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If you ever thought that the future creeps up on you slowly — and then all at once — behold Touch ID for all apps.
Announced today as a side feature of iOS 8, the Touch ID recognition you’ve come to know and love in the 5s will now extend beyond helping you more quickly unlock your iPhone and download apps from iTunes to helping you more quickly log into apps like Mint (the demo).
http://instagram.com/p/owIY2lpVlr/
The Touch ID API will be available in beta today, so that developers who want to use the iPhone’s fingerprint sensor in order to authenticate users — or add an extra layer of security like in the Mint example — can start building on it. The science fiction thinking on this is that you’ll eventually use Touch ID to open your door (with Apple’s Homekit) or buy stuff on Amazon.
Apple’s senior vice president of software Craig Federighi insisted that with the Touch ID API, the fingerprint data would remain stored on your iPhone, not relayed to third-party developers.
For all Apple’s posturing, this is actually one of its minute design details that does have the potential to change everything. Last night a friend of mine lost her phone, and when she went to the “Lost and Found” to pick it up, the person at the counter started asking her a series of questions to prove the phone was hers.
In response, she simply said, “Touch ID” and proceeded to unlock the phone with the tip of her finger. |
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Lawmakers, like all of us, would love to have free meals and fatter paychecks. Unlike many other Texans, their chances are pretty good.
The Texas Ethics Commission is deciding whether to raise legislators’ pay and, with it, a limit on how much lobbyists can spend on lawmaker meals without telling the public who they were feeding.
Once their paychecks and their dine-on-the-lobby questions are taken care of, lawmakers will be set for the 20-week regular legislative session that begins in January.
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Texas legislators make $600 every month. But they get a daily reimbursement when they’re out of town — in Austin, for example — making laws. The current “per diem” is $190; over the course of a 140-day legislative session, a lawmaker who spends the entire time in Austin would pull in $26,600 in addition to the base salary of $600 per month.
In its meeting Friday, the state’s ethics commissioners — the people who regulate the behavior of campaigns, candidates and public officials — will get a first look at a proposal to raise the per diem to $215 from $190. Two years ago, they raised it to $190 from $150. Put another way, lawmakers got a 26.7 percent increase at the start of their last session and could get a 13.1 percent increase this time.
But that’s not the end of it. State law requires lobbyists and others who take legislators out for food and drink and entertainment to report that spending.
That law includes a loophole dear to many lawmakers: The objects of those lobby affections do not have to be named in official reports unless the spending exceeds a certain amount. You can buy a lawmaker a steak and a martini and be required to report everything except for the name of the diner.
Voters never have to see a thing.
The trigger for name-that-legislator reporting is currently $114: that’s the amount a lobbyist can spend before having to name the recipient. That number is, by law, 60 percent of the legislative per diem set by the ethics commission. If the per diem is raised to the proposed amount of $215, the size of that secret dinner would rise to $129.
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Of course, there’s another twist: Lobbyists have a workaround for more expensive ventures.
The Texas Ethics Commission is deciding whether to raise legislators’ pay and, with it, a limit on how much lobbyists can spend on lawmaker meals without telling the public who they were feeding.
They can split the check with another lobbyist and buy more food and drinks without naming the officeholder they’d like to influence. With two lobbyists in tow, the size of the unnamed official’s meal could rise to $228, and so on. If the new per diem goes in, that two-lobbyist tab for entertainment or food and drink could climb to $258.
A particularly creative and/or demanding officeholder can get all the way through a legislative session without buying a meal, missing a big concert, paying for a round of golf or having a cocktail — all without being outed as the sort of person who is getting a great free ride solely because of the public position granted by voters.
None of that is really the fault or the worry of the Texas Ethics Commission. The eight commissioners there were appointed by the governor, the lieutenant governor and the speaker to enforce the laws passed by the Legislature itself. Three of the eight were just appointed; this week’s gathering is the first for those new appointees.
In this case, the commissioners are simply deciding whether the per diem established in the law is adequate to cover the legitimate expenses of coming to Austin to represent Texans in their government.
They were brought in to make sure this particular gravy train runs according to the law — not to say whether it ought to exist, or whether the size of certain gifts to certain officials ought to be tied to the costs of living in Austin for five months every two years.
That was already decided by the legislators who benefit from it. Lawmakers considered lowering the anonymous meal amount to $50 in 2015 and unlinking that from the per diem reimbursements.
Surprise! It didn’t pass.
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More columns from Ross Ramsey:
Republican politicians in Texas ought to be celebrating right now, and for a variety of reasons. But the national election has them looking at the political weather forecasts, where they’re bracing for Hurricane Donald and a chance of purple rain.
You know the unofficial rules: Nonvoters don't count. They're just noise. When politicians ignore them, nothing happens. As long as nobody stirs the majority of Texas adults who don’t vote, they are — politically speaking — a big fat nonfactor.
The Texas Ethics Commission regulates legislators. Legislators control the commission's laws and budget. It's a complicated relationship. |
There are two stories coming out of New Hampshire. The big story is Mitt Romney. The bigger one is Ron Paul.
Romney won a major victory with nearly 40 percent of the vote, 16 points ahead of No. 2. The split among his challengers made the outcome even more decisive. Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich were diminished by distant, lower-tier finishes. Rick Perry got less than 1 percent. And Jon Huntsman, who staked everything on New Hampshire, came in a weak third with less than half of Romney’s vote. He practically moved to the state — and then received exactly one-sixth of the vote in a six-man contest. Where does he go from here?
But the bigger winner was Ron Paul. He got 21 percent in Iowa, 23 in New Hampshire, the only candidate other than Romney to do well with two very different electorates, one more evangelical and socially conservative, the other more moderate and fiscally conservative.
Paul commands a strong, energetic, highly committed following. And he is unlike any of the other candidates. They’re out to win. He admits he doesn’t see himself in the Oval Office. They’re one-time self-contained enterprises aiming for the White House. Paul is out there to build a movement that will long outlive this campaign.
Paul is less a candidate than a “cause,” to cite his election-night New Hampshire speech. Which is why that speech was the only one by a losing candidate that was sincerely, almost giddily joyous. The other candidates had to pretend they were happy with their results.
Paul was genuinely delighted with his, because, after a quarter-century in the wilderness, he’s within reach of putting his cherished cause on the map. Libertarianism will have gone from the fringes — those hopeless, pathetic third-party runs — to a position of prominence in a major party.
Look at him now. He’s getting prime-time air, interviews everywhere and, most important, respect for defeating every Republican candidate but one. His goal is to make himself leader of the opposition — within the Republican Party.
He is Jesse Jackson of the 1980s, who represented a solid, African American, liberal-activist constituency to which, he insisted, attention had to be paid by the Democratic Party. Or Pat Buchanan (briefly) in 1992, who demanded — and gained — on behalf of social conservatives a significant role at a convention that was supposed to be a simple coronation of the moderate George H.W. Bush.
No one remembers Bush’s 1992 acceptance speech. Everyone remembers Buchanan’s fiery and disastrous culture-war address.
At the Democratic conventions, Jackson’s platform demands and speeches drew massive attention, often overshadowing his party’s blander nominees.
Paul won’t quit before the Republican convention in Tampa. He probably will not do well in South Carolina or Florida, but with volunteers even in the more neglected caucus states, he will be relentlessly collecting delegates until Tampa. His goal is to have the second-most delegates, a position of leverage from which to influence the platform and demand a prime-time speaking slot — before deigning to support the nominee at the end. The early days of the convention, otherwise devoid of drama, could very well be all about Paul.
The Democratic convention will be a tightly scripted TV extravaganza extolling the Prince and his wise and kindly rule. The Republican convention could conceivably feature a major address by Paul calling for the abolition of the Fed, FEMA and the CIA; American withdrawal from everywhere; acquiescence to the Iranian bomb — and perhaps even Paul’s opposition to a border fence lest it be used to keep Americans in. Not exactly the steady, measured, reassuring message a Republican convention might wish to convey. For libertarianism, however, it would be a historic moment: mainstream recognition at last.
Put aside your own view of libertarianism or of Paul himself. I see libertarianism as an important critique of the Leviathan state, not a governing philosophy. As for Paul himself, I find him a principled, somewhat wacky, highly engaging eccentric. But regardless of my feelings or yours, the plain fact is that Paul is nurturing his movement toward visibility and legitimacy.
Paul is 76. He knows he’ll never enter the promised land. But he’s clearing the path for son Rand, his better placed (Senate vs. House), more moderate, more articulate successor.
And it matters not whether you find amusement in libertarians practicing dynastic succession. What Paul has already wrought is a signal achievement, the biggest story yet of this presidential campaign.
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Piers Morgan has said that non-binary children are “a contagion,” “two or three” trans kids died from suicide last year, and that identifying as non-binary is “a massive new fad”.
In 2014, a study found that 48 percent of trans people under 26 in Britain had attempted suicide.
Yesterday, the Good Morning Britain host said he “might wear a skirt to work tomorrow as part of my gender-neutral, non-binary identity,” and asked if he could identify as black.
This morning, Morgan was speaking to Fox Fisher and Owl, a trans non-binary couple who came on the show to explain their gender identities.
Instead, they ended up being forced to emotionally defend their personhood in the face of ridiculous hypotheticals, as Morgan asked if he could call himself a black woman or an elephant.
The host has been irrationally irate about gender-neutral issues ever since Emma Watson received the first gender-neutral MTV Movie and TV Award earlier this month.
This was a different tone though, as Morgan accosted two non-binary trans people with increasingly offensive statements.
He asked Fox and Owl, two non-binary trans activists: “If I turned round right now and said I am a black woman…I made a joke yesterday, but I’m being partly serious.
“If I decided to identify myself as a different skin colour, would you respect that?
They tried to deal with this false comparison, telling him that the questions was hypothetical, as Morgan does not actually identify as black or female.
In response, he told them: “Yours is hypothetical too.
“You want the right to identify as you choose and we all have to respect that but you don’t want to give me the same rights to choose how I identify.”
The couple, who faced abuse on Facebook before, during and after the appearance, tried to keep a reasonable dialogue going throughout the attack, to their credit.
Owl explained: “This is a hypothetical, intellectual conversation for you, but for us it’s our actual identities…it’s not just a four minute segment.”
As well as making it all about him, Morgan denied the couple’s pronouns, saying there is no singular ‘they’ – which there is – and spoke in catastrophic terms about non-binary children.
“Schools are now running riot with non-binary kids. Its like a contagion,” he said.
Once again, Owl would not stand for his nonsense.
“It’s not a disease,” they told him. “That’s what they said about homosexuality 20 years ago.”
Nonplussed, Morgan continued to try to create an atmosphere of fear, saying: “My problem with everyone being able to identify as they choose is: where does that end?
“If kids can come in and say they’re not a boy or girl anymore, what else can they say they’re not?
“Is anything fine? Can I say I’m an elephant? I don’t think it’s silly,” he finished brusquely, like a toddler who’s been told they can’t drive the family car.
Co-host Susanna Reid tried to interject with the idea that maybe race and gender aren’t the same, but it made no difference.
Fox made the salient point that “the real question should be: why is it that 40 percent of trans youths are attempting suicide?”
Morgan replied: “How many trans youths in Britain [died by] suicide last year?
“I’ve heard it’s like, two or three people,” he continued. “It’s incredibly small.”
In response to Fox’s objections, he immediately backtracked, damage done with a false figure, just like his supposed friend President Donald Trump.
“Well that’s just a statistic I read, I don’t know if it’s true or not,” he said.
Morgan added: “It’s a real thing, its happening now all over Britain, schools are very very fast-moving, with a lots of kids now wanting to be non-binary…
“My problem is actually it’s a massive new fad…for a lot of people it is.”
Rightly, Fox held Morgan to account, saying: “Stop fearmongering,” and telling him: “It’s not a fad, Piers.”
Owl also did themselves proud, saying to Morgan: “It’s not about being cool, it’s an inner sense of identity.”
Fox even managed to sneak in a burn while talking about their book Are You a Boy or Are You a Girl?
“Read the book, it’s for (ages) three and up, so it should be good for you, Piers,” they said.
Watch the interview below: |
Figures suggesting that fake anti-virus packages are allowing cybercrooks to make more than €10m a month are been described as little better than guesswork. Vendors across the industry are warning that scarewore packages - which attempt to trick would-be marks into handing over their hard-earned cash for packages that claim to resolve fictitious infections - are a growing problem.
But estimates by Panda Security that 30 million Windows PCs have been infected with fake antivirus programs have met with skepticism from a rival vendor. Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, question Panda's assumption in reaching its figures, which he suggests are little better than back of the envelope calculations.
Panda has tracked almost 7,000 variants of the type of malware over the last year alone. Prospective marks are often served up this type of malicious content after browsing pornographic sites, responding to fake electronic greeting cards or downloading warez. In one case documented by Panda, a fake Google toolbar was used to promote the scam.
These various tricks are all designed to redirect users onto web pages selling fake antivirus products, designed to imitate the look and feel of legitimate packages (as illustrated by screen shots by Panda here). These programs follow a common pattern: users are warned that they are infected with malware via pop-up windows, desktops, and screensavers that keep appearing and getting in the way of using a computer normally. The goal is to scare the less tech savvy into shelling out for products that are worse than useless.
None of these packages detect and defend against malware and some go as far as installing adware or, in extreme cases, banking Trojans on compromised PCs.
Dominic Hoskins, country manager Panda Security UK, explained: "The information we have at present suggests that some 3 per cent of these users have provided their personal details in the process of buying a product that claims to disinfect their computers. In fact, they never even receive the product. Extrapolating from an average European price of €49.95, we can calculate that the creators of these programs are receiving more than €10 million per month".
A blog posting explaining Panda's calculation in greater depth can be found here.
Other security watchers criticise the assumptions Panda makes in arriving at its figures.
Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, told El Reg: "It looks like Panda says they looked at two million computers, and found three per cent were infected with fake anti-virus. In other words, 60,000 computers."
"They've then taken Forrester's estimate of how many computers there will be by the end of 2008 and extrapolated that there must - therefore - be 30 million computers infected by fake anti-virus. That's quite a jump, and I think a flawed one."
"If the 30 million infections is true, how do they know it's not the same people being infected over-and-over again? How do they know three per cent of people end up paying for the bogus security software?"
Panda's general warning and valid and timely even though its figures are open to question. Questions about the financial impact of malware naturally arise but pining down reliable figures is a notorious tricky business, a problem we've seen before - and will undoubtedly see again. ® |
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The Patriots have yet to officially announce their rookie free agent class, but one player confirmed to have agreed to terms with the club is Missouri receiver T.J.Moe.
When Moe’s name was brought up to a scout earlier on Tuesday, the response was along these lines: “He’s a little bit of that Welker-type. He fits what the Patriots do.”
That type of comparison – from a style-of-play perspective more so than production – makes Moe one of the Patriots’ more intriguing rookie free-agent signings. Doing a little background work on Moe, here are some of the things that were learned:
1. He has a bigger physical build than Welker and Danny Amendola at 5-foot-11 1/2 and 204 pounds.
2. He was projected as a later-round pick, but one of the reasons he might have slipped through the draft was a slow time in the 40-yard dash (4.69).
3. Moe was electrifying in other tests, such as the 3-cone drill (6.53), which helps measure change of direction skills. He also had 26 repetitions on the bench press, tops among receivers.
4. He was a team captain and has an outgoing personality.
5. Scored very well on the Wonderlic test, which depending on one’s viewpoint, could be an indicator that he will be able to pick up a complex offense.
6. At his Missouri Pro Day, Patriots director of college scouting Jon Robinson took an active role in running drills and thus got a very close look at Moe.
7. Knowing how much the Patriots value the slot receiver role, Moe naturally had an interest in playing for the Patriots. The Patriots’ aggressive sales pitch after the draft probably didn’t hurt either, as they were one of about six teams pursuing him. Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio was apparently persuasive in making a strong case as to why the Patriots wanted Moe. |
Political Legend Roger Stone Needs Help Raising Funds to Fight the Swamp Creatures
Conservative political legend Roger Stone is under attack by the political establishment in America and is facing baseless claims of collusion with Russia on behalf of President Trump, and he is currently seeking help financing his legal defense fund.
Roger Stone, a steadfast, loyal, and patriotic supporter of President Trump, continues to face countless allegations of being a “traitor” for having supposedly “colluded” with the Russians to help Donald Trump win the presidency. This could not be further from the truth.
On top of this, former Obama administration officials filed a defamatory federal lawsuit against Stone and the Trump for President campaign, using baseless allegations of collusion with the Russian state to tarnish Stone’s reputation, which you can read here.
Due to the expensive nature of fighting a smear campaign like the one Stone is currently facing, he is asking for help to “punch back” against the left-wing assault on patriots. Stone has setup a website, cleverly and hilariously dubbed “Who Framed Roger Stone” (a play on “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?”) to help allocate the funds necessary to win the battle against the Swamp.
The site states:
Fighting back against all of these attacks is expensive. Roger has no choice but to take on the legal expense of fighting both of these efforts to smear him. Roger and his family need your help to punch back. Please donate to the effort to clear Roger’s name and prove all those who are still crying over the election of our President wrong.
Please consider helping Mr. Stone fight back against the Swamp creatures. |
It is not often that I feel sorry for a vandal, let alone a violent one armed with a hammer, but when Eric Baptista went on a rampage in Liverpool recently he had my sympathies. A problem gambler, he says he had begged to be barred from all of his local bookies, but that they refused to stop serving him. He was too good a customer, regularly losing £400 in a matter of minutes on the fixed-odds machines.
In May, Baptista took drastic action. If the wretched betting shops wouldn’t stop taking his business, he would put them out of business, he reasoned. He had lost yet another £100 in the William Hill on Aigburth Road when a circuit in his brain tripped. He went next door to buy two tins of black paint and set about smearing it over everything he could see. He didn’t stop there, visiting six other branches over a three-week period, causing £36,000 of damage by smashing up betting terminals, TV screens and gambling machines.
Last month, he pleaded guilty to criminal damage and was given a 12-month suspended sentence and ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid community work. Liverpool crown court heard that during one of his rampages he shouted: “This is a protest. I am sorry; there is no safety net for customers.”
Horrible as it must have been for the staff he terrorised, they should have been allowed to stop serving him. As Baptista later argued, when he was a barman, he wouldn’t pour pints for people who had had too many; why, when the bookies knew he was an addict, did they allow him to keep feeding the machines?
Gambling firm 888 penalised record £7.8m for failing vulnerable customers Read more
They allowed him because gambling is an industry that feasts on the poor and vulnerable to survive. Last week, 888, one of Britain’s biggest online gambling firms, was fined £7.8m after allowing more than 7,000 people who had chosen to exclude themselves from its casino/poker/sport platform to access their accounts and continue gambling. Also last week, a Guardian investigation found that betting firms were using third-party companies to harvest personal data, helping bookmakers and online casinos target people on low incomes and those who have stopped gambling.
For many addicts, data harvesting is less of a problem than the fact they can’t go to buy a pint of milk without walking past a betting shop – or its enabling cousin, the pawn shop. It is depressing how many of our once-great towns can no longer sustain even an M&S and are instead plagued by bookies, pawn shops and stores selling washing machines for “just” £5.50 a week (twice the high-street price at the end of the typical 156-week payment plan). Just as you can tell an area is gentrifying when the plantation blinds and bi-fold doors appear, you know it is going in the other direction when a street gets more than one bookie and a Cash Generator or a BrightHouse.
When I was young, gambling looked exciting, largely because I wasn’t allowed to do it (Christian parents). Even playing the 2p cascade machines in Johnny’s Fun Factory after school in Morecambe felt illicit. It was 2005 before I started to see gambling differently. I was the most junior person on G2, the Guardian’s daily features magazine. The paper was downsizing to Berliner format and I had been tasked with trying out some ideas the features editor had for the revamped pages. One of them had the working title “Are you happy?” and was envisaged as a regular column where we would go out and ask people that question.
Revealed: how gambling industry targets poor people and ex-gamblers Read more
It soon became clear that people were not prepared to admit to a nosy parker with a notebook that they weren’t skipping through town, high on their fulfilling lives. After several soul-destroying hours, all I could report with great certainty was that I, at least, wasn’t happy.
I looked up and down Exmouth Market, which was midway through becoming the London foodie haven it is today, and noticed a bookmaker’s, squeezed in between an artisanal bakery and a jewellery store. That was the day I learned that if you need sad, honest quotes during the daytime, head to a bookie’s. A man came out, leaned against the window, lit a fag and told me that no, he wasn’t happy, actually. He and his wife were barely speaking after trying and failing to conceive for several years and he had just lost the money he ought to be putting towards the private IVF. Again.
Research has proved that people living in areas with a higher number of bookies are more likely to be problem gamblers. We know that problem gambling costs the UK up to £1.2bn a year, with London seeing a 68% rise in violent crime associated with betting shops since 2010, according to the Metropolitan police. But councils don’t have the powers to reject applications for new betting shops where there are already clusters and the government is dithering over whether to regulate the fixed-odds betting terminals – of which there are more than 34,000 – that prompted Baptista’s smashing spree. If a gambling addict with a hammer doesn’t wake up the authorities, it is hard to see who or what will. |
The internet has already played one hoax on Chelsea football club and their fans this week. The incredibly widely spread Rafa Benitez quote - "I’d never take the (Chelsea) job, in respect for my former team at Liverpool, no matter what. For me, there is only club in England and that’s Liverpool." - was never actually said and we did a full article laying out the reasons behind that on Friday.
It has become one of those things that got so out of hand that the false quote is now perceived as factual and will probably be referred to for years.
Today there's been another internet trick. PSG have been widely linked with Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole and comments yesterday from Benitez, which said Cole and Lampard were likely to be leaving, have only served to increase that speculation.
Today, according to Twitter, the French club's official Twitter account posted a tweet saying Cole would be joining the club next summer. Before we look at the actual tweet, it's worth pointing out that Cole wouldn't be able to agree a contract with PSG yet and therefore the club wouldn't be announcing anything publicly at this time.
Here's the screenshot which has been picked up by newspapers and other outlets in this country and overseas:
Translated, it reads "England left back Ashley Cole will be a player this summer Red and Blue."
Firstly, the French is awful. It's like translation engine French, as if an English speaking person had put what they wanted to say into a translation engine and then took the text given back as gospel. That's ok and it gets the point across but it's not how a native French person would type or speak.
Secondly, the timing of the tweet is also odd. It's stated as being 4 hours after they Tweeted an Ancelotti quote. PSG's account right now (17:30) says that the Ancelotti tweet was 21 hours ago, making it 20:30 here and 21:30 in France. With the Cole tweet being 4 hours after that, it takes the time to 01:30 and it's odd in itself that PSG would be sending out official tweets at that time.
We've searched back to see how it started and this is the first tweet about it:
On their biography they say '5 members of the European press who cover the world's greatest league. Anonymity ensures no editorial agenda..'
Interestingly the account doesn't even follow PSG so for them to see the tweet 16 seconds after it was posted and for nobody else to mention it first, or take their own screenshot, would be pretty impressive. Theirs is the only screenshot doing the rounds, nobody else got an image or RT'd it. The @PremLeaguePass account has been going for less than a week and as we enter the transfer window run-up it does seem like an early ITK (In-The-Know) effort has managed to fool the European media.
For those of you familiar with Twitter ITK accounts, these claims from them will bring back memories of the summer:
The account has spent today bragging about being the ones to break the big news and talking about their 'French compatriot' being 'all over' the story.
There are further clues that the whole thing is an elaborate hoax, including that on the 'screenshot' there is the option to 'view summary' at the end of tweet, this isn't available unless there is a link in a tweet because there is obviously no summary to view. A small error in what is a very good Photoshop mash-up.
An early hoax ahead of ITK season which has well and truly fooled most of the media both here and overseas. Well done indeed.
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It's rare that fans get a look inside an NHL team's jersey design process. It's especially exciting to see prototype jerseys and imagine what might have been.
Today, John from the memorabilia-centric blog Blue Jackets Pucks and Stuff provided the world with a look at a concept from the earliest days of the Columbus Blue Jackets. It's the kind of thing Icethetics readers live for.
Reader Nathan submits our latest feature, and it's a doozy! It's a Pro Player jersey concept for the Columbus Blue Jackets from around 1998 or 1999. The final jersey design was announced on October 15, 1999 so I would say this predates that announcement by at least several months. Prototype jerseys are exceedingly rare, and eagle eyed collectors are happy to obtain them when the opportunity arises.
John doesn't say where Nathan took these photos, but the jersey appears to be on display somewhere with other Blue Jackets gear around.
As far as the design, the Blue Jackets probably made the right call steering clear of the powder blue. However, they would've stood out in 2000.
Another way they would've stood out is the lace-up collar. At the time, only the Rangers and Maple Leafs had that feature. Today, of course, they're all over the place and less functional than ever.
