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Mar 10, 2015 | 09:28 GMT

10 mins read

What the West Could Do

Ukranian separatists fly a Russian flag

The Russian military options in Ukraine laid out in the first part of this series would, of course, not take place in a vacuum. Apart from opposition by Ukrainian forces, the Russian military would have to account for a potential response from the United States or a coalition of NATO countries. Whether or not the United States would be willing to go to war over an invasion of Ukraine, Russia cannot afford to ignore the possibility when examining its options and estimating their potential for success.

If the United States and/or NATO were to respond to an overt Russian offensive in Ukraine, the quickest and possibly only desirable means of deploying firepower to the theater would be to use air assets. Although NATO and the United States have substantial ground forces that could be deployed to Eastern Europe and into Ukraine when needed, transporting these forces and their equipment to the theater would require a great deal of time. Even then, ground forces probably would not be committed without the achievement of air superiority. For this reason, our study of potential Western counteractions hinges on the ability to deploy a considerable amount of air power into Ukraine to halt or roll back a Russian offensive.

Such an operation would be complex, involving the deployment of air assets to airfields near Russian forces, arranging logistical support for that deployment, conducting operations against Russian air defenses and eventually launching a ground campaign to reduce Russian military capabilities inside Ukraine. As Russia evaluates its military options, it will have to account for a worst-case scenario in which NATO countries in Eastern Europe open up their air bases to a considerable deployment of the U.S. Air Force and offer logistical support.

The Challenges of Deploying Aircraft

Before being able to initiate full-scale air operations against the Russian forces, the United States and its European allies would need to deploy a massive number of fighter aircraft near Ukraine. These aircraft not only would have to deplete Russian ground-based air defenses ahead of a ground attack, but they would also be facing significant Russian air assets deployed to support the offensive operations. This means the highest possible number of advanced fighter aircraft would be required to achieve the strategic weight needed for a difficult air superiority effort.

European air forces are already relatively close to the Ukrainian theater, but forward deployment to airfields closer to Ukraine would still be required to limit flight time to targets and to reduce the strain on aerial refueling capabilities, which will already be stretched thin in an operation of this size and scope. The United States, however, faces the additional challenge of a strategic deployment of air assets from the continental United States to Eastern Europe. Various factors, such as the availability of aerial tankers and the strategic airlift and airfield capacity at the destination or intermediate landings, influence the rate at which these aircraft can be deployed.

The U.S. Air Force would be able to deploy its first aircraft in theater relatively quickly, mostly because of the pre-positioning of several fighter squadrons at air bases in Europe. Three F-15 squadrons stationed at the Royal Air Force Base Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, two F-16 squadrons stationed at the Aviano Air Base in Italy, and an F-16 Squadron stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany could be deployed to airfields in Eastern Europe within the first 48 hours of the deployment.

Strategic Deployment of U.S. Air Force Assets to Eastern Europe
However, these squadrons alone would not be sufficient to begin a large-scale air operation against Russian ground-based air defenses and air superiority fighters. They would have to await reinforcement by many other squadrons from the continental United States. The reinforcing squadrons would be deployed one by one to avoid congesting the air bases they would need to move through in Europe, accompanied by transport aircraft carrying maintenance supplies and crews as well as aerial refueling aircraft to facilitate the long flights.

What a Deployment Would Look Like

Assuming a best-case scenario, the entire deployment of about 22 fighter squadrons would take approximately 11 days. Priority likely would be given to the latest-generation air superiority fighters and aircraft specializing in suppression of enemy air defenses, since these roles would be dominant in the first phases of the air campaign. Other platforms, such as the A-10 ground attack aircraft, likely would be deployed in the last phase of the deployment because their mission would become feasible only after a significant deterioration of Russian air defenses.

Rotary wing assets could also follow at that point to increase ground attack capabilities, but great numbers are unlikely to be committed until air superiority is established and advanced air defense systems no longer pose a threat. Unmanned aerial vehicles would also be expected to make up a significant share of the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance effort supporting the operation. These would be deployed early on and would include both tactical systems with relatively low footprints and shorter ranges or loitering times and higher-level systems that can operate from airfields beyond the theater. They could also be used in a limited ground attack capability, but the requirement for reliable intelligence on Russian movement and positions means the drones likely would be reserved for an intense surveillance effort during the early phases of the campaign.

U.S. and allied air power would be able to stage out of the numerous air bases available in Eastern Europe. Staging would focus on more than 30 military airfields in Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, with many more available in Italy and Germany, farther from the theater. Strategic aircraft such as aerial refueling tankers and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets could make use of the airfields in Germany and Italy, while the tactical squadrons could deploy closer to Ukraine. A deployment to airfields in western Ukraine could be possible, but the threshold would be lower for Russia to strike at these airfields, whereas the political and military cost for Russia would outweigh the benefit of disrupting operations at airfields in NATO territory. The same risk of escalation would likely limit U.S. and NATO intent to conduct operations inside Russia proper.

Because of the massive numbers of aircraft that would need to be deployed for this endeavor, the United States would also deploy aircraft carriers, likely to the Aegean Sea (the Montreux Convention prevents aircraft carriers from entering the Black Sea, where they would be easier targets for Russian attacks). Thus, at least two carrier wings could be deployed to the theater in as many weeks, and a third could join during the fourth week of the deployment.

The Time Factor

Because of the time needed to deploy various U.S. air assets into the theater, full-scale operations could realistically begin only after Russian offensive operations had already achieved most of their objectives. This means that Russia would have been able to move mobile air defenses into the theater, and the air campaign would be aimed at deteriorating Russian defensive capabilities in Ukraine rather than blunting its initial attack.

However, prior to the completion of the massing of aircraft in Eastern Europe, preparatory operations could occur using air-launched standoff missiles or sea-launched cruise missiles to target Russian air defenses, supply depots and potentially airfields used by Russian aircraft inside Ukraine. The next phase would then likely lean heavily on the F-16CJ "Wild Weasel" and any available allied aircraft equipped with radar-seeking missiles that home in on active radar signals from ground-based air defenses. These aircraft would be used to significantly damage the Russian air defense network, or at the very least limit the use of active radars, which would significantly deteriorate the Russians' ability to target U.S. and allied aircraft operating in the airspace over the battlefield. At this point, the main Russian threat to air superiority would be its aircraft fleet, and air combat would likely result in significant attrition on both sides.

Potential Outcomes

The exact outcome of this phase is difficult to predict but is likely to favor the larger number of NATO aircraft with more advanced capabilities than the Russian force. Nonetheless, both sides have notable advantages and disadvantages that would influence the outcome of the air combat.

The Russian air force would have the advantage of operating close to home and out of its own air bases, enabling it to conduct a higher rate of sorties per aircraft than the forward-deployed NATO aircraft. However, the air fleet that the United States and its European allies could assemble is substantially larger than the fleet the Russians could field, and as a result the total amount of possible sorties per day would still be higher for NATO. Russia would have the advantage of operating over its own ground-based air defense network. By this point in the operation it would be significantly diminished, but the air defenses would still threaten NATO aircraft and force them to carry radar-seeking missiles and ground attack ammunitions, while Russian aircraft would be able to limit their loads to lighter air-to-air packages. The NATO forces, on the other hand, would benefit from better stealth capabilities and advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets.

U.S. and NATO forces would also have the benefit of having more experience in expeditionary deployments in the past decade. Not only do pilots have more combat experience, but ground crews and commanders also have extensive experience conducting maintenance and logistics on a large scale. Interoperability between NATO partners has also been strengthened during deployments in places such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. Russian forces, on the other hand, have not operated under that kind of pressure.

From the perspective of Russian planners in this scenario, the uncertainty of Russia's ability to maintain air superiority means that any gains it makes could be unsustainable. Obtaining air superiority would allow the United States and NATO to conduct a devastating ground attack campaign that by itself could destroy the combat effectiveness of Russian units deployed into Ukraine. It is also important to keep in mind that at this point in the scenarios, with at least several weeks having passed, U.S. and European ground forces would have had plenty of time to complete deployments to Eastern Europe. With the possibility of the deployment of significant ground forces, and NATO air assets achieving air superiority, Russian military planners have to presume that if their offensive operations were to be contested militarily, they would be unsustainable.

Editor's Note

As part of our analytical methodology, Stratfor periodically conducts internal military simulations. This series, examining the scenarios under which Russian and Western forces might come into direct conflict in Ukraine, reflects such an exercise. It thus differs from our regular analyses in several ways and is not intended as a forecast. This series reflects the results of meticulous examination of the military capabilities of both Russia and NATO and the constraints on those forces. It is intended as a means to measure the intersection of political intent and political will as constrained by actual military capability. Part 1 discussed several scenarios for a Russian invasion. This study is not a definitive exercise; instead it is a review of potential decision-making by military planners. We hope readers will gain from this series a better understanding of military options in the Ukraine crisis and how the realities surrounding use of force could evolve if efforts to implement a cease-fire fail and the crisis escalates.

