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"Bye Baby" Director Aristotle Torres Talks J. Cole, Getting In the Game & More [VIDEO]
You may not be familiar with director Aristotle Torres, or his company By Any Means, but your favorite rappers and singers surely are. With a resume that boasts visual treatments like Nas's "The Don" and "Bye Baby," Ludacris's "Jinglin'" and Fabolous's "You Be Killin Em," Torres is easily one of the most sought after videographers […]
A Queens Story: Nas & Salaam Remi's 10 Greatest Collaborations
You already know Nas. Top five dead or alive on just about everyone's list, unless you get a kick out of being a contrarian. If you don't know Salaam Remi, is a world renowned producer du jour whose Hip-Hop cred goes all the way back to producing Zhigge's self-titled debut album in '92 (even further […]
Nas Performs "The Don" and "Nasty" On Jimmy Kimmel Live! [VIDEO]
Life is damn good for Nas right now. The Queensbridge rapper's 10th album, Life Is Good, debuts at number one and he continued its strong promotional campaign last night with a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Dressed simply, save for the jewelry in HD, in a t-shirt and jeans, the natural born lyricist performed "The […]
NaS Speaks On The Life Is Good Album Cover [VIDEO]
In part one of his interview with The Life Files, Nas expresses the feeling of life being good and the ability to make new music being the inspiration behind the album. He felt the only way to convey this feeling to his fans was through the title.
Nas Covers Complex Magazine's June/July 2012 Issue [PHOTOS/VIDEO]
Life certainly is good for Queens rapper Nas. The "Hate Me Now" MC graces the cover of the June/July 2012 issue of Complex Magazine. If you're familiar with Spike Lee joints, you'll recognize the art direction is a homage to Do The Right Thing (also, DJs, peep the vinyl in the back!). Peep some BTS […]
The Official Behind The Scenes Look At Nas' "The Don" [VIDEO]
You've seen the video and the still shots, but now let BAM take you behind the scenes of Nas' "The Don," directed by Aristotle. The flyest one, June Ambrose, talks up styling the rapper on this video as well. Not for nothing, but this behind the scenes is shot better than most people's actual videos.
Nas – "The Don" [VIDEO]
While Nas deals with some baby mama drama today, he still manages to finally drop the video for "The Don." Director Aristotle takes you on a visual trip through NYC while Nas drinks fine wine, gets fitted for made to measure suits, gets chauffeured around town, and hits the the club, too. All while the […]
Nas "The Don" Video Behind The Scenes [PHOTOS]
Photos from the set of Nas' forthcoming video for "The Don" keep trickling out slowly but surely. From the images, the Salaam Remi produced and Heavy D co-signed track should have a visual worthy of its combustible drums and Nasir's bars. This isn't Escobar season but Nasty Nas season, after all. Peep all the photo […]
Nas – "The Don" [LISTEN/DOWNLOAD]
UPDATE: Download link added. Get it while you can. This song will be featured on Nas' upcoming album Life Is Good. In this song, Nas says that this beat was picked by the late Heavy D. and given to Salaam Remi for him to rap on. We were expecting Funk Flex to get his bomb […]
Wired Videos
Check out part 2 of our exclusive interview with Ralph McDaniels, founder of Video Music Box.
Jig Alert: King James "Best Signature Shoe, The Nike LeBron 9 'Watch The Throne' Reportedly Dropping This Week
One of Los Angeles Lakers' superstar LeBron James' most sought-after kicks will finally be available to the public.
The Struggle Files
The Struggle Files: Doja Cat Gets COVID-19 After Thumbing Nose At Virus
The Struggle Files: Michigan Woman Knocked For Arson After Nearly Blowing Herself Up
#TheStruggleFiles: Struggle Jedi Orlando Brown In Jail Over Burglary Arrest
Bruh News
#BRUHNews: TikTok Star Ali Abulaban Accused Of Murdering Wife & Her Male Companion
#BRUHNews: Florida Man Kills Neighbor Over A Trespassing Cat
#BRUHnews: Nick Cannon Says He Will Be Going Celibate For Rest Of 2021 [Video]


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A Critic's Journey
By Steve Rosoff, MA'87
Photo by Fiona Aboud
Ruth Reichl has spent her career eating and writing about food and in the process has become one of the most recognizable names in the culinary world.
Within minutes of being shown to our comfortable table at Upland—a two-week-old restaurant in Manhattan's Flatiron district—Troy, the general manager, greets us warmly. He reminds my dining companion of the last time they met and tells her how pleased he is to receive her. He leaves, followed closely by an assistant manager.
"Is this pro forma?" I ask of the red carpet treatment.
"It happens occasionally," she replies.
A few minutes later, Stephen Starr, the restaurant's owner, drops by to suggest we order his favorite appetizer, the "estrella" pasta with chicken livers.
"I guess it happens more than I thought," she admits.
Over the next three hours, it's a steady procession of hot and cold dishes, solicitous interruptions from the waiter and sommelier, and greetings from friends and prominent food writers who are seated nearby. Eventually, the chef, Justin Smillie, comes over to inquire after her family and the food he's prepared.
Ruth Reichl, '68, MA'70, is in her element.
TIMES HAVE CHANGED SINCE REICHL REVIEWED RESTAURANTS IN CAMOUFLAGE, first as food editor of the Los Angeles Times, then as chief critic for the New York Times. "Those disguises were a lot of work," she recalls of her many invented personas, credit card aliases, wild wigs, and mad getups, which allowed her to dine undetected for 15 years in Los Angeles' and New York's better establishments. Then, in 1999, she shed her disguises to become editor in chief of Gourmet magazine. A decade later, Condé Nast shuttered the venerable grande dame of food magazines.
Today, Reichl and her husband, Michael, live in Columbia County, New York, some 100 miles from the epicenter of the food world she once covered. The meal at Upland must feel like old times as she catches up with fellow professionals in between bites of white truffle pizza and quinoa-encrusted steak tartare. But Reichl doesn't need a corner office in a glass tower to remain relevant.
She writes prolifically from a little cabin in the woods near her home. And she tweets regularly to her 278,000 followers on Twitter. "I found a language there I didn't know I had," she says. Her tweets read like delectable, 140-character haikus:
"Steamy, sultry morning. Air hanging heavy. Lemonade, very cold. Fresh strawberry ice cream. Cooler."
"Glorious morning. Outdoor shower. Long walk. Wind rustling leaves. Warm shrimp cakes: gentle flavor. Corn, tomato, chile salsa. Happy."
Reichl still remains prolific in longer-form writing. She penned three highly successful memoirs and is currently halfway through a five-book deal with Random House. Last May, "Delicious!," her first novel, was published. This spring, her cookbook/memoir "My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life" will come out. Currently, she's writing a memoir about her years at Gourmet.
"Delicious!" received mixed reviews, but the critic of the New York Times gave it a particularly scathing critique that left Reichl physically sick. (The follow-up article was considerably kinder.) "I wanted to write an escapist book," she says, "not a work of literary fiction." If the critics had loftier expectations, Reichl's loyal readers didn't care. The book has sold well around the world.
Growing up in New York City with parents who were intellectuals—her father, Ernst Reichl, was a prominent book designer—Reichl learned at an early age to revere books, especially works of fiction. That reverence extended to Gourmet's library of 7,000 volumes. In October 2009, her Condé Nast bosses recalled her from the road where she was promoting Gourmet's latest cookbook. They announced that they were closing the magazine, and the entire staff, including Reichl, would lose their jobs. Before she left, she locked the library. When she eventually returned to clear out her own office, she discovered in the library a file cabinet full of old letters. They were dull fare, so she went back to her desk and wrote her own collection of epistles, the ones she wished she had found.
A year later, they became the centerpiece of "Delicious!"—a World War II-era correspondence between James Beard, the chef and food writer who once worked for Gourmet, and a young girl from Akron, Ohio, named Lulu. As for her protagonist, Billie Breslin, Reichl invested her with a unique superpower, the ability to reconstruct a recipe from taste memory. Reichl says her own gift is something very different. "What I have is the ability to imagine how you describe something that people can taste. Being a supertaster is useless if you can't translate it as a writer."
REICHL'S TENURE AT THE NEW YORK TIMES was marked by the laying low of the city's high temples to gastronomy, eschewing French toques in favor of unheralded Asian woks. Her democratic reviews spoke to a wider audience, appealing to readers in the Midwest and on the West Coast who were looking to be entertained rather than for menu recommendations.
"She totally changed the idea of what a restaurant review should be and made it better," says John "Doc" Willoughby, former executive editor of Gourmet. Before Reichl, restaurant reviews typically centered on what to order (or not). Reichl crafted little works of literature, offering readers an emotional experience, not just a culinary one. "There are only a handful of great food writers, and she's one of them," Willoughby says.
Reichl doesn't miss daily journalism so much as she misses her former colleagues at Gourmet. She enjoyed the collaboration of editors, writers, and designers; the process of putting an issue together; and the resources to think big. If she wanted to do a Paris issue or ask Junot Diaz to write about Dominican cooking, she could. "I miss working with smart, interesting people and shaping ideas without really knowing what the result would be. I miss that sense of possibility."
There was considerable speculation about the reasons Gourmet folded: diminishing advertising revenues, bloated expense accounts, the prominence of the Internet, the financial crisis. Yet to this day, Reichl still doesn't have a definitive answer. All she knows is that after 69 years in circulation, Gourmet closed on her watch. "Sixty to 70 people lost their jobs," she says regretfully. "I felt like a huge failure."
