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Jen Rodgers on how Otago Polytechnic's Eden Cafe has fared after ditching disposable coffee cups more than a year ago.
A Dunedin cafe's move to ditch disposable coffee cups has saved an estimated 35,000 coffee cups from entering landfill.
Eden Cafe, which is owned by Otago Polytechnic, stopped using disposable cups in late February 2016, in an effort to break the throwaway habit.
"There were a few initial grumbles, but it has gone very well," Otago Polytechnic sustainable practice advisor Jen Rodgers said.
The cafe now served all drinks in keep-cups or crockery made by students, with the only downside being the odd disappearance of the handmade cups, she said.
READ MORE:
* Dunedin cafe bans disposable takeaway coffee cups
* Ten ways to reduce your personal waste every day
* Cafe says milk stance about environment and superior product
* Cafes called 'rude' for refusing to serve trim milk coffees
* Baristas serve blue even when asked for trim
HAMISH McNEILLY/STUFF Eden Cafe switched to sustainable options over a year ago.
The cafe's commitment to sustainability has not stopped there, with ceramic bowls now used instead of takeaway salad containers, Rodgers said.
Food scraps went into organic bins, which in turn were fed into the polytechnic's worm farms, and unwanted food was redistributed by FoodShare Dunedin.
"There is still more to do," Rodgers concedes.
JEN RODGERS/SUPPLIED The number of takeaway coffee cups served each week before the cafe banned the cups.
She said it was pleasing the cafe's profit had not decreased because of the changes, nor had they lost any patronage.
A visual survey around the cafe tables revealed many people using their own keep-cups.
Many of those were bought from the cafe, providing additional revenue.
HAMISH McNEILLY/STUFF Jen Rodgers at Eden Cafe, which has saved more than 500 disposable coffee cups from going into landfill each week.
The biggest upside was that bins were no longer clogged with disposable cups.
"It's really great, because we are saving at least 500 cups form going into landfill each week," Rodgers said.
The cafe's move attracted global media attraction, and interest from other New Zealand cafes wanting to replicate the idea.
"It has worked for us." | 900 |
scoring team in 2017 — in their first-ever trip to Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
After back-to-back FS1 home games against Columbus Crew SC and Minnesota, Sporting KC will head west to meet the Portland Timbers on June 9 in their final match before MLS observes a weeklong break for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The team resumes its regular season campaign June 23 versus rivals Houston Dynamo at Children’s Mercy Park in a rematch of the 2017 Western Conference Knockout Round.
Sporting KC will play on the Fourth of July for the first time since 2012, doing so at rivals Real Salt Lake. The road tilt comes three days before reigning treble winner Toronto FC comes to Children’s Mercy Park for a mouthwatering interconference clash. Sporting KC will face Western Conference opponents exclusively during the month of August, headlined by a trip to the new Banc of California Stadium for an inaugural matchup with expansion side Los Angeles Football Club on Aug. 11.
A busy month of September will see Sporting KC play on five consecutive weekends, including visits to Seattle (Sept. 1), San Jose (Sept. 15) and Philadelphia (Sept. 23) as well as a home match against Orlando City SC on Sept. 8. After hosting Real Salt Lake on Sept. 30 and LA Galaxy on Oct. 6, Sporting KC will embark on a two-game road swing with stops at Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Oct. 17) and FC Dallas (Oct. 21).
The 2018 regular season concludes with Decision Day on Oct. 28 when Sporting KC welcomes LAFC to Children’s Mercy Park for the first time in one of 11 MLS matches that will begin simultaneously at 3:30 p.m. CT.
Outside of the MLS regular season, Sporting KC will also begin their defense of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the longest-running and most prestigious knockout-style tournament in U.S. Soccer. Sporting KC were crowned Open Cup champions in 2017, claiming their fourth tournament title overall and their third since 2012. MLS participants are slated to enter the 2018 Open Cup in early June.
Sporting KC will travel to Arizona for both legs of the 2018 preseason, presented by Children’s Mercy. The club will train in Scottsdale from Jan. 22 – Feb. 3 and then return to Tucson for the Mobile Mini Sun Cup from Feb. 9-25.
Sporting KC 2018 Regular Season Schedule
Home games in caps; kickoff times and FOX Sports KC TV details subject to change | 901 |
Hi Tankers! TJ here with an all-new game mode to try out on PS4 this weekend only. If you haven’t played World of Tanks — download the game today, it’s free with no PlayStation Plus account needed.
Although we frequently develop one-off events and game modes, we are doing something we have never done before in World of Tanks on any platform; we are launching tanks onto the water and heading to sea! For this weekend only, take one of the most well-known and loved armored vehicles in the game to the seas in the newest specialty game mode for World of Tanks: TOG Boat.
The illustrious and slow TOG II tank has been fully converted into the sea-ready HMS TOG II, an all-out assault tugboat unique to the TOG Boat game mode. The HMS TOG II is breaking waves in a special-event version of seven-on-seven ocean warfare. Fortified with the latest in tank floatation technology and tank-boat physics, the HMS TOG II* is equipped with AP and HE ammunition to ensure your TOG Boat can turn the tide against your opponent in a variety of enemy encounters.
The TOG II has been referred to as “The Boat” by World of Tanks players for years. We’re always looking for ways to give back to the community and turning the TOG II into the HMS TOG II and giving it a special game mode was an incredibly fun way to do that.
It’s also a nod to our sister studio in St. Petersburg who makes World of Warships. We actually imported some of their islands into our engine to create the map. The “Boat” physics were done with an incredibly cheap trick by one of the designers that really sells the HMS TOG II as a boat. We gave it a unique multi-shell gun and secondary firing mode reminiscent of the Artillery in World of Tanks to allow you to shoot over islands. I know the development team is looking forward to this weekend and playing many TOG Boat battles with you all.
The HMS TOG II will be embarking on its maiden voyage April 1 through April 3 only.
*The TOG will appear in your tank reel in a special garage dock automatically if you have ever played a battle — and if not, simply play a battle first, then you can head off to the high seas. Download World of Tanks now to join in on the tank… err, boat action! | 902 |
SEIU Local 1021 Supports Jane Kim for Mayor
Kim Voted First Choice of Largest Public Worker Union in Northern California
San Francisco Supervisor and mayoral candidate Jane Kim has received the endorsement of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1021, which represents over 54,000 health care workers, educators, non-profit and public workers in Northern California. In the highly competitive special mayoral election on June 5th, the members of SEIU 1021 voted to make Kim their number one choice.
“San Francisco is at real risk of being a city that doesn’t have room for working or middle-class residents – the people SEIU Local 1021 represents,” said Joseph Bryant, Vice President of SEIU Local 1021. “Our members need a mayor who will work to keep those families in San Francisco so it can be a healthy, vibrant city for everyone. And we need a mayor who will stand with Labor to fight for good jobs, good pay and fair treatment. Again and again, we’ve seen that Jane Kim is the person who will fight the tough battles when working people need a champion. We’re proud to make Jane Kim our #1 Choice for Mayor.”
“I’m honored to be SEIU 1021’s top choice for mayor,” said Kim. “I’m proud of the work I’ve done in partnership with labor to invest in our residents, whether it was to make City College free or give minimum wage workers a raise to $15 an hour. We have much more to do to grow and strengthen our middle class again. As demonstrated by my decade of legislative accomplishments, I am committed to continuing this work and partnering with working people to win for San Francisco in the Mayor’s office.”
In their ranked choice endorsements, Kim received the first slot followed by London Breed and Mark Leno.
SEIU Local 1021 membership includes city, non-profit, educators and health care workers across San Francisco. Jane Kim has consistently stood up for members and workers throughout San Francisco, including leading the effort to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour, restore hours for security personnel at city cultural institutions and make community college free for all residents to help them advance their education and skills-training. She is currently spearheading an effort to make early childhood education affordable for San Francisco families while elevating the wage of the workers we entrust to help care and educate our youngest children. | 903 |
(Reuters) - Researchers have discovered a protein that could help diagnose a degenerative brain disease commonly found in athletes, veterans of military service and others who have experienced brain trauma, a new study published on Tuesday showed.
Scientists from Boston University and the VA Boston Healthcare System, a group of hospitals run by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, discovered elevated levels of a protein called CCL11 in the brains of dead football players with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), but not in the brains of healthy people or people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Currently, CTE can only be diagnosed in a dead person’s brain tissue.
According to the study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, because the protein CCL11 can be detected in the cerebrospinal fluid, researchers could be moving closer to developing a method for diagnosing CTE in the living.
CTE is linked to repeated head trauma and can lead to depression, anxiety and memory loss. The study noted that its symptoms are similar to Alzheimer’s disease, and doctors have struggled to distinguish between Alzheimer’s and CTE in patients.
Boston University released research this past summer that found signs of CTE in 110 out of 111 deceased former National Football League players.
The findings were based on the broadest review yet of brains of former football players for signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. CTE is linked to the sort of head-to-head hits that were long part of the sport, although the NFL and school leagues have been adjusting the game to limit blows to the head.
The condition has been diagnosed in former players including Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau and Pro Bowl safety Dave Duerson, who both committed suicide.
Former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez, who killed himself in prison in April, had a “severe case” of CTE, according to researchers at Boston University.
BU Today, the news division of Boston University which is the leading center studying CTE, described the research as a potential step toward developing therapies to treat the disease and better ways of preventing it.
While CCL11 is seen as one biomarker that could be used for that purpose, the study’s authors said further research was needed.
CCL11 could eventually be used in combination with other biomarkers and procedures, such as positron emission tomography, or PET scans, to diagnose CTE in the living, according to the study. | 904 |
You may have heard what Betsy DeVos, President-elect Trump's nominee for Secretary of Education, recently said about the threat of grizzly bears in our children's schools.
During Wednesday's confirmation hearing, Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut asked DeVos if she believes guns have “any place in and around schools.” DeVos replied that she thought it was a matter best left to the states, and used the example of Wyoming schools protecting students from grizzlies as a reason for her answer (a justification that was soon debunked by a Wyoming school superintendent who said that guns are not allowed on school property).
Murphy, of course, asked his question thinking about Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Connecticut, where 20 children and six educators were shot and killed just four years ago. He said later that he was “shaken to the core” by her answer.
My mom, Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung, was the principal of Sandy Hook. She died that day, running towards the shooter as he fired at her, trying with all her might to protect her kids.
It’s easy to get distracted by DeVos’ concern about grizzlies in schools, but we have to keep focused on the part of what she said that is really and truly disturbing: The woman who could be our next Secretary of Education said she would support allowing guns into our children's schools.
This means that guns could become a part of our children's daily lives, and that the very place we expect to be a haven for learning math and science could be where our kids learn how to duck and cover.
DeVos is right that grizzly bears don’t belong in schools. But neither do guns. By not taking a definitive stance on keeping guns out of our schools, she's posing a real threat to our children’s safety.
Research from Everytown for Gun Safety shows that there have been at least 210 school shootings since my mom and 25 others died at Sandy Hook. This is a problem that isn’t going away, and one that won’t be solved by demanding that teachers become sharpshooters.
My mom spent her life preparing to take care of students. She earned a degree in education. She spent years in a classroom, teaching special education for kindergarteners and middle-schoolers. By the time she became principal of Sandy Hook, she knew exactly what elementary school should be—a happy place for kids, where they could learn and grow in a safe environment. | 905 |
without that.
You may think me rude for pointing this out, or you may come up with justifications for it, but the statement stands: Governments take money that they didn’t earn, by one type of coercion or another. If not, taxation would be voluntary and government would be just another business.
I don’t like dealing with violent enterprises.
#1: Politics is a relic of a barbaric past
Being that I study the ancient past, I can trace men ruling over men back to about 6400 BC. I can trace a government that resembles ours back to about 5000 BC.
So, what else from two thousand years before the Pyramids still rules the lives of men?
If there is any example on Earth of humans failing to evolve, this has to be it.
Men no longer pull plows. They no longer start fires with flint. Nor do they pull sleds or wooden-wheeled carts or rely upon animals for power. We have learned to write, to invent, to navigate, to cover immense distances, to drive, to fly, to reach into the heavens…
And yet this one relic of a primitive past remains. And please don’t tell me that it remains because it is good – people complain about government more than they complain about cancer.
To illustrate government’s barbaric nature, consider this: Thousands of people like me would like to experiment with different ways of living, but we are forbidden. No one is permitted to leave the game. If you try, large armed men will assault you and lock you in a cage, or perhaps they will merely steal your money from the bank you entrusted it to. But in either case, government sycophants will solemnly inform the world that you are an evil-doer.
No exit is permitted and all escape attempts are met with violence. How is this not primitive barbarity?
IT’S YOUR CHOICE.
So, there you have it. You’re big boys and girls and you can make your own decisions, but I have to tell you: I am ever so happy with mine. I am less stressed, more productive, and a clearer thinker.
Every so often, a friend asks me to examine a political issue. And, nearly always, I politely decline; it makes me feel the same as when my mother wanted me to eat liver.
Paul Rosenberg
FreemansPerspective.com | 906 |
. Therefore, to say that a sentient being is not harmed by death denies that the being has the very interest that sentience serves to perpetuate. It would be analogous to saying that a being with eyes does not have an interest in continuing to see or is not harmed by being made blind. Animals in traps will chew their paws or limbs off and thereby inflict excruciating suffering on themselves in order to continue to live.
Singer recognises that ‘an animal may struggle against a threat to its life’, but he concludes that this does not mean that the animal has the mental continuity required for a sense of self. This position begs the question, however, in that it assumes that the only way that an animal can be self-aware is to have the sort of autobiographical sense of self that we associate with normal adult humans. That is certainly one way of being self-aware, but it is not the only way. As the biologist Donald Griffin, one of the most important cognitive ethologists of the 20th century, noted, it is arbitrary to deny animals some sort of self-awareness given that animals who are perceptually conscious must be aware of their own bodies and actions, and must see them as different from the bodies and actions of other animals.
Even if animals live in the ‘eternal present’ that Bentham and Singer think they inhabit, that does not mean that they are not self-aware or that they do not have an interest in continued existence. Animals would still be aware of themselves in each instant of time and have an interest in perpetuating that awareness; they would have an interest in getting to the next second of consciousness. Humans who have a particular form of amnesia might be unable to recall memories or engage in ideation about the future, but that does not mean that they are not self-aware in each moment, or that the cessation of that awareness would not be a harm.
It is time that we rethink this issue. If we saw killing an animal – however painlessly – as raising a moral issue, perhaps that might lead us to start thinking more of whether animal use is morally justifiable, rather than only whether treatment is ‘humane’. Given that animals are property, and we generally protect animal interests only to the extent that it is cost-effective, it is a fantasy to think that ‘humane’ treatment is an attainable standard in any case. So if we take animal interests seriously, we really cannot avoid thinking about the morality of use totally apart from considerations of treatment. | 907 |
Pollster and image consultant Frank Luntz told Breitbart News that President Donald Trump has had a great first week of his presidency.
In his inaugural speech, Trump “addressed the same concerns that got him to the presidency: the essence of the forgotten middle class, the disrespected and hard-working taxpayer and he did that very effectively–and you know how effective it was because the mainstream media went nuts over it,” Luntz said.
But Trump is going to have strong opposition throughout his term, Luntz said. “I want him to be a 60-40 president–not a 50-50 or a 40-60 percenter,” he said. “When times get tough, people leave you … [and] 30 percent of Americans will never fall for him, will never listen to him, will reject him.”
The key is for Trump to always communicating with the other 70 percent or so who are willing to listen, he said.
The goal is the maintain a relationship with 60 percent of the people, to ensure at least 50 percent are embracing his agenda, Luntz said. Thus far, Trump has been right on target with programs and proposals that enjoy 60 percent to 70 percent support.
“His proposals to cut the budget extend beyond the 60 percent threshold, his proposals to rebuild the infrastructure, provided there is accountability will go beyond 60 percent, the feeling that so many Americans are not appreciated or respected or heard in Washington is a 70 percent, 80 percent issue,” he said.
All of these was captured in a fantastic speech after the swearing-in, he said. “Frankly, I thought his best line is not whether the Democrats or the Republicans control Washington, it’s whether the people are in charge,” the pollster said.
“If he continues with that theme, he’ll have a very successful 100 days and that will set him up well for the rest of the year.”
51% of Americans described Trump's inauguration speech as "optimistic." 65% liked the "America first" theme. https://t.co/8nr3cxwvfF — Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) January 25, 2017
During the inauguration weekend, Luntz saw first-hand the mobs of anti-Trump protesters swarming the city. At one point, the protesters hit him with a glitter bomb and called him a fascist. | 908 |
Chris Fox, CP24.com
A construction worker was struck and killed by a vehicle that was being pursued by police in Scarborough on Wednesday morning.
According to the Special Investigations Unit, an officer was attempting to stop a white BMW that was travelling eastbound on Eglinton Avenue near Midland Avenue at around 11:15 a.m. when the vehicle sped away from the scene and struck the worker just west of the intersection.
The 41-year-old worker, who was cutting concrete at the time, was pronounced dead on scene.
The man, from a community west of Alliston, Ont., has not been identified.
The SIU is investigating but has not yet provided any details on what prompted the officer to attempt to stop the vehicle in the first place.
The SIU has assigned six investigators, two forensic investigators and one collision reconstructionist to the case.
“What police were trying to do when they were attempting to stop that vehicle is something our investigation is trying to determine,” Spokesperson Jason Gennaro told reporters on Wednesday.
Gennaro said that SIU investigators are looking to speak with anyone who may have witnessed the incident as well as area residents and businesses who may have surveillance cameras that captured it.
Meanwhile, Toronto police are continuing to look for the white BMW, which was last seen travelling northbound on Gilder Drive.
One area resident who spoke to CP24 earlier on Wednesday described a scary ordeal as the vehicle fled the scene.
“I was walking up the road heading for Eglinton and Midland and I could smell burning tire so I looked to the right and there was a car speeding really fast and when he got to me he made a 360-degree turn and then sped off. The whole time pieces of his tire were falling off,” Jamilah Kukubor said. “My kids are in a daycare just on the street he turned on to. It’s pretty scary. “
Gennaro was asked whether police are looking for multiple suspects or a single driver but said that he has not been given that information.
Earlier on Wednesday, police said that one officer sustained minor injuries in the hit-and-run. The SIU later said, however, that no officer was injured as a result of the incident.
The SIU investigates whenever there are reports of death, serious injury or alleged sexual assault involving police. | 909 |
INDIA SUPPORT STAFF
Rathour set to replace Bangar as India's batting coach
by Cricbuzz Staff • Last updated on
Vikram Rathour has pipped incumbent Sanjay Bangar for the post of India's batting coach, according to the recommendations made by the MSK Prasad-led selection committee. Bharat Arun (bowling coach) and R Sridhar (fielding coach) are also the first preferences of the committee which was tasked with the job of interviewing and recommending members of the support staff.
Rathour was followed by Bangar and England's Mark Ramprakash in order of priority as ranked by the selection committee amongst 14 candidates. Paras Mhambrey and Venkatesh Prasad were ranked below Bharat Arun for the position of bowling coach while Abhay Sharma and T Dilip were behind R Sridhar for the post of fielding coach.
The candidates recommended will be finalised after meeting with BCCI executives following which contracts will be drawn out for a two-year period ending with the World T20 in 2021 in India. These follow the appointment of Ravi Shastri as the head coach of the Indian team for the same period last week.
"Vikram Rathour has got enough experience and we are convinced with his skill sets (as a coach). We will ask him to declare if he has any conflict," said BCCI CEO Rahul Johri. On Rathour replacing Bangar, Johri said, "The team management had their own views but looking ahead, we felt there should be some freshness in the support staff."
"While the first candidate will be preferred for the role, the second and third ranked candidates could be used for NCA and India A roles. We will recommend it to Rahul Dravid, the Director of Cricket at the NCA," explained MSK Prasad.
To go with the above, the panel also recommended Nitin Patel (physiotherapist) and Girish Dongre (administrative manager) as their first-choice.
There are also five candidates in the fray for the post of strength and conditioning coach. The shortlisted candidates are Luke Woodhouse, Grant Luden, Rajnikanth Sivagnanam, Nick Webb and Anand Date. All five will be a part of "a second round of interviews to assess their practical skills," said a BCCI media release.
© Cricbuzz
TAGS | 910 |
He concluded: 'With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan -- to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves, and with all nations.'
"These words were a peroration, not just to the speech but to Lincoln's whole career. The cause worth struggling for went beyond any partisan or temporal sense of right or wrong. There was a supreme right that all people should work for, regardless of what agony or joy it brought in the short term. Hindrances to that goal might be frustrating or excruciating, but the goal could be defeated only if the people forsook it. Moreover, while achievements could bring the country closer to the goal, they would forever fall short of its full realization. Mortal works were imperfect, but were dignified insofar as they reached, worked, and suffered for perfection.
" 'Malice toward none' was hardly a popular slogan. Consider the words of Henry Ward Beecher, as popular and influential in his day as Billy Graham has been in his. 'I charge the whole guilt of this war,' Beecher said in 1864, 'upon the ambitious, educated, plotting political leaders of the South... A day will come when God will reveal judgment, and arraign at his bar these mighty miscreants.' Beecher looked forward to the day when 'these most accursed and detested of all criminals' would be 'caught up in black clouds full of voices of vengeance and lurid with punishment' and 'plunged downward forever in an endless retribution.' 'Endless retribution' -- now there was a phrase that people would rally behind. What Lincoln sought to forestall would in fact come to pass. A vengeful reconstruction policy, the backlash it provoked, and the failure to provide adequately for the well-being of four million freed slaves had ramifications that would last to the present day."
author: Joshua Wolf Shenk title: Lincoln's Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company date: Copyright 2005 by Joshua Wolf Shenk pages: 206-208
All delanceyplace profits are donated to charity and support children’s literacy projects. | 911 |
It says here I'm supposed to ask you if your refrigerator is running.
On Friday, Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin will conduct their first face-to-face meeting. Around the world, the expectations appear to be that we are all boned.
“I worry a little about this meeting because Putin is going to walk into the room very well prepared, and I’m not certain Trump will come into that room prepared,” said Steven Pifer, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and career diplomat who now is a senior foreign policy fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington.
There is apparently, according to national security adviser H.R. McMaster, "no specific agenda." And Trump's notorious lack of interest in briefing materials is presenting a challenge to those seeking to prepare him; they can write down all the detail they want, he's not going to care or even remember it. Putin is regarded as a skilled negotiator, and Trump is regarded as, ahem, an idiot with a bank account.