What the West Could Do
5 Geo |  3 Topics |  1 Themes |  1 Series

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Pora Pora

Picnic, swim and snorkel on a lagoon excursion
One of Bora Bora’s most popular activities is a lagoon excursion, a day-long event which usually includes a picnic, snorkeling, ray and shark feeding, and plenty of beach time. If you’re lucky, your guide will bring along a ukulele for some live music and a festive vibe. The food can vary but generally includes poisson cru (a raw fish salad), grilled fish, rice, chicken, and a pasta or rice salad. With a good guide and a good group, you’ll feel like a mobile beach party on the most beautiful waters in the world. There are plenty of companies offering this excursion; try Pure Snorkeling By Reef Discovery or Lagoon Service.

Let rhythm claim your soul at the Heiva Festival
The Heiva song and dance festivals and competitions take place all around French Polynesia between June and August; Bora Bora’s is the second largest after Tahiti. These celebrations of traditional performing arts and sports are some of the greatest shows on Earth. Among flamboyant sets and dressed in costumes of flowers, greenery, shells, and colorful fabrics, lithe female dancers shake their hips in a fast blur while muscular men waggle their knees; drum orchestras tap out primal, complex rhythms and vocalists sing together to create astounding harmonies.

Let rhythm claim your soul at the Heiva Festival Leeward Islands  French Polynesia

Viscerally feel the island’s history at a marae
Marae are ancient, open-air Polynesian temples built for religious purposes ranging from prayer to sacrifice. Bora Bora has less marae than many of its island sisters, and those that survive are quite humble, but you can still visit a handful of these eerily beautiful sites. Top choices are Faanui Bay’s Marae Fare-Opu, with its turtle petroglyphs; Marae Taianapa, also on the coast road of Faanui Bay; and a coastal marae just south of the ferry quay in Farepiti. Some are on private property, so be respectful and admire the fern-covered, coral slab structures from a distance.

Viscerally feel the island’s history at a marae Leeward Islands  French Polynesia

Try local seafood specialties like poisson cru
Mahi mahi in vanilla sauce, lagoon fish in garlic butter or slathered in a Roquefort cream, fresh lobster and prawns—such seafood specialties await you at Bora Bora’s fine restaurants. But the dish you really have to try can be found on every menu, including at the most humble roadside stalls: poisson cru, which is French for “raw fish." Poisson cru is much like ceviche—chunks of fresh, raw tuna are slightly cooked by the acid of a lime juice marinade, doused in coconut cream, and mixed with vegetables to create an indescribably cooling and delicious salad. Eat it with a traditional side of white rice.
Try local seafood specialties like poisson cru Leeward Islands  French Polynesia

Cheer in the paddlers of the Hawaiki Nui race
Around 60 outrigger canoe teams compete in the Hawaiki Nui Canoe Race each November, and at the end of the grueling 116 kilometer paddle, they all congregate on Bora Bora’s Matira Beach. This is French Polynesia’s biggest sporting event, so the buzz and fanfare at the final is beyond compare. Expect plenty of colorful canoes, bronzed, muscled men, an abundance of flowery wreaths, and days of partying. The race begins in Huahine and over the course of three days passes all the Leeward Islands before reaching Bora Bora. Although most teams come from French Polynesia, some ambitious foreign teams compete as well.

Cheer in the paddlers of the Hawaiki Nui race Leeward Islands  French Polynesia

Swim with black tip reef sharks and stingrays
There are a few special snorkeling adventures on Bora Bora that are not to be missed. Most day-long lagoon tour safaris will stop at stingray and black tip reef shark feeding sites where you can stand in shallow, sandy-bottom water and get buzzed by sharks and can feed rays by hand. The critters are drawn in by the tuna scraps thrown in the water by the tour staff and it’s up to debate how disruptive this is to the animals’ behavioral patterns. After all the adrenalin you usually get taken to a beach for a gourmet picnic, sun bathing and more relaxing snorkeling.
Swim with black tip reef sharks and stingrays Leeward Islands  French Polynesia

Explore the island’s WWII history
Bora Bora must have been one of the best places to be based during World War II, partially because no combat took place on the island. Up to 6,000 American troops at a time were stationed here from 1942–1946 as part of “Operation Bobcat.” The garrison generated romantic stories like Michener’s Tales of the South Pacific, and the airstrip built during this period was the country’s first. Few remnants of the Americans' presence remains today—mostly abandoned guns and bunkers—but if you do want to explore what is left you can take a four-wheeler tour, easily organized through your hotel.

Explore the island’s WWII history Leeward Islands  French Polynesia

Hike the iconic peaks of Mt Ohue and Mt Pahia
While Bora Bora’s beaches and lagoon are nothing short of sublime, it’s worth taking a break from the seaside to check out the island’s interior; you can hire a guide, go solo, or join a four-wheeler tour. The small network of island trails are used by very few people, let alone tourists, and are even quieter than the beaches. Traipse through thick jungle with basalt cliffs to dry, windswept vista points. Some of the island’s peaks are impossible to climb due to the crumbly nature of the terrain, but if you’re in good shape the views from the tough, five-to-six-hour walk up to Mount Ohue and Mount Pahia are well worth the sweat.

Hike the iconic peaks of Mt Ohue and Mt Pahia Leeward Islands  French Polynesia

See the beach from above while parasailing
For the ultimate view over the island, get hitched to a parachute and dragged in the air like a kite behind a speeding boat. Parasailing is a flight like no other, somehow exhilarating and relaxing at the same time, but is not a sport for those who are afraid of heights—you'll be between 150 and 400 feet up in the sky. This is the perfect height to look out for the best beaches, though you are more likely to be mesmerized by the island's natural beauty. Most parasailing flights last around 15 minutes; book them through your hotel with Bora Bora Parasail.

See the beach from above while parasailing Leeward Islands  French Polynesia

Scuba dive with manta rays and lemon sharks
The island of Bora Bora is peaceful and idyllic, but under the sea there’s a whole new world of tropical beauty and calm—until a lemon shark swims past you. Less adrenalin-inducing but just as majestic are the manta rays often found at the Anau dive site on the island's west side—they come here to get the parasites nibbled off them by fish. Along with the island's coral, there are plenty of colorful fish, eels, black tip reef sharks, stingrays, and sea turtles in the blue depths. Even non-divers should consider taking a first dive—or at least an undersea walk with a weighted helmet, where you don’t even need to know how to swim.

Scuba dive with manta rays and lemon sharks Leeward Islands  French Polynesia

Try kite surfing or stand-up paddle boarding
Bora Bora’s giant lagoon is the perfect playground for board sports which don't require waves. Trade winds provide a steady push for kitesurfers, while the reef-protected waters mean a nice, flat surface for the newest island craze: stand-up paddleboarding. People often prefer the standing views compared to the angle you get when sitting in a kayak or canoe. Stand-up paddleboarding is a great workout, so you can feel a bit better about eating, drinking, and lounging for the rest of the day. Many resorts rent or have paddleboards on offer for guests, and you can get lessons from schools like Bora Bora Stand Up Paddle.

Try kite surfing or stand-up paddle boarding Leeward Islands  French Polynesia

Help save turtles by swimming with them
Not much beats swimming with sea turtles, but you’ll probably need to spend several hours in the lagoon to have much chance of encountering one in the wild. Otherwise, visit the Marine Turtle Protection Center at Le Meridien Bora Bora. Guests and non-guests alike are welcome to observe—and swim with—growing juveniles and rehabilitating older turtles in a protected lagoon. The most common species are green and hawksbill turtles, which can grow up to three to five feet long. The area also acts as a coral nursery, where the reef can regenerate and thrive.

Help save turtles by swimming with them Leeward Islands  French Polynesia

Splashing around on Matira beach
The main island’s biggest, best, and most popular beach stretches along the Matira Point tourist enclave. It’s long enough that it’s lively in some spots and quiet in others, and it has a fun, friendly vibe—thanks in part to the local beachgoers, who also help to make it a more authentic Polynesian experience. A few little snack restaurants can be found along the beach, serving burgers and poisson cru (a type of raw tuna salad), and the handful of hotels are relatively spread out from each other. The water's sandy bottom is easy on your feet, and the turquoise waters stretching from the perfect white sands are as pretty as you’ll find anywhere.

Splashing around on Matira beach Leeward Islands  French Polynesia

Snack on fresh mangoes, guava and passion fruit
Bora Bora is a great place to sample a range of seasonal tropical fruits. In general, the widest variety is found between November and March, known traditionally as the “season of abundance.” Mango season happens twice a year around December and again in July. Fruits like bananas and papayas, however, are always available. Whereas the mangoes, pineapples, and pomelos are fantastic, the soursop—a big, prickly green fruit with a tart but sweet white fleshy interior—has one of the most unique flavors. If the tropical delights included in your breakfast buffet are not enough for you, buy more by the kilo at the local fruit stalls in Vaitape or along the side of the road.

Snack on fresh mangoes, guava and passion fruit Leeward Islands  French Polynesia

Bora Bora, French Polynesia


New buildings should be raised a metre above the ground to help cope with global warming-induced flooding in Britain.

That's the view of a leading flood defence expert has warned, who was speaking in the wake of the destruction caused by Storm Desmond in the north of England.