WHILE REICHL WAS AT GOURMET, she infused "the magazine of good living" with an essence of social responsibility. Under her stewardship, the magazine wasn't just about fine food and travel but covered issues of sustainability and the debt to pleasure—that is, the high cost borne by those who gather and prepare our food as it travels from farm to table. In March 2009, Gourmet published an article by Barry Estabrook that detailed the deplorable conditions under which tomato pickers in central Florida lived and worked.
"The American food movement has gone off the rails," says Reichl passionately. "It's not just about us and our health, it's about an entire industry that runs on the backs of undocumented workers." For that reason, she regularly volunteers to speak on behalf of the Rural and Migrant Ministry, a nonprofit in New York state.
That Reichl should direct her spirit of social activism to food-related causes comes as no surprise to Lolita Hernandez, '68, her U-M roommate for three years. "She was always food conscious, always a great cook, and always had a deep sense of right and wrong," says Hernandez, a lecturer in creative writing at the Residential College and a 33-year veteran of the UAW. The two friends were on campus during the late 1960s, a time rife with political turmoil, dominated by Students for a Democratic Society rallies, the Black Power movement, and the first Vietnam teach-in.
"One of the places we lived was above a coffee shop where the more radical elements of campus gathered," recalls Hernandez. "We were part of those conversations."
Reichl wonders if she didn't compromise her academic studies for that hands-on political education. "After my freshman year, I did nothing but politics," she recalls. If so, the American food scene is the richer for it.
THE MEAL CONCLUDES WITH a ricotta cheesecake brulée that quickly disappears. It's late, but Reichl politely declines the offer of a cab ride uptown, preferring to join another table of friends. Her appetite for this culinary life is still not sated.
Claritha's Fried Chicken
This recipe, from Ruth Reichl's memoir "Tender at the Bone," is named for Claritha, who was a regular at Clint's bar in Ann Arbor. Reichl wrote a paper about the bar for a sociology class at U-M.
2 1⁄2 – 3 pound chicken, cut up
2 onions, sliced thin
1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
1 cup vegetable shortening
1⁄4 cup butter
Put chicken pieces in bowl and cover with salt. Let sit for 2 hours.
Remove chicken from salt, wash well, and put into a bowl with buttermilk and sliced onions. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Place flour, salt, cayenne and black pepper in paper bag and shake to combine. Drain chicken one piece at a time and put in bag. Shake to coat thoroughly. Place on waxed paper. Repeat until all chicken pieces are coated.
Leave for 1⁄2 hour to dry out and come to room temperature.
Melt shortening and butter in large skillet over high heat, add chicken pieces, and cover pan. Lower heat and cook 10 minutes. Turn and cook, uncovered, 8 minutes for breasts, 12 minutes for dark meat.
Test for doneness by piercing thigh; juices should run clear.
Steve Rosoff, MA'87, is an Ann Arbor-based freelance writer, amateur chef, and gourmand who spent almost two decades writing copy for the J. Peterman catalog.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Services/Schedule
Fire Cupping
Community has always been very important to us. That is why, at Hummingbird Medicine, our intention is to be as accessible and inclusive as possible. We offer affordable sliding-scale treatments as a reflection of that desire and commitment to our community.
Acupuncture, herbs and bodywork have the ability to produce profound transformations in overall health and well-being. Their effects are cumulative, so more frequent visits are necessary for achieving optimal results. We developed this business model so that we can offer treatments more often and help to improve quality of life and achieve health goals much faster.
For more about William and Shalee please continue scrolling.
William Knox
Master of Science in Oriental Medicine: Southwest Acupuncture College, Boulder, CO
Bachelor of Arts: University of California-Riverside; Sociology
Holistic Healthcare Practitioner/Massage Therapist: Healing Hands School of Holistic Health,
Escondido, CA
200 hour Yoga Teacher Training: Shambhava School of Yoga Nederland, CO
Certified Acupuncturist, Massage Therapist and Chinese Herbalist
Shalee Sucher
Master of Science in Oriental Medicine: Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin, Austin, TX
Master of Arts: Kingston University, London; Literature
Bachelor of Arts: Utah State University; Journalism Communications
200-hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training: Nadi Yoga, Austin, TX
Certified Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist
Certified - Asian Bodywork Therapy
Will was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. In 2000, he moved to southern California for college and has spent many years in the area. After college, Will moved to Japan and began to receive acupuncture and massage treatments and, upon his return to the states, attended school for massage therapy. His 1,000+ hour program included Swedish, Deep Tissue, Sports and Circulatory massage, Trigger Point Therapy, Facilitated Stretching, Shiatsu, western herbs and nutrition. He continued on to get his master's degree in Oriental medicine in 2014, which greatly furthered his abilities and understanding of health and the human body. His work has become a blend of these techniques and he calls on these various modalities when he finds that they will be the most useful. His treatments can include acupuncture, massage, fire cupping, dietary recommendations, yoga/movement practice guidance and herbal remedies. Will commonly treats acute and chronic pain, sports injuries, stress, anxiety, insomnia and men's health issues.
In his free time, Will loves to play music, meditate, eat delicious food, and practice his medicine. He is a movement enthusiast and loves to run, hike, bike, practice yoga and play in the great outdoors. He strives to find the vibrant health that is within each of us and to bring that wholeness closer to our hearts. He is devoted to helping people find medicine in all aspects of life and carries with him the experience and education to help foster this journey.
Shalee was fortunate enough to be introduced to integrative medicine by her grandmother at a very young age. Throughout her life she has met very influential practitioners, from multiple modalities, who helped her with various ailments and who encouraged her to seek out the healer in herself. She spent several years with the specific purpose of exploring and traveling the world and broadening her educational experience. It took her to wonderful places and only served to enhance her curiosity and quest for knowledge, and also to deepen her appreciation for life. Through these travels, she has cultivated an understanding of our differences as well as a recognition of the common threads that connect us.
Shalee received a Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degree from Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin (AOMA) in Austin, Texas. She is also certified as a Chinese herbalist and in Asian Bodywork Therapy, and has completed a 200-Hour Hatha Teacher Training program. She commonly incorporates herbal remedies, food therapy recommendations, fire cupping, gua sha and yoga prescriptions into her treatment plans.
She has also received a Master of Arts from Kingston University in London, England, and a Bachelor of Arts from Utah State University in Logan, Utah.
She currently works two days at week at the Mountain States Tumor Institute (MSTI) of St Luke's, where she treats individuals who are undergoing chemotherapy and radiations treatments. In her private practice, she most commonly treats anxiety/depression, acute and chronic pain, stress and women's issues.
686 North 9th St.
Will Knox
will@hummingbirdmedicineboise.com
shalee@hummingbirdmedicineboise.com


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America's Roundtable - International Leaders Summit
America's Roundtable – A Weekly Radio Program from Washington, DC
America's Roundtable Radio | Americasrt.com
Co-Hosts: Natasha Srdoc and Joel Anand Samy
America's Roundtable radio program is airing on FM radio frequencies in Michigan and the Midwest, Mississippi and the South, and through ten major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Amazon, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Fireside and more. The weekly radio program from Washington, D.C. is co-hosted by Natasha Srdoc and Joel Anand Samy, co-founders of the International Leaders Summit and the Jerusalem Leaders Summit.
America's Roundtable hosts prominent leaders from business, healthcare, government, media, technology, trade, and the public policy arena to provide timely analysis and insights into public policies originating in Washington, D.C., and impactful events beyond America's shores.
Listen to America's Roundtable via Apple Podcast, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, Fireside and TuneIn.
Strategic Broadcast Media Partners of America's Roundtable Radio:
America's Roundtable is heard on 65 radio stations via Lanser Broadcasting Corporation's radio stations covering Michigan and the Midwest market and SuperTalk Mississippi Media's radio stations and affiliate stations reaching every county in Mississippi and parts of the neighboring states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee. Through radio stations in the Midwest and the South, America's Roundtable Radio has a potential reach of 4.3 million engaged listeners.
Visit America's Roundtable website!
America's Roundtable Radio and Podcasts


FK Group provides building envelope solutions across a variety of sectors.
Our wide-ranging experience has allowed us to develop a team who are highly skilled in providing best-fit solutions, from design and pre-construction phases right through to installation and planned maintenance programmes throughout the life of the building – whatever the project scope and size.
For further information on our specific sector experience, please click on the links below or contact us directly.


I put myself on a makeup spending freeze. I love trying new makeup, but I already have soooo much. Besides the search for new concealer and foundation, I've been pretty good about not buying anything new and fun. I do allow myself to replace staple items that run out.
I recently replaced a couple of my faves-cinema secrets brush cleaner and bleeding lips clear liner. They're both from Sephora and everyday staple items.
I went to ulta to buy a different, cheaper foundation and got talked into this Lancôme 24 hour foundation. I like it. It goes on really smooth and wears pretty well. It is on the pricier end, and I'm still a little on the fence about the value for the price.
Because I haven't really been buying anything new just to try it out lately, I was really excited influenster sent me those YSL illuminating pen. It goes on really well and they matched my color perfectly. I don't necessarily see a huge difference in using it or not but it's kind of fun to have.
And finally a confession...I caved and bought lipsense. It is really pretty. I love the extended wear. I'm still not converted to wearing it every single day of my life AKA never wearing all the tons and tons of other products I have and love, but I do like it.
Your turn. What new products have you purchased lately?


Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason says it was important to him to secure the blessings of his former bandmates, David Gilmour and Roger Waters, before forming a band to tour on their early material.
Mason tells Rolling Stone in a new interview that he thought it "would be good manners, and they were both supportive" of his Saucerful of Secrets project, which focuses on Pink Floyd's pre-Dark Side of the Moon catalog.
The drummer points out that yet another former member of Pink Floyd touring on the band's hits would be redundant.