The president often doesn’t read the usual briefing books and relies on in-person briefings, the officials said, so aides also have written a list of tweet-length sentences that summarize the main points Trump could bring up with Putin. [...] Advisors including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary James N. Mattis are trying to carefully script Trump’s interaction to head off any attempt by Putin to manipulate the encounter to his advantage, the U.S. officials said.
That's where we're at now: Reducing the main points of U.S.-Russian contention to "tweet-length" sentences in a last-ditch effort to get Trump to remember anything he's been told or, at least, get him up to speed on the things his own nation would rather not concede to Putin on the first date. And unless those sentences contain "Trump," even that's not likely to get far. (Peace in Europe may or may not hinge on NATO renaming itself the North Atlantic Trump Organization, thus securing Donald’s full attention and interest.)
It is probable that Trump's team will see the meeting as a success if Trump refrains from blurting out his own PIN number. As for whatever else might happen, we'll have to wait to hear the details from the press. The Russian press, that is; as with the last Trump-Russia meeting, Team Trump isn't likely to let our own team in on the details. | 912 |
is a light wallet client that does not require the user to download the blockchain. This client will feature TOR servers for increased privacy, which will not log IP addresses or detailed session data.
An anticipated release of Viacoin is 0.15.0 core, which would see the implementation of Merkelized Abstract Syntax Trees (MAST). MAST, quite simply, allows for smaller transaction sizes, which facilitates better for smart contracts. This is a key release required for Rootstock (RSK) smart contracts, which will give Viacoin Ethereum-like smart contracts. RSK recently released its first beta for a bitcoin smart contracts platform.
Styx is the name of the upcoming privacy protocol that Viacoin will implement. Styx will be based off of TumbleBit, which allows users to make anonymous zero knowledge proof payments using off-the-blockchain cryptographic computations. Over 2017, we have seen a big rise in privacy orientated coins like Monero, Zcoin and PIVX, the Viacoin developers recognized this trend early and since then have been working to implement the fundamentals required to build a safe and anonymous payment platform. In November, Stratis announced Tumblebit™ which will allow for Bitcoin tumbling for added anonymity for users who choose to use the tumblers. Masternodes will act as the tumblers for this and receive the fees paid by the users for the tumbling service. This suggests Styx may also include Tumblenodes, which may allow users to stake Viacoin, allowing them to receive fees for tumbling Viacoin transactions.
Other priorities for the Viacoin team this year are,
A Java-based mobile wallet, based off the Samourai Wallet
A GUI LN-based wallet, based off the Zap Wallet by Jack Mallers
Trezor integration, another hardware wallet used for storing cryptocurrencies
Update 13/02 — 2018 roadmap!
More Information
Website: www.viacoin.org
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Viacoin
Github: www.github.com/Viacoin
Reddit: www.reddit.com/r/Viacoin
Telegram: https://t.me/viacoin
Discord: https://discord.gg/f7SXbBX
Bitcointalk: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1840789.0 | 913 |
Tan said Save Malaysia Stop Lynas will hold a rally to protest the PH government’s decision on August 18 in Taman Gelora, Kuantan. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 — Opponents of Lynas Corp said today they felt betrayed by Pakatan Harapan, after the prime minister confirmed the government is removing the requirement for the firm to repatriate its rare-earths waste as a precondition for its licence renewal.
Save Malaysia Stop Lynas (SMSL) chairman Tan Bun Teet said that it was “ridiculous” for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s administration to make such a decision, and accused the PM of prioritising foreign investment over the well-being and safety of Malaysians.
“We are unable to go against the government. But we will remember today, and will send a message in [four] years’ time, and will urge all other voters to do the same,” Tan told Malay Mail, alluding to the 15th general election due no later than 2023.
“Some of these people in the government, they were riding on this issue (opposing Lynas) to get elected. Now the whole PH government will be a U-turn government, untrustworthy,” he added.
Tan said SMSL will hold a rally to protest the PH government’s decision on August 18 in Taman Gelora, Kuantan.
“We will hold a town rally, where the main message is for the government to behave, walk the talk and put people’s interests ahead of corporate interests,” he added.
Tan also claimed SMSL has tried to meet PKR, DAP and Amanah leaders to explain why they were against Lynas Corp, but could not obtain “consent” for the meeting.
Dr Mahathir said today the Australian mining firm has been directed to construct a permanent disposal facility (PDF) to treat the water leach purification (WLP) residue that is created from rare-earths processing at its facility in Gebeng, Kuantan.
Lynas Corp previously insisted that it won’t be able to export 450,000 tonnes of the water leach purification (WLP) residue, a by-product of their refinery operations, by September and offered to build the PDF as a compromise. | 914 |
Aug 28, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Laquon Treadwell (11) runs during the fourth quarter in a preseason game against the San Diego Chargers at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings won 23-10. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah recently graded all the offensive first round draft picks and he was not very kind when evaluating Vikings WR Laquon Treadwell.
During the 2016 NFL Draft, there wasn’t much doubt that the Minnesota Vikings would be looking for a top-notch pass catcher to help improve a struggling pass offense that ranked near the bottom of the league.
Most fans were excited when Laquon Treadwell fell in the lap of the team. He appeared to be just what the Vikings needed, a big bodied pass catcher to pair with dynamic young pass catcher Stefon Diggs.
However, things haven’t quite worked out that way. Instead of being a major contributor and red zone threat, Treadwell has struggled to get playing time in Minnesota’s offense, getting only one catch for 15 yards through the first 15 weeks of the NFL season.
Treadwell has been dealing with injuries as well. He has been dealing with an ankle injury which has held him out of not only games, but practices as well.
Recently, NFL.com’s NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah wrote a piece assigning grades to each of the offensive first round picks from the 2016 NFL Draft, and he gave the Vikings rookie his lowest grade of the group that wasn’t considered ‘incomplete’.
Here is what Jeremiah had to say about Minnesota’s #23 overall selection, whom he named as the only rookie in his ‘Major Disappointment’ category:
“Treadwell has been one of the most disappointing first-round picks in 2016. He was expected to have an immediate impact for the Vikings, but instead he’s caught only 1 pass this season. He’s still very young (21 years old) and hopefully he’ll be given more opportunities next fall.” Grade: D
While Jeremiah does have hope for the future when it comes to Treadwell, it’s hard to disagree with his assessment. However, it is difficult to know what the young receiver can actually do until he gets healthy and sees more time on the field. | 915 |
China's central bank has been forced to pump nearly $50 billion into the financial system to prevent a second damaging cash crunch this year.
Some banks in the world's second largest economy have been struggling to secure funds as the end of the year approaches, a time when they usually need extra cash to meet minimum deposit requirements, and as companies seek more money for operations.
Investors were spooked late last week as indicators of tight liquidity surged to heights last seen in June, when Chinese markets were roiled by a major credit crunch. In response, the People's Bank of China said that it had pushed more than 300 billion yuan ($49.4 billion) to select banks in an effort to avoid bank defaults.
It took the unusual step of announcing the move on Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter.
Related story: China pledges greater role for markets
"The fragile nature of [China's] financial system remains a challenge for the central bank and poses a threat to the economy," said Nomura's China economist Zhiwei Zhang. Although the central bank's emergency action will likely prevent a repeat of June's credit crunch, it is still possible that some banks will be unable to make payments to each other next year, he said.
When and whether China's central bank intervenes at times like this is an example of the many challenges the country faces as it shifts toward a more sustainable growth model after decades of rapid expansion fueled by cheap credit and export-led growth.
Some analysts have criticized the central bank for acting late; an earlier move could have been more effective in countering the seasonal shortage of cash.
Related story: Alarm bells ring over China's debt problem
Others say the central bank's apparent reluctance to inject emergency cash is one way of reining in excessive lending. By keeping money tight, and thereby pushing interbank borrowing rates up, Beijing is forcing banks to curb risky loans and adjust to a more market-oriented environment.
It's also a way to flush out reckless shadow banking in China -- largely unregulated lending often to small and mid-sized companies, organizations typically ignored by the big state-owned banks..
Either way, investors may finally be warming to the central bank's actions. The Shanghai Composite rose 0.24% Monday, breaking a nine-day slide. The index lost out last week as global markets cheered the U.S. central bank's decision to pare back stimulus, a decision seen as a vote of confidence in the health of the global economy. | 916 |
Tennessee lawmakers are working to become the latest state to ensure faith-based adoption agencies can refuse to place children with gay parents and other families because of their religious beliefs without facing any penalties.
The GOP-dominant House on Monday overwhelmingly voted 67-22 in support of the proposal after a brief but tense debate. The bill must now pass the similarly GOP-controlled Senate before it can reach Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s desk for final approval.
Lee hasn’t said publicly whether he supports the legislation but his religious faith has often been a cornerstone of his political career. Kansas and Oklahoma enacted similar laws last year
Supporters argue that while faith-based adoption agencies in Tennessee have been operating without issue, the move is needed to protect against potential lawsuits hostile to the group’s religious beliefs.
Furthermore, if the proposal becomes law, current adoption practices in the state aren’t expected to change. Some faith-based agencies already do not allow gay couples to adopt. But this measure would provide legal protections to agencies that do. For example, denied applicants couldn’t sue an agency for damages if the religious belief or moral conviction was cited as a reason.
“We’re doing the same as nine other states have done,” said Republican Rep. Tim Rudd of Murfreesboro, the bill’s sponsor. “Throughout the country, these faith-based organizations have been sued to the point they’re being driven out of business due to costs.”
However, opponents counter the measure will give adoption agencies free rein to discriminate against LGBT families, single parents, and non-Christians in placing children based on “religious or moral convictions or policies.”
Some experts have said same-sex couples are nearly three times as likely to adopt as heterosexual couples.
“We have children across this state looking for loving homes, why are we doing anything to prohibit a loving family or a couple from being able to care of a child and take it in and provide for it, why?” said Democratic Rep. John Ray Clemmons after a brief back and forth with Rudd over the bill’s purpose.
In 2011, Illinois declined to renew its state contract with Catholic Charities adoption services due to its policy of refusing child placement to same-sex couples. Catholic Charities has also stopped handling adoptions in Washington D.C., Massachusetts and San Francisco over concerns they would be required to act against their religious beliefs. | 917 |
A customer experiences Huawei's smartphones in Shanghai in May. Photo: VCG
Auditing and consultancy firm PwC China denied a Weibo post which said the firm excluded Huawei and ZTE in its internal device list, calling the post untrue and misleading to the public."PwC always supports various mainstream smartphones and software, including Huawei and ZTE," it said Friday in a statement on its official WeChat account.The comment followed a post by finance blogger Wangdalirushan on the Weibo account late Thursday, in which the London-based firm said in a notice sent to its employees Thursday that "We are required to remove colleagues who use Huawei and ZTE smartphones from the MobileIron system because PwC Global will exclude the two brands from the supporting device list."MobileIron is PwC's internal system that secures devices and provides easy access to email, applications and content.The move will affect the two brands' holders in receiving texts and using PwC's apps, according to the notice, which added that the firm will enforce the decision to exclude them on July 26."We have required relevant media to immediately correct and delete untrue content," said the PwC China statement, adding it will support development of domestic enterprises.Huawei had no comment when reached by the Global Times on Friday.The Weibo post, however, has sparked heated discussions with Chinese net users calling for PwC to be included in China's unreliable entity list.A screenshot of the notice shows it was written in traditional Chinese, sparking some internet users to suspect the notice was sent not from the Chinese mainland but from PwC's offices in Hong Kong or Taiwan."Is PwC preparing to withdraw its business from China? The unreliable entity list is waiting there," a Weibo user said.Another netizen named Dudupang said: "A firm can have the right to require a unified system among its employees, but in PwC's case, it targets Huawei and ZTE. There are also other smartphone brands like Samsung that use the Android system."A PwC employee working in Beijing told the Global Times Friday that there has been no affect on colleagues who use Huawei phones for office work so far.An employee surnamed Li who has been working in Deloitte, another global auditing and consultancy firm, told the Global Times Friday that "our internal communications have nothing to do with smartphone brands."PwC had 394 partners and 12,751 staff members in the Chinese mainland as of July 1 last year, according to its website. | 918 |
meaningful consent to the installation of the software, which resulted in the collection and use of personal information. The OPC also found the company prevented users from withdrawing their consent by making the software difficult to uninstall and by failing to take measures to safeguard users' personal information.
It's not going away
Despite these findings, eight years on, Wajam lives on, under an assumed name and a different legal jurisdiction. The Register emailed Iron Mountain Technology in the hope of discussing the software but we've not heard back.
"Advertising is not inherently bad, nor malicious," said de Carné de Carnavalet. "The ads displayed by Wajam are not known to be malicious either. However, Wajam could be considered as malicious due to the personal data it collects, insecurely, from users, including their browsing and download histories, and all search queries that the user makes."
He notes that it's doubtful users of Wajam, Social2Search or SearchAwesome would allow the software to operate as it does if they understood how it works and how it collects information.
Just Android things: 150m phones, gadgets installed 'adware-ridden' mobe simulator games READ MORE
In a phone interview with The Register, Andrew Crocker, senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said some of his colleagues have been arguing that sneaky software, now commonly employed by governments in addition to the marketers and cyber criminals, should be looked for common behavior rather than separated by prefixes like adware or ransomware.
"If you install software against the users wishes or without the users' knowledge, that's the behavior of malware," he said, pointing to the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the Wiretap Act, and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act as potential avenues for legal challenges.
There have been a few high-profile cases involving adware, most recently Lenovo's $7.3m settlement last year that it distributed Superfish adware on its PCs. But law enforcement authorities don't go after browser history thieves with the same passion as credit card thieves or raiders of government databases.
To mitigate the threat posed by adware, de Carné de Carnavalet argues more effort should be made to warn people attempting to install adware and that desktop platforms should adopt some of the same permission disclosures presented to mobile device users.
"You can't stop someone from writing an 'unwanted program,'" he said. "But such programs can be more seriously considered and better detected." ® | 919 |
The 'SNL' alum will exec produce and act as an in-house mentor on the series, titled 'First Impressions.'
Dana Carvey is ready to make a great first impression on USA.
The NBCUniversal-owned cable network has picked up an unscripted comedy exec produced by the Saturday Night Live alum, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
First Impressions is a half-hour competition series that puts America's best amateur impressionists against each other in a weekly battle. Carvey will serve as the show's "expert-in-residence," mentoring the contestants and participating in game play. Other celebrity guests will be featured as well, and viewers across the country will vote each week to help crown a winner.
Carvey will exec produce the project with Jeff Gaspin, David Garfinkle and Jay Renfroe. Renegade 83 and Gaspin Media will produce.
“There is no better talent to mentor these contestants than the master of impressions, Dana Carvey,” said Jackie de Crinis, executive vp original programming at USA Network. “The expertise and humor that he will bring to the series is unsurpassed and we can’t wait to have his world famous celebrity impersonations on our network.”
Added Carvey: "There are so many great impressionists and First Impressions gives them an opportunity to showcase their talents. Besides, I've always enjoyed watching an impressionist nail somebody... as in capture their voice. Now I get paid to watch."
This marks Carvey's first TV series since his short-lived ABC variety show, The Dana Carvey Show, in 1996. After largely retreating from the public eye to focus on his family, Carvey headlined a 2008 HBO stand-up special. Two years later, he co-created and starred in a sketch comedy pilot for Fox, Spoof, that was not picked up to series. He most recently appeared on the SNL 40th Anniversary Special in February. Carvey is repped by CAA and Brillstein Entertainment.
For USA, the pickup comes as the network has shifted away from scripted comedies such as failed efforts Sirens and Benched, and more towards unscripted half-hours like Chrisley Knows Best. The network is about to launch its first "soft-scripted" comedy, Donny!, in which famed ad man Donny Deutsch plays a fictionalized version of himself, on Nov. 10. | 920 |
content in China, but as several companies have proven, the draw of a Chinese gaming market largely untapped by foreign entities can be too alluring to ignore.
Meanwhile, Chinese companies like HUYA are making the opposite trip across the sea:
And it’s not just Tencent getting their hands dirty with mainstream American gaming favorites. Bungie, the studio behind Halo and Destiny, has announced a partnership with NetEase, a 20+ year-old developer in the Chinese internet space, whose projects span online infrastructure, email services, and PC/mobile games.
Bungie CEO Pete Parsons told the Wall Street Journal that their goal was to become a “global, multi-franchise entertainment studio,” with a big focus on being able to self-publish in the future, rather than relying on third-parties like Microsoft or Activision. “Our long-term goal is to become an entertainment company that sustains many worlds simultaneously,” reads a press release.
Noble enough, but Bungie fans haven’t been shy to voice their distaste for the agreement. Destiny has in many ways fallen short of fan expectations, and still needs work from developers before it can be called truly successful. Fans are worried Bungie is spreading itself too thin.
“When you have a train wreck that IS Destiny, how can you consider this when you should be all hands on fixing the mess you created?” wrote one online commenter on an article about the news in The Verge. “That’s a hot mess and now they are going to try focus on two things… they can’t get their only game right!”
Another fan pointed out though that some heavy-lifting from China might be exactly what Bungie needs.
“Why? Other big Chinese game company Tencent acquired 40% stake in Epic Games in 2012. With Tencent’s help and experience in MOBA games like League of Legends, Epic Games is now doing pretty well with its Fortnite battle royale game.”
Chinese companies’ tout a business savvy, massive market size, and forward-thinking approach to distribution. American companies produce some of the world’s most popular games. From a business perspective at least, it’s a match made in heaven that might change the game (pun intended) for both sides.
—
Cover photo: Halo (xbox.com)
You might also like: | 921 |
you come across what others claim to be their personal property. You can opt to trade for this stuff, or simply try to swipe it, but the latter usually prompts a weaponized reaction. You don't want to get hurt, since even slight wounds left unchecked eventually become lethal ones.
But the worst comes when you face heartbreaking moral dilemmas, your companions' health dwindling, your only choices brutally dehumanizing ones. Suffice to say one of these is the terrible thing I made Roman do, and as his mental state consequently deteriorated, he wouldn't let me forget. "We're ruthless robbers now," he said at one point, standing near cupboards newly flush with stolen belongings. This War of Mine is at its best when it's reflecting your actions back at you.
You can perform rare Samaritan deeds by deploying survivors to help visitors who drop by your building perform helpful or even heroic feats. But this is at the expense of time you'd otherwise have to improve your shelter, soothe your companions, or simply rest. But as the days and eventually weeks creep by, the negatives overwhelm the positives, and bad choices seem inexorably to consume what few there ever were of good ones.
I've seen some refer to This War of Mine as an antiwar video game. That's too reductive—like calling pictures of civilian casualties in conflict zones "pacifist propaganda."
The scenarios This War of Mine engages are less antiwar than they are actual war stories, and that, I think, is the point: This is what unflinching war looks like from the standpoint of those powerless to stop it, the ones caught in the teeth of the machine without catchy operational monikers to rally behind or celebrated by politicians to usher them home as heroes. The ones whose war this isn't.
It's what Cormac McCarthy was getting at in The Road: We're a faint signal cutting through the static of existence, and war, with its reduction of civilian lives to collateral damage, scrambles even that.
The version of war we're often sold involves abstract military numbers, splashy interactive news maps and easy slogans on bumper stickers. In real war, whatever the reasons and however noble the rhetoric, it comes down to individuals like the ones in This War of Mine: People like you or me trapped in appalling scenarios, their social constructs crumbling, needing basic shelter, food, a bed to sleep in, pills or antibiotics, and perhaps most of all, a reason in all the madness not to check out for good. | 922 |
(Reuters) A California student was embarrassed and distressed after a picture of her wearing an Islamic headscarf, or hijab, appeared in her high school yearbook with the false name "Isis Phillips," a Muslim advocacy group said on Sunday (May 8).
The senior at Los Osos High School in Rancho Cucamonga and her parents were "embarrassed after seeing the picture in the yearbook and have suffered a great deal of emotional and psychological distress," according to an emailed statement by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR.
The school's principal has apologized for what she described as a "misprint," and CAIR said its legal team would meet on Monday with the family and school officials, and seek an investigation of the incident, a spokesman told Reuters.
ISIS is one way to refer to the Islamic State, the militant group that has seized large swaths of Iraq and Syria and claimed responsibility for bombings in Europe. The United Nations defines Islamic State as a terrorist group.
A student who worked on the yearbook said the printing of the wrong name was a mistake and that a student named Isis Phillips had transferred from the school earlier in the year, according to a report in the New York Daily News.
The yearbook page has been posted and shared numerous times on social media, including by the student who was pictured, whose name is Bayan Zehlif, according to the New York Daily News.
"I am extremely saddened, disgusted, hurt and embarrassed that the Los Osos High School yearbook was able to get away with this. Apparently I am 'Isis' in the yearbook. The school reached out to me and had the audacity to say that this was a typo. I beg to differ, let's be real," said the statement on what appears to be Zehlif's Facebook page.
Reuters was not able to independently verify that the page belongs to the Muslim student, or whether that is her real name.
CAIR declined to provide the name of the student. Officials at the high school could not be reached for comment.
Susan Petrocelli, the high school's principal, said officials were going to correct what she described as a "misprint." At least 200 yearbooks have been distributed, CAIR said.
"Los Osos High School is taking every step possible to correct and investigate a regrettable misprint discovered in the yearbook. We sincerely apologize," Petrocelli said in a statement on Twitter. | 923 |
Orange County, California — once considered a conservative holdout in the blue state — has been electorally swept by Democrats in the midterm elections, coinciding with the region’s booming foreign-born populations.
Until the midterm elections, four of Orange County’s six congressional districts were held by Republicans, including Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) and Rep. Mimi Walters (R-CA).
In the midterms, though, Democrats swept Orange County with wins in all six congressional districts, turning the region blue. At the same time of Democrat dominance in the county, the foreign-born population is booming to record levels with the majority of foreign residents arriving from Latin America and Asia.
California’s 46th District, already a Democrat-held congressional seat, has a foreign-born population that is now reaching 40 percent with four-out-of-ten residents being born outside the United States.
The other Democrat-held congressional seat in Orange County, California’s 47th District, has a foreign-born population of nearly 30 percent.
Three of Orange County’s four Republican districts that have flipped to Democrat have foreign-born populations that make up 25 percent or more of the region. For example, California’s 39th District — where Democrat Gil Cisneros won over Republican Young Kim — has a 34.1 percent foreign-born population.
