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Hackers found a way to alter sent WhatsApp messages, but don't freak out just yet
Chris Smith @chris_writes
Facebook's WhatsApp chat app is one of the most popular messaging applications out there. It's available on virtually any platform, making possible encrypted chats and voice communication across devices.
Unlike Facebook's Messenger, which has plenty of users of its own, WhatsApp is end-to-end encrypted, just like Apple's iMessage, which means your chats and calls are secure over WhatsApp.
But hackers did find a way to alter sent messages in conversations, a flaw that WhatsApp isn't going to fix. You shouldn't worry about it because it might not do any harm.
Check Point Software Technologies discovered that, by creating a hacked version of WhatsApp, attackers could change the quoting feature. That's a way to reply to distinct messages, with the reply including the original quote.
The purpose of this attack would be to give someone the impression that someone sent a message that wasn't actually sent.
The company told The New York Times that it "carefully reviewed this issue and it's the equivalent of altering an email." WhatsApp says it's not a flaw, and it won't fix it.
WhatsApp also said it's working on a way of finding and removing anyone using a fake WhatsApp app.
On the other hand, WhatsApp is currently dealing with a wave of criticism regarding the spread of fake news in markets including India and Brazil. But, as long as hackers aren't abusing the quotation hack to spread misinformation, you shouldn't worry about it.
Deploying a permanent fix would be possible, but burdensome to the system, which would have to check the authenticity of sent messages. Even worse, the only way to do it is to keep track of all conversations happening on WhatsApp on a server somewhere — and with more than 1.5 billion users, WhatsApp chats would generate a lot of data. Storage isn't necessarily the problem. But copying all messages would mean disabling end-to-end encryption. That's something we don't want Facebook to do with WhatsApp.
So far, WhatsApp and Check Point did not see anyone abuse the quote hack.
Check Point also discovered a hack that would affect group chats. It's possible sending a message to a specific individual who would think the entire group saw the news, and then respond accordingly would respond accordingly.
Image Source: Gombert/Epa/REX/Shutterstock
Tags: facebook, WhatsApp
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INDIA/PAKISTAN: A thaw after a long winter?
Aditi Phadnis
Recent events suggest New Delhi and Islamabad are considering the normalization of relations.
India and Pakistan face both geopolitical and economic compulsions.
Full diplomatic relations could be followed by a long-stalled South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit.
Cautious hopes are being raised that relations between India and Pakistan might be coming out of a deep freeze where they have been since 2014, with several recent signposts indicating the two adversaries could be getting ready to re-engage. Currently, neither country has its envoy in the other. Diplomatic relations have been downgraded.
On 31 March, Pakistan's top economic decision-making body, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), recommended lifting the 2019 ban on the import of cotton, cotton yarn, and white sugar from India. Sugar will be the third commodity allowed for export from India to Pakistan after Islamabad lifted a ban on medicine and related raw material imports from India in May 2020 to ensure sufficient supplies of essential drugs during the pandemic.
26 March saw a meeting between delegations of the two countries on sharing of Indus river waters, crucial for hydroelectric power and agriculture in both countries. Meant to be held annually, this meeting resumed after nearly two years because of the Covid-19 outbreak but also because relations between New Delhi and Islamabad were strained following cross-border bombings by India on suspected insurgent posts in Balakot (Pakistan) in February 2019.
Earlier in March, the two countries announced that a border ceasefire agreement had been revived. And though a bilateral meeting between Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and his Pakistan counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi, both of whom attended the Heart of Asia conference in Dushanbe earlier in March, did not take place, there was a groundswell of speculation and expectation that it would, leading to political pressure on governments of both countries to revive talks.
The first signs that Pakistan needed to resume ties with India came in a speech made by Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa earlier in March, underlining the importance of burying the past in the interests of geo-economics.
The speech triggered an internal debate on why geo-economics must not disguise 'defeat'. Pakistan's diplomatic elite was bitterly critical of India's 2019 move to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its coveted constitutional status of (relative) autonomy within the Indian union, something Pakistan has always leveraged to claim that the merger of the strategic (and biggest Muslim-majority state in India) region with India was illegal. For Pakistan, the status of Kashmir has been the 'core' issue in all arguments between the two countries. India, however, believes there can be no talks while terror groups patronized by the Pakistani establishment are used as an extension of foreign policy.
However, economic and geopolitical realities are catching up with both countries. While the Pakistani economy is facing severe stress, India has only just managed to recover from a near-war with China on an un-demarcated border with no guarantee that another skirmish will not break out. In addition to military pressure on two fronts, India is beginning to reconcile itself to the fact that US-brokered talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan could establish a government in Kabul that would be in the complete thrall of the Pakistani military establishment; and being in denial about the Taliban's power could only put sizeable Indian assets, political and infrastructural, in Afghanistan at risk.
Diplomatic relations
Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan publicly said last week that India has to be the one to make the first move. What he expects is not clear. But a signpost will be resumption of full diplomatic relations. This could be followed by a summit meeting of the members of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC), on hold since 2014. The 2016 summit was to be held in Islamabad. However, after the terrorist attack on an Indian Army camp in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir in September of that year, India refused to attend. An Islamabad summit will be a big breakthrough – if India decides to attend.
Recent events suggest New Delhi and Islamabad are considering the normalization of relations. India and Pakistan face both geopolitical and economic compulsions. Full diplomatic
https://speevr.com/2021/03/31/india-pakistan-a-thaw-after-a-long-winter/

