals are also powerful tools for magick. According to The White Goddess website, there are seven noble metals that were used by the ancients. These metals are copper, iron, gold, silver, lead, tin, and electrum. The latter being a naturally occurring alloy of silver and gold and contains the properties of both.
Copper: Use copper in rituals, spells and amulets to promote love, sensuality, friendship, positive relationships of any kind, negotiations and peace.
Iron: Use Iron in rituals, spells and amulets to promote energy, strength, determination, will-power, assertivity and aggression, fertility-rites, beginnings and undertakings, speed, power and courage.
Gold: Use the metal gold or the colour gold in rituals/spells concerning Sun-deities, the male force, authority, self-confidence, creativity, financial riches, investments, ,fortune, hope, worldly and magical power. Wear golden jewellery to improve self-confidence and inner strength.
Silver: Use the metal or the colour silver in rituals, spells or talismans concerning Moon-goddesses, the female force, cycles, emotional and/or hormonal imbalances, reflecting or neutralizing negativity, dreams and intuition, psychic work and psychic abilities.
Tin: Use Tin in rituals/spells promoting abundance, prosperity, success in business and in legal matters, stimulation, attracting what you desire, energy, healing, regeneration and rejuvenation.


Do More Accurate Tests Lead to More Frequent Drug Testing?
This Olympics has been special due to bizarre cases of "cheating" and cunningly strange strategic behavior. But regardless of the year, allegations of doping are always around. So far, four athletes have been disqualified, and a fifth was booted for failing a retest from 2004. (The Olympic statute of limitations is eight years.) More will probably get caught, as half of all competitors will be sending samples to a laboratory.
Doping has some interesting strategic dimensions. The interaction is a guessing game. Dopers only want to take drugs if they aren't going to be tested. Athletic organizations only want to test dopers; each test costs money, so every clean test is like flushing cash down a toilet. From "matching pennies," we know that these kinds of guessing games require the players to mix. Sometimes the dopers dope, sometimes they don't. Sometimes they are tested, sometimes they aren't.
Pro-Testing: More accurate drug tests will lead to increased testing, since the organization does not have to worry about paying for bad tests, i.e. tests that come back negative but should have come up positive.
Anti-Testing: More accurate drug tests will lead to decreased testing, because athletes will be more scared of them. That leads to less incentive to dope, which in turn makes the tests less necessary.
Basically, the pro-testers are wrong because they fail to account for the strategic aspect of the game. The athletic organization has to adopt its strategies based off of the player's incentives. Increasing the accuracy of the test only changes the welfare of the player when he dopes and the organization tests. So if the organization kept testing at the same rate as the quality of the tests improved, the player would never want to dope. As such, the organization cuts back on its testing as the quality of the test increases.


text:
Q: Excel - copying text from column 1 and 2 to multiple times without deleting original content Basically I have the following:
2 columns, column-A contains Name and column-B contains Date
I need to copy the data from column 1 and place it at the end of the content in column 1 for the same ( eg A1 to A10 contains different names) without deleting original content.
I need to copy the data from column 2 and place it at the end of the content in column 2 for the same( eg B1 to B10 contains Same date and " 12-sep " for 10 different names) But here it should change to next day ( B11 to B20 another date "13-sep"  )

A: Give this a try:
Sub dural()
For I = 1 To 110 Step 10
    Range("A" & I & ":B" & I + 9).Copy Range("A" & I + 10)
    Range("B" & I + 10 & ":B" & I + 19).Value = Range("B" & I + 10).Value + 1
Next I
End Sub


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Note: Information was sketchy about residences of many of these athletes. Also, information about citizenship was not available, even though all of the above listed Georgia as state of residence. Anyone who has information about these two items should contact the record keeper at jimjoyce34@bellsouth.net.


Global Handmade Hope is a Fair Trade wholesaler offering sustainably produced merchandise from developing countries. Their hand-crafted collections are produced by artisans in some of the most remote regions of South America. By purchasing Fair Trade products from Global Handmade Hope you give these artists a place and opportunity to sell their goods. The amazing and talented women who create these items for Global Handmade Hope can customize them especially for you!


