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Drug, Alcohol &
DNA Testing

DOT & Non-DOT | Certified & Confidential

Same Day Service

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Local Drug, Alcohol and DNA Testing centers in all cities throughout the Nation providing urine and hair testing methods. If you are looking for a drug or alcohol testing center near you, most of our drug testing locations are within minutes of your home or office. Coastal Drug Testing is the #1 Drug, Alcohol & DNA testing provider in the Nation and we have over 20,000 collection sites that can provide drug and alcohol testing for employers, individuals and families.

We specialize in federal DOT drug testing, non-DOT drug testing, alcohol testing, random consortium, drug-free workplace programs, and more. Our team of professionals can help you schedule a drug test in any city nationwide by calling our office at (800) 828-7086 or you can order a drug test online, 24/7.

We provide drug and alcohol testing for companies and individuals. We can schedule a drug or alcohol test for pre-employment, post-accident, random, probation, court-ordered, DUI, personal, and more. We offer several different drug testing panels and specialty testing such as unknown substance testing (unknown liquid, pills, powder, etc.) and heavy metals.

We provide 5, 10, 12, 14, 17 drug test panels available for ordering online or by phone. However, if you don’t see what you are looking for, give us a call at (800) 828-7086 and we can provide you with the information and assist in scheduling the panel you are needing.

How to Schedule Your Drug Test?

3 simple steps. Scheduling any testing service is simple and easy. You can call our scheduling department at (800) 828-7086 or you may schedule online by following the steps listed below. The zip code you provide will be used to locate the closest testing center. Once registered you will receive your donor pass via e-mail and then you can proceed directly to the testing center listed on your test registration form. You must register prior to proceeding to the testing center. Same day service is available and most drug testing locations are within minutes of your home or office.

We Also Offer:

DOT/Government Testing

Coastal Drug Testing specializes in drug and alcohol testing for safety sensitive employers and employees regulated by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) including USCG, FMCSA, FAA, FTA, FRA and PHMSA.

Drug testing services provided for the United States Coast Guard (USCG) also includes completion of the 719P USCG form.

Coastal Drug Testing also provides drug and alcohol testing for Federal Government employees and contractors required to test under the Federal Drug Free Workplace Act.

Employer Solutions

If you are an employer who conducts drug and alcohol testing (DOT / Non DOT ) Coastal Drug Testing can manage your entire drug and alcohol testing program including:

  • Company Drug & Alcohol Policy Development
  • Scheduling of All Testing Services
  • Drug Free Workplace Signage
  • Random Drug Testing Program
  • Medical Review Officer Verification (MRO)
  • Background Checks
  • DOT Compliance Consultation
  • Drug Free Workplace Consultation
  • Substance Abuse Professional Referral (SAP)
  • DOT / Non-DOT Physicals

Frequently Asked Questions

Drug detection factors

The length of time that a drug is detectable in the system depends on a variety of factors, including:

  • the type of test
  • dose
  • tolerance
  • potency
  • metabolism
  • the existence of medical conditions

Drug detection times

Please use these figures as a guide only:

  • Alcohol: 3-5 days in urine, 10-12 hours in blood
  • Amphetamines: 1-3 days in urine and around 12 hours in blood
  • Barbiturates: 2-4 days in urine and 1-2 days in blood
  • Benzodiazepines: 3-6 weeks in urine and 2-3 days in blood
  • Cannabis: 7-30 days in urine and up to 2 weeks in blood
  • Cocaine: 3-4 days in urine and 1-2 days in blood
  • Codeine: 1 day in urine and up to 12 hours in blood
  • Heroin: 3-4 days in urine and up to 12 hours in blood
  • LSD: 1-3 days in urine and up to 2-3 hours in blood
  • MDMA (ecstasy): 3-4 days in urine and 1-2 days in blood
  • Methamphetamine (crystal meth): 3-6 days in urine and 24 – 72 hours in blood
  • Methadone: 3-4 days in urine and 24-36 hours in blood
  • Morphine: 2-3 days in urine and 6-8 hours in blood

Drug detection in hair

Drugs or their metabolites may be detectable in hair. Hair grows at a rate of approximately 1cm per month so depending on the length of hair it may be possible to determine drug use over recent months.

All drug tests come in the form of panels where each panel is a drug being tested. For example, a 5 panel drug test checks for 5 drugs, while a 10 panel drug screen checks for 10 drugs.

A standard 5 panel drug urine test is the drug test most frequently used by government agencies and private employers. A 5 panel drug test typically tests for commonly abused substances, including THC, Opiates, PCP, Cocaine, and Amphetamines. Mobile Health offers five panel drug testing at 6 New York City & Long Island locations.

For the majority of workplace drug tests, a 5 panel drug screen is used. In fact, this is the standard for the Federal government’s Mandatory Guidelines for Workplace Drug Testing.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) also uses five panel urine drug tests. DOT truck drivers are required to undergo a drug test prior to employment, at least once randomly per year, after most accidents, and if reasonable suspicion exists that a driver is abusing drugs. The DOT 5 panel drug test checks for THC, Opiates, PCP, Cocaine, and Amphetamines.

This drug is commonly found in the form of a white powder, but many times mixed with other similar looking powder such as baking soda or baby powder to create artificial filler. Cocaine is a processed drug that is made from the leaves of the coca plant. Some enjoy a lighter effect of cocaine by chewing the raw coca leaf.