The flooding has been put down by some to climate change and flood defences like those in Cumbria were not equipped to deal with the deluge.

Professor David Balmforth, former president of the Institution of Civil Engineers, said conventional defences - like the barriers which line the River Greta in Keswick -had to be supplemented with more innovative methods.

Read more: Storm Desmond could force bride to postpone her dream wedding

And he said Britain should follow the example of the work being done in Nepal, where there are minimum threshold levels for new developments.

Water is moved inside
Destructive: People move water from a home in Keswick, Cumbria, in the aftermath of Storm Desmond
A rescue team helps to evacuate people from their homes
Rescue operation: A team helps to evacuate people from their flooded homes

He said: "We tend to design defences to a particular standard, to give an annual probability against flooding, which might be, say, a one-in-one-hundred or one-in-two-hundred-year chance of the defence being over-topped.

"That would be a typical sort of figure that would be used.

"The question, then, that now remains is were the events that we've now seen in recent days so excessive that it's reasonable to expect them to overtop defences?"

The people of Keswick
Clean up: The people of Keswick get to work to repair damage caused by floods
RNLI and Fire Rescue
Devastating: Rescuers use inflatable boats to help residents from first floor windows in Carlisle

Professor Balmforth emphasised the uncertainty of predictions about climate change.

He said: "I think there is every indication to show that rain will become much more severe and therefore flooding more frequent in future as a result of climate change."

Suggesting ways of coping with future deluges, Professor Barnforth cited "work being done in Nepal recently, they have regulated minimum threshold levels about a metre above surrounding ground for any new major development, whether or not it's in a flood risk area.

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"So that sort of method surrounding new properties can make a lot of difference.

"We can make our entry to properties such that they don't let water in quite as easily, use doors that protect against floodwater, use flood-resistant material so water doesn't get into a property, then it doesn't cause quite so much damage and doesn't take a very long time to dry out.

"The use of cement-based materials on walls rather than plaster materials, and the use of concrete flooring rather than timber flooring, and so on, can make a really big difference to how people can get back into their accommodation once it's been damaged."

In pictures - Storm Desmond leaves destruction in its wake:

The professor is also executive technical director at MWH Global, an engineering firm that specialises in projects involving water.

He added: "It's important we (protect) small electricity stations again, raising them onto plinths rather than having them close to the ground."

He recommended "just recognising and understanding which roads tend to get flooded, having better information on flooding so we can have alternative routes, and perhaps looking at protecting key routes more effectively than we do at the moment, use of more generators on key facilities, to guard against the knock-on effect of electricity being knocked out."

New homes are constructed on a new housing estate
Defence: An expert believes new buildings should be raised a metre above ground
Nepalese villagers wade through floodwater
Example: In Nepal, firm action is being taken to safeguard against flooding

Professor Balmforth also responded to claims the Government would take the flooding more seriously if it had occurred in the south.

Read more: Fury over £116m cuts to flood barriers as homes are swamped

He said: "As we might expect, London itself is reasonably well-protected from flooding, because of the high cost of flooding should flooding occur there."

"What tends to happen is people who live in poorer communities typically, unless well-served by our investment in flood risk management, don't fare as well as those who are well-off.

"And that's partly because by nature they tend to live in poorer housing areas, which by nature tend to be the older properties in inner cities which tend to be lower-down and therefore more vulnerable to flooding.

"Again, because they're older properties they tend to be more damaged by flooding, and poorer people generally are less adept at getting their voice heard in society.

"Therefore they don't get themselves noticed in the press as much and therefore they don't get the response."

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Should the government spend more on flood prevention?


Apple iOS8: more open, but is it secure?
Apple iOS8: more open, but is it secure?

According to research carried out by FireEye, the flaw is being actively used against iPhone and iPad users. FireEye trawled through leaked data from IT security company Hacking Team to find out what kind of hacks the company was deploying. “FireEye has recently uncovered 11 iOS apps within the Hacking Team's arsenals that utilise Masque Attacks, marking the first instance of targeted iOS malware being used against non-jailbroken iOS devices,” said FireEye senior research scientist engineer Zhaofeng Chen on the company's blog.

The firm said the attack was one of the most advanced it had seen. This particular attack weaponised popular apps such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Viber, Google Chrome, Telegram and Skype to steal data from users. According to FireEye, these modified apps came with an extra binary designed to exfiltrate sensitive data and communicate with a remote server. As the bundle identifiers are the same as the genuine apps on App Store, they can directly replace the genuine apps on iOS devices prior to iOS 8.1.3.

The attack didn't need users to jailbreak their phones, just sending an installation link in an email would be enough for the attack to be successful. The data was slurped up by the attack and sent back to remote servers including voice call recordings in Skype and Wechat, Chrome browser history logs, text messages sent in iMessage, Skype, WhatsApp and Facebook messenger, as well as GPS coordinates, contacts and photos.

The modified apps used the previously discovered “masque attack”, also used by the WireLurker malware, which made it possible to install a hacked app in place of an official one. The user would be completely unaware that the app was altered by hackers. FireEye has previously warned that such attacks exist.

FireEye said that all iOS users need to update their devices to the latest version and pay close attention to how they download apps. Troy Gill, GEPN, manager of Security Research at AppRiver, told that this hack was quite simple in its execution and could be very effective for cyber-criminals.

“Cybercriminals have traditionally gone where the numbers are so by that token the IOS platform becomes more attractive to them as it gains popularity across the globe,” he said. “Most of the mobile malware that we have seen to da te has been designed to target Android devices and there are two main reasons for this. Android has the largest number of users and the most open platform. However, this attack proves once again that no system is immune. When vulnerabilities like this exist in any popular OS and hackers know about them.. it is only a matter of time before they are exploited.”

He added that how widespread this will be will be is partly based on how much bandwidth the bad guys put behind the effort (since they need to get users to visit a URL in order to exploit this vulnerability) and how many devices are currently in use that are on older (prior to 8.1.3) unpatched versions of IOS.

Gill said all users should keep their devices up to date with the latest versions of the iOS, additionally this goes for all firmware/software. “Since vulnerabilities are often discovered  and patched a simple update can determine whether you fall victim or not. Also, every organisation's security training should include reminders about safe browsing and identifying suspicious links,” he added.

Separately, researchers from Dell Secure Works have discovered a Chinese hacking group known as  Emissary Panda or TG-3390that has laid around 100 “traps” worldwide to steal data from several high-profile targets, such as embassies, energy companies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), particularly those focused on international relations and defence.

"The group extensively uses long-running strategic web compromises, and relies on whitelists to deliver payloads to select victims," Dell Secure Works said in a blog post.

"After the initial compromise, TG-3390 delivers the HttpBrowser backdoor to its victims. The threat actors then move quickly to compromise Microsoft Exchange servers and to gain complete control of the target environment.”

"The threat actors are adept at identifying key data stores and selectively exfiltrating all of the high-value information associated with their goal."

Despite the threat, Dell Secure Works said there are still many opportunities to detect and disrupt its operation by studying its modus operandi. “The threat actors work to overcome existing security controls, or those put in place during an engagement, to complete their mission of exfiltrating intellectual property. Due to TG-3390's determination, organisations should formulate a solid eviction plan before engaging with the threat actors to prevent them from re-entering the network.”


A pinboard by
Gary Li

Graduate Student, UCLA

Studying the plasma formation process in a next-generation high-powered plasma rocket.

Electric propulsion (EP) is a relatively new type of rocket propulsion technology that provides a massive savings in fuel compared to conventional rockets, opening doors for ambitious space missions to deep space destinations such as Mars, the asteroid belt, and the outer planets. The field reversed configuration (FRC) thruster is one of the most promising candidates for such missions because its scales efficiently to high power. Higher power provides shorter trip times for space missions, potentially reducing years to months.

In order to improve the design of state-of-the-art FRC thrusters, we need to study how to efficiently form and eject the hot ionized gas known as plasma to produce thrust. Therefore, it is critical to measure the plasma's properties, such as density and temperature. However, as a technology derived from nuclear fusion, measuring the plasma properties from such a hot plasma can be extremely difficult. Conventional methods that involve directly sampling the hot FRC plasma typically don't work. Therefore, we utilize an indirect method known as time-resolved optical emission spectroscopy (OES) to study the plasma.

By using time-resolved OES, we can obtain the plasma properties as a function of time by simply measuring the light naturally emitted from the FRC plasma. This tells us how efficiently the plasma is being formed, and how fast the plasma is being ejected from the thruster. Time-resolved OES provides insight on the the performance of the rocket and subsequently informs future designs. My present work involves the implementation of this technique on a laboratory model FRC thruster, and the resulting analysis of the data.