This page (together with the documents expressly referred to on it) informs you of information about us and the legal terms and conditions (Terms) on which we sell any of our products (Products) listed on our website (our Website) to you.
If you do not accept these Terms when prompted to do so, you will not be able to order any Products from our Website.
1.1 www.neocakes.co.uk is a site operated by Yanelex Limited ("We"). We are registered in England and Wales under company number 07104239 and have our registered office at 18 Norfolk Square, Paddington, London W2 1RS. Our VAT number is GB 984 8025 83.
2.3 All Products shown on our Website are subject to availability. We will inform you by e-mail as soon as possible if the Product you have ordered is not available and we will not process your order if made.
2.4 If the Product is unavailable or we are not able to supply it for any reason, we may provide you with a substitute product which will be equal to or greater value than the product you ordered. If you are not happy with the substitute product you may return them at our cost. If there are no available substitute products we will contact you by email to enquire whether you would like other available products or to cancel your order.
4.2 Certain Products on our Website can only be purchased if you satisfy the legal age requirement for that product. We are not allowed by law to supply these Products to you if you do not satisfy these age requirements. If you are underage, please do not attempt to order these Products through our Website.
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8.4 To cancel a Contract, please contact our Customer Services telephone line or e-mail us at sales@neocakes.co.uk. You may wish to keep a copy of your cancellation notification for your own records. You will be provided with a Returns Authorisation Number (RAN) which must be quoted when returning your Products.
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8.6 If you have returned the Products to us under this clause 8 because they are faulty or mis-described, we will refund the price of a defective Product in full, any applicable delivery charges and any reasonable costs you incur in returning the item to us.
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LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) — Veteran manager Fabienne Leys will be merging her company Chapter Five Management with Kevin Morrow's Steel Wool Entertainment.
Leys' portfolio at Steel Wool will encompass artist and producer/songwriter management, marketing, digital and promotional initiatives as well as developing the careers of new and established artists.
Ley's roster of artists and writers will make the move to Steel Wool as well, including producer and composer Brian Kennedy (Rihanna, Jennifer Hudson, Chris Brown, Kelly Clarkson, Backstreet Boys), producer & songwriter Caleb Shreve (Jennifer Lopez, Phantogram, Ra Ra Riot, Stars, Tegan & Sara), music production team The Movement (Justin Bieber, Jesse McCartney, Lionel Richie, Jordin Sparks), musician and actress Hayley Kiyoko, and more.
Before launching Chapter Five, Leys did management and A&R experience at firms such as Atom Factory, Roc Nation, and Island Def Jam Music Group.