As a stimulant, cocaine is popular among people who need to stay up for a long time such as an overnight work shift or all night parties. It is also an appetite suppressant that can cause dangerous and rapid weight loss.

The United States government recognizes cocaine as a schedule 2 drug with high potential for abuse but less abuse potential than Schedule I drugs. They are likely to lead to severe psychological or physical dependence and are considered dangerous, and are tested in all 5 panel drug tests.

Amphetamines are usually found in pills and crushed by the user for snorting. Like cocaine, amphetamine is susceptible to artificial fillers to add weight to the drug. Amphetamine is a laboratory drug commonly found in ADHD and ADD treatment drugs such as Adderall and Ritalin.

Like cocaine, amphetamine is also a stimulant and appetite suppressant, but to a lesser extent. Instead of the energy rush of cocaine, amphetamines simply allow the user to stay awake, alert, and focused. It is a dangerous, but popular “study drug” commonly found among high school and college students.

It is considered a schedule 2 drug with high potential for abuse and potential for psychological or physical dependence. Although illegal recreationally, it is available by prescription.

Methamphetamine (part of Amphetamines)

Methamphetamine is a form of amphetamine with a similar chemical base, most commonly known as its nickname, “meth”. Meth is found as a powder or in a crystallized form. Since most meth is made by illicit home laboratories, it is hard to establish a standard of composition or strength.

The user of meth experiences a sudden rush of euphoria and increased energy and focus. After the initial effects subside, the user now requires a larger amount to regain the same high. This dangerous addiction creates a strong and violent dependence. Over time, meth destroys dopamine receptors, making it impossible to feel pleasure.

Due to the dangerous effects and habit of meth, it is considered a schedule 2 drug along with cocaine and amphetamine. It is illegal, and a top target for law enforcement agents, and usually tested in a 5 panel drug test. There are medicinal uses for meth with a prescription, but these are rare and tightly regulated.

Opiates are processed from the opium poppy plant usually found in South-East Asia. The opiate base is used to create illicit drug such as heroin, as well as medicinal painkillers such as morphine.

Opiates are strictly a relaxer that reduces pain and increases euphoria in the user. Illegal versions of opiates such as heroin and opium can be smoked, snorted, or injected. Like meth, addiction to opiates is very strong, and can consumes one’s life. When injected, the shareable diseases transmitted introduce a new risk to using the drug.

Since there are legitimate uses for opiates in the medical field, different versions of it are scheduled differently by the Department of Drug Enforcement (DEA). Heroin is a schedule 1, but Vicodin, a prescribed painkiller made from opiate derivative, is a schedule 3 drug.

THC is naturally found exclusively in the marijuana plant and in a synthetic form as Marinol. Marijuana is found either in dried flower buds, processed into hash, or found is baked foods such as brownies and cookies. Users either smoke the dried buds and hash, or eat the edible baked goods.

Users of marijuana mostly smoke it to achieve a feeling of relaxation and euphoria, but anxiety and paranoia is possible. Although marijuana does not have a strong dependence factor, prolonged use can result in a variety of negative cognitive effects relating to space and time perceptions as well as a lack of motivation.

The Federal government recognizes marijuana as a schedule 1 drug with no medicinal uses, although many US states recognize medical uses and allow legal prescription of marijuana. Colorado and Washington have also legalized marijuana recreationally, but often still test for THC in a 5 panel drug test.

Phencyclidine is a synthetic chemical generally made in illegal laboratories or stolen from veterinary sources. It can be found either in a powder form or in a clear, yellowish liquid. Users can smoke, inject, snort, or take in the drug in a variety of different ways.

Legitimately made as an animal tranquilizer phencyclidine, also known as PCP or angel dust, is used recreationally to induce hallucinations and dangerous ‘out of body’ experiences. Severe cases of PCP use are contributed to prolonged states similar to schizophrenia.

Due to medical uses, Phencyclidine is considered a Schedule 2 substance with no legal use for humans. It is considered a very dangerous substance with detrimental effects. SAMHSA reports PCP related hospital visits increased by more than 400% from 2005-2011.

These are the most commonly abused and dangerous drugs that Mobile Health encourages employers to screen for during a 5 panel drug screen. From dangerous dependency related risks to cognitive deterioration, these drugs are a risk to the user and the workplace. A 5 panel drug test is designed to detect these substances, and allow employers to take appropriate decisions relating to enforce their drug free workplace.

Dilute means the urine specimen had more water then urine.  This basically means that the donor consumed a large quantity of water before providing the urine specimen. Maybe the person drinks a lot of water, maybe they drank a lot of water on purpose in order to try and cheat on the test.  A positive dilute is still a positive result.  With a negative dilute result there may be suspicion.  This is not a positive.  Employers should have a provision in the drug free workplace policy for negative dilute results.  This policy can state that the negative dilute is accepted as negative or that the employer requires the person to go back for another test.  The individual going back for another test should be instructed to not drink any large quantity of water prior to this next test, perhaps even a supervisor should accompany the person for the second test.

Typically no one will watch you provide a urine specimen, this is done in private.  Based on DOT regulations or Company policy some tests such as return to duty and follow-up will be direct observed tests which means the same sex collector will observe your urination.  Also if your urine specimen temperature is out of range or if the collector finds something suspicious; a second collection will be completed with a same sex collector observing your urination. Less than five percent of all tests require the direct observation.