In the 45th District, where Rep. Mimi Walters (R-CA) has conceded to Democrat Katie Porter, the foreign-born population makes up nearly 30 percent of the district.
Similarly, in the state’s 48th District, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) — the former speechwriter to President Ronald Reagan — lost to Democrat Harley Rouda after serving in the seat since 2013. That district’s foreign-born population is now near 25 percent.
Even in the 49th District, where the foreign-born population remains below 20 percent, Democrat Mike Levin beat out Republican Diane Harkey. The district has anywhere between an 18 to 19 percent foreign-born population with about 55 percent of foreign-born residents arriving from Latin America and nearly 30 percent coming from Asia.
As Breitbart News reported, districts with some of the largest foreign-born populations — like New York’s 14th, Minnesota’s 5th, and Massachusetts’ 7th District — elected some of the most far-left, open borders candidates to Congress. | 924 |
People notice hair lines more than they notice the eyes.
Women with thinning hair are in anguish and even as they lose hair it is only an impending evidence that there is a health problem in the offing. Hair loss and balding don’t affect men alone, they affect women too. In Britain, it is estimated that approximately six million women suffer from hair thinning and in spite of its popular proliferation, it is still largely regarded as a taboo. There is no doubt that a woman is devastated by hair loss leading to a loss in self-confidence too.
The causes of hair loss are broadly attributed to stress, chemotherapy, illness, and aging to name a few. Though research shows that thinning hair in women points to an underlying health problem. The hair is the first signal to hormonal imbalance, poor nutrition, excessive stress, vitamin deficiency and any other disease leading to a decline in health status.
How does vitamin D benefit our body?
Vitamin D is responsible for mineralizing the skeleton or the bones in our body. It helps maintain the normal levels of phosphorus and aids in the absorption of calcium, which improves bone health and decreases fractures. Also known as the sunshine vitamin, it helps in reducing the risks of heart disease, multiple sclerosis and even minimises the chances of developing flu. Besides, it also reduces depression by regulating a person’s mood. For individuals who wish to lose weight, a daily vitamin D supplement can actually help weight loss.
Indications of vitamin D deficiency:
You get sick often – you will develop infections frequently. This is because, with a deficiency in vitamin D, your immune system isn’t strong enough to fight the infection
Individuals experience fatigue – the tiredness is due to low blood levels, which can also have a severe negative effect on overall life
Back pain – since vitamin D maintains health of the bone, you can experience chronic lower back pain as well as pain in the bones
Depression – it has been observed in over 65% of the studies, a low vitamin D level can actually lead to a depressed mood
Wound healing is impaired – the compounds responsible for the growth of new skin decrease
Bone loss – especially in aging women, tests can indicate low mineral density
Hair loss – linked to stress, low nutrient levels
Where can you find vitamin D?
Vitamin D deficiency is a major risk factor leading to alopecia areata.
You can find vitamin D in: | 925 |
A company director and two managers have been charged over a mill explosion in which four people died.
George Boden, the director of Wood Treatment Ltd, which ran Bosley Mill in Cheshire, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter following the explosion and devastating fire at the mill in July 2015.
The firm has been charged as a corporate body with corporate manslaughter and both the firm and Boden have been charged with health and safety offences, along with two other managers.
Dorothy Bailey, 62, Derek Barks, 51, Derek Moore, 62, and Jason Shingler, 38, were killed in the disaster, with other workers left injured after the blast at the mill, which made wood chip products.
Jenny Hopkins, the head of the Crown Prosecution Service special crime and counter-terrorism division, said: “Following explosions at a wood flour mill in Bosley on Friday 17 July 2015, which led to the death of four people and injuries to a number of others, the Crown Prosecution Service has authorised charges.
“Cheshire police has been authorised by the CPS to charge Wood Treatment Limited with corporate manslaughter and George Boden, one of its directors, with gross negligence manslaughter.
“The company, Mr Boden and two others who were managers for the company have also been charged with health and safety offences.”
Boden and the two managers, Philip Smith and Peter Shingler, will appear at Stockport magistrates court on 2 December.
The explosion resulted in a 1,000C inferno that burned for days before the bodies of the victims were recovered from the wreckage of the mill buildings.
The mill dominated the village of Bosley, with many local residents working at the plant, which made wood products in a process producing wood flour, which is airborne and contains highly combustible particles of wood.
An investigation was carried out by Cheshire police and the Health and Safety Executive.
The full charges are that Wood Treatment Ltd is accused of four offences of corporate manslaughter relating to the deaths of Bailey, Barks, Moore and Shingler, and one offence of failing to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its employees in breach the Health and Safety Act at Work Act 1974. Boden is charged with four offences of manslaughter by gross negligence, and one offence under the Health and Safety Act at Work Act.
Smith and Peter Shingler are both charged with an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act. | 926 |
Top Ten [Aug. 31st, 2003|07:01 pm] Amir
Im feeling top tenny today so ill do that instead of writing
TOP TEN THINGS TO DO TO YOUR NEW ROOMATE AT COLLEGE:
10) cut his/her hair while their sleeping and cry while your doing it loud enough to wake them up.
9) When they offer you food just say "oh no thanks im allergic to gravy." Regardless of the food they offer.
8) Insist they call you "Gene" unless your name is "Gene" Then insist they just call you.
7) Always bake really good treats like cookies and leave them on his desk with a post it "DO NOT EAT" on top.
6) Tell them you have tourrets as well as diarrhea.
5) Wear the same shirt for the first year, then never see that person again.
4) Always read their away messages and crack up whole heardily even if its an away message about being at a funeral.
3) Ask them what the date is today, then start tearing up and say "I broke up with my girlfriend one year ago today." Do that every day.
2) When they walk into a room always say OH I SAVED YOU A SEAT, and point to their chair.
and the number one thing to do to your new roomate:
1) On the first day you meet your new roomate tell him/her that your a huge beatles fan. Say you collect all of their records and love all of their songs. Then get your haircut like the beatles. Then as time goes on begin only eating bread crumbs and cheese. Stop shaving or showering until your roomate grows concerned. When they arent looking bludgeon them over the head with a hardcover novella about the beatles. Then as you nosh on their brain and gnaw on their skull, just mutter "why didnt you love the beatles as much as i did? why didnt you even like "shes got a ticket to ride." But the key is: you have to drool on their decomposed face and neck, or else its just not funny.
i better go cook dinner now, i hear we're having Turducken!
-Amir b.
ps - Does Anybody Remember: Sit Ubu Sit! Good dog. | 927 |
In remote Southeastern Siberia in the large Denisova Cave, archaeologists have found evidence of multiple human ancestors, including bones of Neanderthals and artifacts of early modern human culture. But there was also evidence that yet another species, known only as Denisovans, also occupied the cave. The Denisovans are the least-known and most mysterious of our ancestors.
DNA extracted from a finger bone provided ironclad evidence that Denisovans were distinct from Neanderthals.
The evidence of Denisovans is very limited. Correspondent Ann Gibbons writes in Science that the only remains are a child’s finger bone and a couple of teeth. DNA extracted from the finger bone provided ironclad evidence that Denisovans were distinct from Neanderthals. Unfortunately, researchers have learned little about the Denisovans, except that the finger bone belonged to a young girl. The teeth, both molars, were similarly unhelpful. Analysis showed that the large teeth were distinct from both Neanderthal and human teeth.
While it has been difficult to learn about the Denisovans directly, nevertheless the genetic evidence is so clear that it has been possible to search for markers in the modern human genome. It has long been known that Neanderthals and Modern Humans frequently interbred, and apparently the Denisovans got in the mix too. The interchange appears to have been beneficial, exchanging genes that helped shape our immune system. Aboriginal Australians share up to 5% of Denisovan DNA, suggesting that the species once roamed far beyond the Altai Mountains and probably across East Asia. At some point they must have interbred with the Melanesian people who set sail and populated Australia tens of thousands of years ago.
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The extent to which the species overlapped within Denisova Cave has long been a subject of speculation, but Elizabeth Pennisi writes that there was extensive interbreeding between Neanderthals and Denisovans. Pennisi also describes how Denisovan remains contain evidence of yet another, even more ancient species that is still unknown with which they must have interbred in the distant past. It seems Denisova Cave could be the setting for an ancient soap opera. New research helps explain how this happened: additional discoveries suggest that Denisovans and Neanderthals may have overlapped in the cave for up to 50,000 years. | 928 |
Water, Water Everywhere
Rising sea levels are concerning. Sea levels rising at different rates? That’s very concerning.
As glacial meltwater continues to cause rising sea levels, monitoring areas at risk of flooding will become increasingly important. In some places sea levels appear to be rising faster than others, making it tricky to predict which coastal cities might be most vulnerable. New research published in the journal Nature supports an explanation that is quite literally, epic.
Funky Flow
It would be logical to think that sea levels would rise more or less uniformly in similar geographical areas, along the U.S. East Coast for example. The trouble is that as sea levels rise, coastlines in these areas may be simultaneously sinking. The new study, which examined sea-level trends along the U.S. East Coast between 1900 and 2017, pins responsibility for unexpected sea level rises on a phenomenon called “post-glacial rebound.”
Post-glacial rebound is a process which began during the last ice age when massive ice sheets covered inland areas, tightly compressing the Earth’s land and causing it to sink downward. Because of this the outlying areas along the coast where pushed upwards over time, like a massive seesaw.
By monitoring comparing tidal gauge measurements, GPS data, and fossil records from coastal areas, the research team behind the study was able to create a more accurate model historic rates of sea level rise.
Chris Piecuch, lead author of the study concluded that, “Post-glacial rebound is definitely the most important process causing spatial differences in sea level rise on the U.S. East Coast over the last century. And since that process plays out over millennia, we’re confident projecting its influence centuries into the future.”
One Drop At A Time
The forces involved in post-glacial rebound play out on an epic time scale impossible for one person to witness, so don’t expect the ground to drop out from underneath you. However, as sea levels continue to rise and the land continues to decompress, some coastal areas will become increasingly prone to coastal flooding. Thankfully, Piecuch and team may have provided a key to determining which areas are most at risk.
READ MORE: Why is sea level rising faster in some places along the US East Coast than others? [ScienceDaily]
More on Sea Level Rise: The World’s Coasts May Be Drowning Under Rising Seas Faster Than We Thought | 929 |
This is a bug in javac starting from JDK 9 (which made some changes with regard to string concatenation, which I suspect is part of the problem), as confirmed by the javac team under the bug id JDK-8204322. If you look at the corresponding bytecode for the line:
array[i++%size] += i + " ";
It is:
21: aload_2 22: iload_3 23: iinc 3, 1 26: iload_1 27: irem 28: aload_2 29: iload_3 30: iinc 3, 1 33: iload_1 34: irem 35: aaload 36: iload_3 37: invokedynamic #5, 0 // makeConcatWithConstants:(Ljava/lang/String;I)Ljava/lang/String; 42: aastore
Where the last aaload is the actual load from the array. However, the part
21: aload_2 // load the array reference 22: iload_3 // load 'i' 23: iinc 3, 1 // increment 'i' (doesn't affect the loaded value) 26: iload_1 // load'size' 27: irem // compute the remainder
Which roughly corresponds to the expression array[i++%size] (minus the actual load and store), is in there twice. This is incorrect, as the spec says in jls-15.26.2:
A compound assignment expression of the form E1 op= E2 is equivalent to E1 = (T) ((E1) op (E2)), where T is the type of E1, except that E1 is evaluated only once.
So, for the expression array[i++%size] += i + " ";, the part array[i++%size] should only be evaluated once. But it is evaluated twice (once for the load, and once for the store).
So yes, this is a bug.
Some updates:
The bug is fixed in JDK 11 and there will be a back-port to JDK 10 (but not JDK 9, since it no longer receives public updates).
Aleksey Shipilev mentions on the JBS page (and @DidierL in the comments here):
Workaround: compile with -XDstringConcat=inline | 930 |
Each year the mountains that were full of green get covered with a white blanket of snow. And this white blanket has given man so many ways to have fun and get his adrenaline pumping. But nothing beats the state of exhilaration that snowboarding and skiing gives you.
Alone or with your friends, doing a line of pure speed and agility down the powdery slopes or dropping from the edge of the mountain, the experience is almost indescribably beautiful. It is a sensation that no video or song can do justice, but we hope that these videos will convince you to give it a try.
Attack of La Niña.
[vimeo width=”594″ ]http://vimeo.com/26021718[/vimeo]
Lex Deux Alpes.
[vimeo width=”594″ ]http://vimeo.com/32742622[/vimeo]
Snow Territory.
[vimeo width=”594″ ]http://vimeo.com/28004361[/vimeo]
Surfing my snow.
[vimeo width=”594″ ]http://vimeo.com/23378656[/vimeo]
Fantastic Lines in Japan.
[vimeo width=”594″ ]http://vimeo.com/19042879[/vimeo]
Let it die.
[vimeo width=”594″ ]http://vimeo.com/1687096[/vimeo]
Powder Mountain Perspective
[vimeo width=”594″ ]http://vimeo.com/3155182[/vimeo]
Schnarf!
[vimeo width=”594″ ]http://vimeo.com/1205513[/vimeo]
Supersesh Winch Session.
[vimeo width=”594″ ]http://vimeo.com/1305586[/vimeo]
This is my winter. (full movie)
[vimeo width=”594″ ]http://vimeo.com/31572650[/vimeo]
December is upon us and the winter season has begun. Maybe you won’t do that many flips and tricks on the first ride on the slope, but you won’t regret putting on those boots.
Featured image from GoOdz on deviantART. | 931 |
The Perrinn LMP1 project has resurfaced after originally being announced in 2014, with an announcement coming on Thursday that a European team has purchased two chassis to race in the FIA World Endurance Championship next year.
The UK-based constructor revealed plans for an open-source LMP1 car three years ago, with a 2015 debut originally planned.
However, the project was eventually put on standby, until Nicolas Perrin brought the program back earlier this year.
The as-yet-unnamed car is expected to be revealed in November, ahead of testing, which will start in December.
Design work on the LMP1 non-hybrid prototype is already completed, while preliminary crash tests have also taken place.
The rolling chassis has been priced at £1.2 million ($1.56 million), which is cheaper than Ginetta’s similar 2018 LMP1 car which will cost £1.34 million ($1.74 million).
“Increased support and stability from the FIA and ACO, coupled with programs from other manufacturers has meant we’ve had a lot of discussions with teams seeking more freedom than the new LMP2 category,” said Perrin.
“LMP1 offers a route to progress from an engineering and pace point of view. In just a few short months, the program has progressed very quickly to the point where we’ll have two cars plus enough spares to build another car within six months.
“We have ensured we have capacity to do more should some of our other discussions develop.”
The identity of the European team that has purchased the two cars has yet to be revealed.
Perrin has again stressed the importance of the project’s open-source nature, which was one of the defining aspects when the program was first announced.
“I am using open source as a way to focus resources and talents around our project,” he said.
“I want Perrinn to achieve success at Le Mans by becoming a much bigger organization than it can be if we limit ourselves to a centralized closed company.
“Our workforce is decentralized and global. Our team is open and accessible.”
Perrinn joins Ginetta and a joint project between Dallara and BR Engineering in developing non-hybrid LMP1 chassis for next year, with a grid that could now see up to eight cars in the LMP1 Privateer ranks. | 932 |
No need for UN or AU-backed force against Boko Haram: Nigeria
LAGOS - Agence France-Presse
Soldiers of the Chadian hold a Chadian national flag as they patrol in armoured vehicles on January 21, 2015, at the border between Nigeria and Cameroon, some 40 km from Maltam, as part of a military contingent against the armed Islamist group Boko Haram. AFP Photo
Nigeria's top security official on Friday ruled out the need for a United Nations or African Union-backed force to fight Boko Haram, saying the country and its partners could handle the threat.Possible "enhanced international support" against Boko Haram will be discussed on the sidelines of an AU summit later this month, given fears about the group's threat to regional stability.But national security adviser Sambo Dasuki, a former army colonel, said wider assistance would not be necessary."It's something that we can do. It's absolutely something we can do," he told BBC World Service radio in an interview."I think as it is we are in good shape to address the issue with those partners, Niger, Chad and Cameroon."Representatives from Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon met this week to thrash out details of a new regional force to counter the rising threat from the Islamist militants.An existing force, made up of troops from Nigeria, Niger and Chad appears to have collapsed in disarray even before the January 3 attack on its headquarters near the northeastern town of Baga.Troops from Niger and Chad were not present during the raid, which saw Baga razed and hundreds of civilians, if not more, killed in what is feared could be the insurgents' worst atrocity.Tuesday's meeting agreed to transfer the headquarters of the new force from Nigeria to the Chadian capital, N'Djamena, reflecting concern about Boko Haram's rising transnational threat.Boko Haram has seized dozens of towns and villages in the northeast in the last six months and now controls the border of Borno State with Niger, Chad and Cameroon.Some analysts have suggested that it is trying to revive a defunct 19th century Islamic caliphate, whose borders corresponded to parts of modern-day Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.The group's leader Abubakar Shekau, however, mocked the proposed new force in a video published online on Tuesday, boasting that his fighters would take on all comers and that "Nigeria is dead"."The kings of Africa... I challenge you to attack me now. I am ready," he said. | 933 |
Jenson Button's future will be decided within the "next few weeks" with the Brit adamant that if he continues racing it will be with McLaren.
Button joined the Woking in 2010 on the back of his Championship-winning season with Brawn GP.
He has since failed to repeat that goal while this year, powered by Honda, even points are proving difficult for the 35-year-old and McLaren.
This has raised questions about his future in Formula 1 with some reports suggesting he could be off to television show Top Gear.
For now, though, Button and McLaren have yet to decide.
"We're not there yet," he told Reuters.
"It's always a difficult situation when you've had such a long career in Formula One, but also such a long career with a certain team, with McLaren.
"Whichever way it goes it's not an easy decision but hopefully over the next few weeks we can let you know."
He added: "I can't give you too many details but away from who's decision it is, obviously you have to look at where you are in your life.
"I've been racing in Formula One for a long time and I've still got a massive love for motor racing and Formula One.
"If I am racing in Formula One next year and in the future I want to be with McLaren. It's a team I've spent so many years with, gone through some great times and bad times as well.
"I definitely want to be here but there's just things we need to talk over and make sure we're all on the same page."
However, even if he opts not to continue, Button says he wants to remain involved in Formula 1 as his "love" for the sport continues.
"I love the sport and there are so many areas of the sport where I think the public still don't see or don't quite understand what's going on because we have made it very complex and quite complicated.
"So I definitely feel I could help out in that situation and I think it would be quite fun as well.
"When you listen to journos, they're always getting the wrong end of the stick so it'd be nice to really show people the way Formula One is from a driver's point of view.
"But there are so many things I want to do in the future I can't just narrow it down to commentating on Formula One." | 934 |
don’t stop.
At last we arrive at the origins of the humble slime: the amoeba.
Born in the early 1900s out of an intersection of rapidly growing medical knowledge and human fear of medical science, the humble slime is the embodiment of human hubris gone awry. It is the crystallization of the fear that we have waded too deep into the unknown waters where only gods and darker things dwell and that we have used that forbidden knowledge to make the device of our own undoing.
At least, that’s what the slime was and what it would still be, had not Gary Gygax and pulp movies from the 1950s taken an otherwise intensely threatening concept and transformed it into the humorous, lovable slime we all know today.
Notably, the slime still appears in its amoebic form in many space sci-fi iterations, including the popular turn-based strategy game series Masters of Orion and an episode of the original Stark Trek series: The Immunity Syndrome.
Unique to the space sci-fi version of the slime (amoeba) is that it is almost always large enough to engulf entire ships and sometimes even pose a threat to planets. It always represents an unending hunger and primitive, malevolent intelligence, such that negotiation is never an option.
Conclusion
The humble slime has enjoyed many interpretations during its short life. From the small, but dangerous amoeba, to adorable animated dew-drops, to dungeon cleaning roombas, the slime has been it all.
Outside of space sci-fi and space fantasy, the modern slime enjoys a whimsical feel due to the representation of the slime in 1950s cinema culture, and then again in the pen and paper game “Dungeons and Dragons” which enshrined its position as an iconic and somewhat silly monster.
How will slimes be in the future?
It’s hard to say, but there is a growing slime presence in modern media which, in the past, has lead to exploration and even humanization of mythic creatures, and the humble slime is no exception. Look for representations of slime that push the boundaries between humanity and ooze in a lovable and relatable way.
Happy sliming to you all!
Do you have additional information about the history of ooze as a monster? Do you have a link to an online-readable version of The Odyle? If so, please leave a comment below. | 935 |
Roy Keane claims Manchester United got themselves a bargain by landing Romelu Lukaku at £75m. The Belgium international bagged his ninth and 10th goal since moving to Old Trafford from Everton in the summer in the away win at CSKA Moscow on Wednesday.
Also read: Zinedine Zidane delighted after Real Madrid's 3-1 Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund
United strolled to a 4-1 win against the Moscovian outfit as they took a giant leap towards the knock-out stages of Europe's elite club competition, with the club's former captain impressed by the huge progress made by Jose Mourinho's side this season.
The 24-year-old was the most expensive Premier League transfer over the summer, costing more than other big name strikers in Alvaro Morata and Alexandre Lacazette. But he is proving his worth, and United legend Keane believes that he was worth every penny.
"He is a good player at a good age. He knows the Premier League. He was a bargain at £75m, it was obvious he was going to score goals," Keane said on ITV's Champions League highlights show, as relayed by the Mirror.
Keane believes that Manchester United are ready to challenge for the Premier League title once again and suggested their in-form striker Romelu Lukaku is on course to hit 30 goals this season after his latest brace in the Champions League.
"His record at Everton was fantastic and clearly he has gone to a bigger club and better team, who will create so many chances for him, he will get 25-30 goals a season," he added.
"The big test will be in the big games. For all top United strikers over the years, has been scoring the big goals in the big games. It's crunch games when one goal will be the difference."
Keane has been highly critical of United in the four years since Alex Ferguson retired as the club's manager, but this is his most glowing endorsement yet of the team Mourinho is piecing together.
"United are back," declared ITV Sport pundit Keane. "They look like they could be ready to win the big trophies, whereas over the last year or two you look at them and thing they might win a League Cup or the so-called lesser trophies.