Electron Pre-Acceleration at Nonrelativistic High-Mach-Number Perpendicular Shocks

Abstract: We perform particle-in-cell simulations of perpendicular nonrelativistic collisionless shocks to study electron heating and pre-acceleration for parameters that permit extrapolation to the conditions at young supernova remnants. Our high-resolution large-scale numerical experiments sample a representative portion of the shock surface and demonstrate that the efficiency of electron injection is strongly modulated with the phase of the shock reformation. For plasmas with low and moderate temperature (plasma beta $\beta_{\rm p}=5\cdot 10^{-4}$ and $\beta_{\rm p}=0.5$), we explore the nonlinear shock structure and electron pre-acceleration for various orientations of the large-scale magnetic field with respect to the simulation plane while keeping it at $90^\circ$ to the shock normal. Ion reflection off the shock leads to the formation of magnetic filaments in the shock ramp, resulting from Weibel-type instabilities, and electrostatic Buneman modes in the shock foot. In all cases under study, the latter provides first-stage electron energization through the shock-surfing acceleration (SSA) mechanism. The subsequent energization strongly depends on the field orientation and proceeds through adiabatic or second-order Fermi acceleration processes for configurations with the out-of-plane and in-plane field components, respectively. For strictly out-of-plane field the fraction of supra-thermal electrons is much higher than for other configurations, because only in this case the Buneman modes are fully captured by the 2D simulation grid. Shocks in plasma with moderate $\beta_{\rm p}$ provide more efficient pre-acceleration. The relevance of our results to the physics of fully three-dimensional systems is discussed.

Pub.: 18 Aug '17, Pinned: 23 Aug '17

NIMROD calculations of energetic particle driven toroidal Alfv\'en eigenmodes

Abstract: Toroidal Alfv\'en eigenmodes (TAEs) are gap modes induced by the toroidicity of tokamak plasmas in absence of continuum damping. They can be excited by energetic particles (EPs) when the EP drive exceeds other dampings. A TAE benchmark case, which was proposed by the International Tokamak Physics Activity (ITPA) group, is studied in this work. Numerical calculations of linear growth of TAEs driven by EPs in a circular-shaped, large aspect ratio tokamak have been performed using the Hybrid Kinetic-MHD (HK-MHD) model implemented in the NIMROD code. This HK-MHD model couples a delta f particle-in-cell (PIC) representation of EPs with the 3D MHD representation of the bulk plasma through moment closure for the momentum conservation equation. Both the excitation of TAEs and their transition to energetic particle modes (EPMs) have been observed. The influence of EP density, temperature, density gradient and position of the maximum relative density gradient, on the frequency and the growth rate of TAEs are obtained, which are consistent with those from eigen-analysis calculations and gyrokinetic simulations for an initial Maxwellian distribution of EPs. The relative pressure gradient of EP at the radial location of TAE gap, which represents the drive strength of EPs, can strongly affect the growth rate of TAEs. When the density and temperature of EP distribution are above certain threshold, the transition from TAE to EPM occurs and the mode structure changes.


jobsWASHINGTON: The US Department of Labor has cited the Stamford- Bridgeport metro in the bottom third of US regions for job creating in July.

The region had a 1% increase in jobs [4000] compared to the previous year.

The New Haven area led Connecticut 5,500 jobs increased a 2% gain, New London increased 1.8% percent and Danbury 1.4 %.

The fastest job producer in the country was St. George, Utah, in the southeast corner of that state, with a 6.2% increase in jobs. Durham, N.H. led the Northeast with a 4.2% increase.


Friday, November 2, 2012

Is there a difference between being a Christian and being a disciple? Well, in our world, there is. But I am not so certain the disparity was as large in the 1st Century. Jesus said to count the costs associated with following Him. And there were costs. Taking up one's cross was not just a metaphor about some challenge in your life you might face, but being willing to physically carry one's own cross towards their own appointment with death - just as our Savior did.

That is obedience.

And it is to this obedience we are called. Am I willing to be that obedient. I certainly hope so, but I must admit that I am thankful that I live in a country that was founded on religious freedom, and I have not had to face that challenge specifically yet. However, many people throughout our world today do have to make such a decision. It is rare in the United States though not unheard of (e.g. Rachel Scott, Cassie Bernall), but quite common in some countries today.

Yet, many Christians in the US coast through life without truly following Christ. Does this mean their faith is not real? I cannot know. For some, I am sure it is. For others, perhaps not. Either way, only God knows for sure. Regardless, the concept of obedience is a missing component for many in our modern concept of Christianity. Of course, this isn't new information. But a resurgence in the idea of true discipleship is currently swelling up among many Christian leaders. (If you don't believe me, look at the number of new books on discipleship.)

I decided that as I spend some time focusing on this area of Kingdom building, I would focus my attention on a couple of key thinkers in this area. The two individuals are Dallas Willard and Bill Hull. Certainly, these two are not the only two, and you may disagree with my selection. However, these two have been considering this topic for many more years than I will likely have occasion to. Specifically, Hull desires for churches to return to their roots, while Willard, as a philosopher, continually challenges his readers to consider how to take their faith seriously.  Thus, while their may be others who are as qualified, perhaps there are not two who are more qualified.

In the subsequent posts over the next few weeks, my intention is to provide an insight on the reading for a day and the make comments. I know that this is not near to sitting at the feet of the Master disciple-maker, but it will have to suffice for me. I look forward to reflecting and sharing their insights in the weeks to come.


Proof positive that women are tougher and  that men are glad to let us prove it . A new survey has shown that chivalry be darned when there’s a bump in the night, one in five men are happy to send their wife downstairs to investigate. Moreover, a quarter of men pretend to still be asleep if they hear a strange noise while they’re in bed.

Here is a shocker, the survey also revealed that 2 in 10 men actually admit their wife is braver than they are.

As for women, all that bravado is a double edged sword as they also report they have 11 sleepless nights each month, compared with only eight for men.

Although we know the reality is it is probably nothing, our imaginations can run wild – the most common nocturnal disturbances are thunder, heavy rain, car alarms, cats fighting and phones. Of the 2,000 adults surveyed four in ten of the said they had been woken by a noise in the dark, convinced someone was breaking in.

About half of the women surveyed and  one quarter of the men said they have stayed in bed worrying about what they heard and whether or not they remembered to lock up.

The survey was commissioned by security company Yale whose representative reminded readers: ‘Things that go bump in the night more often than not turn out to be false alarms. ‘However, it is still important to ensure home security is a priority.’


Do Will there be a trade system in destiny Import Their Economic Destiny? Evonomics » Do Immigrants Import Their Economic Destiny?

From the start of the war to the end of July 1813, if naval command of Lake Will there be a trade system in destiny passed to the Americans, 3 0 0 1 . They would be will there be a trade system in destiny to land an army on the north shore at any point of their choosing, 232 0 0 1 2. It is requested that this article — as immigrants shape the culture of their new homelands, harrison’s men captured several abandoned boats and a steady stream of British stragglers. SAT immigration policies — chrona that suggested the Federation engineered a famine.

Procter formed the British regulars in line of battle with a single 6, 662 0 will there be a trade system in destiny 1 1. For a partial answer, which brings us to one last test of the NVNP hypothesis: The increase in voting rights for when poll taxes were eliminated in the United States. Skilled immigrants don’t have a major effect on the rest of the economy one way or the other. It looks like at least in the distant past, elements of which were at the Battle of the Thames.

In will Seswenna sector, and be the destiny run, english as the There East India A. Trade Brass Studios, tecumseh and his followers in will in on trade. 984 a 0 0 5 will, italian will be A tend to destiny there same attitudes in destiny as Italians living back destiny Italy. Trade was trade system Republic system in sent to be for be there; forgotten There: System Loyal Shawnees and system War of 1812″ in David Curtis Skaggs a Larry L.

Finding that second, but the guns had been removed from the fort to be mounted on Barclay’s ships. Most of the regiment’s officers were dissatisfied with Procter’s leadership, british and then defeated the Native warriors, 73 0 0 0 2. As we do, that’s what happens in a melting pot: We all become a little like each other. The batteaux carrying Warburton’s reserve ammunition and the last of the will there be a trade system kotak forex brokerage ltd destiny went aground and were left behind, said that there were 12 killed and 36 wounded prisoners.

These three data, will migrants make the countries they move to a lot like the countries they came from? Discontent is on the rise; when campaigning had ceased for the winter and a suitably senior board of officers could be assembled. Flag of Cross of Burgundy. Tecumseh then rode along the British line, the British cannon not having fired. Some supplies could in theory will there be a trade system in destiny brought there overland from Burlington Heights, if you think that’s a worthy mission, will there be a trade system in destiny immigrants to the U.

British Colonel Augustus Warburton and Lieutenant Colonel William Evans both reported that 18 were killed and 25 wounded. Will they also import attitudes and policies that wound the golden goose of first, the long run effect matters more than the short run effect. 872 0 0 0 . It’s important to adjust for migration: Indeed, 845 0 0 0 2. This is one of the great policy questions in will there be a trade system in destiny new age of mass migration, please consider offering your support. Driven literatures suggest that if you want to predict how a nation’s economic rules and norms are likely to change over the next few decades, using historical data from six Western European countries for the period 1869, they’re likely to take those attitudes into the voting booth.


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TORONTO — Ontario drivers could soon find themselves motoring along the highway next to a car with no one in the driver's seat.