There is no exact science for this and may depend on hair testing, oral fluid testing or urine drug testing.  For hair testing it takes about a week.  For oral fluid drug testing it can be just a few hours.  For urine testing it can be from 4-5 to 8-12 hours.  The exact time can be different from one individual to another and a lot of other are factors involved including which drug, how strong the drug is, the person’s metabolism, the persons weight and perhaps what the person has eaten or drank.  Bottom line is if the individual uses illicit drugs, they will at some point show up in hair, oral fluid or urine.

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This national research project focuses on students’ views and experiences of the cost of, and access to, textbooks in post-secondary education in New Zealand. The aim of the project is to investigate the impact of textbook costs on student behaviour, including choice of programme and/or institution, and on student outcomes.

This project aims to extend a baseline study conducted by a team at the University of Otago in 2015, which focused on “the possible effects that textbook costs may be having on study behaviours of students at one New Zealand tertiary institution” (Stein, Hart, Keaney, & White (2017)).

Students, teachers, librarians – we need your help!

This is an open, community-based project and we need your help. Working together, we achieve more than working alone.

We invite all tertiary education institutions, staff, and students to assist the national Centre for Open Education Practice (COEP) in promoting this survey with New Zealand post-secondary learners. The results will provide valuable baseline data regarding the affordability and access to learning materials.

Please visit the resources page to download digital posters, images, and copy text for social media to assist in promoting survey responses.

Key points and quicklinks

Who should participate?All tertiary education students studying at Universities, Polytechnics, Institutes of Technology, and Wānanga in Aotearoa New Zealand
Ethics approvalOtago Polytechnic, Reference No. 820
Survey link
Prize drawSurvey respondents can choose to go into a random prize draw, with the chance to win one of ten $50 supermarket vouchers.
Primary researchers
  • Claire Goode, Learning & Teaching Specialist / Principal Lecturer, Otago Polytechnic

  • Dr Wayne Mackintosh, UNESCO / ICDE Chair in OER, Otago Polytechnic

Research collaborators
  • Maansa Bajaj Prakash, Doctoral Student, University of Canterbury

  • Associate Professor Cheryl Brown, Co-Director, e-Learning Research Lab, University of Canterbury

  • Zhanni Luo, Doctoral Student, University of Canterbury

Open data / Open ScienceAnonymous survey results will be dedicated to the public domain and shared openly. The survey instrument is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. All reports and publications from the research team will be published under a free cultural works approved open licence.
Closing date for submission15 October 2019

Access to survey results

A summary of the findings will be presented at the 2019 National OER practitioner and leadership symposium on 5 December 2019 in Dunedin.

Please sign up as an individual member of the COEP to receive notifications about the Centre’s work and results of our inaugural research project.

Sign Up Today

Image attribution: Books dedicated to the public domain under CC0

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Narrative research: Building and Running SenseMaker® Projects (2 day workshop) – London, Clutha House, SW1

Keen to implement a SenseMaker® project but not sure where to start?

Got the theory around complexity, narrative and SenseMaker®, but need to know how to apply it?

This is the course you need to get you started…

As more people run SenseMaker®-fuelled projects, we want to share some of the guidelines and experience we’ve picked up in working with a wide variety of clients in recent years.  Some of the experience was hard-won – there’s no need for you to make the mistakes we did…

 What will I learn?

This two-day course combines theory, worked examples and exercises to guide people through the essential elements of a SenseMaker® project and help with some of the key options and decisions that need to be made to make it effective.  The course is ideal for those who are just starting to run a SenseMaker® project or who have run one already and want to improve for their next.

We strongly encourage participants to come with a potential project in mind so that they benefit from practical insight, not just theory. We will use participants’ projects to explore options and come up with practical proposals. For those not yet at that stage, we will also be working with demonstration projects.

Course contents

Elements of the course:

    • How to collect micro-narratives and stories
    • What engages people to share their experiences
    • Building stakeholder/client engagement
    • How to test frameworks and collection methods

 NB:  In the time allowed, we will cover designing frameworks (the narrative research instrument equivalent of a survey questionnaire) and running projects in some detail.  We will also briefly discuss approaches to analysing data but not in great depth.  If this is your particular interest, then we will be introducing courses specifically addressing this later in the year.

 Event facilitator is Michael Cheveldave

Michael has been one of two lead instructors for Cognitive Edge since 2006. Michael has an entrepreneurial background with experience in business development and intellectual capital management in technology companies.  Often jumping in to support and assist in the delivery on client projects, Michael brings a pragmatic entrepreneurial perspective to all of his work.  With over 7 years of experience with Cognitive Edge methods and approaches.

What is SenseMaker®?

SenseMaker® is the only software and methodology licensed to use Cognitive Edge’s patented technique that encourages people to both share authentic experiences and then signify their perception of that experience. It prevents misinterpretation by (even well-intentioned) experts and allows the quantitative analysis of people’s authentic voice.

SenseMaker® provides a tool that gives equal voice to everyone without prejudice and while reducing researcher bias and as such has been used to:

  • Understand people’s perspective on their world
  • Improve employee engagement
  • Develop co-created strategies and programmes in the international development world
  • Explore consumers’ underlying attitudes to products and services – and identify opportunities to enrich customer loyalty
  • Engage with citizens on complex policy issues

Cognitive Edge reserves the right to cancel or re-schedule the offered session.  In the event of cancelation or rescheduling, a full refund of course fees will be processed within 10 business days of cancellation or rescheduling notice.  Cancellations by registrants are only permitted with a minimum of 3 weeks notice ahead of course delivery date with refunds provided less a 10% processing fee. Substitutions are permitted at any time as well as rescheduling attendance to an alternate session within a 12 month period.