But it was inevitable. The lace-up collar was eventually used on the team's first third jersey in 2003. It came back with the new third in 2010.
This is a nice bit of Columbus Blue Jackets history to be sure. I hope that someday fans and collectors can get a glimpse into other proposed designs from this era.
Seconded.
If you want to see more high-resolution photos I strongly encourage a trip to Blue Jackets Pucks and Stuff right now!
For more stories on unused NHL prototypes, check out these past blog posts: |
Adolph Kiefer, the 100-meter backstroke champion at the 1936 Berlin Games who was America's oldest living Olympic gold medalist in any sport, has died. He was 98.
He died Friday at his home in Wadsworth, Illinois, about 50 miles north of Chicago, according to grandson Robin Kiefer.
Kiefer had been hospitalized with pneumonia in recent months. He had neuropathy that kept him confined to a wheelchair later in life, but he continued swimming because he could still stand in the water, Robin Kiefer said.
Kiefer became an Olympic champion as a 17-year-old in an Olympic-record time that stood for 20 years. He was also the first man to break 1 minute in the 100 backstroke, doing so as a high school swimmer in Illinois. He later competed for the University of Texas.
As a child he disliked getting water up his nose, so he swam on his back.
He went to start a swimming equipment company in 1947 with his wife Joyce that invented several performance and safety products, such as the first nylon swimsuit, which was used by the U.S. Olympic team, and a patent for the first design of the non-turbulent racing lane line.
"He was the dreamer and she was the one who nailed the dream back down to a foundation that was based in reality," Robin Kiefer told The Associated Press by phone from Bend, Oregon.
In recent years, the advent of high-tech body suits rocked the sport and led to numerous world records before they were banned. The suits cost as much as $300.
Adolph Kiefer, the 100-meter backstroke champion at the 1936 Berlin Games, was America's oldest living Olympic gold medalist in any sport. Kiefer died on May 5, 2017, at his home in Wadsworth, Ill., at age 98.
"He didn't like the level of technology being applied to what he thought was a pretty pure sport," Robin Kiefer said. "The prices of the suits he thought were crazy."
Kiefer's self-named company was widely recognized as an industry leader, producing lane lines, starting blocks, lifeguard equipment and apparel. Kiefer served as CEO from the company's founding until he retired in 2011.
"There will never be another like Adolph Kiefer," said Bruce Wigo, president of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. "Not only was he a great swimmer and businessman, but he was a great human being, husband and father whose memory will live on as a model and inspiration for future generations of swimmers and non-swimmers alike."
In 1944, Kiefer enlisted in the Navy when it was losing thousands of lives to drownings. Kiefer was appointed to establish a safety curriculum and train officers how to survive in the water. His "victory backstroke" was credited with helping save thousands of lives in the final years of World War II and later was adopted by the American Red Cross.
"He considers it to be his greatest achievement, hands-down," Robin Kiefer said.
Robin Kiefer recalled his family's vacations as a child always involved water, whether it was scuba diving or sailing. He said his grandfather's four children and their offspring all learned to swim and observe water safety.
"Adolph Kiefer embodied swimming and lived it every day of his life. He was a pioneer for our sport in the truest sense of the word," USA Swimming interim executive director Mike Unger said in a statement. "Adolph was so passionate about swimming and exuded it to everyone."
Kiefer was inducted into the inaugural class of the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1965. He served on the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition for three presidents.
He was preceded in death by his wife, who died of cancer in 2015. They were married for 73 years. He is survived by their four children, Dale, Cathy, Jack and Gail; 14 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Kiefer will be cremated and his ashes scattered on a rock formation in Colorado according to his wishes, Robin Kiefer said. |
(Reuters) - A 24-year-old man died trying to save another man who attempted to kill himself by jumping from a 14th-floor dormitory window at the University of Hawaii, Honolulu police and university officials said on Tuesday.
The second man, a 19-year-old who was not identified by authorities, was badly hurt when he struck the ground and remained hospitalized in critical condition, said Sarah Yoro of the Honolulu Police Department.
The Honolulu Medical Examiner said Thomas Bennett died of multiple blunt force injuries from the fall.
Yoro said Bennett was attempting to stop the 19-year-old man from jumping from a ledge outside the window when both men somehow fell.
A university spokesman said both men were visiting a student in the nearly empty dormitory during a break in classes before the start of the fall semester.
“Obviously this is a terrible tragedy,” spokesman Daniel Meisenzahl said. “It doesn’t matter if they were students or not, this is the last thing we want to happen on our campus.” |
While Warner Bros’ Wonder Woman continues to harness big box office around the globe, the film has also come up against political and religious issues in some parts of the world. After being banned in Lebanon because star Gal Gadot is Israeli, the DC warrior’s debut in Tunisia has now been suspended.
According to reports, the Tunisian Culture Minister has taken steps to suspend the film, which was due to preview tonight in one cinema in the capital city of Tunis, after a request by Arab nationalist political party the People’s Movement. A similar demand by an association of young lawyers was, however, rejected.
This is all said to stem from Gadot’s 2014 defense of Israel during the war with Gaza that summer. Wonder Woman was due to roll out in Tunisia at least two cinemas beginning Thursday.
The People’s Movement party said in a statement, “We must continue the mobilization on this type of affair, as on everything related to normalization with the Zionist entity.” The group’s Facebook page leads with news of the Wonder Woman situation.
Per Europe1, a spokesperson for the Tunisian Culture Minister said the request for an operating visa was filed two days ago, rather than with a typical eight-day delay and characterized the cancellation of tonight’s screening as “purely administrative.” Distributor Lassaad Goubantini had another take, saying, “It’s a decision based on bogus accusations… Today they prevent a film because of an actress, tomorrow they’ll invent another excuse. It’s an attack on liberties.”
Wonder Woman was also taken off the schedule of a film festival in Algeria where it was originally due to premiere on June 8. However, the deprogramming of WW at the Nuits du Cinéma fest is said to be the result of a rights issue. Organizers of the festival, which takes place in Alger, told AFP that the cancellation of the screening was not tied to Gadot’s presence and that the movie would be re-programmed “once the administrative constraints related to the exhibition rights have been sorted,” said a spokesperson. Algeria’s Culture Minister had already issued an import license for the Patty Jenkins-helmed hit which grossed $228.1M in its maiden voyage last weekend worldwide.
Still, an online petition has circulated in the largely Muslim country since last week. Titled, “Non! Pas en Algérie” (No, Not in Algeria), it says Gadot has “glorified” an attack on Gaza and that the signatories consider it “unacceptable” that the June 8 screening would fall within the 50th anniversary of the occupation of Gaza during the Six Days War.
In Lebanon, Wonder Woman‘s banning was prompted by Lebanese group Campaign to Boycott Supporters of Israel-Lebanon. Lebanon is officially at war with Israel and has a law that boycotts Israeli products and bars Lebanese citizens from traveling to Israel or having contact with Israelis. |
Even though I'd spent a long time following the startup scene and reading all the standard blogs and books before founding my first startup CoderStack (a job board for software developers) when it came to actually putting theory into practice I ran across a lot of gaps in my knowledge.
So I've decided to write a series of blog posts describing my experiences and sharing the advice that I wish someone had given me before I started.
I've tried to roughly break the blog posts into themes and the first (this one) is going to be about user acquisition.
User Acquisition in your Business Plan
If I look back at my own plans from before I started working on my startup I actually cringe a little at my user acquisition strategy, I made the same mistakes that I see many other startup founders making now. My strategy was made up of broad terms like "SEO" and "Advertising" without any serious attempt to model how much traffic each of these approaches would generate and what the cost of user acquisition would be.
Any form of user acquisition has a cost, it might be defined in terms of your time rather than money, but unless you sit down and create a model for analyzing the amount of traffic you can generate and what that will involve you have no idea if a particular form of user acquisition is worthwhile.
Any form of user acquisition can also be modelled whether it's viral growth, PR, SEO, etc. By sitting down and building a model in Excel it helps you evaluate the strategy and understand the hidden assumptions (for example for viral growth what percentage of your users will tell their friends about your product) you're basing your business on. If I'd done that to start with it would have saved me a huge amount of time down the line.
Once you launch and are actually implementing your strategy it's trivial to update your spreadsheet and replace your assumptions with the hard data and see how that impacts the end results. You might find that once the assumptions have to be modified to match reality that the strategy you're using no-longer works. And it's much much better to find that out up front rather than six months down the line when you're wondering why you haven't grown as fast as you expected.
SEO
SEO is hard, one prong of our growth strategy was getting decent rankings for focused keywords like "Python jobs". I went into this without really understanding SEO as well as I should. Even through I managed to get first page listing for many keywords (we were helped by getting links from sites like Techcrunch and Business Insider) getting into the top position for competitive keywords is much harder than I thought.
As a new startup you automatically get a penalty for not having an "aged" domain (older websites get higher ranking), but it's close to impossible to beat off sites which have hundreds of thousands of established links, even if those links aren't as focused.
I also didn't really analyse the numbers as I should have, the phrase "Python jobs" gets roughly 500 searches a month in the UK. The top ranked result for that search will probably only get 20% click-through (i.e a hundred visits). If you're 5th in the rankings, you'll probably get 15 visitors a month.
In many cases the SEO effort taken to improve rankings wasn't worth the resultant traffic.
If you plan to use SEO as strategy for your startup make sure you use Google Keyword tools to figure out how many searches are made on the keywords you're targeting and how many links, etc. you'll need to get in order to get a worthwhile ranking (I've found Seomoz and SEMRush can be good for this).
Advertising
I've talked about my experiences in advertising my startup extensively elsewhere, so I won't go into too much details but the key fact I discovered was that obtaining cheap traffic comes down to two things:
Increasing your click-through-rate (good ad copy, etc.) Finding underpriced ad space (using demographic targeting, buying ads on smaller sites etc.)
On pretty much any ad platform you can reduce your costs by optimizing your ads (in some cases by as much as 100x), so it's definitely worth investing time and money to learn which optimization techniques work well on the ad platforms you're using.
Our original business plan was based around buying long-tail technical keywords (e.g. "concurrenthashmap") on Google cheaply, this strategy didn't work as it was based on the underlying assumption that long tail keywords with no other advertisers would be cheap. It turns out that due to the changes Google have made to the Quality Scoring algorithm part of their Adwords platform it's very hard to buy cheap adverts on non-"commercial intent" keywords.
We were however lucky that we managed to figure out an alternative strategy (extermely targeted ads on social networks) that turned out to give us the cost effective advertising we were after.
Social Media
Having a social media strategy is often equated with having a presence on social media websites, but there are actually lots of different types of presence.
Usage of social media by companies generally falls into one of these three categories:
Companies using it to broadcast company news Companies using it to interact with customers (support, etc.) Companies using it as a promotional tool
The first two help you keep in touch with existing users and perhaps generate repeat business, but don't really help you gain new users.
If you want to use social media as a user acquisition vector you really need to make sure you fall into the last category, and that means focusing on generating content that your users want to promote to their friends.
If you're a content based startup it's definitely worth driving your content through your Facebook and Twitter content streams, because it's content far more than anything else that gets shared through the social networks.
Direct Sales
Direct sales is one of the highest converting ways to get users. How effectively this scales obviously depends on how much each user is worth to you as it typically has a high cost per user acquired. Even if it's not a viable long term strategy for your business it can be good way to get your initial users.
I'm not a natural extrovert and I still cringe a little when making sales cold calls or sending sales emails, but it's much easier than you think and once you get started it gets easier. The first few cold sales are the hardest.
It also has the huge advantage that you're speaking on a one-to-one basis with many customers and getting invaluable feedback that can help you iterate on your product.
That's it from me on user acquisition, if you have any questions or have particular areas you'd like me to talk about in detail feel free to leave a comment. You can also follow me at @imranghory on twitter. |
Australia Outlaws Warrant Canaries
In the US, certain types of warrants can come with gag orders preventing the recipient from disclosing the existence of warrant to anyone else. A warrant canary is basically a legal hack of that prohibition. Instead of saying "I just received a warrant with a gag order," the potential recipient keeps repeating "I have not received any warrants." If the recipient stops saying that, the rest of us are supposed to assume that he has been served one.
Lots of organizations maintain them. Personally, I have never believed this trick would work. It relies on the fact that a prohibition against speaking doesn't prevent someone from not speaking. But courts generally aren't impressed by this sort of thing, and I can easily imagine a secret warrant that includes a prohibition against triggering the warrant canary. And for all I know, there are right now secret legal proceedings on this very issue.
Australia has sidestepped all of this by outlawing warrant canaries entirely:
Section 182A of the new law says that a person commits an offense if he or she discloses or uses information about "the existence or non-existence of such a [journalist information] warrant." The penalty upon conviction is two years imprisonment.
Expect that sort of wording in future US surveillance bills, too.
Posted on March 31, 2015 at 7:14 AM • 73 Comments |
The couple accused of holding three women as domestic slaves in south London for 30 years had been leading lights in a cultlike far-left political group which worshipped the Chinese revolutionary Mao Zedong and believed that their area of south London was on the verge of being liberated by China's Red Army.
Aravindan Balakrishnan, 73, named for the first time on Monday, was a senior member of the tiny Communist party of England (Marxist-Leninist) in the early 1970s, before splitting away in 1974 to form an even more niche and hardline grouping, the Workers' Institute of Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought.
His 67-year-old wife, Chanda, was part of the same grouping, which set itself up in 1976 in a library-cum-commune inside a large Victorian building in Brixton, south London, with about 25 members. Its leader, Balakrishnan, was known at the time as Comrade Bala.
Steve Rayner, an academic who studied the group, noted its cultlike attributes, in which there was little debate and the few members with jobs donated all their income to the organisation. Rayner, a professor at Oxford University, who studied Balakrishnan's group for a 1979 PhD thesis on leftwing groups, described the leader's "superior ability to manipulate" other members, who were mainly from overseas and appeared vulnerable.
Rayner's investigation found that members, who wore Mao badges at all times, believed that they and the rest of Brixton would soon be liberated by the Red Army. He said the group was the "clearest case of far-left millenarianism which I have encountered".
The couple were both arrested on suspicion of holding three women captive at a series of addresses in south London including, most recently, a council-owned flat in Peckford Place, Brixton. Police inquiries have since tied the group to more than a dozen properties around south London over the decades.
Police sources indicated that they were investigating claims that a woman fell to her death from a window at one of these addresses in 1997. A neighbour of the Victorian property in Herne Hill, south of Brixton, where the group are believed to have lived for about seven years from 1997, said the household was known locally as "something to do with a cult". Kate Roncoroni, 43, whose house backs on to the road, said: "I came here in 1996. It could have been within two years of moving in. All I remember was there was local gossip that this woman had fallen out of a window and that she had died."
A Metropolitan police spokesman said: "We are aware of this and we are attempting to access archived paper records from the inquest."
A cousin of the dead woman, who was named as Sian Davies, 44,on Monday night told ITV News that Davies had written to her family saying she was "looking after the mothers of the world". An inquest into her death heard that her fellow residents had delayed telling her family that she had fallen out of the window for seven months and that Davies had spent seven months in hospital after the Christmas Eve fall, eventually dying on 3 August 1998.
The three women freed last month freed, who left the address before the arrests following a period of secretive discussions with police and a charity combating domestic slavery, have been identified as a 69-year-old Malaysian national, a 57-year-old Irishwoman and a 30-year-old Briton, called Rosie, who is believed to be the daughter of the Irishwoman and Balakrishnan.
As the background of the suspects emerged, Lambeth council came under pressure to explain why it did not appear to have acted on concerns about the 30-year-old woman, who is believed to have been held by the couple since birth.
The authority reportedly received a complaint from a member of the public in 1998 when the teenage captive, then aged 15, did not appear to be attending school. Detectives have found no official documentation for the woman other than a birth certificate.The flat where the five people lived in Peckford Place is a council property. But the council said it could not explain why it had housed the group there, or why it had not noticed that the 30-year-old woman had not been to school. A spokeswoman said the council could not go into detail about its contact with the Balakrishnan couple because officials were working with the ongoing police investigation.
"This is an extremely complex case involving a number of individuals going back decades. It is too early at this stage to provide the detail of any contact we may have had with them," she said.
The charity that was central to the release of the women, the Freedom Charity, has appealed to the media to respect the women's privacy as more detail about their life with the couple became public. "The women are under added pressure as the appetite increases to find out who they are," said Aneeta Prem, the charity's founder.
The Balakrishnan group's beliefs were mocked in the diary column of the Times, prompting speculation that it may have been a partial model for the Tooting Popular Front, the ludicrous political movement in Citizen Smith, the BBC sitcom, which began in 1977.
The Rev Bob Nind, who was the vicar of St Matthew's church in Brixton at the time, said he knew of the group by reputation as the most far-left among the many Marxist-linked groups at the time: "I remember very well that at the 1978 byelection after Marcus Lipton died, there were 10 candidates, and five were to the left of Labour. But even among these, the people from Acre Lane were known as being particularly doctrinaire, and quite centralist."
According to another history of far-left groups in the period, the Balakrishnans' Acre Lane community was broken up in a police raid in 1978, in which the couple were among 14 people arrested. |
MOSCOW — It would be hard to imagine a more perfect birthday for Vladimir V. Putin, the president of Russia, who turned 63 on Wednesday.
After receiving a report from his defense minister that Russia had launched a major cruise missile strike on Syria — a move further confounding American policy in the Middle East — Mr. Putin celebrated his birthday by playing a game of hockey with N.H.L. veterans, and winning.
Donning skates and a uniform, Mr. Putin took to the ice in the Shayba Arena in the Black Sea resort of Sochi as a member of a team called Stars of the N.H.L., which included, among other hockey legends, Pavel Bure, known as the Russian Rocket.
The game was broadcast live on national television as the highlight of a day of adoring homages to the Russian leader. |
With Super Bowl XLVII in the books - congratulations to the Baltimore Ravens and our very lucky friends at Baltimore Beatdown, by the way - we're now completely and officially into off-season mode in the NFL. As such, we'll be spending our Monday taking stock of the roster breakdowns we ran throughout January and preparing ourselves mentally to discuss Buffalo Bills free agency and the 2013 NFL Draft full-time for the next three months or so.
We'll start with the Bills' own free agents, which we've discussed by position over the last several weeks, but never as an entire group. The thrust of this discussion will be to determine which players the community is most eager to see the Bills re-sign this spring.
Two names will not appear on the list, because frankly, it's as close to universal as you can get that everybody wants free safety Jairus Byrd and left guard Andy Levitre locked up long-term. We've had that conversation before. This conversation will be about the remaining 12 unrestricted free agents, and which players fans would like to see retained alongside Byrd and Levitre. Those names are below; the comments section is all yours. Go.
QB Tyler Thigpen: Signed after the 2011 lockout to back up Ryan Fitzpatrick due to his familiarity with Chan Gailey, Thigpen has not played much at all through two seasons in Buffalo.
QB Tarvaris Jackson: When Vince Young's legal situation forced Buffalo to cut him last fall, the Bills flipped a seventh-round pick to Seattle for Jackson, then promptly left him on the inactive list all season. Jackson, who turns 30 in April, has been considered a stop-gap starting quarterback for the last few years of his career.
RB Tashard Choice: Another player brought in largely due to his familiarity with Gailey, Choice had his moments as the Bills' third running back last season, but has largely been ineffective and infrequently used backing up C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson.
FB Corey McIntyre: One of the team's best special teams players, the 34-year-old McIntyre didn't play much in Gailey's offense - but with Gailey's offense out, could the door possibly be open for more fullback play?
WR Ruvell Martin: Another core special teams player last season, the veteran receiver only stepped into the offensive lineup when injuries struck in-game - and when he did, Buffalo's offense almost always took a step back.
OG Chad Rinehart: A spot starter along a seemingly constantly banged up Bills offensive line for parts of the last two years, Rinehart isn't the best athlete nor the best blocker, but he's tough, consistent and a proven quality reserve.
DE Kyle Moore: With reports already surfacing that the Bills want to re-sign Moore, he may be atop the team's list of the non-Byrd and Levitre free agents. The 26-year-old defensive end was a surprisingly solid pass rushing contributor in 2012, finishing with the first three sacks of his career.
DE Shawne Merriman: He didn't make the team last August, but was brought back mid-season as an injury replacement and played a rotational role as a defensive end. 29 in May, it's clear at this point that Merriman won't be returning to his old form.
DT Spencer Johnson: Signed to a five-year contract in 2008 (he was acquired the same week as Marcus Stroud), Johnson has been a rotational tackle for the Bills since that time, occasionally making some nice plays but routinely not standing out on a consistently bad defense.
LB Bryan Scott: Scott has been in Buffalo since 2007, and has been the team's de facto nickel linebacker for the past two-plus seasons. He's got a knack for coming up with turnovers, but was also a pass game liability in 2012 than in years past, and clearly puts the run defense at a disadvantage.
LB Kirk Morrison: The veteran linebacker spent most of 2012 on the inactive list before getting cut, then re-signing to play special teams over the last two games.
CB Leodis McKelvin: One of the league's elite punt returners (he has three touchdowns in a 12-game window for Buffalo, and didn't even appear in all of those contests), the 2008 first-round pick is nonetheless an inconsistent corner that has been incapable of holding down a prominent role in Buffalo's defensive backfield of late. |
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Kyle Allen had a very solid first season with Texas A&M last fall. After stepping into the starting quarterback role in November, Allen made five starts, throwing for 1,322 yards with 16 touchdowns against seven interceptions while completing 61.5 percent of his passes.
The Aggies went 3-2 in those games, including a Liberty Bowl win over West Virginia. That performance would earn him a starting role in many programs, but A&M signed 5-star recruit Kyler Murray, an enticing dual-threat quarterback who had his pick of destinations. Murray didn’t come to College Station to sit for long, and he’ll surely put pressure on Allen this fall.
He is confident in his abilities, as he told SB Nation's Yaron Weitzman.
"Right now [Allen's] the starter, obviously," Murray said. "Right now my job is just to come in, learn the offense, get better every day and try to help the team any possible way. I just have to sit there and wait my turn. I think I will get reps in games, so they will see me, so when that time comes... that's what it's all about."
Allen can’t afford to struggle, as head coach Kevin Sumlin has set precedent for quarterback changes recently. Remember Kenny Hill? He went from Heisman Trophy candidate to transferring to TCU after Allen supplanted him as starting quarterback last fall. It could happen again. |
According to a Colorado Bureau of Investigations report obtained by Media Trackers, State Representative Rhonda Fields (D-Aurora) was arrested in 1976 on a charge of larceny and again in 1991 on a charge of shoplifting. Despite her own criminal record, Rep. Fields has sought to limit the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.
An apparent mugshot of Fields was posted to the Magpul Industries Facebook page by a private user after legislation to limit gun magazine capacity, which was cosponsored by Fields, drove the company to announce that it was closing its doors in Colorado and moving out of state.
Rep. Fields has sponsored multiple gun control bills currently under debate in the Colorado Legislature, including legislation to ban on magazines with the capacity to hold more that 15 rounds, criminalize the private sale or transfer of a firearm without a background check,ban on concealed carry permits on the college campuses, and increase background check fees.
Fields has also co-sponsored Sen. Evie Hudak’s legislation which would not only strip anyone subject to a restraining order of their Second Amendment rights, but would also require the same to relinquish any firearms they own to the state.
Sen. Hudak has recently been in the national spotlight for remarks she made to rape survivor Amanda Collins. During testimony from Collins which detailed how her attacker was able to target her while she was unarmed due to a campus ban on concealed carry in Nevada, Hudak told Collins that “actually statistics are not on your side even if you had a gun.”
Additionally, Fields was the sole sponsor in the House to sign on to Sen. John Morse’s (D-Colorado Springs) legislation to institute civil liability on firearms manufacturers, sellers, and owner for any damage incurred through the use of their firearms.
Despite her criminal history, Rep. Fields has previously received campaign donations from the Aurora Police Association.
Media Trackers attempted to contact Fields at her office multiple times, but the Representative was unavailable for comment as the calls were unanswered.
This post was originally featured at Media Trackers Colorado. |
Story highlights Obama administration says it will stop deporting young illegal immigrants
Ruben Navarrette: This is a stunt to help improve Obama's chance with Latino voters
He says some DREAM'ers may benefit from Obama's initiative, but many probably won't
Navarrette: Obama's immigration record is most impressive to those who follow it least closely
Did you ever wonder why Charlie Brown kept charging at the football, despite the fact that Lucy always pulled it away and he wound up flat on his back? You would think that experience has made him skeptical. It's because he really wanted to believe that, this time, things would work out. And when you really want to believe in something, you have a short memory when it comes to past disappointments.