"...[Playing] the early Pink Floyd stuff doesn't impinge on what Roger or David do or what [the tribute band] the Australian Pink Floyd do," Mason said. "I could find myself a comfortable niche and do it for the sheer joy."
While Waters and Gilmour have often clashed, Mason seems to have good relationships with both men.
"Roger even said he would come down and sing one of the songs one night," Mason added.
Meanwhile, Waters has confirmed Pink Floyd is working on a 5.1 surround mix of the band's 1977 Animals album, packaged with new photos. Mason indicated he's not certain what extras the reissue will contain, since there's not much left in the vaults.
Mason, who has largely stayed away from live performing since Pink Floyd's last reunion in 2005, got back onstage earlier this year with his Saucerful of Secrets band.
He'll be on tour in Europe all September with the group. Get the tour dates here.


Enjoy some President's Day facts and a link to read Washington's Farewell Address.
Tracking Your Results - What's Your ROI?
Small Businesses, Civic Groups, Churches, Crowd Funding, Schools / Higher Education Institutions, and Others Should Send Letters and Cards That Will Impress Your Recipients.


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Date of enactment: March 27, 2014
2013 Assembly Bill 563 Date of publication*: March 28, 2014
An Act to renumber 968.375 (2), 968.375 (3), 968.375 (6), 968.375 (7), 968.375 (9), 968.375 (10), 968.375 (11), 968.375 (12), 968.375 (13) and 968.375 (14); to renumber and amend 968.375 (4), 968.375 (5) and 968.375 (15); and to amend 175.60 (14) (a), 939.74 (2) (c) and 948.02 (1) (e) of the statutes; relating to: fixing an incorrect cross-reference under the statute of limitations for repeated sexual assault of the same child; numbers of subsections; sexual assault of a child; suspension of license to carry a concealed weapon if the person is prohibited from possessing a dangerous weapon as a condition of release when charged with a felony or misdemeanor (suggested as remedial legislation by the Department of Justice).
167,1 Section 1. 175.60 (14) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
175.60 (14) (a) The department shall revoke a license issued under this section if the department determines that sub. (3) (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), or (g) applies to the licensee.
167,2 Section 2. 939.74 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
939.74 (2) (c) A prosecution for violation of s. 948.02 (2), 948.025 (1) (b) (e), 948.03 (2) (a), 948.05, 948.051, 948.06, 948.07 (1), (2), (3), or (4), 948.075, 948.08, 948.085, or 948.095 shall be commenced before the victim reaches the age of 45 years or be barred, except as provided in sub. (2d).
167,3 Section 3. 948.02 (1) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
948.02 (1) (e) Whoever has sexual contact or sexual intercourse with a person who has not attained the age of 13 years is guilty of a Class B felony.
167,4 Section 4 . 968.375 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 968.375 (1).
167,5 Section 5. 968.375 (3) of the statutes is renumbered 968.375 (2).
167,6 Section 6. 968.375 (4) of the statutes is renumbered 968.375 (3), and 968.375 (3) (b), as renumbered, is amended to read:
968.375 (3) (b) A record or information described under sub. (3) (2) (a).
167,7 Section 7. 968.375 (5) of the statutes is renumbered 968.375 (4) and amended to read:
968.375 (4) Basis, application for, and issuance of subpoena or warrant. Section 968.12 (2) and (3) applies to the basis and application for, and issuance of, a subpoena under sub. (3) (2) or a warrant under sub. (4) (3) as it applies to the basis and application for, and issuance of, a search warrant under s. 968.12.
167,10 Section 10. 968.375 (9) of the statutes is renumbered 968.375 (7).
167,11 Section 11. 968.375 (10) of the statutes is renumbered 968.375 (8).
167,13 Section 13. 968.375 (12) of the statutes is renumbered 968.375 (10).
167,16 Section 16 . 968.375 (15) of the statutes is renumbered 968.375 (13), and 968.375 (13) (intro.), as renumbered, is amended to read:
968.375 (13) Disclosure without subpoena or warrant. (intro.) A provider of electronic communication or remote computing service may disclose records or information described under sub. (3) (2) (a) of a customer or subscriber or the content of communications of a customer or subscriber described under sub. (4) (3) without a subpoena or warrant if any of the following applies:


We are looking for a keen and enthusiastic applicant for the position of Mobile Handyperson.
As a Mobile Handyperson you will make a difference in your community on a daily basis and contribute to creating high-quality learning environment by undertaking duties relating to the operation of buildings and surrounding grounds in line with key SLA and KPIs, ensuring minimal disruption to the daily activities of establishment users.
To carry out a range of daily facilities duties which facilitate the smooth running of the premises, providing support for a safe and efficient operation whilst ensuring all customer requirements are met.
Undertake Statuary Inspections: Of emergency lighting, fire alarm testing and resetting the equipment. Water Hygiene Management including recording and monitoring the flushing of outlets, water temperatures, the descale / disinfect of outlets including shower heads and hoses.
This role requires the successful candidate to undergo an enhanced DBS check prior to starting work.


(March 28, 2019) Nantucket firefighters early Thursday afternoon extinguished a blaze in a Rose Bud Lane shed where firearms and ammunition were stored.
Deputy chief Robert Bates said the 12-by-18-foot shed and surrounding brush were on fire when crews arrived at the property.
The cause remains under investigation. Bates said there was about $5,000 to $7,000 worth of damage to the shed.
The value and specificity of the items inside the shed, including the firearms and ammunition, was not immediately known.


A kitchen is only as good as the chef that utilizes it, but a chef is only as good as the tools that they use. To create good meals and amazing dishes at home, you need equally good, amazing small appliances that will help you get a high quality job completed in a short amount of time. Which appliances could your kitchen use? How can you select the best appliances to meet your needs?
The Best Hand Mixer Makes Baking Fun!
A hand mixer is an affordable way to give your kitchen the option of baking without the investment of a full-sized countertop mixer. You can quickly make a batter for biscuits, cakes, or your favorite baked goods with ease when you've got the best of the best hand mixers at your disposal. With variable speed options, different beaters available including bread hooks, and other fun options that make baking for all ages fun, your kitchen will be the social hub of your home thanks to this small appliance!
Are you ready to discover how affordable a hand mixer could be? Take this Cuisinart hand mixer for example. It has been equipped with a 220 watt motor that provides user feedback automatically so you'll know how to adjust the settings of the mixer to maximize your experience!
Read our full write up on the best hand mixer including reviews of the top 5 models.
Making Drinks Is Just the Start of What the Best Immersion Blender Can Do!
Unlike traditional blenders, an immersion blender gives you direct access to blending needs where you need them most. You can plunge this device into virtually any liquid and blend it, making smoothies a simple and easy process. The best immersion blender will also help you create stunning purees from a variety of different fruits and vegetables, make salsas, or a classic chocolate milkshake. If you can dream it, then this small appliance will help you blend it!
Here's a look at a quality immersion blender from Cuisinart. It can replace many small appliances in your home immediately and give you extra blending power that happens right in your pot with a 200W motor. Discover everything that this useful device could help you make in your kitchen today!
Read our full write up on the best immersion blender including reviews of the top 5 models.
A meat grinder is one of the most useful small appliances your kitchen can have. Not only will they allow you to create your own ground beef, but you can make meatballs with ease from different meats, create a classic meatloaf, or mix up your own sausages in just minutes with this device. You'll need a strong grinder that is easy to clean to maximize your time, which is where our comprehensive meat grinder reviews will greatly help with the selection process.
What could you make with a meat grinder? With the STX International meat grinder, you can make anything from sausages to your own fresh burgers from a choice cut of steak! Select the best small appliance for your kitchen today!
Read our full write up on the best meat grinder including reviews of the top 5 models.
Why pay a premium for sliced meats from the deli when you could have your own slicer at home? The best meat slicer reviews will help you create awesome sandwiches with ease because you'll have all the information you need to choose the best machine possible. Whether you want thinly sliced ham or thick salami, meat slicers are a versatile tool that can be used for many applications.
Take, for example, this EdgeCraft premium food slicer. It has a carriage, pusher, deflector, blades and thickness guide are all easy to take apart to wash and then reassemble. The 7 inch blade lets you quickly cut a wide variety of products! Use these meat slicer reviews today to make the best choice possible so that you can create great dishes that the entire family will love!
Read our full write up on the best meat slider including reviews of the top 5 models.
Although it seems like complicated dishes take a lot of time to make, that just isn't the case when your kitchen is equipped with the best mandoline slicer. You can great intricate cuts quickly thanks to a sharp serrated blade that is even adjustable so you can make thin or thick slices with ease. If you've been using a knife and a cutting board all this time for basic slicing tasks, then today is the day for an upgrade!
Which of these amazing mandoline slicers will work the best for your home? Maybe it could be this one from Swissmar. It makes slicing simple, easy, and safe! You'll get a lot of extra consistency thanks to the even slices you can get and it's adjustable enough to give your final dishes variety too.
Read our full write up on the best mandoline slicer including reviews of the top 5 models.
How Could the Best Electric Knife Help You?
How long does it take you to carve a turkey right now? Or cut through vegetables? Or even cleanly slice through a loaf of bread? The best electric knife will make quick work of all these chores thanks to the fast back-and-forth action that single or dual blades can provide. All you've got to do is pull the trigger or push the button and keep your fingers out of the way! With this small appliance for your kitchen, your slicing chores will be done in half the time.
How do you select the best electric knife for your kitchen? The best place to start is with these comprehensive reviews that cover some of today's top products. Take this Cuisinart electric knife, for example. You'll get one of the best kitchen appliances available for a budget-friendly price and be able to carve a turkey or high density foam for your pillows with ease!
