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레드벨벳 트와이스 러블리즈(본사DB)·나인뮤지스(스타제국 제공)
[헤럴드POP=황수연 기자]2017년 1월은 걸그룹 대전으로 그 어느때 보다 뜨거운 매일을 보내고 있다. 오는 2월에도 걸그룹 대전은 계속될 전망. 레드벨벳을 시작으로 트와이스, 러블리즈, 나인뮤지스가 컴백 혹은 새 앨범을 예고했다.레드벨벳이 돌아온다. SM엔터테인먼트에 따르면 레드벨벳은 최근 음반 막바지 작업 중으로 오는 2월 컴백을 확정 짓고, 다음 주부터 본격적인 프로모션에 돌입한다. 지난해 9월 세 번째 미니앨범 '러시안룰렛'으로 음원과 음반에서 모두 좋은 성적을 거뒀기에 새 음반에 대한 기대가 높다. 발랄한 '레드'와 차분한 '벨벳' 콘셉트에서 어느 것을 선택할지도 궁금증을 자아낸다.트와이스는 대세 굳히기에 나선다. JYP엔터테인먼트에 따르면 트와이스는 오는 2월 중 새 앨범을 발매한다. 단 구체적인 날짜와 앨범 구성에 대해서는 말을 아꼈다. 컴백보다는 스페셜 앨범이 될 가능성이 높다. 또한 2월 17일부터 19일까지 첫 번째 투어 콘서트 '트와이스랜드'를 개최하는 만큼 콘서트에서 신곡 무대를 볼 수 있을지도 관심이 모아진다.러블리즈의 컴백을 기다렸다. 그동안 짧게는 2개월 길게는 7개월이었던 컴백이 이번엔 10개월이 걸렸다. 걸그룹들의 데뷔와 잇따른 컴백 러시에 팬들의 기다림은 더욱 컸을 터. 지난 15일 첫 단독 콘서트 '겨울나라의 러블리즈'를 성공적으로 마쳤고, 윤상이 새 앨범의 프로듀싱을 맡은 만큼 러블리즈의 2017년에 거는 기대는 크다. 이번에는 음악프로 1위를 할 수 있을까.나인뮤지스도 2월 컴백을 예고했다. 스타제국에 따르면 나인뮤지스는 2월 말 컴백을 목표로 준비 중이다. 단 완전체가 될지 유닛 나인뮤지스A로 나올지는 확실하지 않다. 완전체가 출격하면 지난 2015년 세 번째 미니앨범 '로스트' 이후 약 1년 3개월 만의 컴백이 된다. 멤버들의 잇따른 탈퇴로 5인조가 된 나인뮤지스의 2막은 어떤 모습이 될지 귀추가 주목된다[email protected] |
Toronto FC announced Friday that Tim Bezbatchenko has been named the club’s new General Manager.
RELATED: Watch Full Press Conference
“This is a unique move and it is one that perfectly addresses what Toronto FC needs,” said Tim Leiweke, President & CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. “Tim brings an analytical mind to the job along with the best understanding that I’ve seen of the salary cap and how to manage it. He knows how to build a team that will win long-term and he believes, like we do, that his vision will have an immediate and positive impact on this team. We are excited about adding Tim’s knowledge, experience and relationships within MLS to Toronto FC and we now look forward to focusing together on the most important job: putting a winning team on the pitch for Toronto FC supporters.”
Bezbatchenko, 31, has spent the past three years as the Senior Director of Player Relations and Competition with Major League Soccer (MLS). In that role, he was responsible for negotiating and drafting player contracts, as well as finalizing loan and transfer agreements for the import and export of players to and from MLS. In addition he oversaw all MLS rosters, the MLS player pool, and team salary budgets. He was also responsible for youth and player development initiatives for the league, including the home-grown player signing process. Bezbatchenko also helped the Player Department manage the relationship between the Players Union and interpretation of the league’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA). He also served as a liaison with the US Soccer Federation and the Canadian Soccer Association.
Earlier this year, MLS announced a partnership with the French Football Federation (FFF) to create an educational course for MLS Academy Directors that was managed by Bezbatchenko.
“In working at the league office over the past few years, Toronto struck me as a great city with terrific supporters that has always had tremendous potential,” said Tim Bezbatchenko, General Manager of Toronto FC. “I feel that my knowledge of the ins and outs of the league’s contracts and rules allows me to bring a unique and long-term perspective on rosters and budget. I look forward to working with Tim and Ryan Nelsen to realize that potential.”
Prior to joining MLS, Bezbatchenko served as an attorney for Shearman & Sterling LLP, in New York. He graduated from the University of Richmond with a B.A. in Economics and Leadership Studies in 2004 and later from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 2008.
“We are very excited for Tim and this new opportunity with Toronto FC,” said Todd Durbin, MLS Executive Vice President of Competition and Player Relations. “He has extensive knowledge of our League and the international player market. This, combined with his tireless work ethic and innovative thinking, will make him a tremendous asset to the Club.”
Bezbatchenko played two professional seasons as a midfielder for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, and won the USL Pro League Atlantic Division Championship in 2004. |
In October of last year, Terrence Reilly announced that SAG Imports would be extending its popular Casa Magna Domus Magnus Limitada line to include three new limited sizes. Originally thought as a January release, due to delays and backorders on the original two sizes, the new sizes of Domus Magnus shipped from SAG Imports on Monday (April 9, 2011).
The original Domus Magnus debuted in July of 2011, a limited edition follow-up to the award-winning Casa Magna line, a partnership between Manuel “Manolo” Quesada of SAG Imports/MATASA and Nestor Plasencia, who makes the cigars at his Estelí, Nicaragua-based Plasencia Cigars S.A.
The blend is a Nicaraguan puro with a dark Sun Grown wrapper from the Jalapa Valley covering the candy bar box-pressed shaped. Reilly described the blend to halfwheel last year:
We were looking for something that was powerful but without the (overwhelming) spice that many Nicaraguan cigars have. For me this cigar has solid strength, but its smoothness allows a lot of flavors to emerge. A very complex cigar, it was supposed to be a full line extension but some of the tobaccos turned out to be in short supply. We loved it so much we decided to make it as a limited edition.
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The Casa Magna Domus Magnus was launched in two vitolas last year, Optimus and Maximus, with 5,000 boxes of 10 cigars made for each size.
With the addition of the three new vitolas, there are now a total of five Casa Magna Domus Magnus:
Casa Magna Domus Magnus Optimus (5 3/4 x 52) — $8.95 (Boxes of 10, $89.50) — July 2011 — 50,000 Total Cigars
Casa Magna Domus Magnus Primus (6 1/2 x 55) — $9.95 (Boxes of 10, $99.50) — July 2011 — 50,000 Total Cigars
Casa Magna Domus Magnus Bellatores (6 3/4 x 54) — $9.95 (Boxes of 10, $99.50) — April 2012 — 10,000 Total Cigars
Casa Magna Domus Magnus Centuriones (4 3/4 x 50) — $7.95 (Boxes of 10, $79.50) — April 2012 — 10,000 Total Cigars
Casa Magna Domus Magnus Praetores (7 x 56) — $10.95 (Boxes of 10, $109.50) — April 2012 — 10,000 Total Cigars
Four of the five vitolas are parejos with the lone exception being the Bellatores.
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And the particulars.
Cigar Reviewed: Casa Magna Domus Magus Limitada Centuriones
Casa Magna Domus Magus Limitada Centuriones Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Nicaragua Factory: Plasencia Cigars S.A.
Plasencia Cigars S.A. Wrapper: Nicaraguan Sun Grown Jalapa
Nicaraguan Sun Grown Jalapa Binder: Nicaragua
Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua
Size: 4 3/4 Inches
4 3/4 Inches Ring Gauge: 50
50 Vitola: Robusto
Robusto MSRP: $7.95 (Boxes of 10, $79.50)
$7.95 (Boxes of 10, $79.50) Date Released: April 9, 2012
April 9, 2012 Number of Cigars Released: 1,000 Boxes of 10 Cigars (10,000 Total Cigars)
1,000 Boxes of 10 Cigars (10,000 Total Cigars) Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3
Aroma off the wrapper of the Domus Magnus isn’t very strong, likely from the fact that these haven’t been in a box in a while. There’s a medium leather, some earth and a touch of barnyard from the Jalapa Valley tobacco. The foot is better, tons of earth and herbal with some acidic leather, a sharp contrast measuring out very full. Cold draw is a bit mushy with the Domus Magnus providing a dry bittersweet cocoa, earth and red wine. There’s not any up front spice, but there’s a bit of a cloud that hits the palate close to the finish.
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The first third of the Centuriones starts with a lengthy journey that sees a blast of black pepper, earth, cedar and a spicy green pepper. It’s medium-full, starting bold and hearty and becoming more bittersweet as the profile moves on. Despite what ever Terence Reilly claims, all three of my Centuriones started with waves of pepper over a bit of earth. Eventually, the Domus Magnus settles to a mixture of earth, a calmer red and black pepper mixture, dry leather and a bold roasted coffee note that really shines on the finish. Flavor is developed, full and event a bit bullish.
Into the second third and the strength seems to let up, going from full to medium-full. Flavor-wise, the Domus Magnus gets much smoother with a hearty earth core surrounded by a bit of cedar, a plethora of pepper, some young tobacco and a raw nuttiness. While the construction was great in the first third, the cigar seems to need a bit of encouragement to stay lit. It never goes out, but without a few touch-ups around the sides, it surely would have. Across all three samples I smoked, there was no need to ever touch up the Centuriones from an evenness standpoint, although it wasn’t dead-on perfect, but all three needed help staying lit, even with dry boxing.
The final third sees the return of the coffee, now joined by a creaminess and a hearty and fully developed nuttiness over some cocoa, leather and earth. For the first time in the Centuriones profile, the pepper is now solely relegated to the finish, which allows for some more complexity and continues the trend of making the cigar smoother, although now it’s also become sweeter. I try to go as far down as I can, but eventually the smoke production gives out.
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Final Notes:
The names all come from Latin, of which Reilly is a scholar.
The Primus was originally supposed to be called Maximus , however due to concerns regarding J.C. Newman’s Diamond Crown Maximus , the name was changed.
, however due to concerns regarding , the name was changed. The pigtail isn’t really a tail , more like a nail . Overall, the shape is great.
, more like a . If you cut too much of the cap off you will be punished. I normally take off less than average , but one time I got a bit ambitious and was punished as quite a bit of filler fell out.
I normally , but one time I got a bit ambitious and was punished as I smoked the Praetores (7 x 56) , which is I guess a Churchill Gordo , it smokes differently, but the flavor profile seems to at least be of the same roots.
, which is I guess a , it smokes differently, but the Perhaps I’m just not talented enough, but the bands make this a difficult cigar to photograph.
Construction is great: draw is a bit tighter, which is fine for me, ash holds for an inch and the smoke production is glorious. The only concern was the cigar seems to want to go out at times , particularly towards the end of the second third. Dryboxing no doubt helped.
draw is a bit tighter, which is fine for me, ash holds for an inch and the The only concern was the , particularly Dryboxing no doubt helped. To my knowledge, the Domus Magnus was the first cigar to come out branded as coming from Plasencia Cigars S.A. , which was renamed from Segovia Cigars S.A.
, which was renamed from The Centuriones burns slowly making the average final smoking time one hour and 20 minutes.
making the If you’d like to purchase the Casa Magna Domus Magnus Centuriones, or any of the other new sizes, site sponsor Atlantic Cigar should have them tomorrow.
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The Bottom Line: Domus Magnus is a good cigar. Easily the most complete cigar that I’ve smoked from any of the SAG Imports family. For me, the Domus Magnus has always been quite easy to describe: a good full Nicaraguan cigar that seems like it’s got some age. While I don’t actually think it has that much age, particularly when compared to some of its competitors, it provides an experience that would suggest otherwise. So here’s the question: are these better than the first release? No, I actually think they are as identical as can be. The size is a bit different, which changes things, but overall, the Centuriones young seems to be right alongside the young Optimus and Primus, and that’s a good thing.
Final Score: 92 |
If you’ve ever had a near death experience (NDE) or tried astral projection, you may have seen the silver cord. The silver cord is often referred to as the “life thread” because it supplies energy to the physical body. If the silver cord is severed, the physical body can no longer be sustained and dies.
I had a conversation last week with a Christian about the silver cord. She told me she was raised by her Nanny who experienced an NDE in the hospital. Her Nanny stated that she was floating near the ceiling of the hospital room watching her body on the operating table. After floating around she grabbed the silvery-looking cord still attached to her and used to it to pull herself back into her physical body.
“I know it sounds like New Age misinformation,” my friend assured me, “but my Nanny was the most sincere person you could ever know.”
I told my friend not to worry. It wasn’t misinformation at all; the silver cord is known about in many religious circles, and it’s even in the Bible. A shocked look spread across her face, so I showed her the scripture:
“Or ever the silver cord be loosed…Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:6-7).
The Bible clearly supports the teachings of many Eastern religions; if the silver cord is severed, your consciousness can no longer be filtered through the physical vessel. Many Christian commentaries, such as the one written by the evangelist John Wesley, suggest that this silver cord mentioned in Ecclesiastes is referring to the spinal column. This is a poor interpretation. The Hebrew for “loosed” indicates that which is completely removed from the person, not just a breaking of the spinal column.
The Appearance and location of the silver cord
People usually describe the silver cord as a wispy, etheric-looking filament about one inch in diameter. It’s silvery-grayish in color, and seems to have infinite elasticity, stretching on as far as the astral (emotional) body travels. It is connected to the heart chakra in each of the subtle bodies. A lot of people report seeing the silver cord attached to the head, but perhaps they are confusing this with the consciousness thread that is attached to the crown chakra.
The function of the silver cord
The sole purpose of the silver cord, or life thread, is to provide the subtle and physical bodies with vital energy. Think of it as a sort of umbilical cord. Just like a baby has an umbilical cord that receives and transfers physical nutrients from the mother, the silver cord serves as a sort of energetic umbilical cord to receive and transfer Prana. Prana is a Sanskrit term meaning “life.” Without Prana, or spirit, the physical body could not operate as it does. This is why once the silver cord is severed, the physical body has no choice but to die.
I like to think of the physical body as a sensitive electromagnetic vehicle which filters and grounds spiritual energy and consciousness. By filter I mean that higher (subtle) energy is stepped-down (by chakras) through each subtle body until it manifests in the physical body. Denser matter is the most restrictive, so energy and consciousness is more limited in the physical body than in our subtle bodies. Although the physical body is more restrictive, it provides a highly varied experience for consciousness, so more restriction isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
What happens when the silver cord is severed—i.e., true physical death
According to esoteric literature, true physical death occurs when the silver cord is severed. So what happens next? While it is true that different people have different experiences, we can discuss these experiences in two ways. After the death of the physical body, consciousness resumes in our more subtle emotional bodies. Depending on the development of one’s consciousness, the emotional world can be a pleasant experience or an unpleasant one. If a person is holding on to a lot of emotional negativity and desire, the experience on the emotional plane isn’t going to be as pleasant because there is no physical body to damper or restrict these emotions. In other words, strong emotional desires would seem amplified without the restriction of the physical body. Imagine having an uncontrollable desire that can’t be quenched! This is the true “hellish” experience that religion really speaks of. Hell is not the eternal abode of the dead like many Christians believe. It is simply an impermanent experience in the cycle between incarnations.
Someone whose consciousness operates with higher emotions will have a more pleasant experience on the emotional plane. But this state isn’t permanent either. The emotional body will eventually die too. Like the physical body, the astral body is subject to the law of impermanence.
The death of the emotional body is known as the second death in religious literature. Beyond this second death, individual consciousness may or may not sleep (remain conscious). Again, it depends on the level of mental consciousness the person has developed through their many incarnations. In Corinthians the Apostle Paul states:
“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep…” (1 Cor. 15:51).
By “sleep” Paul means that not everyone remains conscious after physical death.
If the consciousness is developed enough in the mental body, consciousness is regained after the second death and the individual experiences the mental plane. It is believed that this is a more blissful experience because thoughts instantly manifest. It is possible that this will be a “heavenly” experience.
It is silly for the church to teach a cut and dry version of one heaven and hell. Even the Apostle Paul said he was taken up to the “third heaven.” Doesn’t it make more sense that there can be different degrees of both heaven and hell. Ultimately, the experiences are more subjective than objective, and largely dependent upon the development of one’s consciousness.
The silver cord, then, isn’t just connected to the etheric and physical body. It is connect to all the subtle bodies and serves to transfer spirit to all of them.
Closing thoughts
I would like to mention a closing thought on the original Bible verses from Ecclesiastes at the beginning of this post. It told us that the body returns to dust, but the spirit goes back to God. The spirit going back to God is speaking of the life-force of the highest self returning to source where it rests before another incarnation. This represents the sum-total of all that we are, and includes the energy that made up the temporary physical, emotional, and mental bodies that we used to develop consciousness through our former experiences.
Personally, I believe it would do the world a lot of good to learn these esoteric truths rather than the watered down version of spiritual things we are usually taught in church. Not everything taught in church is bad, it is just incomplete. In order to get the bigger picture, the esoteric interpretation is needed. I believe that a vast majority of Christians are ready for these teachings. They are certainly a better alternative than the typical salvation messages that are being preached today. These salvation messages usually do not end up raising the consciousness of church goers. In fact, it often times lowers it, because many seekers believes that in the watered down message they have already received the prize and give up seeking higher truth.
We should never give up on our development. It should be an eternal endeavor. |
And Russia has understandably reacted furiously to the speculation, saying that it is too early to make such an assessment when crash investigators have not even compiled, let alone evaluated, evidence.
American officials, including President Barack Obama, are also now echoing the British claims of a bomb on the plane. The question is: why the haste?
Cameron's Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, added that British intelligence points to an explosive device being a "significant possibility". No details were provided for why the London government was invoking this probability.
From that assessment, British commercial flights from Egypt's Sharm El Sheik were promptly cancelled this week. Like Russia, Egypt has also responded with annoyance at the British rush to speculate.
American officials appear to be following the British lead on the bomb theory. Initially, James Clapper, the US national intelligence director, told media that it was unlikely that a terrorist cause was to blame. Clapper didn't rule it out completely, and his focus in that unlikely event was on the outside possibility that an Al Qaeda-linked group could have possessed a surface-to-air missile capable of hitting a plane at high altitude.
However, notably, following the British bomb assessment, the Americans have now taken up that idea. President Obama told American media on Thursday — five days after the disaster — that he believes there is a "serious possibility" that a bomb took down the Russian airliner.
The day before Obama spoke, various US media outlets were also quoting unnamed officials as proffering the same speculation about a terrorist bomb plot.
Moreover, when Britain, followed by the US, announced its terror concerns the examination of the flight data recorders (black boxes) was only just underway. It may take weeks before forensic analysis reveals if there are any chemical residues on the plane parts that would indicate if explosive device did indeed cause the aircraft to blow up. Other possibilities are that the plane broke up due to a mechanical rupture, or an engine combusted from its own fuel.
At this stage a calm circumspect, open mind is warranted. But not, it seems, for the British. Later this week, Britain's state broadcaster, the BBC, added more details to the bomb theory. Citing unnamed intelligence officials, it says that the Russian plane "had a bomb in the [luggage] hold".
According to the BBC: "Investigators in the UK's security services suspect someone with access to the aircraft's baggage compartment inserted an explosive device inside or on top of the luggage just before the plane took off."
The Metrojet flight appears to have broken up some 23 minutes after take-off just after it reached its cruising altitude of 30,000 feet.
The BBC reports that 10 months ago British intelligence officials had warned the Egyptian authorities to tighten up security at Sharm El Sheikh airport. A follow-up inspection found that the Egyptians had complied with the security tightening measures, although the British were, according to the BBC, still concerned that procedures may become lax again.
Sharm El Sheikh is believed to be a hub for British intelligence across the Middle East. They obviously know the airport well.
The question is: why are the British, and the Americans, making such high-profile claims about terrorist involvement in the Russian airliner crash? The very public comments by heads of government have the connotation of an unseemly interest in politicising the incident.
If Britain had sensitive intelligence on a terrorist input then why doesn't it share it discreetly with the Russian government? The British could also have just suspended commercial flight services with a low-key statement on security precautions. But the announcement this week to cancel flights was made in the context of Britain's "terrorist bomb theory" — as if to authenticate that claim as valid.
In this regard, there is an obscene haste to turn a tragedy into a political football, as with the downing of the Malaysian flight over Ukraine in July 2014, when again the British and the Americans leapt to make premature judgements over the cause of the crash, and on that occasion to impute Russia or "Russian-backed rebels" in east Ukraine.
So what is to be gained by London and Washington attributing the Russian airliner deaths to terrorism? It is not hard to imagine that both would like to see Russian President Vladimir Putin incurring a political backlash from his nation over what is Russia's worst-ever air crash.
Russia's military intervention in Syria has so far proven to be a political success for Vladimir Putin. Russia has gained much kudos internationally for its decisive actions to eradicate vile terror groups and for helping to relieve the Syrian nation from a four-year war. Moscow has also taken the lead with respect to organising political talks between the government of Bashar al-Assad and constitutional opposition parties.
Furthermore, Putin's military foray in Syria has discommoded Washington and London in their covert attempts at regime change in that country. The Western-backed covert war relying on sundry mercenary terror networks — mislabeled as "moderate rebels" in the Western media — has been brilliantly exposed and is being thwarted by Russia. Western vexation with Putin's masterstroke in Syria is palpable.
A month after Putin's stunning success in Syria, a Russian civilian passenger plane goes down over Egypt. A ragtag terror group claims responsibility in killing over 200 Russian civilians in revenge for Putin's anti-terror operations in Syria.
Britain and America then move at the highest level of government — how unusual is that?— to back up the terrorist claims of a "spectacular" blow against Russia. The political motivation of undermining Putin seems clear — albeit despicably base given the loss of civilian life.
Cameron and Obama are evidently being fed intelligence assessments of a bomb being stowed in the airplane's hold by terrorists.
But here is a big one. The confidence by which these assessments of terror methodology are being made raises an even more troubling, darker question: was it really terrorists, or was it British MI6 agents palming the deed off as terrorists?
The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Sputnik.
Within days of the Metrojet A321 breaking up in midair, Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron said it was "more than likely" that a bomb secreted on to the plane was the cause of the disaster, which took the lives of all 224 people onboard.Russia has reacted angrily to the high-level comments from Britain and the United States. Quite rightly, Moscow has said that it is inappropriate to speculate at such an early stage in the crash investigation. A team of investigators are on the ground in the Sinai Peninsula where the airliner fuselage came down, still examining the aircraft remains.The Al Qaeda-affiliate in Sinai claiming to have taken the plane down has said that the alleged attack was in revenge for Russia's military intervention in Syria, which has wiped out hundreds of Islamic State and other so-called jihadists. |
Hibernian drew level on points with Falkirk in the battle to secure second place in the Scottish Championship after a comfortable win over Dumbarton.
James Keatings scored twice in the opening 13 minutes.
The Sons steadied themselves but fell further behind to a Kevin Cawley own goal and Anthony Stokes' late strike.
Alan Stubbs' side remain in third spot in the table as Falkirk have a three-goal advantage going into the final league games on Sunday.
The home side came flying out of the traps and were one up after only seven minutes.
Stokes and Fraser Fyvie combined to set up Keatings, who had started ahead of rested top scorer Jason Cumming, and he thundered a shot into the roof of the net from the angle of the 18-yard box.
Hibs were denied a second when a Liam Henderson free-kick was parried away by Jamie Ewings, but the Dumbarton goalkeeper was helpless when the lead was doubled after 13 minutes.
A Niklas Gunnarsson effort was blocked, but the Norwegian hammered the rebound across goal, where Keatings was waiting to tap the ball home.
Henderson and Stokes both came close to adding to the tally for rampant Hibs, while Scottish Cup hero Conrad Logan, given his chance in goal, did well to keep out a Calum Waters effort in a rare attack by the visitors.
Tensions flaired as Hibernian's Anthony Stokes clashed with Dumbarton's Mark Docherty
Gunnarson missed a glorious chance for number three when he had a clear sight of goal from six yards out.
Dumbarton looked better in the early stages of the second half, but there was a real let-off for Stephen Aitken's side when Martin Boyle fired the ball across the six-yard box.
With the goal gaping, on-loan Celtic striker Stokes fired straight at Ewings and the chance was gone.
Stokes almost made amends with a free-kick from 22 yards out, but Ewings produced a fine save.
With 15 minutes left, the home side scored a third thanks to a fair slice of good fortune.
Keatings chased the ball down the left, was challenged by Kevin Cawley and the Sons striker's block soared over his own goalkeeper and into the net.
As the home side laid siege, Ewings once again denied Stokes and Lewis Stevenson cracked a shot off the post after Boyle was also denied by the goalkeeper.
However, the scoring was completed in stoppage time when Stokes reacted first after Ewings had saved a Paul Hanlon header.
The battle for second continues on Sunday when Hibs host Queen of the South, while Falkirk entertain Greenock Morton. |
Police must keep evolving with changing times and make the best use of available technology, says DGP Dixit.Maharashtra police is now going digital on orders of the Director General of Police (DGP) Praveen Dixit. He has asked policemen to make use of technology when it comes to handing of the FIR copies to complainants. As per Dixit’s instructions, the police will now e-mail or WhatsApp FIR copies to the complainants.Speaking to Mirror, Dixit stated that complainants will have to request for soft copies during registering the FIR. “The digital facilities will be used only in cases where complainants ask for the complaint copy on e-mail or WhatsApp. The whole idea is to make use of the available technology to make life easier for the citizens,” he said.Further elaborating on the issue, the DGP stated that the instructions or not mandatory, but voluntary. “In sensitive cases where complainants do not want to reveal their identities, like mobile numbers or e-mail ids, digital services will not be made available,” Dixit further added.Asked how would the idea wok in rural areas, especially in remote villages, the DGP said that most of the people these days have Internet and phone facilities at their disposal. “But in cases where people do not have any of these facilities, they will keep getting the FIR copies the way they used to be delivered earlier,” Dixit clarified.Usually when a citizen lodges a complaint he/she is entitled to get the FIR copy. But many times, due to the ignorance of the citizens and negligence by the police, the FIR copy is not asked for, said a senior police official on condition of anonymity.Former Mumbai police commissioner MN Singh admitted the negligence on the police’s part and ignorance on the part of the public. Welcoming the initiative taken by Dixit, Singh said, “With change in time, policing should also change. It is only when the police working becomes fully digitised that the handing over of the FIR on e-mail or WhatsApp will be 100 per cent successful. Otherwise, it will be a tedious process,” he added.Meanwhile, IPS officer turned lawyer YP Singh claimed that this is against Section 154 of the CrPC, which mandates that physical a copy of the complaint needs to be given on the spot to the complainant when the FIR is registered. “Instead of using technology to bring in more transparency in the system, the DGP should put all FIRs registered across the state on the police website,” Singh said. “This will prevent the manipulation and antedating of FIRs,” he added.In fact, many in the department are not too happy with the move as they feel it will add to their working hours. “The department is already short-staffed. This new system of taking pictures of the FIR or scanning them to send it to complainants will certainly require more duty hours,” a police sub-inspector said. “The idea may be good, but is not very feasible,” he added. |
When Tim Cahill’s cultured last-ditch header floated over New England keeper Matt Reis and into the net, the Red Bulls had pulled out a 2-2 draw that clinched a playoff berth. Yes, they squandered a game they should have won, but they also pulled out a tie where a few months ago they would have lost.
Coughing up Lee Nguyen’s equalizing penalty kick in the 85th minute and Diego Fagundez’ goal a minute into added time put the Red Bulls on the verge of a loss. Cahill’s score seven minutes into added time pulled out the much-needed point to clinch a playoff bid. Their next goal is winning the Supporters’ Shield, given to the team who finishes the regular season with the most points.
“I thought my heart was going to give out. It’s a great moment for organization. But this is our initial goal. Now our goals get recalculated,’’ rookie coach Mike Petke said. “The second goal right now is the Supporters’ Shield, 100 percent. It would’ve been a lot more realistic if we’d gotten three points.’’
One didn’t have to go far to actually see the object of their desire, with the Supporters’ Shield visiting a bar El Pastor just across the footbridge in Newark. They have made the playoffs 10 of 11 years, but after being frustrated contenders, now they want to be champions.
At 53 points with two games left, the Red Bulls don’t control their destiny. Sporting KC (51 with a game in hand) can catch them if they win out, with Seattle and Real Salt — each tied at 51 points — playing Saturday night, the former with three games in hand and the latter with one.
But they have shown plenty of fight, with a 5-0-2 record since Petke’s practice field fight with Thierry Henry. They had to be separated that day, but the team has grown closer.
“At the end of the day we didn’t lose. A couple months ago we would’ve lost that one,’’ Henry said. “Somehow we found a third, fourth gear to make sure we were not going to give up. That’s something we have now.’’
They were on the verge of a collapse, losing their clean sheet in 83rd minute when CB Jamison Olave was called for a handball in the box on a Saer Sene cross and Nguyen buried the penalty kick. The Red Bulls almost lost the game when Fagundez picked off David Carney’s back-heel backpass and scored.
But after an injury to New England’s Andrew Farrell extended added time, Cahill got a pick from Henry and Peguy Luyindula, and lofted a long header that chipped Reis for his team-high 10th goal of the year.
“When I came here first it was a bit messy. … It was accepted some things that happened in games, and losing,’’ Cahill said. “Now it’s a team that plays for each other, to the end of every game.’’ |
The European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a financing agreement of EUR 250 million with Banque Misr to finance investments by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and midcaps in the manufacturing and services sectors to improve their competitiveness in Egypt. The financing agreement is expected to sustain thousands of jobs in Egyptian enterprises.
The EIB’s loan is the first tranche of EUR 500 million approved by the European Investment Bank’s Board of Directors. It will support Banque Misr’s ambitious plans to expand SME financing to meet the considerable growth expectations for SME lending in the coming years.
The finance, which will improve SMEs’ access to finance, is in line with the priorities of the Egyptian Government and the EU’s cooperation with Egypt. The European Investment Bank has provided a number of loans for SMEs and midcaps in Egypt. Since 2009 the EIB has provided financing to 246 SME projects in Egypt for a total value of EUR 743 million, most of which (56%) were in manufacturing sector. These projects helped to sustain over 40.000 jobs at private businesses. Additional financing to SMEs (such as this loan to Banque Misr) is continuously being made available in Egypt.
EIB in the region: http://www.eib.org/projects/regions/med/about/index.htm
The EIB’s Economic Resilience Initiative (ERI), approved by the EU Member States in 2016, consists of an integrated package of loans, concessional finance and innovative instruments designed to enable financing of an additional EUR 15 billion of investments on top of schemes already planned.
Economic Resilience Initiative: http://www.eib.org/about/global-cooperation/resilience-initiative.htm
Tackling Global Challenges Together: http://www.eib.org/about/global-cooperation/index |
But I don’t want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked.
“Oh, you can’t help that,” said the Cat: “we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”
“How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice.
“You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn’t have come here.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
And now that you’re here – in The Mad House – take a look at this gorgeous tea set and realise that it’s the 150th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland, which is one of my all time favourite ever books. It’s the book that I turn to when I’m ill and want a comfort read (well that and the odd Jilly Cooper). It’s the book that I read out loud to my children. It’s the book that I want read out loud to me. And now, I want this tea set too.
You can buy the set, or parts of it, from Mrs Moore’s Vintage Store, run by Ana Moore. She set up her business in 2012 after 25 years working in the City and spending weekends selling vintage tea sets at Portobello Market.
Contrariwise, I actually never drink tea. So this would have to be my coffee set. And curiouser is that I never normally like crockery with writing and pictures. But I am prepared to make an exception for this. That’s logic.
I shall have a mug with Tweedledum and Tweedledee although I have always been a fan of the Red Queen. And don’t forget the tea towels too, which are printed in Wales while the china is silk screen printed and decorated by hand in Stoke on Trent.
Perfect accessories for The Mad House don’t you think? And while I think, there are lots of events going on this year to celebrate the anniversary, the next one of which is between 9 and 22February at the Royal Festival Hall where you get to play Flamingo croquet. No, I have no idea how that’s going to work either but if you can lay your hands on a child between the ages of four and 12 you can go along and find out. It’s free so what have you got to lose?
Apart from your head.
The players all played at once without waiting for turns, quarrelling all the while, and fighting for the hedgehogs; and in a very short time the Queen was in a furious passion, and went stamping about, and shouting ‘Off with his head!’ or ‘Off with her head!’ about once in a minute.
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I’m not sure how to feel. I correctly picked six out of eight matchups in the first round, but I was very wrong about my former team, the Minnesota Wild. After my first post went live, I got a text message from one of my buddies on the team:
“Hey, I see you’re picking the Blues. Thanks bud!”
“Oh, man. You weren’t supposed to see that. Now you’re gonna have to stick it to me.”
And stick it to me they did. Minnesota made St. Louis, a team I thought had a chance at winning the Cup, look not so great in the first round. That’s the beauty of the NHL playoffs. For all the chatter on Twitter about the “return” of clutch-and-grab hockey, you look at teams like Minnesota, Calgary and New York and realize that speed is king right now.
Let’s see if we can go perfect this round.
*
New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals
Gut reaction:
Before the playoffs started, I thought there was only one team in the East with a chance to take out the Rangers: the Washington Capitals. So I expect this series to be extremely tight. What you have is a matchup of contrasting styles. The Rangers and Penguins were very similar teams — they’re not overly physical. They want to beat you with skill and finesse. The Capitals are a whole different beast. For all the talk about Ovechkin and Backstrom, what makes Washington really dangerous in a seven-game series is that they have a ton of guys throughout the lineup who can create havoc. After you play the Capitals, you’re going to feel it the next day.
With that said, what impressed me about the Rangers in Round 1 was their adaptability. Pittsburgh actually did an awesome job of taking away the Rangers’ elite speed, and yet the Rangers were still able to win in 5 by playing lock-down defense. All four of their victories were 2-1. That’s a tough way to win. If you didn’t believe me before, believe it now: The Rangers simply have the best defense in the NHL top-to-bottom.
What to watch for:
There’s a lot of talk in the media about teams being “worn down” by the previous series, but I never bought that as a player. This is the playoffs. You’re flying on adrenaline. If anything, I think the 7-game series will help the Capitals early.
For the Capitals, the guy you need to watch is Joel Ward. I’ve seen him first-hand in the playoffs, and he’s one of those guys who elevates his game this time of year. I like that Barry Trotz is using him on the top line with Backstrom and Ovechkin at times. He brings an element of unpredictability and sandpaper to that duo’s skill. He’s going to score a big goal. (Editor’s note: We swear Rupper submitted this copy to us yesterday, mere hours before Ward score the game-winning goal with two seconds left).
For the Rangers, you have to watch for their world-class speedsters Carl Hagelin and Chris Kreider. These guys are game-breakers. I played on shifts here and there with Hagelin when I was in New York. I’d just throw a high flipper into the neutral zone and the next thing I knew — boom — he’s got the puck and he’s behind the defense. As a defenseman, going against Hagelin is a nightmare. It’s like in the NFL when you’re a cornerback going one-on-one with an elite wide receiver. You’re on the island.
Then to have another speeder like Kreider on the ice, too? Jeez. I remember watching him against Washington about a month ago. John Carlson had the puck at the Rangers’ blue line and he tried to go D-to-D. It was like Kreider shot out of a cannon to intercept the pass. I happened to be at the game, and seeing it with the naked eye, I was like “What the heck did I just see?” When I got home, I rewinded it on TV and timed him. It took Kreider four seconds to go end-to-end and dish it for the goal.
Elite. Speed.
Who wins it:
Rangers in 7. This could go either way, especially if the Capitals’ power play gets hot.
*
Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Gut reaction:
Steven Stamkos did not score a single goal in 7 games against Detroit. If I am a Montreal Canadiens fan, this fact makes me very nervous. That’s like a ticking time bomb right there. I like that Tampa was able to win with secondary scoring against a pretty structured Detroit team. But let’s face it — that series was pretty tame. Detroit’s strategy is to kind of lull you to sleep. Going into Montreal for Game 1, the energy is going to be much different. So if I’m a player on Tampa, I’m looking at that Montreal roster and deciding on a few guys I’m going to convince myself to genuinely hate for two weeks.
Coaches at every single level of hockey will tell you the same thing: That first shift of Game 1, you either need to dish out a hit, or take a hit. It sounds kind of counter-productive, but I’ve had games where I’ve been run over on my first shift and it actually fired me up. It let’s you know you’re there. I think Tampa needs to create that animosity against Montreal.
What to look for:
You never want to put too much emphasis on one guy, but in Montreal’s case I think it’s all on the shoulders of Carey Price. He has to be great, not just good, for them to take a run. Coaches say it all the time, but it’s so true: it’s all about handling surges in the playoffs. There are going to be times that the other team has all the momentum, and it’s about how you respond. There were times in that Ottawa series when Montreal was getting surged on. But I looked at Carey Price’s body language in the net and he was so incredibly calm in such a hostile situation.
If you’re on that Montreal bench and you’re seeing this guy being so nonchalant when you’re under attack, it gives you a ton of confidence. He makes very difficult saves look routine, even in intense situations. I’ve played with goalies who did that — Marty Brodeur and Henrik Lundqvist. It really allows you to stick your chest out a little more when you have that kind of goalie.
I think it’s all on Price — and I’d never say that about any other player in the NHL.
On the Tampa side, I’m interested to see if their defense can bully the Canadiens’ forwards. That’s a sneaky-good defensive corps. Victor Hedman and Anton Stralman have been excellent all season. And I know I already said it in the Round 1 preview, but center Tyler Johnson is an awesome player. Montreal will have a hard time dealing with Tampa’s second line.
Who wins:
Tampa in 7.
*
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild
Gut reaction:
The best team in the NHL since January 1 is the Minnesota Wild. They were just awesome against St. Louis. Their team speed is second only to the Rangers and they play with such confidence in their system that it’s almost impossible to rattle them. St. Louis tried to get silly in a few of the games and it didn’t phase Minnesota at all. They were so focused that I think it ended up making St. Louis look a bit desperate.
It would be pretty naive to say third time’s a charm, but there’s a progression involved in this Chicago-Minnesota playoff matchup. John Tortorella used to say the same thing every freaking day when I was in New York: “It’s a process.” Guys used to laugh, but I think he’s totally right. In the NHL, you have to learn from your failures against teams to take the leap. I was with Minny in 2013 when we played Chicago and our mentality was a bit like, “Well, let’s just feel this series out and see how it goes.” I think we were a young team who was a bit in awe of Chicago. In 2014, we faced them again and it was a little more like, “No, screw that. I’m tired of seeing Brian Bickell score against us. I hate these guys.”
This year, I think it’s going to be a war. The Wild aren’t going to be overthinking it and worrying, “How do we stop Toews and Kane? What about Hossa? We can’t take penalties because their power play will kill us.” They’re not going to freak out. They’re going to trust their game. They’re a dangerous team right now.
What to watch for:
I’m pumping up Minnesota here, but obviously Chicago has a ton of firepower. Brandon Saad is going to be a superstar in this league. You look at Chicago are it’s like, where do they constantly find these guys? He’s awesome. When Hossa eventually moves on, it’s going to be like Peyton Manning leaving and Andrew Luck stepping in.
Minnesota is going to use Ryan Suter to try to eat up minutes and neutralize Kane and Toews (as much as humanly possible). So watch out for Chicago’s third line of Antoine Vermette, Patrick Sharpe and Teuvo Teravainen. They could be difference makers.
Obviously this almost goes without saying, but Bickell has been a Wild assassin for the last couple years. He’s scored like 14 goals in 25 games against Minnesota or something. I would Google that stat to make sure but it’s too painful.
On the Minnesota side, a guy I really like is winger Jason Zucker. He’s a young player who is lightning fast and powerful. There were times when I thought that the organization was a little too hard on him. He’d have a bad game and be back on his way to Iowa in AHL. But the coaching staff had a plan for him. They wanted him to watch Zach Parise and learn to play that way. He has taken a huge leap this season. Watch for No. 16 out there.
Who wins:
Minnesota in 6. Would I be surprised if Chicago won? No. But I have a feeling about this one. Chicago’s goaltending is in flux while Minnesota’s has been solid.
*
Anaheim Ducks vs. Calgary Flames
Gut reaction:
Oof. I love Calgary, but I do not love this matchup for them. I was super impressed that Calgary’s young guys weren’t phased at all against Vancouver, but Bob Hartley is going to have to prepare them for a different kind of series. Vancouver plays a passive game, similar to the Detroit style. Now Calgary is going to see a much more physical and complete team in Anaheim. This series will be brutal.
Of all the series left, this is the series to tune into if you’re a fan of old-time hockey. They’re going to bring in. I’m probably going to find myself up at 2 a.m. East Coast time watching some overtime games.
What to watch for:
You’ve got Jonas Hiller playing against his old team. I’m not a goalie, but as a player it’s weird and exciting all in one to do that. I had to shake New Jersey Devils hands when I was with the Rangers and it’s not a good feeling. They’re your friends, but I think it makes it worse. You’re telling me Corey Perry doesn’t have a scouting report on Hiller? He shot at him every day in practice for years. If you see the Ducks coming down the wing and and going high glove every time, or going five hole every time, the scouting report is out. You’re going to learn a lot about Hiller’s mental makeup in this series.
For the Ducks, take a look at Cam Fowler. He’s a guy that I haven’t seen a lot in my career, but every time I’ve seen him, he seems very consistent. He’s not flashy, but he puts himself in good stations. I think the biggest compliment for a defenseman is poise. If Anaheim makes a run, you’re going to be hearing Fowler’s name in that second-tier of defensemen.
Calgary plays the game the right way. I love what they’re doing there, but this is gonna be a Tortorella “Process” moment for them. They’re gonna get in this series and realize what it takes to get over the next hurdle.
Who wins:
Anaheim in 5. |
Alaska salmon permits in many fisheries have tripled in value since 2002 and the upward trend continues.
An overview of April listings by four brokers shows that Bristol Bay drift net permits are valued at nearly $134,000 by the State, and listed for sale at $150,000 to $170,000. That compares to $90,000 this past January.
At Southeast Alaska, seine permits are the priciest in the state at more than $300,000. That’s an increase of $50,000 since January.
The asking price for Prince William Sound seine cards exceeds $200,000 compared to the $140,000 range a year ago. After being stalled in the mid $30,000 range for years, Kodiak seine permits are showing a steady uptick, now listing at between $55,000 and more than $80,000. Chignik permits are moving up from the $225,000 range; at Area M/Alaska Peninsula, drift permits were listed at $100,000, up from $90,000. At Cook Inlet, drift permits were listed at $100,000, up from $75,000 less than a year ago.
Looking at IFQs (Individual Fishing Quotas) – halibut shares have hit a $50 asking price at Southeast Alaska, the only place where halibut catches have increased in the past two years. (Offers are in the $45 range.)
For the Central Gulf of Alaska, the asking prices for halibut IFQs range from $28 to $42 a pound and $16 to $20 in the Western Gulf. That’s an increase of about $6 dollars in both Gulf regions since January.
Conversely, the prices for shares of sablefish (black cod) show a big drop in price from a year ago. Asking prices in Southeast of $22 to $30 are down from $28 to $34 per pound; likewise Central Gulf sablefish shares are priced at $15 to $30, down from $28 to $34 per pound.
The decline is likely due to a big drop in dock prices for sablefish over the past two years (after reaching a high of $9 per pound for large fish), and a 25 percent drop in the value of the yen in Japan where the bulk of Alaska’s sablefish is sold, said Andy Wink, lead seafood analyst with the McDowell Group in Juneau.
Get growing
A new Alaska mariculture initiative has a mission to create a plan “to grow a billion dollar industry within 30 years.” That would about double the annual dockside value of all Alaska seafood landings combined.
The ambitious project will be bankrolled by a $216,812 federal grant to the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, or AFDF, one of 10 award recipients out of a pool of 250 as part of NOAA Fisheries’ national mariculture expansion policy.
“We see it as a real opportunity that has been kind of struggling in Alaska,” said AFDF director Julie Decker, adding that the project will “broaden the concept of mariculture.”
“We’re not just talking about shellfish farming or aquatic plants, but also enhancement and restoration. It’s a three legged stool,” she said. “When you start looking at the industry from that point of view, it’s a much broader impact and involves many different sets of stakeholders.”
Decker points out many parallels between the mariculture initiative and Alaska’s salmon enhancement program, where the state backed a $100 million low interest, revolving loan fund so salmon hatcheries could get built and operate for several years. That gave them time to develop tax and cost recovery programs to help pay back the long term loans.
“It helps people see conceptually that Alaska can do this,” she said. “Now we have hatcheries that have completely paid back those loans with interest, and are producing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of salmon every year. Alaska has done this and done it really well. And we developed something in rural Alaska where it is very difficult to make businesses work.”
Mariculture was approved by the Alaska legislature in 1988; today 69 sites are permitted but only 28 growers are marketing shellfish, primarily oysters, with an annual value of half a million dollars a year. Alaska has two fledgling shellfish hatcheries – Alutiiq Pride at Seward and OceansAlaska at Ketchikan.
The initiative foresees Alaska grow outs of geoducks clams, scallops, urchins, abalone, king crab, Dungies and various plants. Starting this summer Decker said AFDF will begin harnessing statewide support from state, federal and university researchers who already are active in the field, and include community development quota groups in Western Alaska.
“I believe there are things that can be grown out there, whether it’s an enhancement program or private shellfish farming,” she said.
The potential for well-planned mariculture is enormous — New Zealand’s grow out of oysters, green mussels and king salmon is worth $400 million now and the value is predicted to top one billion dollars by 2025.
Science made simple
Lifestyles of the small and toothy, not all waters are created equal, whales as sentinels in changing marine environments, salmon excluders for trawl fisheries, economics of killer whale predation — these are just a few topics that people will learn about at next week’s Kodiak Area Marine Science Symposium, or KAMSS.
“This is a pretty unique gathering of folks who have been doing research in the Kodiak area that work for state, federal and academic entities — all getting together and bringing their science back to the people of Kodiak,” said Kate Wynn, a marine mammal researcher at the Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center and co-organizer of the Sea Grant event.
Nearly 40 presentations are scheduled over four days covering research from the bottom up.
“From zooplankton to crab research, through birds and mammals and humans and seafood science and archeology — they are all related to marine science and we put them in an order that goes from the bottom of the food web to the top and human dimensions. They just flow together,” Wynn said.
The topics flow quickly — each presentation is limited to 15 minutes and five minutes for questions. Wynn said there is one other rule.
“That they are presented in a way that anyone can understand,” she stressed. “Don’t overwhelm them with scientific details that you might use in a scientific symposium to your peers. These are school kids, guys off the street, tourists, and others in the community who want to know what you’re talking about.”
Alaska Sea Grant has hosted similar “lighter side of science” symposia in other Alaska communities to highlight local research that touches people’s lives. Wynn said a goal is to make science enjoyable and not to scare people away.
“We’ve actually had discussions about even using the word science in the symposium name. It can throw people off and be intimidating,” she said. “We are trying to get past that because in a lot of cases these are just fun facts about things that apply to our lives.”
The KAMSS event runs through April 26 at the Kodiak Convention Center.
Laine Welch lives in Kodiak. Visit www.alaskafishradio.com or contact [email protected] for information. |
Lights, camera, action! Olivia Munn is casual in skinny jeans and leather jacket as she and Thomas Sadoski shoot scenes for The Newsroom
Filming on the third and final season of HBO's The Newsroom is coming to a close in New York.
And stars Olivia Munn and Thomas Sadoski were spotted on the streets of the city working on a few last scenes on Saturday.
The pair were dressed in casual chic workwear suitable for their characters in the fictional News Night programme.
Breaking news: Olivia Munn and co-star Thomas Sadoski were spotted out filming scenes for HBO's The Newsroom in New York City on Saturday
Another door opens: The pair play journalists on the drama series, which is completing work on its third and final season
Olivia, who plays economist Sloan, wore a black and white striped T-shirt under a black leather jacket and dark blue skinny jeans that she tucked into a pair of square-heeled black boots.
The 33-year-old's dark tresses were pulled up into a bun away from her face, which was made up for the cameras. She slung a huge black leather bag over her shoulder.
Thomas, 38, channelled News Night's former executive producer Don in a blue T-shirt, black leather jacket, black trousers and black trainers.
On the trail: Thomas, 38, and 33-year-old Olivia made their way through the city's busy streets
On the road: The co-stars hopped in and out of New York's famous yellow taxis
His thick dark hair was slicked back off his face as he negotiated New York's busy streets beside Olivia, leaving an office and getting in and out of a taxi.
The filming evidently demanded a costume change as the couple were also seen in lighter clothing getting in and out of a cab.
The brunette donned a strapless blue maxi-dress with white spots teamed with silver sandals. Her long hair was left to hang around her shoulders and she accessorised with a sunglasses and a cream leather handbag.