text:
Cobb, Cathy
PERSONAL: Female. Education: Reed College, B.A., 1981; University of California at Santa Barbara, M.A., 1985, Ph.D., 1987.
ADDRESSES: Office—Aiken Preparatory School, 619 Barnwell Ave., NW, Aiken, SC 29801. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Prometheus Books, 59 John Glenn Dr., Amherst, NY 14228-2197. E-mail—c[email protected]
CAREER: Educator and writer. Aiken Preparatory School, Aiken, SC, physics and calculus instructor, 2001–; University of South Carolina at Aiken, adjunct professor of chemistry. Worked for Westinghouse Savannah River; taught chemistry at California State University at Los Angeles and Augusta State University.
AWARDS, HONORS: Louis Bell Research Award, Augusta State University.
(With Harold Goldwhite) Creations of Fire: Chemistry's Lively History from Alchemy to the Atomic Age, Plenum Press (New York, NY), 1995.
Magick, Mayhem, and Mavericks: The Spirited History of Physical Chemistry, Prometheus Books (Amherst, NY), 2002.
(With Monty L. Fetterolf) The Joy of Chemistry: The Amazing Science of Things, Prometheus Books (Amherst, NY), 2005.
SIDELIGHTS: Cathy Cobb teaches calculus, chemistry, and physics and has authored or coauthored several books about chemistry. In her book Magick, Mayhem, and Mavericks: The Spirited History of Physical Chemistry Cobb recounts the historical progress of chemistry from the realm of magic practiced by alchemists to an established science based on mathematics. Cobb takes readers back to the days of ancient Greece and a look at the possible foundations of the discipline. She also profiles the pioneers of chemistry who based their studies on mathematics and laid the foundation for modern chemistry. In her book Cobb reveals many of the sacrifices and obstacles early maverick chemists faced, including accusations of being evil magicians who should be burned at the stake and laboratory accidents that nearly cost some of them their lives. The author also discusses the modern study of chemistry and such scientific efforts as rational drug design and the emerging field of nanotechnology.
Mary Jo Nye, writing in the American Scientist, noted that "Cobb's style is lively and swashbuckling," but Nye found Cobb's "emphasis on the history of physical chemistry as a collection of renegade and heroic episodes" and her "failure to define physical chemistry effectively" to be "disconcerting." As a result, she dubbed the book "an inspirational history for students of science, not a definitive history for the record." Isis contributor Seymour S. Cohen noted Cobb's failure to include what he considered some important contributors to the field, such as Thomas Hobbes and others. He also wrote that Cobb's decision not to include the math of chemistry and "chemical shorthand," perhaps done to retain the attention of some readers, "may have been mistakes" since many readers are familiar with the basic math involved in the field. Nevertheless, Cohen called Magick, Mayhem, and Mavericks "a successful introductory history of science that can help to restore enthusiasm for and youthful interest in the scientific life." Bryce Christensen, writing in Booklist, noted that the book "will pleasantly surprise readers whose previous experience with chemistry has … [been] a forced march through dreary formulas to learn that many of the makers of those formulas lived lives of wild unpredictability and fearless defiance." In a review in the Skeptical Inquirer, Kendrick Frazier and Benjamin Radford commented the author's "humanistic, historical approach results in a lively, readable account."
Cobb collaborated with Monty L. Fetterolf to write The Joy of Chemistry: The Amazing Science of Things. The book is an introduction to chemistry and covers many of the field's various branches, including biochemistry and forensic chemistry. It includes many real-world examples of chemistry at work, from fall foliage to computers. The authors also provide hands-on demonstrations in each chapter so that readers can conduct their own laboratory experiments, often using items easily found in most households. A Publishers Weekly contributor called the book "A lightning tour of the field for the uninitiated" and added, "What the work lacks in depth is made up for in breadth." The reviewer also noted the authors "avoid oversimplifying the chemistry" and indicated that readers "will at least have a better understanding of the world around them."
American Scientist, July-August, 2003, Mary Jo Nye, review of Magick, Mayhem, and Mavericks: The Spirited History of Physical Chemistry, p. 371.
Booklist, July, 2002, Bryce Christensen, review of Magick, Mayhem, and Mavericks, p. 1805.
Isis, March, 2004, Seymour S. Cohen, review of Magick, Mayhem, and Mavericks, p. 103.
Publishers Weekly, December 20, 2004, review of The Joy of Chemistry: The Amazing Science of Things, p. 44.
Science News, January 11, 2003, review of Magick, Mayhem, and Mavericks, p. 31.
Skeptical Inquirer, March-April, 2003, Kendrick Frazier and Benjamin Radford, review of Magick, Mayhem, and Mavericks, p. 61.
Aiken Preparatory School Web site, http://www.aikenprep.com/ (March 24, 2005), "Cathy Cobb."
New Jersey Institute of Technology Web Site, http://www.njit.edu/ (March 24, 2005), "Cathy Cobb."
"Cobb, Cathy ." Contemporary Authors. . Encyclopedia.com. 17 Jan. 2023 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.
"Cobb, Cathy ." Contemporary Authors. . Encyclopedia.com. (January 17, 2023). https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/cobb-cathy
"Cobb, Cathy ." Contemporary Authors. . Retrieved January 17, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/cobb-cathy
Baron Von Justus Liebig , Baron Justus von Liebig The German chemist Baron Justus von Liebig (1803-1873) was one of the pioneers in the field of organic chemistry and introduc… Fritz Pregl , analytical chemistry. Pregl's father, Raimund Pregl, a bank treasurer in Carniola, died when his son was still young. His mother was Friderike Schlac… Physical Chemistry , Physical chemistry is the branch of chemistry concerned with the interpretation of the phenomena of chemistry in terms of the underlying principles o… Green Chemistry , Green chemistry is also known as environmentally benign chemistry, or sustainable chemistry. Perhaps the most widely accepted definition of green che… Adolf Windaus , Windaus, Adolf Adolf Windaus (ä´dôlf vĬn´dous), 1876–1959, German chemist. He was professor of chemistry and director of the chemistry laboratories a… Alexander R. Todd , Alexander Todd Chemist Alexander Todd researched the chemistry of nucleotides and was influential in synthesizing vitamins for commercial application…
pharm. chem.
Gutbier, Felix Alexander
physicochemical
EABORN, Colin
SHEMIAKIN, MIKHAIL MIKHAILOVICH
Partington, James Riddick
Rode, Bernd M. (Bernd Michael Rode)
Overend, William George
Cobb(s), Arnett(e Cleophus)
Cobana Negra
cobamide
cobaltous
cobaltic
cobalt glance
cobalt bomb
cobalamine
Cobain, Kurt Donald
Cobain, Kurt (Donald) 1967-1994
Cobá
cob nut
Coatzacoalcos River
coattail
Coatsworth, John H(enry)
Coatsworth, Elizabeth Jane
Coatsworth, Elizabeth (1893–1986)
Coats, Wendell John, Jr.
Coats' disease
Cobb, Charles E(arl), Jr. 1943-
Cobb, Clifford W(illiam)
Cobb, J.
Cobb, James C. 1947–
Cobb, James H(arvey)
Cobb, Jerrie (1931–)
Cobb, Jewell Plummer (1924–)
Cobb, Julie 1947–
Cobb, Junie (actually, Junius C)
Cobb, Keith Hamilton 1962-
Cobb, Matthew (Matthew J. Cobb)
Cobb, Nancy (Howard)
Cobb, Richard (1917– )
Cobb, Thomas
Cobb, Ty (1886-1961)
Cobb, Ty (1886–1961)
Cobb, Ty (Tyrus) Raymond
Cobb, Ty(rus) Raymond
Cobb, Vicki
Cobb, Walt (Cariboo South)
Cobb, William (Sledge)
Cobb, William J. 1957- (William James Cobb)
Cobb, William Jelani
Cobbe, Frances Power (1822–1904)