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Embiid leads 76ers past Nuggets to stay perfect at home
NBA pushes back 3 more Grizzlies games
Lakers, Bucks aim to rebound from losses
Jazz put streak on line against Pelicans
Short-handed Wizards wait to return
Hornets C Zeller set to return Friday
Cavs spoil Irving's return with 2OT win
Gilgeous-Alexander helping young Thunder
Embiid scores 42 to power 76ers by Celts
Leonard has 32 as Clippers push run to 5
Porzingis' big game gets Mavs by Pacers
(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
By AARON BRACY
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Joel Embiid threw the ball over his shoulder into the basket and celebrated the no-look shot with a little shake and shimmy for the crowd. It was vintage Embiid - and something the fun-loving center wants to do more.
Yes, the 76ers are winning. But their star big man wants to be in the middle of it.
Embiid scored 22 points, including two key free throws with 15.3 seconds left, and Tobias Harris added 20 to keep Philadelphia perfect at home with a 97-92 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night.
Matisse Thybulle added 13 points for the Sixers, who are 13-0 in Philadelphia. They have won three straight and seven of eight.
Embiid added 10 rebounds but once again struggled offensively down the stretch. After being benched late in Philadelphia's 110-104 win over Toronto on Sunday for committing three straight turnovers, he missed a 3-pointer, a jumper and committed a turnover in crunch time before making the two big foul shots.
Fortunately for the 76ers, their defense clamped down on Denver down the stretch.
"I need to be myself," Embiid said. "When I'm having fun, I dominate."
Embiid said he has cut back on the extra-curricular activity while trying to be more mature since his two-game suspension for fighting Karl-Anthony Towns on Oct. 30, which was followed by a postgame barrage of insults on social media.
Embiid, however, let loose after his improbable shot ended the third quarter with Philadelphia ahead 83-76, and the crowd loved it.
"I need to do it more," he said.
A two-time All-Star, Embiid entered averaging 21.9 points and 12.5 rebounds per game after putting up 27.5 points and 13.6 boards last season.
Will Barton had 26 points to lead the Nuggets, who have lost three in a row and five of six. Leading scorer Jamal Murray was injured with 6:49 left in the first quarter when he collided with Ben Simmons and didn't return.
The Nuggets set a franchise record for largest fourth-quarter comeback when they rebounded from 19 points down to start the final period in a 100-97 win over Philadelphia in Denver on Nov. 8. They tried again, but couldn't come all the way back this time.
The 76ers led by 10 early in the fourth after Josh Richardson's deep 3-pointer from the top of the key made it 88-78 with 8:54 remaining. The Nuggets scored the next eight, capped by Barton's three-point play with seven minutes left, to pull to 88-86.
But then Thybulle hit a pivotal 3 and grabbed a big offensive rebound on Philadelphia's next possession, which ended with Al Horford's jumper that put the 76ers in front 93-86 with 4:36 to play.
"You could feel the building light up," Philadelphia coach Brett Brown said of Thybulle's impact. "He's an energy giver when he can make those plays."
Denver had chances from that point on but went cold from the field, making just one field goal until Nikola Jokic's runner made it 95-92 with 18.9 seconds left. The Nuggets had just six points in the last seven minutes, missing seven of nine shots.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone liked his team's resolve but said the lack of offensive execution is a recurring problem.
"Our offense has been holding us back and tonight was another example," he said. "We have to find ways to be more consistent."
Philadelphia is within nine victories of matching the franchise mark for consecutive home wins to start a season, set during the 1966-67 season.
"It says we have a great crowd and great focus here," Harris said.
Nuggets: Malone received a technical with 7:16 left in the first half. . Barton scored the first 13 Denver points. . Jokic had 15 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists. ... Murray went scoreless and left with what the team called a "trunk contusion."
76ers: Richardson returned to the lineup after missing six games with a right hamstring strain. He had three points.
Nuggets: Host the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday.
76ers: At the Boston Celtics on Thursday.
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


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After the House Lights
<Evangeline an epic story of love and community
She Loves Me: pen pals aren't so far removed from Tinder>
Edmonton downstage | 11.09.2015
jennamarynowskion November 9, 2015 /0 comments
Opening this week:
Wind in Her Sails by Elizabeth Bowering, both a theatre show and a fundraiser for Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), which the playwright suffers, runs at the PCL Studio in the ATB Arts Barns November 12 – 21.
Broadway Across Canada is bringing Once to Edmonton November 10 – 15.
Closing this week:
Theatre Network's production of Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years closes November 15. You absolutely have to see this show (while I was writing my review, I couldn't stop thinking about how great it was). Plus, party on the set with the Theatre Network crew at the closing party on November 15 at 3:30 p.m., following the 2:00 performance. The party is free (regular ticket prices in effect for the performance), but RSVP to info@theatrenetwork.ca.
The Best Brothers by Daniel MacIvor, produced by Shadow Theatre and staring Garett Ross and Andrew MacDonald Smith, also closes November 15.
The Rocky Horror Show, produced by Two One-Way Tickets to Broadway is playing at La Cité Francophone until November 15.
It's neither opening nor closing this week, but if you're too busy to read my 1700 word review of Evangeline, I'm going to sum it up by saying that I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the Citadel Theatre and the Charlottetown Festival's co-production of Evangeline by Ted Dykstra. It's a fast-moving, epic story of love and community and if you have the time and means, you should definitely see it. I typically don't like musicals, but The Last Five Years and Evangeline have made me reconsider that bias over the past couple weeks. Of course, Evangeline also got rave reviews from the other publications in town – the Citadel seems to have most of them posted on their website.
Speaking of the Citadel Theatre, Avenue Edmonton published a nice profile about the Citadel and interview with Artistic Director Bob Baker.
It's not theatre, but I'm going to show them some love anyway – I Don't Get It Dance podcast has posted Episode 3 of their third season where Paul and Fawnda talk about Cite Ballet's Enigma and the Paul Taylor Dance Company's first show in Alberta.
MacEwan University posted a video about creating the set and costumes of their recent production of Nice Work If You Can Get It. I'm all for anything that tries to make the magic of theatre accessible, so I love this.
How did our students create the set and costumes for "Nice Work If You Can Get It?" #yegtheatre #macewanu https://t.co/mWreknLxUz
— MacEwan University (@MacEwanU) November 3, 2015
Tagged: Edmonton downstage
About jennamarynowski
Marketer by day and theatre critic for After the House Lights by night. Follow me @jennamarynowski www.afterthehouselights.com	View all posts by jennamarynowski →
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Denim is a textile of sturdy cotton warp-faced twill in which the weft passes under two or more warp threads. It is a characteristic of most indigo denim that only the warp threads are dyed, whereas the weft threads remain plain white.
This report focuses on the Denim in global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.
Denim industry has low technology barrier and is labor intensive industry. Currently, there are many producing companies in the world denim industry. The main market players are Canatiba, Vicunha, Isko, Arvind and Aarvee. The production of denim will increase to 6990.2 meters in 2016 from 5423.0 meters in 2011 with average growth rate of 5.21%. Global denim capacity utilization rate remained at around 79.78% in 2015.
In consumption market, the global consumption value of denim increases with the 4.38% average growth rate. Europe and China are the mainly consumption regions due to the bigger demand of downstream applications. In 2015, these two regions occupied 35.36% of the global consumption volume in total.
Denim has three types, which include light denim, medium denim and heavy denim. And each type has specific characteristic relatively. With fashion effect of denim, the downstream application industries will need more denim fabrics. So, denim has a huge market potential in the future. Manufacturers engaged in the industry are trying to produce popular and good visual effect denim through improving technology.
The major raw materials for denim are cotton, polyester cotton and chemical fiber. Fluctuations in the price of the upstream product will impact on the production cost of denim. The production cost of denim is also an important factor which could impact the price of denim. The denim manufacturers are trying to reduce production cost by developing production method.
The worldwide market for Denim is expected to grow at a CAGR of roughly 3.2% over the next five years, will reach 15400 million US$ in 2023, from 12700 million US$ in 2017, according to a new GIR (Global Info Research) study.


