We need hero-leaders like Rodger, who find inspiration amid rubble and broken glass. ![]() Talking about living out Philippians 4:11-13!!! My hope was to be a blessing and encouragement to others, and I left as the one blessed and encouraged! Thankful that everyone in his group had been accounted for, he sent them a heartfelt, stream-of-consciousness e-mail:īoth ladies were praising God and thankful for all their blessings. Inspired by these tenth muses, Rodger returned to his work as a technology leader with thoughts of not just the financial systems in his domain, but the programmers – the people - he led who lost loved ones and lost their homes. They were resilient and grateful to be alive. There, he met two ordinary ladies who lost all their worldly possessions in a few brief minutes. He worked with his church to serve hot sandwiches, cold water, encouragement, and prayer to people whose lives had been turned upside down, many of whom lost everything. Setting aside the challenges of technology integration in a complex organization of 18,000 employees and leaving an oasis of diesel-generated electricity, he rolled up his sleeves to help people in Athens, Alabama. When an F-5 tornado devastated parts of Alabama in April 2011, Rodger’s world of extraordinary technical leadership in developing business software became ordinary and unimpressive. But it is worth it.Ĭonsider the story of Rodger, who leads a large software-development group which creates applications to support the day-to-day business functions of its clients. But, how do we find our way in this darkness and turn our leadership nightmares into manifested dreams of the possible? Facing these impossible situations where all hope is lost and it hardly seems worth the effort to try. We need hero-leaders who have a vision for a different outcome and can take action to transform their invisible courage and faith to substance and reality.ĭo you have these aspirations? We all do I think. More than ever, we need our 21 st century leaders to do more than wring their hands in despair. Today’s aspiring government leaders find themselves too often facing impossible challenges with few resources available to help them. “Just as the visible world is sustained by the invisible, so too do the manifestations of man find nourishment in the visions of our solitary dreamers.” – Wayne Dyer, author of The Power of Intention
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The FBI only turned over informant files on four of the eight Geek Squad employees it worked with, Riddet wrote, but in one of the files, an employee told agents he "was in the process of writing a software program (that) would help them identify potential images of child pornography in their computer systems" and that "FBI investigative information/techniques (were) revealed to source for operational purposes."įederal prosecutors Brown and Scally responded that the software was intended to identify child porn on employees' work-issued computers, not customers' computers. Riddet also cited an internal FBI report announcing a meeting at Geek Squad City, which noted, "The Louisville Division (of the FBI) has maintained close liaison with the Geek Squad management in an effort to glean case initiations and to support the division's computer intrusion and cyber crime programs." The same agent wrote in a separate memo that agents were "seeking training of the Geek Squad facility technicians designed to help them identify what type of files and/or images would necessitate a call to the FBI." the money, more of an embarrassment than an incentive, did nothing to turn Geek Squad City supervisors into government agents or Geek Squad City itself into a secret FBI surveillance machine." Employees there are working on about 2,000 computers at any one time, the prosecutors said. But however ill-advised those payments may have been. Three of these employees are no longer with the company and the fourth has been reprimanded and reassigned."įederal prosecutors wrote that "It is true that a few payments to Geek Squad City supervisors by the FBI unnecessarily muddied the waters here. Any decision to accept payment was in very poor judgment and inconsistent with our training and policies. The FBI indicated to me they could not take the money back because they had to spend it as part of their budget." But he then noted, "I contacted our legal department" to tell them about the payment, which led Riddet to emphasize that Best Buy management had been put on notice about the FBI payments.