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Q: hdparm errors: bad/missing sens data (no hdparm commands working) I recently installed 4 Seagate 4tb SAS Exos 7e8 drives into my Dell r410 running Ubuntu Server 19.04. I am getting an error from hdparm everytime I try to run a hdparm command. The one command that works is -Tt for testing speed, but it still gives the errors. It always spits out this:
SG_IO: bad/missing sense data, sb[]: 72 05 20 00 00 00 00 ic 02 06 00 00 cf 00 00 00 03 02 00 01 80 0e 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
SG_IO: bad/missing sense data, sb[]: 72 05 20 00 00 00 00 ic 02 06 00 00 cf 00 00 00 03 02 00 01 80 0e 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
HDIO_DRIVE_CMD(identify) failed: Input/output error

This happens for every single hdparm command, and -I
 will not give me any data except an the error above.
I am trying to think of a couple problems and there are two that I think could be the culprit:
1. It is a Self-Encrypting drive and it might be locked, but the speed test still works which I would expect to not work if it were locked.
2. It is frozen, this might be the problem, if so, how do I fix it?

Thanks!

A: No, hdparm is simply the wrong tool for your disks. They are SCSI (SAS) disks and you are trying to use a program that is entirely built around ATA commands. They literally do not speak the same language.
For SCSI you have sg_* tools found in sg3-utils. For example, sg_inq to show disk identity, sg_start to spin up/down, sg_turs and sg_requests for status. The usual smartctl will work with SCSI disks, although somewhat differently.
(The kernel performs some ATA/SCSI translation, but that's for the opposite direction: i.e. allowing programs to issue SCSI commands to ATA disks. That allows some of the sg3-utils to work on ATA, but not the other way around.)
Seagate self-encrypting drives appear to use TCG OPAL, so sedutil-cli should work with them. (If you tried to set an "ATA password", that wouldn't have worked anyway.)

A: In addition to the accepted answer, I would like to mention that you can use thesdparm utility with SCSI disks.
Install with sudo apt install sdparm
Get all parameters/settings with sudo sdparm -l -a /dev/sdX
Here -a gets all output fields  and -l gets the long output i.e. explanation of the output fields.