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Special counsel Robert Mueller's long-awaited report on Russia collusion in the 2016 presidential campaign set off Bay Area congressmembers.
Friday's Briefing: Bay Area leaders react to Mueller Report; Racist mailer opposes SB 50
A's sign slugger Khris Davis to contract extension
Fri, Apr 19, 2019 at 6:00 AM
News you don't want to miss for April 19-21:
1. Bay Area congressmembers reacted on Twitter to the release of the Mueller Report, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Several called for U.S. Attorney General William Barr to resign and all of them urged for further investigations into the report's findings. $$
2. Opponents of SB 50, the bill that aims to reduce zoning requirements for new housing around transit hubs, are equating the proposed legislation with "negro removal" in political mailers and ads, ABC7 reports.
3. A federal appeals court decided Thursday that California's sanctuary city laws can continue to be enforced, the Los Angeles Times reports. $$
4. Kaiser Permanente patients in Oakland, perhaps at the behest of the union representing hospital workers in contract negotiations, protested Thursday over shorter appointments times for mental health patients, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. $$
5. About 10,000 research and technical workers at the University of California's 10 campus are considering a strike, the Sacramento Bee reports, after reacting to a proposed annual 3 percent wage increase to imposed by the U.C. $$
6. A Hayward High School senior who was set to play football next fall at the University of Wyoming drowned in the surf at Half Moon Bay, KTVU reports.
7. Contract extension mania in Major League Baseball finally came to Oakland after the A's signed defending American League home run champ Khris Davis to a new 2-year, $33.5 million contract, Sports Illustrated reports. The Warriors rolled over the Clippers Thursday night to regain a 2-1 lead in their first round NBA playoff series, CBS Sports reports.
Tags: Oakland A's, Khris Davis, SB 50, Warriors, Mueller Report, Kaiser Permanente, strike, University of California, Hayward, Half Moon Bay, sanctuary city, appeals court, Image
« Thursday's Briefing: Oakland c… | Bay Area Air Quality Deteriora… »


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Q: How to get all named ranges in Excel worksheet with xlwings? I'm using xlwings to read named ranges' values, however, to get the list of the name ranges I manually do it in Excel by the "use formulas" function to paste them into another worksheet which i then copy into my Python program.
I have not found a method in the documentation to do this? Is there a way to do this dynamically?

A: Use the names collection, see https://docs.xlwings.org/en/stable/api.html#names
import xlwings as xw

book = xw.Book(...)
for name in book.names:
    print(name.name, name.refers_to_range)

Name objects can be tied to the workbook or the sheet. If they have the sheet scope, you'd have to replace book.names with mysheet.names where mysheet is your sheet object.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


What is metastability? What are the various ways to prevent it?
practical given the performance requirements of most modern designs.
2)The most common way to tolerate metastability is to add one or more successive synchronizing flip-flops to the synchronizer. This approach allows for an entire clock period (except for the setup time of the second flip-flop) for metastable events in the first synchronizing flip-flop to resolve themselves. This does, however, increase the latency in the synchronous logic's observation of input changes.


March 26, 2007 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Watson Wyatt has settled a lawsuit relating to actuarial services, paying $110 million to the trustees of the Iron Workers, Local No. 25 Pension Fund.
According to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing , the previously disclosed lawsuit related to actuarial services provided to the fund during the 1990s. Watson Wyatt said that while it did not acknowledge any wrongdoing, it agreed to resolve the claim given the unpredictability of litigation.
Under the terms of the settlement, a payment of $110 million will be made to the fund, the total amount of which is covered by the company's professional liability insurance.
The settlement will have no impact on the company's financial statements.


Neel-Schaffer provided right-of-way and design services for an urban boulevard with a 10-foot wide pedestrian/bicycle lane to serve as a new south entrance to the campus of Mississippi State University in Starkville. The location of this route was studied and set by others, prior to this contract.
Officially named Hail State Boulevard, the 3.5-mile, $18 million road was completed in August 2017 and opened on September 1, 2017, the day before MSU's first football game of the 2017 season. That was an important milestone, because Hail State Boulevard will provide football fans with a south access route to the campus and Davis Wade Stadium on game days. The new road connects with Stone Boulevard at the intersection of Black Jack Road, then continues south past the MSU South Farm until its termination at Poor House Road.
The Mississippi Department of Transportation funded 80 percent of the construction; MSU paid the remaining 20 percent.
While the preliminary design included four lanes, construction plans were developed for a two-lane, open-ditch roadway, with a 10-foot multi-use path. The project included widening to three lanes, with the potential to go to five lanes, at the approaches to the Blackjack Road intersection. The project included design and construction administration for the rehabilitation of Blackjack Road between Locksley Way and the traffic circle at Oktoc Road.
The project also involved the installation of street lighting and landscaping at the Poorhouse Road and Blackjack Road intersections.
The project removed the old sewer treatment facility near the MSU intramural softball fields. The parking area for the fields was modified to allow the new roadway to pass near the fields. The plans also include fencing and utility relocations for power, water and sewer. Phase A Hydraulic Design was performed for the boulevard where it crosses Catalpa Creek. This work included performing the hydrology necessary to determine the design flows at the bridge site, constructing an HEC-RAS model of the stream and bridge for scour analysis and a spur dike analysis. Neel-Schaffer engineers made a revision to the alignment near Catalpa Creek to improve the hydraulic design and save money in the construction phase.