That's how it is with many Latinos and other immigration reform advocates. They want President Obama to become the person they voted for -- who promised Latinos that he would fix a broken immigration system, stop dividing families, and push through Congress a Dream Act-like legislation that would give undocumented young people a pathway to legal status if they go to college or join the military.
None of that happened, and so Latinos -- who, in 2008, voted overwhelmingly for Obama -- are ambivalent about the president's re-election.
Something had to be done to convince Latinos that the president is on their side.
Ruben Navarrette Jr.
Today, something was done. Or rather, something was promised. The Obama administration announced that it would stop deporting younger illegal immigrants who came to the United States as children -- provided they meet certain conditions -- and begin granting work permits to them.
Illegal immigrants will supposedly benefit from the new policy if they were brought to the United States before they turned 16, if they are 30 or younger, if they have lived in the country for at least five years, if they have no criminal record and if they attend or graduated from a U.S. high school, or have served in the military.
The policy change could affect as many as 800,000 immigrants -- so-called DREAM'ers -- who would have benefited from the DREAM Act had it not been blocked by Congress. These people have been living in fear of being deported by the same administration that is now offering the pardon.
Confused? Just wait. It gets better. We've only just begun to make our way down this rabbit hole.
The administration is obviously trying to "checkmate" a nearly identical proposal floated by Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, which reportedly would also stop DREAM'ers from being deported and issue them work permits. The Rubio plan would not offer a pathway to citizenship. About this omission, the left was incensed. But Obama isn't offering a pathway to citizenship either, and yet many in the left couldn't be happier. Where is the consistency?
Then there is the inconvenient fact that we're not supposed to even need this kind of policy change because, according to Obama, his administration isn't deporting DREAM'ers at all; instead, it's concentrating its enforcement efforts on criminals. That's exactly what Obama told Univision anchor Jorge Ramos during a March 2011 trip to El Salvador. A couple of weeks later, Obama had to swallow those words when -- during an education town hall meeting in Washington, sponsored by Univision -- he was confronted by a DREAM'er holding deportation papers. So now we're supposed to applaud the administration for not deporting people the president had claimed weren't being deported in the first place.
Of course, the administration is deporting DREAM'ers, along with gardeners, housekeepers, nannies and ice cream vendors who represent no threat to public safety. It's a waste of time for officials to deny that.
Just this week, I wrote in my CNN.com column about another one of Obama's broken promises. The administration pledged to use prosecutorial discretion to free from deportation proceedings individuals who had been in the country for a number of years, had U.S.-born children, or were otherwise rooted in the United States. That included DREAM'ers. So far, the promise hasn't amounted to much of anything
I expect a similar outcome with DREAM'ers. Some of them may benefit from Obama's new initiative, but many probably won't. That's because the idea behind the DREAM Act -- trading legal status for college attendance or military service -- is still unpopular with most voters in this country. The administration has no interest in antagonizing a wide portion of the electorate in an election year.
It doesn't matter anyway, at least not to the president. All he cares about is his bid for re-election, and whether this latest stunt helps improve the turnout of Latino voters. It might. People get fooled, especially if they're not paying attention. In fact, I've realized that Obama's immigration record is most impressive to those who follow it least closely. In other words, the closer you follow the record, the less impressive it seems.
In the words of Ronald Reagan, the last president to actually grant an amnesty to illegal immigrants and not just talk about it, Latino voters, immigrant advocates and the DREAM'ers themselves should -- in response to this latest promise -- "trust, but verify." And, given the administration's record, they can skip the first part. |
One problem with the focus the Israeli raid on the Gaza aid flotilla is that it may make it appear that the Israeli blockade of Gaza is the central issue. Then any Israeli loosening of the blockade would seem to be an advance.
In fact, the blockade is not the problem but is rather a symptom of the underlying issue, which is Palestinian statelessness. Gazans have no state. What the Israelis deign to call the ‘Hamas regime’ is no such thing because it lacks sovereignty, over its borders, air, sea, imports and exports. (The idea that Israel is ‘at war’ with its own occupied territory is laughable.) The Israeli ‘withdrawal’ of 2005 simply removed a few thousand colonists and withdrew troops, usually, to the borders. But it did not allow the creation of a sovereign state. Gazans are excluded from a third of their own farmland by Israeli restrictions on where people can live. That so many Gazans are unemployed, that their industries have collapsed, that they are food insecure, and that malnutrition is causing stunting in 10% of children– all these outrages derive from their lack of a sovereign state to look out for their interests.
The International Committee of the Red Cross issued a report this weekend detailing the harm to Gazan children and civilians of the blockade. Most do not even have clean water to drink.
Aljazeera English also reports on the impact of the blockade on Gaza’s children:
Nevertheless, the problems inflicted on Gazans by the Israeli blockade will not be resolved by a loosening of the blockade. They will only be resolved by the bestowal of citizenship on Gazans, either by a Palestinian state (which does not exist and would have to be created) or by Israel (which does not want the Gazans as citizens but may end up being stuck with them).
What I cannot understand is how Israel, the US, and the European Union expect this thing to end. In the West Bank there are three political processes. First, there are the proximity talks between Palestine Authority president Mahmoud Abbas and the Israelis (talks about the conditions for talks). Second, there are municipal elections this summer in the West Bank. Third, the ‘Fayyad Plan’ calls for the Palestine Authority to have some 20,000 trained security forces in the West Bank by summer 2011, at which point Salim Fayyad, the appointed prime minister of the Palestine Authority and his government could well declare an independent state.
But in Gaza there is no political process and no prospect of one. The fundamentalist party, Hamas, won the January 2006 parliamentary elections in the Palestine Authority. But the Israelis and the US immediately rejected its victory and kidnapped parliamentarians and disrupted the government and then supported a coup in the West Bank by Fatah, the secular nationalist party of president Abbas. An attempt to extend the coup to the Gaza Strip failed, so Hamas remained in power there. The Israelis have attempted to overthrow and dislodge Hamas, including through the blockade on ordinary civilians and through the 2008-09 Gaza War, but so far have failed.
Unless a way can be found to hold legitimate elections in Gaza, it will remain isolated, even from other Palestinians in the West Bank, both politically and economically, so that the lives of its inhabitants will continue to be hell. The Israeli far right, now in power politically, will use the isolation of Gaza to argue that there is no single Palestinian representative with whom they can negotiate, and that they therefore do not need to negotiate, and can go blockading Gazans and stealing the land of West Bank Palestinians.
To repeat: the Israeli blockade of Gaza is a war crime and it is harming the health and well-being of the Gazans. But it is not in and of itself the problem, such that easing the blockade solves anything fundamental. Incorporation of Gazans into a sovereign state such that they have citizenship and can exercise popular sovereignty is the key to any real advance.
It seems to me therefore less than earth-shaking that the White House is backing an internal Israeli inquiry into its fatal raid in international waters against an aid flotilla that aimed at helping the civilian population of the Gaza Strip. The commission will have some distinguished Europeans on it as observers, but the performance of the Israeli authorities with regard to investigating their own during the 2008-2009 Gaza War and Tel Aviv’s demonization of Judge Richard Goldstone and the Goldstone Report do not encourage confidence. Moreover, even if the commission found that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu erred in sending commandos to board the Mavi Marmara aid ship, it is hard to see how the ordinary people of Gaza would benefit from such a finding.
In any case, Washington and Tel Aviv no longer have infinite time to resolve the issue. The blockade of civilians is backfiring on the Israelis by provoking more and more aid ships.
Even little Bahrain is sending aid to Gaza. And, Iran is planning an aid flotilla (I expect real trouble over that one). And Turkey is planning another, this time possibly with the Turkish prime minister aboard (major international conflict looming, possibly even hostilities).
The international community has to stop dithering and intervene to end this Israeli lawlessness in Gaza, and provide a path for Gazans to citizenship in some sovereign state. The consequences of not doing so are now potentially explosive. |
Gaza journalists rally for release of Al Jazeera reporter
7:05 AM
Dozens of Palestinian journalists held a non-violent protest Saturday in Gaza City outside the offices of the United Nations. They called on UN officials to pressure Israel to release their colleague, reporter Samer Allawi, who has been held in Israeli detention since August 10.Allawi was abducted by Israeli forces at the Israeli-controlled border crossing between Jordan and the West Bank, while he was returning to his home in Nablus district after a three-week vacation.
Israeli intelligence agents reportedly questioned Allawi about his work as a correspondent in Afghanistan, where he served as Al Jazeera’s bureau chief. They then took him to a detention camp, where he is being held without charge in what Israel terms ‘administrative detention’.
The detention of Samer Allawi has been condemned by media agencies worldwide, as well as media rights groups like Reporters Without Borders, who say that the detention of journalists violates the freedom of the press.
Adel Zanoun, the director of the Doha Media Center, spoke at the protest on Saturday and stated, ‘As journalists, we came here today to ask Israel to immediately release Samir Allawi and all other journalists detained in Israel. The only crime those journalists committed was doing their jobs and defending the freedom of the press and freedom of expression.’
Al Jazeera journalist Wael Dahdouh also spoke at the rally, pointing out the dangers faced by journalists working throughout the region, and honoring a colleague killed in Libya last month while reporting on the events taking place there. |
This article is about the canceled Alaska dam project. For the reservoir in Colorado, see Rampart Reservoir
The Rampart Dam or Rampart Canyon Dam was a project proposed in 1954 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to dam the Yukon River in Alaska for hydroelectric power. The project was planned for Rampart Canyon (also known as Rampart Gorge) just 31 miles (50 km) southwest of the village of Rampart, Alaska and about 105 miles (169 km) west-northwest of Fairbanks, Alaska.
The resulting dam would have created a lake roughly the size of Lake Erie, making it the largest man-made reservoir in the world. The plan for the dam itself called for a concrete structure 530 feet (162 m) high with a top length of about 4,700 feet (1,430 m). The proposed power facilities would have consistently generated between 3.5 and 5 gigawatts of electricity, based on the flow of the river as it differs between winter and summer.
Though supported by many politicians and businesses in Alaska, the project was canceled after objections were raised. Native Alaskans in the area protested the threatened loss of nine villages that would be flooded by the dam. Conservation groups abhorred the threatened flooding of the Yukon Flats, a large area of wetlands that provides a critical breeding ground for millions of waterfowl. Fiscal conservatives opposed the dam on the grounds of its large cost and limited benefit to Americans outside Alaska.
Because of these objections, United States Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall formally opposed construction of the dam in 1967, and the project was shelved. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers nevertheless completed its engineering study of the project in 1971, and the final report was released to the public in 1979. In 1980, U.S. President Jimmy Carter created the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Sanctuary, which formally protected the area from development and disallowed any similar project.
Site [ edit ]
The northern portion of Rampart Canyon is seen in 1949.
From its headwaters in the Coast Mountains, the Yukon River flows northwest, across the Yukon–Alaska border, until it intersects the Porcupine River at the settlement of Fort Yukon. At that point, the river turns west and southwest, flowing through the Yukon Flats, a low-lying wetland area containing thousands of ponds, streams, and other small bodies of water. As the river flows southwest, it intersects the Tanana and Koyukuk rivers before looping south, then north into Norton Sound in the Bering Sea.[1][2]
During the river's flow through eastern Alaska, and before it intersects the Tanana River, the Yukon flows through the Central Plateau region of Alaska. During the millions of years of its flow, it has cut through ridges, forming canyons in some places near its juncture with the Tanana.[3] One of the deepest of these canyons is known as Rampart Gorge, or Rampart Canyon. The gorge is located 31 miles (50 km) downstream of the village of Rampart, 36 miles (58 km) upstream of the village of Tanana, and immediately downstream from the mouth of Texas Creek.[4] It is named for the nearby village of Rampart, Alaska, a former gold-mining community now home to subsistence fishermen.[5]
At the proposed dam site, the river is 1,300 feet (396 m) wide and has an elevation of 183 feet (56 m) above sea level. On the south bank, the land rises sharply to a ridge 1,500 feet (457 m) high. North of the river, the bank rises to 1,200 feet (366 m) before ascending gradually northwest to the Ray Mountains.[3] Below the surface of the ground are patches of permafrost, and the area is seismically active.[6] An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter Scale struck the region in 1968,[7] and a 5.0 earthquake hit the area in 2003.[8] Geologically, igneous rock predominates, and quartz can be seen in places.[9]
Hydrologically, the portion of the river upstream of the proposed dam drains about 200,000 square miles (517,998 km2). On average, the Yukon flows at a rate of 118,000 cubic feet per second (3,341 m3/s) through the canyon, with the fastest flow occurring in the later part of May and the first part of June, and the slowest flow occurring after the river has frozen over. This occurs no later than early November and lasts until mid April.[4]
Surveying [ edit ]
A map of Interior Alaska, with the proposed location of Rampart Dam highlighted
In 1944, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers considered building a bridge across Rampart Gorge as part of a project to extend the Alaska Railroad from Fairbanks to Nome to facilitate Lend-Lease shipments to the Soviet Union during World War II. The war ended before the project got beyond the planning stages, and the bridge idea was scrapped.[3]
As early as 1948, U.S. Government officials eyed the Rampart site for its hydroelectric potential. A report by Joseph Morgan, chief of the Alaska Investigations Office for the United States Bureau of Reclamation declared, "The demand for electric power supply in the [Alaska] Territory is expanding so rapidly that new installations of hydroelectric power plants are needed."[10] Morgan's report listed 72 potential hydroelectric power sites in Alaska, but the Rampart site was one of the few to have a potential capacity of more than 200,000 kilowatts.[11]
In his report, Morgan addresses the potential of the site:
Reconnaissance topography indicates several potential dam sites in Lower Ramparts, but the best site probably will be found about 31 miles (50 km) downstream from the village of Rampart. ... this site on the Yukon River would easily be one of the major potential hydroelectric power developments in North America.[12]
Planning [ edit ]
A drawing of the proposed Rampart Dam reservoir, created in 1961.
The first serious consideration of a dam project was made in a 1954 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assessment of the resources of the Yukon and Kuskokwim River basin.[13] Engineers considered Rampart Canyon to be a prime site for a hydroelectric dam.[14] In April 1959, four months after President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed Alaska's declaration of statehood, junior U.S. Senator from Alaska Ernest Gruening passed a resolution calling for the Corps of Engineers to begin an official study of the project,[15] and $49,000 was allocated by the federal government for that purpose.[16] Preliminary estimates said the project would cost $900 million (1959 dollars) and generate 4.7 million kilowatts of electricity. At the time, the largest hydroelectric project in Alaska was the Eklutna Dam, which produced just 32,000 kilowatts.[17]
The project competed with the smaller-scale Susitna Hydroelectric Project proposed by the Federal Bureau of Reclamation for south-central Alaska, but thanks to Gruening's support and that of other backers, the Rampart project took precedence.[15] The Rivers and Harbors Act of 1960 passed by the U.S. Congress in that year included a $2 million appropriation to conduct a full four-year feasibility study of the project, including its economic feasibility and the impact it would have on fish and wildlife.[18] In March 1961, a team of engineers from the Corps' Alaska district began drilling operations at the site to determine bedrock depth and gather other data.[19] To examine the economic feasibility of the dam, the Corps of Engineers created the Rampart Economic Advisory Board (REAB) in February 1961.[18] The REAB hired David E. Lilienthal's Development and Resources Corporation in April to complete the study, and a team of Corps engineers and REAB members arrived in the state in June to study the Rampart project first-hand. At that time, Sen. Gruening estimated that the project would cost roughly $1.2 billion to complete.[15]
As investigation and planning work continued, the Corps of Engineers reached an agreement with the Department of the Interior, the parent agency of the Bureau of Reclamation, in March 1962. The agreement stated the Corps would have responsibility for design and construction of the project, while the Interior Department would be responsible for running and maintaining the dam after completion. In the planning stages, the Interior Department also would be responsible for examining the economic feasibility of the project and its effect upon natural resources.[20] This agreement negated much of the work of the REAB to that point,[21] as the Interior Department promptly began its own three-year study of the dam's economic feasibility and environmental impact. The DRC report, though trumped by the Interior Department's new precedence in such matters, nevertheless released a report in April 1962, stating that the project was economically feasible and would attract new industries to Alaska.[22] Meanwhile, the Corps of Engineers continued engineering studies.
The interim Corps of Engineers report was released in December 1963, and reported that building the dam was feasible from an engineering standpoint. President John F. Kennedy supported the project, and lobbied for an appropriation of $197,000 (1963 dollars) to continue study of the project. The needed money was included in a House appropriations bill, and studies continued.[23] The initial report included some figures about the size of the project. The dam would be a concrete structure 530 feet (162 m) high and about 4,700 feet (1,430 m) long. It would raise the height of the Yukon River from 215 feet (66 m) above sea level to approximately 445 feet (136 m). The resulting reservoir would be 400 miles (640 km) long, 80 miles (130 km) wide, and have a surface area greater than that of Lake Erie. The power facilities for the project would produce a maximum of 5 gigawatts of electricity.[24] In total, the proposed reservoir was anticipated to cover an area of 10,700 square miles (27,700 km2) and have a capacity of 1,300,000,000 acre feet (1,600 km3).[25]
In April 1964, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) released its report on the project. Though only a part of the larger Department of the Interior study, the FWS report came down strongly opposed to the dam on the grounds that it would irrevocably destroy the Yukon Flats, a critical waterfowl breeding ground.[26] In January 1965, the Bureau of Land Management set aside almost 9,000,000 acres (3,600,000 ha) of land for construction of the dam and reservoir.[27] It was a typical process that had been done for other dam projects several times before, but the amount of land to be set aside generated several months of hearings before the decision.[28]
In June 1964 the Natural Resources Council asked Stephen H. Spurr, dean of the Graduate School of the University of Michigan and an authority on forestry and forest ecology, to form a group to evaluate the proposed Rampart Dam. The Spurr report determined that the scenarios offered as justification for the project were overly optimistic with respect to Alaska's projected long-term population growth, its per capita use of electricity, and the predicted rate of entry of electroprocess industries like the aluminum industry (which had substantial power requirements) into Alaska. Moreover, the proposed dam would have greatly reduced the catch of five species of Pacific salmon, especially the chinook (king), chum (dog) and coho (silver) salmon. It would also eliminate vast numbers of migratory waterfowl, including an estimated 1.5 million ducks and 12,500 geese that migrated annually from the Yukon flats. There would also have been a sharp decline in both large mammals - the moose, black and grizzly bear, and caribou - and smaller mammals: muskrats, mink, beavers, and river otters in aquatic habitats, and marten, wolverines, weasels, lynx, snowshoe hares, red fox and red squirrels in terrestrial or upland habitats. Spurr's report noted: "[It]is a truism of wildlife ecology that displacement of a population from the area where it normally lives is tantamount to eliminating it completely. Adjoining habitats ordinarily are carrying all the wildlife that the local resources will support. In short, loss of habitat is synonymous with loss of the animal population supported by the inundated habitat."[29]
In March 1966 Spurr's team issued its final report, finding that the dam was not a cost-effective investment.[30]
In January 1965, the Department of the Interior completed its three-volume, 1,000-page study of the Rampart project's feasibility and impact. The Fish and Wildlife study released in 1964 was included, as were studies of the impact on the region's Alaska Native population.[31] United States Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall then created a task force to review the findings before he made a final decision.[32] Throughout 1965 and 1966, opponents and proponents of the project funded studies of their own, aimed either at supporting or rejecting the arguments for the dam.[33]
In June 1967, the Department of the Interior made its final recommendation and suggested that the dam not be built. Secretary Udall cited the fish and wildlife losses that would result, the availability of less-costly alternatives, and the fact that no recreational benefits would accrue.[34]
Final design [ edit ]
Despite the Interior Department's rejection of the overall Rampart Dam project, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continued its engineering feasibility study on the project. That plan was completed on June 25, 1971, and it included most of the previous federal documents pertaining to the project, including the electricity market studies published by the Department of the Interior in 1965, the Fish and Wildlife study of 1964, and other studies about the economic feasibility of the project. A detailed description of potential construction methods and the overall plan for the project were included, as were reports about the site's geography and hydrology. In total, the report encompassed two volumes including more than 480 pages.[35] Because the construction season at the site is only five months,[A] the Corps of Engineers projected that several decades would be needed to build the dam and associated structures.[36]
Preparation [ edit ]
Due to the lack of any land transportation route to the dam site, the first stage of construction would have involved the building of a temporary road from Eureka, about 30 miles (48 km) away, to the dam site. Consideration also was given to the extension of the Alaska Railroad from Fairbanks to the site.[37] A period of about four years would have been required for preconstruction planning, including detailed construction surveying and finalizing the design of the dam, powerhouse, and other structures.[37] Engineers estimated that after the four years of final planning and surveying, three years would be needed to dig river diversion tunnels and construct the cofferdams needed to clear the Yukon River streambed for construction.[37] Housing and construction offices also would have been constructed for workers on the south bank of the site, and the cost for this effort was included in overall cost proposals for the project.[38]
Construction [ edit ]
Site clearing and foundation work would have been scheduled to begin after completion of the diversion work in the seventh year of the project. The first pouring of concrete was scheduled for the project's eighth year, and work on the powerhouse would have begun in the 11th year.[37] Owing to the large size of the reservoir, engineers estimated that the diversion tunnels would be closed in the 13th year, allowing construction to pace the filling of the new lake.[37] The reservoir would have reached a pool elevation of 550 feet (168 m) in the 21st year, the dam would have been completed to elevation 660 feet (201 m) in the 25th year, and the reservoir would have been filled to the full 640-foot (195 m) level in the 31st year after the project's start.[37] The installation of power generators was planned to follow as needed, with the last unit scheduled for installation by the 45th year of the project.[37]
In total, the dam would have consisted of a concrete gravity structure with a structural height of 510 feet (155 m) and a hydraulic height of 430 feet (131 m). At the elevation of 660 feet (201 m), the dam would have stretched for 4,700 feet (1,430 m) from north to south. On the south bank would have been a concrete gravity spillway with a crest at elevation 600 feet (183 m) and a maximum flow of 603,000 cubic feet per second (17,100 m3/s) at maximum pool elevation.[39] The power facilities would have consisted of twenty-two 266,000 kilowatt units and two 10,000 kilowatt service units.[40]
Materially, building the dam would have required 15,000,000 cubic yards (11,470,000 m3) of concrete aggregate, 2,900,000 cubic yards (2,220,000 m3) of rock fill, and another 1,700,000 cubic yards (1,300,000 m3) of various other types of fill. Engineers suggested that some of the material could be found at the site, but the remainder would have to be brought from outside sources.[41]
Reservoir [ edit ]
At the projected pool elevation of 645 feet (197 m), the resulting reservoir would have had a total capacity of 1,145,000,000 acre feet (1,410 km3). The full pool length would have been about 270 miles (435 km), and the maximum width would have been 80 miles (129 km). The resulting lake would have had approximately 3,600 miles (5,800 km) of shoreline and a total surface area of about 9,844 square miles (25,496 km2).[42] Because the Yukon also is a transportation route, transshipment facilities were planned for below and above the dam site and would have been connected by road and rail links.[42] Because of the large size of the proposed reservoir and the need to allow some flow of the Yukon River downstream of the dam site for river navigation and fishing, engineers anticipated that filling the reservoir would take no fewer than 16 years to complete.[43]
Anticipated costs [ edit ]
The Rampart Dam's large size had a correspondingly large price tag. The Corps of Engineers anticipated spending $618.4 million (1970 dollars) on construction of the physical dam alone, another $492 million for power-generating equipment, and $1.39 billion in total.[44] That total included $15.59 million for relocating Alaskans from the area to be flooded, $56 million for fish and wildlife facilities to mitigate the anticipated losses, and $39.7 million for roads and bridges to access the area.[44] After completion of the dam, the Corps of Engineers estimated that operation and maintenance of the project would cost $6.5 million annually, including $570,000 for replacement power equipment and $2 million for the maintenance of fish and wildlife facilities.[45]
Weather effects [ edit ]
From the initial planning stages, proponents and opponents speculated that the large size of the reservoir created by the dam could affect the weather in Interior Alaska and the Yukon.[14] Several studies were conducted in regards to these potential changes, and most of the reports hypothesized an effect similar to the weather that occurs around Great Slave Lake and Lake Baikal, both of which were of similar sizes and latitudes to the proposed reservoir. Forecasts predicted the lake would hold in heat longer during the autumn, thus keeping area temperatures slightly warmer than normal. In the spring, however, the area around the lake would have been prone to increased precipitation due to the phenomenon of lake-effect snow. In the summer, the long periods of daylight would have caused the land around the lake to become warmer than the lake itself, also creating the possibility of storms.[46]