"They are back now competing and you would expect United to be in the latter stages of the Champions League and you would expect them to be competing to win the Premier League." | 936 |
New York — Several dozen activists, including large numbers of students, rallied in Brooklyn’s Cadman Plaza Park on April 17 to mark the 42nd annual Palestinian Prisoners’ Day and launch the second Prison Divestment National Week of Action. They then marched to Hillary Clinton’s nearby campaign headquarters, where they joined a larger protest against the Democratic presidential candidate’s pro-war political record.
Palestinian Prisoners’ Day commemorates the 1974 release of Mahmoud Baker Hijazi, the first Palestinian prisoner freed by Israel in a prisoner exchange with resistance groups, and shows solidarity with 7,000 current detainees, including 700 “administrative detainees,” 438 children and six elected members of the Palestinian parliament. The “detainees” are imprisoned without even going through Israeli military trials, known for their 99.74 percent conviction rate against Palestinian defendants.
Marches, rallies and strikes have marked the day throughout the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel in 1948 and 1967, while growing numbers of Palestinian and solidarity groups elsewhere hold protests and educational events.
This year, the day coincided with a nationwide mobilization against Real Estate Investment Trust tax breaks used by the Corrections Corporation of America and the GEO Group to avoid property taxes on their private prisons.
This de facto subsidy, critics charge, not only increases the profitability of private imprisonment but also allows prison companies to pour donations into the campaigns of politicians whose policies of criminalization benefit them.
Speakers in Cadman Plaza included representatives of Cop Watch, HDK New York, the International Action Center, Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, Students for Justice in Palestine, Students Without Borders and Queens Neighborhoods United. Many of the speakers connected domestic struggles against mass incarceration and police repression, as well as liberation movements in Kurdistan and elsewhere, with the Palestinian prisoners’ movement and the fight for a free Palestine.
Following a march, with chants of “Smash the settler Zionist state!” and “Hillary, Obama: You will feel the Intifada!” the group joined 100 picketers from the Committee Opposed to Hillary Clinton’s Interventionism outside the Clinton headquarters.
Chants and speakers criticized Clinton’s record of intervention, from Haiti and Honduras to Ukraine, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen and Palestine.
Catron is a member of Al-Awda New York: The Palestine Right to Return Coalition and an organizer with Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network. | 937 |
Last updated on.From the section Football
League Two top scorer Tom Pope hit a hat-trick to earn Port Vale a narrow win over promotion rivals Cheltenham.
The 27-year-old, who has now scored 30 goals this season, headed home to give the hosts a deserved first-half lead.
Cheltenham equalised just after the restart when Kaid Mohamed pounced in the area, and the midfielder set up Paul Benson to make it 2-1.
But Pope volleyed home to bring Vale level, completing his hat-trick with a chip over keeper Scott Brown.
A 'Good Friday' for Pope Before his hat-trick against Cheltenham, Tom Pope had not scored since 24 January in Port Vale's 2-2 draw with AFC Wimbledon.
Pope brought his 11-game goal drought to an end in style to keep his side second in the table, five points behind leaders Gillingham, with Cheltenham remaining fifth.
Vale got off to a lively start when Lee Hughes thought he had put them ahead, only for his strike to be ruled offside.
Pope then broke the deadlock when he found himself unmarked to nod in with ease.
Cheltenham had Brown to thank for keeping the score down before the break, the visiting keeper saving well from Jennison Myrie-Williams and Rob Taylor.
Robins boss Mark Yates made two half-time substitutions, Keith Lowe and Byron Harrison, who made an immediate impact when his parried shot fell into the path of Mohamed who slotted in.
And the visitors went ahead when Benson prodded home after Mohamed's corner.
But their lead lasted only four minutes, Pope firing in from a Myrie-Williams corner to make it 2-2, before he completed his third hat-trick of the season by beating the offside trap to poke over Brown.
VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
Cheltenham Town manager Mark Yates told BBC Gloucestershire:
"Billy Jones had a torrid time in the first half. We didn't deal with Myrie-Williams.
"We got exposed, but we shouldn't have been exposed in the first place.
"We work on stopping their wide play week in, week out, but the gap in the midfield was far too big.
"Billy hadn't got a clue if he was sticking or twisting. It was very disappointing." | 938 |
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Some segregationists were pretty chill, Joe Biden reminisced Tuesday night.
The former vice president and leading 2020 Democratic candidate remarked during a fundraiser in New York that Southern Sens. James Eastland and Herman Talmadge still managed to be civil to him back in the day when he, a white man from Scranton, Pennsylvania, was in Congress, according to NBC News.
"I was in a caucus with James O. Eastland," Biden said, according to NBC News. “He never called me ‘boy’; he always called me'son.'"
Eastland, a Democratic senator from Mississippi from the early 1940s to late 1970s, was a staunch segregationist and racist. But then-Sen. Biden and Eastland might have gotten along because Biden sought his support in 1977 in fighting busing as a way to desegregate schools, according to CNN. Meanwhile, Biden conceded that Talmadge, a Democratic senator from Georgia, was “one of the meanest guys I ever knew.”
But between the two senators, Biden said, “at least there was some civility.”
“We got things done,” Biden continued, according to NBC News. We didn’t agree on much of anything. We got things done. We got it finished. But today, you look at the other side and you’re the enemy. Not the opposition, the enemy. We don't talk to each other anymore."
This is even the first time Biden has brought up how civil things were when segregationists were still in the Democratic Party.
"I’ve been around so long, I worked with James Eastland,” Biden said in 2017 when he was campaigning for then-candidate Sen. Doug Jones, according to the Washington Post. “Even in the days when I got there, the Democratic Party still had seven or eight old-fashioned Democratic segregationists. You’d get up and you’d argue like the devil with them. Then you’d go down and have lunch or dinner together. The political system worked. We were divided on issues, but the political system worked.”
Biden’s odd statement came just a day before Congress gathered for a hearing on reparations for black Americans — a popular campaign issue that Biden has not yet endorsed, although many of his opponents do. | 939 |
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As record numbers of Floridians are filing for unemployment, the state Department of Economic Opportunity’s primary website for submitting new claims is displaying a message Friday that will be processing payments for the next three days.
“Welcome to CONNECT, Florida’s Online Application for Reemployment Assistance. CONNECT is currently processing payments. We apologize for the inconvenience. CONNECT will be available at 8:00 a.m Monday, April 27,” is the message displayed on the website.
The site does direct people to an alternative site for filing claims. A paper application is also available online.
Applicants have continued to express frustrations about being cut off from Florida’s online CONNECT unemployment system and not being able to get through to call centers for assistance. But the state has expanded the ways people can apply, making a second online system available and allowing people to fill out paper applications.
Florida DEO is rushing to reduce a massive backlog of claims created after businesses shuttered to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus, has processed 30.6% of its claims, with unemployment payments of up of $275 a week going out to 17% of the applicants.
Nearly 300,000 unemployment claims were filed this week in Florida, bringing the total to 1.8 million since the middle of March. While 700,000 of those claims have been verified, two-thirds of those remain unpaid.
RESOURCES: Filing for unemployment benefits? Read this first
More than one in 10 new jobless claims across the United States last week were made to Florida’s overwhelmed unemployment system, according to numbers released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Labor. The federal agency reported Florida had an estimated 505,137 first-time applications of the 4.4 million new claims filed during the week ending April 19.
A Wallethub survey released on Thursday found that Florida had a 8,446% increase in unemployment claims last week over the same week in 2019 -- the biggest increase in the nation.
On Wednesday, Florida Department of Management Services Secretary John Satter announced that anyone who lost their job since March 9 will receive retroactive payments regardless of when their application was successfully submitted.
Satter was tapped last week by Gov. Ron DeSantis to lead the Department of Economic Opportunity through its coronavirus unemployment surge. The current DEO Director Ken Lawson will oversee non-coronavirus related unemployment. | 940 |
KUALA LUMPUR (June 13): The approved foreign direct investment (FDI) for all sectors in the first quarter of 2019 (1Q19) jumped 73.4% year-on-year (y-o-y) to RM29.3 billion from RM16.9 billion.
In a statement today, Minister of Finance Lim Guan Eng said the first quarter increase shows that the trade and investment diversion Malaysia is enjoying is a persistent positive trend that was preceded by a rise in 2018 approved FDI by 48% to RM80.5 billion, from RM54.4 billion in 2017.
He explained that the 73.4% 1Q19 rise in overall approved FDI was driven by a 127% manufacturing investment surge to RM20.2 billion, compared to RM8.9 billion a year ago.
"Out of the RM20.2 billion in approved manufacturing FDI, RM11.5 billion came from the United States, RM4.4 billion from China and RM2.2 billion from Singapore.
"Of note are approvals for Micron Technology and Jabil Circuit, which are making high-quality investment to expand their respective operations in Penang.
"The RM29.3 billion worth of overall approved FDI is expected to create more than 41,200 jobs for Malaysians, of which 22,970 employment opportunities would be in manufacturing and 18,000 jobs in the services [sector]," he said.
Commenting on industrial production, Lim said the April 2019 industrial production growth accelerated to 4.0% year-on-year, compared to the 3.1% y-o-y growth in March.
He said the industrial growth was supported by robust manufacturing growth and mining output recovery.
"The 4.0% April industrial expansion is the strongest in six months and it is above market consensus, which was 2.5% according to Bloomberg," he said.
Meanwhile, Lim said the April industrial expansion occurred during a period of low and stable inflation of 0.2%.
"Prices of some basic consumer items have fallen due to multiple factors, including the shift in the taxation regime from the burdensome goods and services tax (GST) to sales and service tax (SST), and the imposition of price ceilings on RON95 and diesel.
"In February 2019, the price ceiling of RON95 was reduced from RM2.20/litre to RM2.08/litre," he said. | 941 |
the ring of fire // photography technique
In late 2014 I was given a few pieces of piping. What you might call trash, but I call the ring of fire. It ended up being an incredibly useful tool in my photography. I quickly decided to add it to my (now literal) bag of tricks along with Prisming, Lens Chimping, my Broken Freelens, Anamorphics, etc).
These days camera lenses are designed so well that they’ll nearly never create a flare. The coatings are so incredible that even against the brightest, harshest sunlight they will not flare at all. This is a good thing! It’s really hard to recover from blown contrast in post processing, and flare is often unpredictable and difficult to compose with.
But what if you could make real in camera flare on command with the ability to transform it and shape it into anything you want?
How on earth am I making the flare in these images? I give you – the ring of fire!
Now, this is just a 1″ long and 1″ wide piece of aluminum pipe. But, held in front of your camera lens and given the right mix of direct/harsh sunlight plus handy live view – you have on demand, real, in camera flare. From virtually any lens no matter how new or old.
Incredible photographer Daniel Araiza has a super helpful video published to help you visualize what the heck is going on here.
Of course, with any new technique it’s probably best used in moderation. It’s a little too easy to get image takeover using this tool, but with enough practice you’ll surely get the hang of it.
My favorite lens of choice to use it with is the Nikon 58 1.4 – per my review here.
The flare can range from being be more subtle and bokeh-like in shape, or it can be very defined and circular. The shape, color, and texture of the pipe will all play into how your flare looks. That’s one of my favorite things about this ring of fire flare technique – everyone’s will look different!
I’ll leave you with some more of my favorite ring of fire images and I suggest you get out there and experiment. Hit up your local hardware store and see what you can find.
If you’ve found this interesting then wander on over to my other technical write-ups, and as always – enjoy! | 942 |
international revolutionary movement.
The excessive importance given, during the first years in the life of the Third International, to the application of the Russian tactic in countries with a stable bourgeois regime, as well as to extra-European and colonial countries, was the first manifestation of the re-emergence of the revisionist peril.
The second imperialist war, and its already evident consequences, are characterized by the preponderant influence, extended to all regions of the world, even those where the most backward forms of indigenous society survive, not so much of powerful capitalist economic forms as the inexorable political and military control exercised by the great imperial center of capitalism, for now brought together in a gigantic coalition, which includes the Russian State.
Consequently local tactics can only be aspects of the general revolutionary strategy, which above all must be to restore the programmatic clarity of the global proletarian party, and then to rebuild the network of its organization in each country.
This struggle unfolds within a framework in which the illusions and the seductions of opportunism hold sway to the maximum extent: propaganda in favor of the crusade for liberty against fascism in the ideological domain, and in the practical politics of coalitions, blocs, fusions and illusory demands presented in concert by the leaderships of innumerable parties, groups and movements.
In only one way will it be possible for the proletarian masses to understand the need for the reconstruction of the revolutionary party, substantially different from all others: that is, by proclaiming the historically irrevocable repudiation of the practice of agreements between parties not as a contingent reaction to the opportunistic saturnalia and the acrobatic combinations of politicians, but rather as a fundamental and central directive.
Even in transitory phases, none of the movements that the party participates alongside must be directed by a super-party or by a higher movement standing above a group of affiliated parties.
In the modern historical phase of global politics, the proletarian masses will only be able to mobilize for revolutionary goals by achieving their class unity around a single party that is solid in its theory, in its action, in the preparation for the insurrectionary assault, and in the management of power.
This historical solution must, in any manifestation of the party, even limited, appear to the masses as the only possible alternative to oppose the consolidation of the international economic and political domination of the bourgeoisie and its formidable capacity – not definitive, but today growing ever stronger – to control the contradictions and the convulsions that threaten the existence of its regime. | 943 |
Rapper Drake high-fives Apple's Eddy Cue after announcing Apple Music Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Apple just announced a new music streaming service, but not everyone was impressed.
The attorneys general of New York and Connecticut, as well as the European Commission, are investigating whether Apple may have pressured music labels into taking their music off other catalogs, like Spotify, when joining Apple Music.
They're also looking at whether the music labels possibly colluded with Apple and each other, about ditching other services, The New York Times reports.
Apple Music and Spotify compete directly, but a crucial difference is that Spotify offers a "freemium" listening option — where listeners don't pay but have to sit through ads — while Apple Music does not have a free tier, so listeners will need to dish out at least $9.99 for it no matter what.
The freemium model has been under fire this year, especially after Taylor Swift pulled all her music from Spotify, saying that the ad-supported business doesn't pay enough to artists.
New York and Connecticut attorneys general suspect anti-competitive negotiations, and wants to know whether Apple may have convinced record labels to drop their music from any freemium services.
A spokesman for attorney general Eric Schneiderman told The Times that New York was looking into Apple’s negotiations to "ensure that the market continues to develop free from collusion and other anticompetitive practices."
Universal Music Group already responded to the anti-trust inquiry (read the whole letter here), saying that it had no agreements with Apple or with other labels like Sony Music Entertainment or Warner Music Group that would force them to take their music off of freemium services like Spotify.
"UMG shares the Attorneys General’s commitment to a robust and competitive market for music streaming services in the mutual best interest of consumers, artists, services and content companies alike – and we have a long track record to that effect," the label said in a statement.
The investigation recalls Apple's dealings with the book publishing industry. In 2013, a federal judge said that Apple violated antitrust law by conspiring with publishers to raise the price of ebooks above $9.99. In a later settlement, Apple agreed to pay an undisclosed sum to plaintiffs in 33 states.
So far, the attorneys general are mollified by Universal's response, though Connecticut's George Jepsen told The Times that he plans to "continue to monitor that market."
Apple had no comment. | 944 |
Archie Comics and Humble Bundle have teamed up to offer fans an opportunity to name their own price on nearly $400 worth of digital comics, timed to coincide with the return of Riverdale tonight.
The digital comics bundle collects stories from the new era of Archie Comics that inspired the hit TV series as well as the classics that have made Archie and friends cultural icons for over 75 years.
The comics offered, the full collection of which is valued at over $375, features tales centered around Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Josie and the Pussycats, and more!
Humble Bundle's unique "name your price" system allows customers to choose their own price for the bundle, with customers who pay more getting additional content. Per the announcement, customers can pay $1 or more and will receive ARCHIE VOL. 1, JUGHEAD VOL. 1, JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS VOL. 1, REGGIE AND ME, ARCHIE’S PAL KEVIN KELLER VOL. 1, and BETTY & VERONICA BY ADAM HUGHES.
Customers who pay $8 or more will receive RIVERDALE VOL 1, THE ARCHIES #1, ROAD TO RIVERDALE VOL 1, ARCHIE VOL 2, JUGHEAD VOL 2, ROAD TO RIVERDALE VOL 2, CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA VOL 1, AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE VOL 1, THE BLACK HOOD VOL 1.
Customers who pay $15 or more will receive all of the above plus ARCHIE VOL 3, ARCHIE VOL 4, JUGHEAD VOL 3, ROAD TO RIVERDALE VOL 3, THE ART OF ARCHIE: THE COVERS, THE DEATH OF ARCHIE, THE BEST OF ARCHIE DELUXE VOL 1, THE BEST OF ARCHIE DELUXE VOL 2
As with all Humble Bundles, customers can choose how their money is allocated, between the publisher and charities. The Humble Riverdale & Archie Comics Bundle supports the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, a non-profit organization that protects the freedom to read comics through legal action and education initiatives in support of the readers, creators, librarians, retailers, publishers, and educators of comics.
The Humble Archie Comics Bundle runs from now until Wednesday, December 13 at 11 AM PST. | 945 |
should be a heritage law to preserve at least those buildings that are owned and maintained by the government,” says Yashawani Sharma, urban historian and architect.
“Bengaluru has a lot of heritage in terms of buildings but also there is a lot of tangible heritage in the form of inscription stones, statues, other heritage structures and natural heritage structures like parks and tanks. With the disappearance of these buildings, we have lost the vision of our old leaders. For example, we used to have a tradition of rainwater harvesting system but those have been all lost as these structures also vanished,” she says, while pointing to the system followed in Mysuru.
“Mysuru has a Heritage Committee, which was formed by a Gazette notification in 2004. This dedicated committee has been able to do a fine job in restoring the city’s old charm,” she says.
The committee has seven non-official members in addition to the official members from the Mysuru City Corporation and the Mysuru Urban Development Authority, among others.
Elucidating further, professor NS Rangaraju, an acclaimed historian who is part of the Heritage Committee, says, “We attend bi-monthly meetings chaired by the District Collector and consider issues that we notice or come to us through the public. Once notified, the authorities are assigned to restore and maintain the structures. Other than buildings, we have also been able to preserve 80 to 100-year-old trees, water tanks and even private structures.”
A city with no identity?
Suresh Moona, another noted historian, says Bengaluru’s changing cityscape in the next decade or two will mean that it will no longer be different from any other city.
He describes how Bengaluru had a lot of trees and buildings with large windows, but with the real estate boom, we are no longer concerned about the identity or beauty of the city.
“The very culture of the city has been eroding since the 2000s. This was not the case when erstwhile leaders were ruling the nation. They were very particular about buildings that were coherent with the city’s culture. That’s why regions like Basavangudi, Cantonment and Chamrajpet still have their quaint charm intact,” he says.
Read: Heritage Beku: Activists upset as HC paves way for demolishing building in Cubbon Park | 946 |
This is an excellent laptop. Bought it because I was looking for a two-in-one that was both fast and extremely lightweight. The vividness/overall picture of the display is the best I have ever seen. The size was initially hard to adjust to (my old laptop was a 17'') and I was disappointed that the Spectre was not offered in 15''6' screen, but at a 13'' screen isn't bad at all. The backlit keyboard is nice as well. I had to go through three Spectre laptops before I found that one that worked for me (first one didn't have a big enough hard drive, second one was too expensive, third one was just right) and I will say I have noticed slight differences in each of them. Core i5 veruses i7 really doesn't seem to affect the performance that greatly, so don't feel like you have to splurge just to get i7--there's not that big of a difference. That being said, I'm not a gamer, and I generally don't have a lot of programs running at once, maybe four or five at most and several tabs running on Google Chrome. Also, the keypad can make this annoying noise when you're scrolling--the second Spectre that I purchased (and ended returning) did not make that noise. I wouldn't know how to describe it because it almost sounds like the plating isn't tight enough somehow, and when you scroll, there is a sound that is produced due to that space between the mousepad and the hardware beneath it, if that makes sense. Also, and I've seen other reviewers complain about this too -- the Spectre is not great when it comes to staying connected to the internet (unless you are within viewing distance of your router) which can be incredibly annoying at time. None of the previous three laptops I've had over the past ten years have had that issue. The connection goes in and out, and sometimes it won't automatically connect, even if you check the box that specially asks if you want the laptop to automatically connect to the nearest network. That all aside, I do love this laptop. It's versatility is a huge bonus (I love the tablet feature and playing movies in tent mode is great) and the hinges are the best on a two-in-one that I've seen. The hinge design makes you feel like you could bend it this way and that and they won't ever give out or become loose. If you're on the fence about this laptop, I would definitely encourage you to purchase it. | 947 |
Overall
Vision Vision
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I've seen a lot of support for "Exodia" and "Forbidden One" archetypes, but this fan-made card stands out as a paragon for both archetypes.There are many ways to get the "Forbidden One" cards into the Graveyard to Special Summon this card, i.e. "Painful Choice", "Foolish Burial", "Armageddon Knight", and my personal favorite, "Future Fusion" (if you're Fusion Summoning "Quintet Magician").The fact that this card cannot be tributed or affected by opposing Spells and Traps leaves this card's removal strategies limited to Effect Monsters that either destroy or banish, and even if they did so, they would only leave themselves wide open for an automatic loss (if the right monsters are added from the Graveyard to the hand). And even if they did destroy this card before at most one monster went back to the Graveyard, it may prove their downfall if the player added the right monster for a victory.While this card does gain ATK for each of your "Forbidden One" monsters that is currently banished (which connects this card with "Exodius the Ultimate Forbidden Lord", which, in the anime, gained ATK for each "Forbidden One" monster in the Graveyard), it can also lose ATK at the end of each of your turns.Also, should "Imperial Iron Wall" or "Necrovalley" be in play, this card can be prevented from being summoned at all, but if all the "Forbidden One" monsters are in your Graveyard, it can leave room for "Contract with Exodia" and "Exodia Necross". That, IMO, is what brings the connection between the "Forbidden One" monsters and this card closer to blending in any kind of Deck that uses Exodia. a.deviantart.net/avatars/g/1/g… <img class="avatar" width="50" height="50" src=" " alt=" " title="G1d4n" /> also made an excellent artwork to go with this card, and I think you should give him my thanks for such a submission, and I hope you create more fan-made cards that stand out for me. Keep up the awesome, and as always, keep smiling, and keep dreaming.(P.S. "Exodia... OBLITERATE!") | 948 |
Jason Lowndes came to the team from Drapac. (Image credit: Pat Malach)
Jason Lowndes has died at the age of 23 after being hit by a car on a training ride in Bendigo, Australia. According to the Herald Sun, Lowndes was riding out to meet someone on Sedgwick Road, Mandurang, when a 20-year-old driver struck him from behind. She stopped at the scene and was cooperating with the police.