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Fowler secures Phoenix Open win despite final-round struggles
Rickie Fowler managed to close out his fifth PGA Tour win, claiming the Phoenix Open.
04 February, 2019 08:35 IST
Rickie Fowler | Photo Credit: (Getty Images)
Rickie Fowler claimed a first PGA Tour win in two years, securing a two-stroke victory at the Phoenix Open on Sunday.
Fowler had a double- and triple-bogey in his final round, but finished at 17 under despite a three-over 74, holding off Branden Grace.
It was the American's fifth win on the PGA Tour and first since the Honda Classic in February 2017.
In 2018, Fowler entered the final round of the Phoenix Open as the sole leader but dropped to finish in a tie for 11th place. He was moved to tears after his round with friends and family present, including his grandfather, who had never seen him win in person.
But he made no mistake this time as rain fell at TPC Scottsdale on Sunday, Fowler handing his grandfather the winning ball and proceeding to lift a trophy he has been in contention for many times before.
"My dad's always been here, my grandparents have always been here," Fowler said. "So it's always been pretty disappointing to have been there and feel like we were so close to getting a win ... It's nice to finally get that done. I'm happy for now."
Fowler's win was almost spoiled on the par-four 11th hole. His third shot went into the water and he was handed a one-stroke penalty after his dropped ball rolled back into the water. He finished with a triple-bogey and moved into a tie for first place.
"It wasn't really fun there for a couple of holes," he said. "I mean to have what happened on five, but then 11. [I] kind of just rolled with the punches."
Fowler edged out Grace, who moved two spots up the leaderboard after carding a two-under 69 to finish in second place at 15 under in his Phoenix Open debut. Grace was going toe-to-toe with Fowler until a bogey on the 17th hole took him out of contention.
"This place was nuts," Grace said. "It's everything and more than what I expected and what a fun week it was. I can't take anything for granted and I had to dig deep today and I did that, it's just unfortunately one bad shot."
Justin Thomas rounded out the top three. He was with Fowler in the final group but two bogeys and a double-bogey on the par-four ninth hole dropped Thomas (72) down to third at 14 under.
Chez Reavie, Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar finished in a three-way tie for fourth place at 12 under. Gary Woodland, the 2018 Phoenix Open champion, was tied for seventh.
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A SENAD anti-drug special forces officer shoots his weapon as soldiers secure the area cutting down marijuana plants in the Canideyu department of Paraguay, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014. (Jorge Saenz, Associated Press)
Paraguay's booming marijuana export traffic attracting gangs and violence
Published: Aug 17, 2017, 3:46 pm • Updated: Sep 1, 2017, 2:30 pm
By Max Radwin, Special To The Washington Post
CURUGUATY, Paraguay — Paraguay is a global marijuana powerhouse: The small South American country produces 9 percent of the world's supply. But until recently, it wasn't common there to see drug raids or hear helicopters thumping overhead in search of plantations. That's all changing.
Last June, Paraguay's most prominent crime lord was killed by Brazilian gang members. He left behind a burgeoning marijuana and cocaine empire that is quickly becoming one of South America's biggest drug-trafficking headaches, and the fight to control that trade is proving far more vicious than Paraguayan officials anticipated.
With thousands of square miles of farmland, Paraguay has a stable, agriculture-based economy – and the world's fourth-largest crop of marijuana, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, or UNODC.
Even so, Paraguay has traditionally lacked the rampant violence and corruption that has allowed expansive drug-trafficking organizations to take hold in other parts of South America. But its porous borders and central position on the continent, among other factors, have begun to attract increasing attention from major drug gangs.
Less than one percent of Paraguay's population consumes marijuana, according to the country's National Anti-Drug Secretariat, or SENAD, viewing it instead as a high-risk, high-reward cash crop with a better yield than soybeans, one of the country's main legal exports. That means nearly all of the marijuana grown in Paraguay enters the international black market, SENAD said.
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Officials there said about 20 percent of Paraguay's marijuana is shipped south to Uruguay, Argentina and Chile – each country's main supply of the drug – or west to Bolivia. The other 80 percent crosses the border to Brazil, where it is purchased by various gangs and distributed throughout the country.
For the past two decades, most of the transactions were controlled by Paraguay's crime lord, Jorge Rafaat Toumani, a car-tire magnate whose main client was the powerful Brazilian gang First Capital Command. SENAD officials said the gang killed Rafaat last June in the hopes of taking direct control over Paraguay's booming drug trade.
"It's almost as if they just now realized that the opportunity existed," said Capt. Oscar Chamorro. "Before, they just bought the drugs and they sold them, distributed them. But they started to question why they needed to talk to a middleman."
First Capital Command – which made headlines this year for a series of bloody prisonriots and a complex, $40 million heist in the Paraguayan city of Ciudad del Este – is not alone in its efforts to expand into Paraguay. Chamorro said a rival Brazilian gang called Red Command, in addition to various nameless crime rings from Paraguay and Bolivia, continue to jockey for control of marijuana plantations and trafficking routes.
They're not only interested in controlling and potentially expanding marijuana operations, Chamorro said, but also the flow of cocaine entering west from Bolivia. It's a vital thruway to Brazil, a global leader in cocaine consumption according to the UNODC, and a major entry point to the European market.
SENAD Minister Hugo David Vera Quintana told The Washington Post that Bolivian cocaine mostly arrives in Paraguay via small private aircraft, then travels into Brazil by land. Although much of that movement is controlled by First Capital Command, he said, smaller groups are now investing in the marijuana trade with plans to transition to cocaine later on, meaning trafficking activity could increase.
SENAD, in collaboration with the Paraguayan national police and Brazil's federal police, regularly captures and destroys cars, planes and "clandestine" runways involved in both cocaine and marijuana trafficking. But Vera Quintana said the authorities are only disrupting 25 to 30 percent of the smuggling activity.
Even as SENAD has ramped up its operations – the agency has removed 2,930 acres of marijuana through the first half of this year, nearly surpassing its figures from all of 2016 – it says it is worried about falling behind the expanding drug trade. Officials find themselves returning to the same areas every six months to clear out marijuana crops again, and they say they don't have the resources to expand operations and make a more permanent impact.
Those resources, they argue, are the issue – not strategy. In years past, officials said SENAD was able to enforce a sort of equilibrium in which their efforts were preventing a spike in marijuana output but also not drastically lowering it.
Now, with mounting gang activity, they said SENAD has to increase its budget, resources and personnel to maintain that equilibrium. At the moment, the agency has a relatively small budget of $9 million, and only 300 people to carry out both eradication operations and border patrols. SENAD officials said they plan to expand by as much as 20 percent in 2018, and could see additional growth in years to come.
"We don't need to stop what we're doing and find a different strategy," said Chamorro, the SENAD officer. "We just need to get better at what we're already doing."
Topics: illegal farming, smuggling, South America


As of 15 April 2019, Deutsche Börse Data Services will be introducing a new analytics data product that offers valuable information on Eurex order flow by trading account type(agent, market maker and proprietary trader).
The reported net order flow (buy minus sell volume) is aggregated daily per product and is available for the most active Eurex equity index and fixed income futures and options. The flow analysis allows clients to evaluate market positioning by trading account type and identify market trends.
For more information or to subscribe to the new file service, please contact us via the following e-mail: analytics@deutsche-boerse.com.


On Wednesday September 5, President Emomali Rahmon received Vice Chairman of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Military Commission and the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China (PRC), Colonel-General Xu Qiliang.
According to the Tajik official website, Rahmon and Xu discussed issues related to expansion of military and technical cooperation between Tajikistan and China, implementation of the reached agreements, as well as the role of the countries in providing regional security and addressing modern challenges and threats such as terrorism, extremism and drug trafficking.
Both sides reportedly expressed satisfaction with expansion of strategic and mutually beneficial cooperation between Tajikistan and China.
The visit of the Chinese senior flag officer to Tajikistan has been held in the frameworks of implementation of important agreements reached between Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and China's leader Xi Jinping.
While in Dushanbe, Xu will also hold talks with Defense Minister Sherali Mirzo as well as visit one of subunits of the Ministry of Defense (MoD) of Tajikistan.
Meanwhile, some Central Asian media reports say that Xu Qiliang is currently on a nine-day trip to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, which began on September 1 and runs through September 9.
Kazakhstan was the first leg of his trip. Xinhua reports that Chairman of the Senate of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Xu Qiliang in Astana on September 4, pledging to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China in various fields.
Kazakhstan and China are friendly neighbors and important cooperation partners, Tokayev said, adding that Kazakhstan greatly values its long friendship with China and supports the Belt and Road Initiative.
Kazakhstan firmly supports China on international issues and is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China in such fields as politics, economy, culture and security, Kazakh parliament speaker said.
The two countries would jointly fight against the "three forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism and improve the livelihood of both peoples, Tokayev said.
Xu, for his part, said China and Kazakhstan had established a stable comprehensive strategic partnership thanks to the efforts of the two countries' heads of state, and are enjoying a further development of bilateral ties.
Noting the alignment of China's Silk Road Economic Belt and Kazakhstan's Nurly Zhol (Bright Path) economic program, as well as the "Chinese dream" and the "Kazakhstan dream," Xu said this would bring more welfare to the peoples of the two countries.
During his visit to Kazakhstan, Xu also met with Defense Minister of Kazakhstan Nurlan Ermekbayev.


Our Book Discussion Group usually meets on the third Wednesday at 4:30 PM in Unity Hall in the Church building. You are welcome attend and participate even if you have not read the book. We usually alternate between fiction and nonfiction selections.
Sometimes the meeting date is changed so it is a good idea to call before you come: 716-754-2830.
The future books which will be discussed are listed below.
Learn, Love, Build a Better World.