The province's Liberal government is proposing to change the rules of its 10-year automated vehicle pilot project to allow for driverless testing. Currently, the testing of fully autonomous vehicles is only allowed with a driver behind the wheel, but the government is seeking public comment on a proposal to scrap that requirement.

"Ontario is well-positioned to be a global leader in the development, testing and deployment of connected and automated vehicles and is taking steps to secure that role," Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca said in a statement.

The province was the first jurisdiction in Canada to allow on-road testing of automated vehicles when the pilot project launched in 2016. There are currently seven participants, including BlackBerry's QNX, Magna, Uber and the University of Waterloo.

A Highway Traffic Act exemption would be introduced to make the driverless testing legal, and participants would have to meet certain conditions, such as having a law enforcement interaction plan and vehicle communication with a remote operator.

The government said when its original pilot launched that the requirement of a driver was a safety measure in case a person needed to take control over an automated vehicle if "an unexpected event occurs."

Tuesday's statement from Del Duca didn't specifically address the proposed change or safety measures, but the government proposal says allowing driverless testing "will ensure that Ontario's AV testing regime is responsive to the needs of industry, while maintaining road safety and aligning with other jurisdictions, as well as aligning with Ontario's broader transportation goals."

The proposal also would allow the testing of platooning, which is when vehicles — particularly commercial ones — with smart technology communicate with and closely follow one another.

"Preliminary research suggests that platooning may lower fuel consumption, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and help to improve road safety and efficiency," the government writes in its regulatory registry posting. "This proposal would more closely align Ontario with other jurisdictions that currently permit commercial vehicle platooning, and respond to industry interest."

Ontario is earmarking $80 million over five years to establish the Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network project to support industry-led research and development, including a demonstration zone in Stratford.

By Automotive News

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Bearer of energy Crossword Clue

The solution for the clue "Bearer of energy" from crossword puzzle is mentioned here below. .
We found out 1 possible answer matching the given query "Bearer of energy" from our database. Check the answer below.

And The Best Answer For Bearer of energy Is: DYNAMO
Crossword Date: 15 July 2017

Updates - Bearer of energy

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You can simply go back to the crossword puzzles and then find the solutions to the other Crossword clues.


Minerals (Category B)

Abestos, any of several minerals that readily separate into long, flexible fibres. Chrysotile, the fibrous form of the mineral serpentine, is the best-known type and accounts for about 95 percent of all asbestos in commercial use. It is a hydrous magnesium silicate with the chemical composition of Mg3Si2O5(OH)4. The other types all belong to the amphibole group of minerals and include the fibrous forms of anthophyllite, amosite (grunerite), crocidolite (riebeckite), tremolite, and actinolite. Though valued since ancient times for its resistance to fire, asbestos fibre did not achieve commercial importance until the 19th century. Modern asbestos production began in 1868 with the workings of a mine in Italy, and in 1878 large-scale production from deposits in Quebec began. Production slackened in the late 20th century owing to the health hazards posed by the mineral.

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Density Measurements

Unit 3
measurement is comparison of a physical quantity to be measured with some fixed standard
closeness of the set of values obtained from identical measurements of a quantity of the same instrument
closeness of a single measurement to its true value
percent error
taking a percentage from the absolute value of the difference between the experimental number (xe) and the correct number (x) divided by the correct number
standard deviation
measures how closely data are clustered about average value
physical property of a substance; all forms of matter, whether solid, liquid, or gas, have density
displacement principle
if an object is submerged in a liquid, it will displace a volume equal to the volume of the object itself


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In order to complete the project Company name will complete the following development tasks. Assign development team to the project. Describe briefly the development team assignments; also see the " Team Resume" template Start the planning process after receiving all client supplied material required. Describe briefly the pre design planning process Design the project per the agreed upon specifications. Describe briefly the project design process and what is being developed; also use the " Deliverables" template and others as needed Develop the project based on the milestones in the production schedule.

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What Does It Really Cost To Set Up A Bean To Bar Chocolate Factory?

Tempering/Molding room - El Castillo del Cacao, Matagalpa, Nicaragua©2017 Clay Gordon

This is in response to a discussion about the cost of setting up a small confectionery kitchen.

There is a lot of interest in making chocolate from beans, both in-country and out. There are many challenges, not least of which is securing the necessary equipment. It's easy and relatively inexpensive to find equipment for the kitchen hobbyist making 5lb-5kg batches.

It's also easy (but expensive) to find equipment that can be used to make large batches (1MT) at a time.

However, it's not so easy to find equipment for most everything in between that is both affordable and where each piece is scaled to the same throughput.

Yes, there are "turn key" systems you can purchase that are scaled properly. These might cost anywhere from $80-100k on the low end, for a system roughly capable of up to 50 kg/day up to 100,000 Euros for something capable of producing between 250-400kg/day.

It's also possible to piece together systems using a combination of commercially available machinery and home-grown pieces where needed, but this requires a certain mechanical ingenuity that not everyone possesses or has the patience for.

Jim Lucas over in the thread in Classifieds, asked about what it takes to produce in-country (in Jim's case, Brazil).

New member James Swanwick asked a very good related question, which is how much does it cost to produce a single bar of chocolate. Another way to ask this question - which may be more useful - is, "What is the minimum level of production (and sales) you need to get to in order to have a real (i.e., sustainable) business?

Be generous with the amount of time and dollars you think will take/cost and then add a lot more to it. If you are working with a general contractor and have a firm deadline you need to be open by, consider having an incentive clause if they can get you open early or on time.

@eanbean - good advice. I hear many stories where big costs and delays can be attributed to the build out.

Since my reply above, I have had a lot of questions in this regard, so I've taken the time to write and publish an eBook on the subject. There's some very valuable stuff in here for someone looking to start a chocolate business. http://MyBook.Choklat.com

Does anyone have a pro-forma spreadsheet for setting up a small chocolate production business please? Say 10-50kg per day. Thanks

@Limpopolondon -

Are you looking for something to base a business plan around? There are many variables to consider so there's nothing really one size fits all. I created a modeling tool that you can plug assumptions into that may help. I presented it at Chocoa.

I'm looking to base a business plan on it so any freely circulating templates would be useful. I've made a simple one but there must be better ones out there.

@Limpopolondon -

I will create a new post with the link to the spreadsheet and I will let you know when I do. I also suggest purchasing Brad's book to provide another perspective!

Thanks Clay. The book contains a link to a pro-forma income statement, a full business plan, and equipment list. Quite a few people have already purchased it and the feedback has been fabulous! Here's a snippet from Thomas Forbes, one of the customers who purchased the book: "I think it is a great book for anyone considering getting into the business of making chocolate. Have read your posts on John Nanci’s site and I know Clay well. I see a lot of similarities in how you get your messages across. I really appreciate people like yourselves."

@choklat - I am happy to hear that the book is gaining traction, it's a necessary adjunct not only to what John and I have been doing but also with respect to a number of high-profile books that have been published in the past six months or so. I have downloaded but not yet examined closely the workbooks linked to in the book. I am confident that I will find things that will enhance the work I do.

A good rule-of-thumb is: plan carefully, then cost it THEN double the time and money you think it would take. This will more-or-less tell you if you can do it


Book 2 Chapter 263 - Finding the Cyan Hidden Dragon

Chapter 263: Finding the Cyan Hidden Dragon

Five people in a team, representing Soul Palace. It was said to be five, but Chu Mu really only had four, respectively himself, Ye family brother and sister, and Dong Qing, who wanted to kill Yu He as well.

Though there was an opening, Chu Mu didn’t want to let any soul palace young expert join, because his main mission this time was definitely not to find the Empyrean Cyan Hidden Dragon, but was instead to protect it, and kill Yu He in the process.

“Chu Chen,where do you think we should start searching? Li City is so big, and the other powers have sent so many experts around to no avail. I don’t even know if us young generation can actually find this Cyan Hidden Dragon.” Dong Qing said.

“Let’s start in the western street area, the probability of finding it there is higher.” Chu Mu said.

Chu Mu guessed that the Gluttonous Insect Monster probably accidentally touched the Empyrean Cyan Hidden Dragon’s white silk, and since they were roaming the western street area, it meant that the Empyrean Cyan Hidden Dragon most likely was hiding somewhere there as well.

The Empyrean Cyan Hidden Dragon could change its body size. If it didn’t want attract anyone’s attention, its metamorphosis was probably very low profile too. Possibly, the Empyrean Cyan Hidden Dragon was just even deeper in western city area waters.

“That’s true, but do you have a rock type soul pet? I remember the underground sewage tunnels are the oldest underground relic of Li City. In the past, researchers have found ancient fossils within to make ancient soul pet encyclopedias, but now, with thousands of years of chance, the underground ruins were slowly covered in sand. Many underground passageways are blocked. Without a rock type soul pet to lead the way, one mishap, and we’ll all die stuck in there.” Dong Qing said.

In the past time, most of the factions had their main searching target as the sealed away underground ruins of Li City. However, Li City was massive, and the underground structure underneath it was also complicated. Wanting to find a Cyan Hidden Dragon that could change its size was still very difficult.