Read our full write up on the best electric knife including reviews of the top 5 models.
Have You Tried Cooking With the Best Rice Cooker?
If you've got the best rice cooker sitting on your counter, then you've got one of the most useful small appliances anyone can own. Instead of having to regulate temperatures on a stovetop and watch your butter or oil ratios to prevent burning, you simply put in the rice, the water or stock that you're using, and then turn the rice cooker on. You'll have perfect, fluffy rice in no time at all!
Some rice cookers work better than others, however, so it is important for you to choose the best rice cooker to meet your needs. Take the Zojirushi 3 cup rice cooker that will give you restaurant quality rice in just a few minutes! You literally just have to load it and go because there are no worries about browned or blackened rice on the bottom here.
Read our full write up on the best rice cooker including reviews of the top 5 models.
How easy is it to bake a loaf of bread? With the best bread machine in your kitchen, all you've got to do is put in your flour mixture and you're ready to go! The bread machine does all of the work for you, including giving the dough time to rise from the reactions of the yeast. It takes just a few minutes to get this small appliance working and you can have bread ready on the same day that's ready to slice and enjoy!
The best bread machine will bring the warm goodness of a freshly baked loaf into your home whenever you want it. This Panasonic model offers a lot of that warm goodness for an excellent price! Imagine being able to eat freshly baked bread in just a couple of hours thanks to a machine that does all of the kneading work for you? That's why you'll want to take a look at the breadmaker for sure!
Read our full write up on the best bread machine including reviews of the top 5 models.
One of the fastest and easiest ways to prolong the life of natural foods is to dehydrate them. Taking the water out of the food helps to naturally preserve them, letting you create healthy snacks every day for you and your family to enjoy. The best dehydrators are essentially items that you can just plug-in and use immediately! Just slice up your foods, turn this kitchen appliance, and you're ready to go!
Are you ready to make homemade beef jerky, banana chips, or apple crisps? Then it's time to find the best food dehydrator available online today! One of the best is the Nesco Snackmaster. Slice your fruits and veggies and begin drying in minutes without a problem! There's no tray rotating or mixed flavors either. In just 4 hours or less, you can have excellent food products… including jerky!
Read our full write up on the best food dehydrator including reviews of the top 5 models.
The Best Can Opener Makes Food Preparation a Breeze!
A can opener is a necessity in order to open a can. Be it a can of tuna fish or can of corn, if the food you want to eat is in a can, you are going to need a can opener to get to it. Not only is a can opener a necessity, it can be a luxurious small appliance as well, depending, of course, on which make and model you choose.
Some want a can opener that does just that opens a can. They want to invest practically nothing and don't mind having to put some muscle in to make it work. But, there are others who do not have the strength in their hands to do so or simply prefer a softer, easier way. For those, there are some manual models on the market that have cushion grips and wheels that spin like a breeze. Some even offer smooth edge cuts.
Then there are electric can openers. These are usually priced a bit higher than manual ones, but there are basic ones that are actually quite affordable. The higher end ones have features such as knife sharpeners, bottle openers, smooth cutting and various other options.
Read our full write up on the best can openers including reviews of the top 5 models.
If you find yourself throwing away tons of leftovers or pulling out a frozen bag of food only to discover it has freezer burn, you will love using the food vacuum sealer. While the units in the past were sometimes not worth messing with due to their bulk and imperfections, the modern day versions are quick, easy and convenient too.
For those who would like to have fresh food from the garden during off-season or who would like to taste meat that is fresh off the grill during the snowy seasons, you can do that with the fresh locked flavor offered by a food vacuum sealer. Many sealers now have such feature as a light that comes on to let you know when the bag has been properly sealed and there are other great additional features available as well.
Put an end to throwing out spoiled food. Think of all you can do with the money you will save when you freeze food that tastes fresh and stays good. Finally, a food vacuum sealer that makes sense.
Learn more about the best food vacuum sealers and read our reviews.
The Best Home Deep Fryers – Cook Tasty Food Fast In Your Home!
If you want to cook home fried foods without the mess of splattering grease and in a much safer way than in a frying pan, you may be interested in getting a home deep fryer. Eliminate the hassle from frying and never guess if your oil is hot enough for the home deep fryer fries up the perfect product time after time. Gone are the days of a kitchen covered in a huge greasy mess just to fry up some dinner.
Frying has come a long way from the messy, time-consuming task it used to be. Now you can have perfectly fried foods with crisp outsides and tender and juicy insides with a home deep fryer. There are a number of sizes and prices and many features to choose from too. So check out the new amenities and conveniences the modern day version can bring right into you own kitchen.
Read our full write up on the best home deep fryers and our top 10 picks.
Do you want to preserve fresh fruits and vegetables or make your own jams and jellies but don't want to slave over a hot stove all day or risk the dangers that are often associated with the fine art of canning? Now you can take the hassle and danger out of canning with pressure canners that are not only safe and convenient, they are easy to operate as well.
The days of explosion disasters that were once common while canning are a thing of the past. The units are built to safety specifications and many have additional features that make them super simple to use. They eliminate the risk of bacteria in the food when used as directed. Indeed, today's pressure canners offer simplicity and safety while canning and have made the task not only easy, but actually fun. Now you can experience the joy of canning without the hassle.
Read more about canning at home and the top 10 pressure canners.
The Best Pressure Cooker Makes Meals in Minutes!
A pressure cooker is a convenient way to prepare delicious and nutritious meals in quickly and affordably. With a pressure cooker, you no longer have to slave over a stove all day in order to prepare healthy, flavor-filled meals. Meats cooked in a pressure cooker turn out so tender, they melt in your mouth and vegetables retain their vitamins and minerals and remain fresh through the cooking process. Save time and money with a pressure cooker. You don't have to throw your money away grabbing junk food nor do you have to settle for frozen T.V. dinners in order to have a quick meal.
The pressure cooker is affordable too. Many pressure cookers are reasonably priced and are highly rated for quality, safety and energy efficiency. Take this Instant Pot IP-DUO60 7-in-1 Programmable Pressure Cooker, for instance. It offers smart programming for seven different ways to cook including pressure cooking, slow cooking, cooking rice, sautéing and browning, steaming and warming and even doubles as a yogurt maker.
Read our full write up on the best pressure cooker including reviews of the top 5 models.
A sausage stuffer takes the pain out of making sausage. In fact, it makes it fast, easy and sometimes even fun. The process trims off hours of work and is safe and simple, rending stuffed sausage in no time. Depending on which unit you go with, the grinding that once took all day to manually perform can be accomplished in minutes.
The basic sausage stuffer is manually driven and attaches to a table or counter top. It grinds the meat and pushes it into a casing. There also are fancy electric models that do the basic and much more as well. Some are designed to do big jobs frequently and others are for smaller set ups.
Some units have plastic parts and some are all metal. Some stand vertical and others, horizontal. There are all shapes, sizes, features and prices of sausage stuffers that are all designed to make a great sausage… every time.
Read our full write up on the best sausage stuffer and find the right one for your kitchen.
The Best Soda Maker Puts a Little Fizz in Your Life!
A soda maker is a great way to enjoy mixing sodas right in your own home. It's not only much more affordable than buying sodas by the can or bottle, it's fun too. Furthermore, making your own sodas is a healthier alternative because there is the option to make them with no sugar or sodium. Imagine the looks on your guests' faces when you pull out a soda machine at your next party. Children, especially, have a blast making their own sodas. Choose from the many recipes available online or create your own.
There are a variety of machines that can provide great quality, healthier alternative, super fun drinks. But what is the best soda maker on the market? The answer lays partly in what it is you are looking for in a soda maker. If you want a soda maker that is simple to operate and that requires no batteries or electricity to operate, you will be delighted to discover the Soda Stream Fountain Jet Soda Maker. It comes complete with a starter kit that will make 60 liters of soda.
Read our full write up on the best soda makers including reviews of the top 5 models.
A tea infuser is a device that is used to brew tea with loose tealeaves. The leaves are placed into the apparatus which lets them steep in the water causing them to expand. For tea lovers, this device is often regarded as the very best way to make a great cup of tea.
There are a number of types of tea infusers. The most popular kind is shaped like a ball or sometimes an egg and has two parts that tighten together securing the tea leaves in the middle. The ball or egg is made of something with holes in it, like mesh or even large holes, to allow the tea to infuse into the water. Depending on the size of the holes, the mixture may have to be strained to ensure there are no leave particles.
There are other types of infusers as well. Some are spoons with tongs that do the infusing. Others are made out of materials like silicone. There are even some that are made into shapes or cartoons.
Read our full write up on the best tea infusers including reviews of the top 5 models.
Turkey Fryers offer a different approach to the traditional turkey meal. It fries turkey and other meats up with crisp skins and renders tender, juicy meat inside. These devices are much faster to cook with than oven cooking or grilling.
There are a variety of types of Turkey Fryers. Gas and propane units are available that use cooking oil. Others use infrared and are also available in gas or propane but use no cooking oil.
When turkey fryers made a grand entrance on the scene, many ran out to purchase them. But this lead to a rash of accidents caused both by the operators and the units. Turkey fryers then underwent a huge overhaul in designs and in safety measures. Today, there are many fryers that are certified safe and that offer special safety features.
If you are looking to cook a quick turkey that tastes like you spent an entire day doing so, you will love a turkey fryer.
We have a full round up of the best turkey fryers including reviews and a chart of the top 10 products.
What Appliances Could Your Kitchen Use?