The Nest Bedding Alexander Memory Foam mattress incorporates a top quality, superior density memory foam and a soft quilted top to provide a variety of advantages of popular memory foam mattresses with no off-gassing, and at a sensible price.
Crafted and designed in the USA with locally-sourced materials, providing evenly–distributed comfort at an reasonable price, the Alexander was ranked at the top of majority of review sites as the most comfy bed.
All of their beds can be found in a variety relaxation firmness choices, and with 2 memory foam mattresses, 3 hybrid models, and 1 latex, I am sure you'll be able to find the firmness and support that is ideal for you. So, whether or not you're lighter, heavier, a side sleeper, or you deal with chronic pain, Nest can match your preferences on at least one of their beds.
Alexander Signature: The Alexander Signature mattress uses memory foam. The comfort layer contains four layers: a quilted cover made of cotton and polyester, an uppermost layer of 4 PCF memory foam, a middle layer of 4 PCF polyfoam, and a base layer of transitional polyfoam. The support center is manufactured with 1.8 PCF polyfoam. The Alexander Signature is offered in 2 firmness options: Medium and Luxury Firm.
Alexander Hybrid Luxury Contour: The Alexander Hybrid Luxury Contour features a comfort system containing three layers: a cover built with 2.5 PCF copper-treated, phase-change gel memory foam; a center layer of 3 PCF polyfoam; and a bottom layer of 4 PCF memory foam. The support core is built with a high-density polyfoam edge reinforcement and pocketed.
Hybrid Latex: The Hybrid Latex model has 1 layer of Dunlop latex in the comfort system. The support core is built with pocketed coils and a bottom layer of 1.8 PCF high-density polyfoam. The zippered cover is built from a blend of cotton and wool.
Latex Mattress: The Latex Mattress is offered in 'Blended Latex' and 'Organic Latex' options; these models have the same general construction, but differ substantially when it comes to pricing with the Organic model being more pricey. Moreover, the Latex Mattress is offered in three firmness options. The 'Soft w/topper' option has a comfort layer made with soft Dunlop latex, in addition to a three-inch Dunlop latex topper. This option is more pricey because of the addition of the topper. The 'Medium' and 'Firm' variants go without the topper; the 'Medium' has a gentle Dunlop latex comfort layer and a firm Dunlop latex support center, while the 'Firm' uses a firm Dunlop latex comfort layer and a soft Dunlop latex support center.
The three distinct firmness levels of the Alexander Signature Hybrid all make use of the same basic structure, but with somewhat different foams and densities. Each mattress starts with 8 inches of individually-pocketed support coils. The next layer is 1 inch of "SmartFlow" support polyfoam, that is designed to increase airflow and helps with heat retention. Each firmness level utilizes 3 PCF (lbs per cubic foot foam within this layer. The subsequent layer is 1.5" of either 2.5 PCF copper-treated "Energex" polyfoam (Plush), 3.5 PCF copper-treated Energex polyfoam (Medium) or 4.5 PCF slow-recovery memory foam (Luxury Firm). The last layer is 1.5 inches of "TitanChil" cooling polyfoam. The mattress cover is 1.5" of 4 PCF gel-infused memory foam inside a quilted, cooling cloth. This offers a soft texture.
The Alexander Signature Hybrid is produced in three firmness settings: Plush (3), Medium (5) and a Luxury Firm (8). Firmness level is based on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the least firm and 10 being the firmest. You can pick between Plush, Medium, and Luxury firm. Weight is going to make an impact on what you would prefer. Generally, heavier people prefer firmer mattresses while lighter people usually discover they can achieve more hug and contour on plusher mattresses.
Hybrids usually don't isolate motion as well as all-foam beds usually do, due to the fact that springs allow motion to more easily move through the surface of the mattress. The Alexander Signature Hybrid, though, has several foam layers above its springs. These foam layers aid the mattress absorb motion to a significant extent. When I moved next to my colleague, you could not identify much movement in her body. She said that she could feel it, although detection was minimal. Despite this, the mattress still features great bounce.
If you have mobility difficulties, moving around while lying down may be challenging. Classic memory foam often caused so much sinkage that it made it hard to move around. But if you have too much rebound, it's easy to disturb rest.
You will encounter some sinkage with the Alexander Signature Hybrid because of its soft foam uppermost layers. But this sinking feeling is different from what you'd receive with a more traditional memory foam mattress as it's reduced by the bed's supportive pocketed coil system. Meaning you will sink, but will still be able to move around easily and get out of bed without too much problem. While there's some sinkage here, it's not quite as striking as it would be on a normal memory foam mattress. This creates great pressure relief with no stuck-in-the-bed experience.
The inner-spring coil support core of the Alexander Signature Hybrid works to reinforce its edges. This gives a level sleeping surface across the whole mattress and helps prevent sagging and sinkage at the perimeter of the mattress. The spring coils are great at providing that solid core you want. When I moved in various positions, I felt very well-supported. I could feel and you can actually see where I really do sink in a quite a bit, but the sinkage from the mattress suddenly ends where the inner-spring coils begin. Despite the plush foam uppermost layers, this mattress is impressively supportive, thanks to the 8 inches of pocketed coils in its foundation. It's very easy to get in and out of the mattress, and I'm well–supported when I lay on the edge, a big asset for sleep partners.
The Alexander Signature Hybrid is quite cool. The spring coils permit sufficient airflow, helping to reduce body warmth. The foam layers, which normally trap warmth, are treated with cooling gel and copper to counteract this common problem. This mattress is a fantastic match for those who want to sleep cool. This hybrid does a great job of isolating and dispersing warmth, resulting in a resting feeling that's marvelously cool.
After an Alexander Signature Hybrid mattress is manufactured, it's compressed, vacuum-sealed in plastic and sent to your front door in a marked box. Whenever a mattress is compressed and vacuum-sealed, it has a tendency to produce a temporary odor when it's opened. This odor is known as "off-gassing." You should expect to see this with the Alexander Signature Hybrid, but the smell should dissipate fast.
If you are certain that one of the Nest mattresses is the perfect mattress for you, the dimensions and pricing information for your mattress are below. Please be aware that these figures reflect standard pricing, and doesn't include my special promo. Click here in order to get my special discount and get 5% off your mattress now.
Overall, the Alexander Signature Select Series is a great mattress for someone who likes a quality designed mattress that's firm yet comfortable. I recommend it to anyone who likes the pillow-top feel and knowing that their mattress is healthy for the environment.


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Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union | Respiratory Examination and Treatment | Medical Education Systems, Inc.
Pulmonary function testing is one of the basic tools for evaluating a patient's respiratory status. In patients with suspected pulmonary disease, it is often the first diagnostic test employed in the work up. Pulmonary function tests (PFT's) are also used for pre-operative evaluation, managing patients with known pulmonary disease, and quantifying pulmonary disability. Although the fully equipped PFT laboratory utilizes a host of sophisticated equipment, simple spirometry is relatively easy to administer and standardize and has become portable enough to use at outreach clinics and industrial health centers. The increasing availability of spirometry has led to greater use by both primary care physicians and specialists, some of whom may lack formal training in interpreting results. This educational module is designed to provide an introduction to quality assessment and basic interpretation of spirometric testing.
1. Identify and discuss spirogram acceptability criteria.
2. Demonstrate how to interpret spirograms.
3. Explain how to classify obstructive ventilatory defects by severity.
4. Identify and discuss how to recognize flow-volume loops that suggest upper airway obstruction.