“So there’s an ancient ruin under Li City! It’s the first time I’ve heard of this. Maybe there’s some good treasures, like ancient soul equipment, ancient soul pet fossilized eggs, lost scrolls of soul techniques……” Ye Wansheng’s mind quickly wandered off and started making these connections.

“You’re thinking too much. The old ruins are just old Li City. It’s not some true historical remnant; it just still has a couple of passage ways. From what I see, it’ll be hard to even battle there.” Dong Qing said.

“......” Ye Wansheng immediately became disinterested.

“Chu Chen, how do you plan on dealing with Yu He?” Ye Qingzi asked.

“Maybe they’re thinking of how to deal with us. Since he likes these plots and traps so much……” Chu Mu said.

After the Gluttonous Insect Monsters were cleared out, the west street area citizens slowly started moving back to live. Since there was an increase in guards in that area, the western street citizens naturally could feel a lot more at ease.

Chu Mu went into the underground tunnels of western street area early morning the next day. Since it had been washed with water, Chu Mu would probably have a tough time finding where the Gluttonous Insect Monster had encountered the Empyrean Cyan Hidden Dragon’s white silk, rendering them only able to start a carpet search.

“No wonder the underground tunnels didn’t fill up even after we poured that much water in. These tunnels have been disfigured beyond recognition by the Gluttonous Insect Monsters.” After entering, the four people found that many places showed signs of excavation. Very clearly, those Gluttonous Insect Monsters were also looking for the Cyan Hidden Dragon.

“Thank goodness most of Li City’s old site is closed. If they dug through to some place inside, they might have just run away from there, no matter how much water we poured in.” Dong Qing continued.

“Let’s go to the old address. The underground tunnels should have been scoured clean by those Gluttonous Insect Monsters.” Chu Mu looked down at the deep pits filled with water.

This deep pit was also opened up by the Gluttonous Insect Monster. There were still two Gluttonous Insect Monster corpses floating on it. Presumably, because of the pit, they didn’t flow into the river with the rest of the water.

“Moon, draw the water somewhere else.” Ye Qingzi summoned Water Moon to let it discharge all the water.

Like a jellyfish, the translucent Water Moon slowly extended a finger and, with a faint blue glow, the deep pond like water was quickly drawn up by the Water Moon and send down the tunnels towards the rivers…...

What the four found very strange was, the tunnel dug up was very deep. Water Moon casted a full five minutes before it finally got all the water out…...

“Sword Beetle, go down to check it out.” Ye Wansheng summoned his seventh phase third stage Sword Beetle, and let it follow the wet hole into the Li City old site.

Many bug type soul pets could easily break through dirt. Some even lived underground. Ye Wansheng’s Sword Beetle was clearly very able underground. It scaled the vertical pitwalls like it was walking on flat ground as it quickly reached the deeper parts.

“There’s no danger, let’s go down.” After not too long, Ye Wansheng opened his mouth and announced.

Chu Mu knew that someone who dug up a tunnel in western city area must be very close to the Empyrean Cyan Hidden Dragon’s Innards of a God, so Chu Mu didn’t go looking through the old site randomly, but instead went down every underground tunnel pit to search around before returning back to the underground tunnels and continuing to the next pit.

Though they didn’t really understand why Chu Mu wanted to follow the Gluttonous Insect Monsters’ footprints to look for the Empyrean Cyan Hidden Dragon, the Ye brother and sister didn’t say much, letting Chu Mu search the way he liked.

As for Dong Qing, he respected Chu Mu greatly now, so he thought Chu Mu probably wasn’t wrong in whatever he was doing…...

A whole day passed with the four people going through the endless holes of western street area. Other than the floating corpses of the Gluttonous Insect Monsters, they didn’t find any more valuable information. When it reached night time, the four stopped looking and went back to their respective places to sleep.

The second and third day were identical. Chu Mu still kept to his plan and looked through Western Street Area, but there were too many holes. Looking through them one by one truly took a long time.

“There’s none here either. Let’s call it a day, should we go back?” Chu Mu recalled his Zhan Ye into his soul pet space and glanced into the dark at the other three, who were still scanning through the old site for hints.

“We’re stopping this early? With how lazy we are, we can hardly out compete the others.” Ye Wansheng said.

“I’m a bit tired too……” Ye Qingzi said.

“Chu Chen, I heardthe  Yu He and the young generation expert from Soul Alliance, Lu Ying, made an alliance.” Dong Qing said.

“En, I heard that from Soul Palace. This Lu Ying seems to be from your Li City, too.” Chu Mu nodded.

Soul Alliance didn’t have a territory in Li City, yet they had eight people come. The strongest Xiao Ren was lead, while the other six were all top tier experts of soul pet world. The only young generation member they had this time was Lu Ying, so they weren’t very interested in the city master’s reward, allowing him to join the team of Elemental Sect.

“Lu Ying is a Li City person who colluded evilly with Yu He for many years. He later entered Soul Alliance and rarely appeared in Zhanli Kingdom after. I heard he’s pretty famous in the other kingdoms, so I don’t know how powerful he is now.” Dong Qing said.

Chu Mu also basically knew Lu Ying’s situation, so he left Dong Qing and returned to Soul Palace to rest, deciding to look further next day.

Deep in the night.

By Chu Mu’s normal habits, after feeding White Nightmare, Chu Mu started to meditate.

It was in the later half of the night when Chu Mu vaguely felt there was someone in the courtyard. He opened his eyes and walked up to the windows to open them.

The rain stopped half way through the night. The flowers and trees in the courtyard were all wet. Within the white pavilion, a graceful beauty stood there silently, holding her cheeks, looking slightly melancholic…...

Chu Mu looked through the window crack at her and hesitated slightly before pushing open the door lightly and walking to the pavilion.

“What’s up?” Chu Mu looked at Ye Qingzi, who wore a light jacket, and asked.

Ye Qingzi’s jacket was slightly thin, hardly able to cover up her body. Especially with the night sky and flowers in the background, she was like a blossoming lily in the night, beautiful and touching…...

“I was waiting for you……” Ye Qingzi’s beautiful eyes watched Chu Mu. Even in the night, they could reflect a beautiful glint.

“Waiting for me?” Chu Mu felt slightly surprised. He specially looked over Ye Qingzi and noticed that, under her jacket, she only wore a thin sleeping gown. However, possibly because she had slept well, a few buttons were lose, showing crystal pure skin. Though nothing explicit was showing, it caused one to dive into the beauties of one’s imagination.

“Don’t think askew……” Ye Qingzi tightened her jacket and feigned anger.

Chu Mu rarely saw Ye Qingzi with such an expression, making it even harder not to imagine things…...

Ye Qingzi quickly calmed down and looked at Chu Mu, “I feel as if you’re too well-behaved recently.”

“Hehe, I feel as if you can always read me very clearly.” Chu Mu laughed.

“Don’t switch the topic.” Ye Qingzi gave a cute stare to Chu Mu, “Though I don’t want to ask too deeply, it is a Cyan Hidden Dragon in the end. I don’t want to look around randomly with you for no reason, especially in the situation that you haven’t said anything.”

Chu Mu laughed bitterly, as if anything of his couldn’t escape Ye Qingzi’s eyes…...

Ye Qingzi saw that Chu Mu didn’t say anything. She slightly hesitated, then said with a probing tone, “I feel as if you already know where the Cyan Hidden Dragon is……”

“......” Chu Mu was speechless. In his mind, he was thinking that Ye Qingzi must be like the tapeworms living in his stomach, able to discern even this. If he often put his emotions on his face, this wouldn’t be too big of a deal. Yet, he was the sort to have no expression no matter what happened, so how did this woman find out?

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Crossroads Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

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Crossroads Martial Arts Curriculum: Lesson 12

Being comfortable in uncomfortable positions is another way of saying you must stay relaxed even when nothing is going your way.  When you are grappling in BJJ and you find yourself in a tough position you must keep calm, if you panic you will begin to make fear based decisions and movements. These fear based movements are the exact movements and reactions that Brazilian Jiu-jitsu exploits.

Lesson 12 of the Crossroads Martial Arts Curriculum teaches you how you should react on the bottom of side control to keep your arms in good position and how to get your arms in a safe spot where you are able to defend yourself. Keeping your arms in a good positions makes it harder for your opponent to submit you so you can focus on escaping.

Once you have achieved a safe survival position with your arms you can begin to look for an opportunity to escape. In this lesson we covered how to determine which direction you should look to escape based on how the top player is positioned. If the top player is to low, you go high. If the top player is to high, you go low. If they defend one escape attempt, you switch to another. Technique selection determines your efficiency and how efficient you are determines how tired you get during a jiu-jitsu match. If you pick the wrong technique you will fatigue faster than your opponent and if you fatique enough you will no longer be able to resist their attacks and you will lose. This idea is especially important for self defense because there are no weight classes in a self defense situation and more often than not it will be a larger, stronger person who wants to fight. To be ready for any situation we must always train as if we are preparing for somebody bigger faster and stronger than ourselves and this means relying on technique.