The authorities are urging witnesses or anyone with information on the crash to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at crimestoppersvic.com.au.
Lowndes raced for Israel Cycling Academy this season and was set to race for the British team JLT Condor in 2018.
The collision occurred on Friday afternoon as Lowndes was training near his home, as confirmed by Israel Cycling Academy and Cycling Australia.
"We are deeply grieved by the tragic death of our dear friend, rider, and teammate, Jason Lowndes," read a statement from Israel Cycling Academy.
"Jason, who just celebrated his 23rd birthday 8 days ago, was hit by a car while training today on his bike near his home town in Bendigo, Victoria.
"Jason raced for Israel Cycling Academy during the 2017 season and his constant broad smile, ever cheerful personality, and warm heart will be terribly missed forever by all of us. We wish to send our deep condolences to Jason's family and friends all over the world. Good bye, wonderful mate."
Lowndes' cycling career began in 2015 with the Garneau-Québecor squad, and he turned professional with Drapac in 2016. Later that year he finished sixth in the U23 road race at the World Championships in Qatar, underlining his potential as a sprinter.
As Drapac merged with the WorldTour Cannondale set-up, Lowndes moved to Israel Cycling Academy for the 2017 season, themselves racing with professional status for the first time. His best results were second and third place finishes on stages at the Tour of Austria.
Lowndes signed with JLT Condor for 2018, a move he insisted was not a step backwards despite the drop down to Continental level. Tragically, he was denied the opportunity to fulfil his potential.
Cyclingnews extends its sincere condolences to Lowndes' family and friends.
Cycling world remembers Jason Lowndes, 23 | 949 |
A teenager accused of knifing 14-year-old Jaden Moodie to death appeared in court today charged with murder.
Jaden was knocked off his moped by a group of men driving a black Mercedes B class and fatally stabbed on January 8.
Ayoub Majdouline, 18, from Wembley, appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court wearing a grey tracksuit this morning, charged with murder and possession of a bladed article.
Ayoub Majdouline, 18, (left) appeared in court today charged with murdering Jaden Moodie (right)
Ayoub Majdouline, 18, from Wembley, appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court today
Jaden was knocked off his moped by five men in the Mercedes before being stabbed up to seven times in Bickley Road, Leyton, police have said.
Three of the men are thought to have got out of the vehicle before Jaden was knifed, then all five suspects fled in the car.
Majdouline spoke only to confirm his name, address and British nationality during the six minute hearing.
He was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on 23 January.
Detective Chief Inspector Chris Soole, from the Met Police's homicide and major crime command, has said the Met remain 'fully focused on locating and arresting others connected to this deadly attack.
'Our efforts to bring them to justice continues. A number of active enquiries are in hand.'
Majdouline (pictured) spoke only to confirm his name, address and British nationality during the six minute hearing. He was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on 23 January
Three of the men are thought to have got out of the vehicle before Jaden (pictured) was knifed, then all five suspects fled in the car
Detectives (pictured at the scene on January 8) from the Homicide and Major Crime Command are continuing to investigate Jaden's murder
Three of the men are thought to have got out of the vehicle before Jaden was knifed, then all five suspects fled in the car
Detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command are continuing to investigate Jaden's murder and would appeal for anyone with information, who has yet to come forward, to call police.
Anyone with information is asked to contact incident room on 020 8345 3734 or Tweet information to @MetCC | 950 |
A new patent dug up and rendered by the Dutch tech blog Lets Go Digital shows a phone that doesn’t fold but instead extends its display by sliding out the right part of the candybar.
There are people who would like a phone that can be extended into a bigger, tablet-like display without sacrificing portability or durability. And this expandable Samsung Galaxy patent may be the Holy Grail.
(Image credit: Lets Go Digital)
According to the patent published by the Korean Intellectual Propertuy Office on June 24, doing this will make the display 50% bigger than on its regular mode.
While the patent doesn’t disclose how this is achieved, it seems like the only way to do it would be to use a rollable display with its axis placed vertically on the left side of the phone.
It’s unlikely that the Seoul-based company would release such a futuristic phone soon. Samsung Display first showed its rollable screen technology in 2016. That OLED panel required a large radius on its roll part to avoid damaging the display and, while a lot of time has passed, it is unlikely the radius has been reduced so much as to allow for the design shown in the patent.
That said, this is clearly where the company is headed. Samsung has already patented another rollable phone that extends vertically.
(Image credit: Lets Go Digital)
LG is also working on rollable phones. The Korean company has already released a rollable product that belongs in a sci-fi movie: the LG Signature OLED TV R, a 65-inch 4K screen that rolls out of a large sound bar.
Samsung is also preparing new alternative formats to the classic candybar design that has become ubiquitous in the phone world. In addition to the Galaxy Fold, the company is reportedly working on a clamshell design like the foldable Motorola Razr. It also may be working on a Galaxy Fold with an outer display, like the Huawei Mate X.
(Image credit: Lets Go Digital)
Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy Fold’s troubles have been fixed, according to executives, and it’s being tested now in the wild before a new launch. The company will likely look at how the market responds before releasing any other foldable or rollable phones.
According to Samsung Mobile CEO DJ Ko, the Korean conglomerate remain committed to flexible displays no matter what. I have no doubt that a phone like the one in this patent awaits three or four years away. | 951 |
Fire and Safety Management Diploma Courses - Ranchi
Fire and safety courses
There are a range of Fire and Safety Courses available in Ranchi and indeed across the world that helps make buildings as safe as possible. The details contained herein will give a basic overview of the kinds of topics that such a course would consist of.In a public building of any kind, it is very important that the maximum occupancy in any part of the building is not exceeded. If too many people are in a building and a fire-related incident occurs, then getting those occupants out quickly might be more difficult. All good fire safety courses will cover this.Other factors that will arise in fire safety courses are having appropriate exit signage - and ensuring that even if there is a power failure, those exit signs will be visible to those who require a swift exit. It is also crucial that fire extinguishers are placed in areas that can be accessed easily so that a fire can be put out before it gets too big. Putting out a fire without appropriate equipment is of course very difficult, and so ensuring extinguishers can be found easily might prevent a very dangerous and costly fire situation developing.While many topics covered by fire safety courses in Ranchi are matters of common sense, it is worth noting how important they are. Keeping flammable materials or liquids away from the main structure for example - or indeed keeping them in a separate building is advisable.Households:-These include inspection of electrical wiring, heating installations, cooking equipment’s, gas lines, furniture and furnishings, and others.Next, there are the safety tools. These include fire extinguishers, flashlights, emergency lights, gas masks, and others. But simply having these tools around is not enough. You must also know how to use them correctly, otherwise, they are useless.This is another very effective method in controlling fire when it actually does occur. Alarm systems allow the people inside the building to learn about the incident early on, allowing them to take necessary actions before it is too late. It is encouraged that every household should install a fire alarm system.There are also courses that focus on equipping children with knowledge about prevention. This is important because during accidents children could get separated from their parents. Therefore it is a good idea to teach them how to be independent of fire safety.It will also help to control the situation during emergency times if there are safety signs installed throughout the building. For example, exits should be identifiable with signs so even people who are not familiar with the building will know where they are. | 952 |
“President Trump was acting as the United States’ cheerleader, his Republican supporters argue. He was derelict in his duty to protect the American public, charge his Democratic opponents.”
Help us improve the state of public discourse.
Searching for Common Meaning in the Age of Polarization The Center - “It is not between Red and Blue states; it is a battle about whether there is meaning outside of politics.” Gonzalo Schwarz and Clay Routledge
When the Press Is Just as Guilty of “Election Interference” The Right - “As for now, journalists of Goldberg’s type are simply in the electoral interference business; and they just so happen to be doing it from within the United States’ own borders and from beneath the mastheads of once-respected magazines.” Tony D. Senatore
Preview: “A Critical Legal Examination of Liberalism and Liberal Rights” The Left - “While we may be cursed to live in interesting times, this presents an opportunity to rethink some of our basic assumptions about the democratic politics of liberal states…” Matt McManus
The Oedipus Complex of a Nation in Flux Criticism - “Reading it specifically in the context of the current societal struggles and apparently widespread cultural conflicts occurring in the United States today, the myth imbues the reader with a redoubled vigilance.” Patrick Burr
Secretary Mattis and “Meditations” on Trump The Right - “Secretary Mattis’ words are a warning and a reminder that our roots were born not of anger but of a deeply felt awareness of human limitation.” Robert Orlando
In Gratitude for the Executive Order on Critical Race Theory The Right - “The Melting Pot is a quaint notion now perhaps (and no longer widely taught to curious young boys and girls), but I find it useful as a basic counterimage to the sophisticated, academic concept of Critical Race Theory now being taught.” Jim Proser
The Case for Civic Nationalism The Center - “If carefully constructed, civic nationalism in the United States can take both conservative and progressive forms.” Michael D. Purzycki
Interview with Ruud Koopmans: Understanding Muslim Immigration to Europe The Center - “[Historically,] Islamic societies were actually more advanced, more liberal, and more tolerant than Western societies. So, there is nothing intrinsic to Islam that explains these problems.” Mark Hecht | 953 |
Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid £3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rue’s contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped £4m off of Flybe’s revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airline’s estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.
You’d hope that most of the current staff are kept along for the ride. They’re a decent bunch, and that’s rare in the City.
But while Mr Diamond is making a noise in the media, and will get the credit if it does happen, it will be down to others to do the work. | 954 |
In the aftermath of a gruesome cartel massacre where gunmen killed nine women and children from a U.S. family and injured several others, Mexico’s president declined the help of U.S. military and security forces to go to “war” with cartels.
During his morning press conference, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) said war is the worst way to deal with cartels and that those who have lived it, know it. The statement came in response to a series of tweets by President Donald Trump, stating that the U.S. was ready to go to “war” upon invitation.
This is the time for Mexico, with the help of the United States, to wage WAR on the drug cartels and wipe them off the face of the earth. We merely await a call from your great new president! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 5, 2019
As Breitbart Texas reported, members of the Lebaron family were traveling the mountainous area between Sonora and Chihuahua, just south of New Mexico when a convoy of gunmen attacked, killing three women and six children while injuring at least six others.
“We thank President Trump and the European governments that want to help, but this is tied to our sovereignty,” Lopez Obrador said claiming that he would have a phone conversation with Trump during the day.
During his conference, Lopez Obrador said there would be no impunity, but war was not the answer. Lopez Obrador claimed in the past that his government will not fight drug cartels with violence, but through economic opportunities and social programs. The approach earned criticism following the failed operation in Culiacan, Sinaloa, when the Mexican military was forced to release one of the sons of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman after gunmen overpowered security forces and threatened to murder innocent women and children.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at [email protected]. | 955 |
Article content continued
McCann also says that the disappearance of his parents is “just agony” for their “devastated” and “frantic” family and tells Vader that he knows deep down that he is a “decent man.”
He ends the message by asking Vader to please tell the police any information he has about where his parents are: “Please Travis … please just tell us.”
Under cross-examination, defence lawyer Brian Beresh asked McCann if it was true what he said in the plea about getting a message from Vader’s sister. McCann replied he didn’t recall, but it must have been true.
“I don’t know why I would make that up,” said McCann, adding he also remembers getting a Facebook message from someone claiming to be Vader’s son.
The cross-examination became testy over some of Beresh’s questions and, at one point, Beresh demanded that McCann refer to Vader as “Mr. Vader.”
McCann also testified about his last night with his parents, saying he and his wife went to the St. Albert home of Lyle McCann, 78, and Marie McCann, 77, on July 2, 2010.
Court has heard the McCanns were last seen leaving a Superstore in St. Albert on July 3, 2010.
Two days later, their motorhome was found ablaze and abandoned at a campground by Minnow Lake near Edson.
Court heard earlier from the couple’s daughter, Trudy Holder, who said her parents were supposed to pick up her and her daughter at the Abbotsford airport on July 10, 2010, but they never showed up.
The 2006 Hyundai Tucson SUV they were towing was found in a remote wooded area east of Edson.
Court heard police found blood spatter from the McCanns on items in the SUV, as well as Vader’s DNA, blood and fingerprints.
Beresh has accused the RCMP of suffering from “tunnel vision” in their pursuit of his 44-year-old client and said it resulted in them failing to pursue other suspects, whose names he said will be revealed during the trial.
He also told court there is no proof the McCanns are dead and said expert witnesses will raise questions about the blood, DNA and fingerprint evidence that is allegedly linked to Vader. | 956 |
It is really taking shape. The future of Virgin Galactic’s fleet of space tourism rockets is currently forming in a non-descript factory in the Mojave Desert, California. As if to prove that the Scaled Composite-design is not a pipe dream, pictures of the first commercial spaceflight vehicle have been released. It looks fairly crude and welded together, but this forms the bare bones of the worlds first viable hi-tech space tourism vehicle. All it needs now are some windows, seats, wings and an engine and we’re good to go!
It is as if Scaled Composites wanted to trump their competitor’s cards with proof that the SpaceShipTwo design is more than just a concept. It seems that everyone is claiming a portion of the space tourism industry, including economy class. Nancy covered XCOR’s press release (26th March) that the company was designing a smaller, cheaper, economy-class space plane, designed to take two people into low-Earth orbit (note: lower Earth orbit than Virgin Galactic’s design). Even the rocket builder Astrium has gotten in on the act, claiming that there will be a market for their mass-produced conventional space plane (18th March), releasing some uber-cool images and simulations of the craft in action.
So the economy-class market has been claimed by XCOR and Astrium has grabbed the “AirBus-in-space” mass-production market. But in the aim to prove that “the original and the best” concept is actually growing beyond the design phase and in full production, Scaled Composites are proving that their spaceship is one step closer than all their competitors: they’re building their spaceship right now.
To rub it in, one photo shows Burt Rutan sitting proudly inside the shell of the SpaceShipTwo cockpit proving they are accelerating production toward a 2009 test-run. These new images are from the production line in a factory in the Californian Mojave Desert.
SpaceShipTwo will carry six people into the lower limit of space and will experience a few minutes of weightlessness. The craft will be helped on its way by the WhiteKnightTwo aircraft, giving the rocket a piggyback ride to 50,000 ft. At this height, SpaceShipTwo will be released and its rockets will blast to life taking the first tourists into space. You can find out more about SpaceShipTwo in a previous Universe Today story.
Source: Popular Mechanics | 957 |
Bitcoin (BTC) trading is coming under the spotlight this week after another flash crash sparked concerns that traders are manipulating markets.
As various social media users noted, including statistician Willy Woo on Nov. 5, unusual occurrences on exchanges give reason to be critical of Bitcoin price movements.
Woo: I’m “highly suspicious” of BTC/USD
As Cointelegraph reported, last week saw sudden erratic behavior at two exchanges — Deribit and Coinbase Pro — which appeared to influence BTC/USD.
On Tuesday, it was CME Group’s Bitcoin futures which continued the trend. In early trading, BTC/USD futures suddenly tanked to below $8,500 before rebounding to $9,300.
CME Bitcoin futures daily chart. Source: TradingView
That lower level previously formed a gap in futures trading — when one session begins higher than where the last ended. Analysts note that Bitcoin often seeks to “fill” those gaps, but in this case, it did so with minimal resources.
“I cannot believe how crazy trading BTCUSD on the short term is right now. The gap on the CME has filled already. It's thinly traded yes. But man, I'm highly suspicious of the price action across all the exchanges of late, more so than usual,” Woo summarized.
Cointelegraph contributor filbfilb reacted similarly, noting the unusual nature of the price filling at CME.
“Don’t know what happened there!” he told subscribers of his dedicated Telegram trading channel on Tuesday.
For Twitter analyst lowstrife meanwhile, the behavior was a “good example” of market manipulation.
“If you look at my original tweet, all the volume printed before the actual dump. But on the 1 minute chart it looks like it was part of the entire move. This is called painting the tape,” the account wrote.
BTC price red herring?
Bitcoin has seen two major run-ups in recent weeks, defying the previous sentiment that markets would remain lower in the months before the May 2020 block reward halving event.
The moves seemed to take analysts by surprise, with BTC/USD recording its second-largest daily gains in history late last month.
Longer-term, 2019 has been characterized by periods of price stability punctuated by sudden upward and downward movements occurring in a matter of minutes or hours. | 958 |
A SON of Sinn Fein TD Aengus O Snodaigh has been accused of assaulting a garda and causing a public order disturbance in north Dublin.
Fearghal O Snodaigh (23) is alleged to have become threatening before resisting arrest and assaulting the officer in an incident at a garda station.
The case against him was adjourned when he appeared before Dublin District Court accused of three offences.
Mr O Snodaigh, of Naas Road, Dublin 8, was summonsed before the court on Thursday to face an allegation that he assaulted Gda Niall Carolan at Ballymun Garda Station.
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The offence is alleged to have happened on February 28 last year.
Mr O Snodaigh is further charged with obstructing Gda Carolan and using threatening, abusive and insulting words or behaviour, with intent to provoke a breach of the peace.
Thursday’s appearance was Mr O Snodaigh’s first court date in relation to the case, and Judge Anthony Halpin adjourned it until a date next month, when the accused is expected to indicate whether he intends to plead guilty to the charges or contest them.
Mr O Snodaigh is not required to be on bail as he was brought to court by way of summons rather than being formally charged.
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He has not yet entered a plea to the charges.
A section two assault charge, unlike the more serious charge of assault causing harm, does not allege any injury was caused and the maximum sentence on conviction is six-month imprisonment.
The offence of obstructing a peace officer also carries a maximum jail term of six months, while those found guilty of breaching the peace can be sentenced to up to three months.
The alleged offences, all of which can only be dealt with summarily in the non-jury district court, are also punishable by fines on conviction.
The accused’s father, Aengus O Snodaigh, has been a TD for Dublin South-Central since 2002.
Herald | 959 |
1. Madagascar (2005)
PG | 1h 26min | animation, kids&family, comedy
Director:- Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath |
Stars:- Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, and others
madagascar is an animated film by DreamWorks in this film four animals live in the zoo they are close friends. one Alex two Gloria three Marty and Melman. Marty wants to go Madagascar than he escapes from zoo than Alex and others gone to find Marty but all animals are captured and sent to forest accidentally they visit Madagascar their Alex behave like a wild animal after the help penguins they ready to go Newyork.
Budget:- $75 million Box-office:- $532.7 million
2. Madagascar Escape 2 Africa (2008)
PG | 1h 29min | animation, action, kids, comedy
Director:- Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath |
Stars:- Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, and others
madagascar escape 2 Africa is a popular and blockbuster movie after the first series director continued the movie. in this movie all ready to go Newyork by plane prepared by penguins, unfortunately, they don't reach New York they reach Africa forest. there, Alex, the lion finds his parents than all are happy with forest zuba is the villain of the film he sends Alex out of the reserve area finally Alex saves his territory by taking back the water.
Budget:- $150 million Box-office:- $603.9 million
Madagascar 3 Europe's Most Wanted (2012)
PG | 1h 33min | action, adventure, animated, comedy, kids&family
Director:- Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, and Conrad Vernon |
Stars:- Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, and others
madagascar 3 Europe's most wanted is continued series of most popular Madagascar franchise. in this film, penguins repair the plane and they took gold and diamond than gone to Europe by lifting Alex friends. alex and three animals plan to get penguins. they success to get penguins but they commit with the problem. DuBois is the villain of the film. Alex and his friends meet new friends in the circus company Alex purchased the circus Alex give new techniques to improve Circus company finally they won against villain Dubois they spend their life with the circus. | 960 |
For The first time ever, researchers in India have sequenced the entire genome of neem tree (Azadirachta Indica) in its entirety.
A team of ten researchers at Ganit Labs an integrated genomics lab in Bangalore set up earlier this year under a public-private partnership between Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology and Strand Life Sciences, a bioinformatics company has successfully sequenced the genome of the plant known for its medicinal properties.
"This is the first time the genome of a higher organism has been sequenced in India," the head of Ganit Labs Binay Panda told a press conference Thursday.
Researchers in the US and elsewhere have sequenced genomes of several complex organisms but neem plant is not one of them.
"We have traditionally known the medicinal properties of neem," Panda said. "Understanding its genetic complexity will help in developing agriculturally important compounds and pharmaceuticals. For instance, pesticidal compound Azadirachtin is found in neem seeds in wildly varying concentrations. With genetic understanding and engineering, Azadirachtin content in neem could potentially be increased and normalised."
The not-for-profit lab is setting up an online open access data bank where it will publish information on the genome architecture, coding parts and molecular evolution of neem plant.
The findings from the project, a results of extensive interdisciplinary collaboration, will be sent to a peer-reviewed journal for review and publication.
Translational genomics aside, the study has also thrown up scientifically significant findings. "For instance, some of the genetic data suggests similarities with citrus family, which is unexpected given that neem is a woody tree," Panda said, adding that scientists were yet to understand the evolutionary context of neem tree.
Vijay Chandru, chairman and CEO of Strand Life Sciences,which built the informatics to process the huge cache of data generated during the sequencing process, said this was just a beginning. "With second-generation sequencing equipment getting cheaper and smaller, India is beginning to realise the promise of genomics. By 2025, the biotech industry in India should be as big as the IT industry," he said, adding that private-public partnership would help attract much-needed talent to the sector.
... contd.
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Please read our terms of use before posting comments | 961 |
my head waiting for my gut to figure out what to write" or something along those lines. With that description given, it's much easier for me to say "aha, my gut doesn't know what to write first; I'll make an outline on a whiteboard or some other place that feels non-committal."
"Try" is a useful word, but saying that you're "trying" to do something is a high level description, and it can often hide some very silly behaviors, like "sitting around staring at the problem waiting for enough time to pass that I can give up without losing face."
Occasionally, I tell people who come to me for advice that "try" is a fine and useful word, but saying that you're trying is something that other people get to say about you, not a thing that you get to say about yourself. Others get to say "they're trying to save that person's life," but you only get to say "I'm performing chest compressions while thinking back to remember my CPR training."
This isn't always the most useful advice; there is, after all, a reason why 'try' is such a short word. There are many situations where it's quite useful to communicate something like "I'm trying to prove this lemma; can you help?", and there are many other cases where it can be useful to use the word 'try' even when thinking about yourself to yourself. Nevertheless, there is a helpful sentiment buried in the above advice, and I have often found it useful to cash out my "try"s.