Supporters [ edit ]
Support for the dam project came from a variety of sources, but supporters tended to use three primary arguments in favor of its construction: the electricity generated by the project would be cheap and plentiful, industries would be attracted to Alaska by the cheap electricity, and the dam's construction would have minimal impact on the environment and human populations.[47]
During the campaign that preceded the 1960 U.S. Presidential election, both candidates—Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy—made campaign stops in Alaska. Both men gave their support to the Rampart Dam project, with Kennedy saying, "I see the greatest dam in the free world at Rampart Canyon, producing twice the power of the Tennessee Valley Authority to light homes and mills and cities and farms all over Alaska."[48] Nixon, arriving three months after Kennedy, said, "As far as Rampart Canyon Dam is concerned, certainly you can expect progress, more progress, I believe, in our administration than his".[49]
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers leaders strongly supported the project in its initial phases. In 1960, Harold Moats of the Corps' Alaska district said, "Rampart Canyon, the big one, is Alaska's most valuable resource, and as it is developed, Alaska will take her rightful place in the family of states contributing richly to the economy of the nation and the welfare of the whole free world."[50]
In early September 1963, a group of Alaska businesspeople, local government leaders, and industry representatives met at McKinley Park Lodge to organize lobbying efforts in favor of the dam. The resulting organization was called the Yukon Corporation for Power for America, later shortened to Yukon Power for America, Inc.[51] The organization began with a $100,000 budget, which it used to produce "The Rampart Story", a color brochure distributed in Alaska and Washington, D.C. to promote the dam project.[52]
Alaska senator Ernest Gruening remained a staunch backer of the project from its inception to its cancellation, and made it a major personal political priority.[53] Gruening led a coalition of Alaska lawmakers that included most of the Alaska Legislature. In the 1962 Alaska state elections, every candidate elected to the state legislature was a supporter of the project.[21] In the years that followed, the Alaska Legislature voted several times to allocate state funding for the project.[34][54] Politicians at the city level also got into the action, as the city of Anchorage and the Fairbanks Public Utilities Board each voted to contribute $10,000 to a pro-Rampart organization.[55] Among the group's members was Ted Stevens,[55] who was appointed in 1968 as one of Alaska's representatives to the U.S. Senate.[56]
Electrical argument [ edit ]
As planned, the dam would have produced roughly 34 terawatt hours annually, nearly 50 times the total energy use for the entire state of Alaska in 1960 (700 gigawatt hours).[57] Gruening, in particular, believed that the dam would have an effect similar to that of the Tennessee Valley Authority in the 1930s, with cheap electricity providing the economic basis of the region.[28] Dam proponents also suggested that the electricity might be transmitted to the rest of the United States, lowering utility prices in those states by increasing the amount of available power. Anthony Netboy, a salmon biologist employed by Yukon Power for America, claimed that one day, "a housewife in Phoenix or L.A. will fry her eggs at breakfast with electricity generated on the far-off Yukon."[58]
Industrial argument [ edit ]
Supporters of the project suggested that the cheap electricity provided by the dam would be a strong enticement for electricity-intensive industries, such as aluminum smelting, to move to Alaska. They were encouraged by a 1962 economic feasibility study by the Development and Resources Corporation, which stated that the electricity generated would attract aluminum, magnesium and titanium industries to the region and help process locally produced minerals.[59] The report also stated that the dam would attract a wood pulp mill on at least a temporary basis to process the hundreds of millions of board feet of timber that would otherwise be lost as the dam's reservoir flooded.[60] The authors of the DRC report were specific enough to predict that 19,746 jobs would be created by the dam's construction—not including jobs opened during the construction process.[61] Both the 1962 study, and another report by University of Michigan researcher Michael Brewer in 1966, stated that tens of thousands of jobs would be created by the construction process alone, even if the cheap electricity generated by the dam failed to attract any additional industries to Alaska.[61][62]
Impact argument [ edit ]
At the time Rampart Dam was being considered, Alaska as a whole, and Interior Alaska in particular, was sparsely settled. The 1960 United States Census recorded just 226,127 people as residents of Alaska, making it the least-populated state in the United States at that time.[63] Interior Alaska contained about 28,000 residents,[64] and promoters suggested that the dam's benefits would vastly outweigh the costs to the few residents who would be displaced. An unnamed Gruening staffer once said the area to be flooded by the dam was worthless, containing "not more than ten flush toilets. Search the whole world and it would be difficult to find an equivalent area with so little to be lost through flooding."[50] In a 1963 letter responding to a Sports Illustrated article about the dam, Gruening wrote,
As for the 2,000 Athabascan Indians, they could not but be better off than they are now. Their villages are flooded intermittently by the Yukon. Their habitations are miserable and their livelihood a bare subsistence supplemented by relief. Construction of the Rampart Dam will give them ample gainful employment, and in their new locations, chosen by them on the lake's borders, they will have better homes, better community facilities and a permanent income from now nonexistent activities, generated by the lake.[65]
In the same letter, Gruening also promoted the possibility of the dam creating a thriving tourism industry in Interior Alaska,[65] a hypothesis that was raised by other dam supporters as well. Greuning stated that the project would be similar to Lake Powell, in that it would create a range of recreational activities, including water skiing and picnicking.[66]
Opposition [ edit ]
Opposition to the project was based on three separate objections to its construction: ecological, human, and financial.[67] Conservation groups opposed the dam's construction because it would flood the Yukon Flats, a large wetland area that provides breeding ground for millions of waterfowl and habitat for game and fur-bearing animals.[67] Alaska Native groups objected to the project's human cost—the need to relocate more than 1,500 people and 9 villages—and Native groups outside the reservoir area objected to the potential devastation of the Yukon River salmon population.[67] The third objection to construction of the dam stemmed from its high cost and the belief that cheap electricity would not be enough to attract industry to Alaska.[67]
Ecological objections [ edit ]
In late 1960, the Alaska Conservation Society became the first large conservation group to oppose construction of the dam. The organization believed the flooding of the Yukon Flats would cause critical damage to Alaska waterfowl and promoted the alternative Susitna Hydroelectric Project to supply Alaska's electric needs.[68] This was followed in early 1961 by an Alaska Sportsmen's Council resolution that criticized the Corps of Engineers for reducing its funding for studies of the impact of the project on fish and game stocks.[69] In April of that year, Alaska Sportsman magazine took a formal stand against the project.[70]
The California Fish and Game Commission was among the first non-Alaska conservation groups to oppose construction of the dam, saying in 1963 that it would inundate the Yukon Flats, an area of wetlands that is among North America's largest waterfowl breeding grounds.[23] Following that objection, other groups began to organize during the 1963 North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference. Fifteen conservation groups pooled a total of $25,000 at the meeting[71] to begin an independent scientific study of the project and start an opposition campaign.[72]
In the spring of 1964, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a report on the impact of dam construction on the Flats. The report strongly opposed construction of the dam, saying in part, "Nowhere in the history of water development in North America have the fish and wildlife losses anticipated to result from a single project been so overwhelming."[24] The report also pointed out the threat the dam would pose to the Yukon River's large salmon population, which swim upstream each year to spawn.[24] Arthur Laing, Canada's minister of northern affairs and natural resources, also expressed alarm at the potential waterfowl losses and the threat the dam posed to Canada's portion of the Yukon River salmon population.[73]
A May 1965 article in The Atlantic magazine by author Paul Brooks illustrated the growing protests of conservationists concerned about the project. After traveling the Yukon River, Brooks hypothesized that construction of the dam would be catastrophic from an ecological and human standpoint, would cost an exorbitant amount of money, and that the claims of attracting industry and tourism to Alaska were greatly exaggerated.[74] In real terms, he estimated that construction of the dam would eliminate the habitat for 1.5 million ducks, 12,500 geese, 10,000 cranes, 270,000 salmon, 12,000 moose, and seven percent of Alaska's fur-bearing animals.[75] Similar articles appeared in magazines such as Field and Stream, which called the project "a catastrophe of major proportions",[76] and the Audubon Society Magazine, said the dam "would negate 30 years of endeavor in waterfowl preservation.[77] Even sporting magazine Sports Illustrated got into the act, asking if the cost of so many waterfowl would be worth building the dam.[78]
Human objections [ edit ]
In planning the dam project, engineers anticipated that building the dam would flood nine Alaska Native villages, forcing the relocation of an estimated 1,500 people.[79] Although some of the affected villagers felt the increased job opportunities would outweigh the forced move, most objected to the potential loss of the region's history.[79] Among the affected villages was Fort Yukon, which is the oldest English-speaking settlement in Alaska. In 1964, several groups of Native dam opponents in the Yukon Flats came together to form an organization called Gwitchya Gwitchin Ginkhye, which lobbied against the project.[79] The Tundra Times, an Alaska newspaper devoted to Native issues, also came out strongly in opposition to the project, saying that all but one village from the head of the proposed reservoir to the mouth of the Yukon River were against the dam.[50] Don Young, Alaska's representative to the U.S. House of Representatives, was elected to the Alaska Legislature in 1964 from Fort Yukon on a platform of opposition to Rampart Dam.[26]
A survey of the archeological and paleontological potential of the Yukon Flats, conducted in 1965, objected to the potential loss of the area. In part, it said, "... it may be said that relatively speaking, the archaeological potential of the Rampart Impoundment area is great; the practical difficulties of field work will have to be overcome in order to obviate the possible loss of what may be some of the most important prehistoric records in North America."[80]
The Canadian government also strongly opposed the Rampart Dam project. According to the Treaty of Washington, signed in 1871, Canada was allowed free navigation of the Yukon River.[81] It was feared that construction of the dam would block navigation routes and violate the treaty.[82]
Financial objections [ edit ]
Opposition to the dam project also arose in concern of the dam's cost. Several United States congressmen and fiscal conservatives protested the proposal on the grounds that the money that would be spent on its construction would be better used to support other projects. They pointed to the lack of existing infrastructure in the region and said it was unlikely that enough electricity generated by the dam could be sold at a high enough price to pay for its construction.[58]
In his 1966 analysis of the project's economic feasibility, Michael Brewer refuted the conclusions of the 1962 federal study, saying that the ability of the dam to pay for itself was "an exercise in speculation".[57] He also wrote that even if the dam was built and cheap electricity made available, "Alaska did not possess a competitive advantage".[83] He concluded by saying that the project was "not economically efficient".[83] Because of arguments like these, the common belief among informed observers outside Alaska was that the project was designed to benefit Alaska alone, and thus could almost be considered "foreign aid."[84] An editorial in The New York Times summed up non-Alaska opinions when it asked if the dam project was "the world's biggest boondoggle".[85]
Cancellation [ edit ]
Owing to increasing public pressure, in June 1967, United States Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall announced he was strongly opposed to the dam, citing economic and biological factors as well as the drastic impact on the area's native population.[71][86][87] Though this effectively ended the project, planning continued to go ahead until the final Army Corps of Engineers report was released in 1971 and recommended the project "not be undertaken at this time".[88] Alaska governor William Allen Egan protested the statement, saying the report was out of date due to population growth in Alaska and rising demand for electricity.[89]
The report was duly reconsidered, but in 1978, the Army Corps of Engineers confirmed the project no longer was justified. The audited report was accepted by the U.S. Senate, and no further funding was allocated to study the issue.[89] The final nail in the coffin came on December 1, 1978, when President Jimmy Carter authorized the creation of the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Monument,[71] which became the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge in 1980.[90] The refuge status eliminated any possibility of flooding the Yukon Flats, a process that would have been inevitable with the construction of the dam.[91]
In summer 1985, the last remnants of the dam project were eliminated when the 8.96 million acres (36,300 km2) set aside for development of the dam were released by the Bureau of Land Management for other uses.[92]
Legacy [ edit ]
The controversy surrounding the Rampart Dam project illustrated the growing shift in the environmental movement during the 1960s. Rather than becoming focused singularly on solely preserving the natural beauty of a particular landscape, as had inspired the creation of the U.S. National Park Service in the United States during the first half of the twentieth century, naturalists and environmentalists began to consider the human cost of development as well.[93] Though opposition to Rampart was founded primarily on economic and natural grounds, it consequences for the Alaska Native population in the region reflected later concerns about industrial development in more urban areas.[93]
Among Alaska Natives, the Rampart Dam project encouraged organization and the creation of communications links between various like-minded communities and tribal groups. When the Trans-Alaska Pipeline was proposed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Native organizations that had formed to oppose Rampart Dam were revived in opposition to the pipeline. Only after Native land claims were recognized in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act did the pipeline progress.[94]
See also [ edit ]
Notes [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Brewer, Michael. Rampart Dam and the Economic Development of Alaska . School of Natural Resources, University of Michigan. January 1966.
. School of Natural Resources, University of Michigan. January 1966. Brooks, Paul. "The plot to drown Alaska". The Atlantic , Volume 215, No. 5, pp. 53–59.
, Volume 215, No. 5, pp. 53–59. Coates, Peter A. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline Controversy . University of Alaska Press, 1991.
. University of Alaska Press, 1991. Development and Resources Corporation. The Market for Rampart Power, Yukon River, Alaska . Government Publishing Office, Washington, D.C. April 23, 1962.
. Government Publishing Office, Washington, D.C. April 23, 1962. Morgan, Joseph M. A reconnaissance report on the potential development of water resources in the Territory of Alaska , "Report of the Chief". U.S. Department of the Interior. December, 1948. Revised February 1950.
, "Report of the Chief". U.S. Department of the Interior. December, 1948. Revised February 1950. Palmer, Tim. Endangered Rivers and the Conservation Movement: The Case for River Conservation . Rowman & Littlefield, 2004.
. Rowman & Littlefield, 2004. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Rampart Canyon, Alaska . Committee on the Environment and Public Works. Government Publishing Office, Washington, D.C. February 1979.
. Committee on the Environment and Public Works. Government Publishing Office, Washington, D.C. February 1979. Vileisis, Ann. Discovering the Unknown Landscape: A History of America's Wetlands . Island Press, 1999.
. Island Press, 1999. West, Frederick Hadleigh. Archaeological Survey and excavations in the proposed Rampart Dam impoundment, 1963–1964. University of Alaska. National Park Service. June 1965.
Further information [ edit ]
Articles [ edit ]
Cooke, A. "The Rampart Dam proposal for Yukon River". Polar Record , December 1964. pp. 277–280.
, December 1964. pp. 277–280. Leopold, A. and Leonard, Justin. "The Rampart Project". Natural History , January 1966. p. 12
, January 1966. p. 12 Spurr, Stephen H. "Rampart Dam: A costly gamble". Audubon, May–June 1966. pp. 173–175
Books [ edit ] |
Joel Finkelstein. Photo illustration by Slate. Photo by Rachel E. Gross.
Listen to this episode of Working with guest Joel Finkelstein:
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Running a coffee shop sounds pretty straightforward, right? Wrong. In the first episode of this season of Working, Slate’s Rachel E. Gross talks with Joel Finkelstein, owner of Qualia Coffee in Washington. Finkelstein talks about his transition from home brewer to local business owner, how little his customers know about where their coffee comes from, and why maybe that’s OK. Then, he takes us behind the scenes of the roasting process and shares his conversion from caffeine-injecting health care journalist to single-origin coffee connoisseur. But hey, no one’s judging you, Starbucks drinker! Pinkies out.
Working is brought to you by Hiscox Small Business Insurance. Hiscox offers a new way to buy small business insurance by tailoring coverage to fit your needs and allowing you to buy only what you need. Policies start from $22.50 per month. You can order online or over the phone from a licensed adviser in minutes. Go to hiscox.com to learn more and to get a free quote.
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CALGARY – Police are looking to the public for help identifying a man believed to be connected to the sexual assault of a woman aboard a Calgary CTrain.
Police say the 18-year-old victim was standing on the platform at Kerby Station around 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5th when she was approached by a stranger.
The man began speaking with the woman and followed her onto her train.
When aboard the CTrain, the suspect began touching the woman, holding the back of her neck, putting his arm around her and attempting to grab her bag.
At the next stop, the woman was pulled off the train by the man. Once on the platform the man began to kiss her and tried to stop her from running away.
The woman called a family member who in turn phoned police. Once the man heard police were on their way, he left the area.
The suspect is described as between 25 and 30 years old, approximately 6’ tall, with a slim build and short curly black hair. He was wearing black pants, a black shirt, unique black and white striped shoes and was carrying a charcoal grey backpack.
Anyone with information about the man’s identity is asked to call police or Crime Stoppers. |
The measles outbreak traced back to Disneyland has spread to eight states, with as many as 95 cases reported by January 28. Media outlets are highlighting the rise of anti-vaccination sentiments. Scientists are expressing their dismay at people who reject sound medical advice and put their families and communities in harm’s way.
Measles was considered eliminated in the United States in 2000. But if the first month of 2015 is any indication, this year will easily beat the record number of measles cases recorded in 2014.
The narrative during this outbreak, or any measles outbreak really, is that measles is a highly transmissible disease. So transmissible in fact that 90-95% of people must be vaccinated in order to protect the entire population, or achieve what is called herd immunity.
That is partly true. Measles is highly transmissible, not least because people can be contagious days before symptoms develop. But there are three problems with this line of reasoning about vaccination rates.
First, the numbers are based on calculations that assume a world of random mixing. Second, the vaccination coverage is not a perfect measure of immunity in the population. Third, and most problematic in my view, it gives people a seemingly scientific justification for not getting vaccinated – after all, if not everyone needs to get vaccinated in order to attain herd immunity, can it really be so bad if I opt out of it?
What exactly is herd immunity?
Let’s look at the concept of herd immunity first. The basic idea is that a group (the “herd”) can avoid exposure to a disease by ensuring that enough people are immune so that no sustained chains of transmission can be established. This protects an entire population, especially those who are too young or too sick to be vaccinated. But how many people need to be immune to achieve this?
In order to calculate the number of people who need to be immune for herd immunity to be effective, we need to know how many people will get infected, on average, by an infectious person.
Imagine that a newly infected person will on average pass on the disease to two other people. Those two will each infect another two people, who will themselves pass it on, and so on, resulting in the classical pattern of an exponentially growing outbreak.
Marcel Salathé , Author provided
In order to stop the growth in the number of transmissions, we need to ensure that each individual case causes, on average, less than one new infection. So, let’s say that one case leads on average to two more infections, but instead we want that number to be less than one. That means at least 50% of the population needs to be immune, so that at most, only one of the two people who might have been infected by an individual will be.
Marcel Salathé
How many people need to get vaccinated to achieve herd immunity?
So, how do we calculate what fraction of a population needs to be immune to reach herd immunity? First, we need to know what the reproduction number, or R, is. That’s how many new cases a single case of an infection will cause.
Imagine that you are infected in a completely susceptible population, and you pass on the infection to five other people (ie R=5). In order to prevent an outbreak, at least four out of those five people, or 80% of the population in general, should be immune. Put differently, 20% of the population may remain individually susceptible, but the population would still remain protected.
So if you can estimate the reproduction number for a given disease, you can calculate the fraction of the population that needs to be immune in order to attain herd immunity.
For influenza and Ebola, the number R is about two. For polio and smallpox, it is around five to eight. But for measles it is much higher, somewhere between 10 and 20. And because of that, the goal for measles vaccination coverage is typically around 90-95% of a population.
But there’s a problem with this calculation.
The population is not random
The assumption underlying the calculation for herd immunity is that people are mixing randomly, and that vaccination is distributed equally among the population. But that is not true. As the Disneyland measles outbreak has demonstrated, there are communities whose members are much more likely to refuse vaccination than others.
Geographically, vaccination coverage is highly variable on the level of states, counties, and even schools. We’re fairly certain that opinions and sentiments about vaccination can spread in communities, which may in turn lead to polarized communities with respect to vaccination.
And media messages, especially from social media, may make the problem worse. When we analyzed data from Twitter about sentiments on the influenza H1N1 vaccine during the swine flu pandemic in 2009, we found that negative sentiments were more contagious than positive sentiments, and that positive messages may even have back-fired, triggering more negative responses.
And in measles outbreak after measles outbreak, we find that the vast majority of cases occurred in communities that had vaccination coverages that were way below average.
The sad truth is this: as long as there are communities that harbor strong negative views about vaccination, there will be outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases in those communities. These outbreaks will happen even if the population as a whole has achieved the vaccination coverage considered sufficient for herd immunity.
Marcel Salathé
If negative vaccination sentiments become more popular in the rest of the population as well, we may start to see more sustained transmission chains. Once those chains are sufficiently frequent to connect under-vaccinated communities, we may again be in a situation of endemic measles.
The solution often proposed is that we should do a better job of convincing people that vaccines are safe. I’m all for it. But I would also suggest that we should stop basing our vaccination policies on models that made sense in a world of constrained vaccine supply, and aim for 100% vaccination coverage among those who can get vaccinated.
This would also solve another problem, often glanced over: There are many people who cannot get vaccinated for medical reasons, either because they are too young, or because they have other conditions that prevent them from acquiring immunity through vaccination.
Herd immunity against measles requires that 90-95% of the entire population are immune, whereas vaccination coverage is measured as the percentage vaccinated of the target population – which only includes people who are eligible for vaccination. This means that to achieve 95% immunity in the population for measles, vaccination coverage needs to be higher than 95%. This is the scientific argument for a public health policy that aims at 100% vaccination coverage.
More importantly, there is an ethical argument to be made for the goal of 100% vaccination coverage. It sends the right message. Everyone who can get vaccinated, should get vaccinated – not only to protect themselves, but to protect those who can’t, through herd immunity. |
The Albuquerque Police Department found a marijuana pipe with marijuana inside it in what is believed to be a car driven by Jon Jones. But Jones has not yet been charged for marijuana possession, according to APD spokesman Tanner Tixier.
Tixier told MMAFighting.com on Tuesday that felonies and misdemeanors are not put on the same charging document in New Mexico. Jones is currently being charged with a felony: leaving the scene of an accident involving death or personal injury. He was arrested Monday night and will be arraigned Tuesday afternoon with regards to that charge. Any marijuana possession charge would be a misdemeanor, Tixier said.
The thinking behind the state precedent, Tixier said, is that it doesn't give the defendant the ability to just take a plea deal for the misdemeanor. Jones is facing the felony charge right now and the marijuana possession charge could be revisited later, either by law enforcement, the prosecution or if the felony case goes to a grand jury, Tixier said.
However, Tixier said the fact that the pipe and marijuana were found inside a rental car without Jones even being present would make the misdemeanor case "hard to prove."
Also, a pervading rumor over the last few days online has been that cocaine was found inside the vehicle. That is not accurate, according to Tixier.
"I don't know where that came from," Tixier said.
Jones, the UFC light heavyweight champion, allegedly ran a red light Sunday morning while driving a rented silver Buick SUV in Albuquerque, striking another car and igniting a three-car collision, according to the police report. He is being accused of leaving the scene, but only after going back to the vehicle and grabbing a handful of cash. The victim, Vanessa Sonnenberg, suffered a broken arm, per the arrest affidavit.
Inside the rental vehicle, police found marijuana, a marijuana pipe and paperwork with Jones' name on it. There was also paperwork referencing MMA and Nevada. Jones' next fight, a title defense against Anthony Johnson, is scheduled for the main event of UFC 187 on May 23 in Las Vegas.
The Albuquerque Police Department issued a warrant for Jones' arrest Monday afternoon. He was brought into custody Monday evening and booked. Jones made the $2,500 bail and was released a few hours later. He is scheduled to be arraigned 1:30 p.m. MT on Tuesday.
The UFC has yet to determine whether Jones' fight with Johnson will go ahead. |
Arnold Schwarzenegger has told Hillary supporters that they need to “stop whining” about Donald Trump’s presidential victory.
The former California governor told Matt Lauer on the Today show that the American public need to pull themselves together and unite as one nation.
“Now he’s elected, and now it is very important that we all support the president, and that we all come together and we stop whining and it becomes one nation,” Schwarzenegger said.
“When someone is elected, you get 100 percent behind and you help them.”
Infowars.com reports:
Although he opposed Trump during the election, stating in October that he would not back the Republican nominee for the “first time since I became a citizen in 1983,” the actor has said he always planned to respect the winner.
Schwarzenegger is posed to take over Trump’s show, “Celebrity Apprentice,” and say the president-elect has no plans to remain involved.
“He made it very clear that he has no interest in being involved,” Scharzenegger said.