Such a gentleman: Thomas held the cab door for the actress in this scene
Still a gent: And Thomas helped Olivia into the back of a cab after they changed into new clothes
Spotted! The actress donned a sleeveless blue maxi-dress with white dots as filming continued Thomas wore a grey T-shirt with black jeans and smart black lace-up shoes.
Filming looks set to continue for a few more days according to a picture posted by a fan showing a road closure notice for The Newsroom on Sunday and Monday. However, star Jeff Daniels, who played senior anchor Will McAvoy, posted a picture of the News Night studio on Wednesday with the tag 'And that's a wrap. #Newsroom' suggesting the set is no longer necessary. We're here! She closed the car door behind her Disembarking: Olivia stepped regally out of the taxi
Softer look: The brunette took her long hair down and it fell beautifully around her shoulders
It was actually his final day on that set on July 8 when he tweeted: 'Last day on the #Newsroom Set. Seems like yesterday I was vamping my way through coverage of the BP Oil Spill...'
Created by Aaron Sorkin, The Newsroom bowed on June 24, 2012 and will air its last, shortened season of six episodes in the fall. |
@RedMageLanakyn P2W is a factor in the MP - no getting away from it! The fact that someone can get all the best 'Star Cards' in the game via loot crates is poor. OK so they might not be the 'highest' tier, but they can be a higher tier than you can buy. Also you need crafting parts to upgrade to the max tier and if you have opened lots of loot crates, you have a lot of crafting parts to upgrade to max tier immediately.
They can have the best upgrades/star cards/vehicles/heroes etc so have such a big advantage, its unbalanced. A skilled player would have to be very skilled to kill a 'noob' with the best cards in a straight out gunfight.
MP though is just one aspect and the 'only' aspect that Loot crates really impact on. I wouldn't say that you come up against whole teams of loot crate buying players but you can often see which players have purchased - they are the ones at the top of the scoreboard - often by a sizeable margin.
There is still the Campaign (mediocre, disjointed, short and open-ended) as well as 'Arcade' mode. The Arcade mode is 'similar' to the 'training' mode in SWBF1. Missions with objectives and AI controlled enemies that award 'stars' for completing - up to 3stars each. These can be played offline or Couch co-op.
Overall the game is OK. Its better than BF1 in some ways and whilst the loot crates are an 'issue' in principal, whether they really affect the majority of MP matches or not, time will tell. Those that have pre-ordered and therefore had the opportunity to buy Loot Crates obviously have an advantage but I have an advantage over new-comers despite not buying ANY loot crates - just because I have put time in already and unlocked some cards etc. Its difficult to assess how much of impact as there are too many variables but if you come up against a level 20+ with 3 max tier star cards equipped, I bet they bought loot crates! No way would they have had time to grind for that advantage... |
CALGARY — Carla Qualtrough knows what it’s like to subsist on a humble salary as a three-time Paralympic medallist in swimming.
These days, the 44-year-old lawyer is also the federal minister of sport and persons with disabilities charged with oversight of Sport Canada.
The federal government invests about $200 million annually into the country’s sport system. And with less than two weeks until the opening ceremonies in Rio, the minister is unsure if Canada’s targeted approach to funding is in need of a minor adjustment or a complete overhaul once these Olympics have ended.
“Like any coach would tell you, we always have to review our game plan,” Qualtrough says. “We’ve been doing the same thing for 10 years. Is this the best way to optimize the investment we’re making (while) making sure we’re getting results and remaining competitive internationally?”
Canada currently has a targeted funding system, which favours athletes with medal potential. Canadian Olympians and Paralympians receive money from a variety of sources, including federal carding, provincial excellence programs, personal fundraising and corporate support.
The debate over whether this is the right approach will no doubt simmer in the background as the Canadian Olympic team embarks for Rio with the official goal of improving on the 18 medals won at the 2012 Games.
Qualtrough herself is reserving judgment until she sees the results of a federal review of Canada’s funding model. A release date is not known for the report, which will take into account Canada’s performance in Rio.
Here’s a look at how funding works today:
BASE FUNDING
Go into any gym where Canadian athletes train, and you’ll find the middle-distance runner on the treadmill makes a different amount of money than the bobsleigh pilot lifting weights or the cyclist on the stationary bike.
All senior carded athletes receive about $1,500 a month from the federal government, but their total take-home pay varies wildly — as does the support for the various sports federations through Own the Podium.
Sprinter Andre De Grasse signed an $11.25-million shoe deal with Puma last November. But he is the exception.
Marathon runner Lanni Marchant is raising money for her family to go to Rio via crowdfunding. Sailors Danielle Boyd and Erin Rafuse auctioned off a pair of Tragically Hip tickets at the Kingston Yacht Club to help pay for their trip to Brazil. Wrestlers Jasmine Mian and Erica Wiebe held a western-themed fundraiser at a community hall in conjunction with the Calgary Stampede.
“It’s hard to be an athlete in Canada,” says Wiebe, a medal favourite in the 75-kg division. “We live on a very tight budget. That’s just the way it is.”
The $1,500 monthly stipend from the federal government has not changed since 2004. According to the Bank of Canada, the consumer price index has increased 23% over those 16 years. So to keep up with inflation, it should be $1,842 by now.
“You can’t really live on that,” says Helen Upperton, a 2010 Olympic silver medallist in bobsleigh. “The carding money obviously helps, but the fact it doesn’t increase with inflation and the cost of living just blows my mind.”
By contrast, in Great Britain, athletes receive up to $45,190 annually from UK Sport, which is backed by the government and the National Lottery.
“I get by,” says Wiebe, who receives an extra $6,000 annually in provincial funding. “I’ve always lived with roommates. I got my car on Kijiji a year ago. It was my first car, a 2008 Ford Focus. It doesn’t always start, but it gets me to training and back.”
Wiebe considers herself lucky, as she is sponsored by the likes of KPMG and Main Dish, a Calgary eatery that specializes in nutritious meals. She also benefits from the Canadian Athletes Now Fund and the HBC athlete bursary program. And as a Canadian athlete, she is eligible for a medal bonus of $20,000 for a gold medal in Rio, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze.
But she feels for some of her counterparts who are left behind.
"I see the disproportion,” she says quietly. “It’s really tough. I think we need to support development athletes and athletes at all different levels of the game.”
TARGETED FUNDING
Own the Podium was born back in 2005 when Canada set a lofty goal of topping the medal chart at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
In conjunction with the Vancouver organizing committee and the federal government, OTP guided the investment of $110 million over five years to help athletes in their quest to reach the podium — and Canada did top the medal tables, setting a new record for gold medals with 14.
Own the Podium funding for summer sport launched in 2009. Three years later, Canada finished with 18 medals at the London Olympics, one fewer than 2008 in Beijing.
Rio is the first Summer Games where Canadian athletes have benefitted from a full quadrennial of targeted funding.
“Rio is going to be interesting, because of the number of athletes who retired after London,” Qualtrough says. “I think it would be fair to say this is going to be more of a transitional year in terms of our results. “
By definition, Own the Podium does not provide a level playing field.
For example, Canada’s female wrestlers are expected to win medals in Rio. As such, Wrestling Canada received $1.379 million in targeted funding. Boxing Canada — with no projected medallists — collected just $310,000.
After winning eight track and field medals at the 2015 world championships, Athletics Canada cashed in with $4.135 million in OTP funding. Sailing, meanwhile, was awarded $30,000 in top-up support.
“I think there’s a vicious cycle,” says Ashley LaBrie, executive director of AthletesCAN, the association of national team athletes. “If (athletes) are not receiving that funding, it’s so much harder for them to reach their potential. And if they don’t reach their potential, they’re not going to get the funding … It’s almost an impossible barrier to get over.”
But OTP is limited by its budget, says Athletics Canada head coach Peter Eriksson. So, by definition, some people will be left behind.
"OTP’s mandate is to see a return on investment,” he says. “It’s like any business. Why would you invest in a company that doesn’t give you profit? You can’t just expect it to be like social services.”
NEXT GEN
One strategy that everyone seems to support is investment in younger athletes with podium potential 5-8 years down the road.
In many sports, Canada lacks of the depth of countries like the United States and the United Kingdom. That means injuries — like the one to soccer goalkeeper Erin McLeod — can prove crushing. And the same goes for retirements.
In the 2015 budget, the federal government announced it would invest $5 million annually over four years — to be matched by OTP through fundraising. That means $40 million is earmarked for athletes with medal potential for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and beyond.
“We punch above our weight class,” says John Furlong, chair of the OTP advisory board. “But our view is that we can do even better.”
CORPORATE INJECTION
Canadian athletes cannot thrive in a system where they have to rely on government handouts alone, Upperton says. Corporate Canada must play a role.
After finishing fourth at the 2006 Turin Games, Upperton received help from B2ten, a group of Canadian business leaders who believe in the importance of sport and health’s contribution to society.
Since the Foundation’s inception in 2006, B2ten has raised some $30 million to fill training and preparation needs for athletes up to and including the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo.
In Upperton’s case, B2ten bought her a new sled and helped with everything from hiring a mechanic to accessing physiotherapy and sports psychology.
“I don’t think Kaillie Humphries, Lyndon Rush and myself would have been on the podium in Vancouver without that support,” she says, “You always need the support of the private sector.”
The private sector is backing some Canadian Olympians heading into Rio.
BMW, for example, works with several athletes, including kayaker Mark de Jonge, high jumper Derek Drouin and swimmer Ryan Cochrane. Flagbearer Rosie MacLennan is one Canadian athlete featured in the “Thank You Mom” campaign by Procter & Gamble. Middle-distance runner Melissa Bishop is featured prominently in Nike ads.
Upperton knows how hard it is to attract that kind of support, which is a big reason why she is so distressed by the doping scandals dominating the headlines surrounding the Rio Games.
“It’s already hard enough for athlete to get funding,” she says. “Do you think companies will want to be associated with all this bad press and bad media? It’s just crazy.”
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @vickihallCH
How Canada compares with country’s with similar sports funding models:
CANADA
Population: 35.16 million
Direct summer sport investment during the four-year cycle heading into Rio: $137.33 million
Per capita: $3.90
Projected Olympic medals in Rio (via Gracenote): 16 (three gold, eight silver and five bronze)
Did you know? 75% of Canada’s medals are expected to come from women
NEW ZEALAND
Population: 4.5 million
Direct summer sport investment during the four-year cycle heading into Rio: $99.01 million
Per capita: $22
Projected medals in Rio (via Gracenote): 25 (seven gold, 11 silver and seven bronze)
Did you know? New Zealand directs 40% of high performance monies to just three summer sports: rowing, cycling and sailing
AUSTRALIA
Population: 24.17 million
Direct summer sport investment during the four-year cycle heading into Rio: $333.2 million
Per capita: $13.80
Projected medals in Rio (via Gracenote): 42 (16 gold, 13 silver, 13 bronze)
Did you know? Swimmer Cate Campbell is tapped to collect four medals in Rio (golds in 50-metre freestyle, 100-metre freestyle and 4×100-metre freestyle and silver in the 4×100-metre medley)
NETHERLANDS
Population: 17 million
Direct summer sport investment during the four-year cycle heading into Rio: $97.98 million
Per capita: $5.80
Projected medals in Rio (via Gracenote): 26 (seven gold, nine silver, 10 bronze)
Did you know? Equestrian sports are a big deal in Holland, with three medals — including two gold — expected for the Dutch in Rio
*All funds are in Canadian dollars |
We're getting word of a big fire in the Western Addition this afternoon, one that's reached four-alarm status. SFist's Andrew Dalton snapped this shot of the blaze. Marcia Gagliardi (AKA Tablehopper) sent out the following Twitter message about the inferno, "It's horrible with this wind. sky around my apartment is a terrible grey, looks like dark fog. poor people, this is awful. really bad fire."
We'll update as soon as we know more.
Update 12:18: According to KGO, the fire is at a "large residential building." You can check out live footage of the fire in progress here. The fire is a four-alarm blaze, which was reported just before noon, is located at 1502 Golden Gate.
So far, the fire is located at one four-story building. Although there have been no reports of any injuries, "[t]wo ambulances have been dispatched to the scene," reports KGO.
12:25: The fire roars as firefighters try to battle the flames now leaping through the building's roof:
12:28: The blaze is out of control, it seems. "All firefighters have been ordered to get out of the building on fire in San Francisco's Western Addition," notes @abc7newsBayArea.
12:33: Fire has spread to neighboring building. According to SF Appeal, a fourth alarm was called in as well.
12:39: All streets in the immediate area are closed. The public is being asked to stay away from the Western Addition/NOPA/Alamo Square area for now.
12:40: A fifth alarm has now been called. This fire is completely out of control. Building is being described as "very old" by Captain Denis O'Leary. A Shelter-in-place has been declared. No injures have been reported.
12:50: 30 MPH winds are whipping up the fire. The wind is mostly blowing southwest towards Divis. Andrew Dalton, located near the fire, says is apartment reeks of smoke.
12:52: Residents are standing outside trying to account for all of the pets who made it out alive. Sad.
1:00: One person has been sent to the hospital for smoke inhalation. Here's a shot from the other side of the area, via CBS 5.
1:02: Fire has engulfed two residential buildings so far.
1:06: Here's a shot of the fire taken from the Kaiser parking garage taken by @McClure_SF.
1:13: According to KTVU, a nearby senior citizen home is asking for assistance to evacuate 90+ residents. Building is on McAllister.
1:17: Sal Castaneda (@sal_castaneda) reports: "Hearing at least 2 people taken to hospitals, chief Joanne Hayes White just ordered more paramedics to the scene." Also, folks in Oakland can smell smoke from Western Addition fire, which is still roaring.
1:27: A sixth alarm has been called in, reports KCBS. Is that even possible? [Twitter report has since been pulled.] At least three buildings have been destroyed.
1:35: SFist's Andrew Dalton (reporting to us live from the scene) tells us: "Went back to check out the Assisted Living place on McAllister. It's extremely smokey down here, but a woman with the home told me they're doing fine getting everyone out."
1:46: Correction: fire remains at five-alarm status.
1:55: Via Sam Bartos at Bay Citizen, here's some raw footage of the fire:
2:01: A re-routed 5-Fulton is stuck blocking Divisadero northbound at Hayes. (Get it together, Muni. Really.) Divis is getting backed up to Fell and Oak. Please be advised.
2:06: One of the buildings destroyed, according to The Chronicle, is an "almost century-old four-story apartment building at 1015 Pierce Street" just off Alamo Square.
2:10: Local writer Christine Borden snapped the following shot of the fire's wrath, noting: "At Turk and Pierce looking south. Roof and top floor are completely gone."
2:15: Two firefighters transported to the hospital with fire-related injuries.
2:20: Reminder: Red cross can't take donations other than money, which goes to fund the next disaster response. Any sort of donations for the current victims will be announced later.
2:26: Fire continues. Dalton reports, "Still a lot of smoke coming from the corner building. Flames are lower but it's still going." Shelter-in-place still in effect. Also, Haighteration has some choice photos of the horrific blaze. One example seen below. Be sure to check them out.
(Photo credit: Haighteration reader Ryan B)
2:37: Dalton took this photo of a girl, somewhere around 8 or 9 he estimates, who evacuated the building safely. Amazing shot.
(Photo credit: Andrew Dalton / SFist)
2:45: San Francisco Supervisor and sheriff-elect Ross Mirkarimi, who represents the neighborhood, was at the scene today. "This is gut-wreching because we’re in the heart of the holiday,” Mirkarimi told CBS 5.
2:53: Fire is starting to subside, but still blazing. Winds are making the battle that more difficult for SFFD. "Don't see any more flames but they're still hosing down the building on Golden Gate. It's smoldering pretty good," Dalton tells us.
2:58: KGO reports, "Firefighters continue to work a five-alarm structure fire in San Francisco's Western Addition." Attached is this rather depressing picture.
(Photo credit: KGO)
3:13: DONATION INFORMATION: Red Cross will be at 1455 Golden Gate tonight and tomorrow taking donations of clothes, etc. After tomorrow go to downtown Red Cross (85 2nd Street, San Francisco) for monetary donations only. (They will not accept items at the office, only donations.) Here's a helpful post about where and when to donate.
3:36: And, no, a meteorite did not cause today's fire. Really now, people.
3:45: Fire declared "under control" by SFFD.
3:55: Evacuation shelter set up at 1455 Golden Gate Avenue at Missionary Temple for people displaced by fire near Alamo Square. |
A 12-YEAR-OLD bride was found to be pregnant after the 27-year-old man she had “married” in an Islamic ceremony was charged with child sex offences.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was initially charged with 25 counts of having sexual intercourse with a child in February last year.
He later pleaded guilty to one count of persistent sexual abuse of a child, which carries a 25-year maximum jail sentence.
The statement of facts, which was tendered during his sentencing hearing in the Downing Centre District Court yesterday, revealed that soon after the man was charged, the girl was taken for a medical examination.
The girl, who is now 14, was suffering from “sharp right lower abdominal pain” and medical tests revealed that she was having “an ectopic pregnancy and miscarried”, court papers said.
An ectopic pregnancy is when the pregnancy develops outside the uterus, and in many cases in one of the fallopian tubes.
The pair had been “married” in an Islamic ceremony in the girl’s living room in the Hunter Region in January of last year.
After the ceremony the couple stayed at various motels throughout Sydney.
They had sexual intercourse, including oral sex, at least once a day almost every day until the man was charged, the papers said.
The accused man’s barrister, Alex Radojev, told the court that his client had only arrived in Australia from Lebanon just a few months before meeting the girl.
Mr Radojev said the man didn’t know he was doing the wrong thing because he told Centrelink staff that they were together when he was attempting to apply for guardianship and enrol her in school.
“It is a very clear indication that (the man), by his actions, was not seeking to hide anything,” Mr Radojev said.
But the prosecution argued that he was told by at least one member of the Muslim community that marrying the girl was illegal in Australia.
The court papers also said the girl initially did not want to be married to the man because he was too old but the man proceeded to send her a flood of text messages after he first saw her in a mosque in November 2013.
At first the girl did not reply to the messages but then began texting back.
A woman who gave a character reference for the man said she did not believe he was “deliberately flouting” Australian law.
Mr Radojev described the relationship as “mature” and said outside court that his client was “missing his wife”.
The accused man’s visa was cancelled when the charges were laid.
He is to be sentenced on March 6. |
Written by: Paul Gleason, Alex Green, Dave Cantrell and Scott Hanavan
“Last year I went fishing with Salvador Dali,” the comedian Steven Wright once joked. “He was using a dotted line. He caught every other fish.”
As the Editor-In-Chief of Stereo Embers Magazine, I sometimes feel that there’s so much music that comes our way, I’m only catching every other fish, too. But then I remember that I’ve got the best music staff in the world and between us, I think we’ve got the lake covered.
Every day I’m learning from them about new bands I would never have heard because I’m so busy hearing all the other ones.
The staff at SEM is a tireless bunch who have a lifelong passion for music and even as I’m writing this our Digital Director Brett Widmann just instant messaged me with a new band he thinks I might like.
(Andrew Jackson Jihad, by the way. And he was right.)
Thank you for your continued support of Stereo Embers Magazine.
Here are our 40 favorite records of the year (listed by SEM writer, in alphabetical order):
Alex Green, Editor-In-Chief
AUGIE MARCH – Havens Dumb
After a long hiatus, one of my all-time favorite bands returns. Literate, mysterious and lilting, this is a graceful collection of some of the most finely wrought pop songs you’ll ever hear. Key track: “After The Crack Up”
JUSTIN CURRIE – Lower Reaches
On his third solo record, Justin Currie reinforces that he’s not only a peerless lyricist, he’s in possession of one of the most stirring voices in all of music. A flawless disc. Key track: “Bend To My Will”
MAX EIDER – Duckdance
Right before the end of the year Max Eider checks in with his fifth solo disc. Erudite, urbane and filled with finesse, this is sheer sonic elegance. Key track: “Don’t Worry”
GAME THEORY – Blaze of Glory/Dead Center
Game Theory’s Scott Miller may have been the undisputed Poet Laureatte of the 916, but he was also one of the greatest post-modern poets of all time. He also happened to know how to write some of the most infectious, sophisticated, and truly unforgettable pop songs that you’ll ever hear. Omnivore continues to be the preeminent reissue label, and these two re-releases are finely done with generous liner notes, b-sides, and beautiful packaging. Key track: “Shark Pretty”
GOLDEN CURTAIN – Dream City
A nervy balance of dark indie pop and rapturous, ragged soul. Golden Curtain’s Dream City confirms that this New Zealand outfit may very well be one of the very best bands on the planet. Key track: “Network Space”
NEW DIVISION – Together We Shine
L.A.’s New Division have deep synth riffs and dark, brooding melodies, but there’s an ebullience and a joy that shine through every time. Infectious, hook-laden, and altogether masterful work. Key track: “Den Bosch”
KIMM ROGERS – Where the Pavement Grows
“Living in these crazy times, beauty can be hard to find that’s pure,” sings Kimm Rogers on her new record, Where the Pavement Grows. A haunting meditation on fleeting beauty and our temporary, shaky place in the world, Where the Pavement Grows is a stunning sonic study of what happens in the extraordinary moments of our ordinary lives. Key track: “Rain”
MATTHEW RYAN – Boxers
Produced by Kevin Salem, Matthew Ryan’s latest is perhaps his best yet. Scruffy soul that brings to mind everyone from Springsteen to John Prine to Raymond Carver, there’s nobody who chronicles the movements of our big shaky hearts quite like Ryan does. Key track: “Boxers”
SCRUFFY THE CAT – The Good Goodbye: Unreleased Recordings 1984-1990
Another needful rescue courtesy of Omnivore. A reminder that Scruffy The Cat were one of the most refreshing, endearing, and powerful bands around. A blistering collection of pure and spirited rock and roll. A proper goodbye indeed, but as we know, parting is such sweet sorrow. Key track: “The Good Goodbye”
SINGLE MOTHERS – Negative Qualities
Young and tough and uncomfortable with the world, this Ontario outfit come out swinging in what can only be described as a sheer sonic blitz. Singer Drew Thomson is impatient, aggravated and bristling with anger–he’s as close to an aural rendering of Saul Bellow’s “open wound of a man” as you’re ever going to get. Thomson stalks through these numbers with more menace than Darth Maul behind that pesky forcefield and his delivery is redolent with a perfect balance of anxiety and rage. Key track: “Half-Lit”
Paul Gleason, Managing Editor
BEACH DAY – Native Echoes
Beach Day tops their 2013 debut – Trip Trap Attack – by leaps and bounds. Native Echoes features the garage rock duo at their best, with sophisticated songs and arrangements, introspective lyrics, rad guitar riffs, and diverse sonics (think: noise) and moods. Singer-guitarist Kimmy Drake and drummer Skyler Black sound like they were born to play together – and Native Echoes sounds like Beach Day are playing in your own garage. It’s that immediate, that vibrant. Key track: “Don’t Call Me on the Phone”
BORIS – Noise
With Noise – their best album since 2005’s Pink and, perhaps, the best album of their career – Boris make a statement: they can do it all. From shimmering waves of atmospheric guitar feedback, to super-charged punk and industrial rants, to lovely pop, to epic psychedelic guitar anthems, Noise has it all. It’s like The Beatles or Sign ‘O’ the Times for drone addicts. Key track: “Angel”
ELEPHANT STONE – The Three Poisons
Elephant Stone’s most band-oriented album yet is also their finest to date. Leader Rishi Dhir proves once and for all that he’s one of the best musicians and lyricists on the planet. His bass grooves, gorgeous sitar, and earnest words are worth the price of admission. But when you add in the utter creativity of guitarist Gab Lambert and drummer Miles Dupire, you have an album that’s an instant classic and a harbinger of better sounds to come. Key track: “Knock You From Yr Mountain”
LAZER/WULF – The Beast of Left and Right
Lazer/Wulf is one of those rare bands that revels in the unexpected. When you drop the needle on The Beast of Left and Right, you’re faced with a prog-metal power trio that plays with the virtuosity of jazz masters. Constructed as a palindrome, the record forces you to pay attention to each and every unthought-of-before musical idea that constitute the songs. PAY ATTENTION TO LAZER/WULF. Key track: “Choose Again”
ORENDA FINK – Blue Dream
An album of dreams recalled in moments of silent meditation, Blue Dream is so sincere in its attempt to understand the mysteries that beat at the heart of life and death that it makes you marvel at Orenda Fink’s courage and empathy. She writes lyrics that read like poetry and sings them in a voice that’s so beautiful that it touches your soul and makes you realize that we’re not alone on our journey through life and death. Her album, to paraphrase one of its best songs, is indeed a “part of something greater” – namely, all of us. Key track: “This Is a Part of Something Greater”
SHABAZZ PALACES – Lese Majesty
Palaceer Lazaro and Tendai Maraire’s excursion into hip-hop’s unknown, Lese Majesty is a cornucopia of metaphysical and socially conscious rhymes and dark psychedelic soundscapes. It’s a trip into space – one that dazzles and excites, as it washes over you in an interstellar overdrive. Key track: “#Cake”
SUN KIL MOON – Benji
Mark Kozelek has reached a new height on Benji – so much so that it’s safe to say that he’s one of our greatest contemporary poets. Lyrically, Kozelek takes a sledgehammer to any wall that could potentially divide himself from his audience. Like Rimbaud and Whitman, his work is a direct revelation of consciousness – and all the pain, love, suffering, and moods that being human entails. Kozelek’s authenticity is an act of compassion and a true revelation of truth as subjectivity. And his guitar playing is amazing, too. Key track: “I Watched the Film The Song Remains the Same”
TEMPLES – Sun Structures
What happens when four guys from Kettering get together and decide to start a band? They carry their love of The Byrds, The Beatles, Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, and The Who in their hearts and become Temples. They then release Sun Structures – a record so perfect in its pop craftsmanship and trippy soundscapes that it simultaneously sounds like the perfect amalgamation of their 60s’ psychedelic elders and something completely fresh. Remember: people build temples to honor what’s come before, as well as to look toward the future. Key track: “Shelter Song”
THEE SILVER MT. ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA – Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light on Everything
Efrim Menuck and co. have made one of the angriest records in recent memory – and that’s a good thing. Fuck Off stabs the heart of a world gone awry with corporate greed. But Menuck’s lyrics are never obvious and transparent. And the band uses all styles of music at its disposal – punk, metal, folk, noise rock, and post rock – to create a harsh musical stew that mirrors his rage. This is a dangerous record for a dangerous time. Key track: “What We Loved Was Not Enough”
WET SOCKS – Drips
Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Hunter Jayne and drummer John Zimmerman have made a high-octane, garage-punk manifesto of an LP. The Savannah-based duo punctuate each and every track with surprising arrangements and innovative guitar noise that result in a record unlike anything you’ve heard before. Drips drips with creativity, intelligence, and raw power. Key track: “Deathsox”
Dave Cantrell, Senior Music Editor
ALVVAYS – Alvvays
Absolutely defining ‘sparkling debut,’ there are a number of other adjectival superlatives we could hurl at this as well: astonishing, effortless, preternaturally confident. Oh, and Canadian, which in the last few years has quite frequently been synonymous with ‘Wow.’ Key track: “Next of Kin”
ARRICA ROSE & THE …’S – WAVEFUNCTION
This year’s sleeper, this sophomore album from the singer/songwriter with the quintessential West Coast voice and a crack band of Dots is so richly produced it reminded many of us of those vintage analog classic albums of the 70s recorded at places like the Record Plant. No wonder the album’s title is all in caps. That it’s also jammed with crisp songcraft and was designed specifically for vinyl, well, how could we not be in love? Key track: “Love You Like That”
ASHLEY REAKS – Compassion Fatigue 1-8
Go on, you try it. Try making a record with eight tracks, the first one one-minute long and in A, the second track two-minutes long and in B and like that. And don’t forget to make it killer. OK, go on, we’ll wait…impossible, isn’t it? Not if you’re Ashley Reaks it ain’t, it’s a bloody breeze, and a slyly brilliant one at that. Key track: “Cold Body Pussycat”
BASTARDS OF FATE – Vampires Are Real and Palpable
Possibly the most challenging listen of all 40 albums on this list, the rewards unlocked by repeated spins are so rich and satisfying the word ‘ample’ barely suffices. Though one supposes that the gloriously inspired noise they make rather ensures a measure of obscurity, it’s nonetheless unfair. All the world should be basking in this Roanoke band’s mighty – and genius – oddity. Key track: “Winter of Our Discontent”
CHROME – Feel It Like a Scientist
Amazingly, being routinely groundbreaking never gets boring for Helios Creed. So, basically, nothing to report here, other than the fact that Chrome’s first studio album in 12 years feels like it could have come from the same time period that last year’s fabulous ‘lost tapes’ album Half Machine From The Sun and that, folks, defines timeless. Key track: “Prophecy”
DEERHOOF – La Isla Bonita
For 20 years this small band of noise pop versatilists have been bewitching us with their sui generis take on everything skewed/cute/demanding/joyous/inspiring/etc about this rock ‘n’ roll game. Recorded live over a “weeklong sleepover arguing over whether to try and sound like Joan Jett or Janet Jackson,” tossed-off albums should always sound even half this good. Key track: “Paradise Girls”
NORTHERN ARMS – Northern Arms
Though we knew better, there was a smidgen of concern that the luminous despair and majestic soul of their debut single “What You’ve Got On” – single of the year with any runner-up a distant second for at least one of our writers here – would make it difficult for the following album to measure up. But, like we say, we knew better. These Philly kids most certainly did not let us, or anyone else, down. Key track: “What You’ve Got On”
SWANS – To Be Kind
Perhaps the most predictable pick on this whole list, given that it’s made conceivably every major music publication’s list. Which, really, that says enough right there. Key track: “A Little God on My Hands”
TUNABUNNY – Kingdom Technology
Did someone mention something about Athens rising? Oh, wait, that was us. Yeah, they’re coming in from all directions down there again. Not they ever really stopped, of course, it’s just recently it’s just kind of…gone boom, and there could be no better representative of the vitality of the scene down there than Tunabunny. In our review we put them in a league with Deerhoof. We weren’t wrong. Key track: “Power Breaks”
VARIOUS ARTISTS – TEMPORARY – Selections from Dunedin’s Pop Underground 2011-2014
Rare for a compilation to make a year-end list we hear you thinking, but not when it comes from the still-bottomless well of pop perfection that is Dunedin, New Zealand. Then, it’s pretty much guaranteed. Not a naff track on this, which makes nothing but sense given the rude health of the city’s scene these days. Key track: Death & The Maiden, “Flowers for the Blind”
Scott Hanavan, Staff Writer
THE BLACK ANGELS – Clear Lake Forest
Simultaneously playful and dark, Clear Lake Forest could be The Black Angels’ strongest set of songs yet. It’s filled with some of their most memorable melodies, danceable beats, and ominous drones – all in a seven-song EP. Hypnotic and trippy, Clear Lake Forest leaves you wondering where The Angels will fly next. Key track: “Diamond Eyes”
CHRIS CATALENA AND THE NATIVE AMERICANS – Here Comes the Time
Chris Catalena knows his Beach Boys, Black Angels, and Brian Jonestown Massacre. In fact, he knows them so well that he got Nelson Bragg (of Brian Wilson’s band), Rob Campanella, and Alex Maas to participate in the creation of Here Comes the Time. Imagine a groundbreaking synthesis of Americana, pop, and psych, and you’ll have an indication of Catalena’s accomplishment. Key track: “Plain Paper Plane”
CORNERS – Maxed Out on Distractions
Icy synths, echoed and angular guitars, and dark lyrics pour out of Maxed Out on Distractions – one of the best post-punk albums of the year. But Corners are more than Joy Division rip-offs. Their hooks are more prominent, their tone more aggressive and, paradoxically, ambient. They’re what Interpol and Editors should have become after their promising earlier work. Key track: “Love Letters”
GOAT – Commune
If any album of 2014 can be deemed “spiritual,” it’s Goat’s Commune. Meditative and dreamy, the music floats by the listener in layers of drones, Middle Eastern guitar figures, and trippy percussive rhythms. This is world music that speaks to community, oneness, and cultural understanding. Key track: “Hide From the Sun”
HOOKWORMS – The Hum
An ambitious follow-up to their terrific debut Pearl Mystic, Hookworms’ sophomore effort is about the catharsis found in joyful noise. The Hum is energy – and even violence – incarnate. And lead singer MJ’s crazed vocals seemingly revel in the band’s mayhem that surrounds them. Key track: “Radio Tokyo”
LA HELL GANG – Thru Me Again
La Hell Gang have morphed from the garage rock of their first album to the dreamy stuff of Thru Me Again – a surprising delight of hazy shoegaze. The guitars are layered and huge; the mood is brooding. But the band create a sweet balance between short bursts of addictive dream pop and lengthy anthemic pieces based on guitar drones. Key track: “So High”
MORGAN DELT – Morgan Delt
“Timeless” – that’s the word that comes to mind after one listens to Morgan Delt. The album takes psychedelic weirdness and makes it accessible. The songwriting is catchy, but Delt never loses his experimental edge. There were once bands that wrote songs like “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “Eight Miles High,” and “Good Vibrations.” Delt is of their ilk. Key track: “Make My Brain Green”
RUN THE JEWELS – Run the Jewels 2
The brain child of two hip-hop giants – El-P and Killer Mike – Run the Jewels have created their second masterpiece in two years. This is hardcore rap, but with a difference. The beats are off-kilter, and the mood can be joyful just as it can be sinister. Ever the sonic adventurers, El-P and Killer Mike keep things strange and even manage to mix in some techno and punk stylings. Run the Jewels 2 is probably the best hip-hop record of 2014. Key track: “Oh My Darling (Don’t Cry)”
TOBACCO – Ultima II Massage
Tobacco doesn’t know where to stop. Like David Bowie’s original production of The Stooges’ Raw Power, Ultima II Massage benefits from cranking everything up – at least to 11. Tobacco makes the most brutal noises palatable and catchy. In fact, he writes great pop songs, even if said pop songs derive from manipulated vocals, hardcore beats, and shivering synths. I think that’s a chainsaw on the album cover. Did you ever hear the music of the chainsaw? Key track: “Streaker”
VIET CONG – Cassette
Viet Cong have tapped into the 1970s like no other band. Their debut EP is the logical progression of Roxy Music, Brian Eno, Berlin-era David Bowie, and Krautrock. But it’s more than that. Cassette is an EP that’s the result of a band answering the following question: “What would happen if the experimental pop of the 1970s somehow infiltrated the sound of power pop and indie rock bands?” Most likely, an unheard of music, replete with energy, hooks, electronics, prog textures… Key track: “Static Wall” |
Due to Warner Brothers dislike of the first two plus hour long cut of the movie, as well as various behind-the-scenes problems, they hired Editor Stuart Baird to do some re-editing. The same thing happened to another Sylvester Stallone movie, Tango & Cash (1989), which was also heavily re-edited by Baird and others. Originally, in this movie, there were some additional scenes including Spartan meeting his grown up daughter in the sewers amongst Edgar Friendly's people. While cut, we do see Spartan protecting a random girl during a shoot-out in sewers. This is his daughter. She is also seen again in the ending scene standing next to Friendly while he is talking with Spartan. Some violent scenes with Simon Phoenix were also cut down or removed completely. For example, a scene where he rips out warden Smithers eye, a scene near the end where he kills several people inside of the cryo prison with a machine gun, and a scene where he kills the guy from which he took the car after escaping from the cryo prison. Also during the final fight between him and Spartan, Spartan was shown taking some loose wire and shocking him. Other deleted scenes include Phoenix killing Zachary Lamb after he escapes from the sewers, and Spartan and Huxley find Lamb and talk to him before he dies (note that Phoenix has his gun out when he enters the cop car, but he didn't in the previous shot) and before the car chase starts. Many extra lines of dialogue were cut out, but some can be heard in various trailers for the movie, and longer and additional action scenes were also deleted. Both the sewer battle sequence and final showdown in the cryo prison were heavily cut down, which caused some continuity mistakes in the final movie because there are six different cryo cons working with Simon, but only two are shown being killed in the movie when Spartan and Huxley arrive at Cocteau's building and fight with them. Due to massive cuts made in these sequences, the death scenes of ones who got killed by Spartan and others in sewers, and ones killed by him in the cryo prison were also cut out. The original cryo prison action finale included a scene where Spartan fights with and kills several more prisoners who were thawed out by Simon and who also injected them with megadrenalin to wake them up faster and make them tougher to defeat, and this was also where the infamous deleted fight scene between Sylvester Stallone and Jesse Ventura took place. In the deleted action scene during the battle in sewers, Spartan goes on the bridge from which Phoenix and his gang are shooting, and starts to fight with Phoenix, but then the bridge turns over. While both of them are hanging on it, Phoenix says to Spartan that bus passengers which he failed to save back in 1996 were already dead, meaning that Spartan was sent to the cryo prison for nothing. In the movie, Phoenix says this to Spartan during the car chase near the end of the movie, but Phoenix is not shown speaking on-screen, which probably means that the dialogue from the deleted scene was placed in this scene or was dubbed by the actor. Some other deleted and alternate scenes can be seen in trailers, promotional photos, and are also in the comic book adaptation and novelization of the movie. |
U.S. Rep. Brian Mast is headlining a fundraiser Sunday for a California congressman who has drawn criticism for pro-Russia comments and for suggesting the United States should work with ISIS against mutual enemies.
Mast, a Palm City Republican who lost both legs serving in the Army in Afghanistan, is one of several Republicans in Congress seen as vulnerable by Democrats in their quest to recapture a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. That quest — Democrats need to pick up 24 seats — will likely be intense and expensive and could have significant consequences for the presidency of Donald Trump.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee was quick to rip Mast for headlining the fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican who represents California’s 48th District on the coast south of Los Angeles.
"Congressman Brian Mast should know better than to fundraise for people who praise ISIS attacks and have to be reminded that Russia is our adversary, but that’s exactly what Mast is doing for Rep. Dana Rohrabacher and it’s why Mast’s constituents are right to question his judgment," DCCC Regional Press Secretary Cole Leiter wrote in an email to The Palm Beach Post.
The New York Times has reported that Russian spies tried to recruit Rohrabacher in 2012. Two years later, when the House voted 402-7 to sanction Russia for its invasion of the Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula, Rohrbacher voted "present," saying the sanctions were an instance of hypocrisy given the United States’ use of force in protecting the rights of Kosovars in the 1990s.
This month, after an ISIS attack in Iran’s capital, Tehran, killed 12 people, Rohrabacher said: "Isn’t it a good thing for us to have the United States finally backing up Sunnis who will attack Hezbollah and the Shiite threat to us? Isn’t that a good thing?"
ISIS is attempting to spread a fundamentalist Sunni doctrine of Islam. Iran’s population is primarily Shiite, and its government backs Hezbollah, listed by the U.S., the European Union and a variety of other nations as a terrorist organization.
Rohrabacher’s comments in the aftermath of the ISIS attack in Tehran drew criticism, and he later clarified them, saying he opposes "the use of force against unarmed civilians no matter who is the victim or who is doing the killing."
The $200 per person fundraiser on Sunday offers guests an opportunity to meet Mast, described in the invitation as a "great American hero."
Mast’s campaign spokesman, Brad Stewart, said the congressman "was invited to to attend an event with Robert O’Neill, the Seal Team Six hero who killed Osama bin Laden."
Stewart then said "national Democrats’ shameless attempts to undermine Brian’s years of service in the Army fighting terrorists just goes to show the despicable lengths they’ll go to to win elections. Their complete lack of respect for the men and women who have put their life on the line to defend our country is evident every time they come up with a new strategy to go after Brian’s sacrifice for our country."
Attorney Pam Keith has said she will run against Mast in a race for a Treasure Coast-Palm Beach County seat that could also draw Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg. Both are Democrats.
A DCCC memo written Wednesday said Mast is one of a few Republicans its internal polling shows is trailing specific but unnamed Democrats.
The National Republican Congressional Committee said it is not worried about Mast or losing its majority in the House. |
This article uses a chance encounter with a supermarket checkout clerk as an occasion for reframing contemporary debates about workplace accommodations and the religious politics of contraception. Scholarship on workplace religion has tended to assume a rigid distinction between the religious spaces in which conscience is formed and the secular spaces to which claims of conscience are brought. In contrast, I argue that we might productively redescribe employee claims of conscience as corporately produced, rather than emanating from the realm of the private or personal. I reimagine the workplace as an important site of ethical subject formation, as a space in and through which moral claims are constituted, rather than to which they are brought, and I explore how accommodations can produce the very differences they are meant to protect. In this way, my discussion reveals how legal mandates and corporate policies join together to produce new moral subjects.
“MAN, THEY CALLED US all into the back room last Saturday for a meeting.” This was how a surprising conversation began on an early Monday morning in October 2013. I had stopped by a Kroger supermarket in central Ohio to pick up a few groceries. The cashier was a young African American man with whom I had never before spoken. Yet evidently he had something he needed to say.
“Yeah, so they called us all back there,” he tried again.
“I’m sorry, huh? Who called you in, where?” I asked.
“The store managers,” he elaborated. “They called all of us into that back room for a staff meeting, and they told us, we’re going to start selling the abortion pill over the counter on Tuesday. Not just in the pharmacy, but at any register in the store. And they asked if any of us have objections to selling it. If so, we need to let them know by Tuesday, and they’ll send another clerk over to check it out for us, so we don’t have to handle it ourselves.”
“Wait, but they’ll still sell it to the customer, right?” I asked.
“Yeah, yeah, of course,” he said impatiently. I had clearly missed the point. “The thing is I wouldn’t have to sell it myself. So I’ve been thinking a lot about this ever since, like all weekend. And I don’t really know what to do. I mean, it seems wrong, right? I’m pretty sure it’s sinful. But then I thought, you know what, I check out alcohol and tobacco all the time, and I’ve never objected to that. Are they really any different? The more I thought about it, the more confused I got. So I went to see my pastor in church yesterday, and I asked him about it. We sat down together after services, and he showed me all these passages from scripture, and we talked it through for a while. So, yeah, I decided, maybe there are different degrees of sinfulness. But I’m really not sure, man. I’m just not sure what to do.”1
***************
In this article, I use this chance encounter with a supermarket checkout clerk as an occasion for reframing contemporary debates about workplace accommodations and the religious politics of contraception. I explore how employee claims of conscience can be corporately produced, rather than emanating from the realm of the personal or private, or, put differently, how they are constituted by the political as much as existing prior to it.
The “abortion pill” to which this clerk referred was presumably Plan B One-Step emergency contraception. In June 2013, after well over a decade of political and legal controversy, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Plan B for nonprescription use, opening the door for national retail pharmacies like Kroger to begin selling the product over-the-counter (OTC) without any age or point-of-sale restrictions.
Although it is technically not an abortifacient, Plan B has been described as such by many religious conservatives in the United States – whether out of ignorance, political calculation, or sincere belief.2 Famously, it was one of four methods of contraception at issue in the 2014 U.S. Supreme Court case Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, which allowed a closely held, for-profit corporation to claim a religious exemption from the Affordable Care Act’s contraception coverage mandate. In that case, both the majority and dissent accepted the “sincerity” of Hobby Lobby’s owners’ beliefs regarding Plan B’s abortifacient properties, even if factually incorrect according to medical science.3
OTC sales of emergency contraception raise a different set of issues from the Hobby Lobby case. As evidenced by my opening anecdote, the question here is less about insurance mandates, corporate religious rights, or political opposition to the Affordable Care Act as about how retail stores are to balance their obligations to consumers and employees. According to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended in 1972, employers must provide reasonable accommodations for the religious beliefs and practices of their employees unless doing so would create “undue hardship on the conduct of the employer’s business” (Gregory 2011: 183–4). Like Kroger, many national chains have made concerted efforts to accommodate cashiers who object to handling certain products, such as contraception or alcohol, on religious or moral grounds. These efforts are driven both by legal mandate and by corporate commitments to respecting “diversity,” and can be distinguished from the thornier question of whether pharmacists should be allowed to refuse to fill a patient’s prescription. In the case of OTC sales, inviting another clerk to step in to complete the transaction seems to offer an eminently reasonable compromise by which all parties might enjoy their guaranteed “rights of conscience.”4
Accommodating religious differences in the workplace takes many forms today. In addition to the kinds of claims at issue here, employers have had to adopt special policies regarding clothing and personal attire, prayer and festival observance, food and dietary practices, personalized decorations in workspaces, and intra-office proselytizing. With the increasing diversification and fragmentation of the American religious landscape, these questions are only growing more pressing and more contentious, as corporate managers struggle to determine how far they must go in accommodating religious differences.
Advocates for workplace accommodations tend to emphasize political values of equality and liberty, basing arguments about religious freedom on underlying assumptions about the essential inviolability of the human conscience. As legal scholar Ira Lupu puts it, “A common assumption is that American law can be truly and adequately respectful of religious freedom only if the law offers avenues to accommodate deeply held, conscientious religious commitments” (2014, 36). Indeed, talk about liberty of conscience lies at the heart of the American legal and political tradition, harkening back to James Madison’s famous description of it as “the most sacred of all property” (1983).5 This tradition conceives of the conscience as a special human faculty that makes particular demands on individuals, which then warrant particular protection. “Conscience is precious, worthy of respect,” philosopher Martha Nussbaum writes, “but it is also vulnerable, capable of being wounded and imprisoned. The tradition argues that conscience, on that account, needs a protected space around it within which people can pursue their search for life’s meaning” (2008, 19).
Conscience tends to be described in this literature as either distinctly individualistic or as shaped by membership and participation in religious community. In either case, these valorizations serve to enforce a rigid distinction between the religious spaces in which conscience is formed and the secular spaces to which claims of conscience are brought. In such accounts, workplaces like Kroger supermarkets are coded as unambiguously secular, offering an ostensibly neutral arena to which individuals bring their claims of conscience and appeal for accommodation. This notion is even reflected in the language of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s published guidelines, which place initial burden on employees to have previously brought to their employer’s attention any potential conflicts between their religious beliefs and terms of employment in order to establish evidence of discrimination (Wolf 1998, 208). As we might say of the religious and political more generally, religion and the workplace are treated here as essentially autonomous entities whose surprising intersections must be explained, accounted for, and managed very carefully.6
It is this standard account that I aim to rethink in this article. I argue that we might productively redescribe employee claims of conscience as corporately produced, rather than emanating from the realm of the private or personal. Drawing on my conversation with this Kroger employee, I interrogate how corporate policy helped to give rise to his claim of conscience, rather than merely make space for its accommodation. In this way, I reimagine the workplace as an important site of ethical subject formation, as a space in and through which moral claims are constituted, rather than to which they are brought. The workplace thus emerges from my discussion as a critical site for understanding contemporary patterns of American religiosity.
This article also sheds light on how law structures religious experience in the United States and how individuals feel the effects of law in their everyday lives. Rather than concentrating solely on legal conflicts or problems, scholars of law and society such as Patricia Ewick and Susan S. Silbey have encouraged attention to how law organizes and gives meaning to everyday routine events, outside the context of formal legal institutions (1998; Sarat 1990). But they also acknowledge the methodological challenges of studying these kinds of everyday occurrences, for they leave little trace in the evidentiary record. Disputes about workplace accommodations might be traced through EEOC statistics and federal court documents, for example, but it is much harder to study how accommodations work in the absence of conflict.7 In this article, I adopt the relatively unorthodox approach of focusing on a particular anecdote. Yet it is precisely because I neither initiated nor directed this exchange that it offers such a useful occasion for analysis.8 In my reflections on this conversation, I consider how the commonplace activity of checking out groceries came to assume a legal and religious character and how this transformation informed the ways that my interlocutor thought about his relationships with employers, co-workers, and customers, not to mention with his pastor and co-religionists. I explore how an ostensibly economic transaction came to seem obviously an expression of “conscience” or “diversity” in ways that were in fact far from inevitable (Valverde 2008). My discussion calls attention to the highly contingent and uneven processes through which a particular set of moral and legal claims came to be constituted.
My argument unfolds in three parts. First, I briefly review the history of how the FDA came to approve OTC distribution of emergency contraception after well over a decade of controversy. I also trace the rise of legislative conscience clauses, which guarantee health care workers the right to refuse to participate in services to which they object on religious or moral grounds. Second, I locate these debates within recent scholarly conversations about religion and the workplace. I unpack the dominant assumptions about liberty of conscience that have guided these discussions. Finally, I offer an alternative account that aims to reframe how we talk about workplace accommodations. In particular, I demonstrate how standards like sincerity and depth of conviction reinforce an interiorized, individualistic conception of conscience that fails to account for the social—or “corporate”—production of religious selves. In contrast, my discussion reveals how legal mandates and corporate policies join together to produce new moral subjects, who can then be conceived as more efficient and productive members of the modern workforce.