As such, I recommend, as an exercise, spending a few weeks refusing to use the word 'try'. This can help you train yourself to notice the difference between "trying" as in taking intelligent, concrete, fruitful actions; versus "trying" as in waiting for enough time to pass that you can safely say "well I tried."
This probably isn't what Yoda actually meant by "there is no try." Nevertheless, I like to imagine Luke nodding and saying "Oh, right; there is no try. I will close my eyes, relax, let the force flow through me, focus my mind, concentrate on a mental image of my X-wing, and then will it to lift, with no regard for its actual mass." That's the level of granularity at which you can tell whether a cashed-out "try" is a pre-emptive excuse for failure or an intelligent attempt to succeed. | 962 |
It appears that tech issues on Capitol Hill will have some new key players next year as a result of Tuesday’s congressional elections.
An apparent loss by Rep. Mary Bono Mack, R-Calif., means the gavel will change hands on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, which deals with consumer privacy issues.
The chairman of the House Homeland Security Cybersecurity Subcommittee, Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Calif., also could lose his seat—the nine-term congressman was trailing his Democratic challenger Ami Bera by 184 votes, a margin that could prompt a recount after the election results are certified.
The entertainment industry lost a strong supporter, Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., who is currently the second-ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, which handles copyright and patent laws. Berman was soundly defeated by another Democratic incumbent, Rep. Brad Sherman, after redistricting in California.
Finally, the House Energy and Commerce Committee will lose a Republican member, Rep. Charlie Bass of New Hampshire, who lost his bid for reelection to Democrat Ann McLane Kuster in a rematch of their 2010 race. Bass has been a member of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee as well as the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade.
Bono Mack, who trailed Democratic challenger Raul Ruiz on Wednesday morning, held several hearings in the last two years on whether Congress should pass consumer privacy legislation. But she remained skeptical about the need for such legislation. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., is the current vice chairman of Bono Mack’s subcommittee, but other GOP members of the Energy and Commerce Committee could make a bid for the subcommittee chairmanship.
Two other Energy and Commerce members in tight races appear to have won reelection. Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., won a narrow victory over Democrat John Ewing, while in Utah, Democratic Rep. Jim Matheson eked out a slim win over GOP challenger Mia Love.
Terry is in line to chair the Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee following the primary defeat of the current chairman, Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla.
Berman, a member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet, was a strong supporter of the controversial House anti-piracy bill known as the Stop Online Piracy Act. Sherman also initially supported SOPA but backed away from the measure after it was sidelined in January following a major protest from Internet activists and the tech industry. | 963 |
it's never going to be competitive with building a rural road that serves far fewer people.
Building for greater density, too, even if it is more expensive, is good for the economy. Americans should of course live where they like. Yet residents of dense areas boast higher average income than rural areas, and cities such as New York and Boston, which rely on public transportation, offer more opportunities for people without high incomes.
The Trump infrastructure plan is unfair, and economically unwise, beyond money. The proposal would also cede far more control to state politicians for rural projects than for urban or suburban ones. The rural program would provide 80 percent of its $50 billion, or $40 billion, to governors, who would “have discretion to choose individual investments to respond to the unique rural needs of their states,” the proposal says.
That's a stark contrast with the larger $100 billion program for everyone else. For the bigger program, the federal government, not governors, will decide which projects to fund under a complex, likely manipulable formula involving predictions about matters such as “the incorporation of new and evolving technologies” – sometimes a good thing and sometimes not in the real world – and “ economic and social returns on investment.” Yet officials in urban areas often govern more people than entire states. The mayor of New York City has 8.5 million constituents, more than each of all but 11 states.
This strategy might be forgivable in a different context. Wealthier areas of the country have long subsidized poorer ones via the federal tax code, and this program would be no different. The difference today, though, is that the new federal tax law, signed last December, makes it far more difficult for states such as New York and California, and the cities within them, to raise money on their own, if they want to improve their infrastructure despite the paucity of federal funds on offer. Limiting the ability of wealthier individuals to deduct their state and local taxes to $10,000 annually will make raising state and local tax rates, and even maintaining existing rates, much harder.
The infrastructure proposal, then, would force richer urban areas to pay for poorer rural areas' infrastructure – even as it makes it harder for them to fund their own projects. Sure, the proposal has some merits, including the streamlining of permitting. But the overall philosophy outweighs those merits.
Nicole Gelinas is a contributing editor to the Manhattan Institute's City Journal. Twitter: @nicolegelinas | 964 |
SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — If you think you're receiving robocalls now more than ever, you're not wrong. According to the robocall blocker YouMail, pre-recorded phone messages are at an all-time high.
There were 3.36 billion robocalls last month in the U.S., 6.5 percent higher than the previous record and a whopping 34 percent higher than April 2017. Suffolk residents received an estimated 10.8 million robocalls last month alone, the company estimated.
Here's how that breaks down in the Suffolk area. Area code: 631 Total robocalls in April: 10.8 million Population affected: 1.5 million Average calls per person: 7.3
Here are the top five robocallers to the 631 area code last month:
Robocaller Caller ID Caller Type 516-494-3573 Home Solar Solar Energy Spam 800-955-6600 Capital One Payments/Collections Payments/Debt 631-386-8506 HVAC Scam Unknown Robocaller 800-942-3767 Substitute Teacher Notification Job Availability Call 518-952-3396 Business Loan Pre-Approved Scam Business Loan Scam With more than 384 million received robocalls, California earned the top spot for most robocalled state, followed by Texas with 363.3 million. New York ranked 5th in the country for robocalls at 207.8 million.
Here are the states that received the most robocalls, as well as how many they received:
California, 384.4 million Texas, 363.3 million Florida, 261.1 million Georgia, 213.6 million New York, 207.8 million Illinois, 134.6 million Ohio, 115.8 million Pennsylvania, 115.4 million North Carolina, 111 million Louisiana, 97.6 million The company says 47 of the 50 most robocalled cities in the country saw a higher robocalling volume in April. The increase comes even as lawmakers, consumer groups, telecommunications carriers and device makers pay closer attention to illegal calls.
"Despite the best efforts of regulators, industry groups, service providers, and app developers, we are warning consumers to remain vigilant by not picking up any calls from unfamiliar numbers, using robocall blocking apps, and researching numbers before calling them back," YouMail CEO Alex Quilici said in a release. Click here and enter an area code to see the full results. | 965 |
Summary
Job Title
Location
Job Description
Work closely with individual players by talking 1 on 1, discussing strategy, reviewing scrims and solo queue tape, playing 1 vs 1’s, or any additional activities that may be requested from the staff and players.
Report session results and takeaways to staff and coaching.
Work with staff to build and use analytics tools
Evaluate opposing teams: their individual players picks and tendencies.
Monitor the overall health and condition of the individual player.
Deliver performance results.
Read & answer emails promptly. Carry out plans from supervisors and communicate needs for resources.
Job Requirements
Must be at least Masters tier.
Capable of working in partnership with both coaches and players.
A baseline understanding the latest in statistical research and analytic trends across eSports.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
If applying for the Mid or ADC roles, you must speak both Korean and English.
Education and Relevant Job Experience
Application Process
SUBJECT LINE: [Tier, Name and Role]. For example, [Challenger 300lp, Steve Arhancet and Support].
COVER LETTER: That demonstrates your written communication skills that MUST include:
A link to your in-game profile showing your solo queue rating
A link to a video clip of you explaining the laning phase of your respective role you are applying for for any game you choose. The clips should be no longer than 5 minutes long.
No resume is required
For the 2016 NA LCS, Team Liquid is looking to add positional coaches to the League of Legends staff. As a position coach for Team Liquid, you will interface with the League of Legends players, teams, and staff to optimize a roles performance. The job is remote and will look to start in November 2015.Since it is remote, this posting is open to all regions. We are looking for candidates with a very high level of in-game skill and enjoy working in both 1 on 1 and team settings.Position Coach, eSportsRemote: Part-time Contractor: Varied based on experience: Remote, but if located in Santa Monica welcome to come to offices to workA high solo-queue rating and any previous League of Legends competitive experience (whether playing or coaching).To apply, please email [email protected] with the following items:: | 966 |
said.
Local production is a core component of the food security roadmap, according to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore, a state agency that helps farmers upgrade with technical know-how, research and overseas study tours.
Given its land constraints, AVA has also been looking to unlock more spaces, including underutilized or alternative spaces, and harness technological innovations to “grow more with less”, a spokeswoman said by email.
INTRINSIC VALUE
A visit to the Kranji countryside, just a 45-minute drive from the city’s bustling downtown, and where dozens of farms are located, offers a view of the old and the new.
Livestock farms and organic vegetable plots sit alongside vertical farms and climate-controlled greenhouses.
Yet many long-time farmers are fearful of the future, as the government pushes for upgrades and plans to relocate more than 60 farms by 2021 to return land to the military.
Many farms might be forced to shut down, said Chelsea Wan, a second-generation farmer who runs Jurong Frog Farm.
“It’s getting tougher because leases are shorter, it’s harder to hire workers, and it’s expensive to invest in new technologies,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
“We support the government’s effort to increase productivity through technology, but we feel sidelined,” she said.
Wan is a member of the Kranji Countryside Association, which has tried to spur local interest in farming by welcoming farmers’ markets, study tours, homestays and weddings.
Small peri-urban farms at the edge of the city - like those in Kranji - are not just necessary for food security, Eng said.
“The countryside is an inalienable part of our heritage and nation-building, and the farms have an intrinsic value for education, conservation, the community and tourism,” he said.
At the rooftop farm on Orchard Road, Lim looks on as brisk, elderly Singaporeans - whom he has hired to get around the worker shortage - harvest, sort and pack the day’s output.
“It’s not a competition between urban farms and landed farms; it’s a question of relevance,” he said.
“You have to ask: what works best in a city like Singapore?” | 967 |
Her feet severely burned and her mother nowhere in sight, an injured bear cub was rescued by firefighters from the 416 fire burning outside of Durango last week.
At first, wildlife officials weren’t confident in the baby bruin’s prognosis.
“When the bear was brought in I wasn’t sure if it was going to make it,” Michael Sirochman, manager of Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Frisco Creek facility where the bear is being treated, said in a written statement. “But she’s responding very well to treatment and by winter we believe we’ll be able to return her to the wild.”
Officials say the cub was discovered wandering alone through a burned area by firefighters working the wildland blaze. They called wildlife officers, who on June 22 found the bear in a tree with burns to her feet, but otherwise healthy.
“We weren’t optimistic at first,” Matt Thorpe, CPW’s area wildlife manager in Durango, said in a written statement. “It probably hadn’t eaten in a couple of days, but it had survived on its own, so we wanted to give it a chance.”
The bear is being treated for her injuries and fed liquid milk.
“We have good luck returning young bears to the wild. We’re very strict about minimizing human contact,” Sirochman said in his statement.
CPW biologists said in a news release Friday that while some wildlife injuries in forest fires are likely, research has shown that most terrestrial animals are able to flee the imminent danger.
“When possible, CPW responds to reports of injured animals during forest fires,” the agency said. “Following forest fires, fish and other aquatic life that live in mountain streams are most susceptible due to the possibility of ash flows from burned hillsides.”
As of Friday morning, the 416 fire was burning on more than 41,000 acres and was 37 percent contained.
“Yes, the fire is bigger and will get bigger,” the firefighting command said in a Facebook post Friday. “Yes, there will be smoke. But Mother Nature and the terrain are really in charge of what the fire does and all we can do is take advantage of opportunities that present themselves.”
To-date, the firefighting effort has cost north of $25 million. | 968 |
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Newcastle United have reportedly joined the race for Liverpool’s Divock Origi.
According to The Telegraph, Newcastle United are in the race to sign Liverpool striker Divock Origi before Thursday’s transfer deadline, joining Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur among other clubs.
The Magpies have landed one striker this summer in Spaniard Joselu, and he marked his first league start with a goal against West Ham United, but question marks still linger over the futures of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dwight Gayle.
Manager Rafael Benitez has been frustrated in the transfer market this summer but may now hope to land another striker, with a raid on former club Liverpool potentially on the cards.
The Telegraph report that Newcastle are interested in securing the services of Liverpool striker Divock Origi, who has allegedly been told that he could leave before the transfer deadline as he pursues first-team football.
If Liverpool bring in a new signing – preferably Monaco’s Thomas Lemar – then Origi could leave, possibly in a part-exchange deal for Lemar himself, but a whole host of other clubs are also thought to be keen.
Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur, Marseille, Inter Milan, Juventus, Sampdoria, Bayer Leverkusen, Werder Bremen and Wolfsburg are also understood to be interested in signing Origi, either on loan or permanently.
Origi, 22, joined Liverpool from Lille in the summer of 2014, and having been loaned back to the French side for a season, he joined up with the Reds in 2015 – and he has hit 21 goals in 76 games in all competitions for Jurgen Klopp’s men.
The Belgian international, who broke out at the 2014 World Cup to spark his move to Liverpool, has struggled to nail down a starting role at Anfield, and now finds himself behind Roberto Firmino, Daniel Sturridge and possibly even summer signing Dominic Solanke.
Newcastle could now emerge as a possible destination for Origi if he wants to play first-team football this season, but the Magpies will not only have to fend off major competition from the likes of Tottenham – who are looking for competition for Harry Kane – but also hope that Liverpool bring in new faces to free up Origi before the deadline.
In other news, Tony Pulis sends warning to Leeds & comments on Marcelo Bielsa | 969 |
New York state aims to produce 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2040.
Legislators have devised a new plan to fight climate change in collaboration with some of the state’s top lawmakers. They also hope to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent by 2040.
New York will increase the production of renewable energy sources, including solar and wind power, and will promote energy efficiency to achieve its targets.
The proposed Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act was agreed by the Senate and will now go to a vote in the Assembly. There are some opponents of the bill, who maintain that jobs could be lost in the energy sector and prices could increase.
Tackling the ‘Issue of Our Lifetime’
Governor Andrew Cuomo maintains there’s nothing more important than fighting climate change, labeling it the “issue of our lifetime” on public radio, The Guardian reports.
More states are taking environmental action; both Hawaii and California have pledged to produce 100 percent renewable energy by 2045.
Many legislators believe that the country’s government is failing to take appropriate action to tackle climate change. President Trump is widely acknowledged as a climate change denier, pulling the U.S. out of the Paris climate agreement in 2017.
During the president’s recent state visit to the UK, Prince Charles attempted to convince him of the importance of tackling climate change.
When he later spoke about the conversation with TV presenter Piers Morgan, Trump said that he “totally listened” to the prince, but then continued to refer to the climate crisis as a “change in the weather.”
Andrea Stewart-Cousins, New York State Senate majority leader, said of the new bill, “as our leaders in Washington fail to take action, New York needs to lead in this time of great crises for our planet.”
Activists and environmental advocates have praised the new bill, however, some are concerned that it does not go far enough.
Food & Water Watch is a multinational organization advocating for sustainability, renewable energy, and clean water for all. Its senior organizer Eric Weltman has criticized the new proposed legislation, claiming the 2040 target is too far away.
He told The Guardian, “this legislation would move New York in the right direction, but much too slowly. The climate crisis demands that New York do more and faster to move off fossil fuels.” | 970 |
Updated Dell is warning customers that there is malware on some of its server motherboards.
The PowerEdge R410 Rack server has spyware within its embedded systems management software.
The direct seller is sending customers letters warning of the danger and also telephoning those affected.
A post in a support forum says customers should hear from Dell shortly. It does not provide any technical explanation of what type of spyware is included with the hardware or what extra cleaning process customers should go through.
Some forms of malware are likely to have spread if the hardware has been attached to a network.
We've put calls in to Dell UK and will update this story when we hear more.
The forum post, from yesterday morning, is here.
The forum poster was concerned not to have more technical information - and that the call he received to book technical support said the call might not happen for up to ten days.
In response a Dell support staffer said there was an issue with a small number of service motherboard stock - new PowerEdge systems are not infected. He said the malware would not infect non-Windows servers.
Update:
Dell sent us the following statement:
“Dell is aware of the issue and is contacting affected customers. The issue affects a limited number of replacement motherboards in four servers - PowerEdge R310, PowerEdge R410, PowerEdge R510 and PowerEdge T410 – and only potentially manifests itself when a customer has a specific configuration and is not running current anti-virus software. This issue does not affect systems as shipped from our factory and is limited to replacement parts only. Dell has removed all impacted motherboards from its service supply chain and new shipping replacement stock does not contain the malware. Customers can find more information on Dell’s community forum.” – Forrest Norrod, vice president and general manager of server platforms at Dell.
Fortunately the forum has also been updated with information which answers some of the relevant questions - the malware was found in the flash on motherboards, not in firmware. It is a W32.Spybot worm which should be detected by any decent anti-virus software.
Dell said that less than one per cent of boards shipped have the infection. Systems using an iDRAC Express or iDRAC Enterprise card will not be damaged. In fact systems will only be hit if you run an update to either Unified Server Configurator (USC) or 32-bit Diagnostics.
® | 971 |
Study shows birds eavesdrop on owls and change their dusk singing patterns to avoid becoming potential prey
If you hear an owl hooting at dusk, don't expect to catch the flute-like song of a Veery nearby. This North American thrush has probably also heard the hoots, and is singing much less to ensure that it does not become an owl's next meal.
Research by Kenneth Schmidt of Texas Tech University and Kara Loeb Belinsky of Arcadia University in the US, published in Springer's journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, provides insights into just how eavesdropping between predators and prey around dusk may be shaping communication in birds.. The study is the first to use the playback of recorded owl vocalization at sunset to study how birds change their behavior when potential predators are heard nearby.
Perching birds are generally more exposed during periods of extended singing. They are less vigilant and their song can often attract the attention of a predator to their fixed location. Despite this risk, dawn and dusk chorusing is a common trait. One such perching bird is the Veery (Catharus fuscescens), a common small brown and white thrush that is most active during the day. Its most common call is a harsh, descending "vee-er", from which the bird gets its name. This particularly vocal bird has a breezy, flute-like song, a pronounced dusk chorus and is often heard singing well after sunset.. This behavior could potentially expose the bird to predation.
The study was done on the forested property of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, New York, where up to three pairs of barred owls live. This owl species is known to be a predator of Veeries. The researchers found that the Veeries reduced their singing patterns for up to 30 minutes after recorded owl sounds were played. The songbirds also displayed fewer extended singing bouts at dusk and stopped singing much earlier in the evening.
"Singing becomes much more risky in the low light of dusk when owls are around," explains Schmidt. "However, by eavesdropping on owls, Veeries can adapt their singing behavior to decrease the risk of predation."
Schmidt adds that the study of the avian dusk chorus has been largely ignored relative to the more well-researched dawn chorus. "Further studies of dusk chorus singing may reveal how the risk of being attacked by predators has contributed to the evolution of singing behavior at dusk," he believes. | 972 |
Product Description
UniquePro Lite is a Bootstrap Admin Templates with a modern design concept.
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SOCIAL MEDIA | 973 |
OUR PLANNED ECOSYSTEM
The Privatix Network Core — is the fundament of what we call the ‘Privatix Ecosystem’. We estimate that the P2P VPN Dapp will be our first Dapp which will utilize the available bandwidth on the network. Our ecosystem consists of the easy to use Privatix Core software, which is one of the primary components of the Network. This allows users to join the Network and start selling their internet bandwidth. We intend to cover all major operational systems.
Below an overview of the Core Software. We intend to pave the way for many other developers to develop products which utilize the network bandwidth supply.
ProxyMarket API
Another example of our ecosystem is the residential proxies monetization. When the Privatix Network is established, it may contain a large number of exit nodes and most of them may have residential IP-addresses. For companies, residential proxies are a vital and also scarce resource. The product may include an advanced API that allows anyone to rent proxies (traffic) of Privatix Network Agents in a convenient and easy way.
Faas (freedom as a service SDK)
A powerful SDK that may let developers stop worrying whether their app will be blocked in some country. Privatix intent to provide a mobile SDK that is easy to integrate into mobile applications or software and gives developers the ability to send the traffic via the Privatix Network’s secure Agents’ proxies. This may ensure users that they always have secure and private access to their applications and are never blocked.
Monetization SDK
The most popular monetization methods for developers are paid subscription and ad placement. Both methods always lead to a huge outflow of users, and a decrease in virality as users do not like to pay or watch ads. We may propose to developers an SDK that may help to monetize their apps without ads or paid content. By installing the SDK, developers may be able to monetize a portion of users’ spare bandwidth and receive payments for the traffic.
Hardware routers — Privatix.BOX
A portable advanced VPN router with a pre-set configuration that may allow connection to the Privatix Network as a bandwidth seller or a buyer without installing special software. Also, it may allow sharing VPN-protected connection via Wi-Fi.
Like you can see, all these products will work together and form the ecosystem we envision. Targeting not only consumers but also towards businesses and app developers alike. | 974 |
‘Demons’ used to explain mental illness
Dr Hari D Maharajh, senior lecturer in psychiatry in the department of Clinical Medicine, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, said at a mental health seminar on the weekend, that some religious leaders of the Muslim, Hindu and Christian faiths wrongly advise their followers that their mental problems were the result of demons.
The mental health seminar was hosted by the South-West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) at the Naparima Bowl. Admitting that his presentation would be controversial, the psychiatrist spoke on the topic- “Insanity in the Trinidadian society.”
Saying he was not “bashing religion”, Maharajh said that too many religious leaders were advising followers that psychological problems were as a result of “demonic activity” and other supernatural entities.
He cited a case where a young woman had been told by a minister of religion that she had been possessed by 13 demons which had to be “cast out” from her body, however only 12 were successfully exorcised and when the minister was unable to cast out the final “spirit”, the young woman was referred to him (Dr Maharajh). He diagnosed her as suffering from a mental illness and after a course of treatment, she was cured.
In another instance, he said, a young woman was denied access to medical treatment by relatives who instead believed that the woman would be “resurrected” by her deceased grandmother.
The young woman died and her body lay at her home for four days until neighbours complained about a foul smell and alerted the police who discovered the remains.
“Religion is being abused in Trinidad and Tobago and is instead being used for personal gain,” Maharajh said; adding that certain foreign medical doctors were now “preaching” to their patients and sporting the fruits of their preaching- fancy new cars and large houses.
“What is the difference between a priest and an obeah man? A priest deals with white magic and the obeah man deals with black magic...so there is no difference,” he said.