It is now my show; I’m the host; I’m the new boss; and I’m going to run this show.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQTztN8qHhQ |
New Smyrna Beach police believe a YouTube video documents a teenager's wild ride down State Road 44 in New Smyrna Beach.Watch the videoThe driver is accused of causing two separate car crashes that wrecked four vehicles on Monday. Investigators believe the person behind the wheel is 18-year-old Robert Kelley IV.The car runs red lights, weaves in and out a traffic and drives on shoulders to get around other cars. Kelley allegedly hit one car before speeding off.The driver "travels about another half mile down the road and crashes into three more vehicles," said Master Sgt. Eugene Griffith. "Then tries to leave that scene also, but the vehicle was so disabled that he couldn't leave the scene of the crash."Kelley's car was mangled following the second crash, police said.Most watched video: Graduate fails at back flip on stage"He had to be extracted from his vehicle," Griffith said. "They had to cut him out of his vehicle."Kelley was airlifted to a hospital with head injuries. Three people in the other cars were taken for non-life-threatening injuries.WESH 2 went to Kelley's home and a woman there said he is out of the hospital and admitted to posting the video to YouTube. When asked why Kelley did so, though, the woman shut the door.Police said Kelley hasn't been arrested yet.Also see: Wash. family victims of 'swatting' prank"Well, the day that the crashed happened he was actually airlifted to Halifax Medical Center," Griffith said. "We became aware of this video today and we just haven't had enough time to finish up our investigation yet."Police said the investigation is ongoing.Related: Florida mug shots
New Smyrna Beach police believe a YouTube video documents a teenager's wild ride down State Road 44 in New Smyrna Beach.
Watch the video
The driver is accused of causing two separate car crashes that wrecked four vehicles on Monday. Investigators believe the person behind the wheel is 18-year-old Robert Kelley IV.
The car runs red lights, weaves in and out a traffic and drives on shoulders to get around other cars. Kelley allegedly hit one car before speeding off.
The driver "travels about another half mile down the road and crashes into three more vehicles," said Master Sgt. Eugene Griffith. "Then tries to leave that scene also, but the vehicle was so disabled that he couldn't leave the scene of the crash."
Kelley's car was mangled following the second crash, police said.
Most watched video: Graduate fails at back flip on stage
"He had to be extracted from his vehicle," Griffith said. "They had to cut him out of his vehicle."
Kelley was airlifted to a hospital with head injuries. Three people in the other cars were taken for non-life-threatening injuries.
WESH 2 went to Kelley's home and a woman there said he is out of the hospital and admitted to posting the video to YouTube. When asked why Kelley did so, though, the woman shut the door.
Police said Kelley hasn't been arrested yet.
Also see: Wash. family victims of 'swatting' prank
"Well, the day that the crashed happened he was actually airlifted to Halifax Medical Center," Griffith said. "We became aware of this video today and we just haven't had enough time to finish up our investigation yet."
Police said the investigation is ongoing.
Related: Florida mug shots
AlertMe |
After 23 executive actions, Obama fails to address the problems he identifies.
When President Obama announced Wednesday a slew of executive actions and proposed legislation related to gun control, he didn’t criticize the National Rifle Association by name.
He did, however, make his feelings obvious.
“Ask your member of Congress if they support universal background checks to keep guns out of the wrong hands,” Obama said in his remarks. “Ask them if they support renewing a ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. And if they say no, ask them why not.”
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#ad#“Ask them,” he continued, “what’s more important — doing whatever it takes to get a A grade from the gun lobby that funds their campaigns, or giving parents some peace of mind when they drop their child off for first grade.”
But that “gun lobby,” the NRA, has no plans to allow President Obama to control the debate.
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Obama included an executive action that pushed for 1,000 school resource officers (armed security) at schools. But in an interview, NRA president David Keene was dismissive of the plan, characterizing it as a more of a gesture than a real effort to make America’s schools more secure.
“It’s not enough,” Keene says of the 1,000 security guards. “What [Obama] talks about doing in terms of the violently mentally ill, they’re going to have a study, they’re not going to reform the mental-health-care system in this country. They’re not going to deal with school security. They’re going to throw a bone and a word in that direction, so they can pursue their real agenda, which is [undercutting] the Second Amendment.”
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Keene also is skeptical of Obama’s decision to issue 23 executive actions. “A lot of them are an abuse of office. The president has tried to the extent that he can . . . to go around Congress, to do it through the back door by executive order or regulatory means whenever he’s been able to do so, and that’s what he’s doing here.” Can they be stopped? “Many of these so-called executive orders are going to require money for implementation, so ultimately there’s liable to be a vote on whether or not Congress is going to allow some of this to happen.”
On the legislative front, Keene is cautiously optimistic about the odds that any of the president’s proposed legislative measures would not pass. “If we voted today, probably not, but you know you can’t make a bet when a president throws everything he’s got behind a piece of legislation,” he says.
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“All bets are off when they open the treasury,” he adds darkly, referring to bargains that can be made with senators and House members anxious to secure funding for pet projects, “but we’re fairly confident that reason’s going to prevail.”
The NRA is frustrated, too, by the White House’s rhetoric. Obama, Keene says, has “demonized” both “gun owners in general and the National Rifle Association in particular.”
“[Obama] said that those who are hunters, sportsman, or gun collectors or who own firearms for self-defense have nothing to worry about,” Keene comments. “Four million Americans own AR-15s. Those are hunters, sportsman, gun collectors, and people who are interested in self-defense.”
According to Keene, Vice President Joe Biden has been trying to have it both ways, acting like he’s open to the NRA and then being dismissive in a meeting that included the group.
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“Once we got into the meeting,” Keene says of a meeting that NRA director of public affairs Jim Baker attended earlier this month, “the vice president said, ‘Well, I don’t think it will surprise anybody that the president and I have very strong views on guns and we intend to pursue the measures that we think are necessary.’”
“The meeting was for the simple purpose of saying, ‘Oh yeah, and we talked to the NRA too,’” Keene concludes, saying that the group had heard before the meeting that Biden remained open on questions of how to handle legislation on guns.
That wasn’t the only frustration the NRA had at the meeting.
Baker, Keene says, told Biden that in 2009, “77,000 people tried to get through the NICS system to illegally buy a firearm. That is a crime, and only 70 of them have been prosecuted.”
But there wasn’t interest in changing the prosecution rates.
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“And the attorney general [Eric Holder] interrupted and said, ‘We don’t have the time or the resources to be going after these people,’” Keene recounts. But there are apparently resources, Keene remarks, “to go after innocent gun owners.”
Ultimately no harsh words from Obama or attempts to tarnish the NRA’s reputation are going to change the group’s stance.
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“That is not the way in a civil society that you approach serious policymaking,” Keene says. “That’s the way you get into a political war, and if that’s what we’re in, that’s what we’re willing to fight.”
— Katrina Trinko is an NRO reporter. |
The frontrunner in the presidential race is fighting a claim by Christian groups that she will lift the country’s abortion ban
AFTER MONTHS of lukewarm campaigning by two uninspiring frontrunners, the political temperature is rising in Brazil’s presidential election ahead of Sunday’s climax, sparked by an increasingly nasty debate over the country’s ban on abortion.
After falling just short of victory in a first round of polling, frontrunner Dilma Rousseff of the ruling Workers Party has suddenly found herself having to fight off an orchestrated campaign by Christian groups that she is a militant atheist determined to lift the ban.
Abortion emerged as a major campaign issue after evangelical groups mounted an internet campaign calling on followers to vote for Green candidate Marina Silva, herself an evangelical opposed to abortion.
Her surprise third-place showing with 20 per cent of the vote in the October 3rd first round is widely seen as having robbed Ms Rousseff of outright victory.
Ahead of the vote, evangelical groups circulated videos on-line of pastors denouncing the former Marxist guerrilla over her past support for liberalising the law which only allows women to terminate pregnancies in cases of rape or risk to the health of the mother. Now ahead of the run-off round the main opposition candidate, Social Democrat José Serra, has sought to use the religious card in his effort to make up the 14 points by which he trailed Ms Rousseff in the first round.
Himself a former student radical and a left-wing economist and not previously known for his religious convictions, Mr Serra has taken to prominently attending Mass on the campaign trail, kissing a crucifix before the media and telling voters “I want to defend the Brazilian family”. Polls show over 70 per cent of Brazilians support the abortion ban, even though it is estimated that one-in-five women have had an illegal abortion and around 300 die each year from botched procedures in backstreet clinics.
When polls showed Mr Serra eating into her lead, Ms Rousseff sought to counter claims that she is out of step with what remains a religious society by herself attending Mass and claiming a brush last year with cancer brought her back “closer to God”. Asked why she did not receive communion she angrily told journalists that no-one had the right to question her religious convictions.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the hugely popular outgoing president whose backing is crucial to Ms Rousseff’s chances, ordered his protégée to abandon her previous stance favouring a liberalisation of the ban. Ms Rousseff subsequently published a letter to voters saying she was “personally against abortion and defend keeping the current legislation as it is”.
“The second round is a direct confrontation between the two main political forces in the country so a stronger tone is expected. But the emergence of abortion as an issue has been surprising especially as it is not even within the president’s remit as only congress can make any changes to this law. The problem is abortion has overshadowed other important issues and the level of debate has been very poor in the second round,” says André Pereira César of the CAC political consultancy in Brasília.
Latest polls show president Lula’s containment strategy working with Ms Rousseff’s support among Christian groups rising again and her overall lead back in double figures.
This leaves Mr Serra with a mountain to climb as the campaign enters its final stretch. The abortion debate has poisoned the political climate with both sides now hurling increasingly personal accusations at each other. Two former ballet students of Mr Serra’s Chilean wife claimed she told them in 1992 that the couple had an abortion when Mr Serra was in exile in Chile, claims that have being widely circulated online by Ms Rousseff’s supporters. Earlier in the campaign Ms Serra called her husband’s opponent a “baby killer”.
Mr Serra’s campaign dismissed the accusations about his wife as dirty tricks and he compared his opponents to Nazis after he was jostled by Workers Party militants during a walk-about in Rio de Janeiro. He claimed they struck him on the head during the confrontation which forced him to take refuge in a local pharmacy.
The Workers Party released a video which it claimed showed Mr Serra was struck by nothing more than a ball of paper with president Lula accusing the opposition candidate of “lies” in order to drum up a new controversy. But Brazilian media said the Workers Party had doctored the video, cutting out the moment Mr Serra was struck by a second object.
Adding to the increasingly acrid tone is an ongoing stream of accusations and counter accusations of corruption and spying by both sides with the media uncovering new cases of influence peddling and kickbacks both by a former aide to Ms Rousseff in the federal government and by a former Serra appointee in the state government of São Paulo. |
SAN FRANCISCO -- Hundreds of medical marijuana activists gathered on the steps of City Hall Tuesday to support California's multi-million dollar cannabis industry, under siege since the federal government launched an aggressive crackdown last fall.
A handful of local legislators and cannabis patients addressed the heated crowd before marching down the street to the federal courthouse to address U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag, who has championed anti-marijuana actions in the Bay Area.
"We're patients, not criminals!" the protesters chanted, along with cries of "DEA, go away!" and "Fire Haag!"
(SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS)
"Today, we are all green," said San Francisco Board of Supervisors President David Chiu in a fiery speech. Chiu and fellow city supervisors who attended the event pledged to expedite the permitting process for local pot shops that have been forced to close and wish to reopen elsewhere.
California's medical marijuana industry has been struggling since federal prosecutors began targeting dispensaries in October. More than 100 California busineses have been forced to shut down, and hundreds more have received threatening letters claiming their landlords could be jailed if they continue to operate.
Five cannabis clubs in San Francisco have shuttered, leaving employees without work and patients without access to their medicine. Haag sent the same threatening letters to roughly a dozen more (some dispensaries won't go on the record as to whether they had received a warning). On Monday, federal authorities raided Oakland's world-famous Oaksterdam University and the home of its founder, Richard Lee, one of the state's most outspoken medical marijuana activists.
The U.S. attorneys' actions mark a sharp departure from the Obama administration's 2009 Ogden Memo, which declared that prosecutions in states that have legalized the plant for medicinal purposes would not be a priority. Advocates argue the federal government should direct its energy elsewhere.
"It's a total waste of federal resources," Stephanie Tucker, spokesperson for the San Francisco Medical Cannabis Task Force, told The Huffington Post. "They're attacking a peaceful, regulated community and it's wasting money. Shame on them."
Though the drug remains illegal under federal law, California became the first state to legalize cannabis for medicinal purposes when voters passed Proposition 215 in 1996. Studies have shown that California's medical marijuana industry generates upwards of $100 million in annual tax revenue.
Haag has remained relatively mum on the issue, repeatedly citing dispensaries' proximities to schools and parks as justification for the crackdown. "I hope that those who believe marijuana stores should be left to operate without restriction can step back for a moment and understand that not everyone shares their point of view," she told HuffPost in a statement. "People are deeply troubled by the tremendous growth of the marijuana industry and its influence on their communities."
But advocates said they believe Haag's argument thin. Cathy Smith, co-founder and manager of HopeNet, a dispensary in San Francisco's SoMa neighborhood, told HuffPost that the neighborhood has become dramatically safer in the nine years since her business opened its doors. Crime has dropped significantly, largely due to the increased presence of lighting and surveillance cameras her store installed in order to adhere to the city's strict regulations surrounding cannabis clubs.
"Nine years ago I wouldn't be open past 5 p.m. because I was worried about our female customers," Smith said. "Now we're open until 9. The neighborhood has improved that much."
So much, in fact, that a few years ago, a private school opened around the corner. And now HopeNet's landlords have received their own threatening letter from Haag because of the shop's proximity to that school.
"Haag says she can't tell the difference between a good club and a bad club," Smith said. "I'm here to show her the difference. We are the club that is different; there's no question about it."
In addition to selling medical marijuana and related supplies, HopeNet offers a series of weekly community events, including a veterans' support group, a ladies' afternoon tea and various life skills workshops. "We like to think of ourselves as a family," Smith said. "We don't just sell pot here -- we help people."
And the family is willing to fight. Supporters of Smith's business have sent hundreds of handwritten letters to Haag's office demanding she back off, and others have tried (unsuccessfully) to schedule in-person meetings.
Similar to the HopeNet's community's outpouring of support, he actions of Haag and her counterparts have served to strengthen the ties of pot proponents across the Bay Area. "It's only emboldening us and bringing us together," said Tom Angell, spokesman for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, a coalition of active and retired police officers, prosecutors and judges who actively speak out against the drug war. "People who used to compete in the marketplace are now standing shoulder to shoulder."
Advocates have drawn the endorsements of a fair share of legislators, as well. California Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-S.F.) recently introduced a measure that would establish uniform regulations for pot shops throughout the state based on San Francisco's strict and successful standards for operating dispensaries. On Monday, a coalition of lawmakers from five states penned an open letter to the Obama administration demanding an end to the crackdown.
Meanwhile, as some San Francisco cannabis clubs close down, others plan to open. Last month, the planning commission approved three new dispensaries for the city's Excelsior district, and another opened in the Mission last week.
Those targeted by federal authorities vow to defend their businesses and the industry until the end. "They can indict me any day. They can arrest me at any time," Lee said during Tuesday's rally. "One way or another, Oaksterdam will fight on."
So will San Francisco.
Take a look at images from Tuesday's demonstration below: |
LONDON (Reuters) - Some 300 demonstrators waving flags and "Free Palestine" banners staged a noisy protest in central London on Wednesday against the two-day visit to Britain this week of Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu.
Minor scuffles with police broke out as they surged into the main road outside the Downing Street residence of British Prime Minister David Cameron who will hold talks with Netanyahu on Thursday morning.
Already 107,000 people in Britain have signed an online petition for Netanyahu's arrest after last year's fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
"We're here because we feel that Netanyahu should pay for his war crimes," said 21-year-old student Marion Tehami. "We're here to protest and let him know that he's not welcome in our country."
A short distance away in a separate cordoned off area, about 50 pro-Israel demonstrators waved the Israeli flag.
Britain says visiting heads of state have immunity from legal process and thus cannot be arrested.
In a statement, the government said on Tuesday: "We recognize that the conflict in Gaza last year took a terrible toll.
"However the prime minister was clear on the UK’s recognition of Israel’s right to take proportionate action to defend itself, within the boundaries of international humanitarian law."
More than 500 children were among the 2,100 Palestinians, the majority of them civilians, who were killed in last year's conflict. Seventy-three Israelis, almost all soldiers, were killed.
(Reporting by Sarah Young, writing by Stephen Addison; editing by Guy Faulconbridge) |
Controversy over a documentary about bestiality has forced a Kelowna film festival to try and secure a new home on the eve of its scheduled opening.
The Okanagan Film Festival International had been slated to start its four-day run on Thursday at Kelowna’s Paramount Theatre, which has hosted the festival for several years.
But this year’s program includes the movie Donkey Love, a documentary about village life in remote parts of Colombia where men have sex with donkeys.
It has screened at four film festivals around the world and won the best documentary award at the Melbourne Underground Film Festival.
After local media reported on the film’s inclusion last week, outrage quickly spread over social media.
"I’ve had the craziest week," said festival organizer Jeremy Heymen. "I honestly cannot believe it. This is so surreal to me, that a documentary would upset so many people. It blows my mind."
Theatre refuses to screen film 'of that nature'
Paramount Theatre manager Sarah McFernie said the theatre had yet to finalize an agreement to host this year’s festival when the theatre’s parent company, Landmark Cinemas, learned about the festival’s plans.
"Now our theatre has other commitments it has to fulfill so we can’t play [the festival]," she said. "But our head office said that they would never agree to play that film, a film of that nature even, so it was the final straw."
The decision left Heyman scrambling to find a new venue with a week to go or be forced to cancel the festival.
He says he was approached by a group of students from UBC Okanagan, who asked him to move the festival to a theatre on the university’s Kelowna campus.
Heyman said he hoped to finalize an agreement to do so by Wednesday afternoon. If he’s successful, the festival will be shortened by a day and start on Friday.
Donkey Love remains on the program and its filmmaker, Daryl Stoneage, plans to be at the screening. He says the outrage over his movie is misplaced.
"It seems a little bit much for a documentary," he said.
"The film is a well made film, it’s a well researched film. We interview animal rights activists, police officers, lawyers, doctors, history professors, musicians. We even interview a guy who wrote a book on the topic. I think people are forgetting that this actually is a documentary." |
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This is Alternate History.The United Republics of South Africa are all neither republics nor united. The majority of the "Republics" are dictatorships, where as the rest are simply Kingdoms. The Union was formed as a result of British aggression upon the Boer peoples. With military aid from European nations such as Germany and Spain; the South African Republics successfully defended their liberty from the United Kingdom in the First South African War. Many new Republics sprung up after the war as mercenary groups bought lands from the indigenous populations. The Union was officially proclaimed in 1855 at the dawn of the First South African War. Now the Union struggles to keep it's unity as the Indigenous Kingdoms proclaim more autonomy from Potchefstroom. Zululand, Swaziland, and Natalia Republic grow more restless as greater numbers of Boers migrate into their lands. Ethnic tensions rise by the day. The arms industry keeps South Africa on the map for now; however such a large stockpile of arms might spark the powder keg.Notes:Took me longer than I thought, and I'm not sure I love the colour schemes but it's the best I could do. |
Artificial Intelligence, Ethically Speaking
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“I’m Sorry Dave — I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
Many readers will recognize that line from Stanley Kubrick’s “2001 — A Space Odyssey” a film in which the onboard computer, a HAL 9000, perceives an astronaut to be a threat to its “existence” and refuses to open the airlock to allow the crew member back into the ship. Other films like “Ex-Machina”, “i-Robot”, “Terminator” sow similar fears of Artificial Intelligence systems with cognitive capabilities taking control from humans, rendering us defenseless. Of course, there are also films that focus of on the positive aspects of AI such as “Bicentennial Man”.
My view is that AI systems are increasingly necessary to augment what we do in our everyday lives — whether that means…
… turning devices on or off, intelligently learning when and where to do so,
… repeating mundane tasks,
… giving us additional insights into human existence, or
… guiding us toward better decisions
… and beyond.
So, why all the fear? Partly because there is so much misinformation and hype — and some people just like to sell fear, uncertainly and doubt (F.U.D.). And it’s true that there will always be people who seek to exploit technology to do bad things — the dark side v the light side (Star Wars fans). Nonetheless, hype is a valuable part of the technology lifecycle. It allows us to consider use cases (sometimes extreme) that were not initially considered relevant.
What’s clear is that machine learning in all its forms is here to stay. It has established its place in the world and particularly in business — from detecting and identifying trends and patterns faster and more often than humans alone could ever achieve (while learning and become progressively smarter as they go) — to helping predict outcomes and taking action to prevent fraud — to slashing the time it takes to design advanced cancer treatment programs and health programs (see figure 1) — to anticipating terror attacks — to recognizing business opportunities that might last only a moment — to ridding processes of personal bias and prejudice. I believe that machine learning and AI systems have the potential to make our world a safer and better place.
Figure 1 : Healthcare embraces AI and machine learning
Even so, the ethical side of machine learning is increasingly called into question. The potential of machine learning and its application to all things AI means we need rules and controls — not to prevent progress but to help manage and control how and when progress occurs.
Let’s walk through some scenarios.
Machine Learning app envy
What if machine learning algorithms are pitched against each other to win a battle, say a game of chess or other simulation? Not a big deal. An outcome could be defined as not losing to an opponent — establishing a win or at least a draw. But what if these machine learning systems were used in a war situation against each other? Human life, entire civilizations, and life itself are the stakes. Winning is this case could be defined as seeking an acceptable outcome while minimizing losses. That’s why we humans need to be careful to avoid delegating 100% authority to an AI system in such situations.
Ending life vs. Saving life
There’s general agreement that humans should have the final say where human life is concerned, but does that allow us to play “God” if an AI system demonstrates it can preserve life even though a human may believe it is best to end a life? While most humans would seek to preserve life, greed, personal bias, hate, jealousy can often be powerful dark forces that can be used to serve judgement. It is important that any decision involving an AI system must have an audit trail clearly showing a path to the outcome. After all, AI systems can learn from these outcomes also.
Non-human life forms
Moving beyond humans, nothing stops us from applying AI to animal behavior. We have performed enough animal psychology over the years to think we understand animals. Would an AI system be better at training an animal? Would it be ethical in man’s perceived superiority and domination over all other species to subject those species to AI? Again, we must consider under what circumstances AI can be used to make decisions over other life forms.
Conscience and Compassion
Today, limited by what we know of life, physics and computing, AI systems are just computer models and simulations of human behavior. Could a network of AI systems have a conscience — even though it may be simulated? My personal feelings are unique to my life experiences so what makes me happy or reduces me to tears is different from other humans. Emotions are chemical reactions. AI systems are not. But what if AI systems could apply cognitive actions and outcomes to a bank of human chemicals in a controlled environment to learn about emotion? It is conceivable that an AI system could therefore develop a conscience and even compassion.
Big Religion
Big Religion is a phrase I hear more and more as Big Data became an established term. It means looking at scriptures and religions with other sources of data, events and the tools of science. It scares a lot of people for the challenge it might pose to their belief systems. Some may fear that is also challenges the power and control associated with some religious establishments. Nonetheless this is happening today and can’t be stopped. Humans inevitably seek to more deeply understand the universe and world around us, challenging ourselves about what we perceive as the truth beyond our faith.
Spanning cultural divides and value systems
Diversity makes the world a fascinating place. It’s one of the reasons many of us decide to vacation in different parts of the world to experience other cultures, food, traditions, languages. In doing so we learn more about history, different belief and value systems. I wonder whether AI systems built within different cultures with different value systems will behave differently with those of other cultures. Consider a global AI system that encompasses/embraces all of this diversity and difference. What might be the global impact on world leaders?
We are One
With recent advances is nanotechnology, it’s possible for nanobots to enter our bodies — even our bloodstreams — to attack viruses and potentially repair damaged bones and tissue. There may be a time where we can use nanotechnology to fight obesity or vainly to enhance our looks, our physical performance. If these nanobots exist forever in our bodies, do we become part human and part something else? There is a lot of research happening in the area.
Responsibility v Accountability
There are some things that humans must have the final say on. Checks and balances. How far are we prepared to go in delegating responsibility to the AI system? How well are the policies designed? Have some policies been designed or even adapted over time by machine learning? While machines could be responsible for sustaining or ending life, can they be held accountable — and if so, what are the legal implications? Today humans carry the burden of both responsibility and accountability. This aligns with our legal systems, but we can’t put an AI system on trial — we just don’t have the legal capacity to do that today. AI systems learn from human interactions and both the data we produce and the data it produces. Would that imply that many people would potentially be on trial should a legal case emerge involving AI systems? Could the AI system or its creators assert that the human legal system has no jurisdiction over it or that the legal system even infringes the rights of the AI system? Ethics in this area are just not mature enough today to give us clear answers. But it’s only a matter of time before we encounter such situations.
Finally, we could ask whether it’s ethical for AI systems to design and implement their own set of ethics? I guess my answer would be yes — provided humans remain involved and a can override any final outcomes where decisions involving human life and welfare are concerned.
Summary
AI systems already augment what we do and the decisions we make today. The human species will push the boundaries of machine learning, cognitive computing and AI systems beyond our current perceptions of its application through positive and negative exploitation that will ultimately result in AI systems capable of achieving outcomes beyond our imaginations. The ethics will only emerge as cases arise that test our legal systems, our value systems and even our belief systems. Despite some of the F.U.D we read, I believe that machine learning can help our world become a smarter, safer and better place for us and future generations — future generations of people and AI systems.