This article offers an exercise in critical analysis through redescription. My interest is not ultimately in the legal question of when workplace accommodations are necessary or appropriate, but rather in the more foundational question of how we understand the nature of accommodations in the first place. Through a close reading of a particular ethnographic example, I interrogate the unintended consequences that can ensue from earnest efforts to respect religious differences. I explore how religious accommodations can produce the very differences they are meant to protect, thus contributing to a broader secular project of “religion-making” (Dressler and Mandair 2011).9
A MATTER OF CONSCIENCE
“They called all of us into that back room,” the Kroger cashier told me on that Monday morning in October 2013. “They asked if any of us have objections to selling [the ‘abortion pill’].” The managers of this particular store, in other words, assembled their employees together and asked if any of them had moral objections to selling emergency contraception to paying customers. Observed from a distance, it seems a strange scene. How, one might reasonably ask, had they arrived at this point? Why had it seemed natural—or even necessary—for the managers to pose this question? Why should they have thought it mattered how their employees felt about this particular product?
Plan B emergency contraception consists of a heavy dose of hormones that prevents pregnancy by stopping ovulation. The FDA approved Plan B for use as a prescription-only drug in 1999, and it has been embroiled in controversy ever since. Many conservative groups voiced their opposition to it immediately, describing the drug as an abortifacient or blaming it for its role in sanctioning sexual promiscuity. “The Family Research Council is not opposed to contraception in marriage,” chief spokesperson Janet Parshall explained the day after the FDA’s decision, “but we are against it being used as a Band-Aid to heal the wounds that over three decades of ‘sexual freedom’ have inflicted upon us” (Rovner 2013). On the other side, reproductive rights advocates complained that the FDA’s prescription-only designation would needlessly limit Plan B’s effectiveness, for it ceases to work after implantation of the embryo has occurred and so must be taken as soon as possible after unprotected intercourse. On 14 February 2001, over 70 public health and consumer rights groups, in a move supported by the American Medical Association, filed a citizen petition to make emergency contraception immediately available without a prescription, describing it as “safe, simple, and effective.” In 2003, they were joined by the drug’s manufacturer, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, which filed a formal application to make Plan B available OTC. But it would take three more years for the FDA to even issue a response.
In fact, the controversy surrounding Plan B continued for well over a decade. Under the Bush administration, FDA officials were repeatedly accused of ignoring the recommendations of their scientific and medical advisers and of dragging their heels for political reasons. Lawsuits were filed, resignations accepted, and confirmation hearings delayed. Gradually, the debate came to center on the question of age restrictions. In August 2006, the FDA approved Plan B for sale without a prescription to women ages 18 and older, but required that the product be kept behind the counter and sold only with a prescription or proof of age, a compromise that failed to satisfy either side. In March 2009, a federal court intervened, ruling that the FDA had improperly bowed to political pressure from the Bush administration throughout its Plan B deliberations. U.S. District Judge Edward Korman ordered the agency to lower the minimum age for nonprescription sales to 17 and strongly encouraged it to consider dropping the age restrictions altogether (Singer 2009). By that time, President Obama had taken office, and many liberals expected his administration to move swiftly to reverse course. They soon found themselves disappointed, yet again. Focused on passing the Affordable Care Act, with its mandate that all employer-based health plans should provide contraceptives to women at no cost, the Obama administration chose not to push for immediate changes to the rules governing emergency contraception. In December 2011, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sibelius even overruled a recommendation by the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research to approve Plan B for OTC distribution (Melnick 2011). The Center for Reproductive Rights promptly reopened its lawsuit against the agency, adding Sibelius as a defendant alongside the FDA. In an April 2013 ruling, Judge Korman again castigated the government for making its decisions in “bad faith” and under “improper political influence” and ordered the agency to lift all age limits on buying “morning-after” drugs (Plan B) without a prescription. Finally, on 20 June 2013, the FDA approved Plan B One-Step for OTC sale without any age restrictions. “With this approval,” the agency explained, “the product is now available without a prescription for use by all women of reproductive potential”10 (FDA 2013).
The FDA’s decision promised expanded access to emergency contraception for all women who needed it. Yet it did not resolve the question of what to do about workers who refused to sell it. In fact, the decade-long controversy revived and intensified debates about whether pharmacists and other health care professionals should be allowed to “opt out” of providing services they deem morally objectionable. So-called legislative “conscience clauses,” which explicitly grant pharmacists and other healthcare providers the right to refuse to perform services on religious or moral grounds, had enjoyed an initial heyday in the 1970s, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which overturned most state laws criminalizing abortion on constitutional grounds. At that time, several states passed statutes protecting employees who refused to perform or participate in abortions from firing or demotion. Federal legislation also shielded religious hospitals and other institutions that received federal funding from liability for refusal to provide abortion, sterilization, and certain other medical procedures (Griffin 2005; P. Miller 2014; Shaw 2009).
Conscience clauses from that era focused primarily on abortion services and, by the 1980s, gradually receded from public debate. However, with the FDA’s approval of Plan B in 1999, legislative focus returned to conscience clauses and the question of whether they should be expanded to include pharmacists and emergency contraception. Several high profile cases thrust the issue into the limelight. In 2005, for example, a pharmacist in Tucson, Arizona made national headlines by refusing to dispense emergency contraception to a rape victim (judybrowni 2005). In 2006, a Georgia pharmacist refused to sell Plan B to a forty-two-year-old mother of two (Shaw 2009, 1). And in Wisconsin, one pharmacist not only declined to fill a patient’s prescription, but refused to transfer the prescription to another pharmacist or even to return it to the patient (Griffin 2006, 300–1).
These cases spurred state legislatures to act, yet they did so in different ways. Some states passed new conscience clause bills that expressly granted pharmacists the right to refuse to dispense emergency contraception. Georgia, for example, “provides that a pharmacist shall not be required to fill a prescription for an emergency contraceptive drug” and “that such refusal shall not be the basis for any claim for damages.” Mississippi adopted laws that were broader and more general in scope, permitting “health care providers, including pharmacists or other pharmacy employees, counselors, social workers, health insurers and health care facilities to refuse to provide [any] medical services, including counseling and referral, on religious or ethical grounds.” Other states went to the opposite extreme, prioritizing patient access and contraceptive availability by requiring pharmacists to fill prescriptions for FDA-approved medications, regardless of religious or moral objections. And still other states refrained from adopting any specific regulations at all (Griffin 2006, 305; National Conference of State Legislatures 2012).11
This piecemeal approach put national retail pharmacies like Kroger in a difficult position. They had to weigh the rights of their employees against those of their customers while adhering to conscience clause statutes that varied state by state. The 2005 Tucson, Arizona incident illustrates the dilemma clearly. The case involved a Kroger-owned subsidiary, and, when questioned about the case, a corporate spokesperson explained that the company had a “legal and moral obligation to respect the right of our employees to refrain from filling a prescription that violates their individual moral, ethical, or religious beliefs.” At the same time, she clarified, “Any pharmacist who chooses not to fill a prescription for legitimate religious, moral, or ethical reasons must arrange for our patient to be served by passing the prescription to another pharmacist on duty or by calling in that prescription to another pharmacy” (judybrowni 2005). Store managers had to tread carefully, in other words, as they sought the proper balance between serving their customers and accommodating their employees.
It was not immediately evident how the FDA’s 2013 decision to approve OTC sales of Plan B emergency contraception would affect these debates. On the one hand, many commentators voiced uncertainty as to whether conscience clauses intended to protect the rights of pharmacists would necessarily apply to checkout clerks and other nonhealth care professionals. On the other hand, most employers already recognized other legal obligations to accommodate the religious needs of their workers, and many stores indicated a willingness to work with their employees to craft reasonable solutions.12 OTC distribution made this latter outcome far more likely. While customers might have trouble locating an alternate pharmacist, they could usually expect to find another cashier willing to stand in for one with religious or moral objections. Lingering questions remained, such as what would happen if a dissenting worker refused to step aside, but such issues usually could be worked out with relative ease. The remaining problems certainly seemed less complicated and less contentious than those raised by Burwell v. Hobby Lobby. By October 2013, when I had my chance run-in at a central Ohio Kroger supermarket, it seemed perfectly reasonable—even natural—for branch managers to ask if any of their employees had moral objections to selling Plan B emergency contraception. After well over a decade of controversy, one might even have commended them for acting so proactively to resolve any potential conflicts.13
BRINGING RELIGION TO THE WORKPLACE
How are we to understand these contentious debates about emergency contraception and legislative conscience clauses? What frameworks of interpretation are available for making sense of them? Multiple possibilities present themselves to us. On the one hand, we might locate the decade-long controversy about Plan B within a recognizable American “culture wars” narrative. Political battles between conservatives and liberals have often centered on efforts to regulate and control female sexuality, and the emergency contraception debates clearly fit within this larger story (Cady and Fessenden 2013; Jakobsen and Pellegrini 2003). Recall, for example, how the Family Research Council framed its opposition in terms of its ethical critique of the sexual liberation movement as a whole. The initial uncertainty about whether Plan B worked as an abortifacient also proved critical in expanding conscience clause legislation to include a range of women’s health services beyond abortion. Some critics even accused conservatives of cynically manufacturing this uncertainty in order to limit access to contraception more generally (P. Miller 2014).
These ways of framing the issues at stake are important, but for the purposes of this article, I want to locate these debates instead within broader conversations about religion and the workplace. In the last decade, scholars have devoted a great deal of energy to rethinking religion’s place in the “secular” workplace. For a long time, separationist paradigms, which assumed religion and work were properly kept apart, dominated the field. Religion was presumed to be a private concern that had little to no bearing on economic activity. More recently, scholars from a variety of fields have been subjecting such models to rigorous critique. On both descriptive and normative grounds, they have called for new modes of interpretation that take seriously the varied ways that religion shapes and is shaped by the secular workplace. “My analysis argues that labeling either religion or business as private is descriptively inaccurate and morally problematic,” writes Douglas Hicks, a leading authority on workplace religion. “The religious commitments of employees find their way into the workplace in one way or another, whether or not managers or scholars acknowledge it” (2003, 2). Just as state legislators were debating how expansively to protect employees’ “rights of conscience,” then, scholars were also starting to take note of religion’s important role in the American workplace. They were beginning to reimagine the workplace as a critical site for religious and spiritual expression rather than as an arena properly kept religion-free.
Recent scholarship on workplace religion has tended to distinguish between what Hicks describes as religion in the workplace and religion of the workplace (2003, 13–14; Lambert 2009, 49–50). The latter category describes intentional efforts by managerial and corporate executives to promote an organizational culture that reflects religious principles or that nurtures the spiritual growth of its employees. Such efforts can take different forms. It might include businesses whose owners explicitly claim to be guided by Christian values, or it could mean companies that introduce new practices like mindfulness exercises or meditation retreats.14 It might involve hiring chaplains whose mission is to attend directly to employees’ spiritual and emotional needs, or it might refer more generally to religiously informed practices and principles of corporate leadership.15 In any event, proponents of these religions of the workplace—or of “workplace spirituality,” as it can also be described—tend to celebrate managers who encourage their employees to bring their “whole selves” to the workplace. “Workers of all types, whether data entry clerks or senior executives, are no longer content to leave their souls in the parking lot,” writes David W. Miller, a private equity manager turned Christian theologian and ethicist, who has written extensively on the “Faith at Work” movement (2007, 6). Rather than having to compartmentalize the different aspects of their lives, Miller argues, Americans want to integrate their faith and work. They want to feel spiritually fulfilled by finding meaning and value in their labor, and thus prefer holistic work environments that can satisfy them financially and emotionally.16
Workplace spirituality is often credited for producing more efficient and loyal workers, and both supporters and critics have expressed reservations about its possibly instrumental use of religion (Cash and Gray 2000, 128; Hicks 2003, 118; Lambert 2009, 38–49). Critics have also raised concerns about its potentially coercive effects on subordinate employees. In response, movement advocates have tended to make much of an allegedly crucial distinction between religion and spirituality. While acknowledging the risks of promoting religion at work, they often argue that it is perfectly legitimate to nurture and support spirituality. According to this line of reasoning, religion is inherently particularistic and divisive while spirituality is generic and universal, thus constituting a legitimate basis for (noncoercive) common ground among members of a diverse workforce. Such arguments tap into a popular discourse about religion, spirituality, and secularity that makes its effects felt in a variety of cultural and social spheres. It has contributed, in part, to what Winnifred Fallers Sullivan has described as the “naturalization” of religion, or the shift from legal separationist paradigms to more formal acknowledgment of spirituality as a universally shared feature of human life (2010; 2014).17
The religion of the workplace model demands critical scrutiny and analysis, yet it does not immediately help us make sense of the case of a Kroger supermarket cashier refusing to sell emergency contraception. Studies of workplace spirituality tend to concentrate on questions of organizational culture, managerial decision-making, and theologies of work that are not obviously at stake in this particular case. Moreover, these movements have proven particularly popular among members of the “creative class” or participants in the new “knowledge economy,” who seem more likely to expect to find “meaning” in their gainful employment (Lambert 2009, 8–13). Nothing in my encounter with the Kroger cashier would indicate he was seeking to integrate his faith and work in the manner often implied by this model.18
Instead, the Kroger case would appear to fit more comfortably within the framework that Hicks calls religion in the workplace. Rather than describe the religious ethos of an organization, this model refers more simply to the diverse beliefs and practices that individuals bring with them to work, or “how they live out their own religious commitments in the workplace,” including different styles of dress, holiday observance, dietary restrictions, and forms of public expression (2003, 89). If the religion of the workplace model tends to focus on efforts toward integration, then the religion in the workplace model tends to assume the continued need for separation, to carve out a space for religious practice that protects it from unwarranted interference and intrusion. Both models tend to treat religion as a universal or even natural dimension of human life, yet they prescribe different strategies for managing its effects, at least on the surface.19 Moreover, scholarship on religion of the workplace tends to be conciliatory or even celebratory in tone while scholarship on religion in the workplace tends to be more attentive to conflict, concentrating on the potential problems that arise when trying to balance the demands of faith and work. This literature raises important questions about the limits of religious freedom, the definition of discrimination, and how far organizations must go in accommodating the varied needs of their employees. While it does not pay a great deal of attention to the particular issue of conscience clauses, they seem naturally included within this conversation, for they illustrate precisely the kinds of dilemmas business owners regularly confront when dealing with religiously diverse workforces.20
As described above, many state legislatures have passed specific bills addressing the obligations of health care workers when it comes to abortion, contraception, and other medical services. More generally, however, employee complaints fall within the purview of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII bans discrimination in employment on the basis of an individual’s “race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.” As amended in 1972, it also requires employers to make “reasonable accommodations” for the beliefs and practices of their workers unless doing so would incur an “undue hardship.” At the time it adopted the Civil Rights Act, Congress created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to administer claims made pursuant to Title VII’s provisions. Initially, the EEOC heard complaints related mostly to discrimination on the basis of race, but in recent years the number of claims alleging religious discrimination has increased dramatically (U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission 2015). Scholars have proposed several explanations for this trend, including the diversification of the American workforce brought about by changes to immigration laws and globalization, the significant impact of public Christian evangelicalism, and the “spiritual seeking” of aging Baby Boomers. Each of these developments has coincided with a “new” politics of religious freedom that has emerged over the last two decades, especially in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1990 decision in Employment Division v. Smith (the “peyote case”), which mobilized a wide range of political actors to advocate for and work in defense of religious freedom, both domestically and abroad (Sullivan 2012; Sullivan et al. 2015). All of this has given religion a new public salience, which has made debates about religious accommodations seem all the more pressing and timely. 21
For the purposes of this article, I want to highlight two important assumptions that have guided recent conversations about workplace accommodations, each of which I will attempt to reframe in the following section. First is the bedrock principle that requests for accommodations should be assessed not on the basis of whether their underlying beliefs are true, logical, or comprehensible to others, but on whether they are sincere and deeply held. This precept locates liberty of conscience at the heart of American understandings of religious freedom and justifies accommodations as necessary for protecting its integrity. Accommodations carve out a space in which individual claimants can live in accordance with what they perceive as their most profound moral obligations, or what Jocelyn MacLure and Charles Taylor describe as those “meaning-giving beliefs and commitments” that fundamentally structure “moral identity” (2011).22 According to this tradition, it matters less that such claims are articulated in traditional religious language than that they are rooted in deep conscientious conviction. “It is the fact of conviction,” sociologist Phillip Hammond writes, “not the substance of what is held with conviction that government protects” (1998, xiv).
Hammond’s point is echoed in several recent studies of workplace religion, which feature a notable shift in language from the narrow specificity of religion to the ostensibly broader scope of conscience. “Whether atheistic, agnostic, spiritual, Jewish, Hindu, or Christian,” Hicks writes, “employees may favor a framework in which the company itself does not endorse any particular religious or spiritual tradition but, rather, creates the space for individuals of various backgrounds to live out their own particular, deeply-held, complex, and sometimes conflict-producing commitments in the workplace” (2003, 110). Hicks’s expansive theory of “respectful pluralism” makes little effort to distinguish among religious and secular moral commitments, deeming all conscientiously held convictions equally worthy of accommodation. Management scholars Karen Cash and George Gray likewise explain that they “interpret religious belief to include religious, spiritual, strongly held values of whatever origin. The distinctions among religious beliefs, spiritual experiences, and strongly held, secular value-laden convictions are little more than semantic.” They, too, advocate for a legal and social framework that aims to accommodate all “sincere, meaningfully held beliefs,” whether defined in religious terms or not (2000, 127–28). For them, sincerity and depth of conviction remain the best standards for assessing accommodation requests, not whether they are defined as religious in any narrow sense.
Cash and Gray borrow the phrase “sincere and meaningfully held” from the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1965 decision in U.S. v. Seeger, a conscientious objector case from the Vietnam War era. According to the Universal Military Training and Service Act of 1958, conscientious objector status was reserved for those who based their objections to war on their “religious training and belief,” a term that the statute defined, in part, as “an individual’s belief in a relation to a Supreme Being.”23 Faced with three objectors who could not claim belief in a traditional monotheistic god, the court elected to interpret the statute’s language broadly, adopting a “parallel test” that defined as religious any “sincere and meaningful belief which occupies in the life of its possessor a place parallel to that filled by the God of those admittedly qualifying for the exemption.” According to Seeger, what defined a belief as religious was not its substantive content but its function and place in the life of the believer. Citing theologian Paul Tillich, the court found that religious beliefs were those “which are based upon a power or being, or upon a faith, to which all else is subordinate or upon which all else is ultimately dependent”—that is, those that were taken seriously without reservation, or those that related to one’s sense of ultimate concern.24 What mattered to the Seeger Court was not the object or veracity of one’s beliefs, but the sincerity and conviction with which one subscribed to them. “While the ‘truth’ of a belief is not open to question,” Justice Tom Clark wrote, “there remains the significant question of whether it is ‘truly held.’”25
On its face, the Seeger decision had nothing to do with employment law. It defined religion solely for the purposes of interpreting the Universal Military Training and Service Act, not the First Amendment, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, or any other statute pertaining directly to the workplace. Yet the EEOC elected to follow Seeger’s broad standards when adjudicating workplace discrimination claims, and courts have generally proven deferential to the commission’s approach. According to its published guidelines, the EEOC defines religious practices as including all “moral and ethical beliefs as to what is right and wrong which are sincerely held with the strength of traditional religious views.” What matters for the EEOC, in other words, is not that beliefs are articulated in traditional religious language but that they are intensely held and occupy an important place in the life of their possessor. The EEOC’s guidelines even clarify that “the fact that no religious group espouses such beliefs or the fact that the religious group to which the individual professes to belong may not accept such belief will not determine whether the belief is a religious belief of the employee or prospective employee.”26 Beliefs and practices qualifying for accommodation need not be logical, comprehensible, or widely shared, the EEOC maintains. They must merely be sincere.
This individualistic, subjective notion of religion also took root in the legislative conscience clauses of the last few decades. These statutes have typically guaranteed physicians, pharmacists, and other health care workers the right to refuse to perform certain services because of “moral, or other personal beliefs” (Berlinger 2008). By legally subsuming religion into the ostensibly more expansive category of conscience, advocates signaled their intended broader scope, going out of their way to protect and accommodate all deeply held conscientious commitments. What matters, these statutes suggest, is the fact and depth of interiorized personal conviction, not whether such conviction is defined in narrowly religious terms.27
If the first assumption guiding conversations about religion in the workplace is that religious beliefs must be sincere and deeply held, then the second assumption is that such beliefs are brought from the private sphere to the workplace. As suggested above, scholars of organizational leadership used to ignore religion when discussing diversity in the workplace, focusing instead on categories like race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, and ability-disability. They assumed that religion did not belong in the “secular” workplace or that the challenges it posed were uniquely complex.28 Yet even as they have begun to pay greater attention to religion’s role in the workplace, they continue to distinguish between the (religious) spaces in which claims of conscience are constituted and the (secular) spaces to which such claims are brought. The workplace is typically described as a site in which deep conscientious convictions are “expressed” and “lived out,” whether such commitments are imagined as the product of personal reflection or of membership and participation in religious community (Gregory 2011; Hicks 2003). By preserving these spatial and temporal distinctions, scholars reassert the normative secularity of the workplace even as they take more seriously religion’s place within it, brought in by employees from their private lives.
This tendency seems the consequence, in part, of adopting the language of conscience when assessing requests for accommodations. As discussed, defining religious freedom in terms of liberty of conscience can serve to make space for a wide variety of beliefs and practices that otherwise might not be included within its scope. At the same time, the shift toward conscience locates inward commitment and personal faith at the core of religious experience, thereby privileging a particular conception of religion with distinct roots in the history of Western Christianity and the European Enlightenment.29 By treating external behavior merely as an “expression” of interiorized beliefs, this tradition prioritizes the latter while reinforcing a normative distinction between the arenas of faith and work. It assumes that individuals bring their personal commitments with them from the private realm to the workplace, rather than treating work as a site in which such commitments are constituted or developed. Recall, moreover, that the EEOC guidelines require accommodations only in cases where the employee has previously notified the employer of her religious needs. This is not surprising, of course, but further reinforces the notion of the workplace as an ostensibly secular arena to which employees bring their claims of conscience and appeal for accommodation. Once such a request is made, an employer must try to carve out a space in which her employees may live in accordance with their deepest conscientious commitments. This framework continues to presuppose a fundamental distinction, conceived both spatially and temporally, between the arenas of faith and work, which must be resolved when conflicts arise.30
Taken together, then, these assumptions shape a relatively standard, noncontroversial account of how workplace accommodations are expected to work. An employee such as the cashier I encountered at Kroger, back in October 2013, would have been expected to notify his manager of his deeply held conscientious objections to handling and selling emergency contraception. Presuming the sincerity of this employee’s religious or moral convictions, the manager would invite another sales clerk to take his place, thereby offering a reasonable accommodation that would not impose an undue hardship on Kroger’s ability to conduct its business. The cashier, in turn, would be expected to acknowledge the reasonableness of the proposed accommodation by willingly stepping aside rather than taking further actions to disrupt the transaction. In this way, the manager would have fulfilled her legal obligations by offering the employee a way to reconcile the competing demands of faith and work. The accommodations would have served their intended purpose.
THE WORKPLACE AS A SITE OF ETHICAL SELF-FORMATION
It is this standard account of workplace accommodations that I now want to rethink. By reflecting on some of their unintended consequences, I want to consider how efforts to accommodate can produce the very claims of conscience they are meant to address.
Let us return to the chance encounter with which I began, and note that the Kroger cashier with whom I spoke had never thought to object to any of the products he was handling until his managers brought the question to his attention. That is, until he was expressly asked whether he had moral objections to selling emergency contraception, it had never occurred to him that the conditions of his employment might implicate him in sinful acts. “So I’ve been thinking a lot about this ever since,” he told me. “And I don’t really know what to do. I mean, it seems wrong, right? I’m pretty sure it’s sinful. But then I thought, you know what, I check out alcohol and tobacco all the time, and I’ve never objected to that. Are they really any different?” In this way, it appears that the clerk’s crisis of conscience was produced by his managers’ proactive efforts to accommodate him. His experiences at work gave rise to his moral convictions, rather than his having brought such commitments with him to the workplace. By singling out a particular product as uniquely controversial, a move that itself was occasioned by years of political and legal contestation, the cashier’s managers taught him to think carefully about the moral implications of his labor, to deliberate on the ethics of selling not only this new product but also others, too, with which he was already familiar and which had not previously produced any conscientious concerns on his part. They spurred him to seek the counsel of his pastor, to delve deeply into scripture, and to engage in complex processes of moral introspection and self-examination. They taught him to draw distinctions among different kinds of commercial products and in that way to distinguish among different degrees of sinful behavior. Ultimately, they even led him to me: his corporately produced crisis of conscience led him to engage in theological debate and moral inquiry with a random customer. He approached me not in a spirit of proselytizing or moral persuasion, but motivated by a seemingly genuine desire to work through the problem by enlisting me, and presumably others, as guide and partner in his process of ethical self-formation.
By calling this clerk into the back room and asking him if he objected to selling Plan B emergency contraception, or the inaptly named “abortion pill,” his managers set him on a path that took him from workplace to church to home and back to workplace. In so doing, they recast the workplace as a site in which claims of conscience are constituted and cultivated, rather than as a space to which such claims are brought fully formed, thus undercutting any presumed spatial differentiation between religious and secular spheres. Kroger’s efforts to accommodate their employees transformed the workplace into a critical site of ethical subject formation, and in so doing, produced the very differences they sought to manage. Put another way, we might say that the clerk’s deep-seated conscientious convictions did not inform his approach to work as much as his experience in the workplace informed the nature of his commitments.
As opposed to the case of pharmacists refusing to fill prescriptions, this process had few material effects. Regardless of what this particular associate chose to do, Kroger customers would still be able to purchase their desired product, and the store would still earn profits from any sales. Yet the employee would presumably have learned that there were moral implications to his labor that he ought to have been taking more seriously. He would have learned to reflect more diligently on the nature of his conscientious commitments and the ways they might inform his work. He would have been led not only to wrestle with the sale of new and “obviously” controversial products, like emergency contraception, but also to reevaluate his participation in distributing more familiar goods, such as tobacco and alcohol, to which he had never before objected. In the end, he might even have learned to feel better about his work if he had come to understand it as a place that was respectful of religious differences, as a site where his material and spiritual commitments could be neatly reconciled.31 In this way, an ostensibly mundane economic transaction would be transformed into a critical site for expressing diversity and acting out of conscience.32
I am not suggesting that any of this was Kroger’s intent. Kroger is not a corporation like Hobby Lobby, Chik Fil-a, or even Walmart, whose owners claim to be guided by Christian values (Lambert 2009, 51–78; B. E. Moreton 2007). The branch managers did not act as they did because of any deep-seated objections of their own to the use of emergency contraception (at least as far as I can ascertain). Nor were they motivated by an organizational desire to inject spirituality into the workplace, as advocated by proponents of the faith-at-work movement described above. In fact, they would probably be quite surprised to learn of the ways this checkout clerk engaged me in his process of moral reflection. While declining to comment on this particular incident, one human resources manager even assured me that the company has clear policies prohibiting religious solicitation.33
Instead, the corporately produced conscience that I describe here seems the inevitable byproduct of joining a legal mandate to accommodate differences with a particular corporate understanding of the value of diversity. In Everyday Law on the Street, her insightful study of urban governance in metropolitan Toronto, Mariana Valverde traces a significant shift in contemporary discourse about diversity, from a “rainbow nation” notion of grassroots diversity grounded in a strong commitment to social justice, to a “neoliberal” or “corporate” model of diversity, which interprets diversity as a resource to be capitalized for maximum efficiency and gain in a competitive marketplace (2012). It is this latter model that is reflected in much of the recent literature on workplace diversity, which describes the accommodation of differences as a sign of effective management and as means for promoting a more productive labor force. In Kroger’s own published policy on business ethics, we find a typical amalgamation of these themes (Kroger 2014). The document lists “diversity” as one of the corporation’s core values, alongside honesty, integrity, respect, safety, and inclusion. “We seek and embrace differences in the backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities of all associates, customers and vendors,” Kroger’s policy explains. “We treat all with dignity and value the opinions and perspectives of others.” Yet these core values are described as helping Kroger fulfill its desire to “be a preferred employer where every associate feels valued and customers recognize that our people are great.” They support the company’s commitment to “provide our customers with great products at good prices and a shopping experience that makes them want to return” and to “achieve success for shareholders, help sustain the environment and serve our communities.” The policy treats diversity both as a social good in itself and as a resource to be capitalized for commercial gain. By improving employee and customer satisfaction, the corporation’s commitment to diversity fits comfortably alongside its other more business-oriented objectives. Its proactive efforts to accommodate religious differences offer a natural way to derive key competitive advantage while also responding to a direct legal mandate. Accommodations function here as a sign of Kroger’s own good faith, a marker of its status as a conscientious employer.34 “The majority of business organizations focus on efficiency and effectiveness to achieve product quality, productivity, and profitability,” business management scholars Karen Cash and George Gray write. “Accommodation is a potential barrier to these achievements if not dealt with effectively within the context of the organization’s goals and objectives” (2000, 128).
In the case study I discuss here, Kroger managers had devised an “effective” plan for dealing with religious accommodations. This was not a case of employers refusing to accommodate their workers or of such accommodations unduly affecting other parties, like co-workers or customers. In fact, this was not a moment of legal dispute or conflict at all. No one seemed to object to the proposed solution. Yet even when working as intended, accommodations can bear important unforeseen consequences. Corporate efforts to accommodate diversity can produce the very differences they aim to respect. In their efforts to carve out a space in which their employees could live in accordance with their deepest moral convictions, the Kroger branch managers actually helped to develop those very commitments. They encouraged their employees to understand their work as a place where such commitments were valued and taken seriously. Their proactive policies helped to produce the very moral subjects whose accommodation then became legally mandated and politically celebrated.35
My claim here echoes recent critical scholarship on religious freedom, which interrogates the ways that treating religion as special can serve to produce the differences it seeks to protect (Hurd 2015; Schonthal 2014; Sullivan et al. 2011; Sullivan et al. 2015; Wenger 2009). It approaches workplace accommodations as a technique of governmentality, according to which the very act of accommodating religion serves to construct it as an object in need of careful management and supervision (Foucault 1991; Foucault 2007; Sullivan 2014, 19–22). Rather than carving out a private space in which religious commitments may be conscientiously pursued, accommodations render religious differences a matter of public concern, bringing them within the legitimate provenance of legal regulation and corporate oversight. While scholarship on workplace religion tends to regard accommodations as a necessary check against the otherwise coercive powers of the state and market, the anecdote analyzed here helps us to recognize the productive power of such accommodations, how they serve to produce particular kinds of moral subjects and conscientious objectors who require accommodation in the first place (Foucault 1978). Rather than preserve the neutrality of the “secular” public sphere, accommodations can transform the workplace into a critical site for spiritual development and ethical self-formation, producing, so they believe, more loyal and efficient workers.
As discussed above, this anecdote does not fit comfortably within the religion of the workplace model, according to which corporate managers intentionally promote an organizational culture that supports employees’ spiritual development. Yet Kroger’s policy had surprisingly similar effects, for we find the accommodations offered here functioning in strikingly similar ways to other practices associated with the workplace spirituality movement, such as the employment of corporate chaplains. In recent years, a number of companies have hired religious ministers trained in pastoral care “to serve the emotional and spiritual needs of workers at their jobsite” (Seales 2012, 195). These corporate chaplains can be interpreted as yet another form of religious accommodation, as a proactive effort to recognize and respond to the numerous competing commitments that employees bring with them to work. But it is also easy to see how the presence of chaplains might help to constitute the very spiritual needs they are meant to address, while simultaneously bringing these spiritual needs under the oversight of corporate governance. The availability of workplace chaplains encourages employees to take their emotional and spiritual concerns more seriously, implicitly motivating them to reflect on and even work to reconcile the competing demands of faith and labor, all in the name of enhanced efficiency and economic productivity.36 Despite their apparently divergent goals, therefore, religion of the workplace and in the workplace paradigms function in surprisingly similar ways. Each can be understood as a business strategy for managing potential sources of conflict that deploys the rhetoric of religion as means for exercising control over a diverse workforce.37
Interpreted in this way, we might describe the employee’s conscience as a material effect of modern configurations of knowledge and power and of new forms of religious regulation, or what Winnifred Sullivan (2014, 17) describes as “spiritual governance.” In Discipline and Punish, Foucault describes the modern soul as “the present correlative of a certain technology of power over the body,” born out of “methods of punishment, supervision and constraint” (1995, 29). Here we find that the modern conscience can similarly be understood as constituted by corporate efforts to mobilize workers’ bodies more effectively, yet born not out of punishment and constraint, but out of the very act of accommodation, or through proactive efforts to preserve the conscience’s integrity.38 Despite our illusions of individualism, in other words, maintained and reinforced by secular practices like accommodation, we are reminded here again that the self is always “incorporated,” made in relation to others in groups, however these groups are organized (Durkheim 1995).39
There is nothing inevitable about this process through which the everyday practices of labor discussed here came to be understood as arenas for religious expression. It was not obvious that something as commonplace as checking out groceries should be construed as a moral or potentially sinful act. This is a social fact in need of careful explication and explanation. Valverde similarly reminds us not to take the “fact” of diversity for granted, but to interrogate how and when certain practices come to be understood in those terms. For example, she reveals the highly contingent processes through which “diversity” came to be an operative term in Toronto disputes about food trucks and horticulture, but not taxi licensing. “Diversity is not a condition,” she writes, “not even one that is acknowledged as requiring constant negotiation. Rather, diversity is itself nothing but ongoing negotiation. And it is impossible to predict, in advance of the facts, which items, issues, things, or persons will become embroiled in the negotiation that is urban diversity” (2008, 920–21). It is impossible to predict, that is, which ordinary practices of everyday life will come to be understood as vulnerable acts of conscience demanding special accommodation.
In so claiming, I am not suggesting that employee claims of conscience are inherently insincere, inauthentic, or disingenuous. Instead, I want to underscore the inadequacy of such language for taking seriously the mutual imbrication of the religious and political or the comingling of the religious and secular as it informs the contemporary workplace. I want to stress how the language of individualism and interiority fails to account for the ways that claims of conscience are constituted through rather than prior to public engagement, how they are always, at least in part, corporately or socially produced, rather than belonging exclusively to the realm of so-called private belief. Again, recall the Kroger cashier’s questions about handling emergency contraception: his moral objections to selling contraception seemed highly tentative, unstable, even unsure. He came to them hesitantly and uncertainly, provoked by the particular workplace dilemma that was explicitly presented to him, and by the ways that it had become enmeshed within broader debates about religious freedom, cultural diversity, and human sexuality. Yet his beliefs are arguably no less worthy of respectful consideration on that account.
This suggests an underlying problem with standards like sincerity and depth of conviction, for they fail to take seriously the ways that claims of conscience are routinely constituted through rather than prior to political controversy. We find similar dynamics at play in highly publicized cases of florists and photographers refusing to provide services for same-sex weddings on account of their conscientious moral objections. Critics often dismiss such claims as politically motivated or as overly selective in their choice of which biblical precepts to enforce. Why should they object to gay marriage, but not divorce or gluttony, for example?40 Yet it seems too easy to dismiss religious claims for their ostensible hypocrisy, selectivity, or inconsistency. Imposing such standards would eliminate all but the most rigid and extreme of positions, failing to account for the ways that moral claims are developed and articulated within and in response to particular social and political contexts.41 We need better language, in other words, for accounting for the ways that religious claims are produced and animated through public controversies and within the marked-as-secular spaces of labor and law, rather than dismissing such claims as patently disingenuous or insincere.42
To be clear, I am not arguing that all such claims warrant legal accommodation, only that they cannot be blithely dismissed. This article joins a growing chorus of scholarship calling attention to the workplace as a critical site for understanding contemporary patterns of American religiosity (Lofton 2014; LoRusso 2014; B. Moreton 2009; Seales 2012; Sullivan 2014). Let me conclude, then, by returning once more to the checkout clerk with whom I began. I should clarify that I do not know how he finally resolved his dilemma. Perhaps he came to object to a whole host of products distributed by Kroger, or perhaps he decided there was little harm in facilitating sales that were going to be carried out one way or the other. Either way, I feel reasonably confident that he came to think differently about his relationship to his work. He came to approach it not as autonomous from religion, nor as an arena of inevitable conflict or tension, where his moral commitments had to be pitted against the capitalist imperatives of the marketplace, but instead as a site in which he could work through the moral implications of the competing demands placed upon him. He was encouraged to approach his work as an integral part of a process of ethical self-formation in which his employers, his pastor, and even his customers all had an important role to play. In the end, then, corporate policy and legal mandate joined together not merely to accommodate religious differences but to produce them, and in so doing, to produce a new kind of moral subject.
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Commonwealth countries can do much more to expand trade links with the UK, post-Brexit. That’s the conclusion of trade experts at the Commonwealth Secretariat writing a new set of policy briefings on life after Britain’s decision to pull out of the European Union. At its peak in 2012, UK-Commonwealth Trade accounted for US$120 billion. Last year, that figure fell to US$91 billion amid significant decline in trade globally, but there are opportunities to increase trade.
“We already know there’s a Commonwealth advantage in trading between member states”, said the Secretariat’s head of international trade policy, Dr Mohammad Razzaque. “Where the UK is already a significant trading partner, Commonwealth members can mobilise pro-active policy support to relatively easily expand trade further. In some cases, bilateral trading arrangements could also be the way forward.”
Certain Commonwealth members rely heavily on the UK market. Seven developing nations send over 10 percent of their world exports to the UK: Botswana, Belize, Seychelles, Mauritius, St Lucia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Twenty-four countries send more than 30 percent of their total EU trade exports to the UK. For example, the UK absorbs more than 70 percent of such exports from St Lucia and Tuvalu. The UK is the biggest importer of sugar in the EU. It buys more than 80 percent from Belize and 70 percent from Fiji bound for the EU. Eighty percent of Kenya’s vegetable exports to the EU and almost all of Canada’s gold and precious metals are destined for the UK. Post-Brexit related shocks, such as a weaker pound, will have had an effect on these countries, according to the briefings.
From beef and bananas to sugar and fresh vegetables to textiles and clothing, a number of Commonwealth states depend heavily on the UK market for their exports. Dr Razzaque said, “What’s impressive is that Commonwealth countries export 5,088 items, only to the UK. That’s worth US$9 billion. Right now, many of these products from least developed countries, small states and Sub-Saharan African countries aren’t generating major revenues. But they show tremendous potential for future growth. Post-Brexit, the UK should be looking to assess real potential and supporting development. Who knows what can happen with a little foresight.”
Although least developed countries (LDCs) and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) nations already enjoy generous market access in the EU and UK, some of these exporters compete successfully without relying on any trade preferences. Seven LDCs export at least 10 products each to the UK without any trade preferences, where EU Most Favoured Nation (MFN) tariffs are at zero.
“We need to undertake further analysis on products bound for the UK which are clearly important for Commonwealth countries,” said Dr Razzaque. “Some established products already generate substantial export income. But a large number of other items hold great promise for new trade. I’m convinced developing countries in the Commonwealth can benefit from business with the UK and vice-versa.”
Brexit and Commonwealth Trade |
Abstract
Importance Increases in testosterone use and mixed reports of adverse events have raised concerns about the cardiovascular safety of testosterone. Testosterone is available in several delivery mechanisms with varying pharmacokinetics; injections cause spikes in testosterone levels, and transdermal patches and gels cause more subtle but sustained increases. The comparative cardiovascular safety of gels, injections, and patches has not been studied.
Objective To determine the comparative cardiovascular safety of testosterone injections, patches, and gels.
Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective cohort study was conducted using administrative claims from a commercially insured (January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2012) and Medicare (January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2010) population in the United States and general practitioner records from the United Kingdom (January 1, 2000, to June 30, 2012). Participants included men (aged ≥18 years) who initiated use of testosterone patches, gels, or injections following 180 days with no testosterone use. Our analysis was conducted from December 11, 2013, to November 12, 2014.
Exposures New initiation of a testosterone dosage form, with use monitored for up to 1 year.
Main Outcomes and Measures Inpatient or outpatient medical records, diagnoses, or claims for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events including myocardial infarction (MI), unstable angina, stroke, and composite acute event (MI, unstable angina, or stroke); venous thromboembolism (VTE); mortality; and all-cause hospitalization.
Results We identified 544 115 testosterone initiators between the 3 data sets: 37.4% injection, 6.9% patch, and 55.8% gel. The majority of men in the Medicare cohort were injection initiators (51.2%), most in the US commercially insured population were gel initiators (56.5%), and the UK database included equal proportions of injections and gel users (approximately 41%). With analysis conducted using hazard ratios and 95% CIs, compared with men using gels, injection initiators had higher hazards of cardiovascular events (ie, MI, unstable angina, and stroke) (1.26; 1.18-1.35), hospitalization (1.16; 1.13-1.19), and death (1.34; 1.15-1.56) but not VTE (0.92; 0.76-1.11). Compared with gels, patches did not confer increased hazards of cardiovascular events (1.10; 0.94-1.29), hospitalization (1.04; 1.00-1.08), death (1.02; 0.77-1.33), or VTE (1.08; 0.79-1.47).
Conclusions and Relevance Testosterone injections were associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular events, hospitalizations, and deaths compared with gels. Patches and gels had similar risk profiles. However, this study did not assess whether patients met criteria for use of testosterone and did not assess the safety of testosterone among users compared with nonusers of the drug.
Introduction
Testosterone use has increased considerably in the United States, United Kingdom, and other countries,1-5 and there is a lack of clear documented indications for treatment in many men.1,4 Ongoing unresolved concerns about cardiovascular safety have been raised by the halting of a randomized trial6 of testosterone gels in older men with limited mobility owing to increased cardiovascular events and of nonexperimental studies7,8 reporting increased cardiovascular risk in older men with cardiovascular disease. Although the recent literature is mixed, with some studies suggesting no harmful effects,9-11 there has been considerable use of testosterone contrary to recommended guidelines,1,4 prompting interest and investigation into its use and safety.
Testosterone is available in multiple dosage forms, including intramuscular injections, transdermal patches and gels, implantable pellets, intranasal sprays, and oral/buccal applications. Although gels, injections, and patches all effectively raise testosterone levels, their pharmacokinetics differ; injections create spikes of supernormal testosterone levels that slowly decrease until a subsequent injection12; this cycling results in less time within normal ranges than with transdermal systems.12 Gels and patches result in subtle, short-term (24-48 hours) increases in testosterone levels, and daily reapplication can maintain consistent levels.12 However, gels provide longer-lasting increases than patches.13 Because testosterone levels may influence short-term clotting and polycythemia, differing pharmacokinetics may result in varying safety profiles. We compared the cardiovascular risk of testosterone gels, injections, and patches in cohorts of real-world users drawn from large health care databases.
Methods
We conducted a new-user14 cohort study of testosterone injection, gel, and patch initiators in 3 secondary data sources: 2 from the United States and 1 from the United Kingdom. This project was approved by the institutional review board of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The protocol was also approved by the Independent Scientific Advisory Committee of the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill institutional review board determined that written informed consent was not required from study participants, and there was no financial compensation. We performed our analyses from December 11, 2013, to November 12, 2014, using SAS, version 9.2 (SAS Institute Inc) and Episheet Spreadsheets for the Analysis of Epidemiologic Data (http://www.drugepi.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Episheet.xls).
Data Sources
The first US cohort consisted of commercially insured men from the Truven MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters and Medicare Supplementary and Coordination of Benefit files (Truven Health Analytics, Inc; January 1, 2000-December 31, 2012). This database contains adjudicated insurance claims for inpatient and outpatient procedures and diagnoses and pharmacy-dispensed medications for individuals with employer-sponsored commercial insurance, spouses, dependents, and retirees with employer-sponsored Medicare supplementary plans from large US employers. Supplementary laboratory test results were available for a subset of people whose laboratory tests were processed by a national laboratory testing company during January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2012. We included men 18 years or older.
The Medicare cohort was drawn from a national random 20% sample of the US Medicare fee-for-service population from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2010. The database contains billing claims for procedures, diagnoses, and dispensed medications for adults 65 years or older throughout the United States. No laboratory test results were available in this cohort.
The UK cohort was drawn from the CPRD, a compilation of general practitioner medical records throughout the United Kingdom from January 1, 2000, to June 30, 2012, which contains outpatient clinical characteristics, diagnoses and procedures, hospital and specialist notes, and prescribed medications as recorded by general practitioners. Laboratory test results were available for most tests performed. We included men 18 years or older.
Exposure Assessment
We identified men newly initiating testosterone therapy following a 180-day washout period free of documented testosterone use. Only the first eligible new-use period per individual was included. Testosterone dosage forms of interest included pharmacy-dispensed transdermal gels and patches, pharmacy-dispensed injections, or in-office injections as determined from procedure and supply codes. Exposure categories were grouped as gel, injection, and patch. Prior use of implanted pellets, oral/buccal testosterone, and oral methyltestosterone during the washout period were considered exclusion criteria. However, because of rare, esoteric use and documented risks of methyltestosterone-induced liver problems, these forms were not considered as exposures for the comparative analysis. Patients with claims for 2 different testosterone forms on the index day were excluded because their exposure could not be accurately categorized.
The date of the first pharmacy prescription or injection procedure code following the washout period was considered the index date for the new-user cohorts.14 Owing to a potential for differential adherence and discontinuation between the dosage forms (injections are administered every several weeks and patches/gels are administered daily), we used a first-exposure-carried-forward analysis in which the patient was considered to be exposed continuously throughout the follow-up period (eFigure 1 in the Supplement).
Outcome Assessment
We monitored initiators of testosterone therapy for up to 1 year to observe outcomes including myocardial infarction (MI), unstable angina, stroke, composite acute events (ie, MI, unstable angina, or stroke), all-cause hospitalization, mortality, and venous thromboembolism (VTE). The effects were estimated separately for each outcome, and individuals experiencing the outcome of interest during the baseline period were excluded to restrict to new-onset outcomes. Only the first occurrence of each outcome during follow-up was considered.
In the MarketScan and Medicare databases, outcomes were based on International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9) diagnosis codes. Myocardial infarction, unstable angina, and stroke required an inpatient diagnosis of the condition with a hospital stay of at least 1 day.15,16All-cause hospitalization was defined as hospitalization for any reason. Venous thromboembolism was defined as an inpatient diagnosis claim followed by a prescription for an antithrombotic drug in the following 30 days.17,18 Mortality data were unavailable in MarketScan.
In the CPRD database, outcomes were assessed using Read codes recorded by the general practitioner. Inpatient and specialist encounters were reported to the general practitioner from hospitals and specialists.19,20
Covariates
We identified total serum testosterone tests performed during the baseline period with procedure codes. If a test result was available, the test result was categorized as high, normal, or low according to assay-specific result flags or reference ranges. If flags or ranges were unavailable, we classified the testosterone level results as low, normal, or high (<300, 300-849, or ≥850 ng/dL, respectively; to convert to nanomoles per liter, multiply by 0.0347).
Other covariates were assessed during the baseline period using diagnosis, procedure, and medication codes and included calendar year, age, comorbidity, cardiovascular risk factors, health care utilization, preventive and screening care, indications for testosterone, and other medication use. Owing to the medical records–based structure of the CPRD, body mass index and smoking status were available in the CPRD cohort.
Statistical Analysis
Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs were estimated with multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models using days since initiation as the time scale; models were adjusted for a priori–defined confounders. Censoring took place at the first occurrence of the end of the study (MarketScan: December 31, 2012; Medicare: December 31, 2010; and CPRD: June 30, 2012), 1 year after the index date, at disenrollment, or at death (except when death was the outcome of interest). Separate models for injections and patches were run using gels as the referent group since gels were the most commonly and broadly used dosage form.
In addition, we estimated the effects of testosterone dosage forms using propensity score (PS) matching. We estimated the predicted probability (ie, PS) of receiving the dosage form of interest vs gels by modeling treatment prescribed with the measured covariates as predictors in logistic regression models. Gel initiators were matched up to 2:1 to initiators of injections or patches using a greedy matching algorithm that matches 1:1 without replacement to the fifth digit of the PS, if possible.21 The algorithm then attempted to match 1:1 the remaining unmatched gel initiators to the treatment group, resulting in 1 or 2 matched gel initiators for each injection or patch initiator. The HRs then estimated the treatment effect among men who received the dosage form of interest in the match data sets.22
Owing to differences in database structure and covariate availability, analyses were performed and results were presented separately in the 3 databases. Summary estimates were obtained by meta-analyzing the 3 database-specific multivariable-adjusted estimates with fixed-effects models.23
Sensitivity Analyses
We repeated the analyses separately in subgroups of men with documented low or normal baseline testosterone levels and those without recent measurements to account for the potential of differential prescribing by testosterone level. In addition, to remove episodes of contraindicated use of testosterone in prostate cancer, we performed the analysis excluding patients with diagnoses of prostate cancer or any other cancer. Because usage patterns changed over time,1 we performed an analysis restricted to later years of the study after gels had become the predominant therapy option (January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2012). Owing to a study7 suggesting that cardiovascular risk increased relatively soon after testosterone initiation, we performed an analysis monitoring patients for only 6 months. We also performed an as-treated analysis in the MarketScan database in which initiators’ follow-up time was censored at treatment discontinuation, when switching from the index testosterone dosage form, or at 1 year for continuous users. Because there are multiple injectable testosterone formulations, we also separately considered injectable testosterone cypionate, enanthate, and propionate formulations compared with gels.