Dr Maharajh questioned the degree of funding which was being given to the sector from the Ministry of Health’s budget and observed that the San Fernando General Hospital’s, (SFGH) Ward One facility, which treats patients with mental illnesses, was in a state of disrepair. | 975 |
Things I Love About Bundler
So I’ve been working with working with Rails 3 and bundler full time for a month and a half now and it’s going swimmingly.
Here are some things that bundler does that I think are awesome.
Gems from git repositories
We use custom forks of arel and savon in our project. Before bundler, managing this would have been a mix of submodules/braid/piston and custom gem files that could easily become a mess. With bundler we just throw this in our Gemfile and we’re done.
gem'savon', :git => 'git://github.com/hoopla/savon.git' gem 'arel', :git => '[email protected]:hoopla/arel.git'
Gems from the local file system
Much like loading from git, bundler also handles loading gems from a local path. This is great if you want to try out some ideas on a gem, but you’re not yet sure if gem is worth forking.
gem'mygem', :path => '/path/to/my/gem'
What’s especially awesome is that bundler wires things up so that source modifications get picked up without any sort of repackaging or reinstalling. This beats the pants off of the change source > repackage gem > reinstall gem > test cycle that was so easy to fall into before bundler.
It actually works
I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a real Rails 2 project on which rake gems:install really worked. There were always a couple of gems (rspec) that you needed to install separately. bundle install on the other hand works pretty much every time.
Now of course it’s not all rainbows and unicorns. Bundler seems to take up some extra startup time beyond what I was used to on Rails 2. And I often wish there were a way to make it check git repositories for updates a little less aggressively. But for 0.9.22, I’m impressed. Hats off to carlhuda, indirect and any others that appear beyond page 3 of the commit log for all their hard work on it.
Sorry, but comments are powered by Disqus which requires JavaScript. Feel free to email me any thoughts you may have. | 976 |
Since the day Amazon released a request for proposals announcing its intentions to open a new, second headquarters, cities all over the continent have been lining up to make their pitch to bring the economic development bonanza to their town. Commentary on the subject of Amazon's impending decision has coalesced into several themes:
Does Our Fair City Have What it Takes to Win Amazon's Second Headquarters?
I Am an Expert on Cities and Here Is Where I Predict Amazon Will Locate its Second Headquarters
Silly Cities Trying for the Second Amazon Headquarters But We All Know Have No Chance
Amazon Wants an Urban Area for its Second Headquarters, but Options Are Limited
Cities Will Break the Bank Pursuing the Second Amazon Headquarters
The Texas Miracle—Amazon Edition
Any Headline With the Words Amazon and Trump
There might be some outliers, but that about covers it.
Today, October 19, 2017, is the day bids were due on Amazon's request for proposals, and hundreds of cities have lined up to throw their hats in the ring. Twitter has been overwhelmed by the #AmazonHQ2 hashtag, local and national media outlets alike have mobilized to cover the horse race, and cities and states are clamoring to share the fruits of a month of over-time and multi-media strategizing.
So here is a compendium of all the media coverage, social media blasts, and promotional materials I could scrape off the Internet this morning, on this Amazoniest of days. I'll do my best to add more as I find more, and of course, we'll be waiting for the big day when Amazon is going to disappoint all of these bidders but one. For the record, I have no idea which city Amazon will pick, but I do have an idea that the prize might not be worth the price.
Cities Make Their Pitch
National Perspective
Department of Dissent
Institutional Offerings
#AmazonHQ2
#RocAmazon: Regional showcase video for Buffalo-Rochester Metro Corridor's joint Amazon HQ2 bid effort. Do you think Rochester has a chance? pic.twitter.com/yIGyaOmEY6 — news10nbc (@news10nbc) October 19, 2017
Today's the deadline for #AmazonHQ2 bids. North Texas is submitting a regional pitch. Watch the promotional video: https://t.co/PXqkgiE6FG — KERA News (@keranews) October 19, 2017 | 977 |
all whom are illegally armed groups – is just part of the cynical game to conceal the fact that Washington and its allies are waging a criminal war against a sovereign nation.
As independent investigative journalist Vanessa Beeley told this author: «The labelling by the US of any extremist faction fighting in Syria as a Free Syrian Army division is nothing more than a cynical marketing ploy to rebrand these group as ‘moderate’».
Beeley says that the Maghawir al Thawra militants whom the US claim to be protecting in a supposed campaign to defeat ISIS is just another instance of Washington «rebranding terror groups as moderates».
Another giveaway to the real nature of this US-patronized group came from a Reuters report in which one of the Maghawir commanders was interviewed.
Maghawir al Thawra spokesman Abu al Atheer said the goal of the US forces was to take the eastern Syrian city of Deir Ezzor. That city is already under the control of the Syrian government forces and their allies. If the US and its militants were motivated to defeat ISIS, then why are they moving on Deir Ezzor?
The Maghawir commander also revealed his extremist ideological affiliations when he went on to talk about Iranian-backed forces allied with the Syrian government. «The battle is not over and we will not allow the Iranian Shi'ites to occupy our land. Our response to those who stand against us will be cruel», he told Reuters.
Recall this is the same supposedly «moderate» group whom the US, British and Norwegian NATO troops are training at Al Tanf and for which the US has installed long-range artillery batteries in «an act of self-defense».
Events in Syria seem to be spiraling toward a bigger international war. This week Iran hit ISIS bases near Deir Ezzor with medium range ballistic missiles fired from inside Iranian territory. Tehran says the action was coordinated with the Syrian government. Meanwhile, the US is stepping up its direct assault on Syrian government forces.
Another telling development in the slide to wider war is that the US forces are moving towards blatantly defending jihadists like Maghawir al Thawra from Syrian, Russian and Iranian forces who are the only ones actually taking the battle to defeat jihadists. The US mask of hiding behind «moderate rebels» is slipping. Washington is now seen to be increasingly at war in Syria. It seems only a matter of time before US forces come into direct clash with Russian and Iranian military. | 978 |
Image copyright Metropolitan Police Image caption The three men were wearing these belts during the attack at London Bridge
Police have released images of the fake explosives belts worn by the men who carried out the London Bridge attack.
Khuram Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba wore the belts as they stabbed people in Borough Market.
The officer leading the investigation said use of the belts was a "tactic" he had not seen before in the UK and one that created "maximum fear".
The belts were still on the attackers, who murdered eight people, when they were shot dead by police.
Each belt had three disposable water bottles covered in adhesive tape attached to them.
Commander Dean Haydon, of the Metropolitan Police, said anyone who had seen the belts on the night would have thought they were genuine.
"I have not seen this tactic in the UK before, where terrorists create maximum fear by strapping fake explosives to themselves," he said.
"It makes the bravery of those police officers and members of the public who tackled the terrorists even more remarkable."
Commander Haydon said it was hard to speculate what the motive had been for wearing the belts, but said the three attackers may have had plans for a siege or might have seen them as possible protection from being shot themselves.
The photos were released a day after police revealed that the attackers had tried to hire a 7.5 tonne lorry to run people over on London Bridge during the 3 June attack.
The men failed to provide payment details and the vehicle was not picked up, prompting them to use a smaller van from a DIY store instead.
All eight victims of the attack have been named.
They were 30-year-old Canadian national Chrissy Archibald, Australian Kirsty Boden, 28, Australian Sara Zelenak, 21, James McMullan, 32, from Hackney, London, Frenchmen Alexandre Pigeard, 26, Xavier Thomas, 45, and chef Sebastien Belanger, 36, and Spaniard Ignacio Echeverria, 39.
Image caption Eight people were killed in the attack last Saturday.
Since the attack, 20 people have been arrested, with 13 buildings searched. Seven people remain in custody.
The police said they had questioned 262 witnesses from 19 countries - of which 78 are classed as "significant" - but they believe there are more people with information and have urged them to come forward. | 979 |
NEW DELHI: Food inflation jumped to a 71-month high in November pushing wholesale price inflation to a higher trajectory and helped break a three-month trend of deceleration.Data released by the commerce and industry ministry on Monday showed inflation as measured by the wholesale price index rose an annual 0.6% in November, higher than the 0.2% in the previous month, but lower than the 4.5% recorded in the year-ago period.The increase in inflation during November was largely led by a sharp surge in food article inflation which shot up an annual 11.1% during the month rising from the 9.8% posted in the previous. Earlier data showed that food inflation under retail inflation had shot up to double digit in November after nearly six years, led by a surge in vegetable prices.Onion price inflation rose 172.3% in November, rising from previous month’s 119.8% in October. Vegetables rose an annual 45.3% during the month, rising from 38.91% in the previous month.Inflation in the manufactured goods continued to witness deflation for the third straight month at (-) 0.8%, unchanged from a month ago and lower than the 4.2% recorded in November 2018 which economist said indicated a lack of pricing power for manufacturers.“We are expecting the WPI inflation to be little lower than 1% during the year mainly on account of deflationary trend in the manufacturing and fuel and power segment. Going ahead the base effect will fade which might lead to some uptick in the overall wholesale inflation,” said Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at CARE Ratings.Aditi Nayar, principal economist at ratings agency ICRA, said the CPI inflation exceeded the WPI inflation for the seventh month in a row in November 2019. “The wedge between the two widened substantially during the month, with the sharp uptick in the retail inflation (to +5.5% in November 2019 from +4.6% in October 2019) compared to the milder pickup in wholesale inflation (to +0.6% from +0.2%),” said Nayar.She said while the surge in vegetable prices will eventually reverse, the elevated inflation for pulses needs to be watched with caution, unless rabi sowing picks up pace. Economists expect the RBI to hold rates given the uptick in inflation. “We continue to expect a pause in the next monetary policy review, based on the expectation that the CPI inflation will harden further in December 2019,” said Nayar. | 980 |
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A 69-year-old Dutch man, who claims to be a “young god,” has launched a legal bid to change his age to 49, with the hope of amassing better Tinder matches.
Meet Emile Ratelband, a life coach and “positivity guru” who wants to legally change his birth date to March 11, 1969 because his current age has the man “limited.”
“When I’m 69, I am limited. If I’m 49, then I can buy a new house, drive a different car,” Ratelband told British newspaper The Guardian. “I can take up more work. When I’m on Tinder and it says I’m 69, I don’t get an answer. When I’m 49, with the face I have, I will be in a luxurious position.”
READ MORE: Facebook launches new dating platform — this is how it differs from the rest
0:57 Facebook is getting into the dating game Facebook is getting into the dating game
Ratelband, a single father, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) he had also tried to stop collecting his pension, and compared his bid to change his age to those who identify as transgender.
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Emile Ratelband pictured in Arnhem, Netherlands on November 5, 2018. Roland Heitink/AFP/Getty Images
“Today we can choose our work, gender, political and sexual orientation. We even have the right to change our name,” Ratelband said. “So why do we not have the right to change our age?”
Ratelband claims doctors have told him he has the body of 45-year-old man.
READ MORE: Facebook enters crowded dating scene — here’s what it means for users
Ratelband’s lawyer acknowledged to AFP his client’s case is a long shot.
“This case is unprecedented, there is no jurisprudence,” Jan-Hein Kuijpers said. “The chances of success are minimal but we believe that the legislation must evolve with the times.”
According to the news service, a Dutch court must decide within four weeks whether the motivational speaker can legally take 20 years off his life.
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Original data (134Cs and 137Cs, and sampling location) of marine products in Fukushima Prefecture monitored during 2011–2015 (n = 32,492) were analyzed to present an updated detailed description of radiocesium contamination after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident and to examine taxon/habitat-specific decreasing trends in different areas. Furthermore, marine species data presented by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) during 2012–2015 (n = 5458) were analyzed to evaluate the decreasing trends of 137Cs inside and outside (within a 20 km radius) of the FDNPP port. Monitoring results by Fukushima Prefecture show that percentages of samples higher than the Japanese regulatory limit of 100 Bq kg−1-wet (>RL%) were higher, whereas those below the detection limit (<DL%) (mean 8.3 and 7.4 Bq kg−1-wet for 134Cs and 137Cs, respectively) were lower in demersal fishes than in pelagic fish or other taxa. However, >RL% and <DL% of demersal fish respectively decreased dramatically and increased gradually to 0.06% and 86.3% in 2015, although slightly elevated radiocesium concentrations were still observed in shallow areas south of the FDNPP. The drastic decrease in radioactivity was supported by the spatiotemporal distribution of radiocesium concentrations in demersal fish, in which higher concentrations that were frequently observed in 2011 and 2012 were rarely detected in 2015, even within the 20 km radius area (maximum 220 Bq kg−1-wet in Japanese rockfish Sebastes cheni). Statistical analyses of TEPCO data revealed that 137Cs concentrations both inside and outside of the FDNPP port decreased exponentially with time: The respective geometric mean days of ecological half-lives were 218 d and 386 d. These results show clearly that the contamination level of marine products in Fukushima Prefecture, even within the 20 km radius area, has decreased drastically during the five years after the FDNPP accident, although 137Cs concentrations higher than 10 kBq kg−1-wet were still detected in some specimens of sedentary rockfishes (S. cheni, Sebastes oblongus, and Sebastes pachycephalus) in the FDNPP port. Fishing operations started on a trial basis in June 2012 have gradually expanded the target areas and species. Careful monitoring should be continued to accelerate the restoration of coastal fisheries in Fukushima Prefecture. | 982 |
they skipped right over them, according to Aida González del Álamo, who translated Hillary Clinton in the debates.
In another example, Chinese translators interpreted the word “pussy,” which does not have a direct translation in Chinese, as: ”Nǐ xiǎng zěnme zuò dōu xíng, bāokuò mō tāmen de yǐnsī bùwèi,” or “You can do whatever you want, including touching / feeling / stroking / groping their private parts.”
Instead of “I moved on her like a bitch,” News.sina.com had Trump saying, “Wǒ duì tā cǎiqǔle qiángliè de jìngōng,” or “I made a strong attack on her.”
Del Álamo said her colleague used “coger sus genitales,” or “grab them by the genitals”and “tocar a las mujeres sin su permiso,” or “touch women without their consent,” to describe Trump’s “pussy” comments.
The term “bad hombres” in the third presidential debate was translated into “hombres malos” by Daniel Sánchez Reinaldo, a Spanish interpreter for National Spanish Televisión RTVE in Madrid, which made Trump sound childish, Reinaldo told Quartz.
In some ways, Trump’s habit of interrupting has also worked in his favor. One of his shortest and most mocked utterances—”Wrong!”—couldn’t be directly translated into ”Eso no es correcto” in Spanish because it took too long to say. To be quicker, the translator used ”Es falso,” or “That is not true,” which inadvertently sounded more polite.
In the third debate, Reinaldo made a snap decision to use the softer phrase ”Qué mujer más desagradable” (which translates to “What an unpleasant woman”) for Trump’s ”nasty woman” comment. He tried to make up for it by using a disgusted tone. | 983 |
Oracle JET works with any kind of REST service, such service could be the one coming from TensorFlow (read more in my previous post — TensorFlow Linear Regression Model Access with Custom REST API using Flask). I have implemented linear regression model with gradient descent optimizer in TensorFlow (will describe this in more detail in my next post — machine learning is all about mathematics) and consuming it in JET UI:
There is option to define training steps (or data points) and learning rate. As outcome we get W and b values for linear equation y = Wx + b. After training is executed (so called machine learning process) — W and b parameters are identified, this allows to predict y value for any x. More about this in my next post, today will focus on JET. To execute training, we call TensorFlow REST API endpoint and pass number of training steps/points and learning rate. I’m have create JET helper module to perform actual REST call, to separate logic from REST call invocation. Useful technique of custom callback is used to call method located in main module from helper module. We pass callback method name REST call helper function:
REST call is executed through JQuery and success callback is assigned with our method name (instead of processing results in REST call helper method, we can do processing in main module):
This is where results processing happens — in custom callback method. We prepare x/y training dataset to be displayed in chart. We get back estimated W and b parameters, this allows to calculate estimated y based on equation y = Wx + b for all x values used in training set (to compare how well model was trained):
One more nice component of Oracle JET — Form Layout. It makes very easy to create simple forms, specify number of max columns and you will get responsive UI for form components out of the box:
Make sure to add ojformlayout module:
To debug data returned by TensorFlow REST service, check Network history in browser developer tools:
By the way — it is completely up to you to decide about REST JSON data shape. With Python jsonify from Flask you can construct JSON from arrays of data and publish your own REST end point anywhere in Python script (you code in Python for TensorFlow):
Download sample JET application (make sure to use ojet restore, before ojet serve) from GitHub. TensorFlow linear regression model used for this sample is available as GitHub Gist. | 984 |
swell, and we were like, 'All this talk about the world coming to an end, and it's such a destructive time — that's bulls--t.' There is more infinite beauty out there than there could ever be negativity. It's just like a growing pain for us -- the September 11 thing. It's just the very nature of existence is there's this constant struggle between dark and light." The track connected with fans, spending 14 weeks at No. 1 on the Modern Rock chart and seven weeks on top of the Mainstream Rock chart.
By late summer of 2002, the band would release their second By the Way single, "The Zephyr Song," one of the band's more melodic tracks. Like "By the Way," the band found more of that "infinite beauty," this time in the healing power of human connection. Though not a chart-topper, the song would peak at No. 6 on the Modern Rock chart and No. 14 on the Mainstream Rock chart.
Red Hot Chili Peppers would find themselves back on the top of the chart though in early 2003 with the release of "Can't Stop." One of the songs on the album that did feature some of Flea's funky bass playing with a bit of Frusciante reggae flare thrown in, the infectious track became one of the bigger songs in the band's catalog. It topped the Modern Rock chart for three weeks and topped out at No. 15 on the Mainstream Rock chart.
By the time all was said and done, two other songs would be released from the album. "Dosed," which features four guitars playing completely different riffs, peaked at No. 13 on the Modern Rock chart. Due to its complex nature and multiple guitar parts, the band has avoided the track when it comes to live sets. The other song, the upbeat "Universally Speaking," only received release in Europe and Australia.
In the end, the By the Way album would be a big success for the band. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Album Chart, and was eventually certified double platinum in the United States. Plus, it broadened the musical palate for the group as it showed that fans would be more accepting of their forays into more melodic music moving forward. As drummer Chad Smith commented at the time, "[By the Way] is very honest, raw, emotional music. It's a very dynamic, rich and lush album. Probably the best collection of Chili Peppers songs we've ever put out." | 985 |
Inside, it appeared San Diego might get the nod to host the game scheduled for January 1991.
As tense discussions dragged on, Mr. Levy saw a brand new penny on the carpet, which he took to be a good omen. He picked up the penny, showed it to a Super Bowl executive and said, "We're going to get it."
In Tampa Stadium on Jan. 27, 1991, the New York Giants defeated the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV.
It was one of Mr. Levy's many efforts to put Tampa on the sports map.
He was in on the talks and the fundraising that brought the Hall of Fame Bowl to Tampa, where it was renamed the Outback Bowl for its Tampa-based restaurant chain sponsor.
He served on the bowl game's selection committee and his company designed the trophies. George A. Levy Inc. also designed the 1996 NCAA championship trophy, won by his alma mater, the University of Florida.
When Greco embarked on successful campaigns to reclaim his old mayor's job in 1995, it was Mr. Levy who kept the gregarious candidate on schedule and the cash coming in.
He brought the same determination and discipline to the effort to pass the 30-year Community Investment Tax in 1996, Greco said.
The tax had failed once. The second attempt included money to pay back bonds for what would become Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It passed with 53 percent of the vote. Many credited the win to the stadium, which opened in 1998 and kept the Buccaneers from leaving town.
The tax has raised $1.5 billion since it was enacted in 1997, with the money distributed among Hillsborough County, the Tampa Sports Authority, the school board, and the cities of Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace.
In 1998, the Tampa Metro Civitan Club named Mr. Levy its Outstanding Citizen of the Year.
The deal to use public resources for an NFL stadium divided the community but the tax also helped meet the school board and local governments pay for essential needs and softened the blow of the recession, Greco said.
"It's one of the most important things to happen in this community," he said, "and George was tremendously involved in that."
Senior news researcher John Martin contributed to this report. Contact Tony Marrero at [email protected] or (813) 226-3374. Follow @tmarrerotimes. | 986 |
Lantern Entertainment and The Weinstein Co. have resolved the two biggest remaining issues of the sale of the scandal-ravaged company: final price and closing date.
The two entities announced they have reached a deal with the unsecured creditors committee, settling on a purchase price of $21 million (down from a previous level of $23 million). The sale is expected to close on July 13, following a scheduled bankruptcy court hearing scheduled for 10AM ET on July 11.
Under the terms of the resolution, Lantern agreed to make numerous cure payments for contracts it is assuming in the sale, a key issue for unsecured creditors. A lengthy, risky courtroom fight would have been the only alternative.
“We are delighted that today’s agreement clears the path for this sale to close. Lantern represents the highest and best value to creditors after the competitive bidding process,” said Robert Del Genio, Chief Restructuring Officer of The Weinstein Co. “We thank Lantern and the UCC for their constructive approach to achieving deal certainty.”
Related Story VidAngel Settles 4-Year Battle With Disney And Warner Bros, Agreeing To Pay $9.9M To Emerge From Bankruptcy
Lantern Entertainment Co-Presidents Andy Mitchell and Milos Brajovic issued a joint statement. “This collective resolution affirms our commitment to closing the transaction,” they said. “This significant milestone is a very productive and positive step, and we are grateful to be part of the solution.”
Determining the fate of the Weinstein Co. has been an arduous, up-and-down process. The company has faced a mountain of issues since the unraveling of Harvey Weinstein began last October. As the co-founder faced accusations of sexual assault and harassment from dozens of women, the company’s already precarious financial state quickly became untenable. Even after Lantern was determined to be the lone bidder for the Weinstein assets, the specter of liquidation loomed over the bankruptcy process, an outcome that would have been much worse for creditors.
“Lantern has been steadfast in its dedication to consummate this sale as a going concern, with our employees and assets as the core of its business and with Lantern’s commitment to diversity and respect for all,” said the Board of Representatives of The Weinstein Company. “We wish Lantern all the best as they embark on the exciting challenge of revitalizing these valuable assets.” | 987 |
Bitcoin Press Release: Milwaukee, WI, Professional Bitcoin trading platform Coinigy has received $100,000 in seed funding. Coinigy already allows users to trade Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies on up to 24 exchanges simultaneously and is developing a universal exchange API allowing for real-time data, trading and analysis across all markets.