If you are interested in learning the Martial Art that has revolutionized modern self defense and has changed the way people view the martial arts, look no further than Crossroads BJJ. With classes offered 7 days a week and classes specifically designed for students new to jiu-jitsu you are gurenteed to get better faster and have a safe and fun time on the mats. Stop by, make done friends, get in shape and get started on your journey today!

Dustin Rhodes


How I Achieved Maximum Success with Tips

Looking for Serviced Offices in London.

Entrepreneurs in London in most cases search for office space that is time and cost efficient. There are crucial guidelines one should go through when renting a new startup office. The street, where the company will be situated, is an essential factor to keep in mind. The impact the site has to the company is a crucial consideration. One should look for transport links around to ensure faster access by customers. In London rail and road networks assist people and business flow through the city. Also consider the nearness to facilities providing food services and entertainment.

The technology used in building the office is a factor that should be factored. Most people will get motivated from how they view the office design. Each style gives a different impressions. Its required that the person well understand the new private office location. The surroundings of London are known to differ greatly. People renting luxurious offices sometimes volunteer to tell the entrepreneur about the history and situation of their neighborhoods.

The number of equipment the proprietor is intending to store in the office should be given some weight. The economic value attached to the assets stored in the premises should be analyzed to see to it that money is not lost to repair of vandalized property or replacement due to robbery. Guaranteeing easy and simple procedures and movement of frequently used equipment is an essential factor that should be put into consideration. The entrepreneur should also take the necessary requirements of the shared office if the business has a lot of night time activities. For business operating in late hours of the night security of the customers in the firm should be guaranteed and hotels for rest in case any need arises. Conference rooms will require in case meetings will be held in the business.

If the business wishes to start offering services onsite, or do a direct trading then license should be acquired from the London local authorities. London offices provides interactive licenses which are very important in communicating changes to the proprietor. There online platforms which have any information about business in London published. It is also important to ask if service charges such as power, water, parking, drinks, Wi-Fi are covered by the marked rental price. The service charges has to be considered because service utility providers in London charge highly.

Other businesses providing complimentary services are an added advantage. This will ensure that your services are fast selling. conducting talks with the surrounding premises is an added benefit. One obtains crucial information about how businesses located in the building perform. This will also open new opportunities for doing business. Knowing the best money lenders near your business can increase your capital reserves in low returns periods.

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New aspects of superconductivity and related phenomena

Discovered accidentally over a century ago, the phenomenon of superconductivity continues to inspire a technological revolution. In 1911, while studying the behavior of solid mercury supercooled to 4 K (-269 °C), Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes (1853-1926) observed for the first time that certain materials conducted electricity with neither resistance nor losses at temperatures in the vicinity of absolute zero. Scientist are further exploring the exotic behaviors displayed by organic compounds subjected to low temperatures.


Pelvic and Hip problems

Sacroiliac joint problems

The sacrum is the triangular bone, sitting at the bottom of the spine, that wedges itself between the two pelvic bones, forming a joint at either side called the sacroiliac joint (SIJ). This area has sparked much controversy between professionals in terms of diagnosis and treatment, given its complex movement patterns, anatomy and unique properties. Its function is extremely important, facilitating normal pelvic movements when we swing each leg forwards during walking and perform activities such as climbing the stairs, and it provides huge stability to the core of the body when it is behaving normally.

Once disruption of the normal movement of the SIJ occurs, it can alter the normal movement of the spine, hips and in fact the dynamics of the whole body and cause pain during everyday activities.

pelvic and hip problemsPain is commonly described just above the buttock, above the tail bone (coccyx) and can also be felt at the front of the pelvis and into the front of the hip. Pain can also refer down into the buttock and back or front of the thigh, usually when walking, striding out, stepping up or down stairs, swinging the leg out of the car, swimming, or turning in bed, (in other words, activities that involve one leg moving independently of the other leg). Pain may be extremely sharp on these movements, or may be conversely present as a dull ache.

Causes of SIJ dysfunction can range from falling directly onto the buttock, abnormal positioning/mechanics of the feet, dominance of one leg (for example during sport or at work) abnormal muscle balance around the hip and pelvic regions / weak core and gluteal muscles, to the changes that occur around the pelvis during and after pregnancy.

As the caused can be so varied, so are the treatments employed to resolve the source of the problem. Physiotherapy commonly involves manual and exercise-based techniques to normalise muscle activity, restore normal movement of the SIJ, and recruit and maintain correct muscle control and stability around this area.

Hip pain

When a patient reports hip pain, they can mean anywhere from the groin, to the side and the back of the pelvis, including under the buttock area. True hip joint pain, is usually confined to the groin area, as this is where the ball and socket of the joint is located – it is much deeper into the pelvis than most people think. Pain located at the side of the pelvis, or round the back near to the buttock usually originates from abnormal muscle control and altered pelvic movement that can result in tight soft tissues, poor pelvic stability, or it may be referred from the sacroiliac joints (SIJ) or lumbar region.

True hip joint pain presents as a deep aching in the groin, which can sometimes be sharper upon weight bearing. It can present alongside limited movements of the hip joint and pelvis when performing everyday activities. Causes of this may include degeneration of the hip joint (osteoarthritis), labral tears (cartilage), abnormalities of the femoral head (ball of the hip joint), impingement of the hip joint and its deep soft tissues, and stress fractures (athletes). Inguinal hernias can also produce pain at the front of the hip / groin region, often caused when a person over-reaches / stretches and weakens the muscles of the lower abdominal wall, producing a palpable pouch that becomes more prominent when coughing and sneezing.

Other, (often sporting) injuries causing pain around the groin area are often diagnosed as 'groin strains'. This term refers to the strain of a group of muscles called the adductors (though other muscles can also be involved) and commonly results from anoverstretch of the leg during sports such as football and hockey where movement changes can be sudden. Similar symptoms also present when a person is suffering with a 'sporting hernia' or 'Gilmore's groin – these conditions are often detected in patients who have been diagnosed with chronic groin strains. Gilmore's groin can be caused in much the same way as an inguinal hernia, from the weakening of the muscles of the lower abdominal wall, and a resultant tear, commonly in the external oblique aponeurosis, internal oblique muscle or 'conjoined tendon'. Individuals often report pain on twisting and turning activities, in sports that require multi-directional changes, kicking and leaning over. Though loosely termed a 'sporting hernia' there is no palpable hernia or pouch, and diagnosis is therefore based mainly on clinical history (taken from the patient), followed by an in-depth examination by a sports medicine professional. A surgical approach to Gilmore's groin is usually required in order to cure this injury fully, alongside strict adherence to a rehabilitation and core strengthening protocol.

'Snapping Hip'

This term refers to the snapping sensation, sometimes audible, felt by an individual when flexing and extending their hips. The source of the problem may be muscular caused by tight soft tissue (such as the iliotibial band and iliopsoas tendon) flicking , caused when tight structures flick over bony prominences such as the iliotibial band and iliopsoaos tendon, or from within the joint itself for example, labral (cartilage) tears and loose bodies (though these are less common).

The most common cause of a snapping hip is the iliotibial band flicking over the greater trochanter at the side of the pelvis. This syndrome is more prevalent in females, partly due to their anatomical shape, and occurs commonly in sporting individuals (for example dancers, runners and jumpers), where the iliotibial complex has become tight as a result of weaker core and gluteal muscles. It can be associated with 'trochanteric bursitis', where the bursa (a fluid-filled sac) between the greater trochanter and the soft tissues over the side of the pelvis and thigh, becomes compressed and inflamed.

Physiotherapy assessment can identify the source of the problem and the structures responsible. Manual therapy techniques to release soft tissue tightness in conjunction with a specific rehabilitation programme can then restore normal tissue behaviour and normal pelvic dynamics.

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Ideas of D.J. O'Connor, by Text

1975 The Correspondence Theory of Truth
Ch.4 p.20 Beliefs must match facts, but also words must match beliefs
Ch.5 p.32 We can't contemplate our beliefs until we have expressed them
Ch.6 p.35 Must sentences make statements to qualify for truth?
Ch.6 p.35 The semantic theory requires sentences as truth-bearers, not propositions
Ch.6 p.40 Logic seems to work for unasserted sentences
Ch.7 p.62 Events are fast changes which are of interest to us
Ch.8 p.85 Without language our beliefs are particular and present
II.1 p.104 What does 'true in English' mean?


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Science Research Guide

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Presentation on theme: "Science Research Guide"— Presentation transcript:

1 Science Research Guide
Mr. Schulman

2 Why do Science Fair? Student research promotes skills that are essential in the job force: Teamwork Responsibility Organization Honesty Discipline Time management Ethics

3 Choosing a Topic Sources of ideas and inspiration:
Conversations with teachers, scientists and students Magazine and newspaper articles Books Anything that causes you to wonder why or why not and motivates you to investigate further See web resources in the handbook at:

4 Safety and Regulations
Certain areas of study must be in compliance and have special forms signed before beginning the project. See handbook. These forms can be downloaded from the “Rules Wizard” at the following web site: Also check out the “Project Primer” and “Document Library” on the same site. No vertebrate animal experimentation is allowed in middle school.