Results
We identified 544 115 testosterone initiators between the 3 data sets: 37.4% injection, 6.9% patch, and 55.8% gel. Of these, there were 515 132 eligible testosterone initiators in MarketScan (56.5% gel, 36.7% injection, and 6.8% patch), 22 376 in Medicare (42.9% gel, 51.2% injection, and 5.9% patch), and 6607 in CPRD databases (42.4% gel, 39.6% injection, and 18.1% patch). In the MarketScan cohort, gel, injection, and patch initiators tended to be similar, with a few notable exceptions. Mean age was similar between users of the 3 dosage forms, but patch initiation was concentrated much earlier in the study period than other dosage forms, and gels were concentrated later. As testing became more commonplace over the time period, gels had more total testosterone laboratory testing before gel initiation, but injections had more recorded ICD-9 or Read code diagnoses of hypogonadism. In addition, gel initiators received more prostate-specific antigen tests and lipid profiles (Table 1 reports selected covariates; full covariate distributions are listed in eTable 1 in the Supplement). Of the testosterone injections used, 83.3% were testosterone cypionate, 9.2% were testosterone enanthate, and 1.3% were testosterone propionate; 55.4% of the injections were administered in offices and 43.7% were pharmacy dispensed (1.0% of the men received both on the same day). In the 6 months after initiation of testosterone, serum total testosterone level tests were performed in 36.4% of gel users, 32.2% of injection users, and 28.1% of patch users.
The mean age of the Medicare cohort was older than that of the MarketScan or CPRD cohorts. Characteristics were similar between the dosage forms since the Medicare cohort was drawn from a narrower time period. However, patch initiators reported more heart failure and psychiatric disorders. Injection initiators had more recorded hypogonadism diagnoses, gel initiators had more prostate-specific antigen screening, and patch initiators had fewer sexual dysfunction diagnoses. In the 6 months after initiation of testosterone therapy, more gel users (49%) had follow-up testosterone measurements than did men receiving injections (39%) or patches (40%). Some characteristics were not displayed owing to small cohort size restrictions in our data use agreement with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Complete covariate distributions are reported in eTable 2 in the Supplement.
Among the CPRD cohort, a much larger proportion of injection initiators did not have a recent testosterone measurement. Use of gel tended to occur later in the time period, and gel initiators had more diagnoses of hypogonadism and prostate-specific antigen screening. There was also less use of statins among the injection initiators (eTable 3 in the Supplement).
The 1-year incidence of cardiovascular events was low among the younger MarketScan and CPRD testosterone initiators but more common in the older Medicare sample (Table 2 and Table 3). Hospitalization rates were higher in the US databases than in the CPRD database, and mortality was more frequent in the Medicare database. The VTE rates were low owing to the restrictive definition used to ensure true cases. In all databases, gel initiators tended to have lower crude rates of all outcomes than did injection or patch initiators (eFigure 2 in the Supplement).
For the injection vs gel comparisons, we observed elevated crude HRs that showed higher risks in injections for most outcomes in all data sets. Upon adjustment, most effect measure estimates were attenuated, yet all remained elevated (Table 2 and Figure 1) except for VTE. Propensity score–matched estimates generally closely agreed with the adjusted estimates.
For the patch vs gel comparisons, the crude VTE HR estimates were null in all databases, and the crude CPRD death effect estimate was slightly protective; all other unadjusted estimates were above the null. Owing to small sample sizes and the limited number of events, some adjusted effect measures could not be estimated. Upon adjustment and PS matching, the crude HR estimates attenuated toward the null, suggesting no or slight increases in risk with use of the patch compared with the gel, although smaller sample sizes resulted in less precise effect measure estimates (Table 3 and Figure 2). Propensity score–matched estimates and adjusted estimates were similar.
Results from the 3 databases generally agreed. The MarketScan estimates tended to be closest to the null, followed by Medicare, with the CPRD estimates being the most extreme (Figure 1 and Figure 2).
In analyses within testosterone level subgroups, small samples resulted in imprecise, unstable estimates (eTables 4 and 5 in the Supplement). Although the estimates agreed with overall analyses in direction of effect, they should be interpreted cautiously. When patients with prior cancers were excluded, the results were similar to the overall estimates (eTables 6 and 7 in the Supplement). When considering initiation of testosterone during the years 2007-2012, no meaningful differences were observed from the overall sample (eTable 8 in the Supplement), and when considering a 6-month follow-up period, results were also similar (eTable 9 in the Supplement). The as-treated analysis in the MarketScan cohort generally yielded HRs slightly higher than the estimates from the first-exposure-carried-forward analysis, but the conclusions generally agree with the primary analysis (eTable 10 in the Supplement). Mean (SD) treatment duration was gel, 122 (112) days; injection, 105 (104) days; and patch, 96 (91) days. When considering injection formulations separately, testosterone cypionate and enanthate showed effect estimates similar to the overall results (eTable 11 in the Supplement); testosterone propionate was used rarely, and estimates were imprecise but were consistent with the overall estimates.
Discussion
In this multicohort comparison of testosterone dosage forms, we observed consistent increases in the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, hospitalization, and death among men receiving injections compared with those receiving gels. When comparing patches with gels, we observed a slight increase in MI among patch initiators, but all other outcomes were inconsistent. We did not observe any dosage form carrying a higher risk of VTE than the others. Although the increased risk of outcomes in injection initiators was consistent across databases, absolute incidences were small in this relatively short time period. In Medicare—the cohort with the oldest mean population—the 1-year incidence of the composite MI, angina, and stroke outcome was 23.1 events per 1000 person-years in gels, 36.6 in injections, and 34.9 in patches. In the MarketScan and CPRD cohorts, outcome occurrence was lower, and even consistently increased relative risks translated into low absolute increases.
Although prior safety research6-8,24,25 has investigated testosterone as a class, the present study directly compared individual dosage forms. A prior CPRD study26 demonstrated that hypertension and polycythemia risk were higher with injection vs oral testosterone, suggesting that the risk profiles of dosage forms differ. A reanalysis of the Testosterone in Older Men with Mobility Limitations trial27 found that gel users who experienced adverse cardiovascular events had greater increases in serum free testosterone levels. Different dosage forms lead to different serum testosterone levels over time—injections result in spikes and periods of super-normal levels12—possibly accounting for the observed risk of cardiovascular disease.
This analysis is subject to limitations inherent in the use of secondary health care data: unavailability of important patient characteristics, missing data, the nonrandomized nature of the exposure, and potential outcome misclassification. Some predictors of cardiovascular events, such as smoking status and body mass index, were unavailable in the US cohorts. However, predictors were available in the CPRD, and using a variety of cohorts allowed us to estimate the effect in settings with and without these potential confounders. The CPRD estimates generally agreed with the US-based estimates, and obesity was evenly distributed between treatments (eTable 3 in the Supplement) and did not contribute substantially to the injection vs gel outcome model for the composite event (β = −0.13; P = .80). Smoking status was slightly imbalanced between treatments, and being a current smoker contributed to the outcome model (β = 0.78; P < .001). However, a comparison of models in the CPRD adjusted for obesity and smoking (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.42-1.33) with models not adjusted for those variables (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.39-1.24) demonstrated no substantial variation.
In addition, hypogonadism symptoms can be diffuse and indistinct, and they were infrequently diagnosed and coded, often leaving us without the primary indications for testosterone treatment. However, by comparing individuals initiating treatment with different dosage forms, we restricted analysis to those whom physicians had determined required treatment, and choice of the dosage form is likely not heavily influenced by indication or cardiovascular risk. Important unmeasured behavioral, economic, or social differences between treatment groups may remain. All of the included men had insurance coverage, but injections tend to be less expensive than branded gels and can be administered by health care providers; therefore, in-office injections may be prescribed more frequently for individuals with reduced personal disease-management skills or resources and subsequent higher cardiovascular risk. Gel initiators received more follow-up serum testosterone tests, possibly indicating better health management and physician monitoring. However, patches had lower postinitiation monitoring, similar to the rate with injections, yet similar increased adverse event rates were not observed. In most measured clinical respects, initiators of various dosage forms were not meaningfully different.
In addition, time trends in testosterone testing and treatment exist, with both becoming more common later in the study period.1 The proportion of men using a gel as their index prescription has increased, with injection and patch use decreasing during the study period.1 Increased cardiovascular risk with use of injections vs gels may be a function of comparing an older, sicker patient case mix early in the study period with healthier gel initiators. However, we did not see the same patterns when comparing patches with gels, and patches were usually prescribed even earlier, suggesting that the observed effects are not merely time trends. We adjusted for calendar year, and sensitivity analyses considering only the later years of the study did not show different effects.
Many patients initiated testosterone without recorded serum testosterone tests or relevant diagnoses, and we did not require evidence of use according to guidelines28 for inclusion in the cohort. Because of inadequate information on testosterone levels before and after the initiation of therapy, we could not measure the impact of achieved blood levels. We did not adjust for baseline testosterone levels in the primary analyses. Baseline testosterone levels were unavailable in Medicare and for most men in the MarketScan database. In addition, many individuals did not have a serum testosterone level measured in the 6 months before initiation of therapy (MarketScan, 37.3%; Medicare, 32.9%; and CPRD, 53.1%); some baseline tests may be missing because of out-of-pocket payment, use of other insurance coverage, or failure to bill or record the test, although treatment in men without measured levels or with normal levels has been observed.1 However, treatment choice could not be influenced by baseline testosterone levels in men without measurements, and levels were not strongly associated with the choice of dosage form in men with baseline measurements. Selection bias may be introduced by restricting analysis to individuals with tests performed and results available; therefore, we adjusted for having a baseline test performed but not for the result.
Different routes of testosterone administration may lead to differential nonadherence. Gel and patch use were assessed through pharmacy dispensing (United States) or written prescriptions (United Kingdom); injections were assessed from both pharmacy information and in-office procedure codes. We could not measure whether the written prescriptions (United Kingdom) were dispensed or the dispensed prescriptions (United States) were used, whereas codes for in-office injections have a much lower potential for nonreceipt than pharmacy prescriptions, leading to potential differences in misclassification owing to nonadherence between dosage forms. However, 44.7% of injection users in the MarketScan cohort initiated therapy with pharmacy-dispensed injections, allowing for greater nonadherence than with in-office injections.
In addition, claims-based studies have the potential for outcome misclassification because claims are generated for billing rather than research. In the US cohorts, we used restrictive claims-based definitions for MI, angina, stroke, and VTE to avoid inclusion of rule-out diagnoses. Similar definitions in other studies have demonstrated high specificity15,18; thus, we estimated relative measures of effect rather than absolute measures, which will be unbiased in the presence of nondifferential outcome misclassification.29 However, differences in diagnosing, reporting, and recording between the databases may have resulted in the different magnitudes of effect estimates observed between databases.
Although limited by the nonrandomized nature of the exposure, this study benefits greatly from the large diverse patient sample representing men across age groups, populations, treatment and practice patterns, and health care systems. The MarketScan cohort is representative of those with employer-sponsored commercial insurance in the United States, and our Medicare cohort came from a random 20% sample of Medicare beneficiaries throughout the United States. The CPRD is widely representative of primary medical practice in the United Kingdom, where testosterone use is more restrained,1 pharmaceutical advertising is limited, and there is less disparity in health care access. Despite these differences, effect measure estimates generally agreed across cohorts, suggesting robustness of the results.
Conclusions
Our analysis suggests that testosterone injections may increase the short-term risk of cardiovascular events, stroke, death, and hospitalization compared with gels. The risks associated with patches and gels appeared to be similar and lower than the risk with injections. With potential long-term effects of testosterone on lipid levels, further exploration of cardiovascular risk associated with longer-term treatment is warranted. With continuing concern about the safety and effectiveness of testosterone treatment in men with primary and age-related hypogonadism and the trend of treatment in men with normal testosterone levels or without recent baseline testing, it is important to understand the potential hazards of testosterone treatment.
Back to top Article Information
Accepted for Publication: March 19, 2015.
Corresponding Author: J. Bradley Layton, PhD, Department of Epidemiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 725 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Ste 234, CB 7590, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 ([email protected]).
Published Online: May 11, 2015. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.1573.
Author Contributions: Dr Layton had full access to all the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.
Study concept and design: Layton, Sharpless, Brookhart.
Acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data: All authors.
Drafting of the manuscript: Layton, Stürmer, Brookhart.
Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: Meier, Sharpless, Stürmer, Jick, Brookhart.
Statistical analysis: Layton, Brookhart.
Obtained funding: Layton, Brookhart.
Administrative, technical, or material support: Stürmer.
Study supervision: Layton, Jick, Brookhart.
Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Stürmer receives investigator-initiated research funding and support as principal investigator (grant R01 AG023178) and coinvestigator (grant R01 AG042845) from the National Institute on Aging, as coinvestigator (grant R01 CA174453) from the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and as principal investigator of a pilot project from the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). Dr. Stürmer does not accept personal compensation of any kind from any pharmaceutical company, although he receives salary support from the Center for Pharmacoepidemiology (current members: GlaxoSmithKline, UCB BioSciences, and Merck) and research support from pharmaceutical companies (Amgen and Merck) to the Department of Epidemiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). Dr Brookhart receives investigator-initiated research funding from the NIH (grants R01 AG042845, R21 HD080214, and R01 AG023178) and through contracts with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Developing Evidence to Inform Decision Effectiveness program and the PCORI. He has received research support from Amgen for unrelated projects and has served as a scientific advisor for Amgen, Merck, and GSK (honoraria/payment received by the institution). He has received consulting fees from RxAnte and World Health Information Consultants. No other disclosures were reported.
Funding/Support: This work was funded by the US National Institute on Aging (grant 5 R01 AG042845 02). Portions of the database infrastructure used for this project were funded by the Department of Epidemiology, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health; the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at UNC; the Comparative Effectiveness Research Strategic Initiative of UNC’s Clinical Translational Science Award (1 ULI RR025747); and the UNC School of Medicine.
Role of the Funder/Sponsor: The funding sources had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
Previous Presentation: Preliminary results of this work were presented at the 31st International Convention on Pharmacoepidemiology and Therapeutic Risk Management; October 26, 2014; Taipei, Taiwan.
Additional Contributions: Dongmei Li, MS (UNC), and Pascal Egger (University of Basel) provided programming and database assistance. There was no financial compensation.
Correction: This article was corrected on May 21, 2015, to fix the abstract. |
HARLEY RACE: Tales of Toughness and Tenacity
Harley Race is considered by many to be one of the legitimately toughest men to ever grace the squared circle. When it came to our attention that Harley wasn’t in the best of health these days, we immediately began compiling together stories to honor his strength and tenacity. This is a guy that beat polio as a kid, survived cancer plus a near-fatal car crash. As Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan once said, “The only two men in the world that Andre the Giant feared were Meng and Harley Race.” He packed a hard punch and even his voice was enough to make the hardest of men tremble in fear. Not only was he tough, he had a heart of gold and looked out for his own. They don’t make them like him these days.
Related: HAKU: Tales of Wrestling’s Toughest S.O.B. Stories from Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Jake Roberts, Bobby Heenan, Eric Bischoff and more
This installment of Pro Wrestling Stories is dedicated to a man who we wish nothing more than to heal up and feel better soon. Wishing you the best, Harley.
Editors Note: Harley Race is doing better. With a fighter as tough as him, did you expect any less? This is what he had this to say on Facebook after reading our story on him. We’re glad to see he’s got a sense of humor about it all!
“I started in this business when I was 15 years old. I was one of the most fortunate people on Earth to do exactly what I loved to do all my life. My whole thing, in all the years I wrestled, was to entertain the people who had paid to see it. As much as my mind and body would allow me to do, to be as good as I could be at doing that. That’s what I tried to do my whole career.” – Harley Race
Bret Hart’s ex-wife Julie Ice’s Harley Race
“Nobody likes to shake Harley’s hand because he’s got the strongest tendons ever known to anyone.
He could break your hand with just his handshake. Everyone always shook his hand really gently and not the whole hand…
We had a dinner party when the WWE were in town a few years ago and Harley came for dinner. We ran out of ice and Harley drove my sister Michelle and I to the store and it was winter and Michelle had a bronco and it was really icy.
Harley just slapped into 4-wheel drive and he was like, ‘I’m going to show you how to drive…’
Oh my God, what a ride…it was the scariest 5 minutes of my life.
We get back in the house the ice seemed like one big block. I swear to god, Harley goes, ‘Give me that sweetheart…’
He grabs the bag and he punches it and it shatters. Harley just smashed the whole bag of ice with this one little punch…”
Harley Race on Slamming Andre the Giant Before Hogan
“I had him fully above my head – Hogan got him about chest high. Hogan claimed to get hurt after performing the famous slam – I didn’t. I got him in the position and brought his head full through all in the same motion. It’s when those pauses come in and that weight is allowed to come straight on you, that you get hurt.”
BOB BACKLUND on Learning from HARLEY RACE
“Harley Race was one of the best performers in the business and I respected him a lot and he was a great mentor for me, I learned a lot from him.
Before I actually came to the WWF I beat Harley Race for the NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship and that was a catalyst for me as far as getting ahead in the business.
When I then won the WWWF Championship Harley Race was the NWA champion at the same time and we a 60-minute title v title match which ended in a draw, but that was a great match.”
Harley Race pulls a gun on Hulk Hogan
“In the mid-’80s, McMahon’s WWF went national, threatening the status quo of the wrestling world. Until then, numerous promotions were set up across the country, operating independently under the banner of the NWA.
So, when McMahon started airing national WWF shows and touring his troupe into the cities normally controlled by these territorial groups, the old guard was none too happy. It wasn’t till they toured into the longtime NWA stronghold of Kansas City, though, that the enmity reached a boiling point.
Supposedly, Hulk Hogan was in the dressing room when a local wrestler named Harley Race stormed in. Race walked up to a seated Hogan and punched him, knocking him to the floor. When Hogan sheepishly said that he was surprised Harley wasn’t carrying a gun, Race reached into this jacket and pulled out a .38 Special. Nobody got shot, but Race had made his point. Hogan later claimed that Race actually tried to burn down the WWF ring, though Race denies it. Like most other regional promoters, Race lost a lot of money when the WWF took over, and to make back the money he lost, he ended up going to work for McMahon just a couple of years after the gun incident.”
Bret Hart on the Harley Race / Hulk Hogan encounter:
“The rumor had gone round that Harley Race was threatening to show up with a shotgun when the WWF came to town, because the Missouri territory was his, and everyone, especially Hogan, was anxious about it. Harley simply walked into the dressing room and held his finger up to his lips, signaling everyone to be quiet as he snuck up behind Hogan and then slapped him as hard as he could on the short ribs. Hogan turned around wincing, and seeing Harley, he turned white as a ghost. Hogan had to be thinking, Oh my God, now what the heck do I do? Then Harley smirked, extending his hand in friendship, and Hogan seemed more than a little relieved.”
Honky Tonk Man gets it after disrespecting legendary tough guy, Harley Race
“Harley Race ended up in emergency surgery having a foot and a half of his intestine removed. And then he got served with divorce papers. Honky made a big mistake when he joked in the dressing room that Harley didn’t have any guts anymore. Honky was one of those wrestlers who never had an ounce of real hardness in him. When one of the least tough disrespected a legendary tough guy like Harley, several of us took exception, and Dynamite got up and backhanded Honky right off his chair. Honky wept like a baby after that, pleading for forgiveness.” – Bret Hart
Gary Michael Cappetta on Harley Race, a man of hospitality
“Kansas City was always a great place to visit thanks to the hospitality of former NWA World Champion, Harley Race and his wife, BJ. Their place was a home away from home for barbecues and games of pool.”
Harley Race gets Revenge on Owen Hart
“Owen initially pranked Race by replacing a bottle of BBQ sauce with a bottle of the hottest of hot sauces at one of Harley’s infamous barbecues.
In reprisal, King Harley probably went a step too far when he tasered Hart backstage at a subsequent Raw.
It was obviously meant to be the classic handshake prank where the prankster has a buzzer concealed in his palm to give his victim a small shock, but instead of a buzzer Race had a taser of sorts.
Owen dropped to the floor and was knocked unconscious.”
Bret Hart on how Harley Race took him under his wing
“When Harley Race came to Atlanta to defend the NWA World Heavyweight title, he took me under his wing, insisting I ride with him. He always bought me a few beers for the drive, and he never let me pay for meals. Buzz couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw me riding with the World Champion, and after that, I was treated well by everyone.”
Dr. Tom Prichard on Harley Race and Screw Jobs well before Montreal
“Harley Race was a tough guy. No doubt about that in my eyes. I thought all wrestlers had to be tough just to deal with the lifestyle.
I had the pleasure of spending a few days at Harley’s house outside of Eldon, Mo during a camp with Les Thatcher years ago. Harley and wife BJ along with Les and his wife Alice and I went out on the lake and had a great time. We were telling stories and I got to ask Harley about many legendary stories and folklore throughout the years.
One story I wanted to ask about was the time the Lawman Don Slatton tried to steal the world championship in Abilene. Slatton was the promoter as well as a legend in west Texas. He booked a Russian Chain Match as the main event for the World Heavyweight championship between himself and the champion, Harley Race.
In the days before WWE being the dominant organization, the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) boasted of having the longest lineage to the real world championship. Anyone who held the title during that time would travel from territory to territory defending the belt. Prior to the match against Slatton, Harley got a call from then-president Bob Giegel telling him to watch his back because the Lawman was looking to steal the title.
Harley assured Giegel that no such thing would ever take place, much less attempted.
Both men were to be chained together at the wrist by a 10-foot chain. The only way to win is to drag your opponent around the ring and touch all four corners in succession. This was the Lawman’s specialty match and had never lost one! No problem. They would do something where the champ squeezed by. But it was the wild, wild west in those days and sure enough, Don Slatton tried to pull a fast one by saying he simply ‘forgot’ what was supposed to happen.
When the time came for the finish to take place Slatton ‘slipped’ and it looked as though he touched all four corners, therefore winning the match and the world title. Harley wasn’t that stupid and even though Slatton had immediately taken the chain off his wrist and gone back to the dressing room, Harley went through the crowd, kicked in the door and drug Don Slatton through the people and threw him back in the ring. He then proceeded to wrap the chain around him and touched all four corners so there was no doubt in anyone’s mind who was the world champion.
Harley Race is one of many professional wrestlers I admired through the years. He convinced me and many others that he was one of the “toughest men on God’s green earth!” Screw jobs were around long before Montreal. Even in this day and age you never know what’s going to happen. Everybody thinks they’re smart and knows what’s happening.”
Related: The Montreal Screwjob at Survivor Series 1997
SOURCE: slam, WGD Weekly, YouTube, kayfabekickout, R.A.W. Radio SIRIUS 158, wrestling101, nypost.com, ‘Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling’ by Bret Hart, Bodyslams: Memoirs of a Wrestling Pitchman by Gary Michael Cappetta, drtomprichard.com
Some quotes used in this article compiled by Matt Pender and shared here with thanks to our friends over at ‘Wrestling’s Glory Days’ Facebook page
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A couple weeks ago,
Boy, was I wrong. A couple weeks ago, I wrote about Josh Duggar . In the comments section, someone made a comparison to Lena Dunham; the author came to the conclusion that she got a pass for molesting her sister because she's a feminist liberal with a show on HBO. He claimed by society not condemning Dunham, it was perpetuating a double standard. A number of other people chimed in -- some agreed, some didn't. My friend Rhylee pointed the comment out to me, and I considered replying, but ultimately decided not to because the two incidents were so obviously dissimilar that I figured this argument would be a one-off.Boy, was I wrong.
On June 4, 2015, Bristol Palin, famous for being the daughter of former Alaska governor and U.S. vice president candidate Sarah Palin, published a blog post catchily entitled,
Sarah Palin then promoted her daughter's blog in On June 4, 2015, Bristol Palin, famous for being the daughter of former Alaska governor and U.S. vice president candidate Sarah Palin, published a blog post catchily entitled, "Let's Get This Straight, Liberals -- What Kinds of Molestation are Acceptable?" In it, she makes the same comparison between the actions of Lena Dunham and the actions of Josh Duggar; she rails against the unfairness of the liberal media's double standards and concludes, "Liberals in today's media can do no wrong, while conservatives can do no right."Sarah Palin then promoted her daughter's blog in a lengthy post on Facebook ; she, too, espouses the Dunham/Duggar comparison, sympathizing, "I hate for anyone to go through this game liberals are allowed to play, relentlessly attacking on an uneven playing field until a conservative's career, relationships and reputation are destroyed." Her appearance on Hannity three days ago was filled with more of the same.
I can't believe we need to have this conversation, but apparently, we do. So, let's get two things straight right off the bat:
1) This is not a game. This is a serious situation about a sexual predator and children and the family that protected the former and devalued the latter.
2) This is not about politics.
Lena Dunham and Josh Duggar did different things. Lena Dunham and Josh Duggar did different things. Lena Dunham, at the age of 7, asked her mother if her 1-year-old little sister had a vagina like hers. A few days later, she looked -- yes, in fact, her little sister did have a smaller version of the same vagina.
This is not a perversion. This is not sexual. Genitalia is not and should not be inherently sexual. This is anatomical curiosity, from a young child, that involved no sexual touching and no sexual pleasure. This is not a perversion. This is not sexual. Genitalia is not and should not be inherently sexual. This is anatomical curiosity, from a young child, that involved no sexual touching and no sexual pleasure. Developmental psychologist Ritch Savin-Williams, director of the Sex and Gender Lab at Cornell University, told Slate , "This is clearly not a case of abuse. Children have been doing this stuff forever and ever and ever and ever, and they will do it forever and ever and ever."
Admittedly, Admittedly, Dunham writes about another experience with her little sister in which she tried to bribe her with candy and tried "anything a sexual predator might do to woo a small suburban girl." While this is a joke in poor taste, and has been criticized as demonstrative of Dunham's privilege, it's a joke made precisely because she wasn't a sexual predator -- she was a little girl.
He was 14 and 15 when he fondled the girls both while they were asleep and while they were awake and both under and over their clothes. Josh Duggar has admitted to molesting five girls, including four of his sisters. He was 14 and 15 when he fondled the girls both while they were asleep and while they were awake and both under and over their clothes.
This is sexual. Fondling is sexual. Josh Duggar was intent on sexual pleasure when he committed these acts. That, and the respective ages of Dunham and Duggar, makes these situations very different.
The Palins have asserted the liberal media controls what is and is not publicized, and, furthermore, that these are similar incidents the media treated differently because of the politics of the people involved.
No.
No, no, no, no, no.
That position isn't only incorrect -- the incidents are not the same -- it's dangerous. It's dangerous because it minimizes and trivializes sexual assault.
We live and operate in rape culture. Now, before you start yelling that Josh Duggar didn't rape his sisters, he only molested them, let's have a conversation about what rape culture actually is -- because it's not just about rape.
Rape culture is our refusal to accept that most sexual assaults (be it penetrative rape or something else) are committed by ordinary men, not men that would otherwise seem to be violent criminals. Rape culture is women being afraid to report sexual assault because they fear backlash and victim blaming. Rape culture is women being told not to dress provocatively, to carry a rape whistle, to never let their drink out of sight, to not walk home alone at night, instead of men being told not to commit sexual assault. Rape culture is blatant disbelief when a woman says she's been assaulted.
Rape culture is a product of sexism and a patriarchal society, which is why when we talk about rape culture, we talk about men assaulting women. Please note: this should never be construed to say that women can't assault men, that women can't assault other women or that men can't assault other men. Rather, the notion of rape culture is used describe the dominant sexual assault patterns in our society, where they come from and where they lead. It's used to describe what a woman faces when she wants to come forward about an attack. It's what she will face as she attempts to regain some sense of normality in her life. If she comes forward, she will be doubted, she will potentially be publicly vilified and she will lose her privacy.
This is all very serious.
What's not serious is a normal exploration of the human body where there was no victim and no sexual gratification. In fact, What's not serious is a normal exploration of the human body where there was no victim and no sexual gratification. In fact, such an exploration is normal and natural -- children want to explore both their own bodies and the bodies of their friends and families.
By raising Lena Dunham's actions to the level of Josh Duggar's, you provide an opportunity for people to look at what happened and say, "That's not that bad. That's not a difficult thing to admit to. Sexual assault isn't that serious, after all." Calling something sexual assault that clearly isn't helps no one; worse, it diminishes the trauma of real sexual assault and its consequences.
And that, Palins, is the real outrage. |
"You are seeing the stirrings among the public of what has has happened in the United States with the election of [Donald] Trump, Brexit in Britain and in Italy. "This is the start of something that has happened overseas and it's coming here." The study, based on interviews with 2818 people in the three months following the July poll, has been conducted after each election since 1987, with some issues tracked since 1969. These 10 charts demonstrate the size of the problem: 1) Satisfaction with democracy
Australians have traditionally been among the most satisfied people in the world with their democracy but that is no longer the case. The proportion of Australians dissatisfied with democracy has soared to 40 per cent, up from 28 per cent after the 2013 election and just 14 per cent after the 2007 election. Only in 1979, when the figure hit 45 per cent, were Australians more dissatisfied with democracy. 2) Politicians know what ordinary people think Australian politicians are increasingly viewed as out of touch with the concerns of voters. Fifty-two per cent of respondents said politicians don't know what ordinary people think, the highest result since this question was first asked in 2001.
3) Trust in government Just 26 per cent of respondents said people in government can be trusted, the lowest level since this question was first asked in 1969. There has been a gradual decline in trust in government since 2007, when 43 per cent of people said they trusted the people running the country. By contrast, 74 per cent of respondents said they believe people in government look after themselves, the highest on record. 4) Who the government is run for
Just 12 per cent of Australians believe government is run for all the people, the equal-lowest on record. A striking 56 per cent of people think government is run for a few big interests, a dramatic increase on 38 per cent in 2007. 5) Interest in the election The eight-week double dissolution election campaign failed to resonate with voters, with a mere 30 per cent saying they had a good deal of interest in the election. Sixty-five per cent of Australians said they cared a good deal who won the election, the second-lowest on record. 6) Watched the leaders' debate
Lack of interest in the election led Australians to turn off their TV screens during the campaign. Twenty-one per cent of respondents said they watched the leaders' debates - the lowest on record. This is significantly down on 32 per cent in 2013 and 47 per cent in 2010. 7) Voting volatility Australian voters are becoming increasingly volatile and are willing to change their vote from one election to the next. Just 40 per cent of respondents said they always voted for the same party, down from 63 per cent in 1987. A record low 34 per cent of voters said they used how-to-vote cards and record low described themselves as Labor or Liberal partisans.
8) Feelings about political parties Australians voters have never shown such dislike of the major political parties. On a scale of zero to 10 (zero being high dislike and 10 highly liked) respondents scored Labor a 4.9, the Liberal Party 4.8 and the Nationals 4.4. 9) Government's effect on economy
Loading There is an increasingly pessimistic view about government's ability to influence the economy, a finding that helps explain Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's disappointing election result. Sixty-seven per cent of respondents think the government will have made no effect on the economy in a year's time, the highest on record. Just 13 per cent think the government will have a good effect on the economy, down from 33 per cent just three years ago. After the 2013 election 62 per cent of Coalition voters thought government would improve the economy; that plummeted to 25 per cent this year. 10) Immigration and asylum seeker policy Although asylum seeker boats have stopped arriving in Australia, the issue has spiked to its highest level of importance to voters since the Tampa election of 2001. But other evidence shows Australian attitudes to migrants are softening. Forty per cent believe the number of migrants in Australia has gone too far, down from 52 per cent in 2010. More Australians support boat turnbacks than not, but support is at its lowest level on record. |
Prime Minister Tony Abbott with Maurice Newman, the chair of his business advisory council. Credit:Andrew Meares Mr Newman's column was written to coincide with an Australian visit by the head of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Christiana Figueres. It follows a piece Mr Newman wrote last year in which he said governments had been hijacked by "green gesture politics" and the world was not prepared for the problem of "global cooling". "It's a well-kept secret, but 95 per cent of the climate models we are told prove the link between human CO₂ emissions and catastrophic global warming have been found, after nearly two decades of temperature stasis, to be in error. It's not surprising," Mr Newman wrote on Friday. "Why then, with such little evidence, does the UN insist the world spend hundreds of billions of dollars a year on futile climate change policies? Perhaps Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the UN's framework on climate change, has the answer?"
Mr Newman continued that global warming was a "hook" to install a new world order. "Figueres is on record saying democracy is a poor political system for fighting global warming. Communist China, she says, is the best model," he said. "This is not about facts or logic. It's about a new world order under the control of the UN." He then urges the Abbott government to oppose a regime that was against "capitalism and freedom" by resisting the next global climate treaty in Paris, which countries hope to reach in December. This is not about facts or logic. It's about a new world order under the control of the UN
Mr Newman adds that, like Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Abbott should resist the UN's calls for coal to stay in the ground. The vast majority of the world's scientists, including most of the world's scientific academies, agree humans are causing climate change. Among them, the Academy of Science, the Bureau of Meteorology and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change say greenhouse gas emissions from human activity are affecting the climate. Ms Figueres said during her visit this week that Australia would ultimately have to move away from coal for both environmental and economic reasons. Mr Newman is a former chairman of the ABC and the Australian Securities Exchange.
At a media conference on Australia's renewable energy target in Melbourne on Friday, Labor's environment spokesman Mark Butler was asked whether the opposition thought Mr Newman should stand down. "I've never been particularly clear why Maurice Newman holds the position he does hold given how central climate change is to the future economic prosperity of Australia," Mr Butler said. "As the senior business adviser what Maurice Newman said in The Australian newspaper this morning is no different to the sorts of things he's been saying for years about this incredibly important policy. "That ultimately, though, is a matter for the Prime Minister." Mr Hunt said the government's approach was to work constructively with all international parties.
"I met this week with Christiana Figueres. Our goal is to be part of a constructive post- 2020 agreement," Mr Hunt said. "We want to address the problem, we're working with other countries and the international organisations. "Individuals are entitled to their views. Our approach is to work constructively with all international parties." Mr Newman's other thoughts on climate change: "Man-made 'carbon pollution' has become the shorthand rallying cry that unites global warming believers. The notion is a figment. It is made up. It is rooted in anti-capitalist, anti-growth green ideology that, for too long, has been bullied into our consciousness as science." – The Australian, March 27, 2015
"Back in the real world, the poor are dying of the cold while the political elites and their friends bask in the warmth of cosy conferences, taxpayer subsidies and research grants.They seem indifferent to the hardship that their actions, based on dubious science, impose on the world's underprivileged." – The Australian, February 6, 2015 "The political left has seized on climate change as the new Marxism. It rejects empirical evidence which is inconvenient and promotes dubious and sometimes fabricated science as proven. In true totalitarian style it seeks to shut down debate and ruin the careers and reputations of those who dare to oppose the orthodoxy." – The Australian, January 20, 2015 "[Christine] Milne's prescription for a vibrant Australian economy includes 'keeping the renewable energy target at 41,000 gigawatt-hours', 'stopping new coalmines', 'no coal-seam gas' and 'no new ports'. 'Jobs will come from green energy,' Milne assures us. She could have added, there are fairies at the bottom of her garden." – The Australian, November 7, 2014 "At the same time, like primitive civilisations offering up sacrifices to appease the gods, many governments, including Australia's former Labor government, used the biased research to pursue 'green' gesture politics. If the world does indeed move into a cooling period, its citizens are ill-prepared." – The Australian, August 14 2014 |
LATEST: READER POLL RESULT: Should interns get paid?
Matching the best and brightest students with New Zealand start-ups is the aim of a new internship programme being launched this summer by business incubator The Icehouse, angel investment group ICE Angels, and education consultancy Crimson Consulting (recently in the news for hiring Max Key).
The Technology Leaders of Tomorrow programme will see between 15 and 30 students from the Crimson network conduct summer internships at The Icehouse and portfolio companies it and Ice Angels have invested in.
Student internships are common in the United States and the United Kingdom where they are seen by students as a way to impress potential employers in their chosen field or flesh out their CVs while employers get fresh thinking and sometimes an easy way to assess potential employees.
Crimson Consulting was founded three years ago by two young Kiwis - 20-year-old Harvard University student Jamie Beaton and 21-year-old Sharndre Kushor. They have raised more than $7 million from international hedge fund managers this year, including Julian Robertson from Tiger Management which Beaton also works for, and last year ICE Angels invested $1.4 million.
Crimson has been on the acquisition path and recently bought Dunedin-based UniTutor, though the funds raised will mainly be used to push into China and build its software engineering capability that drives the online learning platform.
The company offers programmes and mentoring to help high school and university students excel academically and in extracurricular activities and achieve their chosen career path, including gaining admission to universities such as Harvard or to work for companies like Google.
Beaton has already been assisting students to get internships on an ad hoc basis and the tie-up with the Icehouse and ICE Angels will provide a more structured programme. Interns are not required to be paid though companies can choose to do so.
Beaton did his own internship at the Icehouse which established his love of entrepreneurs and start-ups before he headed off to Harvard.
Icehouse chief executive Andy Hamilton said he was excited about providing students with non-linear experiences and to help the companies they've invested in take on key markets offshore.
"We have to win the talent war by getting the best types of people in these companies as they try to go offshore," he said. "Success for me will be by the end of the first year having placed 15 students in companies."
The intern programme follows the setting up this year of the Junior Venture Partners, a group of university students who conduct due diligence on ICE Angels investees and this year raised a $60,000 fund to invest in its showcase companies.
Beaton said within New Zealand entrepreneurship is the most important thing to get the economy pumping whereas left to their own devices, the brightest Kiwi students tended to see medicine, engineering, and law as their best career prospects.
"If all these New Zealanders are introduced to a more entrepreneurial environment they could be the guy or girl heading the next big venture capital-backed company in Silicon Valley or a Zuckerberg competitor with the next social media start-up," he said.
The start-ups are getting hard working students with the ability to learn quickly who can give valuable insights and add to the company's diversity of thinking, Beaton said, particularly in the areas of new technology and social media.
Hedge fund investor New Zealand Assets Management has been taking summer interns for the past four years mainly to do quantitative research work. A 16-year-old, year 12, high school student referred by Beaton last year turned out to be "outstanding", said NZAM chief executive Andy Morris.
A more recent referral was turned down by the company because the student didn't have the necessary skills set and wasn't available when needed, and Morris said it was important to get the right fit.
There's heated debate in the US over whether students should get paid and Morris said he pays the students $20 an hour because they're adding value to his company.
"It's good for us to have young people in here because they have energy and passion and ideas that are new. They look at the business quite differently," he said.
(BusinessDesk)
LATEST: READER POLL RESULT: Should interns get paid? |
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For novice linguists, the world is full of nasty traps, where a mispronunciation of a basic household item can end up sounding like a vile insult. But you don't even have to dip into foreign languages to get things embarrassingly wrong – and that applies to perhaps more city and country names than you might expect. This little lot, for example, are often bungled…
Reims, France
Wrong: "Reemz" Right: "Rarnce", but tackled obnoxiously nasally
The hub of the Champagne region is frankly nightmarish for English speakers to say. Aim for something approaching the sound a snorer makes when they're snoring so loud they wake themselves up.
Niger
Wrong: "Ny-jer"Right: "Neezh-air"
The African country is a former French colony, so it gets the French approach – not "Nigel" with a different letter at the end.
Samoa
Wrong: "Sa-MO-a"Right: "SARM-oa"
Most outsiders tend to put the emphasis on the second syllable. But listen to the locals say it, and there's an elongated first a. Pronounce the 'Sam' like you would 'harm', then quickly rattle off the 'oa' with less emphasis, and you're about right.
See: Secret's out on this Pacific paradise
Kiribati
Wrong: "Kirry-barty"Right: "Ki-ri-bass"
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The biggest South Pacific curveball, however, comes with Kiribati. Which, defying pretty much all logic, treats the "ti" at the end as an "s" sound.
Louisville, Kentucky
Wrong: "Loo-iss-vill"Right: "Loo-ee-vul"
If you're in Kentucky, the state's largest city takes the French pronunciation on the first syllable – as in King Louis XIV – but the American on the second. So it becomes an awkward hybrid.
St Louis, Missouri
Wrong: "Saint Loo-ee"Right: "Saint Loo-iss"
After Louisville, you'd expect the same rules to apply, but no. St Louis is Louis as in Lewis Hamilton rather than the French kings. Consistency be damned.
Qatar
Wrong: "Cat-arr" Right: "Cutter", albeit with slightly more emphasis on the first syllable
No, it's not like the gunky stuff you get when you've got a bad cold.
Dominica
Wrong: "Dom-IN-i-ca"Right: "Dom-in-EE-ca"
The Caribbean island follows Spanish pronunciation rules – so the stress is on the second-to-last syllable.
Córdoba, Spain/Argentina
Wrong: "Cor-DOH-ba"Right: "COR-duh-buh"
That second-to-last syllable rule? Well, it goes out of the window when accents are involved. The Spanish language uses accents to indicate which syllable gets the emphasis when the normal rule is broken.
Bangkok, Thailand
Wrong: "Bang-cock"Right: "Bang-gawhk"
For a start, the Thais don't even know their capital as Bangkok – it's Krung Thep. But even when using the better known name, the pronunciation is different – a quick "bang", then a drawn-out "gawhk" sound with the ending tailing off into nothing like the pathetic caw of a seriously injured seagull.
See: The 20 must-see higlights of Bangkok
Ibiza, Spain |
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, February 21, 2005; Page A04
Hunter S. Thompson, whose life and writing, vivid and quirky reflections of each other, made him one of the principal symbols of the American counterculture, shot and killed himself yesterday at his home near Aspen.
Thompson, 67, was celebrated as a practitioner of an outraged form of personal journalism, offering off-beat ideas and observations in a style that was wildly and vividly his own and that brought him cult-like status and widespread recognition.
His books on politics and society were regarded as groundbreaking among journalists and other students of current affairs in their irreverence and often angry insights.
Among those for which he was famed are "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail." He rode for almost a year with the Hell's Angels motorcycle outfit for research on another book. In all he wrote at least a dozen.
Jonathan Yardley, writing last year in The Washington Post, called him "a genuinely unique figure in American journalism," citing his comic writing and social criticism.
Thompson, often seen wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap and with a cigarette dangling from his lips, showed up frequently as Uncle Duke in "Doonesbury," the Garry Trudeau comic strip.
Part of what created his image of outlaw independence and defiance of norms and conventions was his claim to intimate familiarity with a variety of drugs and mind altering chemicals.
"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence or insanity to anyone . . . but they've always worked for me," he once wrote.
Pitkin County, Colo., Sheriff Bob Braudis said in a brief telephone interview that Thompson was alone in his kitchen of his Woody Creek home when he shot himself with a handgun. His wife was at a gym, Braudis said.
The sheriff said Thompson had seemed "still on top of his game."
But Braudis's wife, Louisa Davidson, said "he was not going to age gracefully, he was going to go out with a bang. He was tormented."
Thompson was known for a style that he described as "gonzo journalism," a form of "new journalism." It was based on the idea that fidelity to fact did not always blaze the way to truth.
Instead, "gonzo journalism" and its practitioners suggested that a deeper truth could be found in the ambiguous zones between fact and fiction.
"Objective journalism is one of the main reasons that American politics has been allowed to be so corrupt for so long," Thompson told interviewers in a characteristic pronouncement on both institutions.
"You can't be objective about Nixon," he said. "How can you be objective about Clinton?"
Among the writers and works he cited as major influences were most of the classic American authors, including Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway, many or most read early in life. He also named the Biblical book of Revelation.
He was born in Louisville, and after a wild youth entered the Air Force, according to one account, as part of a parole agreement.
His writing career is traced to the 1950s, when he contributed to a base newspaper while in the Air Force.
He later wrote unpublished fiction, reported for the mainstream media from Latin America, and made his name with his Hell's Angels article in Harper's magazine.
His star rose while he worked for Rolling Stone magazine, where the "Fear and Loathing" books first appeared. |
Coming off a triple-double effort in which he posted a D-League record 14 blocks, Celtics rookie Fab Melo followed up that performance by going for 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 blocks during the Maine Red Claws' 108-94 win in Idaho on Wednesday night.
Over his last two games, Melo is averaging 23.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.5 blocks per game. Celtics coach Doc Rivers stressed a desire for Melo to be "dominant" in the D-League when he was first assigned there and that's what he's been the past two games.
The Celtics remain committed to letting Melo develop the D-League, signing Jarvis Varnado this week to add depth while Chris Wilcox is out with a thumb issue.
In 10 appearances for Maine, Melo is now averaging 10.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.9 blocks per game. |
White House correspondent for The Gateway Pundit, Lucian Wintrich, was arrested following his “It’s OK to be White” speech at UConn on Tuesday night. Daily Campus correspondent Lillian Whittaker interviewed Wintrich Wednesday night over the phone to discuss his reaction to the events that unfolded.
Note: Parts of the transcript have been edited for brevity and clarity.
Whittaker: Explain to me what happened in your own words. Was it what you expected?
Wintrich: It’s kind of funny because I addressed it in my speech. You can point and scream and call someone a Nazi, and we saw that and it proved sort of the point. Even though the speech wasn’t made, the underlying point under the speech was made. I also think it’s wild that the woman who grabbed my speech is in her mid-40s and is an advisor of a community college. This middle aged woman who is advising students was a ringleader who tried to get the talk shut down… It speaks to the childishness of the people. Quite honestly, it's nice debating with students because I get to see what students are thinking and their views on conservatism, and how to correct them… That woman is more or less what those people have to look up to being. I felt so bad for a handful of students from College Republicans who weren't able to get into the speech because the demonstrators occupied the chairs. If they just calmly exited without completely ending the speech the other students could’ve funneled in and we could have proceeded with a Q&A after. I've never seen officers allow demonstrators to get the close to the stage. You see in the video officers standing around [while people were demonstrating] after I was guaranteed adequate security.
Expand on your plans for future “legal justice.”
We are going to be taking legal actions. We had a good handful of lawyers offering to defend us pro bono… I've had countless people send me messages. I have veterans sending me emails about how sad higher education is becoming… We are looking into all of the options. I don't want to state definitively what we are doing just yet. I will say that woman needs to be fired immediately. She came… with the sole intention of disrupting the speech. That is what she does on a Tuesday night: she goes to a university talk to shut it down.
Will you be taking legal actions towards UConn?
I’m not going to speak to that. We are still trying to figure things out with our council.
Do you think the police actions were fair? |
After a Baltimore police trial board found Officer Caesar Goodson Jr. not guilty of all administrative charges Tuesday in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray, legal analysts said the cases against two colleagues will likely zero in on what additional responsibility they had as supervisors.
“That may be their best shot,” said attorney Thomas Maronick, who has followed the cases against the officers but is not directly involved in them. “A supervisor is responsible for what happens on their watch.”
Lt. Brian Rice and Sgt. Alicia White are the last two officers of the six involved in the case who face disciplinary action. Both could lose their jobs if they are found guilty by their trial boards.
Rice is scheduled to go before his board on Monday. White is to follow on Dec. 5.
Gray, 25, was arrested in April 2015 and suffered severe spinal cord injuries in the back of a police van. He died a week after his arrest.
Goodson, the driver of the van, was charged administratively with neglecting his duty to ensure Gray’s safety by securing him with a seat belt or calling a medic when Gray asked for one, with making false statements to investigators and failing to properly document his actions.
In clearing him, the panel of three police officers determined the city failed to prove the charges against him by a preponderance of evidence — a lesser burden than the standard of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt required in criminal court. Goodson was acquitted in criminal court last year of charges including second-degree depraved-heart murder.
Warren Alperstein, a defense attorney not involved in the case, said it was “astonishing” that the city’s legal team couldn’t meet that lower burden of proof at the administrative trial.
“It’s much easier to prove a police officer committed wrongdoing in a trial board setting,” he said. “By and large most observers believed that at minimum some of these charges would have been sustained.”
But another key difference between a trial board and a criminal trial is that officers are judged by their colleagues rather than an independent jury or criminal court judge. University of Maryland law professor Doug Colbert said the officers who make up a hearing panel are likely to be reluctant to punish a fellow officer.
“That’s what’s expected when police officers are judging one another,” he said. “Many people will find it difficult to accept a decision that’s made by three fellow officers. It doesn’t give the appearance of impartiality.”
In 2016, all officers who appeared before a trial board were found guilty of at least one charge.
Much about the trial boards — including the charges against the defendants — is withheld from the public in advance of the proceedings. But lawyers who have followed the Gray cases expect that Rice and White’s role as supervisors will play a key role.
Alperstein said that could lead to a different result than in Goodson’s case.
“I think that’s a difference, a big difference,” he said. “It’s a different theory prosecution.”
At Rice’s criminal trial last year, prosecutors highlighted his role as the highest-ranking officer at Gray’s arrest. He was charged with manslaughter and other violations.
“He was in charge,” Deputy State’s Attorney Michael Schatzow said, and should have ensured that Gray was secured with a seat belt.
Chaz Ball, one of Rice’s defense attorneys at his criminal trial, countered that the lieutenant assessed the scene when Gray was loaded into Goodson’s van and determined it was too dangerous to secure him with a seat belt. When Rice saw Gray a short time later, Ball said, Gray was belligerent and showed no signs of being hurt.