Apple's next gadget could save your life, if a patent applied for by the firm is anything to go by.
The next watch or iPhone from the company may come equipped with a sensor that can warn you of high levels of pollution, toxic gas and alcohol in your breath.
Apple has been granted a new batch of patents for its products, including one for a material that senses bad smelling odours.
It could be used in a watch strap and incorporated into future iPhone and laptops.
The material will have multiple sensors detect everything from dangerous carbon monoxide levels, to pollution, to 'vaporous gas' which could detect how much alcohol is in someone's breath.
It is the fifth of such patents under the same heading applied for by Apple since 2015, according to the blog Patently Apple.
The document describing the patent submission described it as: 'a gas sensor attached to the printed circuit that is configured to measure a concentration of a gas, wherein the gas comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of: carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, alcohol vapour, propane, ozone, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, benzene, methane, hydrogen, and oxygen'.


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Michael Patrick McGill Net Worth – Wondering how wealthy and rich are these celebrities and how much they worth? Or maybe you're curious about their height, weight, age, bio, wealth and salary (or how much money they made) this year?
Michael Patrick McGill is a very famous TV Actor and makes a pretty good living doing that. Michael Patrick McGill was born on Monday, July 2, 1973 in Wisconsin under the lucky star sign of the Cancer.
Read below to see our most recent Estimated Net Worth for Michael Patrick McGill as well as the estimated earnings, salary and full income!
The wealth figures and net worth posted above have been collected from credible online sources and websites. However, there are so many factors that affect a celebrity's net worth, such as taxes, management fees, investments or losses, marriage, divorce, etc. Therefore, the Michael Patrick McGill Net Worth and income figures or earnings statistics may not be 100% accurate. IF you know more about this please feel free to contact us!


Many people think public relations (PR) is about media relations, but it's actually so much more than that. Media can no longer be only defined as TV, radio, or print. Media now refers to any medium that will allow you to communicate your message or promote your brand. There are many ways the word can get out, and we are plugged into them all.
Public relations is about relationships and reputation; that is, to maintain a favourable image in the eyes of the publics by building mutually beneficial relationships. And that's where we come in - we have countless different audiences that we can serve on your behalf; we are connectors.
As specialists, our team has cultivated exceptional relationships with journalists, bloggers, influencers, and trade.
We place media trained clients on TV and secure radio interviews, employ varying digital means to get the word out, engage with influencers, and work closely with B2B / trade (your existing and potential customers).
With outstanding relationships in lifestyle media, let us be your storytellers.
It's all about you. With the wide range of projects completed and depth of experience accumulated in two decades, we have the skills to help take you positively into the public eye. We'll take special care to develop the strategy and campaigns that best suit your goals. Let's work together.
We speak all kinds of media. Whether its legacy media or dynamic digital campaigns, we've got you covered. One of the most effective ways of increasing exposure for your business is gaining spotlight in the press, but we know that doesn't come easy. The ability to communicate, captivate, and connect on camera or with a crowd is much harder than it looks. Inquire about our range of training programs to make a lasting impression on your audience.
Content, content, content. Maximize your brand awareness with content that will keep your followers coming back. At Town Hall Brands, we have a talented team that can write compelling pieces, and produce stunning visuals as well. Need photos or video? We have relationships with professionals in these fields that behave as an extension of our team.
Establish and build your market with strategies that will grow your followers and optimize your website so it's closer to those first few pages on Google. Tell us your goals and we'll create memorable tactics that make a measurable impact on your brand.
To hold a "town hall" is to gather collaboratively and hear from the community; this is the key value our company is founded on and its namesake.
With strategic partnerships and collaborations, we all win. Wherever possible, our clients within the same or complementary industries work together.
And while some might be threatened by their "competitors" we embrace the world where we can all work together and generate great client results. We work with our PR colleagues to see how we can find synergy among our clients so we can all shine.
This doesn't come close to including all of the amazing people and agencies we collaborate with, but for frequency and longevity we are looking at you: Liberty Ink, Slap Communications, Camber Communications, Serena PR, Sophia Cheng, Katharine Manson Communications, Dana Lee Consulting, Avenue PR, Social T, and SMC Communications. Thank you for all of your collaboration.
Under your brand and in your name. We work in the background, so you shine in the spotlight.
You might be surprised when you learn who our #BTS clients are and the projects we have done.