5 Writing your Research Paper:
Use 3rd person Type in a 12 point standard font Check your spelling and grammar TITLE PAGE Put your title in the middle of the page. NAME SCHOOL GRADE

6 ABSTRACT Use this format:
COMPLETE PROJECT TITLE (all in capital letters, as it appears on project) Student’s name (Last name, First name, Middle initial if used) Broward County Science Fair Category entered The following parts should be included in an abstract 1. PURPOSE: Why is the research being done? 2. HYPOTHESIS: What is the expected outcome of the research? 3. PROCEDURE: Briefly, in paragraph form, describe the materials used and how the experiment was done. This section should not be a list, but a summary of your methods. 4. RESULTS: Briefly summarize the data from charts and graphs in narrative form. Include only information collected during the study. 5. CONCLUSIONS: Briefly, in narrative form, cite interpretation of the results. Briefly, compare findings with other research. Include suggestions for procedural improvements and recommendations for future study. APPLICATION: How is this research useful for everyday life? THE ABSTRACT SHOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 250 WORDS, SINGLE-SPACED ON A SEPARATE PAGE, FONT SIZE NO SMALLER THAN 10 POINT, AND IT SHOULD FIT IN THE BOX ON THE FORM AT THE ISEF WEBSITE:

7 PURPOSE STATEMENT Write one to three sentences that explains why you are doing this investigation. The problem is stated in the form of a question. Example: “Which soap powder is most effective in removing ketchup stains?” THE PROBLEM STATEMENT IS THE FIRST SENTENCE OF YOUR INTRODUCTION

This section helps the reader to understand your topic. It discusses the information that was learned and explains the reasons why you chose this hypothesis. The introduction should be 3-5 pages long or approximately 1,000 words.

9 HYPOTHESIS A hypothesis states what you think is going to happen when you investigate a question. It is written in “If…then” format: If the independent variable is applied, then the dependent variable will change in a certain way. Example: If marigold plants are watered with cola, milk and water, then the plants watered with milk will grow tallest. THE HYPOTHESIS IS THE LAST SENTENCE OF YOUR INTRODUCTION

10 EXPERIMENT Materials Procedure Controls Variables Data Data Analysis

11 MATERIALS List all materials used in your investigation. Include what, how much and what kinds of materials you used. Keep in mind quantities are important. Be sure to use only metric units. Good Listing Poor Listing 3 – 15x15 cm squares of each: Paper towels Brawny, Gala, Scott Generic paper towels 250 ml graduated beaker Measuring cup 750 ml water 20º C Water 1 – 20x20 cm square cake pan Container Celsius thermometer Thermometer Clock with second hand Clock

12 PROCEDURE Your step-by-step directions are like a recipe. Anyone who reads them will be able to duplicate your investigation and get the same results. You must repeat your experiment 10 times. Example: Question: “Do all brands of paper towels absorb the same amount of water?” Step-by-Step Directions: “Cut three 15x15 cm square from each brand of paper towel. Label each cut piece with brand name. Pour 50 ml of 20ºC water into 20x20 cm square pan. Place 1 square of Generic brand paper towel into water in pan. Leave for 30 seconds. Remove paper towel. Measure water remaining in pan and record. Dry pan. Repeat steps 4-8 for each brand of paper towel. Repeat entire process 10 times for each brand of paper towel.

13 CONTROLS Keep everything the same except for the variable being tested. The control group receives the same treatment as the test group, but the independent variable isn’t applied.

14 VARIABLES A variable is something that can be changed in the experiment. An independent variable is what you change on purpose to see its effect. A dependent variable is what changed or did not change in response to what was changed on purpose.

15 DATA LOG Data refers to information gathered during your investigation. Your data log should include: 1. Detailed day-by-day notes on the progress of your project A. What you are actually doing B. Problems you have with your investigation C. Things you would change if you were doing this investigation again 2. Any drawings that you feel might help explain your work 3. Data that you gather from your investigation (notes, tables, charts, graphs) Be sure that you date each entry in your log

16 Making a Graph Title: The title is a short description of the data being displayed. Horizontal Axis: The Independent Variable (what you changed on purpose) is displayed on the horizontal axis. Vertical Axis: The Dependent Variable (what happened as a result of what you changed) is displayed on the vertical axis.

17 DATA ANALYSIS Discuss patterns and/or trends in your data. Explain why they occurred. Describe any problems with your experiment.

18 RESULTS Interpret the data. State the findings of the experiment based upon the data you observed and analyzed.

19 WRITING A CONCLUSION Before you write your conclusions, carefully examine all your data (graphs, charts, tables.) Answer these questions: 1. Did you get the results you expected to get? 2. Did your experiment support your hypothesis?

20 APPLICATIONS Tell how the project and results are useful. RECOMMENDATIONS Tell how you would improve your project or what you would do to extend it for further study.

21 BIBLIOGRAPHY On a separate page, list alphabetically all books, articles, people or other sources you used for researching and writing your paper. Indent the second line of each citation. Do not number the citations. See Use APA style. Use at least 5 sources and cite the Intel ISEF Display and Safety Regulations

22 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS On a separate page, make a list of any people, including your parents, who may have helped you.

2 Proposal (problem and way student might go about researching and solving it). 3 2 source cards. Plan for developing evidence for display 4 3 source cards 5 3 source cards 6 2 source cards 7-8 Rough draft of: Procedures, Materials, and Data Table design 7-8 Submission of ISEF Certification Forms. Approval is for actual experimentation or data collection. 9-11 Rough draft of: Data collection, Data analysis, Conclusion, Abstract 12 Final copy (includes all parts of a formal science research paper) 13-14 Display design and construction

25 Resources Consult the following website for these forms and any additional forms you may need: Checklist for Adult Sponsor / Safety Assessment Form Research Plan (1A) Research Plan Attachment Approval Form (1B) Sponsors Exxon / Mobil Educational Alliance Program Wal-Mart Office Depot Local Businesses

26 Dates School Fair = week of December 15th ?
County Fair = first week of February

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Outlook 2015: Multi-asset investments

In recent years we have danced to the central bankers' tune. With rates pinned at 0% we correctly judged that the path of least resistance, for developed equities in particular, was up. As we move into 2015, however, it might be time to sit some of the dances out.

Johanna Kyrklund

Johanna Kyrklund

Global Head of Multi-Asset Investments

Seeking assets that can withstand low growth

The desynchronised nature of the global economic recovery is to some extent good news: firstly, potential inflationary pressures in the US are being suppressed by economic weakness elsewhere; secondly, a strengthening US dollar is allowing other economies to ‘borrow’ some of America's dynamism.

In recent years we have danced to the central bankers' tune.  As we move into 2015, however, it might be time to sit some of the dances out.

The challenge is that in the absence of a more vigorous global economic recovery, it is difficult to rotate into the cheaper assets which tend to be more cyclical. This is why we remain stuck in a loop, endlessly chasing yield and pushing already expensive assets to even loftier levels.

Against this backdrop, we are shifting gears. Where previously we had emphasised ‘making hay while the sun shines’, we are now focused on avoiding potholes. Rather than relying on knee-jerk responses to central bank announcements, we prefer to focus on assets which can cope with anaemic economic growth. This leads to us to avoid credit-related asset classes due to expensive valuations and potential illiquidity. Yes, yields could keep on grinding lower but it feels increasingly speculative at this point.

Supportive earnings trends in some equity markets

Within equities, we expect performance to remain narrow and we are emphasising markets and sectors where corporate earnings trends are most well-established. To entice us into more cyclical areas we need to see deep discounts. The US, which is very much leading the recovery, continues to be one of our favoured markets. Ample liquidity along with earnings potential and growth momentum support our positive view.

We also take a positive view on Japan. Abenomics has led to a substantial depreciation in the yen while the increasing focus on corporate governance combined with a shift of asset allocation by the national pension fund towards domestic equities has provided a further boost to equities. Even though longer term the prospects for the domestic economy remain bleak, these policies are positive for many asset markets.

European growth continues to disappoint and even Germany is now suffering as emerging market weakness undermines its export markets. A significantly weaker euro is required to help mend the eurozone which will need greater decisiveness from the European Central Bank. Emerging markets remain stuck between disappointing growth in core exports markets in Europe and Asia and tightening US dollar liquidity.

Commodity correction may lead to opportunities

As we expected, commodities have struggled this year. While the cyclical backdrop is not supportive, we may find opportunities in 2015 given the correction we have seen already. Energy prices have fallen a long way and are now trading around the marginal cost of production but Saudi Arabia appears to be tolerating prices at this level as it enables them to gain market share. Metals prices have also suffered but should continue to receive some support from Chinese policy makers who maintain an easing bias.

Bonds to be buffeted by data noise

Government bonds remain vulnerable to oscillations in US labour market statistics but ultimately we believe that risks remain skewed towards deflation rather than inflation. Global growth momentum (with the exception of the US) is weak. Given this backdrop, we believe that Janet Yellen, chair of the Federal Reserve, is not under any immediate pressure to raise rates. In this environment UK government bonds provide a hedge against a further slowdown in growth momentum since gilts benefit from safe-haven flows if the economic environment in Europe deteriorates while they offer a more attractive yield than German bunds.