īest Buy's statement to the Post said, "We have learned that four employees may have received payment after turning over alleged child pornography to the FBI. One Geek Squad employee who received a $500 payment from the FBI filed an affidavit saying he was "extremely reluctant and irritated that the FBI gave me money, and tried to give it back. attorney in Kentucky which stated that, "Under the control and direction of the FBI, the CW (confidential witness) agreed to notify the FBI when CW detects the presence of child pornography during the regular course of CW's employment and is willing to testify in a court of law." But in court filings he said that there were "eight FBI informants at Geek Squad City" between 20, and that the facility's "data recovery system was designed to identify and report child porn from all over the country." A number of Geek Squad employees received $500 or $1,000 payments from the FBI, documents and testimony showed. attorneys Anthony Brown and Gregory Scally. That in turn led to a warrant and search of Rettenmaier's home, which led to the discovery of "thousands of images of child pornography," according to a reply brief by assistant U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles deny any violations in the search of surgeon Mark Rettenmaier's hard drive, for which the FBI obtained a warrant after being contacted by a Geek Squad supervisor. ![]() If a government agent wants to search a computer, they need a warrant, and the case has raised issues of privacy invasion and violation of constitutional search and seizure rights.īoth Best Buy and the U.S. The court is now considering the extent of that relationship and whether it is grounds to throw out a pending child porn case, though it could also have ramifications for the dozens of cases which originate from the Kentucky facility annually.ĭefense lawyers for the doctor argue that Geek Squad City's technicians acted as government agents by receiving payments from the FBI, regularly speaking with and referring cases to the FBI, and creating a program to search for child porn. While there is no question that Geek Squad technicians have notified authorities after finding child porn, the new court documents assert that there is a deeper relationship than has previously been revealed between the company and federal authorities. Naturally, every group needs to have a calming element. Who can keep their composure when this energetic pink pony flies into the room? This funny character loves singing and playing pranks, but she can be air-headed at times. Pinkie Pie is the comical relief of the group. However, she can also be mischievous and proud, so watch out! She stands out because of her boldness and loyalty. Rainbow Dash is truly a sight to see, with her multicolored mane and tail. However, this orange-beauty always puts her friends first and values honesty above everything. Who doesn't love true southern belle? Applejack, the strong Earth pony, is just that! This down-to-earth and dependable friend comes from a large family and is used to hard work. Help her get over a boring day at work by playing the MLP News Room game, or join her on other whimsical adventures by playing one of the games from the My Little Pony Games category! Naturally, she stands out because of her beautiful unicorn horn and lovely light violet color. Luckily, she loves studying and has an exceptional talent for magic. This courageous pony faces all sorts of challenges on the road to growing up and becoming worthy of the title of princess. Twilight Sparkle is the main protagonist of this show. What is more, you can design your very own character to accompany the ponies in their adventures! Play the MLP Pony Creator game and let your creativity run wild! Meet the fabulous members of the Mane Six Together, they will learn about the magic of friendship and face all sorts of challenges. There, she encounters many unique ponies, including action-loving Rainbow Dash, glamorous Rarity, hard-working Applejack, timid Fluttershy, and hyperactive Pinkie Pie. Don't worry! This tiny unicorn is not alone! She is accompanied by Spike, her small baby dragon and assistant. She needs to learn about friendship in the city of Ponyville. Twilight is a student who receives a difficult task. The main character is the unicorn pony named Twilight Sparkle, a student of Celestia and aspiring princess. The series tells the story of a magical kingdom called Equestria, ruled by the beautiful Princess Celestia. Moreover, people of all ages have started watching it over the years, enjoying its optimism and beautiful design. The show has premiered on October 10, 2010, on Hasbro's The Hub channel and has been running ever since! Therefore, this might explain why the show's popularity is huge. Let your fantasy and love for magic to run wild with the My Little Pony Games! Have you ever wanted to live in a different world, one filled with magic, wonder, rainbows, and sparkles? Then join a wonderful group of adorable mythical creatures! My Little Pony is an animated series based on Hasbro's wildly popular franchise with the same name. Welcome to the Magical Land of Ponyville! ![]() ![]() ![]() Her physical world may be restricted to her apartment but, in the virtual sense, she comes and goes at will, using her hacking skills to investigate cases ranging from the criminal to the crazy. Sound familiar?