Looking for the perfect wedding ring can be a stressful experience. You want a ring that will suit your tastes and stand as a reminder of your blissful union, and you may wear the same ring for the rest of your life. Much of the difficulty of shopping for the right wedding ring can be eliminated by having a distinct idea of what you and your partner want, knowing what to look for in quality designs and materials and making sure your finances are in order.
Know what you're after. Look through catalogs or search for wedding rings online to find a style that matches your price range, personality, and aesthetic sensibilities. Before setting foot in a jewelry store, you should already have a basic idea in mind about what kind of ring would be best for you and your spouse. It can be overwhelming to start searching for a wedding ring with no concept of what you even want, so do your homework now and save yourself the headache later.
Visualize your ideal wedding ring. What is it that you're picturing? If you're at a loss for how to get started, this type of mental exercise can help put you on the right track.
Have a budget for the ring. Get a sense of what you're willing and able to spend on a wedding ring. This can help eliminate a lot of superfluous options right off the bat. Decide whether you'd rather finance a ring or buy it outright. Come up with an approximate figure that you'd be willing to drop on a piece and only look for rings in that price range.
If possible, create a separate "ring fund" and set aside a small amount from each paycheck to go toward purchasing the ideal ring once you find it.
Narrow down your search. Where should you even begin looking? The obvious choice is local jewelers in your area, along with some of the larger chain retailers such as Zales, Kay, and Jared. Don't count out smaller independent jewelers: many of them have been in business for decades and have accumulated a lot of experience helping indecisive couples find rings that they're happy with. Give the jeweler the details of your wants, needs, and budget and they'll be able to show you a selection of rings matching your unique specifications.
Visit only reputable jewelers. Perform a quick search for customer testimonials to see what kind of materials a store specializes in and how knowledgeable their sales staff is. Stay away from pawn shops, deep discount outlets and mall jewelry kiosks that try to pass off uncertified merchandise at questionable prices.
The internet can be a helpful tool in previewing types of rings, but it's probably not your best resource for buying due to the inability to assess the quality of a ring up close, complications in getting it sized properly and a lack of live specialists who can inform you and answer any questions you may have in person.
Be practical. Find a ring that you will be comfortable wearing day in and day out. It's easy to fall into the pattern of desiring the purest, brightest, most elegant ring on the market, but stop to think for a moment about how your ring will fare once the initial infatuation wears off. It's possible that you may not wish to wear your wedding ring at all times, so size and visibility may become a factor in keeping up with it. Additionally, some materials such as silver and white gold are known to tarnish under certain conditions, meaning they will require regular polishing and upkeep. Simplicity and practicality should also be criteria in your search.
One option that satisfies many couples is to go for more elegance and flair when picking out an engagement ring while sticking to a simple one-piece wedding band that will be worn all the time.
Don't be put off from buying a ring you really like just because you're worried about its utilitarian value. However, keep in mind that in most cases, your ring will be worn all day, every day, with many different clothing styles and accessories and under drastically different conditions.
Go shopping with your partner. Go together to pick out a set of rings that the two of you can agree on. Buying a wedding ring is a big, expensive decision, and it's one that the two of you should make together. This way you can confer about what you like and don't like, keep each other's expectations in check and even come to an agreement on a set of matching rings. Whatever the case, make sure you're both present and have equal say in the matter.
Your wedding ring is one of the only pieces of jewelry that you'll wear for years to come—perhaps even the rest of your life—so it only makes sense to bring your partner along to pick it out.
Schedule a day when you and your partner can devote several hours to visiting jewelry stores and looking at rings together.
Educate yourself on ring materials. To choose a wedding ring that's right for you and your partner, you should consider the many different kinds of metals used to make rings. Gold and platinum are time-honored favorites, but a host of other materials are available to you in addition to these options: silver is another popular rare metal and is sometimes mixed with gold and other metals to create unique amalgamations of color and shine. Aside from the traditional metals, you also have benefits of modern metals like cobalt, tungsten, and titanium, which are renowned for their durability, vibrancy, and ease of cleaning. It's important to communicate with your partner to achieve the right look and construction of your wedding rings.
In addition to being harder and more durable, you may also be able to save money by opting for some of the more modern material choices.
Your ring doesn't have to be metal at all—take cues from other cultural traditions and look at rings fashioned from precious stones like jade, or even bohemian alternatives like wood or bone.