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Article: Light at the end of the tunnel: Looking for light through the darkness
AUTHORPeople Matters Editorial Team
THURSDAY04NOV 2021
Life @ Work
Light at the end of the tunnel: Looking for light through the darkness
Even as uncertainty loomed over the last year, there's now cautious optimism as companies open up their workplaces for hybrid work, as vaccination rates rise and economies show early signs of recovery. Is it the light at the end of the tunnel?
Diwali is a time to celebrate good over evil, it is also a time to spend time with family and friends. Over the years, office Diwali parties have been some of the most awaited events in the year - from decorations, sweets, ethnic wear and other fun activities. Even as uncertainty loomed over the last year, there's now cautious optimism as companies open up their workplaces for hybrid work, as vaccination rates rise and economies show early signs of recovery. Is it the light at the end of the tunnel?
Here's what we are grateful for this festive season-
Winning over the evils of COVID-19 with 100 crore vaccination mark
While India celebrates the victory of good over evil and drives the latter away amid the festival of lights, the country has successfully reached the 100 crores mark of partially vaccinating the population. China tops the World vaccination list with the highest number (223 crores) of people vaccinated. It has fully vaccinated 105 crores people with India in the running next. Having vaccinated the second highest number of people, India has completed vaccination of 23.8% of its population with 103 crores of people partially vaccinated. Though the festive season of Navratri has raised the number of infections to 914 on October 31 from 690 on October 16, the country is hopeful towards reducing the effects of the infection through vaccination. Other than China and India, the US, Brazil and Indonesia make up the list of the top five countries in the world to have vaccinated the greatest number of people. Moving forward with vaccinating the highest number of people, it is expected that the festival of Diwali, will bring a new ray of hope in the lives of the Indians, who are eagerly looking forward to winning over the evils of COVID-19 soon.
Reinstating international travels bring the isolated families closer together
According to the October edition of the UN World Tourism Barometer, about 54 million people have crossed international borders in 2021, better than since April 2020 (estimated 34 million) but 67% less than the numbers (estimated 164 million) in July 2019. Yet, these numbers exclude the APAC region, which has been the weakest region in terms of travels. The vaccination drive has now played a major part in subsiding the psychosis of travelling among people especially from Asia Pacific region. As of November 2021, almost 80% of the countries are planning to open their borders for international tourists from South Asia and more, with necessary precautions planned to be undertaken.
With the onset of Diwali festivities, it is definitely good news for families, stuck in a different country away from their loved ones in isolation. We now live in a world where there are means to stay in touch with everyone yet have restrictions to 'touch'. Yet the positivity that the nations are generating among the masses in post-covid world is staggering. Unlocking international travel is a long way from the normalcy that people are used to experiencing yet everyone does hope that the light at the end of the tunnel will shine a bit longer.
The hybrid model of work opens up new possibilities, widens the talent pool, and enhances diversity
A LinkedIn report, released in May indicated a 457% rise in remote job postings in the U.S. year over year, a trend observed in other parts of the world as well. McKinsey predicts that 20% to 25% of the workforce in advanced economies could viably work remotely. Many organisations have already become remote-first organisations, including BrowserStack, Twitter, Facebook, Coinbase, VMware, and upwork, among others.
The remote-first or new hybrid work model embraced by the majority of the companies makes hiring borderless and organisations get an opportunity to hire across the globe. For the global workforce, this leads to more job opportunities to choose from.
Additionally, removing the barrier of location from the work equation allows employers to create opportunities for people who need greater flexibility at work because of caregiving responsibilities or physical disabilities and promotes more diversity and inclusion at workplace.
To make the most of this opportunity organisations need to redesign their work policies and nurture their culture and make it more compatible for a hybrid work model. The journey begins with listening to your employees needs, addressing the changing priorities of talent and balancing it with evolving business needs, and then the future can be brighter.
Regaining the in-person connect with hybrid
From work to life, from celebration to loss, from fun to grief, 2020 made the global population experience these different elements of life in isolation, or at least within the four walls of their houses. With virtual calls soon fueling a wave of digital fatigue, following hours of professional and personal online conversations, the world breathed a sigh of relief when hybrid knocked our door. From intermittent in-person conversations, to those safe getaways, the ability to meet and greet family, friends and colleagues in the real world, vs a digital screen, was a hope for 'normalcy' to return. It has been established by now that there is no returning to the old normal. However, regaining the energy that transpires from face-to-face interactions, even if occasional, is a hope for a time when this becomes the new norm. Needless to say, with required caution.
Recovery of the global economy
The pandemic had been a real dampener for the global economy last year. But with the development and disbursement of vaccines, clouds started to lift. The global economic recovery is continuing, even as the pandemic resurges in different clusters of the world. As per the latest IMF forecast, the global economy is projected to grow 5.9 percent in 2021 and 4.9 percent in 2022, 0.1 percentage point lower for 2021 than in the July forecast. The 0.1% downward revision for 2021 reflects a downgrade for advanced economies, partly on account of supply disruptions while for low-income developing countries, largely due to uncertain pandemic dynamics. However, this is partially offset by stronger near-term prospects among some commodity-exporting emerging markets and developing economies. As restrictions are relaxed, demand has accelerated, but supply has been slower to respond. While the resurging pandemic and new variants pose unique policy challenges, however, global economic recovery is expected to continue, shining a light to gradually lift the darkness brought upon by Covid.
The festival of Diwali has always been a reminder of the light that exists at the end of the tunnel, that there is hope and resilience even in trying times. In the fight against this pandemic, there have been both losses and wins but we have to keep moving forward. We have to continue to see the possibilities that remain in front of us. Be it the larger wins of 100 crore vaccination mark, economic revival and borders opening up there are the smaller wins as well, the possibilities of meeting one another, of working together in our varied circumstances. For the up and coming talent who have been desperate to take on the world, there are more and more opportunities being created. Perhaps we will never go back to how things were, it seems impossible but we can build on what we have and start again. Rebuild and continue, together, supporting each other on this journey to where the light will be found even in the darkest of times.
Topics: Life @ Work
People Matters Editorial Team
The editorial team at People Matters has features writers, researchers and content experts with rich domain knowledge. We endeavour to create an impact on the HR community through thought-provoking and futuristic content.
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Streetmap Loses Anti-Competitive Lawsuit Against Google In UK
Streetmap had sued on grounds that putting Google Maps at the top of search results was an "abuse of competition."
Greg Sterling on February 12, 2016 at 12:40 pm
UK-based Streetmap sued Google in court last November under an "abuse of competition" theory. This was essentially the civil-suit version of the European Commission's antitrust case against the company. The High Court of Justice in the UK has now ruled against Streetmap.
Streetmap had argued that the insertion of Google Maps at the top of search results (i.e., OneBox) in 2008 had deprived the company of traffic and revenue, effectively destroying it. However, the court disagreed.
According to The Guardian, the court said that the Maps OneBox was "not reasonably likely appreciably to affect competition in the market for online maps." Complicating the case is the fact that Streetmap offers a generally poor user experience that isn't competitive with Google Maps.
Streetmap will apparently appeal the unfavorable decision. The Guardian quotes Streetmap spokesperson Kate Sutton on the ruling:
First, this decision is unfair for small businesses. The hands of small businesses are now tied behind our backs. The decision makes it effectively impossible for a small business to bring a competition law complaint until it is too late, because the information required will simply not be known to them.
Second, Google has got away with non-compliance with its legal obligations. It admitted in the trial that it did not do a UK test when it introduced Google Maps. It instead only looked at its effects on the US market. Google put forward no evidence that it had turned its corporate mind to compliance with UK law at the time. We think that it is wrong for any company with the duty of a dominant company to take such an approach to compliance with the law.
The European Commission's antitrust investigation against Google is currently focused on the shopping vertical. However local/maps is one of the subsequent intended cases. It will be interesting to see whether this ruling has any impact on the European Commission's case against Google.
While the European Commission has substantial discretion, and its decisions are often not subject to judicial review, it's likely that Google, which has taken a defiant position in the matter, would have recourse to the courts following an unfavorable regulatory decision.
Greg Sterling
Greg Sterling is a Contributing Editor to Search Engine Land, a member of the programming team for SMX events and the VP, Market Insights at Uberall.
Channel: LocalGoogle: CriticsGoogle: LegalGoogle: Maps & LocalGoogle: Outside USLegal: Regulation


Country pub and accommodation in Northumberland. Located in West Woodburn, a delightful 18th century coaching inn built in mellowed sandstone, nestling by a stone bridge over the River Rede in the Cheviot Hills.
This very comfortable and peaceful self-catering house commands breathtaking views over Port Eynon Bay and the Gower coastline.