Īs the chapters unfold, and the full extent of Izy’s WFH situation becomes clearer, pandemic lockdown vibes are superseded by an uncomfortable familiarity with Izy’s hyper-surveilled city and the corporate factions that control it. The playable character, private investigator Isabella “Izy” Song, resident of Farca, is forced by circumstances to stay indoors and work from home. Where all the powers of Big Brother are just another handy tool for experienced hackers.At first glance, Wooden Monkeys’ sci-fi adventure game Song of Farca brings on a dizzying sense of deja vu. Where digital bullying can easily push someone into crossing the line. A world where personal data can be obtained in two clicks and criminal groups can be destroyed using a device. “Song of Farca is our vision of a near-future where humanity hasn’t achieved space travel or eternal life yet but is rushing headlong into a world dominated by technology and gadgets. Criminal organizations are still trying to resist the powerful corporations, but even they understand that the city is on the cusp of a cyberpunk future. IT corporations are gradually gaining more and more influence, becoming a modern aristocracy that couldn’t care less about the law or mere mortals. Technology isn’t just part of everyday life – some things are now impossible without it. It is set in the fictional city of Farca somewhere on the coast of the Mediterranean. Song of Farca takes place in the near future. Do you convict the suspect that all the evidence is pointing to or dig deeper? What collateral damage will you leave behind you?ĭon’t let your guard down - victims can turn out to be criminals and suspects might be just one link in a long criminal chain. The choices you make in investigations have important consequences to the plot. The stakes get higher and the various plot strands come together to form a single story. You must uncover information through hacking, surveillance, and the internet, create an information cloud from leads and logically connect them to draw conclusions and apply them in dialogues.Īs the plot progresses, things get more complicated. Getting online is no problem for a hacker, after all. Though Izy is under house arrest after a bar fight, that won’t stop her from doing her job. Uncover evidence, chase leads, and draw conclusionsĪs a private detective Isabella Song, you must navigate the city’s disparate factions and investigate the most complex, seemingly unrelated cases with the help of gadgets, a small army of drones and your intellect.Run biometric analyses during questioning.Hack security systems, personal computers, and safes.In Song of Farca Prologue, players step into the shoes of cyber detective Isabella Song to investigate the theft of a pet robodog. The full release is planned for July 21st landing on both Steam PC and the Epic Game Stores. Alawar Premium and Wooden Monkeys Studios are gearing up to release a brand new trailer of Song of Farca, revealing more narrative elements and more puzzles in addition to showcasing more characters. ![]() We make riding to Motrix easy, which is why over 1.5 million users, including users in Fort Lauderdale, trust Moovit as the best app for public transit. Get directions from and directions to Motrix easily from the Moovit App or Website. Want to see if there’s another route that gets you there at an earlier time? Moovit helps you find alternative routes or times. These are the lines and routes that have stops nearby - Bus: 14 55 60 Train: TR Looking for the nearest stop or station to Motrix? Check out this list of stops closest to your destination: Powerline R/Prospect R Andrews A/Prospect R Commercial B/Powerline R (E). View schedules, routes, timetables, and find out how long does it take to get to Motrix in real time. ![]() Moovit provides free maps and live directions to help you navigate through your city. Wondering how to get to Motrix in Fort Lauderdale, United States? Moovit helps you find the best way to get to Motrix with step-by-step directions from the nearest public transit station. Public Transit to Motrix in Fort Lauderdale The Bus fare to Motrix costs about $2.00. The 14 is the last Bus that goes to Motrix in Fort Lauderdale. What time is the last Bus to Motrix in Fort Lauderdale?.The 14 is the first Bus that goes to Motrix in Fort Lauderdale. What time is the first Bus to Motrix in Fort Lauderdale?.The Powerline R/Prospect R stop is the nearest one to Motrix in Fort Lauderdale. What’s the nearest bus stop to Motrix in Fort Lauderdale?.The nearest bus stop to Motrix in Fort Lauderdale is a 2 min walk away. How far is the bus stop from Motrix in Fort Lauderdale?.These Bus lines stop near Motrix: 14, 55, 60. Commercial B/Powerline R (E) is 946 yards away, 12 min walk.Andrews A/Prospect R is 833 yards away, 10 min walk.Powerline R/Prospect R is 83 yards away, 2 min walk.What are the closest stations to Motrix?. ![]() all of which work seamlessly across regions. Over the last couple of days our team have enjoyed sharing songs via Apple Music and, meditation via Apple Fitness+ along with new updates for Night Sky, Vinyls and Relax Melodies. SharePlay compatibility is slowly rolling out across the App Store with early universal experiences already available. Users not subscribed will be prompted, whilst purchased feature films will prompt users to rent the content should the option be available - likely prompting customers to double dip on content they already have access to².