When you've got the right tools in your kitchen, then you've got the ability to make everyone happy because of the great dishes that can be made. These tools simplify cooking, meaning it takes just minutes to create meals that used to take hours of prep work to accomplish. Whether you're an aspiring home chef or you just like good food on a consistent basis, you'll be able to meet all of your needs without exceeding your budget thanks to these reviews. Find the appliances you need at a price that is nice right now!


A resistive divider circuit for differential signaling is disclosed. The resistive divider includes a first branch and a second branch and each branch has an input, a first resistive component comprised of a number of unit resistors, a second resistive component comprised of a number of unit resistors, and an output connected between the first resistive component and the second resistive component, the output forming a differential mode output. The first resistive component and the second resistive component are comprised of an equal number of unit resistors.
1. A resistive divider circuit for differential signaling, the resistive divider circuit comprising: a first branch; and a second branch; wherein each branch comprises: an input; a first resistive component comprised of a number of unit resistors; a second resistive component comprised of a number of unit resistors; and an output connected between the first resistive component and the second resistive component, the output forming a differential mode output; wherein the number of unit resistors of the first resistive component is equal to the number of unit resistors of the second resistive component.
2. The resistive divider circuit of claim 1, wherein unit resistors of the first resistive component are fabricated with dimensions similar to each other and similar to unit resistors of the second resistive component.
3. The resistive divider circuit of claim 1, wherein at least some of the unit resistors of the first resistive component are connected in series and at least some of the unit resistors of second resistive component are connected in parallel.
4. The resistive divider circuit of claim 1, wherein the resistive divider further includes a common mode branch comprising: a first common mode resistive component connected to the first branch and to the second branch; a second common mode resistive component; and a common mode output connected between the first common mode resistive component and the second common mode resistive component.
5. The resistive divider circuit of claim 4, wherein the first common mode resistive component exhibits equal resistance to the first resistive component of the first branch and the first resistive component of the second branch, and the second common mode resistive component has less resistance than the second resistive component of the first branch and the second resistive component of the second branch.
6. The resistive divider circuit of claim 4, wherein the first common mode resistive component exhibits equal resistance to the first resistive component of the first branch and the first resistive component of the second branch, and the second common mode resistive component has half the resistance of the second resistive component of the first branch and the second resistive component of the second branch.
7. The resistive divider circuit of claim 1, wherein a lowpass filter is connected to the resistive divider circuit at a point on the resistive divider circuit where the highest impedance exists.
8. The resistive divider circuit of claim 4, wherein the resistive divider circuit is connected to a switched capacitor system, wherein the switched capacitor system is configured to remove a common mode output signal from the common mode output of the resistive divider.
9. The resistive divider circuit of claim 2, wherein the plurality of unit resistors of the first resistive component are symmetrically positioned around a gravitational center formed by the plurality of unit resistors of the first resistive component, and the plurality of unit resistors of the second resistive component are symmetrically positioned around a gravitational center formed by the plurality of unit resistors of the second resistive component.
10. The resistive divider circuit of claim 1 further comprising: a metal shield; and a capacitor; wherein the metal shield is located over the first and second branch of the resistive divider and under the capacitor.
11. A resistive divider circuit for differential signaling, the resistive divider circuit comprising: a first branch; and a second branch; wherein each branch comprises: an input; a first resistive component comprised of a number of unit resistors; a second resistive component comprised of a number of unit resistors; and an output connected between the first resistive component and the second resistive component, the output forming a differential mode output; wherein the first resistive component and the second resistive component occupy a similar area on a substrate.
12. The resistive divider circuit of claim 11, wherein the first resistive component and the second resistive component occupy a similar area on the substrate when the number of unit resistors of the first resistive component is equal to the number of unit resistors of the second resistive component.
13. The resistive divider circuit of claim 11, wherein the resistive divider further includes a common mode branch comprising: a first common mode resistive component connected to the first branch and to the second branch; a second common mode resistive component; and a common mode output connected between the first common mode resistive component and the second common mode resistive component.
14. The resistive divider circuit of claim 11, wherein a lowpass filter is connected to the resistive divider circuit at a point on the resistive divider circuit where the highest impedance exists.
15. The resistive divider circuit of claim 13, wherein the resistive divider circuit is connected to a switched capacitor system, wherein the switched capacitor system is configured to remove a common mode output signal from the common mode output of the resistive divider.
16. The resistive divider circuit of claim 11 further comprising: a metal shield; and a capacitor; wherein the metal shield is located over the first and second branch of the resistive divider and under the capacitor.
17. A resistive divider circuit for differential signaling, the resistive divider circuit comprising: a first branch; and a second branch; wherein each branch comprises: an input; a first resistive component comprising a number of unit resistors; a second resistive component comprising a number of unit resistors; and an output connected between the first resistive component and the second resistive component, the output forming a differential mode output; wherein corresponding unit resistors in the first resistive components of the first and second branch are located adjacent to each other in a first part of a rectangular row and corresponding unit resistors in the second resistive components of the first and second branch are located adjacent to each other in a second part of the rectangular row.
18. The resistive divider circuit of claim 17, wherein the number of unit resistors of the first resistive component is equal to the number of unit resistors of the second resistive component.
19. The resistive divider of claim 17, wherein the resistive divider further includes a common mode branch comprising: a first common mode resistive component connected to the first branch and the second branch; a second common mode resistive component; and a common mode output connected between the first common mode resistive component and the second common mode resistive component.
20. The resistive divider circuit of claim 17, wherein a lowpass filter is connected to the resistive divider circuit at a point on the resistive divider circuit where the highest impedance exists.
 In a communications network, network transceivers commonly communicate by means of differential mode signaling on a network bus via a transmitter and a receiver. Differential mode signaling can provide immunity against electromagnetic interference experienced in the communications network. In many communications networks, the electromagnetic interference will appear as a common mode disturbance at the receiver and the common mode disturbance can often be very large compared to a desired differential mode signal and much larger than the supply voltage of the receiver circuit.
 To enable a receiver circuit to function, a resistive divider is often used to bring the input voltage to an acceptable level, which is typically lower than the supply voltage, before directing the received signal to subsequent receiver components. However, variations in fabrication and/or operating conditions of the resistive divider can make the characteristics of the resistive divider difficult to predict, which can lead to undesirable signal noise in the differential mode signal.
 In an embodiment, a resistive divider circuit for differential signaling is disclosed. The resistive divider includes a first branch and a second branch and each branch has an input, a first resistive component comprised of a number of unit resistors, a second resistive component comprised of a number of unit resistors, and an output connected between the first resistive component and the second resistive component, the output forming a differential mode output. The first resistive component and the second resistive component are comprised of an equal number of unit resistors.
 In a second embodiment, a resistive divider circuit for differential signaling is disclosed. The resistive divider includes a first branch and a second branch and each branch has an input, a first resistive component comprised of a number of unit resistors, a second resistive component comprised of a number of unit resistors, and an output connected between the first resistive component and the second resistive component, the output forming a differential mode output. The first resistive component and the second resistive component occupy a similar area on a substrate.
 Other aspects and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and illustrated examples of the principles of the invention.
 FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of a differential resistive divider in which the area occupied by the first resistive component is equal to the area occupied by the second resistive component.
 FIG. 2 depicts a differential resistive divider in which the first resistive component and the second resistive component are made up of unit resistors in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
 FIG. 3 depicts a differential resistive divider configured with a common mode output in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
 FIG. 4 depicts a differential resistive divider configured with a common mode output having a higher voltage than the differential output.
 FIG. 5 depicts a differential resistive divider configured with a common mode output and incorporating a lowpass filter in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
 FIG. 6 depicts a differential resistive divider configured to connect with a switched capacitor system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
 FIG. 7 depicts a resistive divider using a common-centroid layout in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
 FIG. 8 depicts a resistive divider configured to reuse the same surface area of a substrate for a resistive divider and a lowpass filter in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
 In some systems where differential signals are used for communication between devices in a network (e.g., a CAN, Flexray, or Ethernet network), a high common mode voltage may be imposed on the network as a result of external disturbances. As a result, the voltage of a differential signal may need to be reduced before a receiver can process the signal or else the high voltage of the signal (e.g., caused by the common mode voltage on the network) may burn out the receiver. A resistive divider can be used to reduce the high signal voltage down to a voltage that a receiver can tolerate. In addition to reducing voltage levels, the resistive divider can be used, in conjunction with subsequent processing components of the receiver, to filter out noise and interference (common mode disturbance) from a differential signal. However, variations in the resistors used in the resistive divider can cause the common mode disturbance to become confused with the differential signal. Thus, configuring the resistive divider to reduce the impact of resistor variations increases the ability of the receiver to filter out common mode disturbance from the differential signal.
 Often, a received differential signal is subjected to electromagnetic interference (i.e., common mode disturbance) during transmission of the signal through the network. In most cases, it is desirable for a receiver to be able to detect and remove the common mode disturbance from the received signal. FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of a resistive divider 100 for use in a differential signal communications receiver. The resistive divider includes a first branch 102 and a second branch 104 with each branch including an input 106, 108, a first resistive component 110, 112, a second resistive component 114, 116, and an output 118, 120, the output forming a differential output. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, each branch of the resistive divider is made up of two resistive components connected in series with an output in between the two resistive components. In FIG. 1, the area occupied by the first resistive component on a substrate on which the resistive divider circuit is fabricated is similar to (e.g., has equal dimensions) the area occupied by the second resistive component on the same substrate. By employing resistive components that occupy similar area on the substrate, resistive variance over a given area can be reduced because resistive components contribute substantially similar variance. Typically, the closer two resistive components are to occupying similar area on the substrate, the more optimal the solution. In an embodiment, two resistive components are considered to occupy similar area on the substrate when both resistive components occupy an area less than a factor of two apart.