For more information on AI, cognitive computing and IBM research click here. |
The UAB football program got more good financial news on Monday.
Birmingham City Councilors passed a $2.5 million funding agreement to support UAB football during Monday's economic development and budget and finance meeting. It will go toward full City Council approval in next Tuesday's meeting, Council President Johnathan Austin said.
UAB athletics director Mark Ingram and head football coach Bill Clark were present at the committee meeting, Austin said. The city will give the UAB football program five yearly installments of $500,000 each.
"We made a commitment that if UAB would restore their football program that we would do our part to make sure they could be successful and solvent," Austin said. "This is just another step in the right direction to keeping our word on the commitment we made to UAB and all of those who support UAB." |
When Kim Kardashian walks the red carpet of the 2017 Met Gala Monday night, Kanye West won't be by her side.
E! News has confirmed that the "Famous" rapper will be skipping this year's coveted party, but don't take his absence as a red flag. "Kanye will not be attending the Met Gala and will be staying in L.A. with their kids," a source tells E! News. "He and Kim are doing fine. He has been taking time off and is totally supportive of Kim attending."
A second source explains that Kanye originally intended to go to the exclusive soiree but changed his mind. "He was planning on attending and recently decided he did not want to go," the insider says. "He and Kim are fine. He will be in Los Angeles." |
“I Fooled Millions Into Thinking Chocolate Helps Weight Loss. Here's How.”
That’s the headline on a May 27 article by science journalist John Bohannon that revealed the backstory of a sting operation he conducted earlier this year. Bohannon and a German television reporter teamed up to “demonstrate just how easy it is to turn bad science into the big headlines behind diet fads.” So they recruited subjects and ran a small clinical trial purporting to test whether eating dark chocolate helped people lose weight. The team used real data from their real trial and published their results in a real (non peer-reviewed) journal, the International Archives of Medicine. The study did find an effect, but that was likely due to a statistical sleight-of-hand; it was impossible to say whether chocolate really helped people lose weight.
To lure reporters into covering the flimsy research, Bohannon and his colleagues ginned up a press release describing their chocolate results. The team sent the release out via Newswise, a site that aggregates press releases and distributes them to some 5,000 journalists. And some of those journalists took the bait.
From the big headline on Bohannon’s piece describing the con, you might think that it was a roaring success. But the “millions” that Bohannon and his partners-in-crime fooled weren’t millions of reporters, but millions of regular people, the consumers of journalism, who believed the reporters covering his study. Not only was Bohannon’s con ethically reprehensible — he lied to the public, undermining their trust in both journalism and science — but also Bohannon is guilty of the very practices he claims he exposed.
Let’s start with the ethics. Deception in the name of journalism has a long history. Typically it’s used to uncover serious wrongs, for example, exposing discrimination in housing practices by sending a white couple and a black couple to apply as renters for the same apartment. But generally, deception is considered a last-resort tactic when there are no other ways to expose fraud or injustice.
“Deception is occasionally appropriate, but should be used very sparingly,” Rick Edmonds, a faculty member at the Poynter Institute, told me. “In this particular case, the point could have been made in other ways.”
The main mark in Bohannon’s sting wasn’t shoddy scientific journals that publish shoddy studies that use shoddy statistics. It was the reporters who cover those studies.
The study showed accelerated weight loss in the chocolate-eating group, but “you might as well read tea leaves as try to interpret our results,” wrote Bohannon. That was part of his point. The study was small and had so many measurements that the odds of getting a “statistically significant” result were good, even if chocolate wasn’t helping people lose weight. I agree with Bohannon’s point that reporters shouldn’t have covered the study.
“People who are on the health science beat need to treat it like science, and that has to come from the editors. And if you’re reporting on a scientific study, you need to actually look at the paper. You need to talk to a source who has real scientific expertise,” Bohannon told the Washington Post.
This point that journalists should take care when covering health and statistics has been made over and over again. This was not an instance of last resort that required undercover tactics. There are numerous resources for journalists to help them interpret statistics: At its annual meeting, the National Association of Science Writers, for example, has hosted many sessions dedicated to this topic. (Speakers at last year’s session included Science News managing editor Tom Siegfried, who has written extensively on this topic, and statistician/reporter Regina Nuzzo, the author of the piece on statistical errors that Bohannon links to in his write-up). Another way to highlight bogus science is to call it out by exposing quacks and telling readers how to be skeptical.
Bohannon and his colleagues decided to create a wrong to prove that wrongs exist. They lied to the public to make their point. Granted, it’s unlikely that anyone will be harmed by eating more dark chocolate. But not only does the caper do a disservice to people who are desperate for meaningful information about health and nutrition, it also undermines all of science and all of journalism. There’s real wrongdoing in both science and journalism (most infamously, see Stephen Glass, Jayson Blair, Janet Cooke, Jonah Lehrer, Brian Williams). But intentionally creating wrong to make a point is both bizarre and potentially very damaging.
“Our key resource as journalists is credibility,” Edmonds told me. “And a deceptive ploy like this could damage that.”
“Good faith with the reader is the foundation of good journalism,” is a key canon of the American Society of News Editors statement of principles. “Minimize harm,” says the Society of Professional Journalists code of ethics. This includes making sure to “consider the long-term implications of the extended reach and permanence of publication.” Did Bohannon and his colleagues consider how many readers — journalism’s “man on the street” — will conclude from their prank that all of journalism and all of science is not to be trusted?
Putting the ethics aside, let’s look at Bohannon’s evidence and conclusions. “If a study doesn’t even list how many people took part in it, or makes a bold diet claim that’s ‘statistically significant’ but doesn’t say how big the effect size is, you should wonder why,” he notes. Fair enough. But his own claims that his scam exposed “laziness” and the generally “lackadaisical” approach of reporters are not supported by any data on how many journalists read the press release, contacted him or wrote up the story.
Bohannon names 12 news outlets that covered the study (that’s counting HuffPo twice) and a 13th reporter whom he spoke with, but hasn’t yet published anything on the study. He also refers to it making news in “20 countries.” (A Google News Archive search suggests that 17 outlets picked up the story). Considering that more than 5,000 reporters subscribe to the Newswise press release feed, even if a tiny fraction of those reporters actually read his bogus study, only 13 deemed it worthy of coverage? (And the 5,000 who might have read the release doesn’t count the German version sent to reporters in Austria and Germany.) Here’s some math: 13 out of potentially hundreds or thousands of reporters who read the release covered it. And from that he concludes that reporters are lazy, treating science “like gossip, echoing whatever they find in press releases.” I don’t need statistics to call BS on that.
In Bohannon’s write-up he doesn’t mention the reporters who were skeptical. But one reporter from Ohio, according to the Washington Post, questioned Bohannon about the institute Bohannon invented for the scam and the sample size of the study. “Afraid that he was about to lose his cover, Bohannon put the reporter off. Eventually, he stopped calling,” the Post article notes. As Bohannon correctly notes in his own write-up, that’s another statistical no-no, dropping “outlier” data points. And although I’ve done my job in trying to contact Bohannon to discuss this whole operation, he has not returned my e-mails.
Bohannon’s “I fooled millions ...” headline is actually, to use journalistic parlance, the kicker here. He didn’t fool millions of reporters, the target of his con, but millions of innocent readers. He and his colleagues set out to “demonstrate just how easy it is to turn bad science into the big headlines.” Well, they certainly succeeded at that. Just not the way they intended. |
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It's still unclear what led to the crash that killed two troopers who had been monitoring protests in Charlottesville.
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Va. police helicopter didn't call for help before fatal Charlottesville crash
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c CLOSE Workers on Monday began moving the wreckage of a Virginia state police helicopter, which crashed near Charlottesville, Virginia during clashes between white nationalist demonstrators and counter-protesters. Two people died in the crash. (Aug. 15) AP
People gather in front of the White House on August 13, 2017 in Washington, D.C. for a vigil in response to the death of a counter-protestor in the August 12th "Unite the Right" rally the turned violent in Charlottesville, Va. Two state police officers died in a helicopter crash near the area. (Photo: ZACH GIBSON, AFP/Getty Images)
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The Virginia State Police helicopter that crashed and killed two troopers who had been monitoring protests in Charlottesville on Saturday didn’t make a distress call before descending into trees, federal investigators said.
Whatever led to the crash wasn't obvious. The Bell 407 helicopter took off at 3:54 p.m. and flew over the downtown area, to contribute to a continuous video feed of protesters below from 4:04 p.m. until 4:42 p.m., according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
At that point, the helicopter left the scene to support the motorcade carrying Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, but it soon crashed, with the first 911 call coming in at 4:44 p.m., investigators said.
The last radar signal showed the helicopter traveling about 34 mph at 2,300 feet off the ground before it descended into trees at a 45-degree angle, investigators said.
The main wreckage came to rest about 100 yards from where part of the tail was lodged in a tree about 7 miles southwest of Charlottesville airport, investigators said. A fire erupted after the crash.
The helicopter didn’t have voice or data recorders, which are required on airliners but not on this helicopter. State police and the National Transportation Safety Board will study the wreckage and interview witnesses to determine why the helicopter crashed.
An undated handout photo made available by the Virginia State Police shows Virginia State policeman and pilot Lt. Jay Cullen at an undisclosed location. (Photo: VIRGINIA STATE POLICE HANDOUT, EPA)
Federal investigators will issue an update in a few weeks about what they find. But it could take the board a year or longer to decide a probable cause of the crash and make recommendations about how to avoid another one.
Lt. Jay Cullen, 48, of Midlothian, Va., and trooper-pilot Berke Bates, who would have turned 41 Sunday, of Quinton, Va., were killed in the crash, police said.
McAuliffe called the deaths a personal loss because Cullen had been his pilot for three and a half years, flying around Virginia, and Bates was part of his executive-protection unit.
"We were very close," McAulliffe said.
An undated handout photo made available by the Virginia State Police shows Virginia State policeman Trooper-Pilot Berke Bates at an undisclosed location. (Photo: VIRGINIA STATE POLICE HANDOUT, EPA)
Cullen was survived by his wife and sons ages 17 and 15, police said. He had a bachelor’s degree from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and joined the aviation unit in 1999.
Bates was survived by his wife and 12-year-old twins, a son and daughter, police said.
“Lt. Cullen was a highly-respected professional aviator and trooper-pilot Bates was a welcome addition to the Aviation Unit, after a distinguished assignment as a special agent with our Bureau of Criminal Investigation,” Col. Steven Flaherty, the superintendent of Virginia State Police, said in a statement. “Their deaths are a tremendous loss to our agency and the Commonwealth.”
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In a wide-ranging interview Thursday night at the Maui Film Festival, Colin Farrell parted the veil of secrecy ever-so-slightly on the upcoming second season of HBO’s “True Detective.”
Conceding he’s still forbidden to reveal much, Farrell called his character in the series “a bit of burnout, really,” taking a pause to acknowledge that that might be a kind of typecasting. When the audience laughed, he quipped: “I dug deep into my not-so-distant past.”
More seriously, he added “He’s somebody who like many of us in life is wrestling with events that took place in his past, and is trying to move forward from them, but trapped in this continual cycle of behavior he can’t get out of. I think fundamentally he’s a good man that made some very bad choices.”
Farrell was interviewed by Variety editor David S. Cohen after being presented the fest’s Navigator Award, which “honors a film artist for carving a path of distinction through the turbulent waters of the entertainment industry without sacrificing their fundamental commitment to excellence.” Fest director Barry Rivers presented Farrell with the award.
Farrell said he’d loved the show’s first season, ” and when I heard they were doing a second season, I thought ‘Ooh, good luck to the actors that are doing that.'” But then he read the new season’s script. “Oh, God, it was such good writing. … it’s extraordinary stuff.
“Aesthetically, it’s very different,” he said. “There are four main characters, as opposed to the two-character structure that’s in the first piece. But it’s a lot of the same sensibilities, and a lot of the characters are struggling with the same kind of existential quandaries and questions that are related to meaning and purpose and the burying of the darkness that may be in your past.”
The show kicks off with a murder in episode 1, Farrell said, “but I think it’s more to do with what’s happening with the characters than the solving of a murder, which is what I kind of felt about the first year anyway. So hopefully people respond to it. You never know. But it was a blast to work on. It was such good material, and such a wonderful cast of characters.”
Farrell didn’t discuss his struggles with substance abuse directly, but in discussing career highlights said ruefully “I can’t remember so much (of that).” Asked about his “recent past” and how he’s doing with his recovery, Farrell said “I’m good, man. I was at the party long enough. I was the party long enough. For me…. I’m very glad to be alive.”
Farrell described himself as “an actor with choice” at this stage of his career, acknowledging that such a thing “unheard of” because most actors are woefully unemployed. But does he really have the choice to do whatever he wants, asked Cohen. Farrell said, “I mean you always want more of everything, don’t you? It seems to be the human condition. You always want more, more; you’re never happy; more choice, bigger this, bigger that.
“And so I wouldn’t mind being able to do anything I wanted to do, and I can’t, and that’s okay. But I’m working, and I’ve been blessed over the 15 years with an incredible amount of opportunity I never really had planned for, and never really thought was going to come my way. So, yeah, I have a nice bit of choice, and yeah, I do okay.”
Regarding his choices over the years, Farrell said “I’ve done jobs for purely creative reasons and I’ve done jobs where the money was better than the script but I thought I could do something with the script. But it was really to bank a bit of money for the future. So you just mix it up.”
“Once every few years I seem to do something that hits or works a little bit, whether it’s critically or does a little bit of coin or whatever it is. And it’s kept me afloat.”
He talked about times when his films have flopped “and the phone stopped ringing.” When the audience laughed, he said “It wasn’t funny at the time.” But in sum, he was philosophical about the experience.
“Honestly, it’s everything for a reason,” he said.”For me, it’s been a lot of this through the years, and I’ve been just blessed to have the journey through it I’ve had to this point. There’s no anger or regrets or ‘I wish this was different or that was different.’ It’s all good.” |
Cliff Palace in 2006
Cliff Palace in 2003
Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. The structure built by the Ancestral Puebloans is located in Mesa Verde National Park in their former homeland region. The cliff dwelling and park are in the southwestern corner of Colorado, in the Southwestern United States.
History [ edit ]
Tree-ring dating indicates that construction and refurbishing of Cliff Palace was continuous approximately from 1190 CE through 1260 CE, although the major portion of the building was done within a 20-year time span. The Ancestral Pueblo that constructed this cliff dwelling and the others like it at Mesa Verde were driven to these defensible positions by "increasing competition amidst changing climatic conditions".[1] Cliff Palace was abandoned by 1300, and while debate remains as to the causes of this, some believe that a series of megadroughts interrupting food production systems is the main cause. Cliff Palace was rediscovered in 1888 by Richard Wetherill and Charlie Mason while out looking for stray cattle.[2][3][4]
Description [ edit ]
Cliff Palace was constructed primarily out of sandstone, mortar and wooden beams. The sandstone was shaped using harder stones, and a mortar of soil, water and ash was used to hold everything together. "Chinking" stones were placed within the mortar to fill gaps and provide stability. Many of the walls were decorated with colored earthen plasters, which were the first to erode over time.[citation needed] Many visitors wonder about the relatively small size of the doorways at Cliff Palace; the explanation being that at the time the average man was under 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m), while the average woman was closer to 5 feet (1.5 m).[5] Cliff Palace contains 23 kivas (round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance) and 150 rooms and had a population of approximately 100 people. One kiva, in the center of the ruin, is at a point where the entire structure is partitioned by a series of walls with no doorways or other access portals. The walls of this kiva were plastered with one color on one side and a different color on the opposing side.[6] "It is thought that Cliff Palace was a social, administrative site with high ceremonial usage."[7] Archaeologists believe that Cliff Palace contained more clans than the surrounding Mesa Verde communities. This belief stems from the higher ratio of rooms to kivas. Cliff Palace has a room-to-kiva ratio of 9 to 1. The average room-to-kiva ratio for a Mesa Verde community is 12 to 1.[1] This ratio of kivas to rooms may suggest that Cliff Palace might have been the center of a large polity that included surrounding small communities.[1]
Cliff Palace dwellings
13th-century mural in the Square Tower, Cliff Palace
Round tower, Cliff Palace in 1941.
Photograph by Ansel Adams.
Square Tower [ edit ]
A large square tower is to the right and almost reaches the cave "roof". It was in ruins by the 1800s. The National Park Service carefully restored it to its approximate height and stature, making it one of the most memorable buildings in Cliff Palace. It is the tallest structure at Mesa Verde standing at 26 feet (7.9 m) tall, with four levels. Slightly differently colored materials were used to show that it was a restoration.[8][9]
References [ edit ]
Bibliography [ edit ]
Chapen, Frederick H. The Land of the Cliff-Dwellers. Appalachian Mountain Club, W. B. Clarke and Co., Boston, 1892. Reprinted by the University of Arizona Press, with notes and forward by Robert H. Lister, 1988. ISBN 0-8165-1052-0.
Appalachian Mountain Club, W. B. Clarke and Co., Boston, 1892. Reprinted by the University of Arizona Press, with notes and forward by Robert H. Lister, 1988. ISBN 0-8165-1052-0. Noble, David Grant. "Ancient Ruins of the Southwest", pp. 36–43. Northland Publishing, Flagstaff, Arizona 1995. ISBN 0-87358-530-5.
ISBN 0-87358-530-5. Oppelt, Norman T. "Guide to Prehistoric Ruins of the Southwest", pp. 159–161. Pruett Publishing, Boulder, Colorado, 1989. ISBN 0-87108-783-9.
ISBN 0-87108-783-9. Turney, Chris. "Ice, Mud & Blood: Lessons of Climates Past", 2008
Mesa Verde National Park Website
Coordinates: |
NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) -- Authorities are working to learn what led up to an overnight shooting that injured two people and left a teenager dead.
Police identified the teen as 17-year-old Don Demetrius Brown, Jr.
Dispatchers received calls regarding shots heard on N. Military Highway just after midnight.
Brown was found near the 400 block of N. Military Hwy. along with another shooting victim. They were both taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where Brown was pronounced dead on arrival.
The second victim suffered non-life threatening injuries.
A third person was transported by an acquaintance to Sentara Leigh Hospital with non-life threatening injuries as well.
AJ Rivera, who works at Ramada Limited on Military Highway, told 13NewsNow just before the shooting, two male teens asked to use the phone. He said due to policy, he declined their request. He said around the time of the shooting, the two teens ran back past the hotel. An officer questioned Rivera about what he saw.
"He asked me about the individuals coming in and he said they matched the description of two individuals that were involved," said Rivera.
No other details have been released at this time, including suspect information.
Anyone with any information on this shooting is asked to call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.
Stay with 13News Now for more updates on this story.
Norfolk Police confirm person who was shot on Military Highway and later died was 17 @13NewsNow — Elise Brown (@13EliseDBrown) June 21, 2016
PHOTOS: Deadly shooting on N. Military Hwy. |
Quote:
Here's how it works:
One role card is dealt to each player, and three additional role cards are placed face down in the center of the table. After everyone secretly looks at their cards, they close their eyes, and the night phase begins.
Werewolves see the other werewolves. The Seer can view one other player's card. Nothing earth-shattering there...so far it's pretty much regular werewolf, right?
But then the other roles take their turn at night: The Robber steals someone else's card and becomes the role he steals. The Troublemaker switches two other player's cards. The Doppelgänger looks at another player's card and becomes that role. The Minion learns who the werewolves are (he's on their team). And a whole bunch of other roles.
The night phase is over, players open their eyes, and may say anything they want. They are trying to figure out who the werewolves are. After a few minutes, everyone votes simultaneously: If a werewolf dies the villagers win; if a werewolf doesn't die, the werewolves win. Easy, right?
But here's the catch: Players can't look at their card. Remember the Robber and the Troublemaker? Well, they know what they did last night, but odds are they aren't going to fess up to it...so you'll have to deduce not only what the roles of other players are, but you may not be your original role.
There's another catch: Remember those three cards in the center? There's a chance that the werewolves are in those center cards, which means the only way players can win is by not killing anyone, which they pretty much all need to agree to. If a player dies when the werewolves are in the center, everyone loses.
The replayability is off-the-charts, with thousands of scenarios thanks to all the different role cards (12 different roles) and how the cards can be dealt out.
Demo game at Spiel 2013 |
Don’t say Donald Trump has never sacrificed for the red, white and blue.
As The Daily Beast reporter Olivia Nuzzi has amply documented, the real estate mogul and 2016 presidential contender has sued a stunning number of individuals, companies and countries over the years, for a whole host of reasons. But perhaps the most patriotic lawsuit Trump ever filed was in defense of a super-sized American flag he sported outside of his Mar-a-Lago country club estate in Palm Beach.
According to an Associated Press report from the time, Trump sued the town of Palm Beach in 1996 for millions of dollars after he was cited for flying a large American flag on an 80-foot pole, which apparently violated Palm Beach regulations mandating flags be flown on flag poles no higher than 42-feet.
“A smaller flag and pole on Mar-a-Lago’s property would be lost given its massive size, look silly instead of make a statement, and most importantly would fail to appropriately express the magnitude of Donald J. Trump’s and the Club’s members’ patriotism,” the lawsuit reportedly declared, before going on to state the town’s actions were in violation of, among other things, the First, Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments.
In a later filing obtained by The Daily Caller, Trump’s lawyers noted that Mar-a-Lago is larger than the White House, before explaining, “The size of the Club and its property demand that any flag on the premises be large in order to be viewed and to communicate the Club’s and Mr. Trump’s commitment to the flag and the nation.”
Before bringing the lawsuit, Trump lamented, “The day you need a permit to put up the American flag, that will be a sad day for this country.”
Has a greater American hero ever lived? Perhaps. But certainly not a glitzier American. Trump is by far the glitziest.
In January 2007, the town of Palm Beach voted to fine Trump $1,250 a day until he got in line with the town’s regulations of American flags. Still, ever the American patriot, Trump persisted.
Finally, in April 2007, Palm Beach and Donald Trump came to a resolution. Trump would be allowed to fly his ginormous flag on a 70-foot flag pole, instead of the 80-foot flag pole, and the city would waive all fines Trump had accrued. In exchange, Trump dropped his lawsuit against the city. He also apparently agreed to donate $100,000 to various veterans’ charities.
But this would not be Trump’s last battle over an American flag. In 2014, Trump took on local government officials in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. to keep another giant American flag up at his Trump National Golf Course, a fight Trump appears to have won without having to resort to litigation.
Follow Jamie on Twitter |
Gal Science: Taking the Earth’s Historical Temperature
As The Toast searches for its one true Gal Scientist, we will be running a ton of wonderful one-off pieces by female scientists of all shapes and sizes and fields and education levels, which we are sure you will enjoy. They’ll live here, so you can always find them. Most recently: When a Scientist Bakes Bread.
Thanks to the ever-so-convenient Internet, it was fairly simple to prove to my friends that, yes, a rectal thermometer was indeed a real thing, and no, my mom didn’t accidentally misuse a thermometer. My mother, though, in all her un-technological glory, decided to send me (through real mail) a rectal thermometer to show my friends. So there I was in college, with a rectal thermometer.
When our body temperature is 1 to 2ºF higher than usual, we know that something is wrong. For me, that something wrong usually involves watching The Twilight Zone over and over and over. Detecting a fever doesn’t tell us how and why something went wrong, but it’s a sign that “hey, something inside you is messed up.”
Well, the Earth’s temperature is currently 1 to 2ºF higher than usual, an indicator that something within our planet is messed up.
With our bodies, we know what “normal” is because we have taken our temperatures our whole lives. But how do we know what “normal” is for the Earth? In an age of human-caused climate change, determining a baseline for “normal” temperature patterns of the Earth is a central piece of evidence in uncovering what is messed up right now.
Temperature records from modern weather-thermometers date back 100 or so years depending on the location. But compared to Earth’s age—4.6 billion years—that’s nothing; if we condensed the Earth’s age into 1 year, the modern industrial era would be the last two seconds, with humans having been on the planet for minutes.
So how do we retroactively measure Earth’s temperature? While we can’t retroactively measure what our body temperatures were a day or year ago—so I think—the Earth actually leaves clues of its past climate conditions. These clues are hidden in nature all around us, and like detectives, we can uncover these clues, piece them together, and reconstruct how temperatures have evolved over time. Okay, maybe not as cool as Nancy Drew, but pretty close! We even have a snazzy name for these clues: “proxies.”
There are two main criteria for finding proxies of Earth’s temperature:
The entity needs to be old (like pre-U.S., pre-Christopher Columbus, pre-Jesus) and dateable
The entity needs to be affected by climate
Therefore, we are looking for objects found in nature that are old, dateable, and climate-dependent.