Īs for Apple Music, Apple Fitness+, Apple TV+ and Apple channels, they all have generous trials but I would welcome a prompt to subscribe via notification or allow a one-time introductory SharePlay session to hook users in. All participants in a call must have an active subscription to the service hosting the shared content or must have previously purchased the iTunes TV Show or Movie being shared - though sadly you can’t mix subscription access with access to a title purchased through iTunes. Of course there are some caveats to sharing experiences through FaceTime. In the TV app, during video playback each participant can set their personal soundtrack and subtitle preferences within the video player without negatively effecting the experience of others - a hidden accessibility feature if I ever saw one - and should someone prematurely leave a session before the TV show or movie concluded, the title would be waiting for them in their Up Next queue ready for them to resume at their own leisure.Įach time you want to SharePlay on Apple TV you must double confirm on your device, meaning no accidental big-screen takeovers. For example, in Apple Music participants have the ability to add items to the Music app’s queue and edit playlists whilst volume levels would automatically lower so not to compete with the ongoing conversation. Once chosen, participants within the call are prompted to join by confirming the synchronous playback of the chosen activity on their screens and from that point onwards each participant has the ability to control playback, change the activity, leave the session or end the session for everyone.ĭuring my testing I was particularly impressed by the adeptness of SharePlay with regard to specific activities. When you enter a SharePlay compatible service or app whilst active in a FaceTime call, a lightweight toast-style notification will appear at the top of your screen prompting you to choose content to use SharePlay or informing you that content will play automatically. Starting a shared experience is fairly intuitive. ![]() Now non-native speakers and those with accessibility needs can connect through TV and movies in real time by using FaceTime on their personal devices connected to headphones to select soundtrack preferences whilst sharing the experience with family and friends on the big screen - bandwidth limitations aside. Many will feel that SharePlay is a feature that arrived a year too late, given its introduction during a global pandemic, but if you look closer it’s a feature that has the potential to leave a long-lasting impact beyond the next possible lockdown. Users with loved ones many miles away that rely on FaceTime to stay connected have wished for this kind of feature for years, and now that moment has arrived.įurthermore, SharePlay also has a strong focus on inclusion, removing barriers often associated with language and disability. ![]() SharePlay on iOS: Devon bracing himself for my 'Acapulco' sing-along. There is a $10 minimum account threshold and a $3 monthly account fee, which is waived after a minimum of four monthly ExpressLanes trips.ĭiscounts are available for AAA club members and eligible low-income households.įor full details and more information, call 511 and say “ExpressLanes,” visit or the walk-in center at 500 W. The $40 is applied to ExpressLanes tolls. I-15 Express Lanes: Pricing: Dynamic pricing based on traffic congestion (minimum fee 0.50, maximum fee 8. Avoid this freeway unless youre in an ambulance or need a blood transfusion and this is the only route Garrett Witeck December 12, 2011. Transponder prices vary depending on payment methods.įor example, drivers who open an account using credit or debit cards pay $40, and the transponder deposit is waived. The Sydney Harbour Bridges dangerous traffic lanes 7NEWS 7NEWS Australia 974K subscribers 67K views 11 months ago SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE The crash on the Sydney Harbour Bridge was felt. Pay attention, stop looking at your phone. “This is a great opportunity to be on the leading edge of an innovative new project that will ease traffic congestion.” “We are urging everyone to get their FasTrak accounts opened now so they can be part of this historic opening of the first ExpressLanes in Los Angeles County ,” said Metro CEO Art Leahy. The project also will provide 59 new clean air buses to agencies that include Torrance and Gardena Transit, and 100 more vanpools.