 Using the resistive divider 100 of FIG. 1, a voltage can be received via the inputs 106, 108, reduced to a lower voltage, and passed to a subsequent processing component via the differential output formed by the output 118, 120 on each branch. The ratio of the resistance of the resistive component after the differential output (i.e., the second resistive component 114, 116) to the total resistance of the divider (i.e., the total resistance provided by the first resistive component 110, 112 and the second resistive component) determines the magnitude of the input voltage reduction at the differential output. For example, in FIG. 1, if both resistive components have equal resistance, an input voltage received by the resistive divider would be reduced to half at the output.
 While a single unit resistor can be used in each resistive component, random resistor variation introduced when a unit resistor is fabricated can cause common mode disturbance of a differential mode signal to be converted to the differential mode signal. Resistor variation can cause conversion of common mode disturbance to the differential mode signal because, if the variation is only on one side of the resistive divider, then the variation will convert a common mode signal to a differential mode signal. For example, in FIG. 1, if resistive components 112, 116 on the second branch 104 have high resistor variation thus introducing noise into the signal carried on the second branch, the noise would propagate to subsequent stages because the noise from the resistor variation is not present in the first branch 102.
 In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the effect of random resistor variance (i.e., conversion of common mode disturbance to the differential mode signal) can be mitigated by using an equal number of unit resistors for each resistive component (e.g., resistive components 110, 112, 114, 116 of FIG. 1). In an embodiment, resistive components are considered to utilize an equal number of unit resistors when the resistive components are fabricated using a photomask having the same layout for each unit resistor and the unit resistors are fabricated simultaneously in the same process. Although, the photomask may have the same layout for each unit resistor, the fabrication process may inherently introduce variance in the dimensions of each unit resistor. Accordingly, the dimensions of each unit resistor may not be exactly the same. FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of a resistive divider 200 in which resistive components include multiple unit resistors. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the resistive divider has two branches 102, 104 in which each branch has a first group 210, 212 of unit resistors 202, a second group 214, 216 of unit resistors 204, and an output 118, 120, the output forming a differential output. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the area occupied by the first group of unit resistors and the area occupied by the second group of unit resistors are similar because both groups have an equal number of unit resistors. By using multiple unit resistors connected in parallel or in series rather than a single resistor, the effect of random resistor variation between resistors can be mitigated because resistor variation can be balanced out over the multiple resistors For example, if one unit resistor in a resistive component that includes ten unit resistors has a high resistive variance, the effects of the variance (i.e., conversion of common mode disturbance to the differential mode signal) will likely be mitigated by the other nine unit resistors. Alternatively, if only the one unit resistor with high resistive variance is used, then the effects of the high resistive variance will likely not be mitigated. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, within each branch 102, 104, the first group 210, 212 of unit resistors 202 (i.e., the group of unit resistors before an output 118, 120) is connected at least partly in series, the second group of unit resistors (i.e., the group of unit resistors after the outputs that form the differential output) is connected in parallel, and the first group of unit resistors is connected in series to the second group of unit resistors.
 By mitigating the conversion of common mode disturbances to the differential mode signal, common mode disturbances can be more accurately removed. Common mode disturbances can also be easily removed when a separate common mode signal is passed to the subsequent processing components of a receiver. In order to separate the common mode signal and to pass the separated common mode signal to subsequent processing components of a receiver, a common mode output can be included in a resistive divider. FIG. 3 depicts an embodiment of a resistive divider 300 configured with a common mode output 302 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the resistive divider has a first branch 102 and a second branch 104 and each branch has an input 106, 108, a first group of unit resistors 210, 212, a second group of unit resistors 214, 216, and an output 118, 120, the output forming a differential output in between the first and second groups of unit resistors. Additionally, the resistive divider has a common mode branch 304. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the common mode branch is formed by tapping each branch of the resistive divider at the middle of the corresponding first group of unit resistors to form taps 306, 308 and merging the taps together to form the common mode output. The merged taps further connect to the second group of unit resistors after the common mode output. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the common mode output is configured to have an output impedance that is exactly half of the output impedance of each branch of the differential output. Thus, the input impedance and transfer function of both inputs 106, 108 remain equal after the addition of a common mode output.
 In another embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a resistive divider circuit 400, includes two branches 102, 104 with each branch having an input 106, 108, a first group 210, 212 of unit resistors 202, a second group 214, 216 of unit resistors 204, and a common mode branch 304 connected to the first and second branch at taps 306, 308. The common mode branch 304 includes a first group 406 of unit resistors 202 and a second group 402 of unit resistors 202 that includes the second group 214 of unit resistors of the first branch 102. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the resistive divider 400 differs from the resistive divider 300 of FIG. 3 in that a unit resistor 404 has been removed from the second group of unit resistors 402 on the common mode branch 304 as indicated by the dotted line, so that the second group 402 of unit resistors on the common mode branch 304 has fewer unit resistors than the first group 406 of unit resistors on the common mode branch. By removing the unit resistor, the resistive divider reduces the voltage of the common mode output less than the resistive divider reduces the voltages of the differential mode output, thus producing a gain of the common mode output relative to the differential mode output. As described below, the gain of the common mode output can be configured using empirical data so that the gain of the common mode output negates an observed drop in the voltage of the common mode output caused by parasitic capacitance in a subsequent switched capacitor system. In an alternate embodiment, more than one unit resistor can be removed from the second group of unit resistors.
 In addition to filtering common mode disturbances, a resistive divider can be configured to include a lowpass filter to suppress high frequency inputs. FIG. 5 depicts an embodiment of a differential resistive divider 500 that includes a lowpass filter 502 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the lowpass filter is formed by connecting capacitors 504, 506 to the differential resistive divider at taps 306, 308, which are located at points where the highest impedance exists. In an embodiment, the point where the impedance is highest is in the middle of the first group of unit resistors 210, 212 (i.e., at a point in the first group of unit resistors where an equal number of unit resistors exist before the point and as do after the point.) By connecting a capacitor to the resistive divider at the point where the impedance is highest, the lowest bandwidth for the lowpass filter, given a particular capacitance value, can be achieved. Furthermore, in the embodiment of FIG. 5, taps 306, 308 connect the common mode branch 304 to each branch 102, 104 of the resistive divider. In an embodiment, by tapping each branch of the resistive divider at the point where the capacitors 504, 506 connect to the resistive divider, the common mode output 302 and the differential mode output formed by outputs 118, 120 will have the same bandwidth and the common mode rejection of the receiver will remain high even at high frequencies.
 A resistive divider configured to filter common mode disturbances, as described above, can be further configured to connect with a switched capacitor system to subtract common mode disturbances. FIG. 6 depicts an embodiment of a differential resistive divider 600 that is connected to a switched capacitor system 602 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the switched capacitor system includes switches 606, switched capacitors 604, additional switches, 610, and grounded switches 612. The switched capacitors 604 are coupled to outputs 118, 120 and to a common mode output 302 of the resistive divider 600 via the switches 606. FIG. 6 also illustrates parasitic capacitance caused by bottom plate losses for each switched capacitor via capacitors 608. The switched capacitors 604 are further connected to subsequent components of a receiver 614 (e.g., a latch) via additional switches 610 and the common mode output is directed to ground via switches 612. Using a differential resistive divider in conjunction with a switched capacitor system can reduce common mode disturbance from a received signal by taking two differential samples (e.g., from the first differential mode input 106 and from the second differential mode input 108 as shown in FIG. 1) and, in a subsequent clock phase, moving the common mode voltage to a known reference level. In an embodiment, the known reference level is ground or neutral. Furthermore, if the common mode output signal from the resistive divider has been configured as discussed with reference to FIG. 5 to negate parasitic capacitance, then a drop in the voltage of the common mode output signal will not be observed and, thus, the common mode output signal can be removed. Additionally, in an embodiment, the sampling capacitors 604 can be connected to switches 610 that are configured identically to the switches 606 connected to the resistive divider. Accordingly, reverse charge injected into the resistive divider as a result of switching action will result in an equal common mode signal shift for the differential mode outputs and the common mode output of the resistive divider. Thus, charge injected into the resistive divider remains a common mode disturbance and does not become part of the differential mode signal. In an embodiment, the accuracy of the common mode signal shift is limited by the degree to which both sets of switches 606, 610 can be matched.
 In an embodiment, a resistive divider can be configured with a common centroid layout in order to further reduce the impact of gradients in the variance between the transfer function of two differential mode inputs. FIG. 7 depicts an embodiment of a resistive divider 700 having a common-centroid layout wherein unit resistors 704 of a first group of unit resistors (210 and 212 in FIG. 3), as indicated by dashed box 708, are symmetrically positioned around a gravitational center 702 of the unit resistors within dashed box 708, and unit resistors 712 of a second group of unit resistors (214 and 216 of FIG. 3), as indicated by dashed box 710, are symmetrically positioned around a gravitational center 706 of the unit resistors within dashed box 710. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the unit resistors have similar dimensions and are positioned side-by-side in a rectangular row with the long sides being adjacent to one another. Additionally, the unit resistors in dashed box 708 are arranged electrically in series with each other, the unit resistors in dashed box 710 are arranged electrically in parallel with each other, and both halves (i.e., the paths corresponding to each input 106, 108) of the differential resistive divider are placed in close proximity to each other. In an embodiment, unit resistors are considered to have similar dimensions when the photomask used to fabricate the unit resistors has the same layout for each unit resistor and the unit resistors are fabricated simultaneously in the same process. Although, the photomask may have the same layout for each unit resistor, the fabrication process may inherently introduce variance in the dimensions of each unit resistor. Accordingly, the dimensions of each unit resistor may not be exactly equal. Dummy resistors 714 are spaced throughout the layout during fabrication, but are not electrically connected to the other unit resistors 704, 712. By laying out the unit resistors in the first and second dashed boxes with a common centroid, gradients in the resistance values of the unit resistors that may exist across the resistive divider will have a reduced impact on the variance between the transfer functions of the two differential mode inputs 106, 108. For example, the impact on the variance will be reduced because unit resistors in a branch corresponding with each input will be similarly located on the substrate on which the resistive divider is fabricated and, thus, more likely to be subject to the same conditions during fabrication and/or operation. For example, if the resistive divider depicted in FIG. 7 experiences excessive heating on the right side during operation, then, because the unit resistors after each input 106, 108 are relatively close together, the unit resistors are more likely to experience similar heating. Because the impact on the transfer function variance between the two differential mode inputs will be reduced, the common mode disturbance will be less likely to be converted to a differential mode signal.