 Explanation of the ticket choices above:

1. If you are part of a group of four (4) or more people, then please email raining@cognitive-edge.com for a group discount.

2. Sign up for the Network here: http://cognitive-edge.com/register/ for a Basic membership.  When you’ve done that you’ll be directed to the Network Dashboard page, click on the upgrade option to pay to become a Premium member and use the 15% discount code.

NOTE: Group discounts cannot be used cumulatively with Network Membership discounts.  If you have further questions, please contact training@cognitive-edge.com

September 15, 2016 – September 16, 2016

9:00 am – 5:00 pm

From: GBP 925

Clutha House, The London Room, 10 Storey's Gate, London SW1 3AY


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It seems that a movement to create a national cryptocurrency is gaining momentum in Asia. Following China, the North Korean authorities announced their readiness to issue digital money and even indicated the availability of all required resources — both technical and human — to implement this task.

Will the government of the most isolated country in the world go further than its Asian neighbor, or is this just another attempt to scare the United States? Among the reasons for issuing a North Korean digital coin, experts name the circumvention of Western sanctions, money laundering, speculation and even the manufacturing of weapons of mass destruction.

All for cryptocurrencies?

In recent years, North Korea has become very interested in creating its own cryptocurrency and has a sufficient level of competence to move forward with this plan, as Alejandro Cao de Benos, a Special Delegate of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, said.

According to Cao de Benos, local experts are now studying various digital assets in order to determine which of them the value of the future cryptocurrency should be tied to. He also said that there were no plans for it to be backed by the North Korean won and that it will be “more like Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies.”

But that's not all. On Sept. 10, Cao de Benos tweeted that the North Korean authorities have allowed citizens to own cryptocurrencies, and local developers “are designing crypto wallets and other related apps right now.”

It was also reported that other countries have helped North Korea in the technical implementation of its initiative. In particular, Cao de Benos referred to several foreign companies that have already signed contracts with the DPRK authorities for the development of blockchain systems for education, health care and finance sectors.

Although he didn’t provide any names, the Korea Development Bank (KDB) had pointed to the IT firm Joseon Expo a year earlier. The company allegedly created a platform for the exchange of cryptocurrencies between interested parties on the order of the North Korean authorities.

Despite bold statements by Cao de Benos, at the official level, the DPRK has so far refused to recognize or refute information about the intention of the country's administration to issue a national cryptocurrency.

Why North Korea may need its own cryptocurrency?

According to Kayla Izenman, a research analyst at the Center for Financial Crime and Security, the country has the necessary experience and resources to launch its own cryptocurrency. As for the reasons behind the initiative, experts tend to mostly come up with negative scenarios — from bypassing the international sanctions and money laundering to speculation and financing the weapons of mass destruction.

Bypassing U.S. sanctions?

According to many media outlets and Cao de Benos himself, Pyongyang needs digital assets to circumvent international sanctions. With its own cryptocurrency, the DPRK may be able to break away from the international financial system dependency. In an interview with Cointelegraph, Cao de Benos noted two other advantages of cryptocurrencies — transaction speed and convenience — as an additional argument in favor of the initiative.

Analysts believe that for Pyongyang, digital money is a new way to circumvent sanctions because they are "harder to trace, can be laundered many times, and are independent of government regulation." This means that the DPRK may have the opportunity to trade with many countries around the world.

Sean King, vice president of the Park Strategies consultancy in New York, pointed out the “sanctions-proof” nature of cryptocurrencies, while Steven Kim, a researcher at the Jeju Peace Institute in South Korea, said:

“The cryptocurrency is the ideal form of money for North Korea because it can be moved quickly and anonymously across borders and can be used to buy goods and services online or converted to hard currency.”

While evading U.S. sanctions is the key factor behind the North Korea’s crypto initiative, Jason Tucker-Feltham, founder of blockchain security firm London Crypto Services, suggested to Cointelegraph that U.S. sanctions “have led the country to pursue alternative means of value transfer,” but this may not be the only benefit of digital assets noticed by North Korea. He went on:

“Economies and central banks for which no US sanctions are in place (e.g. the IMF) have expressed interest in developing their own crypto-assets, meaning that the benefits in utilising DLT extends far beyond bypassing traditional payment mechanisms.”

Moreover, as many analysts claim, North Korea may be backed by other countries — such as Iran, Russia or Venezuela — which are already exploring national digital assets to bypass the U.S. sanctions.

Cryptocurrencies allow for independence, which makes it almost impossible for the U.S. financial regulators to trace or control such forms of money. It's therefore possible to transact cryptocurrencies on unregulated cryptocurrency exchanges that don't force users to pass Anti-Money Laundering (AML) procedures. This makes it easier for hackers to freely and anonymously exchange their digital assets.

Related: North Korea and Crypto: Is the Regime Responsible for Major Hacks?

Moreover, it’s the U.S. authorities that forced North Korea to use cryptocurrencies, as suggested by Jose Pagliery, a CNN investigative reporter, who said, “The UN and the international community have locked them out of banks so whereas they used to hack into the SWIFT system in banks.”