Rice was acquitted by a judge of all criminal charges.
One challenge to prosecuting Rice and White in their administrative trials, Maronick said, is that they were not in direct contact with Goodson when he was transporting Gray. That could make it difficult for the city’s lawyers to show when they could have stepped in and kept Gray safe.
“It isn’t obvious when they could intervene,” he said.
Colbert said the officers on a trial board are more likely to blame the culture of the police department than any individual.
“The only way to change a culture is to hold individuals accountable,” he said. “It’s another sad day in Baltimore for people who hope the legal process will provide accountability.”
It’s an issue that has dogged the cases from the beginning: It has been difficult for prosecutors to pin responsibility for Gray’s death on any individual officer.
David Jaros, a professor of criminal law at the University of Baltimore, said the decision to clear Goodson shouldn’t be understood as a vindication of how police operate in the city.
“The defense’s chief argument was there were systematic failures,” he said.
Maronick said he wasn’t sure the city’s lawyers will be able to prevail in the remaining trial boards, given the past failures in both the administrative and criminal proceedings.
“The city has lost on these cases for so long, they haven't been able to get any to go their way,” Maronick said. “I don't think the results will be any different.”
Mike Davey, Rice’s attorney, said he was not surprised by the verdict in Goodson’s case, and expects a similar one at his client’s trial.
“We believe that the evidence will show that Lt. Rice acted within the policies of the Baltimore Police Department that were in place at the time,” he said.
Tony Garcia, White’s attorney, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
[email protected]
twitter.com/iduncan |
Canaccord Genuity analyst Neil Maruoka says the most recent news from marijuana player Emblem Corp. (TSXV:EMC) is more evidence that the stock is undervalued.
Yesterday, Emblem Corp. provided an update around progress in its patient acquisition program, noting that it now has 2091 active and pending patients.
“We are extremely pleased with the progress made since the launch of our website to attract and register patients at such an accelerated rate,” said CEO Gordon Fox. “We believe that our patient growth is a favourable reflection on the quality of our cannabis products, our customer service and our physician and patient communication strategies.
Maruoka says this news supports his current bullish take on the stock.
“We believe the accelerating patient ramp is supportive of our investment thesis that Emblem has a differentiated medical strategy focused on high-quality cannabis and, eventually, value-add cannabinoid formulations,” he says. “Emblem also employs a patient acquisition strategy through its part ownership of GrowWise cannabis clinic network that we expect should allow new patient recruitment to keep pace with its growth in cultivation capacity.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This article is brought to you by ABCann Medicinals.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The analyst says there is a lot of value in the mix of pieces that is Emblem.
“Emblem currently trades at 9.2x its projected funded capacity, compared to peers at 8.6x. However, we believe that the company’s medical focus, forecast favourable product mix, and premium pricing support a higher multiple. Although the company is awaiting Health Canada approval to sell cannabis oil, we believe this could be a significant catalyst for investors in the near term.”
In a research update to clients today, Maruoka maintained his “Speculative Buy” rating and one-year price target of $3.75 on Emblem Corp.
Maruoka thinks Emblem will generate EBITDA of negative $600,000 on revenue of $1-million in fiscal 2017. He expects these numbers will improve to positive EBITDA of $1.1-million on a topline of $11-million the following year. |
Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis have outstanding numbers in Asia © AFP
The last seven months have been terrible ones for touring teams in Test cricket. India have lost eight Tests in a row - four each in England and Australia - while Sri Lanka have lost two out of three; England, meanwhile, lost all three in the UAE to Pakistan. The only team to escape the drubbing was Australia: they won their three-Test series against Sri Lanka 1-0.
Traditionally, tours to Australia, South Africa and England have been the toughest ones for teams from the subcontinent; conversely, tours to Asia have been the most difficult ones for the others. Is it true that teams from the subcontinent are worse travellers than the sides from Australia, South Africa and England? Here's a look at the numbers.
For the purpose of this exercise, only three teams each were considered from within and outside the subcontinent. Bangladesh's terrible record in Test cricket disqualifies them immediately, while New Zealand and West Indies have also struggled in Tests over the last few years, no matter where they've travelled. That leaves India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as the subcontinent teams, and Australia, England and South Africa as the sides from outside the subcontinent. The time period considered for the exercise is since the beginning of 2005 - long enough for teams to have toured each of the other countries at least once, and also the period during which Australia's overwhelming dominance overseas had come to an end. In the five years between 2000 and 2004, for example, Australia had a 9-3 win-loss record in Asia; since then, it has dropped to 1-4 in nine Tests.
The overall numbers since the beginning of 2005 show that the top teams from outside the subcontinent have had as much trouble in Asia as the subcontinental teams have had overseas. Australia, England and South Africa have drawn more Tests, but the win-loss ratio is almost the same: 0.28 for the subcontinent teams, and 0.31 for the overseas team in Asia. Between 2000 and 2004, however, the overseas teams had a much better record in Asia: 15 wins and only ten defeats. Australia had their imposing 9-3 record, and even England (3-3) and South Africa (3-4) did better. On the other hand, the subcontinent teams had a worse record between 2000 and 2004, with a 3-16 win-loss ratio.
Overseas problems Teams Hosts Tests Won Lost Drawn W/L ratio Aus, Eng, RSA Ind, Pak, SL, UAE 34 5 16 13 0.31 Ind, Pak, SL Aus, Eng, RSA 49 9 32 8 0.28
The win-loss ratios are almost the same, but in terms of batting and bowling averages the differences are huge: the gap between the two averages is significantly more for the teams from the subcontinent, compared to that for the overseas teams touring Asia. The main difference is in the batting averages: the unfamiliarity with bouncy pitches and seaming conditions is a clear disadvantage for the teams from the subcontinent - they average 27.48 per wicket when they tour Australia, South Africa and England. In contrast, when those teams tour Asia, their batting average is a respectable 34.37. The batting averages also conform to the theory that it's much tougher to adjust to higher bounce than to pitches with lower bounce.
The huge difference in the averages, despite the close win-loss ratio, also suggests that the margins of defeats for the teams from the subcontinent are much greater. In the period under consideration, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have lost ten of those 32 Tests by an innings, four by more than 290 runs, and three by nine or more wickets. The victory margins, on the other hand, have been much narrower. India alone have lost by an innings five times during this period. (Click here for the full list of results.)
Australia, South Africa and England haven't been blown away as often when they tour Asia. They've lost thrice by an innings, but have also won a couple of times by that margin (both by South Africa, against India). (Click here for their full list of results.)
Batting and bowling stats when touring Teams Hosts Batting ave Bowling ave Difference Aus, Eng, RSA Ind, Pak, SL, UAE 34.37 39.17 -4.80 Ind, Pak, SL Aus, Eng, RSA 27.48 40.79 -13.31
Breaking it up further by teams, the difference between batting and bowling averages is greatest for Sri Lanka, despite them having the best win-loss ratio among the three teams. That's again because of the margins by which they've lost some of their matches. The bowling has been their chief cause for concern: they've conceded nearly 50 runs per wicket. India's difference isn't as high, despite the drubbings in England and Australia, while Pakistan's difference is the smallest, thanks to a bowling attack that is significantly better than those of India and Sri Lanka.
Subcontinent teams overseas* Team Tests W/L/D W/L ratio Bat ave Bowl ave Diff Sri Lanka 11 2/6/3 0.33 28.76 49.95 -21.19 India 21 4/13/4 0.30 28.47 41.64 -13.17 Pakistan 17 3/13/1 0.23 25.35 35.83 -10.48
Among overseas teams in Asia, South Africa are the only ones with a positive difference between batting and bowling averages. Their batting numbers clearly reveal that they, more than any other side, have best figured out how to play on slow pitches and in turning conditions. England's batsmen, on the other hand, have struggled, even though their bowlers have done pretty well.
Overseas teams in Asia* Team Tests W/L/D W/L ratio Bat ave Bowl ave Diff South Africa
11 3/4/4 0.75 42.61 41.43 1.18 Australia 9 1/4/4 0.25 34.71 40.35 -5.64 England 14 1/8/5 0.12 28.68 36.77 -8.09
And here's a further break-up of the batting numbers by pace and spin. The difference is the largest for India, which justifies the policy of unleashing four fast bowlers against them - spinners average almost 50 runs per wicket against them, while fast bowlers average less than 24. The numbers for Pakistan are slightly unexpected - spinners have done better against them than fast bowlers, even in conditions that should have generally favoured quick bowling. (Click here to see the list of spinners who've been among the wickets against Pakistan.)
The challenge for visiting teams in Asia is spin bowling, but England seem to struggle equally against pace too, averaging just 27.89 against them. South Africa's batsmen average more than 50 against pace, and a respectable 36 against spin.
Teams from the subcontinent versus pace and spin overseas* Team Pace - Runs Dismissals Average Spin - Runs Dismissals Average Sri Lanka 4235 163 25.98 1250 37 33.78 India 7789 328 23.74 2536 51 49.72 Pakistan 5477 209 26.20 1941 89 21.80
Overseas teams versus pace and spin in Asia* Team Pace - Runs Dismissals Average Spin - Runs Dismissals Average South Africa 2845 54 52.68 3815 106 35.99 Australia 2061 64 32.20 2918 84 34.73 England 3180 114 27.89 3450 129 26.74
Running the rule over the bowlers, it's clear that Sri Lanka need to find quality fast bowlers who'll excel in overseas conditions: their current lot concede almost 64 runs per wicket; it's their spinners who've succeeded in pulling it back a bit. Pakistan's fast bowlers are clearly the best of the lot, averaging 30.24 per wicket.
Among the overseas bowlers in Asia, England's are the best, both in terms of pace and spin. However, their batting has been so inept in Asia that their win-loss ratio is much worse than those of South Africa and Australia.
Bowlers from subcontinent teams overseas* Team Pace - wkts Average Strike rate Spin - wkts Average Strike rate Sri Lanka 57 63.82 106.30 52 34.23 69.29 India 205 36.97 65.96 100 45.40 80.15 Pakistan 181 30.24 57.36 75 44.72 85.80
Bowlers from overseas teams in the subcontinent* Team Pace - wkts Average Strike rate Spin - wkts Average Strike rate South Africa 107 35.69 63.82 44 47.54 100.16 Australia 96 35.21 74.94 36 50.75 82.53 England 137 33.70 70.82 65 41.67 83.57
And finally, here's a break-up of stats by Asian batsmen in Australia, England and South Africa since the beginning of 2005, overall and against fast bowling. As the table below shows, the numbers don't make impressive reading for most batsmen. Sachin Tendulkar averages almost 49 overall and 41.50 against pace, but the numbers are significantly lower for Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag. Younis Khan's success in his last two series, in England and South Africa, are reflected in his numbers below. Mohammad Yousuf had one exceptional series in England in 2006, and that helped lift his overall numbers during this period. Mahela Jayawardene's stats tell the story of his troubles outside the subcontinent, but Kumar Sangakkara has done much better.
Subcontinent batsmen in Aus, Eng and RSA since Jan 2005 Batsman Overall - runs Dismissals* Average v pace - runs Dismissals* Average Sachin Tendulkar 1806 37 48.81 1328 32 41.50 VVS Laxman 1284 36 35.66 943 33 28.57 Rahul Dravid 1263 37 34.13 910 31 29.35 Mohammad Yousuf 1097 21 52.23 797 13 61.30 Kumar Sangakkara 844 20 42.20 647 15 43.13 Salman Butt 796 23 34.60 632 16 39.50 Virender Sehwag 758 28 27.07 617 23 26.82 Imran Farhat 714 29 24.62 647 23 28.13 Sourav Ganguly 698 18 38.77 458 14 32.71 Younis Khan 645 11 58.63 503 8 62.87 Mahela Jayawardene 632 21 30.09 487 21 23.19 Tillakaratne Dilshan 594 14 42.42 465 11 42.27 Thilan Samaraweera 591 15 39.40 435 12 36.25 Gautam Gambhir 525 18 29.16 434 15 28.93
Among overseas batsmen in Asia, the numbers for the three South Africans - Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers - stand out. How England must wish for at least one batsman who could put up similar numbers in Asia.
Overseas batsmen in Asia since Jan 2005 Batsman Overall-runs Dismissals* Average v spin - runs Dismissals* Average Hashim Amla 1228 15 81.86 737 8 92.12 Jacques Kallis 1127 13 86.69 720 11 65.45 AB de Villiers 1028 14 73.42 561 10 56.10 Michael Hussey 956 15 63.73 579 10 57.90 Ian Bell 805 26 30.96 391 17 23.00 Kevin Pietersen 759 26 29.19 410 14 29.28 Paul Collingwood 754 16 47.12 409 8 51.12 Alastair Cook 741 19 39.00 404 6 67.33 Andrew Strauss 683 19 35.94 393 10 39.30 Graeme Smith 666 15 44.40 321 10 32.10 Ricky Ponting 614 13 47.23 363 6 60.50 Michael Clarke 500 16 31.25 338 9 37.55
S Rajesh is stats editor of ESPNcricinfo. Follow him on Twitter
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd. |
OCTOBER 22, 2017
Kevin Kunzmann
Deaths related to ambient air pollution are becoming the most prominent in the world.A study published this week reported that deaths from ambient air pollution have risen 20% in 25 recorded years, from 3.5 million deaths in 1990 to 4.2 million in 2015. Pollution is now estimated to be responsible for more than 20% of non-communicable diseases (NCD) in the world.Primary drivers for the increase in ambient pollution are uncontrolled city growth, increased energy demands, use of gasoline and diesel and the “globalization of industry against the backdrop of an expanding, ageing global population,” researchers wrote.With these worsening conditions, researchers projected pollution-related deaths to increase by more than 50% by 2050, if “aggressive intervention” is not met. The populations most likely to be affected by the continuing growth of pollution-led NCDs are residents low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), according to the study.“Pollution-related NCDs are a growing global threat that can no longer be ignored,” researchers wrote. “International agencies and the donor community must substantially increase the amount of funding and technical assistance that they direct to prevention of NCDs caused by pollution by the industrial, transport, chemical, and mining sectors in LMICs.” In an interview with NPR , Philip J. Landrigan, lead author of the Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health, said many of these affected LMICs are rapidly industrializing.“But they have weak environmental agencies,” Landrigan said. “They're galloping ahead with industrialization without paying attention to the consequences.”The researchers also expanded on the variety of disease linked to air pollution, noting that other epidemiological studies have found that even diabetes, autism, and dementia can be susceptible — as are asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, and forms of cancer.Chronic kidney disease can also be linked to air pollution in the US, according to the study. About 765,000 new reports of patients having an estimated glomerulat filtration rate (eGFR) less than 60 mL/min, and 30,000 new cases of end-stage renal disease can be attributed to ambient air pollution.In children, air pollution can be linked to asthma, cancer, neurodevelopmental disorders, and birth defects. A study from earlier this week indicated babies are more likely to experience accelerated aging due to pollution exposure as well, and another from this summer showed air pollution could trigger multiple sclerosis relapse. Annual pollution deaths equate to a higher rate than those from AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined, according to the study. But the health epidemic pales in public attention or effort.Development funding from international agencies and donor countries for prevention of disease caused by ambient air pollution and other forms of modern industrial chemical and automotive pollution in LMICs is meagre,” researchers wrote. “Private philanthropy is also lacking.”Landrigan recommended the creation of a Global Pollution Observatory in order to track progress made combating pollution. He also expressed hope that pollution makes a return to global policy discussion, like it had with the Clean Air Act of 1970.“This is a winnable battle,” Landrigan said. “We say that because the rich countries have done it. In 1969, the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland was so polluted, it caught fire. Today, people kayak down that river.”The study, " Air pollution and the kidney—implications for control of non-communicable diseases ," was published online on The Lancet. |
Joseph Gordon-Levitt has described a kiss between himself and Topher Grace on That '70s Show as a “proud moment.”
In an interview to promote his upcoming feature film Don Jon, Gordon-Levitt was asked about the 1998 kiss, widely believed to be the first gay kiss on North American primetime television.
“Yeah, proud moment!” Gordon-Levit told Michigan weekly PrideSource. “I was actually just talking about this with a good friend of mine who's gay. We were saying there really has been a change. I mean, that was more than 10 years ago that we shot that episode, and a lot has changed. I do think that television and movies have played a big part in it. It's certainly not solely responsible, but that has been a part of it becoming a more normal and accepted part of our culture – that some people are gay and that's just how it is, especially for people who are not used to that or close-minded toward that. There's been a pretty big change, and we're certainly not all the way open-minded – I mean, there was a civil rights movement in the '60s and there's still plenty of racism in the world – but we've come a long way.”
“I certainly am proud to have made that small contribution of whatever kind to that progress,” he added. |
SPONTANEANATION with Paul F. Tompkins #18
Paul F. Tompkins welcomes friends, family, cousin varietals, uncles not related by blood, and pets to SPONTANEANATION! This week, Paul’s special guest is creator of the Netflix original series BoJack Horseman, Raphael Bob-Waksberg! They chat about which reality competition show Raphael would have come to his home, why The Phantom Tollbooth holds up beautifully, and being hated by his middle school teacher for taking liberties during a historical re-enactment. Paul is then joined by Erinn Hayes, Marc Evan Jackson, and Mark McConville to improvise a story set at the break room for costumed characters and ride operators at a theme park. As always, the exceptional Eban Schletter scores it all on piano!
The next LIVE SPONTANEANATION will be recorded at Largo on Saturday, August 1st, with special guests Thomas Lennon, Sarah Burns, Craig Cackowski and Marc Evan Jackson ! Last time, the live audience ONLY got to hear Paul and guest Scott Aukerman cover a Smiths song; what exclusive live moments will the August audience get? Get your tickets before it sells out: bit.ly/SPONT815 |
In Defense of the Hip Thrust Written on September 13, 2017 at 5:11 am, by Eric Cressey I've been a fan of barbell hip thrust and supine bridges for approximately seven years now. I'd encourage you to give my What I Learned in 2012 article a read, as it describes how our usage of these drills came about (and does so in an entertaining manner) following a meeting I had with Bret Contreras in 2009. Suffice it to say that initially, I was not a fan of these drills, but in-the-trenches experimentation eventually brought me around. Recently, there has been some controversy over the utility of hip thrusts, as some newer research publications (here and here) have demonstrated that hip thrust training does not improve sprinting speed. Bret Contreras, the man who popularized the hip thrust, has written a detailed response to these publications. For the record, I think he's handled the situation admirably, and I commend him for all his work adding to the body of knowledge so that we can all have these discussions in hopes of fine-tuning our strength training programs. That said, not surprisingly, these research findings have created an opportunity for hip thrust critics to say "I told you so" - and several articles have emerged to highlight its lack of efficacy on this front. That said, I found Doug Kechijian's article, 'Science' and the Barbell Hip Thrust, to be the best of the articles that have recently emerged. Doug doesn't utilize the hip thrust, but used this current situation as a means of discussing how we view exercise selection on the whole. I'd strongly encourage you to give it a read. While I must admit that I wasn't particularly surprised at the lack of carryover to sprinting performance, I don't think it's time to throw the baby out with the bath water just yet. Why? As I've often said: Want to put an exercise in a program? You must be able to quickly and easily justify its inclusion. Click To Tweet In this case, I still have plenty of justifications for including hip thrusts and supine bridges in our programs. I don't think they're ever a perfect replacement for a squat or deadlift, but I do see a role for them in special circumstances, and as assistance exercises. In today's post, I'll outline why I still find these drills to have great utility. 1. Zero Back Pain Yes, you read that right. In close to a decade of using these drills with clients, athletes, and our coaching staff, I've never seen anyone injured during a hip thrust or supine bridge. For how many other exercises can you say that? Certainly squats, deadlifts, kettlebell swings, or even single-leg work. In hindsight, it's shocking that a drill that looks like it could be harmful (and this was my initial reluctance to include it) actually has such an excellent record on the safety front. Obviously, we're matching it to the individual and coaching technique, but this is still an impressive observation. Moreover, I've sold more than 8,000 copies of my flagship product, The High Performance Handbook. It includes barbell supine bridges in phase 2, and barbell hip thrusts in phase 3. This is 8,000+ people who've performed these exercises without my supervision, and I've never had a single email from anyone about an injury. Conversely, I've answered a ton of emails over the years from customers who need modifications because squatting and/or deadlifting aren't drills they can perform pain-free. I think this is remarkably telling; hip thrusts have stood the test of time in terms of safety concerns. Finally, I've actually seen quite a few individuals who couldn't squat or deadlift pain-free actually perform barbell hip thrusts and supine bridges with zero pain over the course of years. They've bolstered a training effect that otherwise would have been markedly attenuated. 2. Hip thrusts allow us to train the posterior chain without deadlifts in a population that may not do well with scapular depression and downward rotation. One thing we know about throwing a baseball is that it makes you very lat dominant and tends to drive scapular downward rotation. As I discuss in this video, scapular upward rotation is incredibly important for throwers. Sometimes, we'll see athletes who sit in so much scapular depression or downward rotation that we choose to avoid lat dominant exercises and heavy carries/holds in their programs. So, drills like deadlifts, farmer's walks, KB swings, and dumbbell lunges are out of the mix. When you lose deadlifts from a program, you realize that you've lost a big bang exercise for training the posterior chain. Barbell hip thrusts have been a huge help to us in this regard, as they give us a bilateral option for training the posterior chain. Otherwise, it'd be just safety squat bar (SSB) squats and single-leg work, the goblet set-up, belt squats, and glute-ham raise (GHR) variations. And, a lot of people don't have a SSB, belt squat, or GHR! Interestingly, I can actually think of several instances over the years where we dropped deadlifting from a pitcher's program - and replaced it with hip thrusts - and his shoulder pain went away. I don't think improvements like this happen in isolation, but I have no doubt that it contributed to the reduction in symptoms. 3. Hip thrusts prioritize terminal hip extension, which is actually far more important to baseball success. I want you to watch these videos of the hips during the baseball swing (and while you're at it, check out Jeff Albert's great guest post for me: Hip Extension and Rotation in the Baseball Swing). What I'm hoping you noticed is that while hip extension is incredibly important (for both the front and back legs), there is very little of it occurring in terms of actual range of motion. The same can be said of the pitching delivery; very rarely would a pitching come close to being a 90 degrees of hip flexion on the back hip. Tim Collins early in his career was the most extreme hip flexion I've seen, and he's not even all the way down to 90 degrees: In other words, hips thrusts and supine bridges reflect the shorter range of hip flexion/extension motion we see in hitting and pitching than they do for a higher amplitude movement like sprinting.
Source: Darren Wilkinson To be clear, I'm not saying that squats and deadlifts don't train this range (especially when accommodating resistances like bands and chains are utilized); I'm just saying that hip thrusts and supine bridges train it exclusively and may provide some extra carryover. 4. Hip thrusts allow us to train the lower body without a grip challenge. Load of gripping can also be an issue during the baseball season. Guys obviously get plenty of it from their upper body work, but when you add in the stress of throwing on the flexor tendons, more work on lower body days can push some pitchers over the edge in terms of forearm symptoms. This can also be an issue during post-operative elbow scenarios, as some surgeons can "beat up" the flexor tendon a bit more during Tommy John surgeries. With these athletes, we'll often plug hip thrusts in to replace deadlifts for 4-8 week spans. 5. The hip thrust helps to maintain a training effect in post-operative elbow and shoulder situations. Building on my last point, we utilize barbell hip thrusts and supine bridges a lot with our post-op clients. If we are talking about a Tommy John surgery, you aren't using a safety squat bar until two months post-op, or deadlifting until closer to five months (and even then, the loading has to be severely restricted). Conversely, provided they have someone to load plates for them, these athletes can hip thrust as early as 4-6 weeks (assuming we aren't dealing with a lower extremity graft site), and loading appreciably by weeks 8-10. That's a huge deal. Shoulder surgeries are a bit slower to come around, but you're definitely able to hip thrust well before you use the safety squat bar or integrate deadlifts. In short, if you want bilateral loading in a post-operative situation, hip thrusts below right up there in the discussion with glute-ham raises - and serve as a good complement to sled dragging with a belt/harness and various single-leg drills. 6. Hip thrusts don't create much delayed onset muscle soreness. It's hard to really overload the eccentric (lowering) component of a hip thrust - and this may be one reason why it doesn't carry over to sprinting as much as a squat would. However, this non-soreness-inducing quality can actually be of benefit, as we often want to avoid it with in-season athletes or those trying to achieve a higher volume of work in their training programs. This is actually a perk of several deadlift variations, too. 7. Hip thrusts are a safe way to get in higher-rep sets. In the quest to put on some muscle, high-rep squatting and deadlifting often wind up getting pretty ugly by the end of the sets unless they're regressed in some fashion (e.g., goblet squats). And, on a personal note, any time that I deadlift for more than eight reps, I get a massive headache that lasts about three days. I've found that higher rep barbell supine bridge (moreso than hip thrusts) are a good option for sets of 12-15 at the end of a session to kick in some extra volume safely. It's pretty darn hard to screw this up, you know? Thoughts on Loading On several occasions, I've heard folks criticize barbell hip thrusts and supine bridges because even seemingly untrained individuals can use so much weight. It's a valid assertion - but only to a point. My experience has been that many individuals moving big weights are really short-changing themselves on the last 5-10 degrees of hip extension. They're either stopping short or getting lumbar extension (moving through the lower back). Often, when you fine-tune the technique and make them hold for a count at the top, they'll have to reduce the weight significantly. As a rule of thumb, though, I view the risk:benefit ratio with hip thrusts as being comparable to that of deadlifts in an athletic population; going heavier than 495 pounds probably isn't worth the risk or time involved. You're better off changing the tempo (longer pauses at the top) or switching to a different (and possibly more technically advanced) exercise that doesn't "come naturally" to the lifter. In short, find a different window of adaptation instead of just trying to move big weights through a short range-of-motion. As an interesting aside to this, my deadlifts are actually significantly stronger than my hip thrusts. It's likely a function of "getting what you train," but I think it's an interesting argument against the idea that even weak people can automatically move big weights. Last, but not least, remember that relatively untrained people can often push a lot of weight on sleds on turf, and rack pulls are usually substantially heavier than one's deadlift. Does that make them useless, too? Closing Thoughts New research is always warranted in any field, but particularly in strength and conditioning, a dynamic industry that has changed remarkably over the past few decades. In many cases, it takes a lot of time and experimentation to understand just how something fits (or doesn't fit) in our training approaches. Personally, I always come back to the "justifying the inclusion of a lift" question I noted earlier in this article. My experience has been that barbell hip thrusts and supine bridges have stood the test of time in this regard - and done so safely. I view them much more as an assistance exercise, as opposed to something that would ever replace squats or deadlifts. However, in the special circumstances I've outlined above, I think they will continue to fill in nicely. Sign-up Today for our FREE Newsletter and receive a four-part video series on how to deadlift! Name Email |
Democrat Jerry Brown is out with a new campaign ad taking aim at Republican rival Meg Whitman with decision day in the California Governor's race less than two weeks away.
The line of messaging being fired in the one-minute television attack is clear and simple: Whitman's brand new vision for the Golden State is nothing other than the same old view that has been pushed by outgoing GOP Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The ad -- titled "Echo" and set to air statewide-- features alternating clips of Whitman and Schwarzenegger communicating virtually the same lines.
The New Republic praised the spot, calling it "very effective without being nasty."
Following the release of the spot, Whitman pushed back against the attack and aimed to differentiate herself from the sitting California Governor. "Gov. Schwarzenegger did a number of good things, but he was primarily an actor, he was primarily investor, and I think missed a lot of the key things that could have been done," explained the Republican hopeful.
Nevertheless, Brown's campaign has signaled the footage in the new ad speaks for itself.
"Meg Whitman said it herself, 'Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and hoping for different results,'" said Steven Glazer, Campaign Manager for Brown. "Yet, the Long Island native has had no qualms about recycling the same platitudes, repackaging the same campaign events and rehiring the same high priced consultants as the state's current Governor." |
Connor Blumrick was offered by Texas A&M on Tuesday evening.
Late last week, Pearland quarterback Connor Blumrick made an unofficial visit to College Station to check out Texas A&M.
The 6-foot-6, 203-pound junior was able to meet with the coaching staff and tour the facilities. Though he was not offered at the time, the Aggie staff said they would get back with him early this week to let him know one way or another.
On Tuesday evening, Blumrick spoke with A&M offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Noel Mazzone and an offer was extended at that point.
"I would like to thank Coach Mazzone and Texas A&M for offering me a scholarship to play football. #GigEm #TAMU," he tweeted.
A decision from Blumrick is expected soon between A&M and Ole Miss. |
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Boston, MA — A video uploaded to YouTube Friday shows a Boston police officer attempting to arrest a woman on a city bus in Dudley Square. The woman was allegedly under arrest for a petty theft, according to the video’s description.
During the incident, the woman begins to resist the officer’s advance and within seconds the officer recklessly draws his service weapon to use against the unarmed woman on a bus full of passengers. During the altercation, at least four passengers can be seen recording on their cell phones. As the situation progressed, this level of accountability proved extremely valuable.
Immediately after the trigger happy cop draws his gun, several bystanders can be heard ordering him to drop his weapon informing the officer that the woman, while resisting, obviously had no means of escape. The officer, after repeatedly being commanded to disarm, begrudgingly holstered his weapon. The onlookers then proceed to instruct both the officer and the woman to “relax” and “chill.” Several passengers can also be heard telling the woman to calm down, offering reassurance by saying “we’re here.”
This no doubt speaks to the us vs. them mentality that many Americans justifiably hold towards law enforcement.
After a brief (non-fatal) struggle, more officers arrive and assist in arresting the woman without further incident or injury to themselves, the female suspect, or any innocent bystanders. This is an amazing example of how pressuring a police officer not to harm another person when unnecessary, can actually work.
What does it say about the current state of policing in America when a bus full of passengers can de-escalate a situation more effectively than an individual who is supposedly trained to protect & serve?
The truth is that most human beings tend to be more prone towards peace than violence. When the majority of people see a violent confrontation, their natural reaction is to bring about a peaceful resolution. However, when an individual is given a “right” to initiate violence against others under the color of “law” it creates a moral inconsistency that has been used to justify the needless slaughter of millions.
Thankfully, video evidence is now demonstrating to people the truly horrific nature of this senseless violence, and how to stop it.
Johnny Liberty is a researcher and investigative journalist. You can follow him on Twitter @LibertyUnltd |
So for today I'm sharing swatches for the Sealed With A Kiss Collection by Hiya guys! Oh my gosh Valentine's Day is coming up! Like I knew it was approaching, but I just looked at the calendar today and felt my heart sink. I am running out of gift-buying time. Not for Valentine's Day specifically, but rather my anniversary with Austin. Yup, I think it's like five years. Haha I'm not sure opps. I don't suppose I can give him cute polish and call it a day, eh? Hmm... Probably not if I want to make it to a six year anniversary.So for today I'm sharing swatches for theby Sassy Pants , which consists six creams and two specialty toppers. So essentially there are three different looks for each shade! That's a whole lot of versatility... and a whole lot of swatch photos. Yes, that's your warning for a swatch-heavy post. Now let's get to it!
Sealed With A Kiss Collection by Theby Sassy Pants Polish will be releasing tomorrow Friday, January 27th, 2pm CST. Each full-size 15mL bottle retails for $10 and the mini 7.5mL bottle for $6. The two toppers are available in full-size and mini for $12 and $8 respectively. The complete full-size collection retails for $76 and the mini for $49.
Free US shipping is available with any order of $50 or more. And there is now free Canada shipping with any order of $75 or more.
These are the two specialty toppers featured in this collection. First we have Love Always, which is a holographic topper. Photos have been taken indoors (in a light-box) so the holo will be much more subtle than it would be in direct sunlight. And we also have Forever Yours, which is a chameleon red to purple shifty shimmer topper.
For my review I'll be showing what each shade looks like paired with each topper. Every swatch has two coats of the topper over the base shade and sealed with a glossy topcoat.
Sassy Pants Polish - Blow a Kiss
Love Always over Blow a Kiss
Forever Yours over Blow a Kiss
Sassy Pants Polish - French Kiss
Love Always over French Kiss
Forever Yours over French Kiss
Sassy Pants Polish - Kiss & Make Up
Love Always over Kiss & Make Up
Forever Yours over Kiss & Make Up
Sassy Pants Polish - Kiss & Tell
Love Always over Kiss & Tell
Forever Yours over Kiss & Tell
Sassy Pants Polish - Kiss Goodbye
. It has an opaque finish, but not quite a one coater. S
Love Always over Kiss Goodbye
Forever Yours over Kiss Goodbye
Sassy Pants Polish - Kiss Off
Love Always over Kiss Off
Forever Yours over Kiss Off
can be described as a lovely lavender cream polish. Isn't everything about this shade so lush and gorgeous? There is just something about this particular hue against my skin-tone that has me so enamored. This shade is actually the only one in this collection I prefer sans topper!The formula was very sheer during application and has a thin consistency. It applied a bit on the patchy side as well, but luckily has a nice self level factor. Compared to the rest of the collection, this one is definitely the odd one out in terms of formula. Shown in three coats and sealed with a topcoat.can be described as a slightly muted dusty pink cream polish.The formula has an patchy initial application, but ends up self-leveling pretty well on its own. It has a smooth, easy to layer, consistency that isn't too thick or too thin. Shown in two coats and sealed with a topcoat.can be described as a deep magenta cream polish. Usually the magentas in my collection lean towards the purple side, whereas this has more hints of pink. I'm very much loving both toppers on the shade, especially that shimmer. It's like an entirely different polish!The formula has a very opaque application, but not quite a one coater. Fantastic consistency as well, it nails the creamy finish. Shown in two coats and sealed with a topcoat.can be described as a vampy boysenberry cream polish.The formula has a thin consistency and a sheer application. It builds up very smoothly and is easy to work with. Shown in two coats and sealed with a topcoat.can be described as an intense coral cream polish. There is always one polish that knocks your socks off in a collection... This is mine! Not only is this shade gorgeous on its own, but both toppers are absolutely magical against the base. Definite must-have!The formula has a similar application and consistency to that ofhown in two coats and sealed with a topcoat.can be described as a bright watermelon rose cream polish. Closing off the collection we have another super vibrant shade! It's giving me all the summer vibes right now. If it wasn't for the formula trouble, this would have my must-have stamp of approval.The formula has an opaque, but thick application and consistency. Initially I thought it was manageable, but when I went in for the reswatch it wasn't layering well for me. I added a bit of thinner and that helped tremendously. Shown in two coats and sealed with a topcoat.Overall this is such a fun collection to mix and match with! Especially if you're a fan of girly shades and love pink. The color, not the singer haha. Personally I'm not the biggest fan of pink shades, but this collection made me fall head over heels. I also wasn't expecting myself to love the shimmer topper as much, but it actually ended up being my favorite of the two. There are two that stand-out in this collection and are my picks for must have:andTo recap, theby Sassy Pants Polish will be releasing tomorrow Friday, January 27th, 2pm CST. Each full-size 15mL bottle retails for $10 and the mini 7.5mL bottle for $6. The two toppers are available in full-size and mini for $12 and $8 respectively. The complete full-size collection retails for $76 and the mini for $49.Be sure to follow Sassy Pants Polish on social media:So what do you think of the shades? I'd love to hear which one is your favorite, let me know down in the comments! |
How can you tell if you're a natural gaming pro? Researchers say they need look no further than your basal ganglia.
Psychology professors at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign said Thursday that they can now predict with what they call "unprecedented accuracy" a person's skills at videogames and other complex tasks by first studying certain areas of their brains. The study, "Predicting Individual's Learning Success From Patterns of Pre-Learning MRI Activity," will be published in online journal PLoS One.
"Our data suggest that some persistent physiological and or neuroanatomical difference is actually the predictor of learning," said University of Illinois psychology professor and research leader Art Kramer in a statement.
The researchers first found subjects who had not previously spent much time playing videogames. Then, they imaged their brains with MRI scans before having them play a videogame called Space Fortress, developed by the university.
This was the game used in last year's study, by some of the same researchers, that first showed the correlation between brain size and game aptitude.
At that time, the research showed that "nearly a quarter" of the difference in performance among players could be predicted by the size of brain parts like the nucleus accumbens and putamen. Today, with more-refined techniques, the scientists say that number is between 55 percent and 68 percent.
"We find variations among participants in the patterns of brain activity in their basal ganglia," Dirk Bernhardt-Walther, an Ohio State University psychology professor who led the design of the experiment, said in a statement Thursday. "Powerful statistical algorithms allow us to connect these patterns to individual learning success."
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It took less than one month for Hezbollah and the Syrian Arab Army’s 20th and 128th Brigades of the 1st Armored Division to force the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” and their affiliates to withdraw from the eastern slopes of the Qalamoun Mountains to the hills of Jaroud ‘Arsal in Lebanon, where they enjoy a small parcel of territory under their possession,
This was not an easy task for the Syrian Armed Forces and Hezbollah, as the Qalamoun Mountains of Syria provided the militants from Jabhat Al-Nusra and their affiliates a fortress to launch offensives, while also providing them a number of border-crossings to reinforce and resupply their entrenched combatants around the Rif Dimashq Governorate.
Unfortunately for the Al-Qaeda fighters, Hezbollah and the Syrian Armed Forces were not willing to allow them to maintain a presence on the border of Lebanon; this developed into a well-strategized offensive that was organized by the Lebanese Resistance and the Syrian Arab Army’s Central Command, as the need to clear this mountain salient became a top priority for both parties.
On Saturday morning, the SAA’s 20th and 128th Brigades stormed the remaining positions belonging to the Jabhat Al-Nusra fighters at Jaroud Faleeta, resulting in the latter’s withdrawal into Lebanon after a series of fierce clashes that included a number of airstrikes from the Syrian Arab Air Force (SAAF); however, Jabhat Al-Nusra is likely to counter in order to evade the complete encirclement by Hezbollah in Lebanon.
According to Al-Mayadeen News, this one month long military operation has resulted in the death of over 800 enemy combatants from the Syrian Al-Qaeda entity; this has not been verified by the Syrian Arab Army’s Central Command.
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The build-up to the launch of Mercedes-AMG’s Project One hypercar continues with this: another moody front outline picture, ahead of its full reveal on 12 September. So, what can we tell you? Well, erm, it will have headlights and a roof scoop, and that’s about it.
However, Mercedes has released a few lines to accompany the picture, referring to the Project One as a “two-seater supersports showcar” and confirming it brings “the very latest and efficient, fully-fledged Formula 1 hybrid technology to the road”.
More importantly it confirms it “has an output of over 1,000hp (986bhp) and a top speed exceeding 350km/h (217mph)”. The release goes on to say “the showcar combines outstanding racetrack performance with day-to-day suitable Formula 1 hybrid technology and exemplary efficiency”.
We’ve already seen the Project One’s bare bones, when we had a tour of its powertrain at the N24 race back in May – what we’re desperate to know is what it looks like. Clearly not as skeletal as the Aston Martin Valkyrie, but no less hi-tech: it will deploy a 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 with an 11,000rpm redline and F1-derived hybrid system.
Adaptive suspension, an eight speed auto and 16-mile EV only running should make it as civilised as any other road-going AMG… just with otherworldly abilities when you take it on track. Excited? If you haven’t got 12 September in your diaries, do so immediately. |
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Cowboys receiver Brice Butler’s NFL career may not last very long, but at least his name will be attached to an obscure rule, at least until the next time the rule is applied. It’s quite possible that the rule wasn’t applied correctly as to Butler.
NFL senior V.P. of officiating Dean Blandino explained in his weekly officiating video the quirk that saw the Cowboys penalized 15 yards after Butler entered and exited the huddle area without participating in a snap last Sunday against the Packers. Blandino said that the so-called (at least by me) Brice Butler Rule is aimed at preventing teams from deliberately fooling opponents by sending players on and off the field. Blandino admitted that the officials have discretion in this regard, when for example a team facing fourth and short initially decides to punt and then sends the offense back onto the field.
Blandino added that the rule has been on the books since the 1950s, and that it was last called in 2014 during a game between Washington and Dallas. (The NFL’s excellent Game Pass feature includes the Week Eight Washington at Dallas game, but neither the broadcast footage nor the coaches film show what Washington tight end Logan Paulsen did before the snap to draw a 15-yard penalty.)
Blandino’s explanation was reasonable, and it all makes sense. But it seems to conflict with the plain language of the rule book.
“The rule is pretty straightforward in terms of the way it reads,” Blandino said. “It says an offensive substitute who moves onto the field inside the numbers and leaves without participating in one play, that’s a foul for unsportsmanlike conduct. There’s a second part of the rule that talks about coming into the huddle and communicating with a teammate and then leaving, but really once a player’s inside the numbers and then leaves but doesn’t participate that’s going to be the foul for unsportsmanlike conduct.”
Here’s the full language of Rule 5, Section 2, Article 2:
“The following are applicable to any offensive substitute who is entering the game:
“(a) He must move onto the field of play or the end zone as far as the inside of the field numerals prior to the snap to be a legal substitution. If he does not, and is on the field of play or end zone at the time of a legal snap, he is an illegal substitute.
“(b) If he approaches the huddle and communicates with a teammate, he is required to participate in at least one play before being withdrawn. Violations of this rule may be penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct.”
The first part of the rule seems to apply only where the substitute tries to sneak onto the fringe of the field. Moreover, the foul under the first part of the rule arises only if the player “is on the field of play or end zone at the time of a legal snap.” Thus, because Butler’s foul had nothing to do with being on the field at the time of the snap, the first part of the rule simply doesn’t apply.
The second part of the rule becomes the focal point of the analysis. By its plain terms, a violation occurs only if the player “approaches the huddle and communicates with a teammate” but doesn’t participate in at least one play.
The video included with Blandino’s explanation doesn’t show Butler communicating with a teammate — unless slapping the hand of the player who was exiting as Butler was entering counts as communication. Instead, Butler enters the huddle area, immediately turns to the sideline, realizes he shouldn’t be in the game, and then leaves. (That fact that Blandino glossed over the second part of the rule seems to confirm that he doesn’t believe that there is evidence of “communication” with a teammate.)
The discretion to which Blandino referred is codified in a note to the rule that explains the overall intention “to prevent teams from using simulated substitutions to confuse an opponent.” The question of whether discretion should be exercised if relevant, however, only if the two key elements of the violation have occurred: (1) the player has approached the huddle; AND (2) the player has communicated with a teammate.” If the player approaches the huddle and doesn’t communicate with a teammate, there’s no reason to exercise discretion because a potential violation has not occurred.
So, based on the language of the rule, there was no foul absent proof that Butler communicated with a teammate once he arrived at the huddle. If there is no such evidence, it’s entirely possible that this is yet another example of a discrepancy between the rules as written and the rules as enforced.
If that’s the case, the rule needs to be rewritten to match the enforcement, or the enforcement needs to be changed to respect the language of the rule. |
WE have two political parties in America, runs a saying that conservatives like to quote. One is stupid, the other is evil. And when they join forces to do something that’s both stupid and evil — well, that’s what we call “bipartisanship.”
The payroll tax holiday that passed Congress in the winter of 2010 was a rare exception to this pessimistic rule. Cutting the payroll tax was good short-term politics for both Democrats and Republicans: it was a tax cut that liberals hoped would double as stimulus, and a boost to the middle class that conservatives could support without embracing new federal spending. But more important, it opened the door to what would be good long-term policy as well — because more than almost any feature of the American tax code, the payroll tax deserves to be pared away into extinction.
But now Washington is in danger of practicing payroll-tax bipartisanship of a more destructive sort. While the White House and Congressional Republicans wrestle over where to set income tax rates and how and whether to cut spending, the payroll tax holiday has been orphaned. Lacking noisy champions and press attention, it’s in danger of expiring at the end of the year out of political indifference.
That outcome would be unfortunate. Payroll taxes are a relic of New Deal Machiavellianism: by taking a bite of every worker’s paycheck and promising postretirement returns, Franklin Roosevelt effectively disguised Social Security as a pay-as-you-go system, even though the program actually redistributes from rich to poor and young to old. That disguise has helped keep Social Security sacrosanct — hailed by Democrats because it protects the poor and backed by Republicans as a reward for steady work.
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But the costs of this disguise have grown too great to bear. Whatever its past political advantages, the payroll tax now imposes an unnecessary burden on a stagnating economy. In an era of mass unemployment, mediocre wage growth and weak mobility from the bottom of the income ladder, it makes no sense to finance our retirement system with a tax that falls directly on wages and hiring and imposes particular burdens on small business and the working class.
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What’s more, the payroll tax as it exists today can’t cover the program’s projected liabilities anyway, and the pay-as-you-go myth stands in the way of the changes required to keep Social Security solvent. All of the components of a sensible Social Security reform — means-testing for wealthier beneficiaries, changing the way benefits adjust for inflation, a slow increase in the retirement age — become easier if the program is treated as normal safety-net spending rather than an untouchable entitlement with a dedicated funding stream. |
Championship leader Marquez topped FP1, FP3 and FP4 during the rain-affected Japanese GP weekend and looked a strong favourite for pole as he initially went almost two seconds clear in the Q2 shoot-out.
But a mid-session decision to switch from wet tyres to slicks denied him an opportunity to improve, allowing Tech 3 Yamaha's Johann Zarco and Pramac Ducati's Danilo Petrucci to overhaul his benchmark on fresh wets.
In the post-qualifying press conference, Marquez said the switch to slicks was a last-second decision that allowed him to “understand many things”.
“Of course was too early [for slicks] in the end, when we finish the practice we realise, but in the end I did a good laptime in the first lap already with the soft [rear wet] tyre," he said.
“I was thinking to put the extra-soft [rear wet tyres] to improve the laptime. But when I stop in the box, I take the gamble. I say 'okay, I want to try slick' because was so close.
“I try, I understand many things, interesting things, but in the end I couldn't have the chance to fight for pole position.
“But for me was not the most important. In the end, work for the race is important, front row was the main target.
“We are there, so we'll see tomorrow because during all weekend I feel good on the rain conditions but tomorrow can be flag-to-flag, can be dry, you never know.”
Asked by Motorsport.com whether he expected his initial laptime to be good enough for pole, Marquez said: “No, because I knew, and I check on the other practice, that with the extra soft they [other riders] were improving a lot.
“But on the other hand I knew that also was a laptime for be on the first row, or maximum second row.
“Of course I would like to be on pole, honestly, but in the end also always I see the positive things and I understand things that maybe without trying the slicks I couldn't understand.”
Rossi learned little from slicks
The only other rider to use slicks in Q2 was Yamaha's Valentino Rossi, who was 10 seconds off the pace in his initial run, and could not move up from 12th despite a late switch to wets.
Rossi explained he took a risk with the tyre selection because he expected his Yamaha bike to struggle for rear grip on a drying track surface in qualifying.
“We try to risk because have already some dry line so I want to try to put temperature in the tyres," he said. “Unfortunately, was still too wet and also didn't dry up quick so needed too much time.”
On whether his tyre gamble could pay dividends in the race, Rossi said: “No, because it was really close to [becoming] dry but unfortunately not enough.
“You have to go very slow, and when you go very slow the problem is that the temperature of the tyre go down a lot - and after it is very difficult to come back to a normal grip. So no, no way.”
Additional reporting by Oriol Puigdemont and Jamie Klein |
As the Idle No More movement has drawn attention to the poor state of native housing in Canada, another aboriginal group has quietly begun to do something about those appalling conditions.
Away from the media spotlight, Aboriginal Insurance Services Inc., which has majority native ownership, held its first annual general meeting in Toronto in January. The corporation, which was founded a year ago, aims "to address the unique cultural, commercial and lifestyle needs of aboriginal communities across Canada," as explained on its website.
Insurance is all about evaluating risk and putting a price on it. However, as Chris Pegg, president of B.C.-based Coast Salish Insurance, noted: "Insurance, as we say in Indian country, is just not working."
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The reasons for that are complicated. One major challenge is that reserve lands in Canada are community owned, by the Queen technically, and under the administration of the band council. As a result, insurers have typically arranged with a band's housing department to cover all of a reserve's homes en masse, said Mr. Pegg, whose company is part of the Aboriginal Insurance Services broker network.
Since those premiums don't take into account the condition of individual homes, there's no incentive to fix things such as broken downspouts.
"Not a lot of insurance companies are wanting to get involved with first nations housing because a lot of the time it's substandard, which is a huge issue right now," Mr. Pegg said.
Because a first nations home is often far from a fire hydrant or a fire station, it also usually lacks a Fire Underwriter Survey rating, a trademarked insurance industry standard that underwriters use to rate a building's insurability.
"So we have developed our own unique rating, which the insurance companies that we work with accept," said Aboriginal Insurance's chief executive officer, Randy Sherwin, whose office is in Ancaster, Ont. As part of its mandate, Aboriginal Insurance is also buying firefighting equipment and training firefighters on reserves, he added.
Mr. Sherwin credits Phil Fontaine, the former grand chief of the Assembly of First Nations, with helping to create Aboriginal Insurance, which in turn was patterned after Amerind Risk Management Corp. in the United States. Amerind has been bringing coverage to aboriginal communities south of the border for more than a quarter century.