On land, trees are the most obvious old, dateable, and climate-dependent entity. Certain trees can live for hundreds to several thousand years, and as we all learned when we were youngsters, we can determine their age by counting how many rings they have in their interior; their massiveness therefore exudes their age. I recently went to a redwood forest state park in northern California and we fit our entire group of 13 scientists plus one dog inside the trunk of a redwood.
The thickness of the tree rings is directly related to changes in temperature—tree rings typically grow wider during warm conditions (think about how your hands swell when it is hot out) and narrower during cold conditions (think about how your rings are all of a sudden too loose in winter). So the rate of growth of trees can provide a proxy record of Earth’s temperature in the past. Rainfall (or lack thereof) also affects tree growth in a discernable way.
But these trees only give us a small piece of the big picture: they aren’t in the poles and the oceans. And in the tropics, the lack of seasons makes it hard to even date the trees. So we need something else.
In the polar regions—the Arctic and Antarctic—there isn’t much there. I actually spent a week in Greenland once on a science adventure. It was below -36ºF (or ºC—practically the same thing when it’s this cold!) and our toilets were deep holes in the ice (envision a port-a-potty ice sculpture).
While the toilet holes were probably around five to ten feet deep, the thickness of the Greenland ice sheet is generally over 1 mile deep, and nearly 2 miles deep at its thickest point. For reference, the ocean is on average around 2 miles deep.
The snow on Greenland and Antarctica accumulates in incremental yearly layers that are (relatively) easily distinguishable. Scientists have dated ice back to 800,000 years! When the ice forms, tiny air bubbles are trapped, essentially preserving a piece of the ancient atmosphere. Analyzing these air bubbles can reveal the concentration of heat-trapping gases—such as carbon dioxide and methane—in the atmosphere at the time. The ice composition itself can also provide a record of global temperature.
Ice is frozen water, made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen. Oxygen comes in two forms: a light version and a heavy version (also referred to as isotopes). It is easier to evaporate light water than it is to evaporate heavy water, because it requires less energy. The opposite is also true—it is easier for heavy water to condense than light water. Bad analogy: it’s easier to lift a slim person out of a pool, and it’s easier to drop a fat person back into the pool.
Okay, so this is the part where even my eyes glaze over. If you follow along and understand the following, you deserve a prize. Email me and we’ll sort something out.
The ice in glaciers is evaporated water from the oceans, that later falls as snow and becomes compacted in ice. When water evaporates, the heavy water is either left behind, or easily rains out in the atmosphere (larger person left behind or falls back into the pool). The light water, however, can make its way to the poles. Ice sheets therefore have more light water than the oceans. In a warm world, the ice sheets melt and the light water returns to the ocean. But in a cold world, the light water is trapped in the ice for long periods of time. By examining the amount of heavy water in ice cores, we can reconstruct past temperatures over hundreds of thousands of years.
Because this light and heavy water balance relates to the ocean in addition to ice, we can find similar types of records in the ocean. When sea creatures die, they slowly sink to the bottom of the ocean, where they pile up over time. There are literally mountains of dead things at the ocean floor. The minerals in the shells of tiny dead animals contain information about how long they have been dead, and what the temperature was like when they were alive.
We are beginning to uncover the vast amounts of information that these microscopic fossils can provide. We can not only analyze ratios of heavy to light oxygen, but there are a number of minerals in shells in which the exact composition is temperature-dependent. For example, there is more magnesium relative to calcium in shells at warmer temperatures. Further, these animals have temperature preferences and tolerances, so that their presence or absence also provides clues of Earth’s temperature. These ocean sediment records date back tens to hundreds of millions of years—beyond the era of the dinosaurs!
While these records may be far from perfect (sparse, multi-causal, requiring calibration, difficult to obtain, etc.), they provide a decent sketch of Earth temperatures over time, and especially enough information to tell us that the recent rapid rise in temperature is anything but normal. The Earth certainly has a fever, and we need to come together now more than ever to take care of her.
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Are we losing our Democracy?
Class division and race division have become a single issue. Disparity between the rich and poor, black and white is about to explode. Today, fascists, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, members of militias and KKK walk the streets in many cities across the U.S.A. armed with more weapons than those in uniform who are required to protect the public. While many of our politicians stand back and watch, Trump — the President of the United States of America, praises the actions of those who should be arrested and dismisses the actions of those who are protecting our people and our Cities. It is becoming a frightening time for all of us.
Our economy as well as the world economy is in trouble. With the introduction of robotics into nearly every phase of our lives, soon there will be no jobs for the uneducated and undereducated. Jobs that used to be available have been outsourced. Industries that allowed people to prosper no longer exist. Unions, which protected the worker are looked upon as being evil and useless.
Millennials — who are our future, are poorer than their parents. They earn less than their parents even though they are better educated. The Middle Class is drowning in debt. Soon there will be no Middle Class, there will only be The Rich and The Poor.
We can try to change all of this. Freedom2020pac (Political Action Committee) has been started to address issues that concern all of US today. We need New Deal Democrats run and to be elected. Our approach will take on the establishment in ways that most PACs don’t and won’t.
One goal of Freedom2020pac is to: Get rid of the complacent Democrats who have failed to lead the party, who have sat back comfortably while allowing a Trump Presidency and who have failed the American public by no longer defending all we hold dear including our Democracy.
Visit: www.FREEDOM2020pac.com to see all our goals. |
Net profit at Polish coal mines stood at 1.45 billion zlotys ($400.06 million) in the first half of the year compared to a 800 million zlotys loss a year earlier amid higher coal prices and restructuring, data from a state agency showed on Tuesday.
Data by the Industrial Development Agency (ARP), quoted by state-run news wire PAP, said the average price, including thermal and coking coal, rose by 38 percent year on year in the first half of the year to 317.09 zlotys per tonne.
Coal stocks put aside at the mines declined to 1.9 million tonnes from 5.2 million a year earlier, the agency also said, adding that coal output fell to 32.7 million tonnes in the first six months of 2017 from 34.3 million tonnes last year.
ARP representative, Henryk Paszcza, quoted by PAP attributed the improvement in mines' results to the ongoing restructuring of the industry, which has resulted in the shutdown of the most loss-making mines and led to headcount reduction.
Paszcza said he expected total coal output at 66-67 million tonnes this year compared to 70.4 million in 2016.
The ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) has simplified the structure of Poland's biggest coal miner PGG, formerly known as Kompania Weglowa, and bailed it out with the help of state-run utilities, including the biggest power producer PGE.
Earlier this year PGG took over its smaller troubled rival KHW, also with the help of other state-run firms.
As a result, the number of employees in the Polish coal mining industry fell by 3,000 people since the start of 2016 to 81,700 as of end June 2017.
($1 = 3.6245 zlotys) (Reporting by Agnieszka Barteczko, editing by David Evans) |
MUMBAI: The benchmark S&P BSE sensex on Tuesday plunged 590 points to end below the 18,000 mark as the rupee fell past the 66-mark to a lifetime low and concerns were raised about the subsidy burden after passage of the Food Security Bill.Chaos returned to the stock markets after three sessions of gains as foreign funds sold heavily. Investor sentiment was unchanged after finance minister P Chidambaram said the fiscal deficit would be contained at 4.8% of GDP even after doling out subsidies to implement the Food Security Bill.The 30-share sensex remained in negative terrain since the opening and touched a low of 17,921.82 before ending at 17,968.08, a fall of 590.05 points or 3.18%. In the previous three sessions, the index added 652.22 points.The broader Nifty on the National Stock Exchange slumped 189.05 points or 3.45% to 5,287.45. The SX40 on the MCX-SX closed down 391.41 points at 10,629.77."The Food Security Bill was passed yesterday, which is expected to add to the fiscal burden," said Sanjeev Zarbade, VP at Kotak Securities. "We believe crude oil has emerged as a key risk in the near term, which is not a good sign for the rupee. Thus, on an overall basis, the macroeconomic outlook has weakened and risks have clearly strengthened."Reports said Brent crude was close to a 5-month high amid tension after a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria.Investors lost Rs 1.7 lakh crore in wealth as 1,538 stocks closed lower and 719 advanced. |
In 1968, the Second Street Expedition across Iran collected what appeared to be a Persian Horned Viper with a Wind Scorpion attached to its tail. Examination of the specimen in 1970 revealed the apparent arachnid was actually a growth, but it could not be determined if it was some sort of reaction to a parasite, a tumor, or caused by genetics. A second specimen bearing a pseudo-arachnid was captured in 2001, and it became apparent that an entire species possessed this trait — Pseudocerastes urarachnoides (Bostanchi et al. 2006) Two live specimens were collected in 2008 and the tails were filmed in action:
An unnervingly convincing Wind Scorpion probably doesn’t seem very appealing to most humans — if urban legends about “Camel Spiders” are anything to go by — but Bostanchi et al. (2006) hypothesized the heavily modified tails are used as lures. To test this hypothesis, Fathinia et al. (2009) introduced a chick to an enclosure containing a snake; after half an hour the bird pecked the knob-like portion of the tail, was drawn in towards the head, and was struck and killed. The only animals P. urarachnoides has been known to prey on so far are birds, although it hasn’t been ruled out that other potential Wind Scorpion predators such as small mammals and reptiles are also sometimes taken (Fathinia et al. 2009). Aside from the confirmation of a caudal lure, examination of live specimens also revealed the scales are far more prominent than those of any other Iranian snake, possibly due to either the body being inflated or dermal muscles (Fathinia et al. 2009).
There is undoubtedly much about the biology of the Arachnid-Tailed Snake* that remains to be learned. The extent of its range is not certain, although it was recently discovered to overlap with two other Pseudocerastes species (Fathinia & Rastegar-Pouyani 2010). These “Gypsum Snakes”, as they’re known to some locals, are found in hills primarily made of gypsum and are hypothesized to ambush prey from bushes located near their burrows; however, there are anecdotes about them also ambushing prey from trees (Fathinia et al. 2009). I, for one, would be quite curious about any other “ethno-known” traits of this snake and how they stack up with reality.
* I’ve seen the name “Spider-Tailed Horn Viper” used, but the lure isn’t unambiguously spider-like. One local name is “Feathered Snake”, which is curious considering its diet.
References:
Bostanchi, H. et al. (2006) A New Species of Pseudocerastes with Elaborate Tail Ornamentation from Western Iran (Squamata: Viperidae). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 57(14) 443—450. Available
Fathinia, B. et al. (2009) Notes on the Natural History of Pseudocerastes urarachnoides (Squamata: Viperidae). Russian Journal of Herpetology 16(2) 134—138. Available
Fathinia, B. & Rastegar-Pouyani, N. (2010) On the species of Pseudocerastes (Ophidia: Viperidae) in Iran. Russian Journal of Herpetology 17(4) 275—279. Available |
He came to Los Angeles as the ringless Ron Artest and, after being waived via the amnesty clause, leaves L.A. as former champion Metta World Peace.
The Los Angeles Lakers officially parted ways with World Peace on Thursday night in an NBA luxury tax-cutting measure that will mean approximately $14 million in savings for the team.
"It's tough to say goodbye to a player such as Metta, who has been a significant part of our team the past four seasons. For anyone who's had the opportunity to get to know him, it's impossible not to love him," Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a release. "He has made many contributions to this organization, both in his community work as well as in our games; perhaps no more so than in his clutch play in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals in helping to lead us over the Celtics in one of the greatest playoff wins in Lakers history.
"We thank Metta for all his contributions and wish him the best of luck in the future."
The Lakers still have to pay World Peace his $7.7 million salary for next season, but he is now on the market and teams with cap room can claim him off waivers via a bidding process.
Jose Morales, a longtime friend and confidant of World Peace, told ESPNNewYork.com's Jared Zwerling earlier this week that the veteran small forward would consider retirement if a team claimed him from a city for which he did not want to play.
"If one of these small-market teams picks him up, he won't be happy with that," Morales said. "He doesn't want to play there."
Morales said World Peace would be open to playing for the Clippers, but if he can't stay in Los Angeles, he would want to play only in New York, his hometown.
"If the Lakers amnesty him, he's going to have a point to prove that he can still be that player in New York," Morales said earlier this week.
World Peace took to Twitter shortly after the Lakers made the announcement, thanking Kupchak for calling him first with the news and then having some fun with where his next destination might be.
I'm retiring and playing hockey — Metta World Peace (@MettaWorldPeace) July 12, 2013
A league source told ESPNLosAngeles.com that World Peace has explored the option of playing in China in recent weeks, figuring out if the path blazed by the likes of former stars Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis and Gilbert Arenas would be right for him.
World Peace has weighed the option of playing a full season in China and still being able to come back to the NBA to join a playoff-contending team in the spring, according to the source.
World Peace, 33, is coming off a resurgent season despite the Lakers' struggles. The 14-year veteran averaged 12.4 points (up from 7.7 in 2011-12) and 5.0 rebounds (up from 3.4) and improved his shooting percentages from the floor, the 3-point line and the foul line.
World Peace underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee late in the season and was back on the court in just 12 days before ultimately missing the Lakers' last game of a first-round playoff sweep by the San Antonio Spurs because of problems with the same knee.
Despite needing to have his knee drained later, World Peace was encouraged by the surgery.
"They saw that my knee, inside, my knee was looking great," World Peace said in April. "It's doing really good for a person who has played 14 years in the NBA. So that was encouraging. I was excited. I was excited after the surgery.
"Virtually no wear and tear and things like that, it was like amazing. So I was excited."
World Peace has career averages of 14.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals in his time with the Lakers, Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls. |
This took a while, but courtesy of VPAP, we finally have full, official (as opposed to the early, unofficial numbers I procured a couple weeks ago) 2016 Presidential election results by Virginia House of Delegates (HoD) district. That’s very helpful, given that 2017 will see every single one of these HoD seats up for grabs (at least in theory; in practice, most HoD districts are not seriously contested, but that needs to change!).
See below for a graph of all 51 Virginia HoD districts won by Hillary Clinton. That’s right, I said 51 districts — out of 100, some advanced math tells us that would constitute a Democratic majority, again if we just won the districts Hillary Clinton (and in most if not all cases Barack Obama and/or Tim Kaine) won. So…next time you hear someone complaining about how Democrats just can’t possibly take back the Virginia House of Delegates due to horrible Republicans and their terriblenogoodevil gerrymandering, tell them they are simply wrong — in fact, there are 51 districts Democrats which absolutely could, maybe even should, win, if we could only figure out how to get our voters out in non-presidential years.
Note in the graphic below that there are 17 “Clinton districts” currently held by Republicans. Add those 17 to the 34 Democrats we currently have in the HoD, and you get…yep, 51 out of 100, a majority. Sensing a pattern here? 🙂 Now, of course I’m not thinking we can win back all these seats in one year, but there’s certainly no reason why we shouldn’t be able to win back a whole bunch of these – again, if we could only motivate Obama, Kaine and Clinton voters in those districts to get out and VOTE in 2017, not just in a presidential election year like 2016.
For the record, the “Clinton districts” currently held by a Republican delegate are (from lowest to highest Clinton percentage):
District 12 (Montgomery County, Giles County, Radford City, Pulaski County): Currently held by Del. Joseph Yost (R). Clinton won this district with 47% Trump got 45%). Tough one, but a possible pickup with a strong Democratic candidate/campaign.
District 21 (Virginia Beach, Cheseapeake): Currently held by Del. Ron Villanueva (R). Clinton won this district with 49% (Trump got 45%). A possible pickup with a strong Democratic candidate/campaign.
District 100 (Accomack County, Norfolk, Northampton County): Currently held by Del. Rob Bloxom (R). Clinton won this district with 49% (Trump got 47%). A possible pickup with a strong Democratic candidate/campaign.
District 72 (Henrico County): Currently held by Del. Jimmie Massey (R). Clinton won this district with 49% (Trump got 45%). A possible pickup with a strong Democratic candidate/campaign.
District 10 (Loudoun, Frederick and Clarke Counties): Currently held by Del. Randy Minchew (R). Clinton won this district with 49% (Trump got 45%). A possible pickup with a strong Democratic candidate/campaign.
District 94 (Newport News): Currently held by Del. David Yancey (R). Clinton won this district with 49% (Trump got 44%). Tough but potentially winnable; gotta tie all these Republicans to Trump, by the way.
District 73 (Henrico County): Currently held by Del. John O’Bannon (R). Clinton won this district with 50% (Trump got 43%). Tough but winnable if our presidential voters turn out.
District 51 (Prince William County): Currently held by Del. Rich Anderson (R). Clinton won this district with 50% (Trump got 44%). Again, tough but winnable if our presidential voters turn out.
District 31 (Prince William and Fauquier Counties): Currently held by Del. Scott Lingamfelter (R). Clinton won this district with 51% of the vote (Trump got 44%). No reason Dems can’t win this one.
District 68 (Chesterfield and Henrico Counties; Richmond City): Currently held by Del. Manoli Loupassi (R). Clinton won this district with 51% of the vote (Trump got 41%). Definitely winnable.
District 40 (Fairfax and Prince William Counties): Currently held by Del. Tim Hugo (R). Clinton won this district with 51% of the vote (Trump got 43%). Hugo gotta go.
District 50 (Prince William County, Manassas City): Currently held by Del. Jackson Miller (R). A 53% Clinton district, no reason why Dems can’t knock one of the worst Republicans out of the House of Delegates.
District 13 (Prince William County, Manassas Park City): Currently held by Del. “Sideshow Bob” Marshall (R). A 54% Clinton district; long past time for “Sideshow Bob” to get the hook.
District 2 (Prince William and Stafford Counties): Currently held by Del. Mark Dudenhefer (R). Hillary Clinton won this district with 56% of the vote. Gotta win this one.
District 32 (Loudoun County): Currently held by Del. Tag Greason (R). Hillary Clinton won this district with 57% of the vote. Definitely winnable. Do it!
District 42 (Fairfax County): Currently held by Del. Dave Albo (R). Hillary Clinton won this district with 57% of the vote! C’mon Dems, “Albo Must Go!”
District 67 (Fairfax and Loudoun Counties): Currently held by Del. Jim LeMunyon (R). Hillary Clinton won this district with 58% of the vote! C’mon Dems, get LeMunyon the heck outta there!
Finally, check out the VPAP map of presidential election results by House of Delegates district. Clearly, Dems are concentrated in the “urban/suburban crescent” – Hampton Roads to Richmond to Northern Virginia, plus places like Charlottesville and Roanoke City. |
Elders of the Goshute Nation and many scientists agree that removal of aquifer water from eastern Nevada with the SNWA proposed pipeline for Las Vegas suburban development will destroy the spring fed ecosystems that the goshute have depended upon for their cultural and physical survival. Preparations for spiritual and mental battle to protect sacred Goshute water are beginning.