Some experts claim North Korean hackers need and allegedly already use more transparent cryptocurrencies than Bitcoin (BTC) to bypass the sanctions. Izenman named Monero (XMR) and ZCash (ZEC) in particular:

“Cryptocurrency especially if you’re using such coins as Monero or ZCash that are privacy coins that aren’t as transparent as Bitcoin can be used and traded. And they don’t need to go through the fiat system, they don’t need to touch the dollar, they don’t need to touch a bank.”

Being a country with a fairly low GDP ($28 billion compared to South Korea’s $1.54 trillion), North Korea has long been looking for and applying various ways to raise foreign capital. And cryptocurrencies are no exception.

It is being widely reported about how the DPRK uses several methods to obtain digital coins — from mining farms and masternodes to cryptojacking and participation in new, promising projects. Specifically, North Korea began mining Bitcoin in May 2017, which coincided with the rise of Bitcoin. Steven Kim, a researcher at the Jeju Peace Institute in South Korea, said, "If there is a way to exploit cryptocurrencies for financial gain, the DPRK will figure it out and move aggressively to do so”

Many analysts noted cryptocurrency’s liquidity as a decisive factor in Pyongyang's interest in accumulating and creating digital assets, including CNN’s Richard Quest:

“There’s also reason for them to hack into the mining of Bitcoins and steal those Bitcoins as well because the price has been skyrocketing. [...] This is quite liquid. They can cash those Bitcoins out on the market and get dollars.”

Recently, financial crimes and AML experts Lourdes Miranda and Ross Delston released a detailed explanation of how the DPRK can use cryptocurrency for money laundering, which was later removed, however, from the website. In response to the question whether North Korea could create its own blockchain for manipulating crypto transactions domestically, they both answered, yes.

Nuclear weapon financing?

North Korea began looking for ways to finance military programs back in the 1970s, when the country was on the verge of default. As a result, a new structure was established, aimed at getting foreign currency for the DPRK authorities. According to a report prepared in 2007 for the U.S. Congress, such activities helped North Korea raise $5 billion.

On Aug. 13, the United Nations Security Council released an expanded report, according to which the amount of funds stolen by North Korea reached $2 billion. The authors of the report claimed that the government of Kim Jong Un hacked the accounts of banks and cryptocurrency exchanges in 17 countries in order to finance weapons of mass destruction programs, claims which the North Korean regime strongly denied. At the same time, cyber attacks were reportedly carried out under the leadership of the country's General Bureau of Intelligence.

The U.S. and South Korea believe that the DPRK’s online army consists of 20 to 30 elite cyber saboteurs specializing in cryptojacking. According to general estimates, the total number of cyber specialists may vary from 1,800 to 6,000 hackers.

The North Korean government itself rejects such allegations. Speaking with Cointelegraph Cao de Benos called such statements “ridiculous”. He added:

“The DPRK is already a nuclear power and we have enough to secure the safety of the country. This is why we are in negotiations with the USA.”

Meanwhile the local media says that the country has nothing to do with attacks on cryptocurrency exchanges and, furthermore, doesn’t support any hackers. In particular, a representative of the DPRK National Coordinating Committee on combating money laundering and financing of terrorism said:

“Such a fabrication by the hostile forces is nothing but a sort of a nasty game aimed at tarnishing the image of our Republic and finding justification for sanctions and pressure campaign against the DPRK."

Money laundering?

In their report, Miranda and Delston say that they are sure that Pyongyang is developing its own cryptocurrency in order to cash out money:

"DPRK can create their own cryptocurrencies or use established ones like Bitcoin. Having their own cryptocurrency would also facilitate their ability to open online accounts under the guise of a non-adversarial nation using anonymous communication to conceal the user’s locations and usage on the internet.”

The most difficult part in such a process, according to experts, is converting cryptocurrencies into traditional fiat funds anonymously. And North Korea’s own cryptocurrency system would most likely be able to solve this issue, as suggested by Miranda and Delston:

"For example, DPRK could open an online wallet using a Russia-based service, transfer its cryptocurrency into a Bulgaria-based wallet service and then transfer it again into a Greece-based wallet service, all through anonymous communication and using their own blockchain."

In a conversation with Cointelegraph, Tucker-Feltham explained why North Korea would likely build a private blockchain that wouldn’t be similar to Bitcoin:

“In view of it being a fully public blockchain, the Bitcoin network is poorly suited for facilitating money laundering, as upon identifying the owner of one public key all associated transactions can subsequently be traced. Furthermore, there is a blossoming industry in chain-analytics that looks to track behaviours on public blockchains. Such traits underpinning the Bitcoin blockchain may have factored into the decision to develop an entirely new blockchain; were North Korea to be developing a crypto-asset with the intention of its being untraceable, it stands to reason that their blockchain will not be public.”

When asked by Cointelegraph to comment on this rumor, Cao de Benos said:

“As for money laundry that's another stupidity. We don't need to launder anything because the DPRK is the most sanctioned country in the world and we are not able to trade and use the traditional financial system.”

What are they doing at blockchain conferences?

Along with the active exploitation of cryptocurrencies, DPRK authorities are conducting closed blockchain conferences and training courses. Specifically, in 2017, Pyongyang University of Science and Technology held an accelerated cryptocurrency course for elite students.

In April of this year, North Korea held the nation’s first international conference on blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies, bringing together foreign experts from around the world. It has been reported that participants paid 3,300 euros for the program, which included a tour to the demilitarized zone dividing North and South Korea. Nevertheless, there are no independent sources that would confirm how successful the conference was — as access was denied to any outside observers.