"Why reinvent fire if we don't have to?" Mr. Sherwin said.
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The vision was to create a network of brokers in order to increase their buying power. But those brokers also have a common interest in fostering sustainable and healthy homes in first nations communities.
To that end, a major goal is risk management. That means "going into the communities and working with them, and showing them how to control mould issues, and fire prevention, fire ratings, the whole bit," said Mr. Sherwin, who is not aboriginal himself but has been involved with native insurance programs and causes for 15 years.
"We're basically using insurance as a tool to create healthy communities and healthy housing," Mr. Pegg said.
Mr. Pegg also provides health and benefits coverage. He realized the importance of that 20 years ago when he met a young aboriginal man writhing in pain from an abscessed tooth. His Status Indian benefits covered basic dental only.
It turns out that business opportunity would slowly transform his company. He had found a niche market.
"Not too many organizations get into that kind of niche of dealing with first nations," Mr. Pegg said. "Honestly, I think there's a bit of a stigma. It's almost like, so as a last resort you're dealing with first nations."
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Today aboriginal clients account for about 70 per cent of Mr. Pegg's business. In recognition of that, he renamed his company three years ago from Chris Pegg & Associates to Coast Salish Insurance and Risk Management Solutions Inc.
"I think he's made people understand when it comes to our first nations that you can't treat them the way government has been treating us for years," said Terry Sampson, a former chief of the Stz'uminus First Nation on Vancouver Island.
Mr. Sampson has been so pleased with the work Mr. Pegg has done on behalf of the Stz'uminus that he now works with him as a liaison to spread that message among other aboriginal leaders. "Since they know me, have trust in me, I thought they'd have trust in Coast Salish Insurance," Mr. Sampson said.
To help build trust further, Mr. Pegg has encouraged native people to get into the insurance profession as well. One of his current trainees is Richard Hunt, who is originally from Pond Inlet, Nunavut.
"We need more first nations and aboriginal people going into the field," said Mr. Hunt, who is of Inuit extraction.
Among his duties is to photograph houses on local reserves – front and back and inside and out – and send those photos to insurance underwriter Virginia Magcalas of Optimum West Insurance in Vancouver. "It's a requirement for us that the premises are updated and housekeeping is in good condition," Ms. Magcalas said.
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Optimum West has underwritten more than 100 on-reserve homes in the two years since the program was implemented, she said.
Much of the problem with first nations housing is that provincial building codes don't apply, Mr. Pegg said. There is no national building code for reserves, either, although Mr. Pegg said he expects discussions about such a code to begin soon.
In the meantime his company, which has a satellite office in Duncan, B.C., is using insurance as a tool to improve housing conditions on reserves – and in the process create more business for his company. For example, he has formed a risk-management group that reports deficiencies such as faulty electrical panels or leaky roofs to native housing departments.
Despite these efforts, insurance premiums are often considerably higher for on-reserve homes. In Duncan, for example, the cost to insure a home on a reserve can be $300 more per year than for a similar non-reserve house on the other side the street, he said.
Such anomalies aren't unique to native reserves, said Jackie Proulx, personal lines manager for Optimum West. The premiums are based on actuarial statistics. "It's just because of the postal code and the loss history," she said.
One thing she found unusual about insuring native homes was how many 20-year-old houses were being insured for the first time. That's because a band usually insures a home under its group coverage while it is still under mortgage. Once the mortgage has been paid off, the responsibility for insuring the home falls on the occupant.
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And that's where the risk-management program is so important, Mr. Pegg said. "We make a point of going to all the people who we work with and saying if you want to, we will help you get insurance," he said.
Coast Salish is also working with Vancouver Island University to establish an aboriginal building inspector certificate program, Mr. Pegg said. The university has a posting on its website about the program, although the start date has yet to be announced.
"It's not often a white guy's on a reservation bringing good news," Mr. Pegg said in explaining the importance of involving aboriginal people in the insurance business.
"That's the beauty of having a majority-owned company that's owned by aboriginals," Mr. Sherwin said. "We're pouring the money back into developing in these areas." |
The Power I Once Had (Zena)
There are times when I run into a mire of defeating thoughts, frustration and anger and I see how easy the inability to change ‘past choices’ can haunt you in the present. You work through what you could have done differently almost obsessing over each of those moments that have come to define who you are today. Those defining moments never fade, it is how you choose to live with them that alters your future. Some know what they need to do, but can’t achieve it. I am fortunate for awesome family and absolutely amazing zany crew of friends that helped pick me back up. Some people just slip away into obscurity with no one to pick up the pieces when they need mending.
I ran into Zena (Pronounced Zen-Nah) while walking on Richmond St. near York St. I sat down at the edge of the curb to talk to her for awhile and instantly her story flooded. She sat above a steam metal grated vent to keep warm all the while constantly rubbing her hands together. Her distinct accent easily detected as her words flowed. She has been in Canada for 13 years immigrating from South Africa losing touch with most or all of her family. Judging from the conversation she continues to work through her scenario over and over again in her mind. She is embattled with her fading memories and trying to achieve what she thinks will save her in the future. Some of the conversation becomes borderline surreal and nonsensical, but the merit of the tale rang through of decisions that can’t be changed, loneliness, despair has gripped her and a haunting knowledge that a resolution may never come.
She continually phrased the words ‘the power I once had’ or ‘I need to someone to give me the power again (she apparently calls a lawyer regularly and leaves messages for them asking for this power she needs) I guess she is recalling a time when she had independence and freedom to do things on her own without challenge and now to become anonymous on the streets with little resource available to her must be a dis-empowering feeling.
She talked about a brother in Vancouver, she mentioned University Degrees that she lost during her travels (losing the degrees is also something that she leaves in messages for the lawyer and something she thinks is required for her to achieve social assistance. Also a very important link to her story in some way.)
While we continued conversation, I requested to photograph her and she became very shy thinking she wasn’t photogenic, immediately hiding her worn and stained hands into her sleeves. She did say I could capture a shot and granted me full permission but I realized that I was losing her comfort and trust at this point so I backed off as I didn’t want to be intrusive to her and almost decided not to use her photograph at all.
I am hoping that maybe someone might catch her image on the blog and recognize the story, while she isn’t clearly defined in this shot, family and friends always have a way spotting someone they care about a mile away.
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The Anfield club lodged a formal bid of £25.6 million with Anzhi Makhachkala for the Brazil international forward and are hopeful of completing the deal within the next 48 hours
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By Wayne Veysey | Chief CorrespondentLiverpool are confident of beating Tottenham to the signing of Brazilian winger Willian,understands.The Merseysiders hope to reach an agreement with his club Anzhi Makhachkala in the next 48 hours after lodging a formal bid of €30 million (£25.6m) for the in-demand forward.Liverpool have indicated that they are willing to match Willian's current £85,000-a-week salary in order to convince him to move to Anfield.Goal understands that the Reds have also attempted to smooth negotiations with Anzhi by offering the Russian club a sell-on clause in which they would receive 50 per cent of the profits of any future sale.Tottenham have also held talks about buying Willian, who is a long-term target of theirs, but are not yet believed to have made an offer.The 25-year-old is expected to make a decision about his next destination by Tuesday night, with the likelihood growing that a deal could be formalised by the middle of the week.Liverpool are looking to take advantage of the firesale at Anzhi, who are trying to offload some of their biggest earners, who also include Samuel Eto'o, in an attempt to trim costs.Meanwhile, Aly Cissokho is expected to undertake a medical on Monday ahead of completing a season-long loan move to Liverpool from Valencia. The Merseysiders are believed to have the option to sign the French left-back on a permanent basis for around £4m in 12 months' time. |
Donald Trump said in a 2004 interview with Howard Stern about Lindsay Lohan that "deeply troubled" women are "always the best in bed," according to a CNN KFile review of the appearance.
In the hours of crude and misogynistic sex talk Trump engaged in when he appeared on The Howard Stern Show, one of the most common topics of discussion were famous women.
Trump and Stern would often rate, rank, and describe in sexual terms female celebrities. In appearances reviewed by CNN's KFile, Trump also told Stern he would pay not to receive oral sex from Rosie O'Donnell and teased a recently-deceased Anna Nicole Smith for her large lips.
A Trump campaign spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on this story.
The GOP nominee has faced widespread criticism for his past comments on women and sex. Last Friday, a 2005 "Access Hollywood" tape surfaced in which Trump, caught on hot mic, bragged about forcing himself on women and grabbing them by their genitals. Trump issued an apology for the comments in a video statement, but has continuously referred to the exchange as "locker room talk."
CNNs KFile reported on Saturday that Trump, on Stern's show, approved of the radio shock jock calling his daughter, Ivanka, a "piece of ass" and described how he would go backstage at his pageants while contestants were naked. The Trump campaign has not responded to a CNN request for comment on that story.
On Lindsay Lohan:
In an appearance on Stern's show in December 2004, Trump initiated a conversation about actress Lindsay Lohan, who was 18 at the time.
"What do you think of Lindsay Lohan?" Trump asked Stern.
"I think she's hot," responded Stern.
"There's something there right?" Trump said. "But you have to like freckles. I've seen a, you know, close up of her chest and a lot of freckles. Are you into freckles?"
"I'm not into freckles, but the red hair thing I like. I like her on the cover of Entertainment Weekly," said Stern.
"Now does the father wreck, does that bother you a little bit?" Trump asked later in the conversation.
"Howard feels that the father being a wreck is a good thing," interjected co-host Robin Quivers.
"Oh yeah, because first of all, if the father's a wreck like the way he is--" Stern said.
"Right," said Trump.
"Can you imagine the sex with this troubled teen?" said Stern.
"Yeah, you're probably right," Trump said. "She's probably deeply troubled and therefore great in bed. How come the deeply troubled women, you know, deeply, deeply troubled, they're always the best in bed?"
Stern responded, "Because they're looking for love, they're looking for positive affirmation, they're looking for a father figure who will love them and tell them they're wonderful and they'll never be enough. No matter how many times you tell them they're beautiful, no matter how many times you tell them you love them they want to suck it up more. They would drain you like a vampire until your head caved in if they could get more love."
A representative for Lohan told CNN in an email, "Right now, Lindsay is choosing to focus on the positive things happening in her life and has decided to disregard the comments made about her by Presidential nominee Donald Trump. She is focusing on helping children around the world in need and that's where her passion is."
Trump continued in the interview, "Well I have a friend Howard who's actually like a great Playboy, I mean, I don't say this about men, this guy does very well. He runs silent, runs deep as they say, like a submarine. He will only look for a crazy woman. He says, 'Donald, Donald, please, please, I only want the crazy women.'"
"They're desperate," adds Stern.
"What is this guy all about," said Trump. "But for some reason, what I said is true. It's just unbelievable. You don't want to be with them for long term, but for the short term there's nothing like it."
On Rosie O'Donnell:
In a February 2007 episode, Trump took aim at Rosie O'Donnell, who he had a long running feud with, saying he'd pay lots of money to not receive oral sex from her.
"Is there nothing she could do to get back in your good graces? If she came in and blew you?" asked Stern.
"No, I'd pay a lot of money for that not to happen," Trump responded. "That's one of the most unattractive people. She took great offense at the fact I said she better be careful or I, or one of my friends would go and pick up her wife."
On Anna Nicole Smith:
Also in the February 2007 episode, Trump eventually moved on to Anna Nicole Smith, who had died four days earlier.
"It looks like she had the lips pumped," Trump said. "For all of your many women listening why do women have their lips pumped? It is the most disgusting thing to look at these big fat pumped up tires."
Trump's distaste for women with big lips extended beyond Smith. In March 2011, Trump told actress Lisa Rinna on "Celebrity Apprentice" he thought she looked better because her lips had" a little reduction there."
He followed up on the comments on YouTube.
"I give her a little hard time. You know, she had those big puffed up lips, I don't know why women do that, but the lips we're like, gigantic," Trump said in a video on his YouTube blog. "It even affected her speech. And I see it so often in New York, especially in society women. A lot of them are good looking women, and then they show up one day and their lips are five times their size." |
For years, we've been told that healthy foods are low in fat and sodium and high in fiber and protein. But some seemingly "good" foods can be junk in disguise, because macronutrients (the carbohydrates, protein and fat a food contains) aren't all that matters.
To truly determine if a food is something you should be eating, you must look beyond the nutrition facts and read the list of ingredients. You might be surprised by what you find. Here are five popular foods generally considered "healthy" that might not be so great after all, along with a better alternative for each.
RELATED: 4 "Bad Foods" That Might Be Good For You
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1. Cereal
Sugar Cereal
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Many cereals are just processed grains with added sugar, juiced up with artificial colors and flavors. Even some organic cereals with the word "healthy" in their name include sugar as one of their first ingredients. Many athletes need to take in a lot of carbohydrates each day to support their activity level, but those carbs should come from whole foods like potatoes or yams, or the oat-based "cereal" below.
RELATED: Tasty Ways to Eat the Best Carb Source for Athletes
Try This Instead: Choco-Nana Overnight Oats
Ingredients
2/3 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon honey
1/3 banana, sliced
1 tbsp. Peanut Butter
Salt to taste
Cinnamon
Directions
Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, mix in peanut butter and top with banana and a few dashes of cinnamon.
2. Granola
Granola
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Like cereal, granola often contains processed grains and added sugars along with unhealthy fats and oils. It's a calorie-dense, but not nutrient-dense food. You don't get much bang for your nutritional buck, and you wind up chowing down on a pile of empty calories. If you're craving a satisfying crunch, there are better options, like a handful of nuts.
Try This Instead: Powerful Greek Yogurt
Add extra crunch to your Greek yogurt by combining chopped almonds and walnuts with dried cherries, dried cranberries, and dark chocolate chips. This antioxidant power trail mix works on its own as a between-meal snack, too.
3. Protein Shakes
Protein Shake
Protein shakes are all the rage, but research reveals that carbohydrates are equally (if not more) important than protein after workouts. Look for a supplement that offers a carbs-to-protein ratio of 2:1, or if you're not interested in dropping your dough on a pricey supplement, chocolate milk has also been found to be a great post-workout drink.
Try This Instead: Protein and Carbs
Fuel and build before and after your workouts. Mix your favorite protein shake in a 2:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio, and drink it 1 to 2 hours before your workout, and again within the hour after your workout. You can add a carb supplement like this one, or you can simply blend a banana or a handful of berries into your protein shake.
4. Smoothies
Smoothie
These are the ultimate "hit-or-miss" foods, as they can be incredibly healthy or incredibly unhealthy—depending on what you put in them. Good smoothies include a fruit, a vegetable, a healthy fat and a protein. It won't mean squat, however, if you top all those healthy ingredients off with a pile of chocolate and ice cream. Make sure to load your smoothie up with whole foods like bananas, apples and mixed berries (like in the tasty recipe below), and leave out all the unhealthy additions.
Try This Instead: Green Tea Super Berry Smoothie
Ingredients
1 cup iced green tea (no sugar added)
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1 cup raw spinach
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/3 banana
1/4 green apple
2 teaspoons honey
Directions: Put all of the ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth.
5. Deli Meats
Deli Meats
Deli meats may be protein-packed and low in calories, but they generally include ingredients like sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrate and monosodium glutamate (MSG). Usually, when ordering a meat, you want the ingredients to include turkey, chicken, beef or pork. The other ingredients may not be harmful, but they definitely do not aid your ability to build muscle and recover from exercise. Turning your favorite meats into a sandwich-ready option is not terribly difficult—see the recipe below.
Try This Instead: Sliced or Shredded Chicken
Purchase fresh chicken breast (organic, if possible) from the meat section of the grocery store and boil it until fully cooked. The meat will break apart easily. Allow it to cool, then slice or pull it apart to make shredded chicken. Refrigerate and use in salads or sandwiches throughout the week.
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Recipients to be recognized at the 9th International Conference on Climate Change
for Speaking Truth to Power, Whistleblowing, and the Defense of Science
A total of nine awards will be handed out during plenary sessions at the conference, the largest gathering of scientists and policy experts who are skeptical of man-caused global warming.
Three distinguished global warming skeptics – Patrick Moore, Alan Carlin, and Willie Soon – will receive special recognition at the 9th International Conference on Climate Change July 7–9 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas (ICCC9).
The conference is organized by The Heartland Institute and co-sponsored by 31 additional think tanks and other organizations. You can see the list of ICCC9 co-sponsors here. An updated list of award recipients can be found here.
“We’ve hosted eight successful conferences on climate change, and it’s long past time to publicly recognize some of the most important figures in the ongoing fight against climate alarmism,” said Joseph Bast, president of The Heartland Institute. “These are individuals who have put their careers at risk to speak their minds and report what the data actually show, not what computer models and politicians order them to show.”
“Such courage is worthy of praise,” Bast said.
The award winners:
Speaks Truth to Power Award: Patrick Moore, co-founder of Greenpeace
Presented by the EarthFree Institute
Patrick Moore, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned ecologist and environmentalist. Beginning his career as an activist/leader in the Greenpeace movement, he now concentrates on collaborative efforts aimed at finding environmental solutions. He speaks and lectures frequently at universities, community meetings, and conferences.
Through books such as Green Spirit – Trees Are the Answer and Confessions of a Greenpeace Dropout, Dr. Moore is known around the world as an eloquent voice for sensible environmentalism.
Climate Science Whistleblower Award: Alan Carlin, EPA economist (retired)
Presented by the Don’t Tread on My Business Foundation
Alan Carlin, Ph.D., now retired, was a career environmental economist at EPA when the Competitive Enterprise Institute broke the story of his negative report on the agency’s proposal to regulate greenhouse gases in June 2009. Dr. Carlin’s supervisor had ordered him to keep quiet about the report and stop working on the global warming issue.
EPA’s attempt to silence Dr. Carlin became a highly publicized embarrassment to the agency, especially given Administrator Lisa Jackson’s and President Obama’s announced commitment to transparency and scientific integrity. Since 2009, Dr. Carlin has been an active and influential writer and speaker on the climate change issue.
In response to the award, Dr. Carlin expressed his great appreciation and said how important it is to oppose EPA’s new proposed power plant regulations resulting from the 2009 Endangerment Finding since they would have adverse economic and environmental effects and are based on invalid science and an attempt by EPA to rewrite the Clean Air Act itself.
Courage in Defense of Science Award: Willie Soon
Presented by the George C. Marshall Institute
Willie Soon, Ph.D., an astrophysicist and geoscientist, is a leading authority on the relationship between solar phenomena and global climate. His discoveries challenge computer modelers and advocates who consistently underestimate solar influences on cloud formation, ocean currents, and wind that cause climate to change.
Dr. Soon has faced and risen above unethical and often libelous attacks on his research and his character, becoming one of the world’s most respected and influential voices for climate realism.
“Science and its practice are no longer free and willing today but instead are constantly terrorized by research funding gravy trains and group thinking,” Soon said. “This is why science needs defending and it takes courage to cleanse science from those cancerous elements and to bring her forward in its rightful place again. I am humbled and honored by this recognition.”
Visit the Web site for the conference for more information about the 9th International Conference on Climate Change, including a list of speakers and a preliminary schedule.
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I've been trying to do this for a while and I just can't seem to understand the vCLI SDK. I believe the MO that I want to use is ServiceContent->Task Manager , then print out the recent task. Here is my subroutine for doing it:
sub TaskManager { my $begin; my $mor = Vim::get_service_content()->taskManager; my $taskmanager_view = Vim::get_view(mo_ref => $mor); my $my_filterSpec = TaskFilterSpec->new(); my $eventArray = $taskmanager_view->CreateCollectorForTasks(filter => $my_filterSpec); foreach (@$eventArray) { # my $collector_view = Vim::get_view(mo_ref => $eventArray); print $_->recentTask . "
"; } }
When I run this I either get:
Not an ARRAY reference at ./TaskManager.pl line 43.
When I change this, I then get:
subroutine &ManagedObjectReference::recentTask called at ./TaskManager.pl line 45
Here's one of the DOCS I've been looking at
https://www.vmware.com/support/developer/vc-sdk/visdk400pubs/ReferenceGuide/vim.TaskManager.html
I also have some conversations happening here: https://www.reddit.com/r/vmware/comments/4qfaql/help_with_vcli_perl_script/
EDIT: I changed my subroutine to the following:
sub TaskManager { my $begin; my $mor = Vim::get_service_content()->taskManager; my $taskmanager_view = Vim::get_view(mo_ref => $mor); my $my_filterSpec = TaskFilterSpec->new(); my $eventArray = $taskmanager_view->CreateCollectorForTasks(filter => $my_filterSpec); foreach ($eventArray) { my $newRecentTask = $taskmanager_view->description; print $newRecentTask . "
"; } }
But the problem is that the print statement is returning a hash value, not something I can use. Any ideas how to get something readable? |
Despite his robotics professor denying that his self-assembling modular robot notion could be a reality, what a way to prove a guy wrong, the former student John Romanishin, now holds a research scientist title in MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). His envisioning that robots could climb, jump and move without use of any external moving parts is now manifested. Presented last year at the International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, they are now known as M-Blocks. More than just accomplishing the idea that was once doubted, the robots could very well become a seriously helpful new technology in many ways.These little robots are not only simplistic in their appearance but in operation. Built to be in cube form, with magnetic sides and corners, they are hollow and have no external moving parts. That does not stop them from their most admirable traits; climbing over and around one another, rolling around on the ground, leaping into thin air and even moving while suspended upside down. The one thing contained inside the cube is the flywheel, which can spin at speeds of 20,000 revolutions per minute! When the flywheel is in brake-mode, it lends it's angular momentum to the cube. On each edge and face of an M-Block is a perfectly arranged magnet which permit any cube couple to snap and attach together to form a single, movable component. Pretty amazing, isn't it?For a while now, the modular robotics community has been pushing for such a conception. According to Daniela Rus, the professor who was proved wrong by Romanishin's invention , “We just needed a creative insight and somebody who was passionate enough to keep coming at it-despite being discouraged”. Despite the long time researchers spent perusing reconfigurable robots with an abstraction called “the sliding-cube model”, they were only able to get so far. A modular robot dubbed “Molecule” was developed, which consisted of two cubes and connected by an angled bar with 18 different motors. Something they were beaming about at the time, obviously difficult to even imagine M-Blocks back then.Researchers are hoping to miniaturize the cubes to carry on with the utmost potential of these mini robots. Roboticists believe M-Block-like robots could be used for a variety of things, with the highest potential for droves of swarming cubes that can self-assemble. If you imagine the liquid steel from “Terminator II”, it should come together in your mind easily. More exciting is the idea of “cube armies” repairing or building (things like roads or bridges) in times of emergencies; or even raising and reconfiguring staging for building projects. Going even further, imagine them swarming into hostile or unsafe environments for humans to diagnose problems or report back what they may have recognized. Or the mobile cubes carrying cameras, lights, battery packs and other forms of equipment for those in need. Coolest part? Because of the community/attachment theme M-Blocks maintain, if one were to fall along the way, it can always rejoin the group. I wonder if Romanishin's professor ever saw anything like this coming. But, because the right person took hold of a “low-tech solution to a problem people have been trying to solve with extraordinarily high-tech approaches”, it makes you remember almost anything is possible. |
One of the unfortunate corollaries of American exceptionalism is a warped and highly asymmetric conception of negotiation. This conception can become a major impediment to the effective exercise of U.S. diplomacy. Although the attitudes that are part of this view of negotiation are not altogether unique to the United States, they are especially associated with American exceptionalist thinking about the supposed intrinsic superiority of U.S. positions and about how the sole superpower ought always to get its way. The corollary about negotiation is, stated in its simplest and bluntest terms, that negotiation is an encounter between diplomats in which the United States makes its demands—sometimes expressed as “red lines”—and the other side accepts those demands, with the task of the diplomats being to work out the details of implementation. Or, if the other side is not going along with that script and acceding to U.S. demands, then the United States has to exert more pressure on the other side until it does accede.
This is markedly different from the rest of the world's conception of negotiation, in which each side begins with positions that neither side will get or expects to get entirely, followed by a process of give-and-take and mutual concession to arrive at a compromise that meets the needs of each side enough that it is better for each than no agreement at all.
Americans' domestic experience with negotiation has been only a partial corrective to their warped view of international negotiation, and that experience has become even less of a corrective in recent times. The United States has a long history of labor-management negotiations that have determined wages and working conditions of many Americans. But it also was in the United States that there arose Boulwarism, an approach to labor relations named after Lemuel R. Boulware, a vice president of General Electric in the 1950s, consisting of management putting a single, inflexible, take-it-or-leave-it formula on the table and refusing to make any concessions to unions. Boulwarism was found to be an unfair labor practice, but with the decline over the past few decades of labor unions and of the significance of collective bargaining for American workers, it in effect has come to prevail in much of the American economy.
Domestic American politics have followed a similar trajectory. Once upon a time, give-and-take and finding compromises were the daily stuff of American politics, including as practiced on Capitol Hill. Now, in a coarsened and hyper-partisan environment, they are so rare as to be a news item when they do still occur. What is now standard is the imposition of red lines—maybe called something else, such as litmus tests or no-tax pledges—and a focus on what kinds of pressure or extortion could achieve total defeat of the other side. Domestic trends, political and economic, thus have reinforced American ways of thinking about bargaining that have further entrenched the idiosyncratic and unhelpful American view of international negotiations.
A consequence of this view is to regard concessions and compromise not as necessary parts of negotiation but instead as a source of shame or a badge of weakness. We have seen this amid the flak the Obama administration is taking from its political opponents regarding its handling of the nuclear negotiations with Iran. Among the criticisms, as if this really should count as criticism, have been observations that the United States has not rigidly held to what may have been earlier positions and demands. This sort of flak is found, for example, in a recent letter to the president from Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Corker expresses dismay about how the negotiations have involved movement from the administration's “original goals and statements,” and he voices “alarm” about reports of—you'd better sit down before reading this—“potential concessions” by the United States on some issues on which full agreement has yet to be reached.
The proper response to such statements is: yes, the United States has been making concessions, and the Iranians have been making even more— that's called negotiating .
Americans may not like to think that they are in the kind of bargaining relationship one might be with a rug merchant, but a bargaining relationship may exist whether one party says so or not. Even Boulware was in a bargaining relationship with labor unions, despite trying to approach the issues at hand as if he weren't. Inflexibility is an approach toward bargaining, though not necessarily a good one; it is not a way of making the bargaining situation go away.
The fallacy of asymmetry in the American exceptionalist view of negotiation gets exposed when other parties issue reminders of how negotiation is really a two-way endeavor. Members of the Iranian majles did so this week with a bill co-sponsored by a majority of that legislature's members. “At the moment, the negotiating team is facing excessive demands from the United States,” said the chairman of the national security and foreign policy committee. “The bill is being introduced with the aim of supporting the negotiators,” he said, “and to protect the red lines drawn up by the supreme leader.” The bill then stated demands regarding some of the remaining issues regarding international inspections, research and development, and the timing of sanctions relief. The majles members probably know as much about rug merchandising as do legislators in any other country, and it is unlikely that their bill betokens any failure to understand the need for compromise. The measure instead is a message being sent to their counterparts in Washington that two can play the same game and that no one issued an exclusive license to the United States to draw red lines.
The give-and-take of negotiation serves at least a couple of functions that parties on both sides of any issue would be smart to exploit. One is that this aspect of negotiation is a form of information gathering, in which the parties feel out what the other side cares about the most and cares about less, and thus where within the bargaining space the most mutually advantageous deals can be struck. Making a particular concession might, of course, be a dumb move, but it might instead be a prudent response to having found out more, through the negotiation process, about the other side's preferences, objectives, and fears.
The give-and-take also means using concessions to get concessions. However distasteful some Americans may find this sort of trading, it is a fact of negotiating life, in international diplomacy as well as in other negotiating situations. Good negotiators recognize that, which is why they begin with “original goals and statements” that they fully expect they will not adhere to rigidly.
The American exceptionalist demand-and-pressure conception fosters misunderstanding of these realities. And this failure of understanding can lead to blowing good opportunities to use diplomacy to the fullest to strike bargains that advance U.S. interests. |
Have you dreamed of tropical relaxation to relieve your daily stress? Taking a luxury vacation can cure your blues. With the cold weather of winter nearing, plan your escape to Barbados in the Caribbean for a luxury getaway.
Barbados is an island in the eastern Caribbean. It’s capital is Bridgetown and the island is an independent British Commonwealth nation. As part of the Lesser Antilles, Barbados offers miles of white sand beaches and warm sea waters. There is so much to do in Barbados. Whether you want to lie on the beach or play on one of many championship golf courses, Barbados awaits.
But before we get more into that, let’s help you decide on your accommodations. How does a stay in a luxury villa sound? That’s the ultimate tropical relaxation. There are numerous luxury villas to choose from. If you want to get pampered, you are in luck. Most luxury villas come with a staff. Often times you will enjoy the services of a butler and chef. In addition, expect endless luxury amenities during your exotic vacation.
Villa AA HCH
It’s named Villa Half Century House, but more commonly known as AA HCH. This luxury villa offers 6-bedrooms. Take in spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea. The villa’s interior decor consists of cool, coral-stone finishes. There’s a sunken living room that leads you to a large covered terrace. Plus, from there you are only steps to a spectacular swimming pool.
Rates – Summer: from $12,600 per week and Winter: from $11,200 to $19,600 per week.
Villa AA BLF
Villa Bluff House is known as AA BLF. This is also a luxury 6 bedroom villa. Tropical relaxation beckons while staying here. The property was just refurbished and enlarged. It features stunning furnishings and gorgeous lighting. In addition, as you stroll down the coral stone hallway, enter the new, entertainment area. This are is adorned with lush, tropical plants. Adjacent, you will find the roomy pool deck. Lastly, take a moment and soak in the Caribbean Sea and swaying palm trees.
Rates – Summer: from $16,100 per week and Winter: from $28,000 per week.
Villa BS CRY (photo above)
Villa Crystal Springs is truly a rockstar villa. As a result this place has it all. Doesn’t matter if are a celebrity or just wanting to getaway and have some privacy. This luxury villa will provide tropical relaxation. Villa Crystal Springs offers guests 10 luxurious bedrooms. This special was built in the 1940’s and sits up 1.7 lush acres. In addition, it gets even better. Villa BS CRY is located on a cliff with panoramic Caribbean Sea views. The complex is massive. It totals 12,000 square feet and made up of 6 buildings. The elegant living room features extra large windows that provide wide angle views. Now this is paradise at it’s best.
Rates – Summer: from $50,715 to $62,650 per week and Winter: from $71,540 to $88,550 per week.
So doesn’t Barbados sound like the place to take your next luxury vacation? Our travel concierge specialists can help you plan your entire trip. Just pack your bags and leave the rest to us.
It’s time you vacation in VIP style. Tropical relaxation awaits in Barbados. Be sure to stop by soon and follow our luxury blog. We love sharing the best in luxury travel.
Photos: Wimco |
PITTSBURGH - The Western Pennsylvania Humane Society is looking to help a four-eared cat find a forever home, reports CBS station KDKA.
Cats get lots of cuddle time with volunteers and staff at the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society. But the real deal is to land a permanent home. If you have a suggestion, they're all ears. And in one case, we do mean all ears.
Two in front. Two in back. The four-eared feline known as Batman (apparently Catman was taken) is a rare breed indeed.
According to the Humane Society, 3-year-old Batman was brought to the facility after its owner could no longer care for him.
The Humane Society says Batman came from a home with several pets and is very friendly.
"He's a really cool cat," says shelter veterinrian Dr. Todd Blauvelt. "He's really nice. Really affectionate. He has a very rare congenital defect. It doesn't really affect his hearing. He can hear just fine. But he has two little ear tufts behind his ear. I've never encountered that. We had to look it up. We found a couple of cats in the past decades, it was noted."
The first four-eared feline we could catalogue is Toots, who lived in Ashtabul, Ohio in 1938. She gave birth to two other four-eared cats. Batman has been treated for a minor respiratory condition. But the doctor says it's nothing catastrophic. As for the hiss-tory ...
"Literature says they can have an undershot jaw, or have some other abnormalities in the face, but he doesn't seem to have it that severe," the doctor says.
He does not hear in stereo. In fact, the back ear flaps do not come with auditory canals. But this guy is a purr-fect choice for a furr-ever home.
"He's available for adoption today at the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society," Dr. Blauvelt says. |
BMG publishes its latest Westminster voting intention results for October, which sees the Conservatives extending their lead over Labour to 14 percentage points, up 3 points on September.
The Liberal Democrats remain unchanged on 8%, UKIP down one point to 12% and the Greens down one point to 4%. The SNP (part of other charted below) are on 5%.
Conservatives – 42% (+3)
Labour – 28% (nc)
Liberal Democrats – 8% (nc)
UKIP – 12% (-1)
Greens – 4% (-1)
Other – 6% (-1)
Shares may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Figures in brackets are changes on previous published results from September 2016.
Fieldwork dates and methodology can be found here.
A full breakdown of these results can be found here.
For a more detailed breakdown of results from this poll, or any other results from our polling series, please get in touch by email or phone.
[email protected]
@BMGResearch
0121 333 6006
Lauren Harris – Senior Research Executive |
Chinese gay men, many of them married, slow dance in a Shanghai dance hall
SHANGHAI, China—“I’m here to find a lesbian, to be with me and to build a home,” No. 11 says to the crowd clustered on floor cushions at a sunlit yoga studio in Shanghai. No. 11 is a muscular man in a flannel shirt and cargo pants, and he easily commands the attention of the crowd of 40 or so young men and women who are gingerly sipping glasses of wine and whispering to their neighbors.
“In my view, a 30-year-old man should start thinking about having a family, but two men can’t hold each other’s hands in the street. We’re not allowed to be a family,” he says. The crowd nods.
I’m at a fake-marriage market, where Chinese lesbians and gay men meet to find a potential husband or wife. In China, the pressure to form a heterosexual marriage is so acute that 80 percent of China’s gay population marries straight people, according to sexologist Li Yinhe, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. To avoid such unions, six months ago, Shanghai’s biggest gay Web site, inlemon.cn, started to hold marriage markets once a month.
Thirty minutes earlier, I triple-checked the address scrawled in my notebook. The studio—located in a high-rise apartment complex—seems an unlikely spot for a fake-marriage market. “The boss of the yoga studio is very kind to us,” says Fen Ye, my guide. Slipping off my shoes at the doorway, I pad up stairs lined with Buddhas in the red plastic flip-flops provided. When Fen slides open a door to reveal men and women chatting quietly, conversation falters. “They weren’t expecting a foreigner,” he whispers, adding, “and don’t tell anyone you’re a reporter. I’ll just say you’re my lesbian friend.” He bustles me to a cushion on the floor and hands me a glass of Chinese red wine.
Precautions are necessary for an event like this. Though there are an estimated 30 million to 40 million gay people in China—there has been no official count—even simple actions such as trying to access Wikipedia’s “LGBT” page often result in a “This webpage is not available” message. Chinese society has adopted a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. A 2007 survey by Li Yinhe found that 70 percent of Chinese people think homosexuality is either “a little” or “completely” wrong, and only 7.5 percent of respondents said they knew a gay person.
While past generations buried their sexuality in straight marriages, the people gathered at the yoga studio are trying a new approach. No. 8 (the men sport numbered buttons in a pleasing shade of blue, the women’s are pink), a pretty 22-year-old woman with curly dyed chestnut hair, skinny jeans, and Snoopy slippers wants a fake marriage to ease parental pressure, but she doesn’t want a baby. No. 15, a strikingly tall man with side-swept bangs, says: “I want to get married for my parents, but I think lying to them will make me feel terrible. So I want to have a fake marriage with a lesbian girl, but just for one or two years, and then I want a divorce to show my parents that I am not a marriage type.” There’s one constant: All the participants talk about pleasing their parents.
Influential Zhou Dynasty Confucian scholar Mencius said that the “most serious” way to be unfilial is to not produce an heir. It’s an idea that still reverberates through China’s family-centric culture. In contemporary slang, single women over the age of 27 are known as sheng nu or “leftovers.”
“I could absolutely not come out to my parents. If I could tell them I was gay, I wouldn’t have needed to get married,” says my guide, 30-year-old Fen, as we sit in a converted Shanghainese shikumen lane house near the popular tourist spot People’s Park. We’re talking about his lesbian wife, whom he met on inlemon.cn.
“I had a big, traditional Chinese wedding. It lasted for three days, and there were maybe 500 people there. My parents were so happy,” says Fen, who knew his wife for seven months before they married. “In your job, in your social life, and for family gatherings, you need to bring a partner. It’s hard to do these things alone in China. My grandfather and grandmother … everyone was waiting for me to get married. The wedding felt like a task I needed to accomplish, something I needed to get through step-by-step, a bit like doing homework.”
For many gay men, the chance to experience parenthood—and to provide a grandchild for longing parents—is a distinct advantage of these unions. At the yoga studio marriage market, almost every man says he wants a baby, Fen included. “[On the Web site] I said that I didn’t want to have a sex life with my wife—absolutely none.” Although he says he and his wife are not “very good friends,” they have discussed having a child. “For a baby we will maybe use artificial insemination,” he says.
Past generations did things differently. The Lai Lai dancehall, in a rundown corner of Shanghai’s Hongkou district, is a refuge for gay but married men. Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night, about 200 men crowd the dance floor in their mismatched suits, twirling together in the green light and cigarette smoke. When they’re not dancing, they sit in groups around the edge, nursing flasks of tea, though beer is available for 75 cents a glass.
Zhang, who is 55 and married with children, goes every week. “You can find gay bars in every city, but a dancehall like this only in Shanghai,” he says. While tinny speakers rattle out familiar patriotic songs, the dancing stays elegant and refined. Flirting is discreet, barely noticeable. “Older gay men feel comfortable in this place,” Zhang tells me. “Because the dancehall starts early, they can go home to their families and keep it secret. Though sometimes the wives come to look for their husbands, and then other people have to persuade them that their husband is just dancing.”
But 30-year-old Mu Mu knew that her husband was not “just dancing.” Just after she became pregnant, Mu Mu’s husband started openly dating men. “I knew he was gay before we got married,” says the Shanghai resident over the phone to protect her anonymity. “But the word gay was really strange to me. I read that being gay is something you’re born as, but other people said it’s like a disease that can be healed. Because I loved him a lot, I hoped that maybe he would change.” It wasn’t until a year after the birth of their daughter, and after her husband brought home another man to live with them, that Mu Mu left him.
Mu Mu is one of China’s estimated 16 million to 25 million “homowives”—or tongqi in pinyin(the word is an amalgamation of the Mandarin for gay and wife)—women who are married to gay men.
“The happiest time of our marriage was when I gave birth to our daughter,” says Mu Mu. “That one week when I was in the hospital, he took care of me and the baby. Much of the rest of the time I felt abandoned.”
For many women, speaking out about their gay husbands is more difficult than staying in loveless marriages, but in the last few years Web-based support groups have started to form. Li, 33, is a volunteer on a homowifesupport forum on QQ, a Chinese social networking site. Her job involves giving advice and answering questions, and she is often the only person the homowives confide in. “The women are desperate,” she explains over iced tea on a busy shopping street in central Shanghai. “At first they feel shock, and they don’t know what to do, because people don’t know much about gay people. They think their husband is a disturbed person.”
While it’s relatively easy to get divorced in China, Li says, many women stick with the marriages for complicated reasons. “Some stay because they still love their husband. He’s a good person, and a good father, and they want their children to have a father,” she says. Another reason is social stigma. “Most of the women can’t go to their friends, they don’t think they will be able to accept it or understand. Which is true. I think in China people make a moral judgment about it. [The women] think people will think, ‘Wow, your husband would prefer to be with a man than with you—what a loser.’ ”
But there are tentative signs of change. Pink Space, a Beijing-based sexuality research center, started a support group for homowives earlier this year—the first of its kind in China. Zhang Beichan, a director at the China Sexology Association, thinks the homowife “problem” is shrinking. “In 2005, a TV station put out a program about gay issues, and I introduced a homowife who talked about her problems. This was one of the first times this issue was introduced to the public. It had a very big impact—some gay men still share that program with their families when they are pressured into getting married. Also, there are more and more gay men coming out of the closet, and more awareness of gay issues.”
Back at the fake-marriage market, Fen Yu and his friends see themselves as the “transitional” generation. While they can’t come out to their parents, they can, at least, be open about their sexuality among friends, go to gay bars, and date. “For the generation after ours, it might be easier,” he says, “Our parents have no idea what homosexuality is. It’s very difficult, because it’s just opening up.”
If Fen becomes a father, his will be a different approach: “I might not be able to tell my parents,” he says, “but when my child grows up, I will tell them the real story about why it happened and who I am.”
Like Slate on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. |
It's everyone's favorite delivery guy podcast. This is Out For Delivery, on the Eldorado Studio Network.
Col. Brian got shit on by a bird on his route, decides he hates birds, declares war on all birds. Dr. Stu starts talking out of the retarded part of his brain and never stops. Birds aren't good pets, either, so don't even start. Wolf Kid violates the Facebag rule at home. Brian reveals his hidden love for BMX bikes and the movie "Rad". Stu's new national voting system called "voting by darts" is explained - It also includes bowling. Mid life crisis = riding bikes/playing guitar. Getting rid of Brian's Windows Phone, a little bit at a time. The boys read your tweets/texts. Jason has plans to see a movie with a customer. Cathy the cat lady voice is back for almost 4 minutes! The boys obtained a recording of Dr. Stu's weird snoring and play it on the show. Stu then denies it's him and calls his special ladyfriend who confirms it was indeed Stu snoring. He thinks it's a conspiracy. Brian stumps the boys with "Movies in Less Than Three Sentences", then they go on youtube and punish themselves with awful movie trailers. Finally, Jason tells the story of how someone threw a big mac at him while yelling a racial slur. The mystery continues...
Double secret show #1 is available NOW and ONLY by subscribing to our newsletter. Find the newsletter link on our website at www.eldoradostudio.net
Follow the show on Twitter @EldoradoPod, email the boys at [email protected], call/text the hotline at 570-591-1249, check us out on reddit too! You can subscribe on iTunes, Google Play or your favorite podcast app, or visit the website at www.eldoradostudio.net for shows, stuff you can buy and other information. Thanks for your support! The show is getting bigger each week and we appreciate you all. Work safe and we'll see you next week. Hit it! |
GETTY A Muslim woman teacher has been banned from wearing a burka in the classroom
The unidentified woman had complained that she was being discriminated against by a ban on teachers wearing Muslim headscarves. But the court in the capital Berlin ruled that although she had a right to religious freedom, more important was the neutrality law, which insists that civil servants in certain positions need to dress in a way that does not advertise their political opinions or religious standpoint.
Announcing his decision, Judge Andreas Dittert said: "The application by the teacher has been rejected. In our opinion the neutrality law means that all religions need to be treated the same. We are therefore convinced also that this ruling is constitutionally relevant."
In our opinion the neutrality law means that all religions need to be treated the same Judge Andreas Dittert
The lawyer for the woman, Maryam Yekani, said they planned to take the appeal to the Constitutional Court, pointing out that in a similar case in Karlsruhe in 2015 a judge had lifted the ban on the veil for a teacher in North Rhine-Westphalia. If the constitutional court rejects the application, they plan to take it to the European Court of human rights.
GETTY The court defended the ban with the neutrality law saying staff must not advertise their religion
The Berlin court however was not interested in the comparison with the 2015 case, saying that there were differences in the new application. The latest ruling has been criticised by Muslim associations, who said there was now state-promoted discrimination in operation in Germany.
GETTY Muslim groups have said there is now state-promoted discrimination in operation in Germany
GETTY The unidentified woman is prepared to take the case to the European Court of human rights |
If we don't maintain what we have, it will fall apart.
My neighborhood is lobbying the City for $1 million in streetscape redesign money to match $4 million promised by our business district. At some level, this is a reasonable public-private partnership; businesses provide 80 percent of the funding and the city covers the rest. Yet, there is another side to this otherwise agreeable story.
The neighborhood has been arguing that our streetscape is falling apart and it needs to be fixed. They've been making this plea for a couple years. Maintenance is expensive, or so it goes, and it'd be just better if we tore it all out and built something new.
Here's what it looks like today:
Bricks are missing. Retaining walls are sloping. The area is starting to age (well, it's almost 30 years old!).
Something has bothered me about the not-so-old bricked streetscape and the business district's complaint: there's nothing wrong that can't be fixed with a little duct tape and TLC. All of the neighborhood's minor chips and dents could be solved with about $5,000 of brick, mortar and the labor cost of an underemployed bricklayer.
But, if fixing what we have takes such little effort, why aren't we doing it? And why are we spending $5 million to boot!?! And, why should we trust someone with a new, more expensive streetscape if they aren't even responsible enough to minimally maintain the basics of what they currently have?
Let me give you a few examples:
Ten bricks have fallen off, but no one has even bothered to pick the weeds?
A tree has been removed, yet instead of re-planting a tree (total cost: $250 - $400), we let the soil collect weeds?
A patch of weeds? How about some grass, a bench and a bike rack?
Here's the level of disregard: I noticed the condition (left) had been poor for a couple weeks. I decided to get on my knees and get to work. Two minutes later I had rearranged the bricks (right). It's not a perfect, but it looks 10 times better (and it took literally two minutes). In weeks, not a soul who worked for the business or the city government thought to do something.
These are not streetscapes in front of marginal businesses. This is Highland Park in St. Paul. The photos were taken outside of a high-end yoga studio, boutique medical clinic, Barnes & Noble, upscale gift shop, popular book store and a busy sub shop. So, what gives?
The best analogy is that you buy a new house in 1985. For 28 years, you do nothing. Now, it's 2013 and the roof leaks water, the kitchen is out-dated and the basement is moldy. It's in a state of disrepair and you tear it down!
This, of course, is ridiculous. You wouldn't do that! The second the roof started to leak, you'd fix it. When the stove stopped working, you'd replace it. When the basement got musty, you'd clean it and buy a dehumidifier. Now, why aren't we doing this with local community infrastructure?
This is exactly what is happening with my local business district, and likely, yours too. The problem is that people involved assume it's someone else's responsibility. It's a byproduct of the top-down approach. The business district can contend it's the city's fault while the city claims the business district has it backwards. The real is answer that it's not clear. Nobody appears to know what's going on, so by default, no one does anything.
This model takes the constant "eyes on the street" to handle small issues away from locals, or at least, confuses them about what to do. The $5 million project is a big windfall that takes little effort on behalf of the businesses besides a financial contribution. They provide the money and the city rebuilds the sidewalks. Yet, constantly tending to bricks, picking weeds and planting flowers; well, that takes effort (but little money). It's the type of effort that can only be handled by the locals, those who experience and interact with the space on a daily basis.
We've bypassed the maintenance and defaulted to the "built it brand-spanking-new then leave it alone for 20 years and then say it's falling apart and we need a new one" policy. This is how we treat public infrastructure in the United States, be it a water main, public park, sports stadium or pedestrian mall.
There is one place that has a not-so-crumbling bricked planter. It's outside a wine and cheese shop and eye clinic. They've given the street some duct tape and it looks like this:
Not bad. It's the same bricked planter as everywhere else in the neighborhood. It's missing a few bricks, but pieced together and has some flowers. Flowers aren't cheap, but their small investment makes the streetscape better by many times over. If nothing else, while walking past, one gets the impression that the business, and the people who run it, care about the neighborhood.
St. Paul giving $1 million to Highland Park to improve the streetscape is akin to watching your teenager beat up the old Buick and then deciding to buy him a new car because the old car is in such bad shape (that, and there are about 1 million better ways to spend $1 million locally).
The heart of the matter is that this isn't the way we should treat shared infrastructure. We need to constantly be on the lookout at the most local level and constantly care for its health. If we don't maintain what we have, it will fall apart. And it'll cost us a lot more money to fix it back up. |
Josh Tillman—aka Father John Misty—has either added an exceptional tailor to his touring entourage or mastered the art of beating the shit out of a suit. Either way, it's fitting, as the man and his music can take what he dishes out without getting torn to shreds in the process.
Tillman favors a uniform of slim-cut trousers, a button-down shirt, and an open jacket for his performances, with inky wool and cotton welcoming every speck of dirt, dust, and grime to his lanky frame. He collects plenty of filth when he drops to his knees, rolls around on his back, or scales the nearest light rig—as he tried to do at Governors Ball in 2015, the dust chalking up his calf and shoulders in the process. Blazers aren't cut to accommodate the sudden flailing fits he's prone to, let alone the sweep that brings the microphone stand from the floor to his shoulders, or the spasms that erupt when his band fills out the measure of a robust instrumental break. Yet he can seize and writhe and splay his limbs without hulking out mid-flourish or warbling out of tune.