įasTrak transponders already are available, with more than 5,000 issued so far. ![]() ![]() The $290 million project, largely funded by a federal Department of Transportation grant, created an estimated 2,400 jobs.Ĭongestion pricing has proven effective in other cities in reducing traffic jams, Metro officials said. “Shifting solo drivers who are willing to pay tolls into the empty space in the ExpressLanes will speed commuting time and travel for all drivers.” Mark Ridley-Thomas, chair of the Metro’s ad-hoc Committee on Congestion Pricing. “When solo drivers begin to travel on the 110 ExpressLanes, all commuters will benefit – whether they pay a toll or not – because the ExpressLanes will redistribute traffic across all lanes of the 110 freeway,” said county Sup. Find high-quality stock photos that you wont find anywhere else. When the ExpressLanes are too full, solo drivers will be kept out so they do not pay for sitting in stop and go traffic. Search from Harbor Freeway stock photos, pictures and royalty-free images from iStock. The device is crucial for monitoring the flow of traffic. ![]() Overhead signs display the current toll.Ĭarpool vehicles and motorcycles still can use the ExpressLanes for free, but they must have a transponder, which has a switch indicating the number of drivers in the vehicle. The one-year pilot project will allow solo drivers to use the ExpressLanes for a per-mile fee of 25 cents to $1.40 depending on the severity of traffic congestion. The opening of 11 miles of carpool lanes between the South Bay and downtown LA this fall precedes the conversion of another 14 miles of carpool lanes to ExpressLanes on the San Bernardino (10) Freeway early next year. ![]() Architecture critic Douglas Haskell was the first to use “Googie” to describe the architectural movement, after driving by the West Hollywood coffee shop and finally feeling like he had found a name for this style that was flourishing in the postwar era.īut Haskell was no fan of Googie and wrote a scathing (by architecture critic standards) satire of the style in the February 1952 issue of House and Home magazine. Oddly enough, Googie was used as a deragatory term almost from the start - born in Southern California and named for a West Hollywood coffee shop designed in 1949 by John Lautner, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright. Googie is an odd word a funny word a word that feels like it’s doing a few vowel-drenched laps around your tongue before finally flopping out of your mouth. We find Googie at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, the Space Needle in Seattle, the mid-century design of Disneyland’s Tomorrowland, in Arthur Radebaugh‘s postwar illustrations, and in countless coffee shops and motels across the U.S. It draws inspiration from Space Age ideals and rocketship dreams. ![]() It’s a style built on exaggeration on dramatic angles on plastic and steel and neon and wide-eyed technological optimism. ![]() Googie is a modern (ultramodern, even) architectural style that helps us understand post-WWII American futurism - an era thought of as a “golden age” of futurist design for many here in the year 2012. I didn’t know the word, but I definitely knew the style. In fact, when a friend - a native Californian - used the term I initially thought it must have something to do with Google. Before I moved to Los Angeles (almost 2 years ago now) I had never heard the word Googie. Even the Beatles, who didn’t record their voices for the film, were ultimately swayed by its animated ambition. Much like with A Hard Day’s Night, Beatles fans understandably feared simple exploitation yet were given an innovative treat. Prior to its release, the film seemed sure to be a quick, shallow cash-grab and an easy way for the band to complete their three-film contract with United Artists. Director George Dunning’s Yellow Submarine opened the door for maturity and experimentation for feature film animation, a door that has unfortunately been rarely walked through since. The lads from Liverpool, who up until that point could do almost nothing wrong, were wrong. ![]() They figured Yellow Submarine was going to be more of the same. The Beatles hated Al Brodax’s animated American TV series called The Beatles so much that it hadn’t aired in the UK. That’s especially worth mentioning since, in the whole scheme of things, the band had very little to do with the film’s production. Watching their trip to Pepperland evokes nostalgia and brilliance.