The organizers themselves said that the first event was so successful that they decided to hold a second one in February 2020. The conference is scheduled to last eight days and surpass the previous event in its scope. Cao de Benos emphasized that the event will see a big number of Korean government officials:

“The conference serves as a meeting opportunity but from there we will develop long lasting collaboration and business with professionals and companies. The participants in the Korean side are all working for the government in different important institutions in finance, logistics, trade, etc.”

Meanwhile, participation is still prohibited for citizens of South Korea, Japan, and Israel, while U.S. residents are allowed to attend the conference. Those wishing to attend will need to send a CV, a passport scan and home address, though it’s not clear where this all should be sent, as there are no official email addresses or websites.

Independent and anonymous analysts in South Korea believe that the main objective of the Pyongyang Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Conference is to show that North Korea will develop and promote cryptocurrencies if the U.S. does not begin to move forward in bilateral negotiations.

Some in the media have said it is very likely that Russian experts will appear at the conference, which will testify to the seriousness of the cryptocurrency activities of the DPRK as a whole.

So, will a crypto be released?

Independent experts argue that Pyongyang has both the necessary resources and the technological experience to successfully develop a state cryptocurrency. Martin D. Weiss, the founder of Weiss Ratings, said in a conversation with Cointelegraph that there is every chance it could happen:

"The question is whether it would be possible for adversarial or rogue nations to use state-backed digital money to help establish an alternate system of international transactions, thereby weakening the West's ability to use sanctions as leverage against them. The answer is yes, provided they can handle large volumes."

Weiss also noted that in the future, some countries could unite and create a single payment system based on cryptocurrencies. Meanwhile, representatives of the state-run Korean Development Bank expressed a completely different point of view in their report, referring to the country's shortage of quality experts, computers and electricity.

Also, according to a senior fund manager at a U.S.-based investment bank in Seoul, the DPRK’s closed internet network may interfere with the implementation of the government’s plan, "Because only limited Web access is available in the North, Pyongyang can't take advantage of cryptocurrencies in terms of unrestricted and anonymous transactions."

Whether a national cryptocurrency would help North Koreans get out of its current economic troubles remains under question, considering other countries’ experience in this direction. For instance, attempts by Venezuela to save its economy with the state-owned cryptocurrency Petro haven’t yet yielded any obvious success.

Related: Venezuelan Petro Against US Sanctions: History and Use of the Crypto

Pyongyang may also have to convince partner countries to use its new cryptocurrency to circumvent Western sanctions. And this is not so easy to do when companies around the world use the U.S. dollar, according to Annie Fixler, a sanctions and illicit finance expert at the Washington, D.C.-based think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies, who said:

“Washington’s use of sanctions now is reliant on the dollar’s role in the global financial system — U.S. sanctions have significant secondary effects because non-US banks can’t risk losing access to dollar transactions by doing business with sanctioned persons."


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Europol Shuts Down $200 Million Crypto Mixing Service Bestmixer

Dutch, Luxembourg authorities and Europol have shut down one of the three largest cryptocurrency tumblers, Europol reported on May 22.

A cryptocurrency tumbler, also known as a cryptocurrency mixing service, is an anonymity tool that claims to transform transactions of non-private coins to private ones by mixing crypto funds with others, which makes it difficult to track the funds’ original source.

According to the report, the Dutch Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (FIOD) has now seized six servers of major crypto tumbler, which had a reported turnover of at least $200 million since its launch in May 2018. The service was purportedly one of the three largest mixing services for cryptocurrencies including bitcoin (BTC), litecoin (LTC), bitcoin cash (BCH) and others.

After initiating an investigation back in June 2018, the FIOD, along with Europol and Luxembourg authorities, have banned the platform, as they found that a large number of mixed coins on Bestmixer came from criminal activity and were allegedly used for money laundering or illegal financing.

As Europol noted, Bestmixer’s closure is the first legal enforcement action of its nature against a cryptocurrency tumbler. At press time, the Bestmixer website is not operating, with a FIOD notice claiming “you are not anonymous.”

Screenshot of Bestmixer website at press time

The FIOD reportedly collected data on all the transactions on the platform in the past year, including chat messages, bitcoin addresses, IP-addresses and more. The authority is planning to analyze the acquired information and share the results with other countries, Europol noted.

At press time, a number of crypto mixers can be found online, including ChipMixer, BitMix.Biz and BitBlender, among others.

Recently, Europol and German police seized the servers of a dark web marketplace, taking six figures in crypto from the arrested suspects.

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Straw glazed Lady, Sui dynasty.

This lovely, stylish lady dates to the Sui dynasty (581–618 aD) . She is 21 cm’s high, the body is a pinkish white clay, and very poreus.The glaze has flaked off,
but still shows the greenish / yellow straw glaze.

The earth smell immediately rubs off on your hands. The head has been re-attached, and the foot is chipped. The hole in the side is most likely from a probe, used to search for hollow spaces under the ground.

 The Sui dynasty was the beginning of an artistic and cultural renaissance that reached its height in the succeeding Tang dynasty.

 The Sui dynasty started a pattern of patronizing the arts that was later embraced by the Tang rulers.

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Wichita State guard Erik Stevenson shoots in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Wichita State guard Erik Stevenson shoots in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — It's getting more and more difficult for Wichita State to play the no-respect card this season.

One more week just might be about it.