 Typically, a capacitor of a lowpass filter and a resistive divider are the largest components in a receiver. FIG. 8 depicts an embodiment of resistive divider 800, similar to the resistive divider described with reference to FIG. 1, in which two capacitors 804 used to form lowpass filters are layered over the resistive divider in order to reduce the surface area consumed by the largest components in a receiver. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the capacitors are layered over the resistive divider when the capacitors and the resistive divider occupy the same surface area on a substrate on which the resistive divider and capacitors are fabricated. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 8, a resistive divider 800 is fabricated on a substrate, a metal shield 802 is layered over the resistive divider, and two capacitors 804 (e.g., plate or fringe capacitors) are layered over the metal shield without consuming additional surface area on the substrate. Thus, the unit resistors in the resistor divider can be arranged next to each other with the metal layers over the resistive divider being used to form a capacitor of a lowpass filter, thus reducing the footprint of the resistive divider and the capacitor of the lowpass filter.


text:
Michael Howard – 2004 Speech to Welsh Conservative Conference
Below is the text of the speech made by the then Leader of the Opposition, Michael Howard, to the 2004 Welsh Conservative Party Conference on 5th April 2004.
Bore da I Chi Gyd.
It's very good to be back here in Wales.
I'm very proud to call myself a Welshman. Growing up in Wales gave me the confidence to go out and make my way in the world. We are a confident and ambitious people, loyal and steadfast but also adventurous and bold.
I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone here who works so hard for the Conservatives in Wales. Bill Wiggin, our excellent shadow secretary of state. Nick Bourne and his team, officially the hardest working Assembly Members in Wales. And our local councillors and activists.
One of the greatest attractions here in Llandudno is "The Alice in Wonderland Centre". It was built in honour of Lewis Carroll, who often came here on holiday.
Labour live in their own version of wonderland.
They came to power with a golden economic legacy, a huge majority and the overwhelming trust of the British public. People genuinely believed things could only get better.
Labour could have achieved so much. But they have achieved so little.
Labour have had seven years to make things better. But what difference have they really made? Far too many children still leave school unable to read, write and add up properly. Too many elderly people still suffer the indignity of mixed sex wards. And too many of our neighbourhoods are still terrorised by young tearaways.
Labour have let you down.
In 1996, Tony Blair promised that Labour would not put up taxes.
But in Britain today, people are paying much more in tax than they did when Labour came to office.
Gordon Brown – the Clickety Click Chancellor – has imposed 66 new taxes since 1997.
We're paying almost £42 a week more in tax for every man, woman and child in the country. That's £5000 more a household a year.
And British business is now paying an extra £15 billion a year in taxes and red tape.
Last month's Budget made Third Term Tax Rises inevitable if Labour wins the next election.
But despite all these tax rises, Labour hasn't delivered the improvements to our public services that they promised.
In Britain today, despite a 37.5 per cent increase in health funding, hospital treatments have increased by less than 5 per cent. In Wales, waiting lists have almost doubled#. One in ten people in Wales is waiting for an appointment. Almost 12,000 of them have waited more than 18 months.
In Britain today, despite a 65 per cent cash increase in education funding, more than a million children play truant from school. And one in three leave primary school unable to read and write properly.
In Wales, schools are closing and targets are not being met. The party that promised "education, education, education" has delivered "closures, truancy, illiteracy".
In Britain today, despite an 85 per cent cash increase in spending on crime reduction, crime is on the increase. Serious violence and anti-social behaviour, once a rarity, are now commonplace. There were a million violent crimes in Britain last year. In Wales, violent crime has gone up by a half and last year more than one in every hundred Welsh homes was broken into.
So where has all the money gone? All that spending. All that taxing. All that borrowing. What's happened to it?
Sadly, so much of it has just been wasted.
If you seek monuments to Labour's waste, all you have to do is look around.
The Dome. £750 million.
The London Assembly building. £100 million.
The Scottish Parliament. £430 million and rising.
The Welsh Assembly building. £55 million and rising, four times more than planned.
I know that house prices have gone up since Labour came to office. But this is ridiculous!
And they're spending another £6 million – on the furniture! They're certainly not sensible enough to get it from somewhere like Happy Home Furnishers!
Labour are also spending more and more on bureaucracy. In Britain as a whole they are hiring 511 extra civil servants every week. That's right, 511.
In Wales, the cost of employing the civil service has increased by a third, to almost £90 million. That's enough money to pay for four children's hospitals or to employ 700 consultants.
There are now more bureaucrats in the Welsh health department than there are practice nurses in GP surgeries.
In last month's Budget, Gordon Brown claimed he was going to tackle waste and bureaucracy. He claimed he would cut the number of bureaucrats by 40,000 over the next four years. The trouble is he's hired 40,000 more in the last three years! Talk about boom and bust!
Sometimes, just sometimes, I think that Tony Blair understands why his government is failing. Sometimes, just sometimes, I think he understands why, despite the largest peace time majority in living memory, he has utterly failed to make the changes that our country so desperately needs.
But however much he understands, he will never succeed. He can't succeed because when push comes to shove he is a Labour Prime Minister. His party won't let him. The trade unions won't let him. And Gordon Brown won't let him.
Unlike Labour our party is open-minded, not dogmatic.
I have spent a lot of time recently outside London – talking to people, listening to people, learning about their concerns.
They tell me how fed up they feel when they see government wasting the money they have worked so hard to earn.
They tell me how angry they are when they see criminals treated like victims and victims treated like criminals.
And they tell me how insecure they feel when they see that Labour has lost control of Britain's borders.
Labour have let people down. The Conservatives will stand up for people.
We want to reward the people who do the right thing – those who work hard for their families, who save for their future, who give back to society.
We will get a grip on government. We'll cut waste and regulation. And we will stop Labour's Third Term Tax Rises.
Taxes in Britain are too high. We want people to keep more of the money they earn because we believe they are better at spending it than politicians. Goodness knows, we've learnt that lesson in Wales.
And we understand that low tax economies are the most successful economies. They create more jobs, attract more investment, make people wealthier.
I don't apologise for my ambition to take less of your money. And I will not be put off by Labour's scare tactics. As Conservative councils up and down the country have shown, you can have lower taxes and deliver first class public services. Because we know that real improvement in public services doesn't come just from investment. It comes from genuine reform.
In most other European countries, people don't have to put up with what we have to put up with in Britain. It makes me angry that in this country people die of diseases they would not die of if they lived across the channel.
In Germany, there are no waiting lists.
In France, people are free to consult whatever doctor they like.
And in Denmark, people can choose any hospital they want to go to for an operation.
In Britain today it's people with money that get better education and better healthcare. Because they have choice. In other countries, every one has choice, which is why their standards are higher than ours.
I want to give choice to all, not just those with the money to buy it. You shouldn't have to pay more for choice. I want to end a world where people have to shut up and take what they're given.
That is why our patient's passport is such a sensible and refreshing idea. For the first time, the patient will choose. They can choose their local hospital. Or the hospital nearest their family. Or the hospital that can treat them the quickest.
Labour hate our proposal. They have attacked it and distorted it. They can't stand the idea of people having choice. They think people should have to do what they are told. Labour still believe that big government knows best.
Labour still don't understand choice. And choice is the key to better standards in our hospitals and in our schools.
Education is at the heart of our success as a nation. In an increasingly global economy, we need to give our children the best possible education to help them compete in the modern world. So we need teaching that is rigorous, that suits every child's talents, that helps people to achieve their best.
The best schools, whether state or private, selective or comprehensive, offer the things which every parent has the right to expect for their child – discipline and the pursuit of excellence.
No-one can learn – and few can teach – in an atmosphere where shouting, loutishness and violence prevail. So we will make it an absolute priority to give teachers control over their classrooms. Heads will have the final say over expulsions. Schools should be allowed to offer legally-enforceable, tough home-school contracts, giving teachers the clear right to impose discipline.
Our education passport will give parents a choice as to where their children are educated, and make it easier for popular and successful schools to expand – even to take over neighbouring schools. This will give opportunities to thousands of children. The opportunity to find out what it is that they can do best and develop the talent to realise their dreams.
People want security in their lives too. They want to know that their children will be well educated. They want to know that their relatives will be cared for if they fall ill.
And they want to know that they can walk their streets in safety. Labour have lost control of crime. The most important duty of any government is to provide security for its citizens. I understood that when I was Home Secretary. And I am proud of the fact that there were nearly a million fewer crimes when I left office than when I took up my post.
Cutting crime will be a major priority for us. Using significant reductions in the cost of the asylum and immigration system, we will recruit 5000 more police officers each year – 40,000 more over eight years, 2000 of them here in Wales. It should be the mugger who lives in fear, not the elderly lady walking home from the shops.