Ī Hard Day’s Night and Help! may have starred John, Paul, George and Ringo, but 1968’s Yellow Submarine best captures the essence of the Fab Four: distinct personalities, timely fun, blissful experimentation, flawless musicality, countercultural boundary stretching, and the overarching belief that love really is all you need. ![]() The film encapsulates everything good and lasting about the Beatles and their cultural influence. The most innovative and surprising animated film from the ’60s features the Beatles on an amazing, vibrant journey via some of the most experimental and inventive animation techniques seen at that time. Plus, now it can astound every one of us in high definition. It’s about time! After being inexplicably out of circulation for years, we can all return to Pepperland. Yellow Submarine has finally surfaced on Blu-ray disc. In our world today, no one knows how it all started. Oh, before you twitch your lips in amusement, know that I'm telling the truth. The only child to a lovely mum and wonderful dad.īut the truth is much more fantastic that you think. But let's just say a man got his materialistic needs.įrom an outside point of view, I'm an ordinary teenager. Not like my parents aren't well off or anything. Sixteen years old, a sophomore high-school student and a part-time worker. The boy about to go pick up the trash is the true protagonist of the story, and the name's Mark Grayson. He'll be docking out of Buz's pay for all this suffering that has been heaped on him. He harshly whispered cursing the most likely culprit, already making up his mind that the next time it was paying season. Meanwhile as Mark was now alone the smile of his face lessened, "Dammit Buz." "Knew I could depend on you, Grayson." His head slipped away, probably rushing back to his office. Letting out a sigh of relief, the Manager of the burger joint flashed a smile. Mark lips twitched, but he smiled nodding nonetheless. Someone carelessly left it there and the night shift haven't arrived yet, I'm entertaining someone in my office, so I can't exactly smell like you know." The Boss gestured. "I know that the time for your shift has passed, but can you please help me here, and throw out the trash bag that has been placed by door near the kitchen. "Grayson." His Boss nodded back, before he sheepishly began. Mark turned to see his middle age bald boss, poking his head from the side of the door. "Grayson? Ah thank God that you're here." Sighing, Mark went to his locker about to change as well, but then a voice called to him from behind. All because of the collective deduction made to all the part-time staffs for Buz's slip-up. Till this day, it will always be of grief to him that because of Buz, he lost the opportunity to purchase that time-limited sneakers edition. I'll take the money for repairs straight out of his pay." Mark growled, while remembering the last time such a thing happened. "I swear if the hinges of the door detach again. The cerulean eyes grunted with amusement as he saw Buz floundering out, only hissing in frustration at the way his best friend flipped the door open without care. And the best thing is that we're supposed to meet back at the arcade center just some minutes from now." He looked left, lifting his eyes up the wall to see the clock that hanged. "Mathew? Hmm…" Buz cupped his chin looking contemplative, and then snapped his fingers with eyes gaining light. Besides can't you just call Mathew as subs? He might not have my slick fingers, but he's certainly no slouch either." Mark shrugged apologetically while he sort his things. "Didn't you promise me that you'll make time for today, huh?" Lethargically Buz turned to Mark as he wore his long sleeves over his white T-shirt without buttoning it. I promised that piece of shit that I'll beat him up at his own game, cause I just can't stand all that yapping that he calls bragging." With a dragged sigh, Buz closed his closet slotting in his key to lock it, while looking miserable. After all don't you only want me because you need another member for the double tournament?" Mark brushed him off defensively, "Mind your own business, Buz. But here you are now fretting over something you should have been done with a long time ago." "Well, that's why I told you to do it at the beginning of summer break, Mark. As someone in the same high-school as Mark, as well as taking the same core subjects, he knew how tedious projects from the science classes are. ![]() "I'm already cutting it close as it is."īuz gave out a low whistle. Got to finish my Science project." His face took on the look of long suffering. But you know I told you that I won't be coming today. "Nice try with the Atom Eve enticement, Buz. The boy who the auburn was speaking too, straightened his cap giving space to the raven tresses that spilled from the brown headwear. Word's that she patrols this area mostly around this time. "Who knows maybe with luck, we might be able to catch Atom Eve flying up-ahead. The boy who was spoke grinned conspiratorially, placing his palm to block his mouth as he mock whispered. The sky had once again turned golden brown, indicating it was now time for the hedonistic norm that young people like them partake in after their grueling part time jobs. Up for some game time at the arcade?"Ī fetching boy with auburn hair asked, while putting away his work wears into his closet exchanging it for his clothes. |
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