The Shockers, who shot into the national consciousness during their 2013 run to the Final Four, have quietly rebuilt into a team that could challenge Memphis for the American Athletic Conference crown. They have knocked off a pair of Big 12 foes during a four-game win streak that has allowed them to climb into the first spot just outside the latest Top 25 poll, and it's quite likely that they'll finally break through before they head into league play.

Wichita State (10-1) romped past VCU over the weekend. After a brief holiday break, coach Gregg Marshall's team plays Abilene Christian before a New Year's Day matchup with East Carolina to begin the conference grind.

But the game on everybody's radar is the matchup on Jan. 9 with No. 9 Memphis, a game that could help shape the rest of the conference race.

“The beauty of this team is there's a lot of interchangeable pieces. There are so many guys that can help us,” said Marshall, shortly after a road win over the Cowboys. "This was the Tyson Etienne game where he came out and shot well from 3. Jamarius Burton and Erik Stevenson were steadfast. They were so good in everything they did. JB with 11 assists and one turnover. I thought those two, especially JB, were the toughest guys on the court."

Being the toughest guys on the court is something that sounds familiar.

When the Shockers were rolling to the Final Four behind Cleanthony Early, they assumed a play-tough mantra that has stuck around for years. It was the same when Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker were leading the Shockers to a perfect regular season the next year, and when Wichita State added two more 30-win seasons over the ensuing two years.

It hasn't really disappeared, either. Nor have the Shockers, even though they may have fallen out of the public spotlight once they switched conferences from the Missouri Valley to the tougher American. Wichita State still went 25-8 and reached the NCAA Tournament its first year in the new league, and went 22-15 with a run to the NIT semifinals last spring. But it wasn't quite the same as when the Shockers had a weekly place in the Top 25.

That might change soon.

After landing arguably his best recruiting class at Wichita State, Marshall has a team capable of beating opponents in nearly every way imaginable. Ten players average at least 10 minutes a game, nobody averages more than 13.2 points and the a team heavy on underclassmen plays with the selflessness of a bunch that has been around the block.

Stevenson has doubled his offensive output from his freshman season to become the Shockers' leading scorer, and Etienne has emerged as a dynamic do-everything guard as a freshman. Jaime Echenique leads a bunch of bruisers in the paint that come in such waves that it's difficult for opponents to avoid wearing down in the second half.

“What a difference a year makes going into Christmas,” Marshall said.

A year ago the Shockers had already lost five of their first 12 games, and they were run out of the gym by VCU in their final game before the holiday. They were also on the bruised side of an 80-48 romp at the hands of Oklahoma, a loss that they avenged at their downtown Wichita home-away-from home.

They were missing leadership. Missing toughness. They were missing depth and scoring and just about everything else.

They found most of those missing pieces late in the season, when they won 11 of their final 14 games to sneak into the NIT field. Then they played well in a series of games that helped to set the table for this season, when Etienne and the rest of the Shockers' freshman class arrived to give them the elements that they were missing.

They won their first six games, including a blowout of South Carolina, before falling to West Virginia in a competitive game in the championship matchup of the Cancun Classic.

“The game versus West Virginia taught us all we have to play harder and smarter,” said sophomore Jamarius Burton, who had 10 points, eight boards and five assists in the Shockers' recent win over VCU. “Ever since then we've been rolling, just playing harder and smarter and trying to be the tougher team.”

After games against Abilene Christian and East Carolina, the Shockers back out of conference play to face Ole Miss in early January. But then comes a visit from Penny Hardaway and the ninth-ranked Tigers, an early showdown between what are turning out to be the class programs of the American Athletic Conference this season.

“This time last year we were just kind of floundering into Christmas, if you will, with our tail between our legs after getting dismantled in Richmond,” Marshall said. “And the beautiful thing is we may be just getting started.”

More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25


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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Elvis Harvey Jr. had 22 points as Nicholls State held off New Orleans to earn a 77-72 win, it's fourth straight on the road, Saturday night.

Warith Alatishe had 13 points and eight rebounds for the Colonels (14-7, 8-2 Southland Conference). Andre Jones added 12 points. Kevin Johnson had 10 points.

Troy Green had 21 points and six steals for the Privateers (6-14, 2-8). Bryson Robinson added 16 points and six rebounds. Jahmel Myers had 11 points.

Nicholls State plays McNeese State on the road on Wednesday. New Orleans plays Northwestern State at home on Wednesday.

For more AP college basketball coverage: and

Elements of this were generated by Automated Insights,, using data from STATS LLC,


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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Darius Williams had a season-high 27 points as Prairie View topped Jackson State 74-60 on Monday night.

Williams hit 4 of 6 3-pointers and shot 11 for 13 from the line.

Gerard Andrus had 11 points for Prairie View (8-10, 4-1 Southwestern Athletic Conference). Faite Williams added 11 points and five steals.

Roland Griffin had 19 points, seven rebounds and three blocks for the Tigers (5-14, 2-4). Tristan Jarrett added 17 points and eight rebounds. Jayveous McKinnis had nine rebounds and four blocks.

Prairie View plays Arkansas-Pine Bluff at home on Saturday. Jackson State plays Grambling State at home on Saturday.

For more AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/AP_Top25

This was generated by Automated Insights, http://www.automatedinsights.com/ap, using data from STATS LLC, https://www.stats.com


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Posts Tagged ‘facebook’

What Does Facebook Have to Do with College Admissions?

January 31, 2012

Facebook probably has more to do with college admissions than most students realize.  In fact, it has changed college admissions in many ways.  Students can connect with colleges and universities on Facebook as never before, and colleges can find out a lot of personal information about potential college applicants that more than likely will not be on their application.  For an interesting visual on the subject, check out http://www.schools.com/visuals/facebook-and-college.html.