NBC Getty Images
This Tillman—the artist at work—is the Father John Misty people like, a quality overshadowed in the weeks leading up to the drop of Pure Comedy, his third full-length album and his most successful and divisive work yet. Pure Comedy ushered in a series of career highs for Tillman since its April 7 release, thanks to its debut at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Alternative, Americana, and Top Rock Albums charts. He was the toast of late night TV, from Saturday Night Live to The Late Show and The Tonight Show, and both a mainstream-endorsed collaborator of choice and a muse thanks to his writing credits on two of 2016's most championed albums, Beyoncé's Lemonade and Lady Gaga's Joanne. Lana Del Rey's latest output, "Coachella Woodstock on My Mind," was inspired by a set of his at the desert festival last year.
Father John Misty was posed to go from being your favorite pop star's favorite rock star to fully fledged pop-rock luminary in his own right.
But the musings of this Tillman are also, frankly, tougher to swallow than the LSD he's microdosing, and some consider it a chore to reconcile Pure Comedy's mouthy cynic of a narrator with the one delivering a flawless performance onstage, a man whose talent absolutely outweighs the jokes he tweets and the occasional bouts of bitter banter that make headlines when people demand that he shut up and sing. He was posed to go from being your favorite pop star's favorite rock star to a fully fledged pop-rock luminary in his own right, even if this triumph came on the back of an acerbic album that takes them—and humanity at large, himself included—to task. (This tendency to bite the hand that appears to feed him isn't new: He's unfiltered on the topic of the pop machine, and dubbed Bey and Co. industry "prisoners" in a chat with Pitchfork; his feelings for the corporatization of major music festivals were similar back in 2013, when he let Esquire tag along with him for an hour or two at Bonnaroo.)
The New York Times dubbed Pure Comedy "an ideal album for the era of outrage" for the merciless eye it turns toward its 74-minute spool of political, social, and cultural commentary, but its status as such took shape long before its April 7 release.
His first two albums—2012's eclectic, folk-rock favoring debut, Fear Fun, and 2015's I Love You, Honeybear, an eleven-song love letter to his marriage—made for less challenging listens, in that they didn't delight in directly confronting the listener and weren't so disturbingly weighted in the clusterfuck of our current national crisis. Fear Fun played with the figurative language of folk tales ("Only Son of the Ladiesman," for example) and fatalism ("Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings," the dark and gorgeous music video for which features a bloodied Aubrey Plaza chomping on flower arrangements at a funeral). Honeybear was autobiographical in scope, a volume culled from notes written by his wife, Emma, fond memories from the day they met, their honeymoon (as recounted in "Chateau Lobby #4 (In C For Two Virgins)"), and other snapshots from their romantic history. (These literally decorate the inner jacket of the album, and Tillman told me in 2015 that "all of my favorite lines of my songs are things that she's said.")
By focusing on sprawling storytelling and vignettes rooted in a life that's wholly his, Tillman was inviting strangers into his life on Fear Fun and Honeybear from a safe distance instead of forcing them to examine the most frightening forces shaping theirs, which is exactly his M.O. on Pure Comedy. On the latest album, he demands those listening to think long and hard about what they were hearing in today's cultural cacophony, one in which perverse celebrity worship ("Total Entertainment Forever") is paramount to the fate of this "bright blue marble orbited by trash" as we know it ("Things It Would Have Been Helpful to Know Before the Revolution"). He didn't offer a view into the void so much as cover his eyes and cannonball into it—and implored us to follow suit.
Kevin Winter Getty Images
He did so in predictable fashion—eloquently, with absolutely exquisite arrangements that hit the ear as compact symphonies in some spots. But that didn't dull Pure Comedy's bite, a fact exacerbated by every single conversation he's had about the album to date. This, at times, even makes Tillman uneasy, as the bulk of Pure Comedy—which was written long before people went to the polls in November—got way too real in the wake of Trump's election.
"If your whole life you've been like, 'People are insane, entertainment is deeply suspect, and politicians are goons,' and then an event happens that confirms all of those things literally overnight—it's like some boy who cried wolf, but then the wolf actually shows up," he told Pitchfork. In a later conversation with Vulture, he again referred to this "collective traumatic event," and acknowledged how the context of Pure Comedy changed in ways he couldn't control: "I understand if people need a political album right now, so they look at my album and say, 'This is a political album. This is an anti-Trump album.' Of course a part of me is disappointed, because that isn't what I set out to do."
He also gets that they may need a messenger to shoot, and Tillman is an easy target in spite of the catharsis his live show provides—and that feeling conflicted, uncomfortable, or even pissed off by the album doesn't degrade its impact. The Father John Misty that people like succeeds in uniting those who love to hate him and hate to love him under the roof of the same venue: His shows present the blunt force prophecies of Pure Comedy without inspiring cries of Not All Listeners from those who feel intellectually slighted or talked down to. His set list reflects that, as half the show pulls from Pure Comedy with favorites from Fear Fun and Honeybear making up the latter half of the set. He reminds us that art doesn't have to please you in order to do its job, and "Total Entertainment Forever" is a triumphant spectacle and argument for exactly this.
Rolling Stone went so far as to draw comparisons to Bob Dylan with their positive critique of Pure Comedy, and the parallels are strong: The celebration of Dylan's genius and his lack of fucks given for hurt feelings in the face of political turmoil wasn't compromised by his unflinching commitment to being a bit of an asshole. But that was a different time, and Tillman is hyper-aware of being "another white guy in 2017 who takes himself so goddamn seriously," as he does with "Leaving L.A." (The tune is noticeably absent from his current set list.) So long as he continues to hurl himself into the oblivion of the present and the dusty lip of his stage, Father John Misty will continue to balance out every eye-roll by giving the people exactly what they want—and frequently what they need. Thankfully, he's dressed for the occasion. |
In a game that featured two of the league’s hottest quarterbacks and most prolific offenses, the Washington Redskins and New York Giants engaged in a wild fourth-quarter shootout at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
The Giants came out on top, 27-23, thanks largely to four second-half turnovers by the Redskins and a fourth-quarter bomb from quarterback Eli Manning to wide receiver Victor Cruz with less than two minutes left.
After playing to a 13-13 tie in the first half, the two teams took turns scoring and giving the ball back to each other. Washington fumbled three times and Robert Griffin III was picked off once, and Manning was intercepted twice, all in the second half.
Santana Moss’s fumble with his team attempting a last-minute drive sealed the Redskins’ fate. Washington dropped to 3-4 on the season while New York improved to 5-2 and remained in first place in the NFC East.
“We had turnovers today, and there are no excuses for that,” said Griffin, who completed 20 of 28 passes for 258 yards, two touchdowns and the interception and had a passer rating of 108.9. “But I was telling the guys in the locker room, we had a chance to win the game, and were ahead even with those turnovers. So, if we can cut back on that and continue to put points on the board, it’s going to be hard to be stopped. . . . [We] still had a chance to win the game. We didn’t do that. Right now, it’s hard to know what to think, but you just keep pushing forward.”
Compounding the pain felt by the loss, the Redskins lost their top tight end, Fred Davis, for the season with a torn left Achilles’ tendon.
Despite losing Davis on their first offensive series, Washington continued to execute and looked to break its halftime tie after getting the ball first in the third quarter. The Redskins had to punt, however. But the defense forced the Giants to do the same, and the offense recaptured its previous form, moving the ball 51 yards in five plays. Then a 15-yard run by Alfred Morris that would have put the ball at the New York 13 was nullified when Washington right tackle Tyler Polumbus was called for a “leg whip” and the Redskins were penalized 15 yards.
On the next play (a first and 23 from the New York 41), Morris fumbled while trying to fight through the middle of the line.
The Giants threatened to score, moving downfield in five plays, but cornerback Josh Wilson intercepted a Manning pass at the Washington 9-yard line and returned it to the 16.
Griffin and the Redskins began clicking again and returned to Giants’ territory, but facing a second and five from the New York 42, Washington turned the ball over again.
Backup tight end Logan Paulsen appeared to break off his slant route early, and Griffin’s pass landed in the arms of safety Stevie Brown, who returned it 41 yards to the Washington 35. The Giants scored on a one-yard run by Ahmad Bradshaw to go up 20-13 with 13 minutes 1 second left in the game.
The Redskins hadn’t gotten the turnovers out of their system. After getting the ball at their 28 and going 51 yards on 11 plays — converting two fourth downs on the series — Griffin coughed up the ball at the Giants 29-yard line while he was sacked by New York’s Jason Pierre-Paul.
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The Giants gave the ball right back when Manning threw an interception to linebacker Rob Jackson while trying to hit wide receiver Hakeem Nicks in double coverage.
Washington couldn’t pick up a first down, however, managing just five yards on four plays, and had to settle for a 45-yard field goal from Kai Forbath to pull within 20-16 with 5:28 to play.
After another defensive stand forced a Giants punt, Washington took the ball back with 2:59 to play at their 29-yard line and no timeouts left.
Finding himself in a familiar situation — with the ball in his hands and requiring a fourth-quarter drive for the fifth time this season — Griffin orchestrated another comeback drive. The rookie completed 4 of 6 passes — including a 19-yard pass to Paulsen on fourth and 10 from his 30 — and then connected with Moss on a 30-yard touchdown pass to put his team ahead 23-20 with 1:32 to play.
But Manning — who has orchestrated 22 fourth-quarter comebacks in his career — completed a 77-yard touchdown pass to Cruz, who beat Josh Wilson and Madieu Williams to give the Giants a 27-23 lead with 1:13 left.
“He did it again,” former Giant and current Redskins nose tackle Barry Cofield said. “He’s like Joe Montana now. . . . The team has no quit because they have so much faith in him.”
Of the blown coverage,Williams said, “[Cruz] was double-covered, and he was able to make a play. Obviously, Eli had something dialed up, and they did a good job of executing.”
But plenty of time still remained. Although the Redskins had only one timeout, they had shown an ability to score quickly.
“As soon as they scored, I was ready to go back out there and lead another touchdown drive and win the game,” Griffin recounted.
Said left tackle Trent Williams, “They scored, but we still felt like any time [Griffin] has the ball in his hands, we had a chance.”
On their final desperate drive, Griffin connected with Moss on a pass in the middle of the field at the Washington 43-yard line, but Moss was stripped of the ball and Giants cornerback Jayron Hosley, who had given up the touchdown to Moss, recovered to clinch the New York victory.
“It’s just part of the game,” said Moss, who prior to the fumble had three catches for 67 yards and two touchdowns. “I don’t feel well about fumbling. I felt great about the touchdown, but any time you get a chance to make a difference, you try to make a difference. Would I want it to happen a little differently? Yeah. But when you’re fighting, anything could happen. I feel like I lost the fight.”
Washington had little difficulty moving the ball against the Giants, but the team repeatedly struggled to capitalize on opportunities.
The Redskins went 93 yards on their opening drive but had to settle for a field goal after holding the ball for 9:11.
Two plays prior to that field goal, Washington lost Davis to the torn Achilles’ when he went down while running a pass route in the back of the end zone.
“I want to be out there playing and helping my team out,” said Davis, who this season was on a path to redemption after serving a four-game suspension at the end of last season for failing multiple drug tests and had stepped up as a leader while also ranking among the league’s best tight ends. “I had a lot of stuff I wanted to do this year.”
The Redskins, however, still managed to move the ball efficiently on their next possession.
Trailing 7-3 following an 80-yard Giants touchdown drive capped by a one-yard run by Andre Brown, the Redskins marched downfield, dialing up run plays on five of the eight snaps. Washington kept New York off-balance with a succession of option plays.
Griffin had a 30-yard run to the outside during the possession, and Morris had a 28-yard run around the right end as well. The rookie running back finished with 120 yards rushing, his third 100-yard game of the season.
Facing third and seven from the New York 26, Griffin slung a screen pass to Moss on his left, and the veteran wide receiver used his blocks, found an opening and went 26 yards untouched for a score that capped an 80-yard drive and put his team up 10-7 following the point-after attempt.
Washington added another Forbath field goal (from 43 yards), and the Giants added two field goals by Lawrence Tynes (a 27-yarder and 39-yarder) for a 13-13 tie at halftime. |
Hits keep coming for Dr. Luke
The producer behind Katy Perry's 'California Gurls' and Miley Cyrus' 'Party in the U.S.A.' is happy to be the music-maker behind the scenes.
Stretching back even further, the list of hits that bear his signature is astounding, and makes him perhaps the most successful pop producer you've never heard of. Starting in 2004, Luke has written or co-written hits by Kelly Clarkson ("Since U Been Gone," "My Life Would Suck Without You"), Avril Lavigne ("Girlfriend"), Pink ("U + Ur Hand"), Britney Spears ("Circus"), Flo Rida ("Right Round"), Ke$ha ("Tik Tok," "Your Love Is My Drug") and more.
What Luke has learned — indeed, what he's more or less mastered — is the art of the hit: Born Lukasz Gottwald in 1973, he's the knob-turning, button-pushing, party-starting pop savant behind what seems like every second song on the radio right now. Katy Perry's " California Gurls"? Taio Cruz's "Dynamite"? Miley Cyrus' "Party in the U.S.A."? Luke produced them all.
Dr. Luke has lived in Los Angeles since 2008 but he still hasn't gotten the hang of valet parking. On a recent Thursday afternoon, the attendants at the Polo Lounge in Beverly Hills are having trouble matching the songwriter-producer's ticket to his Prius. Turns out he took his car keys with him into the restaurant — and not for the first time, either. "I grew up in New York," he explains a little later. "I never had to learn this stuff."
"When you analyze a track record as strong as his, there's a consistency to knowing what makes up a great pop hit," says Clive Davis, chief creative officer of Sony Music Entertainment, whose company has released many of the producer's biggest hits. "He's obviously not a fluke — he's done it time and time again."
Perry's "California Gurls," which recently topped Billboard's Hot 100 for six consecutive weeks, is arguably the song of the summer, and Dr. Luke has reteamed with the singer for a handful of other tracks on her sophomore album, "Teenage Dream," due Aug. 24.
The Dr. Luke sound has its roots in the high-energy teen-pop productions of Max Martin, the Swedish songsmith responsible for such classics of the genre as the Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way" and "Baby One More Time" by Spears. Martin gave Luke one of his first big breaks when he enlisted the younger musician as a partner on "Since U Been Gone," the 2004 Clarkson smash; the two continue to collaborate.
Yet if Martin's work has little use for nuance, Luke's seems ideologically opposed to it. His signature tune might be "Tik Tok," in which Ke$ha describes an unconventional dental-hygiene regimen ("Brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack") over a spring-loaded electro-pop groove. Like all of Dr. Luke's most memorable tracks (and much of history's best rock 'n' roll), "Tik Tok" feels stupid and brilliant at the same time: sophisticated songcraft in the service of plain-and-simple pleasure.
"I've read that I'm ruining music," Luke says of a reputation for shamelessness that extends back at least as far as Perry's "I Kissed a Girl." "It makes me kind of laugh."
Before he was laughing, Luke was studying: two years of jazz guitar at the Manhattan School of Music, then a decade as a member of the house band on "Saturday Night Live." During that gig Luke began moonlighting as a DJ at clubs around New York, which led to invitations to remix and produce hip-hop tracks by the likes of Mos Def and Talib Kweli. (A DJ job is also where he met Martin.) Luke admits that fans of underground rap "would probably hate" his more commercial material but says, "I think I applied the same things that I'm doing now to that: I just made it make sense to me in a certain way."
His process too was molded by those early years. "We'd work in the studio until 5 in the morning, then wake up and get at it again," says Ke$ha, who compares Luke to an older brother. "I was really broke and he'd let me crash on a mattress in his spare bedroom. We did yoga and would go hiking and swimming together; he gave me advice about boys." |
It's guest time again, as Felipe Diaz-Vera from Generation Animation makes his debut on our side of the podcasting realm. He brings with him much to discuss, starting with recent announcements regarding fighting games, Kingdom Hearts, and Sonic comics. John and Chris also dish out their thoughts on the recent adult-oriented Netflix cartoon based on the Castlevania franchise.
But the real conversation comes from Felipe's suggested main topic this week, as the three dive into a look back at the now-retro Cartoon Network hit The Powerpuff Girls. Expect discussions on John's mom being concerned, why Him is so darn evil, why John gives a certain voice actress a demerit, Felipe's impeccable ability to ad-lib Mojo Jojo speeches, and some touching on the current reboot and that weird anime you probably forgot about until we brought it up.
Timestamps:
06:50 - R.I.P. Archie's Sonic the Hedgehog
10:37 - Recent fighting game news
24:44 - Netflix Castlevania review (Mild spoilers)
38:40 - Powerpuff Girls retrospective
Show Twitter (Send feedback, questions, and requests!): https://twitter.com/sketchwatchplay
Show Facebook (Send feedback, questions, and requests!): https://www.facebook.com/sketchwatchplay
Show homepage: http://sketchwatchplay.blogspot.com/
John's Twitter: https://twitter.com/Behonkiss
Chris's Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChristopTheWade
Felipe's Twitter: https://twitter.com/fizzucker
Watch John's Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy: https://youtu.be/LAE_qX2-bbc
Watch Chris's animated film, The Will of Monsters: https://vimeo.com/217121639/9a918876e6
Listen to Felipe's podcast, Generation Animation: http://fanoffmedia.com/shows/gen/ |
Same-Sex Couples Push for Change to Texas Birth Certificates
Texas officials say they are reviewing the Supreme Court ruling for its impact on vital records and a change could come soon.
In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling for marriage equality, officials in Texas say they are considering changes to the state birth certificates that currently only allow for a mother and father to be listed.
That would be a significant step in the lives of Molly Maness-Roberson and her spouse, Keri, who were dismayed to learn upon the birth of their newborn son this month that his birth certificate doesn’t allow for two moms or two dads.
“It just really breaks your heart, that’s the only way I can describe how I felt,” Maness-Roberson, 27, of Burleson, told the The Dallas Morning News.
Maness-Roberson, who married Keri Roberson, now 37, in New York in 2012, recently delivered their infant son, conceived from her wife’s egg and an anonymous donor’s sperm. The hospital informed them Texas birth certificates include a space for only one mother and one father.
“No matter what kind of family you have, you’re still a family,” Maness-Roberson said. “I feel like you should be recognized as such.”
The omission can cause legal troubles down the road, as birth certificates are a key document for establish parental rights and determine a child’s eligibility for financial support and health benefits.
Texas has about 9,200 same-sex couples raising children, roughly 25 percent of them in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, according to the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles.
A spokeswoman for Texas Department of State Health Services told the Morning News state officials are reviewing the June 26 Supreme Court decision with attorneys and the attorney general’s office.
“Once we complete that analysis, we would make any necessary changes as soon as possible,” Carrie Williams said in an email to the newspaper. They’re looking specifically at how the ruling could compel revision to other vital records, such as death certificates that list a surviving spouse, she said.
The current policy “tells that child that something about their family doesn’t deserve the same respect from the state of Texas,” Suzanne Bryant, an Austin attorney who specializes in adoptions for same-sex couples, told the paper. She is the parent of two daughters with her wife, Sarah Goodfriend. Bryant said she anticipates legal action if the state doesn't make changes on its own.
For the last four years, State Rep. Rafael Anchia, a Dallas Democrat, has tried to force the issue, each session introducing a bill to remove gender-specific language from a supplemental birth certificate that is used for adoption by all couples, including those who are same-sex.
This was the first year Anchia’s bill actually made it out of committee, and it even won some Republican support. But it failed to pass by the session's end.
Anchia, in a passionate speech on the state house floor in April, urged his colleagues to put their views about same-sex marriage aside and focus on Texas’s children. He noted that Texas didn’t add gender-specific language until 1997, and said the current birth certificate application makes life difficult for children whether they are being raised by same-sex couples or two aunts or two grandfathers.
“You know the kid is innocent,” he told them. “They didn’t pick their parents, but those are the parents that they have. And those are the parents they love. And they deserve an accurate birth certificate.”
Among the hundreds of Texas couples who actually got married on the day of the Supreme Court’s marriage equality ruling, were Crystal Gonzales and Kristin Gonzales, both 31. A few days later, their daughter, Chloe, was born.
In an act of defiance, they scratched out the word “father” on the birth certificate application, and jotted down Crystal’s name.
They’re waiting to see what the state's next move will be.
See a sample copy of a Texas birth certificate application below, and click on the video below to watch the April 15 speech by Rep. Anchia to the Texas House of Representatives on this issue.
Texas birth certificate application |
SACRAMENTO — Support is growing to end California’s death penalty, but backers of an initiative on Tuesday’s ballot still lack the majority needed to pass it, according to a Field Poll released Friday.
The survey found that 45 percent of likely voters support Proposition 34, which would end executions in favor of life imprisonment without parole, even for murderers already on death row. Thirty-eight percent oppose the measure, while nearly 1 in 5 voters remains undecided.
Support increased by 4 percentage points since a previous tracking poll was conducted in mid-October.
“They have a chance. It looks better than a few weeks ago because it’s trending in their direction,” said Field Poll Director Mark DiCamillo.
But he said supporters of the initiative need undecided voters to lean their way if the measure is to prevail. Historically, most late-deciders have tended to vote “no.”
Pollsters found a majority of voters now believe that imposing the death penalty, with special inmate housing on death row at San Quentin State Prison and the cost of decades of legal appeals, is more expensive than life behind bars. That perception increased by 12 percentage points over the last year as Proposition 34 supporters make it a centerpiece of their campaign.
It’s also a big turnaround from 1989, when a Field Poll found that 54 percent of likely voters said they thought life in prison cost the state more than sentencing someone to death.
California has spent about $4 billion to prosecute and incarcerate condemned inmates since capital punishment resumed in 1977, but just 13 inmates have been executed in that time. Critics say that is because death penalty opponents have deliberately engineered the legal system to be slow and costly.
The telephone survey tracked the changing views of 1,566 voters in two waves. Pollsters spoke with 815 likely voters from Oct. 17-24 and another 751 likely voters from Oct. 25-30. The overall survey has a sampling error margin of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points, with a larger margin for the smaller sample sizes.
In a similar Field Poll in September, more voters opposed Proposition 34 than favored it, but the trend has shifted since then, as those who want the death penalty repealed push their argument that imposing the ultimate punishment is simply too expensive.
They argue that the money could better be spent elsewhere, a message that pollsters say is evidently resonating with voters.
Support for the repeal was greatest among Democrats, those who classify themselves as liberal, Catholics and in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. It was lowest among Republicans, conservatives, Protestants and voters in the state’s inland regions.
Independent voters and moderates were split on the issue. There was considerable support for the repeal among blacks and Hispanics, although Asian-Americans were divided.
In the 1989 survey, two-thirds of respondents dismissed concerns that innocent people might be executed. In the survey released Friday, nearly half of surveyed voters think the innocent are executed too often. |
The Canucks as an organization think the world of Guillaume Brisebois. They always have. After selecting Brisebois 66th overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, they admitted they’d have taken him in the second if they could have. He remains the sole member of that class with an entry level contract.
Whether they’ll get a return on that investment remains to be seen. Brisebois is in his fourth QMJHL season, now a member of the Charlottetown Islanders after requesting a trade from the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in advance of the season. Since jumping ship to Prince Edward Island, Brisebois has found a new gear offensively and taken significant strides forward in his development.
Combined with Brisebois apparent physical growth, this could be a player on the cusp of legitimate NHL aspirations. With 21 points in 35 games this season from the blue line, there are certainly enough reasons to fathom the possibility.
The Qualifications
Before I delve too deeply, let’s quickly review the criteria for a qualifying prospect:
The player must be 25 years or younger, and
The player must be eligible for the Calder Trophy next season.
As a result, players that are considered to be “graduated” to the NHL (Brendan Gaunce, Nikita Tryamkin, Jake Virtanen, Anton Rodin) are not eligible.
Stats
The Rundown
I’ve always found myself at odds with the Canucks’ assessment. He’s never stuck out to me as having any one particular skill that jumps off the screen and grabs my attention, and I’m admittedly underwhelmed by the sum of all those unspectacular parts.
By my estimation, Brisebois has above average defensive instincts, an active stick and the ability to anticipate plays well. He’s an above average puck mover, but again, I’ve never been overwhelmed by his capacity for exiting the zone with control. At times I find him almost a little too content to make the safe play and go glass and out.
Still, there’s very clearly a market for Brisebois’ services. At the very least, there’s one at the junior level. The Islanders saw fit to surrender a pretty penny for Brisebois’ services. This same player was among the last cuts for Team Canada’s World Junior Hockey Championships roster just over a month ago.
Perhaps the strongest compliment paid Brisebois is that upon leaving the Titan, where he was a captain for two seasons, he was named captain of the Islanders immediately upon arrival. We often hear about Brisebois’ work ethic and dedication to the craft, and it’s hard to argue with that with his multiple captaincies as living proof.
The fact remains that players with Brisebois statistical and stature based platform don’t often make the NHL. Using pGPS, Brisebois’ current season checks out as having a 3% expected success rate, which is the lowest mark we have on record for the 6’3 defenceman. Successful members of Brisebois’ cohort produced 22 points per 82 game season, which is a solid mark for bottom four defencemen.
If Brisebois makes it to the NHL, it’s likely as a third pair defenceman with puck-moving ability and a shutdown type of game. That’s a win with the 66th overall pick period. I tend to think Brisebois has a better chance than pGPS indicates, in spite of the fact I’m not terribly high on Brisebois personally.
Then again, the Canucks see a top four guy in Brisebois. Benning raved about him in Penticton and brought up that he’d grown a full two inches over the summer. That’s only going to help the cause. Here’s to hoping their faith is vindicated. |
Frozen directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck have denied rumours that they are working on a feature-length sequel to Disney's record-breaking 2013 hit.
Despite mounting speculation surrounding a potential follow-up, including claims from star Idina Menzel, Disney has yet to officially confirm if a sequel is moving forward.
However, the characters from Frozen will return in a Frozen Broadway musical and short film Frozen Fever, which will screen in cinemas before Cinderella.
"It's been in the press that we are doing [a sequel], and we would ask each other, 'Are we?'" Buck told BuzzFeed. "They'd have a date and they'd have a cast and it was like, 'OK...'"
Co-directer Lee added that a follow-up is dependent on the creative team coming up with a story idea.
"Like with the short, it was so daunting until we found the story," she said. "Then it was all of the things it usually is and we were thinking of every emotion and moment and feeling. I think that's all we can do. Until we find our way into what's next, emotionally, it will feel too big.
"We just finished the short two weeks ago. One year ago, it was a lot to even think about doing a short. We were quite tired. We don't really know what it's like to stop for a minute and think about what we want to do next."
Frozen earned $1.2 billion at the worldwide box office to become Disney's most-successful animated release of all time. The film also took home the Best Animated Film at the Academy Awards in 2014.
Watch the trailer for Frozen Fever below: |
Tropics are main source of global mammal diversity
Ever since the nineteenth century scientists have recognised that some regions contain more species than others, and that the tropics are richer in biodiversity than temperate regions. But why are there more species in the tropics? A new study publishing 28 January in the Open Access journal PLOS Biology scrutinizes most of the living mammalian species and reveals a two-fold mechanism; the rate at which mammals arose was higher in the tropics, and the rate at which they became extinct lower. They also propose that the tropics have been a continuous source of diversity that has permitted repeated colonization of the temperate regions. French researchers Jonathan Rolland, Fabien Condamine, Frédéric Jiguet and Hélène Morlon (École Polytechnique, CNRS and the MNHN), applied mathematical models to worldwide mammalian datasets to address a question that has fascinated ecologists and evolutionary biologists for decades, generating scores of hypotheses.
One of the main hypotheses argues that species have diversified more in the tropics than in temperate regions -- diversification is the difference between the rates at which new species emerge and go extinct. However, recent publications have shown no link between diversification rate and latitude, suggesting that diversification may not differ between the tropics and temperate regions. Indeed, because Earth was largely tropical 80 million years ago, the tropics may be richer merely because tropical lineages have had more time to diversify than temperate ones.
Combining the tree of the relationships between the 5,000 mammal species with latitude data, the researchers estimated speciation -- the rate at which new species emerge -, extinction, and species migration associated with mammals living in tropical and temperate regions. Contrary to what has been suggested before, they found that diversification rates are strikingly consistent with current diversity patterns. Latitudinal peaks in species richness are associated with high speciation rates, low extinction rates, or both, depending on which mammalian order you look at (rodents, bats, primates, etc.).
They also found evidence that the migration of species through the ages has been asymmetrical, with more expansion ''out of'' the tropics than ''into'' them. Taken together, these results suggest that tropical regions are not only a reservoir of biodiversity, but also the main place where biodiversity has been, and presumably is being, generated.
This study shows that mathematical models can now detect the imprint of tropical versus temperate speciation and extinction on the tree of life, opening new perspectives in evolutionary research. It also allows us to assess old hypotheses and put diversification back in the spotlight as a major contributor to the well-known tropical abundance of mammal species. Further research should now focus on the direct causes of these differences in diversification, such as temperature or precipitation, that may also impact mammal diversification. |
Hello everyone! :3
Proxy Tempest kicks off this week with our 11th Bronze/Silver/Gold tournament. The tournament prize for this week is a 1 hour coaching session with a PSISTORM Gaming coach. Players wishing to compete can sign up on the Challonge page listed below. Players will need to return to the page and “Check In” 30 minutes prior to tournament start to be included in the bracket. Those who do not check in will not be allowed to play.
Admins will be checking the match history of all players and the admin is allowed to disqualify players who have not completed 10 matches in the past 7 days, or who are deemed ineligible due to recent placement in leagues above BSG.
Signup & Bracket: http://challonge.com/proxytempest_BSG11
Watch on Twitch!: www.twitch.tv/proxy_tempest
Follow the bracket on Twitter: www.twitter.com/proxy_tempest |
A Medium Starbucks Coffee Has Over Four Times The Caffeine Of Red Bull, And Three More Caffeine Facts
The New York Times has a study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest on the health effects of caffeine. The study analyzes various claims made about caffeine, and it also offers a useful chart listing the caffeine content in typical drinks and foods. For instance, at 320 milligrams per 16 ounces, a Starbucks grande coffee has over four times the 80 milligrams of caffeine of a Red Bull.
Other findings by the Times and CSPI:
Unless you consume more than 575 milligrams, caffeinated drinks don’t actually make you pee more.
Coffee does not increase the risk of heart disease or cancer
Even though it stimulates the metabolism, caffeine does not increase weight loss. It does aid exercise, however, by dulling pain and stimulating the body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates.
Sorting Out Coffee’s Contradictions [NYT]
Caffeine Chart [Center for Science in the Public Interest]
(Photo: AutumnRedux) |
Arnold Rüütel OIH ( Estonian pronunciation: [ˈɑrnold ˈryːtel]) (born 10 May 1928)[1] served as the last Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR from April 8, 1983, to March 29, 1990, Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR (from May 8, 1990: Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia) from March 29, 1990, to October 6, 1992, and was the third President of Estonia from October 8, 2001, to October 9, 2006. He was the second President since Estonia regained independence in 1991. Rüütel also served as one of fifteen Deputy Chairmen of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.
During the Soviet Era [ edit ]
On April 8, 1983, he was appointed as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Estonian SSR; thus he was also one of the 15 deputy chairmen of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. On March 29, 1990, he was elected as Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Estonia. He served during the confirmation of Estonia's independence on August 20, 1991. Rüütel continued in office until October 6, 1992.
Independent Estonia [ edit ]
Rüütel was also a member of the Constitutional Assembly from 1991 to 1992, which drafted the new Constitution of the Republic of Estonia. He stood as a candidate in the first presidential election in 1992. In the first round, where the people voted, Rüütel came first, receiving 43% of the votes. The second round was held in the Riigikogu, whose members voted for the two leading candidates of the first round; there, Rüütel lost to Lennart Meri.
In 1991, Rüütel took his Doctorate in agriculture. He served as Chairman of the People's Union of Estonia from 1994 to 2000, and was elected as a member of the Estonian Parliament, the Riigikogu, in 1995, where he acted as Vice-Chairman until 1997. He ran for President in the 1996 election (this time an indirect election with no popular vote) and lost to Meri once again.
Presidential term [ edit ]
He was elected President by an electoral college on September 21, 2001, defeating Toomas Savi in the final round by votes of 186 to 155. Rüütel was inaugurated as President of the Republic on October 8, 2001. Mart Laar's cabinet eventually fell later the same year. Rüütel announced in his election manifesto that his principal aims would be to reduce the negative effects that Estonia's speedy economic changes had had on a large number of people, and to seek greater solidarity within the society.
2006 candidacy [ edit ]
The end of Rüütel's term was overshadowed by several controversies. On the Independence Day military parade on February 24, 2005, Rüütel repeatedly congratulated soldiers on 'Victory day' (Estonian Victory Day is on June 23), which caused speculation about the then 76-year-old president's mental health.[2] In January 2006, Estonian Television reported that Rüütel's underage granddaughters had organized a party in the presidential palace and drunk alcohol.[3] Later that year, the newspaper Eesti Ekspress published archived documents suggesting that Rüütel as a top functionary of the Estonian SSR was involved in the persecution of scientist Johannes Hint (later sentenced to jail in a show trial) by the KGB.[4] Rüütel himself commented that he had tried to defend Hint.[5]
As Rüütel's term was due to end in October 2006, he announced on June 7, 2006, that he would be a candidate for re-election, thus ending speculation as to his candidacy.[6] In late August, the parliament failed to elect a President. The election of Ene Ergma and Toomas Hendrik Ilves by the parliament was blocked by Rüütel's supporters, who did not take out ballots. The electoral college met to vote for a president on September 23. The latest opinion polls (September 2006) had suggested that Rüütel's popular support was around 31 per cent (Ilves' support was 51%); Rüütel was more popular amongst the elderly and the Russian-speaking minority.[7] In the electoral college, Rüütel received 162 votes against 174 for Ilves. Rüütel congratulated the winner and offered his assistance. Rüütel's presidency therefore expired at the end of his term, and Ilves took office on October 9, 2006.
Awards [ edit ]
Gallery [ edit ] |
One way to think about invention is as a process that combines technologies to fulfill some human need or purpose. In other words, inventions never come out of nowhere. They always build on earlier advances to create something new.
So, for example, the incandescent light bulb uses electricity, a heated filament, inert gas and a glass bulb; an inkjet printer relies on the ability to position matter with extreme precision and to pump ink in very small droplets; and the laser is based on the ability to make highly reflective optical cavities and so on. All these inventions stand on the shoulders of previous advances.
That’s why many technologists think about invention as a combinatorial process—a walk through the entire space of technological permutations. To find a new invention, simply combine various old technologies in a new way.
At least, that’s the idea. But how to test the extent to which it is true? Today, we find out thanks to the work of Hyejin Youn at University of Oxford in the UK and a few pals. These guys have studied the nature of invention and say that there is good evidence that it is indeed a combinatorial process, at least in part.
There are work relies on data gathered by the US Patent Office, which uses an elaborate system of technology codes to classify the technologies responsible for an invention’s novelty. Inventions that rely on a single technology have a single code. But those that rely on several technologies are given a combination of codes.
That opens up the possibility of an interesting study, they say. Since the US Patent Office records go back to 1790, it ought to be possible to see how the combination of codes has changed over time. In particular, these records should reveal to what extent invention is the refinement of existing combinations of technologies and to what extent it is the result of new combinations of technologies.
And that’s exactly what these guys have done. “To do this we treat patented inventions as carriers of technologies and avail ourselves of the elaborate system of technology codes used by the US Patent Office to classify the technologies responsible for an invention’s novelty,” say Youn and co.
For each invention, they count the number of technology codes associated with it. That allows them to study the way the number of inventions and the combination of technologies they rely on has changed with time.
So, to what extent do inventions rely on completely new combinations of technology codes? If most inventions were entirely new, the percentage should be high.
On the other hand, if most inventions are merely revised and improved versions of existing technologies, then they would depend on previously existing combinations of technologies.
The results give an interesting insight into this question. They suggest that some 40 per cent of new inventions rely on previously existing combinations of technologies while about 60 per cent introduce entirely new combinations of technologies.
That has important implications. One idea is that new inventions can come about through a random walk through the space of all possible permutations of technologies. But the fact that 40 per cent reuse previously existing combinations suggests that invention is not the result of this kind of random search.
Indeed, Youn and co point out that certain parts of the combinatorial space are excluded for reasons of practicality, thereby ruling out inventions such as exploding prosthetics or espresso-making toothbrushes.
What’s more, certain technology “phenotypes”– particular operating systems, dimensions of roads and so on– limit the types of technologies that can later be useful. And this places another important bound on the types of inventions likely to be useful.
For these and other reasons, the number of inventions is a vastly smaller than the almost infinite space allowed by combinations of technologies. “The huge gap between the possible and the actual number of combinations indicates that only a small subset of combinations become inventions,” they say.
There is an interesting comparison here between the way inventions and DNA–based organisms have evolved. Biological evolution is another combinatorial process that relies on only a small number of building blocks–the protein-coding genes—combined together in lots of different ways. That’s not unlike the way inventions rely on a relatively small number of technologies combined in different ways.
What’s more, biological evolution is path-dependent since the success of an adaptation depends on the order in which it follows other changes. And it is one that is ultimately determined by selection.
Youn and co say there is more work to be done in studying the link between these combinatorial processes. “Studying patent, comparative and systemic records of inventions, will open a way to make quantitative assessments for a counterpart of these features of biological evolution in technological evolution,” they say.
Perhaps. But either way, the use of big data to study the nature of invention has significant potential. There are surely more jewels to be found in them thar hills.
Ref: arxiv.org/abs/1406.2938 : Invention as a Combinatorial Process: Evidence from U.S. Patents |
Biggest players in shutdown drama raised big bucks in Q3
House Speaker John Boehner may have had a rough couple of weeks with a shutdown that's made him a lightning rod for public anger over gridlock in Washington, but the Ohio Republican is still one of the biggest political money magnets in town.
Preliminary returns of campaign finance reports filed this month with the Federal Election Commission and analyzed with Sunlight's new Real-Time FEC tracker show Boehner lapping the field in fundraising for the third quarter. Among the committees that raised the most money during the three-month period that ended Sept. 30, No. 1 and No. 2 are Boehner's: Even accounting for a $573,600 from Boehner for Speaker to Friends of John Boehner, the combined total is nearly $8 million.
A few caveats:
The list of top fundraisers could change once the FEC begins to process third quarter campaign finance reports from Senate candidates, who still file their accounts on paper, requiring government employees to reenter the data electronically before it becomes available;
Because books on the third quarter closed the day before the government shutdown began, they don't reflect the impact of that drama on politicians' bottom lines.
Even so, it's noteworthy that the top five fundraisers among committees that have filed so far are all linked to key players in the shutdown drama. Joint fundraising committees tied to two potential rivals for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas, ranked No. 3 and No. 7 on the top money raising list. Former GOP vice presidential nominee, Rep. Paul Ryan, placed fifth. And even in the process of shutting down, President Barack Obama's formidable fundraising machine, Obama for America, placed No. 4 with nearly $1.4 million in receipts. The Obama committee made more than $311,000 by renting its valuable contributor lists to Organizing for Action, the dark money group that spun out of the president's campaign, and A.B. Data, a firm that advertises itself as a partner to nonprofits and left-leaning causes.
Within hours of the FEC's midnight deadline for monthly filers (committees that report on a quarterly schedule filed Tuesday), Sunlight was able to identify committees that raised the most money in the last quarter as well as those ending the quarter with the most money in the bank thanks to our Real-Time FEC tool, an addition to Influence Explorer that allows users to search and sort campaign filings for the 2014 cycle and to set up alerts that will notify them every time a committee files at the FEC. To determine the biggest fundraisers of the period, we set the filters to capture all committees that filed third quarter reports and set them to appear in order of amount of money raised. The image below shows how.
Ordering the committees by those with the most cash on hand produces a different list: The House candidate with the most money in the bank isn't a candidate at all: Former Rep. Marty Meehan, D-Mass., hasn't held public office since 2007, when he resigned his House seat to become chancellor of the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. Yet he's still sitting on more than $4.5 million in campaign cash.
For leadership PACs, we took a look at who is heading into the fourth quarter with the most cash on hand. Leader of the PAC (pun intended): Sen. Richard Shelby's Defend America PAC with $4.5 million. Shelby is the top-ranking Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee and a former chairman of the Banking Committee, on which he still serves. Rubio's Reclaim America PAC also makes the list of committees with the biggest bankrolls as does that of another potential 2016 GOP presidential hopeful, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., with RAND PAC. Also in the top 10: |
There is a perception among those who support Donald Trump that those conservatives who don’t revel in their own purity – that we feel good about sitting this one out, if we do indeed sit it out. That’s nonsense. It’s absolutely gut-churning to think about not voting against Hillary Clinton by voting for Trump. I’d love nothing better than to jump on the Trump Train.
But here’s the problem: the last stop on the Trump Train is the slaughterhouse for conservatism. And Trump's most ardent supporters prove that every single day.
Those of us who have serious reservations about voting for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton in November believe that Trump will take a hacksaw to conservatism itself. We fear that Trump as de facto leader of the conservative movement will gut the movement like a tauntaun, then wear around its skin as a prize.
We look at how Herbert Hoover’s brand of “conservatism” – really a mashup of big government interventionism and isolationism, very much like Trumpism – branded conservatism a disaster area for two generations. We look at how Richard Nixon’s brand of “conservatism” – economic interventionism combined with ad hoc foreign policy – destroyed conservatism until the black swan rise of Ronald Reagan, which resulted from the 1964 movement started by Barry Goldwater’s catastrophic loss. And we all know how George W. Bush poisoned the conservative brand, leading to the rise of Obamaism and Sandersism.
More importantly, we worry that Trump cares nothing for the constitution, that for Trump, conservatism is just a word to use casually as a pandering tactic. We fret that Trump’s disdain for free market economics on everything from trade to tax policy will destroy the only hope for a free market conservatism rising again. We are concerned that Trump’s ad hoc authoritarian streak will usher in an era of a new tyrannical consensus from both sides of the aisle.
We’re right to worry about that, because it’s already happening.
On Sunday, I spoke to a crowd in Los Angeles about the election. I expressed my view that Trump would likely be a better president than Hillary over the next four years, but that he would destroy the movement that actually holds hope for the future: conservatism.
One woman stood up and shouted, “We don’t care about conservatism! We need to win!”
This is the siren call of the Trump movement. As Patrick Maines, former assistant publisher of National Review, writes in today’s The Hill, “We have clearly not come, as the liberals of another era used to say, to the end of history, but we may have come, at least for the moment, to the end of ideology.” Or take Peggy Noonan at The Wall Street Journal: “The new Republican Party will not be rebuilt and re-formed in McLean, it will be rebuilt or re-formed in Massapequa.”
Ardent Trump supporters cheer this sentiment.
They ask, “What have conservatives ever done?” That’s the wrong question – conservatism, like any other philosophy, has had its due share of sell-out standardbearers. But conservatism as a philosophy has created the greatest country known to man; ended slavery in the United States; defended the country against the communist threat, and defeated the Soviet slave state; increased living standards faster and more broadly than any movement in human history.
They declare, “But we have to win now!” But Republicans have been winning – Congress in 2010 and 2014, the presidency in 2000 and 2004 – and we’re here nonetheless. Unless those who win represent conservatism, victory is insufficient. As a resident of California, I know this first-hand: I voted for Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 2003 recall election and rejected the far-more-conservative Tom McClintock on precisely this logic. The result: two Schwarzenegger terms, no real change, and the final gelding of the California Republican Party into a permanent minority, with the return of geriatric socialist Jerry Brown.
But all of this is cover for the real rationale for ardent Trump supporters: they want a “strong leader.” Over and over, this phrase appears in pro-Trump timelines. He’ll ignore the rules; he’ll bust up the shop. This is not conservative; it’s destructive of conservatism. And many Trump supporters cheer this openly. They want to replace conservatism with European populism – a borders-only version of conservatism that has no relationship with constitutional philosophy. That is why many of the same people arguing that conservatives have sold them out are solidifying behind a leftist from New York – they like that he’s a leftist. They want a big government Dear Leader to save them. They think he and he alone can Make America Great Again. This is why they cry when conservatives criticize Trump. If Trump's most ardent supporters were actually conservative, they'd thank conservatives for pushing Trump to the right on issues like judicial nominees. But they don't. They cry about criticism of Trump. All criticism of Trump. They're not conservative. They just want someone Strong to Do Something.
For many conservatives, this is the movement we oppose when we oppose Trump. We despise Hillary Clinton as much – more! – than others, given her wild leftism. We agree that she will be a full-scale disaster for the country. But we despise leftism itself more than we despise Hillary Clinton, and that means we will fight the takeover of the only conservative party in America by ad hoc authoritarians to our last breath. |
UPDATE: Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis says memo is misleading; people can't be arrested just for being outside; a Northeastern official agrees. More in the comments.
Residents of at least a couple of Northeastern dorms got a warning tonight from college Residential Life: Don't even think about going outside during or after the Super Bowl:
The anxiety around the city - stay inside! When Boston sports teams were in previous championships, people took to the streets. Some were just walking around to hug or high-five other excited Bostonians, some were cheering – but there was also significant rioting and excessive consumption of alcohol/drugs. This was true surrounding Boston college campuses as well. Near Fenway Park, a college student died tragically during a riot following the World Series in 2004. As a result, the Boston and Northeastern University Police Departments have asked us to keep people inside as much as possible. We don't believe that NU students will behave that way, but do we want you to be safe - being swept into such a crowd is dangerous because you don't have control of the decisions of others and the mood of the crowd can turn without warning. If you do choose to go outside during or after the Superbowl, know that you will likely be questioned and directed to go somewhere indoors as quickly as possible. If you refuse, you are subject to immediate arrest. Since an arrest could have serious consequences with OSCCR, for co-ops & jobs you apply for later, and your visa status if you are an international student ...just stay inside!
The school will be hosting Super Bowl parties for students at various locations on campus. |
You have no idea how many times I finished and fixed, finished and fixed, fixed and finish this thing. :'v
First time I atempt this kind of animation. It was really confusing. Lots of similar layers. Fortunately I noticed in time when I was working on the wrong layer and about to screw everything. Also, "wrong anatomy" is my middle name, but I managed to do it and I'm proud. Yay ! \o/
So, I believe that it works like this: Chara is the strongest human, Gaster is the strongest monster. This because the existence of both goes beyond the layers of reality, both appearing to have unique abilities no other monster or human has.
Added a lot references too. One example, you can see characters who had/have to struggle to let go of the past, and how those same characters died.
I like it. It isn't anything too special, but the hard work was worth it. e.e
All three parts drawn on SAI, and animated on GIMP.
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Undertale © Toby Fox
Artwork by me. |
New Delhi: Amid the sparring over illegal snooping row, BJP today charged the Congress with using "disgruntled" police officer and civil servant along with tweets and taunts by "second row leaders" to target Narendra Modi as it was "cornered" in the leadership battle.
"They (Congress) are back to their old game of detecting a disgruntled police officer or a civil servant and getting him to make absurd charges," senior party leader Arun Jaitley said, a day after suspended IAS officer Pradeep Sharma pleaded the Supreme Court to order a CBI probe against Modi in the snooping controversy.
"This didn`t work when Sanjeev Bhatt (the suspended IPS officer) did it. It won`t work with Congress party?s newly discovered suspended civil servant (Pradeep Sharma) doing it," Jaitley said in a Facebook posting.
Congress has demanded Modi`s resignation as the Gujarat Chief Minister over the alleged illegal surveillance of a woman by state agencies and sought a probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge into the issue.
Jaitley prefaced his remarks today by observing that Congress is on the back foot as far as the leadership battle is concerned as "Rahul Gandhi is no match" for Modi.
"Today it is under the impression that tweets, taunts and press conferences of its` second row leaders will match Modi. This hasn?t worked," he said.
He further went on to add that Congress was in a "dilemma" as it had no answer on how to deal with Modi, who is BJP`s prime ministerial candidate for the Lok Sabha polls.
"In Gujarat, the party has flip-flopped. Either they are very aggressive against him or alternatively they pretend that he doesn?t exist. In the 2012 state assembly elections they could not project a leader to match him. They hired a young brand Ambassador to counter him," he said. |
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American TV and comedy star Lea DeLaria will lead out this year’s Manchester Pride Parade as the event’s Grand Marshal.
Lea has achieved global fame with her stand out role as Big Boo in the hit US TV series Orange is the New Black, and will jet in from the States to take on the role of Grand Marshal at the parade on Saturday, August 23.
She follows in the footsteps of the likes of Sir Ian McKellen, who has previously led out the parade.
Mark Fletcher, Chief Executive of Manchester Pride, said: “We’re excited that Lea will be leading this year’s parade through Manchester City Centre. We’ve loved watching her in Orange is the New Black.
“Not only is she an incredible performer but she’s an inspiration for the global LGBT community. We know she’ll bring her unique charm and personality to really get the crowd going and kickstart the parade with a bang.”
As Grand Marshal of the parade, Lea will lead the parade through the streets of Manchester alongside patrons of Manchester Pride.
In 1993, DeLaria was the first openly gay comic to perform on television in America, after which she gained a reputation as a global gay icon.
Prior to her success on Orange is the New Black, she appeared in numerous television series, including Will and Grace and Friends and had film roles in The First Wives Club, Edge Of Seventeen and Attack Of The Big Haired Lesbians.