Cheezus works with peeps that provide ingredients that are the best quality, high value from environmentally responsible and sustainable sources as best as possible. We focus on foods that are minimally processed, free from additives, chemicals, or artificial ingredients. We support local farmers, bakers and producers; organic, grass-fed, certified humane, pasture raised meat, sustainable seafood choices, pastured raised locally farmed eggs, organic & seasonal produce, all to the best of our ability.
Stop accepting food without question. Assess the real health & environmental costs that come with current eating habits.
See the positive effects of making responsible food choices. Eating more locally & sustainably. Ensuring ethical treatment of the animals we eat.
Change comes first from the people, controlling what and how we eat, where and how it's grown or raised.
New way of thinking about food will heal the land and taste good too. Let's restore food to its rightful place for our bodies, our ecologies and economies.
We wake up every Sunday and cook the sandwiches with the best ingredients we can get. We are sourcing our ingredients at the same markets that many high end restaurants are here in Los Angeles.


text:
Noel Sheppard
Letterman: 'You, Al Gore, Are Doing Business With Country That's Enabling Your Ultimate Foe of Climate Change'
January 30th, 2013 7:21 AM
A truly shocking thing happened on the CBS Late Show Tuesday.
Host David Letterman actually challenged guest Al Gore about his recent sale of Current TV to al Jazeera saying, "So you, Al Gore, are doing business with this country that's enabling your ultimate foe of climate change" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST: So now let's talk about Current TV. It's a network I never could find it. (Laughter) What were your hopes for Current TV when you launched your own network?
AL GORE: Well, to have an independent voice for news and information, and my partner Joel Hyatt and I accomplished a lot. I'm very proud of what we did. We won every single award in television journalism, but it turns out to be very tough for an independent network to compete in an age of conglomerates. And so it was time to make a move. I'm very proud that al Jazeera is going to have the opportunity to give high quality news throughout the country. They've won awards all over the world, very highly-respected.
LETTERMAN: Now why do we think of al Jazeera as something not right going on there in terms of, in terms of the good for Americans? Why do we think that they may be propaganda for Muslim violence and terrorism?
GORE: Well, it's certainly not. And many years ago it put some videos on in the Arabic version that I think were misinterpreted, but the al Jazeera English and now al Jazeera America really high quality stuff. They're very widely respected, and people see for themselves. And, by the way, their climate coverage is higher quality and more extensive than any network on TV now in the U.S.
LETTERMAN: Who, al Jazeera, what does that mean, al Jazeera?
GORE: I'm not sure. I ought to know, but I don't know. (Laughter) Wait a minute I can Google it. Just like Dr. Oz. (Laughter)
LETTERMAN: I was told earlier I think it means "the island." I'm not sure what that reference is. But what country is the origin of al Jazeera?
GORE: Qatar.
LETTERMAN: And that's …
GORE: Gas and oil.
LETTERMAN: Gas and oil. So you're selling this television network to a gas and oil supported emirate. It's not an emirate, it's an independent country.
GORE: One of the emirates. It's independent. And the closest ally of the U.S. In the Arab world. Our fleet is there.
LETTERMAN: Isn't that one of the problems with global warming, our dependence on petroleum-producing countries?
GORE: Yes, it is. And they have…
LETTERMAN: So you, Al Gore, are doing business with this country that's enabling your ultimate foe of climate change.
GORE: I think I understand what you're getting at, Dave, (Laughter) but I disagree with it. First of all, they have ambitious plans to develop renewables in the region. There's a visionary plan to take solar energy and wind energy from the Middle East and North Africa to Western Europe. Again, the network that they founded has become a very widely respected news-gathering organization, including on climate issues.
LETTERMAN: Yeah, see if you can get Regis a show.
GORE: I'll suggest that.
What was truly fascinating about this segment was Letterman was tougher on Gore than Steve Kroft was on President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Sunday's 60 Minutes.
The folks at CBS must be pleased that their late night comedy talk show host is actually a better journalist than one of the anchors on their flagship prime time news magazine.
Now THAT'S entertainment!
Steve Kroft
Late Show
NewsBusters Reader,
The media has abandoned all pretense of objectivity to become a pro bono ad agency for the progressive movement, infusing left-wing talking points into every issue, from the pandemic to the "cultural revolution."
"Truth in journalism," once a reporter's credo, is now a relic of a bygone era.
At MRC's NewsBusters, we analyze the threat to democracy the media has become and expose the tools of their trade: deceit, bias, omission and manipulation.
NewsBusters combats the liberal media with truth and facts, both kryptonite to the Left. Our successes are many but our challenge is great. It's NewsBusters vs. the mainstream media Goliath. The great equalizer? You.
The support of the our spirited and patriotic audience gives us the strength to take down giants. Please consider a donation today. $25 a month goes a long way in the fight for a free and fair media.
- The NewsBusters Team
Sign up for our NB Daily newsletter to receive the latest media bias analysis.


Background: I am a 1979 graduate of Reed College, Portland, OR (BA – philosophy). I earned a Masters degree in Psychology and Psychotherapy from Antioch University in 1987. In addition, I have attended other post-graduate education programs, delighting in the lifelong journey of learning. In 1996, I migrated from California to Vermont to be closer to family. My work in mental health over the past three decades includes: community mental health, acute psychiatry, inpatient and outpatient medical facilities, mental health advocacy and private practice. I am licensed as a Psychologist-Master by the state of Vermont (#047-0000702).
Mental illness is real. Everyone has mental health problems from time to time. Not everyone has mental illness. It is vital to understand this distinction, and offer treatment accordingly.
YOU are the expert on you. No mental health provider is ever going to know better than you what is 'normal' or 'usual' for you. Good psychotherapy will help you to: understand and strengthen your normal self, identify your earliest warning signs of 'abnormal', and act to avoid dangerous extremes.
Relationship and connectedness are what make life worth living. Therapy is a safe place to develop relational skills.


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Please send me more information on 91 20860 76 AVENUE Willoughby Heights, Langley Thank you.


PROGRAM: a graphic artist, his wife and their young daughter will move their studio to Brisbane, where they hope to live and work. Their new house will have a space for exhibition off the entry, isolated from the rest of the house, as well as a small work area and the usual domestic spaces, including two bedrooms. Other than visitors viewing the exhibition of the artist's work, the family does not entertain.
PROJECT TEXT: The site is located along the rear edge of the existing development, so the downhill view is into the backyards of the neighbors. The uphill view into the oak forest is more pleasant. This means that, despite the relatively generous lot size, the house must be more closed in the front (on the downhill, entry side) and more open to the rear. The best views are to the sides, along the edge of the oak forest. Because of the steepness of the site, very little usable outdoor space is available without extensive grading and retaining walls. The client prefers the house to have a minimal impact on the site.
The house borrows from the "loft" model, with openings at either end, focused to views along the edge of the oaks; the sides more closed. Into this loft "shell" a "hermit crab" of functional support elements has been introduced, similar to the "core" strategy of traditional modernism. Vertical windows on the downhill side avoid the view of the neighbor's yards for the most part, while horizontal windows in the rear "sample" the intricate patterns of the oak forest. The simple tube form has been flexed and twisted to conform more closely to the sloping contours of the site, and these contours work their way into the interior of the house in the living area, which is sloped. The client likes a spare space, so the sloped floor of fine hardwood takes the place of furniture here.
The hermit crab elements that populate the interior of the "shell" tube are arrayed along a ramping access/circulation system. They consist of enclosed modules hung from that ramp, housing bathrooms and closets, and platforms slung between the ramp and the shell, which carry the living areas. The bedroom platforms include an adjustable bed/couch sleeping basket that suspends the occupant over the space below in a pipe-frame and stretched-fabric cocoon or hammock. Privacy is maintained for these platforms with track mounted rolling screens, operating in section, rather than conventional walls in plan; this same system provides spatial division to the non-private areas, such as kitchen and dining.