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2016 Candlelight Processional at Epcot

The Candlelight Processional

The wonderful Candlelight Processional at Epcot

Dates for this year’s Candlelight Processional are:  November 25th – December 30, 2016.

Celebrity Narrators

Each night, a celebrity narrator tells the biblical tale of a savior born to a virgin in Bethlehem. Gorgeous choral pieces performed by an orchestra and various choirs are interwoven with the narration, inspiring the audience with songs of hope and joy.

Neil (2)

Neil Patrick Harris has performed the narration for several years now and is excellent!  He’ll be back this year too.

An exciting line-up of celebrities—including a few new faces and voices—are lending their dramatic talents to the production, including:

November 25 to 27:  Steven Curtis Chapman

November 28 to December 1:  Neil Patrick Harris

December 2 to 3:  Whoopi Goldberg

December 4 to 6:  Edward James Olmos

December 9 to 10:  Anthony Mackie

December 10 to 12:  Robby Benson*

December 13 to 15:  Meredith Vieira

December 16 to 18:  Jim Caviezel

December 19 to 21:  Joe Morton

December 22 to 24:  Ming-Na Wen*

December 25 to 27: Jodi Benson*

December 28 to 30:  Cal Ripken, Jr.

* Three of the names should be familiar to Disney fans as they are actors who have voiced classic Disney characters: Robby Benson, the beast in “Beauty and the Beast”; Ming-Na Wen (Mulan); and Jodi Benson (Ariel in “The Little Mermaid”).

NPH (2)

So good! (Everyone was commenting on how super thin he is!)

Video of Neil Patrick Harris at 2014 Candlelight Processional.  Wonderful!

During our DCP program, we went on December 23rd – almost Christmas Eve! – and got to see the Candlelight Processional lead by one of our favorite country singers, Trace Adkins.  It was wonderful!  It really got us in the Christmas spirit!  🙂

The beautiful new logo for the 2014 Candlelight Processional was created by our CM friend, Jason Tackett.

The beautiful logo for Epcot’s Candlelight Processional was created by our CM friend, Jason Tackett.

Event Details:

Interested in adding a dining experience to your Candlelight Processional Evening?

Click here: Candlelight Processional Dining Experience

The Candlelight Processional is a breathtaking retelling of the Christmas story in words and music complete with a 50-piece orchestra, choir and celebrity guest narrators. The narrator reads the Christmas story and favorite carols of the season are interspersed throughout the program.

The Candlelight Processional is held every night during the Christmas season. The first performance is on November 25, 2016 and then runs daily through December 30, 2016. There are three performances each evening at 5:00, 6:45 and 8:15 p.m. The length of the show is about 45 minutes.

Ticket to see Edward James Olmos narrate!

The performance is included in regular Epcot park admission at no additional cost. All Epcot guests are welcome to view this wonderful presentation.

The Candlelight Processional is held in Epcot at the American Gardens Theater in the American pavilion. This is an open air theater and, although there is a roof, you may get wet if it rains. Remember to dress for being outside. Although you are in Florida, it still may be quite cool on a December evening.

The choir consists of members of Disney’s Voices of Liberty (red & black attire), the Cast Member choir (green robes), and visiting high school and guest choirs (gold robes).

Note:  Cast member auditions for the 2016 Candlelight Processional choir were held this summer in July, and CMs were notified if they were selected as a participant by mid-August 2016.

Two Disney sisters.

Two Girls and a Mouse Tale

   by Elly Collins & Caroline Collins

Ever wonder what it’s like to work for Disney???

We worked at WDW for a year in the Disney College Program and have written a book about what it’s like to be a cast member working for Disney.

We’ve included advice on how to successfully get into the DCP program, including some of the actual phone interview questions, how to have a successful internship, and how not self-term before your program ends. Our book is filled with lots of behind-the-scene stories of the magic of Disney. Available now at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle formats. Published by Theme Park Press.

Book link on Amazon.com:  Two Girls and a Mouse Tale

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Heart Connection Collection

heart_connection_logoWest Des Moines Community Schools (WDMCS) is making a connection—a Heart Connection—the week of February 16-20, 2015. WDMCS staff and students are invited again this year to participate in the Heart Connection, a collection of personal care items for students in need.

Last year because of your generosity we collected over 7,000 items for our WDMCS school buildings and students.

It is now time to restock our shelves! The most needed items are regular sized shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, body wash, lotion, toothpaste, and chap stick. Please bring your items to school the week of February 16-20 and place in the Heart Connection box. Items will be collected and then distributed throughout the WDMCS school buildings in partnership with the Booster Pak Program. Thank you for your support for this very worthy cause!

The Heart Connection is coordinated by WDMCS Community Education’s Service Learning Program.

Tweeting? Tag us using #heartconnection15 and/or  #IheartWDMCS.


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Fares & Passes

THE RIDE provides door-to-door para-transit service to 58 cites and towns, in lift-equipped vehicles for eligible customers who cannot use subways, buses, or trains. Only registered THE RIDE customers may take advantage of the service.

If you are a new RIDE Customer or have not used our online payment option before, please click here to create your online RIDE account.

To add value to your RIDE account, please enter your RIDE number and Password below. This is not a CharlieCard transaction site. To reload your CharlieCard, click here.

Ride Number: *
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