Wisconsin-based Bitcoin exchange hub Coinigy is pleased to announce a total of $100,000 in seed funding. The funds will be used to improve a multitude of existing professional Bitcoin trading services as well as supporting development of a new universal exchange API. Users can already access a total of 24 Bitcoin exchanges through one interface and a large number of key functions such as trading and portfolio management tools, a news feed, advanced market graphs and technical indicators; thus granting traders laser-like insight into the cryptocurrency markets.
Coinigy’s Universal Exchange API will allow anyone to fetch, process and analyze real-time trade data across all supported exchanges. The new API will also support trading across multiple exchange accounts from one system, promoting market liquidity and allowing for instant arbitrage, advanced order types, and indicator-triggered ordering. This new service will act as a one-stop shop for anyone interested in building their own automated trading bots or services requiring cryptocurrency market data.
Some of Coinigy´s exclusive features include: low-latency professional-grade Bitcoin charting and data tools, more than 60 technical indicators, drawing tools, and real-time data feeds across all devices. Portfolio monitoring allows users to track gains across all exchanges and monitor public wallet addresses in Bitcoin and hundreds of alternative cryptocurrencies.
The cloud based Coinigy platform guarantees 99% uptime. All services and cryptocurrency trading tools will be available on iOS and Android together with automatic desktop, email and SMS alert functions. Coinigy ensures user safety with a multi-tiered server architecture and fully encrypted user data. Users attach their existing cryptocurrency exchange accounts to Coinigy and funds stay safely inside the exchange itself.
For more information on Coinigy and for a free trial please visit: Coinigy.com
Follow Coinigy on twitter: Twitter.com/coinigy
Like Coinigy on Facebook: Facebook.com/coinigy
Media contact:
Name: Derek Urben
Email: [email protected]
Address: Coinigy Inc, 1127 N 115th St #1, Milwaukee, WI 53226
Phone: (414) 301-2289 | 988 |
Angels outfielder Mike Trout joined The Weather Channel to report on the conditions in his hometown of Millville, New Jersey. (1:52)
The massive snowstorm blanketing the East Coast has snarled traffic plans and forced millions of Americans indoors this weekend, but at least one person is loving it: Mike Trout, who said he was "up all night" monitoring the storm.
The Angels' star outfielder appeared Saturday on The Weather Channel to deliver a report on conditions in his hometown of Millville, New Jersey.
"It's been crazy, for sure. Obviously, up all night, up every hour, checking the measurements. We probably got about a foot and it's coming down steady right now," Trout said. "It's blowing hard. There's probably -- by my parents' house -- 4-, 5-, 6-foot drifts. The roads are terrible. It's just, you know -- it's awesome. I love it."
Trout, who said his street still had power ("We're lucky so far."), had big plans for his Saturday afternoon.
"We're gonna go out and play in it soon," Trout said. "I love it. I love the weather. This is awesome."
Trout also went out Friday night as the snow began to fall and tweeted video of the road conditions.
Trout's love of the weather goes beyond one winter megastorm. In an interview with Yahoo! Sports last summer, Trout said if he wasn't playing baseball he'd be in the northeast monitoring snowstorms and working as a local weather person on TV.
"I would love to try it," Trout said in that interview. Trout said he has a folder of weather apps on his phone that feature different models and forecasts, and he frequently exchanges direct messages on Twitter with Weather Channel meteorologist Jim Cantore.
Trout said he came by his love of weather early. He told Yahoo! that when he was a kid, he "always wanted to get off school. So I'd ask, 'When's the snowstorm coming?' I was the kid in class who would see snow out the window and start looking at it and want to play with it."
Turns out Trout might have some weather-predicting skills of his own. He told Yahoo! back in August: "We're planning on me doing a story when there's a big storm in Jersey. I'm gonna be on the Weather Channel. Hopefully we get a big snowstorm." | 989 |
U.K. entrepreneur and engineer Toby McCartney has been working to change that, courtesy of technology that allows for the creation of high quality road asphalt out of recycled plastic waste. With the innovative tech, he now wants to use discarded plastic from landfills to transform millions of kilometers of roads around the world.
“We take waste plastic that is destined for landfill sites and recycle it,” McCartney told Digital Trends. “What we’re able to do is to take this plastic that has been thrown away, and use a special formula to clean it off, create pellets using it, and then use those pellets to add to a mixture of rocks and bitumen to make longer-lasting roads.”
So far, the scheme has won the approval of Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson, and McCartney’s company MacRebur has gotten the support of two local governments in England to start using its MR6 product to build their roads.
McCartney describes the technology as a “real win-win across the industry.” It lessens the reliance on fossil fuels due to the reduction in oil that needs to be used as part of the formulation, helps cut down on waste plastic going to landfill, and improves the streets we drive on. The plastic-based road asphalt made by MacRebur is 60 percent tougher than standard asphalt. By tweaking the recipe, the surface can also be modified for different environments.
In addition, it saves money for all involved. Companies that sell the waste plastic to McCartney save money by not being taxed for sending material to landfill. Local governments save money because they get a longer-lasting road which needs less maintenance. Drivers save money because they’re driving on better roads, with fewer potholes. And McCartney and his colleagues save money because, well, they’re being paid for their work.
Next up, he says the plan is to expand to new countries — although he noted that this must be done the right way.
“Something we’re very conscious of is that we’re still classed as a startup,” McCartney said. “We don’t want to grow too quickly, because we want the infrastructure in place to produce our pellets. We’re aware of dealing with over-demand, which would leave us unable to fulfill orders. As a result, we’re being very careful in selecting the countries that we’re expanding into.”
Editors' Recommendations | 990 |
A new report released Thursday by the International Energy Agency says solar could provide a third of global energy by 2060. But there's a giant 'if' attached to that rosy projection: The world's lawmakers must adopt a broad range of policies that include incentives for early deployment, subsidizing research and development and removing non-economic barriers such as grid access and permitting.
Most importantly, countries should move away from subsidizing certain solar technologies and instead establish a carbon price, a strategy that will encourage a broader view of the energy transition, Paolo Frankl, the agency's head of renewable energy told Bloomberg.
The IEA report builds off other analyses that have come before it and aims to provide an updated picture of solar technology trends and markets. According to the report, solar energy will be the available and make the most sense in warm and sunny countries -- which is a rather obvious insight. But the population growth figures the IEA included drives home the point.
Sunnier countries, those zones around the equator, will house about 7 billion people or 80 percent of the world's population by 2050 versus 2 billion folks who will live in cold and temperate countries that includes most of Europe, Russia and parts of China and the United States.
The report noted that in most markets solar electricity is not yet able to compete without specific incentives. However, costs have dropped enough that solar thermal electricity and solar photovoltaic electricity are competitive against oil-fueled electricity generation in sunny countries, usually to cover demand peaks, and in many islands, the report said.
Not surprisingly, the report touted the good news story about photovoltaics and its deployment throughout the world. Curiously, the author sees solar thermal electricity as complementing PV, not competing with it.
When it comes to U.S.-based utility-scale projects, that has not been the case. At least not in 2011. Several U.S. utility-scale projects have made the switch from solar thermal to PV including, Solar Millennium's decision in October to sell its Blythe solar farm and three other projects in its pipeline to solarhybrid. The 2.25 gigawatts worth of projects will be built with solar panels and not concentrated solar power technology as originally envisioned.
Still, the IEA sees a future in solar thermal both in large utility-scale projects and even in smaller applications to support isolated or weak grids.
Photo: Torresol Energy
Related:
This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com | 991 |
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News outlets including CNN, ABC and Fox News have reported on how mosques across Texas have opened their doors to victims of Hurricane Harvey, but that didn’t stop some fake news websites from publishing alternative renditions of the facts.
A widely circulated story, published on several fake and satirical news sites, claims that the “Ramashan Mosque outside Houston” is refusing to come to the aid of non-Muslims. The story quotes the mosque’s imam insisting that the Qur’an forbids Muslims from helping infidels.
READ MORE: Fake sharks, fake alligators, fake looters: fakery abounded in Harvey’s wake
Trouble is, the Ramashan Mosque doesn’t exist, and the photo accompanying some of the versions of the story is of Ibrahim Hindy, imam of the Dar Al-Tawheed Islamic Centre in Mississauga, Ont.
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On Saturday, Hindy took to social media to state that he has never been to Texas, and is currently in Saudi Arabia performing the Hajj pilgrimage.
That's me in the picture. I've never even been to Texas before. https://t.co/jIPfeALckc — Ibrahim Hindy (@Hindy500) September 2, 2017
“My friends and I have been praying for the Hurricane Harvey victims our entire time here,” Hindy said on Facebook.
“I pray that Allah brings aid and comfort to all the victims, whether Muslim or not.” Tweet This
Some iterations of the story used a photo of Hindy from a Global News interview published in April 2017.
Screenshot of a story published on the website Freshdaily.news, which used an image of imam Ibrahim Hindy taken from a Global News interview.
In that interview, which can be viewed below, Hindy discussed receiving death threats over his support for the Peel District School Board’s decision to offer a prayer space for Muslim students.
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WATCH: Mississauga imam threatened with death, burning of mosque
1:53 Mississauga imam threatened with death, burning of mosque Mississauga imam threatened with death, burning of mosque
Global News is aware of the unlicensed use of its images, and is working to have the image taken down from the fake news sites.
Follow @Kalvapalle | 992 |
�out of control” wildfire near Edson.
It was closed Sunday when a fire about 22 kilometres west of Edson and south of Marlboro jumped the highway and began to burn on both sides of the roadway.
An evacuation order was also put in place in Marlboro on Sunday, but rescinded the next morning at 9 a.m. Government authorities said those who lived in the area would remain on notice that they may need to evacuate again if the fire situation changes.
Checkpoints remain in place to ensure only residents enter the area. As well, a reception centre has been set up in Edson at the Best Western Hotel for Marlboro evacuees.
Evacuees can call 1-833-334-4630 for more information.
Fire update: Slave Lake
Slave Lake authorities continued to track two wildfires Monday about 30 kilometres north of the community near Highway 754.
Neither was considered a threat to the surrounding communities of Wabasca, Marten Beach or Slave Lake.
Alberta Wildfire said both grew throughout Sunday to 5,300 and 1,500 hectares respectively.
Officials said the larger and more northern fire was more “aggressive” and as a result, resources were relocated to that response. However, they also said “good progress” had been made on the southern blaze.
“With the help of airtankers, heavy equipment built fire guard on the east and west side and firefighters were working to secure the fire guard at the south end.”
Crews also dealt with two new wildfire starts, one of which was located north of Lubicon Lake. It was being held Monday afternoon at 4.8 hectares. The second was recorded in the Faust area Monday morning, and was extinguished later in the day at 9.7 hectares.
Since the beginning of March, 57 wildfires have been recorded in the Slave Lake Forests Area. More than 16,800 hectares have burned.
More information
To see the status of any wildfire recorded in the province, visit Alberta Wildfire.
A list of current alerts can be found at Alberta Emergency Alert.
For more information on road closures and highway advisories, visit 511 Alberta.
The boundaries of an active fire ban for most of northern Alberta can be found at AlbertaFirebans.ca.
If you are experiencing health-related smoke issues, it is recommended you contact a doctor or Alberta Health Services. | 993 |
An app that uses the technology behind bitcoin, the digital currency, is launching in the UK with the support of Barclays.
The Circle app will allow customers to transfer money with messages and emojis, and make currency transfers between pounds and dollars. Euros will be added later.
Barclays is providing Circle, which is based in Boston and backed with investments by Goldman Sachs, the infrastructure to operate in the UK.
Circle has received an e-money licence from the Financial Conduct Authority, which has granted about 80 such permissions although this is the first one for a company operating a digital currency. The FCA does not regulate bitcoin.
Jeremy Allaire, co-founder and chief executive of Circle, said customers would not be buying bitcoin through the app, which allows money transfers without fees. Circle uses bitcoin to facilitate transfers for customers outside its own system.
Transactions in bitcoin are registered on a blockchain, a kind of electronic ledger, which Circle uses to make transactions.
Customer deposits will be held by Barclays, which is also providing the mechanism to make transfers from any UK bank account in and out of Circle.
“For the first time ever, any consumer in the US or UK can instantly send value, without fees, and with the convenience of sending an email or text. US dollars and pound sterling are becoming more digital and global,” said Allaire.
Circle launched in the US last year although Allaire refused to disclose any information about the number of customers using the service.
The Bank of England has warned that the digital currency could pose a threat to financial stability, although one of its deputy governors, Ben Broadbent, has also said Threadneedle Street could become the hub for such digital currencies.
The government – which wants to make the UK a centre for innovation in financial technology, known as FinTech – took credit for the launch of Circle.
Harriett Baldwin, economic secretary to the Treasury, said: “Circle’s decision to launch in the UK and the firm’s new partnership with Barclays are major milestones. Together they prove our decision to introduce the most progressive, forward-looking regulatory regime is paying off and cements our status as the world’s FinTech capital.”
Barclays said: “We can confirm that Barclays Corporate Banking has been chosen as a financial partner by Circle, and we support the exploration of positive uses of blockchain that can benefit consumers and society.”
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On Wednesday the Socceroos' World Cup fate will be decided, but it's on Monday that Ange Postecoglou will see the great advantage he has over opponents Honduras.
When Postecoglou takes training on Monday at ANZ Stadium, he'll finally see his strongest squad on the park - at exactly the right time.
Experienced campaigners Mark Milligan, Mat Leckie (suspension) and Robbie Kruse (knee) are available after sitting out the first leg.
And for the first time since June, they'll link with captain fantastic Mile Jedinak.
In Jedinak's last run of matches in the national team - in qualifiers against Saudi Arabia, UAE and Iraq earlier this year - Milligan, Aaron Mooy and Tom Rogic took turns to be suspended or injured.
But now they're all in camp, and they're all ready to play.
Postecoglou has taken great pride in how he's cultivated a group of players - not just a first 11 - to be ready for Socceroos duty.
"It's easier to manage when you have planned for it and we have planned for kind of these kind of scenarios were we have used as much of the squad as possible," he said.
"We don't have a fixed starting eleven where I think we would have more issues."
Postecoglou foreshadowed a string of changes to his team to maximise the athletic challenge to Honduras.
"A lot of our game is based around making the opposition work hard. Playing them back to back suits many respects our philosophy," he said.
"We're going as hard as we can in both games and they'll have to keep up."
Centre back Trent Sainsbury said the returning trio could make the difference.
"They're bringing a lot of caps back into the team. To have their qualities back is a major boost for us," he said.
Postecoglou can also call on Tim Cahill and James Troisi, who travelled to Honduras but didn't play and should also be fresh.
Sainsbury said Cahill's presence had already made a difference, backing him to overcome an ankle complaint to take the field on Wednesday.
"He's looking fabulous as always," he said.
"He's one of those people who can psyche you up before a game... he's always special to have around, that's why he's super Timmy Cahill." | 995 |
San Francisco mayor Ed Lee and 16 other cities’ mayors have called on the Federal Communications Commission to make network neutrality a real thing.
Today, the U.S. Conference of Mayors unanimously adopted the resolution, which calls on the FCC “to enshrine principles of transparency and non-discrimination into future regulations about how the Internet works.”
According to the resolution, “the US Conference of Mayors supports securing a commitment to transparency and the free flow of information over the Internet, including no blocking of lawful websites and no unreasonable discrimination of lawful network traffic.” It also calls upon the White House and Congress to support these aims.
The mayors’ resolution is largely symbolic, since the Conference of Mayors has no legislative authority. However, it’s a sign that network neutrality is starting to matter at the local level — which might give national politicians, who have to rely on the opinions of local voters, some pause.
Network neutrality has become a hot topic since January, when a federal court ruled that the FCC did not have jurisdiction, under its current rules, to enforce net neutrality. Subsequently, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler proposed a so-called “net neutrality” framework that many observers criticized as being not particularly neutral at all — and followed up with a paradoxical proposal to allow “fast lanes” on ISPs’ networks, but only if there are no “slow lanes.”
The FCC’s wishy-washy approach to net neutrality has frustrated many people in the tech industry, who consider the principle essential to the continued functioning of the Internet as a free and open marketplace for new ideas, startups, and forms of media.
“An open Internet is the backbone of a market-driven democracy in the 21st Century,” said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, in a statement announcing the vote.
“Our economic and civic health depend on the internet; it is the infrastructure of the 21st Century,” said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, in the same press release.
As for Lee, his canned remarks were in the same vein: “Net neutrality is critical for an innovation economy to thrive, because if the broadband companies could choose what web pages you can access, the Internet would lose its power as the most powerful communication tool we’ve ever known,” Lee said.
The net neutrality proposal was one of 117 resolutions adopted by the Conference of Mayors this year. | 996 |
Korea on Friday confirmed five more cases of a still rapidly spreading and deadly coronavirus, including four cases of human-to-human transmission, as the government struggles to rein in the virus. The total number of infected people here stands at 11.Two of the infected people were believed to have contracted the virus through a family member, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.A 55-year-old man, the country’s sixth confirmed case of the virus, was the first case of human-to-human transmission of the viral disease. He was infected through a 54-year-old man, the third confirmed case, as they had a meal together at a restaurant in southern Seoul. Eight people who came into contact with the sixth patient are now in isolation, according to the health agency.Another person who tested positive is a friend of a 33-year-old man who had visited Wuhan on business and showed no symptoms of the virus when he was screened at the airport upon returning. The new patient is one of 10 people linked to the case who had been in self-imposed isolation.Another infected person, a 62-year-old woman, arrived at Incheon Airport on Jan. 23 via the Chinese port city of Qingdao after visiting Wuhan, China, ground zero of the coronavirus infection.Earlier in the day, another case of the coronavirus infection was reported.A 28-year-old man who visited Wuhan and returned to Korea via Qingdao on Jan. 23, tested positive late Thursday. The man, who had been under governmental monitoring and self-imposed isolation at home, started to cough Sunday, showed symptoms of cold Tuesday and had a high fever the next day, the health agency said. Two people who came into contact with him are in self-imposed isolation.The additional confirmed cases come as the first evacuation plane carrying 368 South Koreans from Wuhan arrived to Seoul on Friday morning. The passengers have been placed in isolation for a 14-day period at quarantine facilities in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, and Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province. Another charter plane is set to be sent to Wuhan on Friday night.As the virus spreads rapidly outside China, the World Health Organization has declared the Wuhan coronavirus a global public health emergency. The virus has killed at least 213 people worldwide, with about 9,800 infections confirmed as of Friday. It has spread to 22 countries, including Thailand, France, the US and Australia. | 997 |
Apple is currently on target to start selling its next iPhone and iPad models the same week that the new products are introduced in March. Apple is currently planning to introduce a new 4-inch iPhone dubbed the “iPhone 5se” and a new iPad Air at an event on Tuesday, March 15th, then put the products up for sale online and in retail stores as early as Friday, March 18th, according to sources. Apple is unlikely to offer pre-orders for the new devices, according to sources who cautioned that the plans could still change.
Launching the new iPhone and iPad models so soon after introduction and not offering pre-orders would be a new strategy for Apple. Apple typically releases new iPhone models one or two weeks following the introduction events and an online pre-order period. A similar strategy has been followed for many new iPad releases, but the iPad Pro hardware actually went on sale over two months following the device’s initial introduction. Manufacturing of the new 4-inch iPhone began ramping up in January, sources say.
The new 4-inch iPhone 5se is designed to spur iPhone hardware upgrades for customer seeking newer technologies and faster devices without the need to upgrade to the far larger 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6s and 6s Plus screen sizes. While the iPhone 5se’s body will be nearly identical to the 2013 iPhone 5s, the new smartphone is said to include Apple’s latest A9 and M9 processors, an NFC chip for Apple Pay, support for always-on Siri activation, the iPhone 6’s camera system, and the ability to take Live Photos. The device will come in the same colors as the 6s, according to sources: gold, rose gold, silver, and space gray.
The iPad Air 3 is said to include a Smart Connector and support for Apple-branded accessories, which could mean that updated Smart Keyboards and Apple Pencil support for the 9.7-inch device are in the pipeline. The new iPad is also expected to include a variant of the A9 processor, an upgraded camera system, and potentially a rear flash for brighter photos. At its March 15th event, Apple is also planning to unveil a series of new Apple Watch Sport Band colors, a Space Black Milanese Loop, and NATO-style nylon bands.
(Image: Getty Images)
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Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news: | 998 |
Costa Mesa City officials conducting extensive surveys of vernal pools in Fairview Park this winter announced they have discovered a new, endangered species of fairy shrimp.
As expected, city staffers found the endangered San Diego fairy shrimp in a number of vernal pools that emerged after the heavy rains in December and January, but what they didn’t anticipate was the discovery of the Riverside fairy shrimp.
“It is likely that the Riverside fairy shrimp, which is a warm-water species, has been present but went undetected because of very low numbers and because they typically emerge after the San Diego fairy shrimp, which prefer the cold water of December and January, are finished for the season,” said Tony Bomkamp, a biologist who consults with the city on Fairview Park.
The Riverside fairy shrimp was named for Riverside County where it was originally found and thought to occur in only a few pools there. Later it was found in San Diego County in many pools including on Camp Pendleton.
In the late 1990s, Riverside fairy shrimp were found in a number of pools in Orange County and a large vernal pool in Ventura County. Unlike the cold-water relatives of the San Diego fairy shrimp, which evolved in colder climates, the Riverside fairy shrimp’s distant relatives derive from Africa.
Fairy shrimp have been around in the fossil record for over 300 million years making them one of the oldest crustaceans on the plant.
In addition, while San Diego fairy shrimp were found and confirmed in the expected vernal pools, the crustaceans were also discovered for the first time in what the city calls Vernal Pool C, which is located on the eastside of Placentia Avenue.
The unexpected heavy rains this winter provided an opportunity to conduct a census of the fairy shrimp in the vernal pools at Fairview Park.
The survey effort was the first formal surveys since San Diego fairy shrimp were first detected in Vernal Pool 5 in 1996 and Vernal Pool 1 in 1997. Other “one-time” surveys found San Diego fairy shrimp in Vernal Pools 4 and 6, but were not season-long surveys like those done this year.
The vernal pools and the respective watersheds are off limits to the general public to protect the habitats and have been temporarily delineated based on historical maps.
Additional delineation will be added to protect expanded areas of the vernal pool basins as soon as the ground is hard and dry. | 999 |
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