Lea said: “It’s an honour to be invited to marshal the Manchester Pride parade. I can’t wait to return to Manchester. The girls there are really hot!”
The theme for the 2014 Manchester Pride Parade is LOVE, which is being rolled out across the festival, whether it be to honour the same sex marriage act, or challenge the final pieces of the legislation.
The charity is calling for participants to celebrate and embrace their love with the city.
This year’s parade is expected to consist of around 3,500 people from across Greater Manchester, with almost 100 entries, from small community groups, to large commercial organisations all expressing their support to the LGBT community.
The procession will weave its way through the city centre, following a one-mile route, as thousands of visitors are expected to line the streets of Manchester. Past themes have included Heroes, Through the Decades and last year’s Acceptable in the 80s .
A host of big names including All Saints, Anastacia and Conchita Wurst will perform in Manchester during the Big Weekend, presented in partnership with G-A-Y. They will be joined by Pixie Lott, Foxes, MNEK, Neon Jungle and many more.
The Parade is a free event that is part of the wider Manchester Pride festival.
Tickets for the Big Weekend are currently priced at £22 for a weekend ticket, day tickets are also on sale and start at £12.50. Child’s Day & Weekend tickets are now on sale too, for more information at www.manchesterpride.com/tickets. |
I was on ET Now today, and I spoke of a few things that might be of interest.
1. Defence stocks are a longer term bet:
It may not come in the short term but there are two big bets here. One is that defence expenditure might come equal or more in the budget. Another thing is that they are opening up a little bit. So short-term news is there but longer term, the fact that the sector is opening up and it has not opened up like forever is probably a good sign. A lot of good things might happen.
I probably weaselled out a little here. But the sector is very interesting, with BEML, Bharat Forge, BEL and the like making for higher market cap plays. Smallcaps will
2. Crude makes Auto look good, Agri-Chems are doing well, not touching Housing Fin
Two points here:
Before 2007, we saw 30% correction once every two years. So a 10% correction is fairly normal for Indian markets. The fact that we have not had a 10% correction since September 2013 means that it is just out there, waiting to happen sometime. That would be healthy. We are not overpriced, but a 10% correction is what should happen to markets every once in a while, at least to Indian markets. I think we are in abnormal period of low volatility. So this might just be the beginning of some volatility.
and
One of them is the auto space. The rubber and the tyre manufacturers are being helped with crude. We are trying to find some good entries into that space. We have found a small cap two wheelers and three wheeler tyre manufacturer in TVS Srichakra. It has run up quite a bit. We still feel that there is some move left in that stock. We still hold Apollo. There is some exposure in that sector. We are looking at agrochemicals which seems to have done quite well. PI Industries and Bayer Cropscience have done more than 10-11% in the last month. They are moving, starting to show some momentum. In a downturn, signs of upward momentum gives you stocks that are really strong. That is why we would like to pick some of those stocks.
3. HDFC Bank is good, But we don’t expect Banking to Outperform
Interest rates for all practical purposes have come down. It is just that their credit is still not growing.The banks are able to borrow at 1% lower in the wholesale markets then they were able to do in June. Today Bank CD yields are 8.2% versus 9.2% in June. Banks have reduced their deposit rates.In the short term, their margins may increase, but credit growth is not happening. They are not able to reduce. They are not willing to reduce their credit rates. This actually points to some kind of incongruency. I do not like this kind of thing that says well everything is positive but credit growth is not moving.
4. We do not expect great results from Infy.
I do not expect a lot of good things in the results. At best, I expect that Infosys might actually be a better performer than TCS, WiproBSE 0.56 % or an HCL Tech. That is just expectations based on what we have been hearing out there. In the longer term, we want to see more efficiency from these companies, and for them to be more relevant.
5. Auto attractive after fall in crude prices.
The crude fall is really helpful in giving us a sense of whether this is the right time to pick up auto stocks. They have corrected a little bit. Some of the stocks we like are M&M for instance. It is still in a mode that says it is not overpriced.
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The National Hockey League and its games are nearing their last leg in the United States. There are several reasons behind this, but it should be mentioned that with only six teams in the league, there was very little interest in hockey in the United States to begin with. While there are die hard fans in the original cities with teams, such as New York, Chicago, Detroit, and Boston, the die hard interest of 20,000 fans is not enough to support an entire league.
Television is what drives the success of many sports to the top of the entertainment industry. To the untrained eye, hockey is perhaps the worst sport to watch. The natural progression of the game is lightening fast, which can leave many newcomers to the sport blinking and wondering just what transpired. Often times, the puck is too small to be picked up by the camera, and it always disappears during goals, which means several replays recounting different angles of many plays have to be shown in order for people to under stand exactly what happened.
Another problem with hockey is the US announcers during these matches. For any veteran hockey fan, some of the commentary which is supplied by these men can border on televised journalism, instead of comments on the match at hand. In addition, the nomenclature which surrounds a hockey game is confusing, and to man first time watchers, it can be entirely foreign. Comments such as back-checking, half-boards, and others make no sense to hockey newbies, and often times, many of the American announcers themselves are entirely unfamiliar with how to call the game. Canadian announcers don’t seem to have this problem, but there are relatively few of them who announce American hockey, and so this is a major problem in the sport.
Another problem which exists is that all of the players are pretty much Anglo-Saxon, Scandinavian, or Russian, with very difficult names to pronounce. After the season ends, these players disappear back to their homeland and are not heard of again until it is time for training camp. Because of the high ratio of Hispanic and African-Americans in the United States, its clear why hockey is not a popular sport with these groups. They traditionally do not play hockey as children, and as such, they feel no fan loyalty to the game, and there is no reason for any of them to take up watching it as a hobby or a past time.
Aside from these demographics, the entire game of hockey is a mess which is very hard to follow unless you’re a coach, former players, or a referee. Fans who have grown up watching and playing games may have no trouble following along, but for the majority of Americans who have never been exposed to a hockey game, it can be downright boring to watch, no matter how exciting the action is supposed to be.
These reasons work to compound onto one another, and slowly, they’re choking the life out of hockey in the United States. |
MEPs have voted in favour of an interim report on the creation of a European public prosecutor's office (EPPO). For a number of years, the commission has been working on the establishment of an independent body that would take charge of investigating and prosecuting offences under the EU budget, something that currently falls under the competence of the member states.
The commission estimates that fraud against EU financial interests, for example falsely claiming subsidies, results in an annual loss of over €500m.
Rapporteur Monica Macovei said, "we must protect our citizens' money, as all the money is in the same basket. We will lose out if we don't fight against these criminal activities".
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MEPs need 'zero-tolerance' approach to fraud and corruption
The EPP deputy explained that "the EPPO will be the guardian of our citizens' money […] and will bring cases forward before the competent courts in compliance with national legal systems, protecting taxpayers' money and restoring people's trust in the EU institutions."
Nevertheless, the Romanian MEP stressed that "member states' law enforcement authorities will not be replaced" by this new office, but that it will simply be an additional tool to assist them in their work.
She underlined that the EPPO would "bring a real added value as it will be able to carry out independent investigations with streamlined procedures in cross-border cases and in full respect of the fundamental rights of the suspects in criminal proceedings".
Parliament's S&D group welcomed the outcome of the vote, but their group spokesperson on the issue Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann insisted that "the EPPO must work independently from any political influence, there must be a clear division of competence between the EPPO and the national authorities and we need a high standard of procedural rights for suspected or accused persons".
Tanja Fajon, a vice-chair of the Socialist group, said, "law enforcement against these crimes is insufficient. If national authorities don't take action, we will have to foot the bill. That's why generally we support the creation of an EPPO. But we are not issuing the member states a blank cheque for our consent at the end of the legislative process".
She highlighted that, "the European parliament has a key role in the establishment of the EPPO - without our consent, there will be no such institution".
Jan Albrecht, Greens/EFA group spokesperson on justice and home affairs, pointed out that "the EU prosecutor cannot be allowed to act unilaterally. Any decision on, for example, the choice of jurisdiction or on indictment or the closure of a case must first be reviewed by a court".
He added, "the report also highlights the importance of ensuring uniform and consistent rights for defendants so legal standards cannot be circumvented by picking and choosing the legal regime most favourable to a case". |
Eric Hites, the fat guy who is making his way across America on a bike at the speed of glacial displacement, will be able to see himself on the Dr. Phil show today. But it seems Eric is angry at the outcome of his big media appearance. He is claiming the Dr. Phil Show misrepresented what his episode would be about, and then manipulated him into making himself look bad.
They led me In to help me face my bullies, they flat out lied and then did edits and made me do things I normally wouldn’t do…Then made me buy my lunch at a gas station who had no health food.
It seems Dr. Phil confronted Eric and pals about why he’s spent an estimated $20k in donations to basically fiddle fart around the country accomplishing nothing real. Dr. Phil also apparently brought out some of Eric’s intarwebs critics so they could have some big confrontation scene, I guess. I don’t know the details of what went down, but if you listen to Eric tell it he was intentionally humiliated and #drphilisaliar etc.
Anyway, the episode airs today so get your popcorn gifs ready for when Dr. Phil viewers find Eric’s facebook page. |
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Sidesword
Guards
Guardia d’Intrare – Entering Guard
This is a problematic term because we want to use it in too many different ways. In dall’Agocchie, it is merely Guardia di Faccia with the true edge turned outwards (right side for right-handers) instead of inwards.
In Marozzo, the long edge is turned downwards as can be seen in this illustration:
At some point we as a club also got the idea that Guardia d’Intrare is equivalent to Left Steer (a.k.a. Left Ochs). I cannot find any supporting evidence for this, which is frustrating because we would like an Italian term for that posture. For lack of a better term, let’s call it Left Alicorno.
Porta di Ferro – Iron Gate
For those of us who study both dall’Agocchie and Manciolino, it is important to note that they are using two different Porta di Ferro. In Manciolino, the sword is centered above the right knee, which dall’Agocchie has it to the inside just as if it were Cingiara Porta di Ferro.
I suspect the difference is the buckler, as the sword doesn’t need to protect the left side when the buckler is extended.
Note that the pommel should be angled such enough that the pommel is pointing just past the side. If the pommel is pointing towards the body, it will guide the opponent’s sword into one’s own flank. Conversely, if the pommel is too wide then it will leave more of the center exposed and make it take longer to reposition when protecting the right.
Cutting
Last week we looked at the basic Mandritto. This week we looked at the Riverso. To recap,
Starting in Coda Lunga e Stretta (left-foot forward) Rotate the hand into Alicorno, keeping the arm extended and the point towards the opponent. Drop the point into Guardia di Testa Loop it around into Alta While passing forward, cut diagonally through Guardia di Faccia/d’Intrare End in Porta di Ferro Stretta
For the Riverso,
Starting in Porta di Ferro Stretta with the right foot forward and the blade diagonally across the body, point towards the opponent. Rotate the hand into our Left Alicorno, keeping the arm extended and the point towards the opponent. Let the point fall to the right Loop it around into Alta While passing forward, cut diagonally through Guardia di Faccia/d’Intrare End back in Coda Lunga e Stretta
As you can see, this gives us a simple flow drill for practicing the two basic cuts.
Note: if you are having difficulty imagining step 3 of the Riverso, it will look something like Hutton’s Parry of High Octave, though not quite so exaggerated.
Drills
Parry with Falso Drito
This is a good exercise because it stresses the need for a limber wrist.
Now I want to advise you that when you’re in motion to hit the enemy’s blow with a falso dritto and want to wound with a mandritto, that you should immediately turn your wrist downwards and your body behind your right side. By doing this you’ll hit the enemy’s sword almost with your true edge. And in the same tempo you’ll turn a dritto tramazzone, so that you’ll be more secure, because you’ll distance the enemy’s sword further from you, and also come to parry and strike almost in one tempo. Moreover, your sword will always be in your adversary’s presence. But you need to have a limber body and a very fast wrist, because otherwise it will do you no good.
— dall’Agocchie
For this drill, the agent will be performing our basic mandritto against a patient waiting in Coda Lunga with the right foot forward. Practice the parry as a strong, snapping motion first.
Once you have the basic parry down, add in the footwork. In this case you will compass the left foot behind and towards the right such that the body rotates away from the parried blow for extra protection.
Next is the down-turning of the wrist. This happens after the parry, not during, but can overlap with the compass step. It is hard to explain, so until we have a video you’ll just have to ask in class.
Then complete the Tramazzone as a Mandritto to the head or arm, ending in Porta di Ferro. Step as necessary with the right foot.
Parry with Guardia di Testa
This is a repeat from last week. I noticed that if your cut after the parry is aimed for the arm, it is much more likely to land than if you aim for the head. The latter, is simply more easily defended with either a high Coda Lunga or Hutton’s Parry of High Octave.
Other Terminology
Girata – Turn
When your rear foot passes behind and beyond your front foot, you have performed a Girata. If the rear merely goes behind, but not past, the front then it is a compass.
In Bolognese fencing we do not use the Girata. From our perspective, that is exclusively a 17th century rapier technique. (Though to be honest, Agrippa uses it against the Bolognese in the mid-16th century.)
Longsword
Today we wrapped up our look at Meyer’s Sample Device.
Terminology
Today we looked at two ways the opponent can flee the bind that arises from the second Zwerch (Thwart): Umbschlagen and Wechseln.
Umbschlagen – Striking Around
This is usually translated as “striking around”. However, according the to Collins dictionary it should be translated as “to turn over”, “to turn up”, or “to fold or turn back”. Google Translate includes those and adds to “double back”, “turn down”, or “veer round”. So it seems to me that this is when you back out of the bind to strike another opening.
It is called striking around with the sword when, having bound from your right against his left, you go back out of that bind and strike around or flick to the other side.
— Joachim Meyer
Wechseln – Changing
Translated as “changing”, this is when you go under your opponent’s sword. Essentially it is a form of disengage, and as such you have to be very careful about the timing lest you leave yourself open for a thrust.
Changing demands an experienced combatant, for he who changes inexpertly and not at the right time only delays himself and makes himself open without cause. But for him who is experienced in combat and knows how to use changing, it is an artful work, and appropriate to execute against those who only work toward the sword and not toward the body. Now changing is diverse: changing in the Onset from one side to another, changing before the Onset from one guard to another, also in the Onset to change through against the cut. Thus in the Onset deliver a straight Wrath or High Cut from your right at your opponent’s left side. If he cuts at your sword and not at your body, then in the cut, let your point slip through underneath with crossed hands; step and cut long in to the other upper opening. But be careful that he does not catch you or plant his weapon upon you by chasing. Likewise in the Onset come into the Longpoint and extend it long in front of you. If he cuts against your sword and intends to strike it out or wind, then let your point sink through underneath, and work at his other side. If he slips after it and intends to parry, then change through again, either until you have an opening or else until you come upon a suitable work with which you can cut.
— Joachim Meyer
Schneiden – Slicing
This is also one of the true core techniques in the handwork; for when your opponent rushes upon you with quick and swift devices, you can stop and hinder him with no other technique better than with the slice, which you should hold in stock for yourself among all techniques as a particular gem to discover. Now you must execute the slice thus: After you have caught your opponent’s sword with the bind, you shall remain there to feel whether he intends to withdraw from the bind or strike around. As soon as he strikes around, then pursue him with the long edge on his arm; push him back from you with your forte or shield, let your weapon fly, and cut to the nearest opening before he can recover.
— Joachim Meyer
Hendtrucken – Pressing Hands
Pressing hands strongly resembles the slices on the arm, concerning which I have spoken above, since it is always executed as with the High and Low Slice. For example, if an opponent overruns you with cloddish blows, then go under his stroke with the Crown, or else a high parrying, or go under him with hanging, and catch his sword on the flat of your blade. And when you come under his sword, then if he goes back up from your weapon with his stroke, see that you pursue him with your forte, and fall on him with your shield from below in front of his fists, so that you get them with the forte of your blade. Push him up away from you with your shield, and cut long toward the opening.
— Joachim Meyer
Drills
Leaving the Bind in the Example Device
Perform the example device thru the patient’s second Zwerch, which the agent shall parry.
At this point, the agent may respond with one of two actions:
Umbschlagen: Fold back your blade just far enough to power a strike to the right of the patient’s head. Wechseln: Let your point fall to your right, slipping it below the patient’s point. Cut immediately to the left of the patient’s head, stepping as necessary to clear his point.
The Wechseln is much easier to perform when the patient’s Zwerch is shallow, as a steeply angled Zwerch requires the agent’s sword to move further to clear the point.
The timing of the Wechseln is tight; once you begin you may not hesitate without exposing yourself to a thrust or blind cut.
Slicing in the Example Device
Regardless of how the agent leaves the bind, the patient should respond by dropping the blade on his opponent’s arms before he can power his blow. Immediately slice the arms by pushing forward, continuing onto the pressing of the hands once the hilt meets his hilt or arm.
Hendtrucken against Kron
This is a variation of the technique described by Meyer.
The agent begins in any high guard, the agent in any low guard. The agent shall throw an Oberhau (vertical high cut) that the patient will parry with Kron. As soon as the blades clash, the agent shall step forward, pushing the arms diagonally up against the opponent’s hands or hilt. Complete the technique with a pommel strike to the face.
The angle of the push is important. If you push straight forward, you won’t move your opponent at all unless he is significantly smaller or already unbalanced. If you push straight up, you just expose your own face for a pommel strike. By pushing at a roughly 45-degree angle, you can unbalance a larger opponent while opening them up for the pommel strike.
As you perform the push or Hendtrucken, keep good wrist alignment with your own pommel pointed more or less at your own belly. It is important that you resist the urge to prematurely present your pommel. When the pommel goes forward, you lose your wrist structure and your arms will be easy to collapse. (This isn’t a concern after the push, as your opponent is busy trying to regain his balance.)
Hendtrucken in the Example Device
In the textbook version of the example device, you follow the Hendtrucken with a short-edged, cross-armed strike to the top of the head. But this assumes that your opponent stumbles backwards.
If your opponent stands firm and too close to cut, then we should deviate from the device and instead use a pommel strike to the face.
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Fallen Smith Rock climber rescued
TERREBONNE, Ore. - Rescuers and medics spent several hours Sunday treating and bringing down a Smith Rock climber from Portland who lost his footing and fell about 30 feet down a rock face, leaving him injured and suspended about 200 feet off the ground, officials said.
Forrest Koran, 24, apparently lost his footing and was stopped from falling further by his belay (safety gear and partner). The initial call to Deschutes County 911 dispatchers around 12:20 p.m. said Koran had fallen 50 to 100 feet and may have been seriously hurt, said sheriff's Deputy Jeff Winters, assistant Search and Rescue coordinator.
Dispatchers were told Koran was caught by his belayer (climbing partner), identified as Suruthai (Noon) Pokaratsiri-Goldstein, 27, of Sandy, Oregon, Winters said. Rescuers later learned the pair were part of a large group of Mazamas, a climbing group from the Portland area, who were training and climbing in the area over the weekend.
A team of 13 SAR volunteers responded to Smith Rock State Park, joined by a park ranger and several Redmond Fire & Rescue personnel who answer many calls at the popular climbing spot.
SAR ground and mountain rescue teams arrived at the park and packed climbing, medical and rescue gear to the top of the climbing area, a ridge above where Koran was hanging, Winters said.
Around 2:25 p.m., a SAR member was lowered to the two climbers' location, secured their positions and made the first assessment of Koran's injuries. He was reported to be conscious and alert and talking to his rescuers.
A second SAR member was then lowered to the spot with a rescue basket and "scooped" (loaded) Koran into the basket, Winters said.
Once he was secured, a SAR member and Koran were lowered the nearly 200 feet to the canyon floor, where more SASR members and Redmond fire personnel took Koran to a waiting Life Flight helicopter, staged at the park's footbridge, the deputy said.
Around 4:40 p.m., Koran was flown to St. Charles Bend with what Winters said were non-life-threatening injuries. A nursing supervisor said he was in serious condition Sunday night, but a hospital spokeswoman said Monday morning that he had been released.
Once Koran made it to the ground, his partner and the other SAR member on the rock face with her then were raised to the top of the climbing area. Noon reported no injuries and was able to hike out with the other SAR members.
Noon told deputies Koran had made the same climb at least once before. As for losing his footing, Noon said the rock's surface was dry at the time, despite periodic showers in the area on Sunday, and was unsure what caused him to slip.
The last SAR volunteers hiked out and left the climbing spot around 7 p.m., nearly seven hours after the initial call-out. They headed back to the sheriff's office in Bend to repack their gear for the next mission, Winters said. |
“Unnecessary fear of a bad decision is a major stumbling block to good decisions.” ~Jim Camp
Twenty years ago, my wife and I decided to move from Montréal, where we had lived for the first 35 years of our lives, to Nova Scotia, 800 miles away, where we had no connections whatsoever. Neither a small decision, nor undertaking, since this involved our four kids and the entire contents of our house (not to mention a dog and two cats!)
Why were we moving? We were not moving because of a job opportunity; we enjoyed the life we had in Montréal. And there was nothing—as far as we knew—waiting for us in Nova Scotia. Nothing, except our future, the next stage of our lives.
But we both had a strong, clear feeling—a felt sense—that it was time to leave. And we both had a strong, clear feeling that Nova Scotia was the right place to move to. Simple as that.
There were lots of reasons to think that we shouldn’t make this move and take all the risks involved. In the year before we moved, every attempt I made at getting work there fell through. Every attempt I made at finding a house to rent fell through. It was literally only three weeks before we moved that we finally had a place to move to!
There was plenty of worry, stress, and anxiety, plenty of thoughts saying that this was a bad decision.
By this point in my life, though, I had learned to listen to my intuition, and to the signals of my heart, to guide me in my life choices.
I had learned not let my thoughts (that is to say, my worries, doubts, fears, anxieties, and apprehensions) paralyze me in my decision-making. I had learned to have more confidence in what my body felt than in what my mind said.
There was a time when I would have wasted a lot of time and energy debating back and forth, and then made a choice I was neither sure was the right one, nor fully happy with. For the first three decades or more of my life, I was a person who struggled intensely with making choices and decisions.
I was usually afraid of making the wrong choice, and unsure of how to know whether I was making the right choice. Aside from any question about “right versus wrong” choices, I worried about what others would think, or how others would feel, if I made this or that choice.
This indecision, this self-doubt, resulted in significant stress and anxiety—sometimes, to the point of feeling too paralyzed to act at all—as well as resulting in wasted time, lost opportunities, and regrets.
Over the years, I worked in therapy on overcoming anxiety and other issues, and learned and practiced meditation and mindfulness, and yoga. Over time, and with consistent practice, I gradually learned how to find a calm center in the midst of those conflicted thoughts.
I also learned how to tune into my heart, with heart-focused meditations.
I discovered that my heart would always tell me what I really needed. There was always one clear answer from the heart, about what was right for me in any given situation. And when I experimented with acting on those choices, the outcomes were always good, and I never felt doubt or regret. There was a consistent sense of acting in alignment with my true self, my true purpose…my truth.
The fundamental basis for this approach to making decisions is mindfulness. Being mindful means being able to “sink down” below the turbulent surface of thoughts, projections, fears, and perceptions that all clamour for my attention when I have a decision to make. It means having a still center from which I can then be aware of the quieter, and subtler, signals in my body, my heart.
When you mindfully tune into your heart, when you separate from your thoughts and emotional reactions, you discover that the heart has a very clear, although sometimes, a very subtle, way of saying “yes” and “no.”
A sensation or feeling of opening, relaxing, warmth, moving toward, is a “Yes.” A feeling or sensation of closing, hardening, pulling back, tensing is a “No.”
I have learned to trust that this response from the heart tells me what is best for my overall, integral being, for my physical health, my mental health, my social relationships, my family relationships, and the unfolding of my life purpose.
Mindfulness is the basis from which this approach to decision-making stems, but making decisions this way as a practice also enhances my ability to be mindful in everyday life.
It is an exercise in letting go of attachment—attachment to desires and fears; attachment to expectations of myself, of others, or of the future; attachment to thoughts about what I “should” do; attachment to what other people might think and feel.
Most of our stress, anxiety, indecision, and doubt around making decisions is rooted in fear. We fear unknown outcomes, or we fear negative outcomes that we project might happen.
Fear reactions always serve to dissociate us from our true and integral Self in the moment.
In his book The Biology of Belief, Bruce Lipton talks about how a cell is either in defence mode or in growth mode; it cannot be in both at once. The same is true psychologically.
If we are—even just in our thoughts—engaged in fear, and trying to defend ourselves from negative outcomes, then the choices we make will be based in trying to protect ourselves from whatever it is we fear; they will not be grounded in hope, confidence, and faith; they will not be conducive to growth and thriving.
It isn’t necessarily easy to resist the fear, and to listen to your heart. Our brains are wired to prioritize safety; this means that the brain will pay attention to fear and let it guide our thinking. It takes practice and perseverance to find a calm center beneath and within the fear; it is the work of mindfulness, applied to actions.
Mindfulness is fundamental as it trains you to detach from the narrative of the fear-based thoughts. But making decisions to act in ways that challenge those fears takes the challenge up a notch.
Part of the solution is reminding yourself of what has always happened in the past when you acted according to these fears. You will find that there is always some kind of dissatisfaction or disappointment, if not outright frustration, that resulted.
Part of the solution is working on reducing those fears (try Energy Psychology techniques or, my favorite, Logosynthesis); and part of the solution is in “feeling the fear and doing it anyways”—pushing through the fear, and experiencing the positive outcomes.
I have come to make all my decisions in this heart-centered way, and I have never been disappointed. On the one hand, I can say that I have never been disappointed because the outcome has always been good.
On the other hand, there is a feeling that comes simply from making a decision this way, based on a felt response in the body, where I physically experience my body saying yes or no, that allows me to detach from expectations about the outcome altogether, and to feel good and confident about my decision, regardless of the outcome.
I feel good and strong simply because I am making the decision that I know is right for me.
The outcomes we wish for are not always the outcomes we need, or that will be best for us. The outcomes we wish for are often based in a sense of lack, longing, or insufficiency. In my emotional heart I may fear, I may want to avoid something, or I may long for something, desire it.
In my energetic heart, the response will not be based on any sense of fear, avoidance, lack, or insufficiency. It is based in a consistent, integral sense of Self, in relationship to others, to the world, and to life itself.
I used to be afraid of confrontation, or even of risking a confrontation by displeasing people. So when it became clear that the dynamics of my (birth) family’s gatherings were too stressful for my wife, and detrimental to her well-being, I was forced to look at it more closely and acknowledge that I felt uncomfortable in those situations, as well.
I had the usual reaction: “But it’s my family! I can’t just decide not to go for Christmas!” But in my heart I felt clearly that the right choice was to stop attending. Having to take this action and tell them caused me a lot of anxiety.
I was afraid of the anger and rejection I felt certain would come of it. I delayed and avoided.
When I did tell them, I was met with confusion, anger, and blame. The response I feared did happen. What didn’t happen is what I really feared—that I would not be okay if they were unhappy with me.
I was okay…We were okay. It made my relationship stronger because my wife knew I would take her needs seriously, and act on them, even though it was uncomfortable for me. It made me stronger, because it helped me to realize that even if I made other people unhappy, I could still be okay.
Knowing I was making the right choice for myself, there was a clear distinction between what other people might think was “right” or “wrong,” and what I knew in my heart.
Letting go of fear opened me up to growth.
The more you practice decision-making in this way, the more you develop an incredible sense of freedom, an ability to move in this world in a way that is true to yourself and to your life purpose. It helps to cultivate the “courageous self-acceptance” and the “fearless heart” described in Buddhist teachings.
And when making your decisions becomes clearer, less stressful, and less conflicted, it makes your relationships with others a lot easier. You let go of people pleasing, of guilt, of feeling like you have to explain yourself or even to compromise yourself and make decisions that aren’t right for you.
You may be afraid that if you act according to your heart, you will make people angry. And that may be exactly what happens. But your great fears of the consequences of people being angry with you never happen. You realize that even if you have to deal with loss, you have regained something of yourself.
Relationships become simpler as you feel a sense of wholeness, of integrity. You know you are acting with integrity, and so you feel comfortable affirming your choices. You feel less defensive when people disagree with you. This is a freedom we should all wish for each other, and grant each other.
And, in case you were wondering, nineteen years later, we still love living in Nova Scotia. It is home now, and we would never think of leaving. Within a couple of months of moving here I was working full-time. It has been a great place to live, to work and to raise our children and we would never think of leaving.
Our hearts drew us to a place that became home in a way that the place we grew up and began our adult lives in could never quite be. Our hearts drew us to our destinies.
About Philippe Isler Philippe Isler, MA is a licensed Psychologist with a full-time in private practice in Nova Scotia, Canada. Philippe has almost 30 years of personal and professional experience integrating mindfulness, personal growth, self-realization, psychotherapy and spiritual practice. Philippe is the author of: Listen to Your Heart: Using Mindfulness to Make Choices That Are Right for You. |
Tension prevailed in Jobat town in the district on Wednesday after members of two communities hurled stones at each other over alleged damage to saffron flags put up near a church and subsequent breaking of lamps at its gate by a mob of right wing outfits, police said.
Police have arrested six persons, including three suspected members of right-wing organisations for allegedly damaging the flags put up near the church during Ram Navmi festival.
District unit BJP president Rakesh Agrawal and others have been booked on charges of rioting, defiling place of worship and misbehaving with women under Jobat police station area near here in the early hours today, on the complaints of a pastor of Zion Church and a woman. "The trouble started around 9 PM last night when some people came to us with a complaint that Nirmal Raymond and his brother Nigam Raymond have damaged saffron flags which were put up during Hindu festival of Ram Navmi near the church," Alirajpur district Additional Superintendent of Police Meena Chauhan said.
The officer said the police immediately registered a case against the brothers and sent a Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) to arrest them. "But they (people) kept on accusing us that we are not taking action," she said."While the SDOP was doing his duty in a colony opposite the church, a mob of 500-odd people of right wing organisations reached the spot, following which the duo (Raymond brothers) hid themselves in fear after midnight.Their families locked them inside house," Chauhan said.
She said stones were pelted by members of the two communities at each other. Police then arrested Nirmal, Nigam and one Jitendra under various sections of IPC for obscene act, rioting, defiling place of worship and criminal intimidation.
Meanwhile, the mob broke two or three electricity lamps at the gate of the church before dispersing at around 2.30 AM, the ASP said. According to the officer, Mantu Choubey, Mahendra Rathore and Om Rathore, suspected to be associated with right-wing activists, were arrested.
"We have identified 16 people, including Agrawal, and booked them for rioting and other charges. We have arrested three persons who are believed to be members of right wing organisations. As we don't have enough evidence against Rakesh Agrawal therefore we haven't arrested him," Chauhan said.
They are booked under sections 295 (injuring and defiling place of worship), 427 (mischief), 147 (rioting) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of IPC, besides under section of 506 (criminal intimidation) on the complaint of a Christian woman, she added. |
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The Queen unveiled the sculpture by Paul Day after a "drumhead" service
A memorial dedicated to those who served in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars has been unveiled by the Queen in central London on Thursday.
The sculpture, by Paul Day, also marks the contribution made by civilians in the conflicts. It is formed of two stone monoliths and a bronze medallion.
Its unveiling in Victoria Embankment Gardens followed a service for 2,500 veterans on Horse Guards Parade.
More than 800 UK military personnel and civilians died in the three wars.
47 members of the armed forces died in Iraq in the 1990-91 conflict
179 were killed in the second Iraq war from 2003-09
456 died in Afghanistan between 2001-14
43 UK civilians were killed in the second Iraq war
101 civilians died in Afghanistan
Before the unveiling, the Queen and other members of the Royal Family attended a "drumhead" service - a religious service held in the field of battle which uses drums as an improvised altar - with veterans and other guests.
After the new monument was revealed, the Queen received a posy from the Lunn family - Serjeant Mark Lunn, 29, who was awarded the Military Cross for his actions during a fire-fight in Basra, his wife, Corporal Michelle Lunn, 26, and their two-year-old son Alfie.
But the toddler appeared a little reluctant to meet the monarch, squirming and wriggling as he met her.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Two-year-old Alfie was a little reluctant when he met the Queen
Prince Harry served in the Army for 10 years, including two tours of Afghanistan. Prince William served in the armed forces for eight years.
The guests included current service personnel, veterans, former prime ministers, civil servants and charity workers.
Among those at the service was Tony Blair, whose presence at the ceremony attracted some criticism on social media.
In 2016 the UK's Iraq War inquiry said Tony Blair overstated the threat posed by former Iraq leader Saddam Hussein, sent ill-prepared troops into battle and had "wholly inadequate" plans for the aftermath.
Former prime ministers David Cameron and Sir John Major were also there.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Lt Col Shehan Hettiaratchy: "We kept people alive who should have been dead"
Image copyright PA Image caption The Queen, Prince Philip, Prime Minister Theresa May and Defence Secretary Michael Fallon were among those in attendance
Image copyright PA Image caption Prince Harry served in the Army for 10 years
Image copyright PA Image caption The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also paid tribute to the military and civilians who lost their lives in conflicts
Image copyright PA Image caption Former prime minister Tony Blair drew criticism on social media
The £1m monument was funded by a campaign by the Sun on Sunday newspaper.
The unveiling itself was relayed to screens on Horse Guards Parade.
Mark Collins, a former RAF wing commander who did two tours of Afghanistan, said the memorial would be a focal point where people could reflect on the good that went on overseas as well as the sadness.
He said he would remember a US marine from his team who was killed by a suicide bomber, leaving a physical absence in the team as well as frustration and anger for his loss.
At the scene: BBC correspondent Nick Higham
The sun shone on Horse Guards Parade for the drumhead service.
Bands from the Royal Marines, the Scots Guards and RAF played solemn music.
The Metropolitan Police Choir sang Nearer My God to Thee.
And Prince Harry, himself an Afghanistan veteran, read one of the lessons.
The prime minister looked on, seated close to her three predecessors, John Major, Tony Blair and David Cameron, in office between them throughout the 25 years of conflict.
Afterwards the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh were taken across Whitehall to unveil the memorial itself in Victoria Gardens, between the Ministry of Defence and the Thames.
It towered above the diminutive figure of the Queen, a huge brass disc between two stone pillars by the sculptor Paul Day.
Sculptor Paul Day also created the Battle of Britain monument, which stands nearby on the Embankment, as well as the Meeting Place, the sculpture of an embracing couple in St Pancras station.
This design consists of two large stone monoliths which appear to support a bronze medallion.
The Portland stone, quarried from under Portland's cricket pitch, weighs 33 tonnes.
The stone is finely carved on three sides but left jagged and rough hewn on the fourth side to suggest the rocky terrains of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Mr Day said he also wanted to suggest how the outcomes of both campaigns were not fully resolved, and the "division within the British people" over them.
Image copyright Crown Copyright 2017 Image caption Military side of the memorial and, below, the civilian side |
me: So, we’ve decided that the Superman symbol would be the best image to represent [what we do].
me: The Superman symbol. Do you mean the “S” inside a shield logo from Superman’s chest?
they: And on his cape! It’s perfect, so we’re going to use it.
me: Have you licensed it?
they: What?
me: Have you licensed it for use from Warner Brothers?
they: It’s a comic book, you see it everywhere. It’s not Warner Brothers.
me: So, you haven’t licensed the trademarked Superman logo from Warner Brothers, and are going to use it to brand your [product].
they: to show how strong it is.
me: we’ll need to license the logo in order to use it, it will likely cost more than your current budget, and it’s highly unlikely Warner will allow it for [your use].
they: No, it fits perfectly and it been around forever. You see it on everything, t-shirts, tennis shoes, the even made that new movie. Let’s use that one and go fast.
me: go fast?
they: Yeah, I’ve got it right here. The code for it, in 3D, right off the video game. Let’s put that right up top.
me: I’m going to need cash upfront. |
2015 was a special year and one that we will never forget. We've all been waiting a lifetime for it to happen, and it was amazing. Now that it happened and it's over we look to the future. Can we do it again? If you are anything like me you are hesitant to believe we can because you do not want to be disappointed. I think we can do it, but a lot of things will have to go our way. To give us an idea of our chances, and how we compare to the other teams within the division I decided to go through the team, position by position, and see how we line up against the other clubs. This will be a somewhat lengthy read so I thought I would break it up between a few posts over a few days.
First Base
#1 Mark Teixeira (Yankees)
Tex is old and injured, but still manages to top the list of best first basemen in the AL East. If he is healthy he could put together a great season, and still has a good glove but being healthy is a big IF. Tex has played in 123 games or less in each of the past 3 seasons and will turn 36 this April. He is nothing for the Blue Jays to be concerned with at this point in his career.
#2 Hanley Ramirez (Red Sox)
Apparently the Red Sox are thinking of putting Hanley at first this season. I don't really know what to think of it, but he slots in at #2 in the division just because of his name. Hanley struggles to stay on the field, and maybe move to first will keep him healthy for an extended period of time. If not, the Red Sox have Travis Shaw waiting to take over. This young fella played in just 60 or so games last year and still managed to knock in 13 homers and 36 rbis. He is only 25 so he might have a chance to have a productive season with some regular playing time.
#3 Chris Colabello/Justin Smoak (Jays)
I put the Jays here at 3rd because I think they have a nice mix of offense and defense with Smoak and Cola. This is one of our weakest positions on the team, and who really knows if Colabello will be able to produce like he did last season. With Smoak we know we will get the same great defense, and if he puts the work in maybe he can at least get his on base percentage up to something respectable. I would be shocked if we made any changes at first so it looks like this will be what we move forward with. Nothing to be excited about, but I am content moving forward with these two guys for the time being.
#4 Mark Trumbo (Orioles)
Trumbo looks to be taking over the roll of Chris Davis in Baltimore. He has some pop, but he really isn't much a of a threat and nothing to write home about on defense either. I think Baltimore takes a step back by losing Davis and adding Trumbo because Davis was a real threat to take you deep at any moment even if he did get out the majority of his times up to bat.
#5 James Loney/Logan Morrison (Rays)
The Rays round out this list with the worst first basemen in the division. Nothing to even write about these guys. What you see is what you get.
First base is looking pretty weak in the AL East. Toronto doesn't have much at the position, but compared to the other teams I feel fine with what we have. T
This is my first post on BBB, but I have been following the site for years. As a young fella I had plans on taking journalism in school and moving on to be a sports writer, but life took me down a different path. I'd like to get my own blog going eventually, and thought I would start here just to get writing again. I plan on going through each position and the pitching staff and will try to get more positions into one post moving forward. Please feel free to discuss in the comments. Also please bare with me it's been some years since I've done any major writing, but it's something I truly enjoy. Cant wait for the season! |
(MoneyWatch) Apple (AAPL) announced its earnings for the fourth quarter: $36 billion revenue and net profit of $8.2 billion, or $8.67 per diluted share. That represents a 27 percent increase in revenue and 24 percent jump in profit over the same time last year.
For most companies, those results would be tremendous. But Apple isn't just any company, and while revenue was just above Wall Street expectations, profits fell short. A look at unit sales suggests that the consumer electronics juggernaut, while still strong, might be falling prey to competition and consumer exhaustion.
Most of Apple's product unit sales increased year over year, except for Mac desktops, which dropped by 24 percent. But where the trouble begins to show is in comparing the third and fourth quarters.
There was a 3 percent sequential increase in iPhone unit sales, going from 26 million in Q3 (ending June 2012) to 26.9 million in Q4 (which ended in September). But remember that includes the record early sales of the iPhone 5. Factor out those 5 million sold in the first weekend, and iPhone sales might have taken a sizeable dip.
The sales picture for the iPad was even worse. Apple sold 17 million of them in its third quarter but only 14 million last quarter, an 18 percent drop. Q3 did have the advantage of a new model release, but the drop off has been quick and significant.
Perhaps people were waiting for the newer, and cheaper, iPad Mini. If so, the cannibalization at a much lower price point could weigh heavily on Apple's earnings.
It would seem that competitive pressure from Android devices has finally taken hold, given Apple's current product strategy. It announced not only the iPad Mini, to address competition from low priced tablets, but a new version of the large iPad only 7 months after its last release. That could be best explained as a way to bump up sales, as Apple typically gets a surge after a product announcement.
However, moving from its usual one-year schedule, particularly with a new model that is being described as "refreshed," is a sign that Apple needs to sustain waning consumer excitement.
Competitors such as Samsung have pushed hard in advertising campaigns to make themselves look as if they are leading a features race, and that might be taking a toll. In addition, Apple has long moved beyond its traditional fan base to a broader consumer market that won't necessarily be as supportive or forgiving. |
Now that I have a circuit board for the project, what better to do than use the 3D printer to print an enclosure for its own accessory? I designed a box with cutouts for wiring and a lid in solidworks and 3D printed it.
I will probably end up gluing the board down to the box. Solidworks parts files will be available to download. Please note that some changes might need to be made to get everything to fit together. I designed assuming ideal conditions and ended up having to make the box a little larger (by 0.4mm at the most) in order for the lid to fit on. In its current state, the lid friction fits very firmly in place. Depending on how you construct your board, you might also need to change the spacing of the wiring cutouts. |
China is planning to breed more killer whales to feed the nation’s growing demand for zoos and theme parks.
Chimelong Group, one of the country’s biggest amusement park operators, opened the first ever breeding center for killer whales on Feb. 24 in the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom park in the southeastern city of Zhuhai, according to state media outlet Xinhua.
A total of nine whales, including five males and four females aged between five to 13, are kept in the breeding facility, according to the park’s announcement (link in Chinese). The breeding center aims to “help cultivate the public’s awareness of whale protection, develop related studies, and progress toward killer-whale breeding.” The park didn’t specify the size of the breeding facility or if the whales would be used for any performances.
Conservation groups are concerned about the practice of breeding whales, however. “Killer whales in captivity generally have a shorter lifespan than wild killer whales,” said the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society in an email, adding that Chimelong’s practice might encourage the “the surging aquarium industry in China.”
China’s foray in whale breeding comes as theme parks around the world are shutting down similar facilities. More than a dozen countries including Switzerland, India, and Chile, as well as some states in the US, have banned orca captivity. SeaWorld, one of America’s biggest theme parks, also vowed to stop its orca breeding practice in 2016 following backlash from the release of the documentary Blackfish.
But as domestic tourism and demand for leisure activities boom, China is doing quite the opposite. An aquarium in Changsha recently bred a beluga whale in captivity, and a polar bear kept in a mall in Guangzhou made global headlines last year after it was dubbed the “world’s saddest polar bear” because of its poor conditions in captivity. All around the country, giant animals are being put in not only theme parks, but also malls and restaurants as tourist attractions.
“The practice of breeding is bad for killer whales, just take a look at the documentary Blackfish,” said one commenter under Xinhua’s post (link in Chinese) on China’s social media network Weibo.
Chimelong didn’t respond to a request for comment. |
Imagine living in the middle of a war -- a war waged by a foreign superpower that has dragged on now for almost 15 years. Next, imagine the Taliban just overtook your city. Finally, imagine the only hospital in your city, which was treating over 100 people per day, is bombed to rubble by that foreign superpower, forcing the international humanitarian organization running it to withdraw.
This is what the people of Kunduz, Afghanistan are living through.
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On Oct. 3, a U.S.-led NATO coalition bombed the only hospital in the entire northeastern region of Afghanistan. Doctors Without Borders (known internationally in French as Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF), the humanitarian aid organization that ran the medical center, called the bombing an "attack on the Geneva Conventions," referring to the laws of war finalized after World War II.
12 MSF staff members were killed in the airstrikes, along with a minimum of 10 patients, including three children. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein called the attack "utterly tragic, inexcusable, and possibly even criminal."
MSF announced that it is hoping to use the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission, an independent investigation body that was set up in 1991 but has never been used, in order to ensure the attack on its Afghan medical facility is thoroughly and transparently scrutinized.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon echoed MSF's calls for a "thorough and impartial investigation into the attack," which the U.N. says may be a war crime. History shows, however, that war crimes prosecutions are rare in cases of hospital bombings.
The U.S. government's contradiction-filled story behind the attack has constantly changed -- four times in four days, in fact -- from denial, to justification, to shifting the blame onto the Afghans, to reluctant admittance. President Obama called the president of MSF on Wednesday morning to apologize for the bombing.
Yet apologies do not change the facts on the ground. Now, no humanitarian agencies remain in Kunduz, the U.N. has warned. There "is essentially no proper health and trauma care for those left," U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) spokesman Jens Laerke explained. The city has been abandoned, and the dysfunctional government propped up by the U.S. has been unable to ward off the Taliban.
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And while the international focus is largely on Syrian refugees -- and rightfully, at that, given there are over four million registered with the U.N. -- displaced Afghans have been given short shrift. The bombing of MSF's Kunduz hospital has rekindled calls for help.
This week, the U.N. implored the world to pay more attention to the plight of displaced Afghans, who until 2014 were the largest refugee group in the world. U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres remarked "we want the international community to refocus on a situation that is no longer getting the attention it deserves, and because we believe that to ignore Afghanistan would be a dangerous mistake, regardless of the urgency and scale of other, newer crises."
Afghans comprise "the world's largest protracted refugee population," Guterres explained. Fleeing violent military conflicts -- which have been fueled by the U.S. -- for over 35 years, Afghan asylum-seekers have scattered across the globe. There are now 2.6 million Afghan refugees in 70 countries registered with the U.N. A million more are internally displaced within Afghanistan.
Guterres commended Iran and Pakistan for hosting 95 percent of displaced Afghans. Six million Afghan asylum-seekers have been resettled in the two countries since 1979, according to the U.N.
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The U.S., on the other hand -- which has waged war in Afghanistan for almost 15 years, and which funded Islamist militants fighting the Soviet Union in the 1980s, militants who later became the Taliban -- has taken very few. So few, in fact, that I could not find a reliable figure on how many it has taken. I called the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, asking how many Afghan refugees have been admitted by the U.S. since its 2001 invasion; the organization did not have an estimate on hand.
Political commentator and comedian John Oliver has drawn attention to the long, arduous and circuitously complex process Afghan refugees must endure to be accepted. Even Afghan translators who worked with the U.S. military, and subsequently received death threats for their work, have to jump through hoop after hoop to get asylum.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani entreated the international community to do more to assist displaced civilians. "The problem of refugees is a global one. They cannot be placed on an island and forgotten," Ghani stated. Many refugees, so many refugees, have indeed been forgotten, nevertheless.
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In the meantime, the U.S. war and occupation rages on, while the Obama administration is considering leaving thousands of soldiers beyond 2016; and the Taliban is retaking territory, creating more and more refugees, and casualties, by the day.
War hawks like Sen. John McCain have proposed their "solution": expanded U.S. military presence in the unstable country. In doing so, they have ignored the unforgiving and undeniable reality -- that it is U.S. military intervention that got us into this mess in the first place.
Most people have stood in silence, palpable silence, silence that becomes audible at times like this, when the harsh, heinous reality of war is thrust into the limelight.
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It is striking how little the media and political establishment discuss Afghanistan -- a country our government is and has long been militarily occupying. America has largely become desensitized to a war that has carried on for over 14 years, desensitized to the suffering of millions of people across the ocean, desensitized to the Brobdingnagian costs -- not just the agonizing human costs, but the economic ones too, in the sum of trillions of tax dollars.
Sometimes it takes a large tragedy -- like the bombing of MSF's Kunduz hospital -- to remind everyone of the small tragedies -- the civilians killed, the homes destroyed, the children going hungry -- that take place on a daily basis, and not just in Afghanistan, but also in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Palestine, Somalia, and more.
Its destruction of northeast Afghanistan's only hospital should remind America of the ills of war, and of its duty to the millions of refugees its policies have created -- and, to date, largely ignored. |
Dr Grigori Perelman, a reclusive Russian genius, is refusing to accept the prestigious $1 million "Millennium" mathematics prize awarded by the Clay Mathematics Institute in Cambridge, MA.
Perelman was awarded the prize for solving the one-hundred-year-old Poincaré conjecture, one of the most complicated mathematical problems in the world - so complex, in fact, that after Perelman posted his proofs in 2002 it took several years for other experts to confirm he was correct.
Now Perelman's refusal to accept the prize - the second prestigious prize he has refused - has led some to examine his unorthodox life and dub him "Mathsputin."
The 44-year-old Perelman currently resides with his mother and sister in his hometown of St. Petersberg, living extremely humbly. One neighbor told a Moscow newspaper, "He always wears the same tatty coat and trousers. He never cuts his nails or beard. When he walks he simply stares at the ground, rather than looking from side to side."
Another neighbor told of a time she had visited Perelman's apartment due to problems with cockroaches.
"I was once in his flat and I was astounded," she said. "He only has a table, a stool and a bed with a dirty mattress which was left by previous owners -- alcoholics who sold the flat to him."
After performing some teaching in American universities in 2003, Perelman has apparently given up on mathematics, dismayed at the intellectual and moral failings of his peers. Instead, according to reports, he likes to play table tennis against a wall in his apartment. "You are disturbing me. I am picking mushrooms," he told a journalist who managed to get in touch with him.
A number of appeals have been made to Perelman to accept the prize and give the money to charity. "Each suffering child and each mother entangled in circumstances of her life could receive help," wrote the chairwoman of one Russian children's charity. |
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