People want our borders to be secure too. I know that Britain has benefited hugely from the immigrant communities that have settled here over the years.
But immigration must be controlled. And Labour have lost control of our borders. Their policy is a complete shambles. Only this week, we found out – through leaks of course – that Labour have waved through thousands of immigration applications without checks of any kind. Waved them through against the advice of their own diplomats on the ground.
Officials have been calling for action for more than a year. But Ministers sat on their hands. Officials saw their concerns ignored, their warnings unheeded, their objections overruled.
It has been a scandal.
A scandal that officials have had to work under an intolerable burden.
A scandal that sham applications – from one-legged roof tilers, fake electricians and bogus builders – have had to be rubber stamped.
A scandal that those who finally blew the whistle have been suspended while the Minister who was responsible clung desperately to office, before finally being forced to resign.
But perhaps things might turn out OK. I read in yesterday's papers that Tony Blair will now take personal charge of immigration policy and sort it out. Then I read the date. April the First.
A chaotic immigration policy helps no one. It doesn't help those who come here illegally, who fall prey to criminal gangs. It doesn't help those who use the proper channels, who are shoved to the back of the queue. And it doesn't help the people who live here because of the pressure it puts on our public services.
We will get a grip on illegal immigration and those who claim asylum without being genuine refugees.
We will set up processing centres near people's country of origin. No one will be able to come here and claim asylum. They will have to apply at one of our centres abroad, where they will be dealt with quickly, fairly and humanely.
We will take a quota of genuine refugees – probably more genuine refugees than we take now. But we will no longer be obliged to support the tens of thousands of asylum seekers who are not genuine refugees.
Of course, in a matter of months, we may lose more control of our immigration policy. The European Union is planning to create its own constitution. Tony Blair is already signed up to it. He wants it rushed through "as soon as possible".
I think a European constitution is wrong in principle. Nation states make treaties with each other. Countries have constitutions.
If this constitution is accepted, the EU would gain many of the attributes and trappings of statehood: its own president, its own foreign minister, its own legal system. For the first time, the supremacy of EU law would derive not from Acts of national Parliaments but from a supra-national constitution.
That is a profound and radical change.
It is dishonourable to pretend that this is merely a tidying-up exercise.
It will involve the large-scale transfer of powers to Brussels.
It is more honest to call this the capstone of a federal state. That's how the Belgian Prime Minister describes it. Or to call it Europe's "Philadelphia Moment". That's what former French President Valery Giscard D'Estaing said, making a direct comparison with the American constitution.
They are being straight. Tony Blair is not.
So let me make it clear. I believe that any proposal for a new constitution must be put to the British people in a referendum.
Whatever your view, you should have a say. We have had 34 referendums since Labour came to power. On a Welsh Assembly, on a Scottish parliament, even on a mayor for Hartlepool.
But when it comes to transferring power from Britain to Brussels, Tony Blair says "Trust me".
Well, Conservatives say "Trust the People".
That is why, here today, with your help, I am launching our nationwide petition calling for a referendum on a European Constitution.
Sign it. Get your friends to sign it. Get the friends of your friends to sign it.
Because whatever their views, they should have their say.
You know, when I became a Conservative as a schoolboy in Wales, people said I was a rebel. You don't join the Conservatives round here, they said.
Well, I don't think of myself as a rebel. Although, whisper it softly, I do prefer soccer to rugby.
I became a Conservative because of what I believed.
I believe that the people should be big and the state should be small.
I believe that people are more likely to succeed when they are not nannied or over-governed.
And I believe that people want to be the masters of their own destinies.
That is why I came into politics. That is why I returned to front-line politics. And that is why I believe that we can win the next election.
Seven years ago, Labour came to power with high hopes and the public's blessing. They promised that things could only get better.
But Labour have let you down. Instead of the improvements they promised, they've given us seven years of tax, spend, borrow and waste.
Britain is a great country, full of the most talented and energetic and ambitious people. We could and we should be doing so much better. We need a government that is united in its desire to give power back to people.
A government that will listen to people. A government that will trust people. And a government that will serve people.
That has always been our historic mission. Britain needs it now more than ever.
The battle lines have been drawn.
We are ready for the fight.
We are ready to win.
Here in Wales.
And across Britain.
And with your help I know we can do it.
CategoriesUncategorized Tags2004, Michael Howard, Speeches
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Aldi Bot – Build A Botnet For $15!
Psst – wanna build a Botnet – one that can launch a DDoS attack, steal passwords saved in Firefox, steal passwords for Pidgin, remotely execute any file, or use a victim's computer as a proxy?
No big deal if you haven't a clue when it comes to the intricacies of coding, or programming – doesn't matter if you don't have any hacking skills – if you've got just €10 (about $15) to spare, you can buy Aldi Bot …..
Screen shot published by the malware creator.
…. and, create your very own Botnet. Of course, you'll need the underground forum addresses where this sly tool is available (no, you won't get those here).
I find it discouraging that wannabe cyber crooks, whose technical skills never got past the thumb-texting stage, have such ready access to such powerful malware creation tools. A rather sad reflection on the lack of resources available to the law enforcement community.
My Hard Drives can be a bit of a "black hole" when I'm trying to find a particular document. With literally thousands of documents – Word files, PowerPoint presentations, Excel Work sheets, not to mention, images, videos, and more, spread all over, I occasionally feel as if I'm lost in space.
Stepping into this void for me, is a recent find – Nemo Documents, a powerful freebie document manager from Danish open source developer IOLA.
With Nemo Documents running, I can now view all of my Word docs (for example), in an easy to read "Calendar" view as well as a number of additional file formats. Better yet, the program integrates with Windows Desktop Search so I can locate files based on phrases within the documents, file types, modification dates, and so on.
Setup is easy, and on the first run the program will audit customary file locations in order to index files.
Click on any graphic to expand to original size.
In my particular case, and perhaps yours as well, most of my documents are not located in the "usual suspect" places so, the ability to add locations is critical.
File support is fairly robust – including support for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, images, video files, Google docs, and many more. You can choose which files to add and index, from the Settings menu.
Calendar view – selectable Day, Week, Month, Year.
Focusing on an individual file allows you to view specific properties.
The "List" view provides additional file references.
The application can be run in a number of alternative languages including – Chinese, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Lithuanian, Russian, and Portuguese.
Since Nemo Documents adds an application icon to the Windows notification area, direct access is quick and easy.
There is a version available for Linux here.
Nemo Documents is not an application for everyone, but for those users who have to deal with a sizeable number of diverse document files, Nemo can certainly make the job much easier.
There are 600 Million plus, active Facebook users, but I must confess – I'm not one of the active users. It's true, I do have a Facebook page but, I use it sparingly.
Since many software developers are now into the – "visit our Facebook page, click on the Like button, and we'll give you ………." school of marketing, I use my Facebook account to meet this manipulative requirement.
My list of grievances with Facebook is a long one, but privacy, or more precisely, the lack of privacy, overrides all other concerns – I'll leave the considerable security issues aside, for the moment.
I've always found it difficult to get a handle on Facebook's constantly shifting definition of privacy and, it's difficult to understand and hard to apply, personal privacy restrictions.
Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I just can't get my head around the idea of putting private information out into the ether of the Internet. On the other hand, there are those who love the Facebook experience, and it seemingly plays an important role in their lives. I think it's safe to say, that this is a market which will continue to grow exponentially.
Some people see this as inevitable progress – but I'm not one of them. Instead, my definition of progress in this market, is the development of private social networking platforms. Platforms that are designed specifically for friends, families, and work teams, to privately share, discuss, organize photos, videos, etc., – all in a single easy to use private environment.
One such platform that caught my attention recently is Flink12. It was a "no-brainer" really. An application that can set out in a sentence, or three, an approach to privacy that meets my requirements, is sure to grab my attention.
Since Flink12 passed my first test, I went on to the next set of questions – did it meet my requirements for functionality? Did it meet my requirements for usability? It did in both cases – and, the following list of features was very convincing.
Safe & Private – Our "Privacy first" approach ensures that your personal information will remain private. Your information will not be indexed on the web by search engines. We designed Flink12 at its roots to be "udderly" private. Users have complete control.
Easy Photo Sharing – Easy to upload, free, fast, private photo sharing. Caption your photos. Comment on photos. There are several options for sharing each photo and privatizing comments. It's truly the best way to share photos and comments.
Private Texting/Chat – Free instant communication one-on-one between you and any person in your Flink. Texting is free on Flink12.
Blogging – Write about your personal thoughts and activities as often as you wish. Blogging on Flink12 is quick, easy and fun. There are several options for sharing of blogs and comments amongst your flinks.
Friend Mapping – See where your friends are anytime, worldwide. You have a choice to show your location to your Flink friends or not. Very useful for travelers or friends and relatives across the globe or meeting up with friends for coffee.
Playful Icon Themes – Never forget to play. Our icons are all about expressing yourself in a playful way. Flink icons are uniquely humorous and allow you to quickly share your mood, health, activities and events using preset text or by entering your own text. Choices of several fun themes such as Moms & Babies, Sports Fans, Diva's, Teens and Pets are coming soon.
Web & Apps – You can join and update on any platform- website, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android and you only have to post it once- Flink 12 updates seamlessly on all platforms.
Alerts – There are several options for notifications or alerts from your friends. On mobile, MOO's and cowbells let you know when your friends have posted fresh news.
Flink12 is a technology rich application; full of powerful features – many more than I've been able to cover in this short review. At the same time, Flink12 has been designed for speed and simplicity.
If you're into social networking and privacy is a concern, then take Flink12 for a test drive – I think you'll be glad you did.