Complement your partner's style preferences. If you happen to be on the hunt for a one-of-a-kind wedding ring or you're buying the ring as a surprise, go armed with an awareness of your significant other's affinities. Do they have a favorite metal that they tend to accessorize in? Are they partial to any particular colors, inlays or band styles? Study your partner's jewelry collection or bring it up casually in conversation beforehand to be able to tailor your search for something that you know they'll love.
It is a major plus if the ring you buy is consistent with the other jewelry and accessories your partner typically wears.
Pick out the perfect ring for you. Aim to find a pair of rings that suits you and your partner's specific needs. One of the most important truths to keep in mind is that there's no such thing as a perfect ring, only a perfect ring for you. With this in mind, you should stay focused on you and your partner's preferences, uniqueness and buying power and stop convincing yourself that there exists a "best" ring out there. If it meets the criteria you've set, symbolizes your devotion to one another and makes you smile when you look at it, it's perfect.
There is an almost limitless variety of metals, moldings, sizes, and styles available, and you'll never be able to look at all of them. Instead, keep a clear image in mind of what best represents you and your partner.
Pick out a ring that is meaningful to your partner. Research your partner's style preferences to find out what kind of ring would make them happy. Have they always wanted a brilliant diamond, or would it be more dazzling to have the ring set with a colorful stone? Pay attention when your partner mentions what kind of styles they like, and take a look at some of their other jewelry for comparison. A wedding proposal is a momentous occasion, and they've probably been dreaming all their life about the day someone pops the question with the perfect ring.
Having an engagement ring set with your partner's birthstone can be a moving alternative to the traditional diamond.
Using your partner's other jewelry for reference can save you a lot of trouble weeding out options. For instance, if most of the rings and necklaces they own are silver, it's a safe bet that they are partial to silver over other decorative metals.
Assess the "Four Cs" when deciding on a gemstone. In jeweler's lingo, the "four Cs" refer to the Cut, Carat, Clarity, and Color of diamonds and other precious gemstones. These are the most important qualities to look for when shopping for a ring set with a stone, and since you'll be shelling out a lot of money for it, it can pay to know how to appraise what you're shown. If you have a notion of what you're after in terms of each "C," you'll also have a much easier time communicating your needs to the jewelry specialist.
Cut deals with the shape and texture of a stone. These might come in their raw forms, or they can be cut with precise angles for greater symmetry and appeal.
Carat is a term that denotes a stone's size. The higher the number of carats, the bigger the rock, and the more you can expect to pay for it.
Clarity is a desirable trait of gemstones that have a uniform, translucent appearance and are lacking any unwanted imperfections in shape.
Color refers to the natural hues of a stone, and is largely a matter of preference. Diamonds of the highest purity are most often clear or opalescent, but they can also be red, pink or blue, and some of these colors are exceedingly rare and valuable.
Choose the right style. Shopping for an engagement ring isn't just about picking the type, size, and cut of a particular stone. Look at metals and setting types that you think would capture your partner's heart. Gold is the most traditional metal for engagement rings and wedding bands, but there are many others. Modern styles favor sleek, colorless metals, so silver or platinum might be your best bet. You'll also need to decide how the stone is to be set in the ring: it could have a single setting at the top, or be inlaid with multiple stones around the band. The choices are virtually endless.
Expect to have to make a decision about a minimum of four areas: metal, band style, setting style, and stone.
Confer with your jeweler about your spouse's preferences. They can help you pair different elements and narrow down your search.
Make it a surprise. Unlike agreeing on a set of wedding rings, which should be a joint decision, the engagement ring is usually given as a surprise. Plan to present the ring to your significant other when they least expect it. Find a creative way of asking the big question or hiding the ring to thrill your partner when they find it on their own. Make sure you've done your homework and are confident with the ring you've chosen before surprising them to avoid disappointment.
Surprises are fun, but be careful not to place the ring anywhere you could lose or ruin it. It's advisable not to hide an engagement ring in food (this presents a choking hazard and may destroy the metal's finish), or have it out of the jewelry box somewhere that it may fall into a crevice or under a piece of furniture.
Be realistic about price. Settle on a ring you love that's within your means and make sure you're in a financially responsible position to afford it. Have a budget in place and refer to it before making any rash buying decisions. A wedding ring isn't a make-believe decoration. It's a serious investment, and no matter who you are, buying a quality ring that's up to your standards is going to leave a dent in your checkbook. Try not to have any unrealistic expectations about finding a storybook ring for a steal. For the most part, you get what you pay for: quality metals and custom engravings are simply going to cost more.
Resist the temptation to spend beyond your means. It's one thing to live a little lighter for a while until you make up the cost, but spending more money than you have on a ring that you simply can't afford is ill-advised.
Save up to buy a ring. Instead of projecting an estimate of what you might spend on a ring and using that figure to inform your search, you might also consider finding a ring you like first and then saving up for it. Again, having a ring fund set up can be an invaluable aid, as all that money will have already been cleared for the purpose of buying a ring and won't cause any unexpected hiccups in paying the rent or keeping the lights on. Purchasing a ring outright can also be a great weight off your shoulders—it might be a big expense all at one time, but once it's yours, it's yours.
Quality rings are not cheap. It's wisest to start saving up for a wedding ring as far as you can in advance.
In certain stores, it may be possible to negotiate the price of an item a little with the jeweler. Knowing that you're committed to buying a ring then and there may be enough to convince the jeweler to haggle with you until you reach a price you can both live with.
Purchase the ring on a payment plan. Realistically, most shoppers will be better off financing their ring of choice. Possible payment plans will differ depending on store policy where you buy your ring, but generally, you'll feel less financially limited if you have the option of paying the ring off a little at a time rather than in one fell swoop. Read the fine print of the jeweler's payment plan paperwork, and, if possible, look for plans with zero interest or promotional rates that expire after a certain time. If you're not careful, you might get stuck paying considerably more than you originally anticipated.
Be wary of financing plans offered by jewelry stores. Their rates may seem attractive at first, but can skyrocket after the advertised promotions expire, and may leave you with the burden of debt in addition to your shiny new ring.
If you've got your eye on a ring that you can't live without but it's a little out of your current price range, an installment plan might be just what you need since you'll be able to pay as you go.
Talk to the jeweler about possible discounts. Jewelry stores (especially the larger brand-name retailers) often run promotional sales or offer discounts as a way to get people to buy from them. Don't be afraid to take advantage of these offers. You may be eligible for a discount as a first time customer, or for buying a piece in a certain line. Take note of jewelers running specials when it comes time to do your ring shopping.
You may also be able to take advantage of special promotions when setting up a financing plan; just watch out for discount expirations, hidden fees and deals that require you to set up a store credit card.
Do some basic research on different materials and styles before setting out to buy a ring. Not only will this help you narrow down what you're looking for, but it can also give you a better idea of what you can expect to pay.
Know you and your partner's ring size. If the ring you decide on doesn't fit, take it back to the jeweler's to have it properly sized.
See if it's possible to modify or customize an existing piece. For instance, some jewelers may offer unique stone settings or perform personalized engravings on the ring at the customer's request. These small touches can make your ring a much more personal and meaningful gift.
Examine each piece you're shown carefully to tell if it's worth what the seller is asking for it, and compare prices of similar items at different jewelers' to prevent getting ripped off. Most reputable jewelers won't engage in dishonest business practices, but they may attempt to overcharge you for a ring if they think you don't know the difference.
Don't be tempted to buy every ring you see. Picking out the right ring is a demanding task that takes time, and you're better off patiently looking over your options before coming to a decision.
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"I love the illustration and details of this article, very well done."


A huge welcome to our new graduate students!
Whether you are here to pursue a Ph.D., one of our many master's or other professional degrees, studying full-time or part-time, on campus or on-line, we are thrilled that you are joining Berkeley's graduate community. I look forward to meeting many of you on Tuesday, August 21, at our New Graduate Student Orientation, where you can attend numerous panels and workshops throughout the day. (If you haven't already, please RSVP.) Be sure to stay for GradFest, to learn more about our student organizations and community. Here are some other orientations and receptions held throughout August not to be overlooked.
To those of you who are continuing your graduate work, I wish you a productive year, whether you are studying, conducting research, teaching, or engaging in some combination of these. I'd encourage you to look at some of the articles below for new students — you may learn about new resources and new things to do that you weren't aware of last year, or the year before!
And I'd urge all students who are studying on campus to look at our student life materials. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance while in graduate school is of the utmost importance — not just for your well-being and happiness, but also for your academic work. Let's all make a resolution this year to get enough sleep!