Goshutes battle to save their sacred waterBy Stephen DarkPosted // May 9,2012 -In Spring Valley in eastern Nevada, the swamp cedar trees stand in somber silence. No more than a mile or so long, they are a narrow strip of sentries marking the place where, the Goshutes say, men, women and children belonging to the Goshute and Shoshone tribes were massacred in 1863 and again in 1897. In this hushed grove, the Goshute, along with the Duckwater and Ely Shoshone tribes, come to mourn and conduct spiritual ceremonies.Rupert Steele picks off a piece of cedar bark and rubs it up and down an eagle feather. The former chairman of the council of the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation then throws tobacco in different directions at the entrance to the swamp cedar grove and sings a sacred song in Goshute. He explains he’s acknowledging the spirits of those killed by the U.S. military and giving them thanks “for letting us come here and visit with you at your house.”Steele and the elders of his tiny tribe—out of 539 enrolled tribal members, approximately 200 live on the Goshute reservation in Deep Creek Valley, Utah—believe that where each murdered soul fell, the nutrients of their remains fed both physically and spiritually the swamp-cedar trees. “Otherwise you’d never see swamp cedar grow this tall and strong,” he says.As Steele sings, he “feathers up,” fluttering the eagle feather up and down his body so that the spirits he has brought with him stay outside the swamp cedar site. Then he blows through an eagle wing bone, summoning the spirits of his ancestors. “I want spiritual help, I want them to be with us.”That help is needed because the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) wants to run a multi-billion-dollar, 300-mile pipeline up to Spring Valley and four other valleys on the Nevada-Utah border—one of which, Snake Valley, is in Utah—to pump billions of gallons of groundwater to parched Las Vegas.SNWA’s spokesman, J.C. Davis, says the project is about finding an additional water supply for an area that is 90 percent dependent on the Colorado River, a rapidly diminishing source. The project includes not only the buried pipeline, but also overhead power lines, numerous electric substations, pumping stations and a storage reservoir. SNWA’s position is clear, Davis says: “All we can do, all we have done, is ask permission to use resources that the state dictated was available.”If the SNWA does eventually begin pumping, Steele and the tribe worry it will kill the swamp cedar and drain aquifers that extend into Utah and lie under their 113,000-acre reservation—a two-hour drive from the swamp cedar—turning their harshly beautiful land into a dust bowl. That’s a fear Davis calls “patently false,” arguing that the Nevada State Engineer, which oversees water rights, focuses on “making sure whatever pumping occurs is sustainable.”The homes and ranches in Ibapah rely solely on reservation springs and streams to survive. Much-needed income is also derived from hunters attracted to the reservation by prolific herds of elk. But beyond all that, the Goshute say their very religion and their right to pursue their beliefs and culture both on and off the reservation are at stake.“Every plant, trees, grasses, weeps with our blood which was spilled on this land,” Steele writes in an e-mail. The tribe’s “spiritual strivings, our mysticism, our relationship to nature, and our quickening desire for justice and peace” stem from a love of the soil of “our fathers and mothers, the metaphysical meeting of their personalities, temperaments, and bodies with this land.”Water is fundamental to the Goshutes’ beliefs, and they fear losing to Las Vegas’ thirst the sacred waters, around which their ceremonies revolve, that tumble down 11 streams from the Deep Creek mountain range. In the Goshute language, Steele says, water is referred to as a human being, a living entity. It is in the water that the spirits of their ancestors reside. If the water goes to Las Vegas’ fountains and man-made Venetian canals, the spirits will go there, too.SNWA’s Davis characterizes fears that his agency’s plans could wipe out the tribe as “hyperbole that doesn’t advance their cause.” Nevertheless, he acknowledges that the lack of pumping in rural Nevada means “we don’t have a lot of historical pumping to base projections on” as to how aquifers will respond.In 2011 hearings before the Nevada State Engineer, an SNWA attorney questioned whether the Goshute beliefs are akin to a child’s belief in the bogeyman. Goshute attorney Paul Echohawk found such comments “shocking and offensive” and one tribal member “left the room in tears.” The attorney later wrote a letter of apology to the tribe, but it did not placate Ed Naranjo, tribal council member and tribal administrator. “It’s like we believe in fairy tales,” he says. “That we’re nothing.”EVERYTHING’S CONNECTEDDeep Creek is a land swept by winds from both the north and the south. “This is where they meet and fight,” Steele’s father would tell him. This community is so small that everyone knows everybody else’s business. While the council and tribal members have fallen prey in the past to personal agendas and factionalism, before Las Vegas’ threat they have found a new unity.In March 2012, the Nevada State Engineer ruled that despite the protests of the Goshute tribe—along with those of other tribes, ranchers, the LDS Church and other local landowners—Spring Valley could be pumped in monitored stages by the SNWA. Only litigation, including an April 2012 appeal of the engineer’s decision by the Goshute and two Nevada tribes, and a shortly expected environmental-impact report by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) stand in the way of a giant Las Vegas straw suctioning water from aquifers in rural Nevada near the Utah border. And no one knows for sure what the impact will be.According to hydrologist Tom Myers, who testified at the Nevada state engineer pipeline hearing in 2011, while pumping Spring Valley groundwater may not impact the reservation for 200 years, pumping Utah’s Snake Valley could have a much quicker impact, even if only a few feet. But in Ibapah, which has suffered increasing drought in the past decade, even a few feet could be devastating, say tribal members and nearby ranchers.The aquifers beneath Spring Valley, neighboring Tippett Valley and the reservation are all connected, Steele says, in the same way that his thumb is connected to his big toe. SNWA’s Davis rather compares the valleys’ aquifers to “a series of adjacent bathtubs, many of them sharing walls, some with cracks in them. Water does move from one basin to another, but it doesn’t move freely, by any stretch of the imagination.”While deputy Utah State Engineer Boyd Clayton says that all the scientific information his office has seen suggests that SNWA’s pumping will not affect Deep Creek, he says that “there’s never been pumping of this magnitude before. If you withdraw that much water, there will be change, there’s no avoiding that.”Dan McCool teaches political science at the University of Utah and is an expert on water resources as well as American Indian voting and water rights. He describes the pipeline as part of the “hell-with-you” water policy that has long defined the American West’s attitude to owning natural resources rather than sharing them. “There is absolutely no legal, ethical or moral cognition of what impact this has on other people,” he says.Though a passel of organizations and communities—including Salt Lake County—originally protested the plan, no one in government, it seems, is currently stepping up to protect the Goshutes. The Goshute are a sovereign nation, with their own tribal government, but Steele says when it comes to negotiations, whether with federal or local government, “they always put the Indians on the back burner.” Steele says part of the U.S. government’s treaty with the tribe involved the feds providing “welfare and safety for perpetuity.” Yet the federal entities charged with doing this, most notably the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the BLM signed a stipulated agreement in 2006 with SNWA withdrawing protests to the project, without consulting the tribe. According to the Las Vegas Sun, a BIA director said that the timing of negotiations between the federal agencies and the SNWA did not allow for consultation with the tribe, a claim tribal leaders dispute. The BIA did not respond to e-mailed questions for this story.“We relied too heavily on the BIA,” Naranjo says. “We have to do things for ourselves.”Utah Gov. Gary Herbert has yet to decide whether to sign an already-drafted 2009 agreement with Nevada over Snake Valley, or fight Utah’s neighbor in court. If Herbert signs the agreement, Steele says “it will be a big slap in the face.” Three times, he says, Herbert promised to help the tribe with water-related issues, and each time nothing materialized. “That’s a ‘no’ in my book.”Ally Isom, Herbert’s deputy chief of staff, says Herbert has made no decision regarding the agreement, but has been “consistently supportive of the Goshutes and hopes for their success as a people and as citizens of Utah.”Steele argues that having put their trust in government, now tribal members trust no one, including their own leaders. “Some people have given up,” he says. “The spirituality gets away from them. Some refuse to leave their homes, they’re afraid of the outside.”“WHEN IS ENOUGH?”Professor McCool spies a deeply unsettling factor in the “horrendously unjust” future the Goshutes face at the hands of Nevada’s water policy. In the American West today, he says, “there’s still a huge amount of animosity, of racism against the Indians.”The Goshute lands once stretched from the Great Salt Lake to Nevada. In an 1863 treaty, the U.S. government assigned the Goshute to a fraction of that space. Ultimately, two reservations were created for the two Goshute tribes: Steele’s tribe, the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation [CTGR], which live on the Nevada-Utah border; and the Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians of Utah, which live near Dugway Proving Grounds.Federal agencies attempted to force the Goshute into farming and agriculture, a lifestyle many in the tribe rejected, leading to poverty, high unemployment and strife with local and national authorities. “They put us out there, thought we’d die anyway,” Steele says. “And guess what? We never died off.”Genevieve Fields is the tribe’s enrollment officer. She can’t imagine living anywhere else. “Here I go up to the creek, I cut willows to make baskets. I pick berries, dig wild onions, wild potatoes. I find dye and add colors to my baskets. I can live without that,” she says, pointing to a light bulb, “but I gotta have water.”If the water is taken from their land, “What’s going to happen to our little kids who live here, to the old people? We’ll have no place to go.” She compares the reservation’s residents to those who fell in the swamp cedar massacres—the haunting history of which, unlike the Mountain Meadows massacre in southern Utah, has gone mostly undocumented. As back then, she says, “they want to just completely see us gone.”Council member Madeline Greymountain detects a historical pattern. “Every time native people come to harmony, peace with the land, somebody comes along who wants more and more. Nobody’s satisfied.” That’s a fate many tribes have suffered, she says. “What more do they want? When is enough?”BACK POCKET SONGSIbapah lies an hour south of Wendover, through a west desert landscape that in the early morning sees craggy mountain faces and valleys of yellow grass covered in a milky mist.A rickety sign announces Ibapah, which means cloudy, churned water. After a few outlying farms, you pass the elementary school, a ward house of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and then the tribal offices, the valley’s only employer.Nearly all the tribe’s members were raised LDS, but many now belong to the Native American Church. Steele says the U.S. government enlisted the Mormon church in its fight to eradicate native religious beliefs and cultural ways. Steele recalls being baptized into the Mormon church as a child. It was either that, he says, or his family would lose access to state benefits.His father taught him about “the sacredness of the land and his mother “the circle of life and how to use our water in ceremonies.” When Steele was 12, he was sent to an Indian boarding school in Nevada, where he could not speak Goshute. “They wanted to get us away from Indian thinking, Indian living.” So he put his father’s songs about the water, the sun and the moon, “in my back pocket.” His plan was to get an education, to learn the ways of the outside world, then go back and help a reservation racked with unemployment, alcoholism and drug abuse. He’s lost six of his eight siblings to alcohol-related deaths.Greymountain was also born on the reservation, her father a full-blooded Navajo, her mother half Goshute, half Western Shoshone. As a child, she drank out of the stream by her cabin. “The water was very, very cold—kind of crisp, sweet.”Greymountain was only 14 when her mother died in an alcohol-related car accident. Later, Greymountain successfully overcame alcoholism, unlike her father, who drank himself to death. “When you fight for your life back, you truly don’t take it for granted.” That personal battle she contrasts with her tribe’s fight over water now. “This one is all of us, it ties all of us together, it’s bigger than our personal struggles.”Along with the struggle to deal with entrenched social and addiction issues, the tribe has faced a long, unsuccessful battle to bring jobs to the isolated valley. There’s so little money on the reservation, “whatever you have, you spend,” Steele says. “A lot of them live on fixed income. It’s real important to get economic development to put these guys to work.” While the tribe has the labor, it lacks managerial or administrative skills, he continues. The tribe opened a welding business in 1969 but it only lasted a few years, strangled by Ibapah’s isolation and the imposed transport costs of shipping steel work out. “We got really left behind,” Steele says.DESERT REALITIESSteele’s one regret as tribal council chairman, he says, is that he put all his eggs in one watery basket. In 2007, the tribe applied to Utah to appropriate 50,000 acre-feet of water to build a reservoir on the tribe’s land that could then be used to generate power. Their water application to the Utah State Engineer made local ranchers nervous.It “was a scary deal,” says Bart Parker, whose ranch is located next to the reservation. “The amount of water they filed for was astronomical. Way more than the state engineer said was here.” He and other ranchers feared if the tribe got the extension, the resultant pumping would dry the springs out on some of the farms.In 2009, the Utah State Engineer denied the application, in part because “it would impair the water rights of others.” The tribe, however, successfully requested the department reconsider its application, and are invited to submit a less ambitious water request.Despite such disagreements, the ranchers view the tribe as the best bet they have to keep Nevada at bay. “They have a lot more influence than we will ever have,” says rancher Kyle Bateman.Justin Parker, Bart’s brother, opened a general store a mile down the road from Bart’s ranch last fall. Sitting in a rocking chair in his store, he says, “We’re already starving for water, it’s a pretty precious commodity. But if you’re going to live in the desert, you can’t bitch about it. But you don’t want to see less of it.”Even a little pumping could be disastrous, Bateman says. “Our annual rainfall is 8 to 11 inches. [Nevada] said it would only draw down x amount of feet. That doesn’t mean anything to me. Inches would really have a negative effect on our economy. It would dry us up.”Bart Parker looks out the window at the snow-capped Deep Creek Mountains, as the wind trembles plants on his porch. “It’s special to me as an individual. There’s nothing like home, especially when it encompasses thousands of acres, the whole valley and the next valley where I grew up. I consider this whole area to be home. And it’s certainly worth fighting for.”GROWING PAINSOn March 22, 2010—World Water Day—150 people trudged up through mud for half an hour from the southern end of the reservation to Nelms pond, Marilyn Linares recalls, to bless the water. As the sun came up, they gathered around Naranjo and a tribal elder, who performed a ceremony, said a prayer, and then they drank the water. “It got real quiet,” Linares says. “I felt moved.”Two years later to the day, Nevada State Engineer Jason King made his ruling on the pumping of the rural Nevada valleys. The state granted the water authority permission to pump up to 84,000 acre-feet of groundwater each year from four rural valleys. King ordered that Spring Valley be pumped in stages rather than full bore, to assess the potential environmental impact.Rancher Bart Parker expresses disdain for the idea that SNWA would stop pumping if it proved damaging. “They’re not going to shut the pump off because the Parkers are experiencing abnormally dry conditions,” he says.SNWA’s Davis says, though, that the fear that “once we begin pumping no force on heaven or earth can make us stop, that’s just not true.” The water rights granted by the Nevada State Engineer “are not a blind check.”Just within the 30-day filing period, the Goshutes, the Ely Shoshone Tribe and Duckwater Shoshone Tribe lodged an appeal in Nevada’s 7th Judicial District Court.Greymountain says SNWA “still answers ‘I don’t know’ to certain questions,” such as how long do they plan to pump. “They tell us we’ll not be affected. I know they’re wrong. I see they’re wrong. In my mind we have to keep fighting it, there really is no room for negotiation.” SNWA, she feels, is focused only on Las Vegas’ immediate need for water.One wildcard is the BLM, which is expected to announce a decision later this year, after seven years of study, on whether or not it will permit the pipeline project across public land. But council members have little faith that the BLM will stand up for them.Naranjo’s frustration and anguish is evident in his words and gaze. “We’ve got to send a message, to be sincere. If we have to stand up physically and stop something, like lay in front a bulldozer, then we’ve got to. They’ll continue to run us over if we don’t.”THE SONG OF THE WATERSteele puts his box of feathers into his truck and drives to the southern end of the reservation—“the upper rez” as residents call it. He parks by a stream whose waters churn with ice melt. Here are the willow trees from which tribal women cut shoots to make a baby’s cradle. “They use their teeth to pull off layers of bark,” Steele says. The cradle-makers choose the red branches in particular, as they are the strongest ones, “so the baby can absorb the strength.”Under a tree he unexpectedly finds the remains of a hawk’s tail, feathers he had long been searching for. “My heart grew real big inside of me” at what he calls “a gift from the Creator. It made me feel strong.” He plans to make the feathers “beautiful, then pass them down in ceremonies to my grandkids.”He sings a ceremonial song to the water. The song includes words in English for those who attend ceremonies who don’t speak Goshute. “Let’s go to the creek and get some water,” he sings in Goshute. Then in English, “I pray for you, I sing for you, happy birthday to you.”Through the water, he says, he connects with the spirits, using their power to reach the people he is trying to protect. The thought that Las Vegas may take this water fills him with sadness.“It would take away an important part of my wholeness,” he says. “The rocks, the trees, the grass will be sad, we will be sad. It will be a sad ending to the Goshute tribe, a sad legacy for all these decision makers, without much thought of the environmental racism and destruction that will happen. It paints a very bleak picture going into the future.”With the BLM expected to release its environmental-impact study later this year, the SNWA anticipates ongoing litigation from opponents of the project. So it will “continue to trudge through the permitting process,” Davis says, until it can reach “shovel-ready status.” But it will be the Colorado River and Lake Mead’s dropping elevations that will trigger the start of pipeline construction, he says.Steele drives up into the Deep Creek range, stopping to watch a herd of elk climb the mountainside as an eagle circles overhead. Steele continues up to the source of several springs. It’s a crag of rock from which warm water, home to rare Bonneville cutthroat trout, comes up from aquifers miles below. This is the water he uses for his sacred ceremonies. “Good water, 99.9 percent pure,” he says. It’s also the water that will be the first to go when the pumps get switched on, he fears.CLIFF EDGEThis primal spring erupting from ancient rock has been the site of so many sacred songs by other tribal members, other tribes over the centuries, Steele says as snow begins to fall. They drink this water, they sing to it and it carries their songs and the spirits down the stream, down the valley.He squats down by the moss-lined stream, the stream echoing past him. He is somber and still, as if in prayer.What troubles him, he says, is how to tell the youth, and particularly the schoolchildren at Ibapah’s elementary school, about what the pipeline means 75 years from when the pumping starts. That’s when the reservation will see an impact, he fears, when the water disappears.“I don’t feel the light bulb has turned on for them,” he says. “How do I approach them to tell this bleak story? It’s like sending them out into the dark without a flashlight. You tell them there’s a cliff out there somewhere, but they still fall to their deaths.”Long after he has gone, he says, and joined the spirits of his ancestors in their sacred water, the children and their children will inherit the consequences of the SNWA’s initiative, of the failure of federal agencies, and finally the tribe itself, to protect their most precious natural resource. “There’s no way around it,” he says. “They can’t run and hide.”LANGUAGE RIGHTSThe future of water isn’t the only issue that perplexes the Goshute. Their language is also at a crossroads, particularly in terms of passing it on to the elementary school’s 20 students. For the past few years, Ruby Ridesatthedoor has taught Goshute to the children. She first starting speaking Goshute to children at picnics, but none of them understood her. “Hardly anybody speaks Indian,” she says.The children prepared a book of their sayings about the water in English, which the elders translated into Goshute, albeit with some difficulty, as some English words lack equivalents in Goshute.“The water makes tears fall,” wrote Aleigh Hooper, while Mitzi Nyborg wrote, “Mother river spreads her fingers bringing life all around her.” At the back of the book, their teacher, Marilyn Linares, opined that language, like water, deserves “to be preserved, protected, and celebrated. Once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.”Linares had the children draw and cut out a 92-inch diameter circle, similar to the size of the pipes that will pump water to Las Vegas. Her students lay in the 7.6-foot outline and drew around their bodies before sticking the paper up on the wall. “They were all quite flabbergasted” at the size of it, Linares says.While Marty Pete fears, “Las Vegas will take all our water, instead of leaving some,” Tatyana adds that people are angry at Las Vegas, “because all of us are supposed to have our own water. They have their own. We have ours. Our language is with the water.”But Ridesatthedoor is shortly moving to another state. “No one else has stepped forward to take up the program,” Linares says.Much like losing the water, the loss of their language seems a dire prospect for the tribe. “Then we can’t talk to our ancestors,” Steele says. "Map: Shows areas of current cultural use and interest as identified by CTGR elders (colored areas), overlaid with the water table drawdown impact area (red line). Click the map for a closer look.SNWA claims that it can pump and permanently remove the water from eastern Nevada's desert valleys without any harm to people or to wildlife. Independent hydrologists contend that mining and exporting so much water will cause major environmental degradation and destroy the livelihoods of rural residents and tribal communities in eastern Nevada and western Utah. The area affected by the massive pumping proposal is home to National Wildlife Refuges in Nevada and Utah, state wildlife management areas, Great Basin National Park, Native American communities and dozens of agricultural communities who have been living within the constraints of the regions’ limited water supplies for over a century.The proposed pumping would bring two hundred or more wells with power lines, roads, and pipelines though several valleys which are isolated and ecologically intact. Communities like Baker, Nevada on the Utah border would have large production wells in their backyard sending local water to a city 300 miles away. The Goshute Tribe and ranchers throughout the Snake Valley believe that water they depend on for their agricultural as well as cultural livelihoods will "dry up" if the project is approved.Nevada State Engineer Water Rights HearingThe purpose of the water rights hearing was for the State of Nevada to determine if there is excess water available in Spring, Cave, Delamar, and Dry Lake valleys available for pumping. The Nevada State Engineer is in the process of assessing whether to grant a quantity of water (92,000 acre feet) for interbasin transfer of those rights to SNWA. Protestants presented their arguments on water availability and rights, cultural and ecological impacts, pipeline necessity, and more.The Confederated Tribes of the Goshute assembled a legal team that presented evidence that the granting of water rights to SNWA will impede on federally recognized Goshute water rights. Not only will SNWA’s acquisition of water rights impede legal specifications on tribal water rights, but also the granting of rights to SNWA threatens the very livelihood and future of Goshute culture.Since the hearing has concluded, The Nevada State Engineer, Jason King will have until March 2012 to make a decision on how much if any water rights to approve to SNWA.On October 7th, several members of the Goshute tribe as well as Ely Shoshone representatives boarded the "Groundwater Express" en route to Carson City in order to attend the oral comment period in front of the Nevada State Engineer. Check out the Media and Publications tab for more info. |
The VIKINGS are back! Meet King Björn, ruler of Sweden's modern day beserkers who live just as their ancestors did (but luckily raiding is banned)
Björn Jakobsen is the ruler of a band of modern-day Swedish Vikings
Lives in a small village and lives exactly as a Viking would have done
He and other villagers live Viking lives 24hrs a day, 365 days a year
Says he has no plans to return to modern life and loves the peace
Sadly for Björn, Vikings can no longer go on raids so UK coast is safe
They were a race of ferocious warriors, famous for their terrifying seaborne attacks and incredible shipbuilding abilities.
But if you thought the age of the Vikings was past, Björn Jakobsen, 66, king of a band of modern-day warriors from Malmö in Sweden, is living proof that for some, they never really went away.
Part of a community living and working in the Viking town Foteviken on the southern Swedish coast, Björn says the life of a Viking is a fascinating one and adds he has no plans to return to modern life.
Viking life: King Björn (centre) and the other Vikings live and work in the village 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
'It's a mysterious lifestyle,' he elaborates. ' Of course I can go into modern times as soon as I step outside the village.
'I could just go and watch the TV but when I do come back to the village after [venturing out], I realise how beautiful [living like a Viking] is.'
For King Björn and his band of Viking warriors, daily life in Foteviken includes making time to work the surrounding fields and feasting on porridge, although as king, Björn doesn't have to work if he doesn't feel like it.
'I just declared it,' he says of the moment he was crowned king of the Viking village. 'I said OK I am king. It was my decision.
'We have people visiting the village every day and I spend time communicating with them,' he adds.
Home: King Björn outside his traditional Viking home in the village of Foteviken near Malmö
Peaceful: Björn, who unilaterally declared himself king, says he loves the relaxed lifestyle in Foteviken
THE BEAR-SKIN CLAD WARRIORS WHO MENACED BRITAIN
Fiery portents, a dragon seen streaking across the Northumbrian sky and whirlwinds lashing the coast could mean only one thing to the fearful Anglo-Saxons watching the heavens in 793 - doom was imminent. And doom duly came in the shape of the Vikings, who between 793 and 1066 were a hazardous part of life for the Anglo-Saxons. Most came from Denmark, although Norwegian Vikings were also known to have had a taste for British gold.
Either way, following the Lindisfarne attack, Viking power and influence grew until by 849, the year King Alfred the Great was born, they held much of the north and east.
Although he managed to halt their advance, raids didn't cease until after the Norman Conquest.
And while the Vikings may be gone from British shores, their influence does live on in the English language.
Beserk, which means murderous rage, comes from the Anglo-Saxon 'beserker' or clad in bear-skin - an early term used to describe the Vikings.
'All the other Vikings will be out working in the fields and working on the farm but I can spend my time just looking around, or sailing or enjoying a chat or playing a game.'
But while Björn ensures life in the Viking village is as authentic as possible, there's one part of Viking life that he's not allowed to recreate.
' Really, it depends what you mean by raids,' he muses. 'We have friends in [other Viking communities] in Europe and we visit each other and each other's markets.
'We swap Viking tools. We travel all over the place because there are Vikings all over Europe.'
While raids on the British coast might be out of the question, there are still some other forms of entertainment available to Bjorn and his band of modern-day Vikings.
Most exciting of all are the feast days when Bjorn and his cohorts get to swap their daily fare for a meat-heavy feast.
'Everyone thinks it was meat and meat and meat,' he explains of his Viking forebears. 'But it wasn't, they ate with their hands and it was berries and pork.
'They eat porridge and bread every day along with a very light beer. If they kill an animal they don't waste it, they eat it.'
He adds: 'If a Viking has done well like pulling in a ship then they get a strong beer and meat as a reward - as a celebration of what they've done.'
Björn, who says his family - all of whom do normal jobs and live in modern homes - come to stay with him in the village in the summer, is also keen to rehabilitate the reputation of the Vikings.
They weren't, he says, just ferocious warriors and they most certainly didn't live in furs and horned helmets - for some of the time at least.
Old fashioned: All cooking in Foteviken is done over open fires, while food comes from the fields or storerooms
In charge: Björn doesn't have to work so spends his days chatting to visitors or sailing his boat
'Everyone thinks that Vikings have horns,' he complains. 'They don't. They wore clothes made from silk and linen and had a bow and a spear for killing.
'Some Vikings had helmets to protect themselves and some might have had pieces of metal sticking out but not horns.
'You can't have horns because if you think about it, if you are fighting with horns, someone could grab those horns and drag you down - it's very dangerous.'
Happily for Björn, there's not much fighting to be done when you're a modern-day Viking and he says he wouldn't have it any other way.
'Modern day life is so rushed with all this modern technology,' he explains. 'Here you can relax and look at the sea and see the sunset. You can sit still.' |
An internal audit of the city-owned National Baseball Congress’ books shows its operators are more than a quarter-million dollars in debt and two years in arrears to the city on lease payments for Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.
The tournament’s financial problems threaten its future, city officials said Monday, as they launch a study on how to rescue the flagging now-regional college baseball tournament that has been a fixture in Wichita since 1935. The tournament has been barely in the black over the last two years, netting only $1,100 in 2012.
First up are plans through 2014 to market the tournament and seek corporate sponsorships through buy-out nights, two efforts city officials say have been largely ignored by the tournament’s current managers, the Wichita Wingnuts, a privately owned independent league baseball team that plays at the stadium.
“Can it come back? I think it can,” council member Jeff Longwell said. “We just need to make sure that everyone is on the same page and understands the consequences of the tournament not working, because the city’s not going to subsidize it. We just can’t.”
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“It’s like a garden full of weeds that hasn’t been watered for quite awhile,” said Bill Pintard, the manager and owner of the tourney’s dominant team, the Santa Barbara Foresters. “It needs someone to care for it. It needs new energy.”
The audit, ordered by City Manager Robert Layton last fall amid persistent – and now confirmed – reports that the tournament has been delinquent paying its bills, also showed that the 78-year-old tournament’s books have been “co-mingled” with those of its operator, the Wichita Wingnuts, for the past two years. It also found no clear accounting of ticket revenue from the tournament.
Layton said there are no immediate plans to inject city money into the tournament. He said city officials will insist on changes in the tournament format to make it profitable enough to grow.
“We are totally committed to this tournament and bringing it back to its glory days,” Layton said. “I think that everyone agrees the tournament can be better and should be better.”
Mayor Carl Brewer echoed the city manager, saying the tournament is essential in “a very passionate baseball town.”
“We need to figure out how we can help them make the tournament more profitable,” Brewer said. “But at the same time, it’s their business and we have to let them run it.”
Wingnuts president Josh Robertson was similarly optimistic Monday.
“I think that our ownership group and the city can form a partnership to make this work,” he said. “Our ownership group has dug deep into their pockets on several occasions to keep baseball in Wichita. I want baseball to work in this city.”
Longwell said Monday the city failed in its partnership responsibility.
“Should we have kept a better eye on everything? Absolutely. No one should go two years without making a lease payment without anyone knowing it. That’s proof enough we weren’t keeping the kind of watch on the operation we should have,” he said.
Pintard said he was shocked by the audit’s results.
“You’ve got to find a way to keep the tournament going,” he said. “It’s such a great thing. We beg, borrow and steal to come to Wichita.
“Think about Satchel Paige there in Wichita in 1935. Twelve years before major league baseball integrated, Wichita and Hap Dumont integrated baseball. There’s nothing but baseball tradition in Wichita. Don’t lose it.”
As a result of the audit, city officials have put in place a series of financial requirements, Layton said Monday, including a demand that the Wingnuts pay off a $138,000 debt to the city – $66,000 in back lease payments for 2011 and 2012, along with a delinquent $72,000 water bill – by Nov. 1.
Robertson said he questions how the stadium’s annual water bill could jump from $20,000 in 2010 to its current level.
The tournament is now being operated on its own set of books and the computerized NBC ticketing operation will be modified for a more accurate accounting of ticket sales, specifically whether ticket buyers have paid full or discount prices, Layton said.
The audit also showed that Wingnuts management has exhausted a $147,500 line of bank credit on the tournament taken out in 2009. Layton said Wingnuts officials have been making interest payments but have not retired any of the loan principal.
The Wingnuts ownership does not receive a management fee for operating a city facility, unlike the deal with the Steven family for the Wichita Ice Center. Brewer said Monday he didn’t know that and would like an explanation.
However, the tournament is plagued by some outside issues that will be difficult to fix, Layton said, not the least of which is the economic downturn that has claimed several long-time NBC standard-bearers. Pintard said on Monday that the Foresters lost $8,000 last summer – despite winning the tournament and its $18,000 first prize.
Competing non-NBC leagues like the Cape Cod and Northwoods have also siphoned off large numbers of big-time college players, Layton said.
Longwell said Monday – as city officials have since last fall – that the Wingnuts themselves are in “some degree of (financial) trouble.”
Robertson declined to discuss the Wingnuts’ balance sheet.
But he said, “It’s public record online that two-thirds of minor league teams lose money every year. That’s a pretty small one-third. It’s tough, I’ll tell you.” |
Syrian children who make it to Greece or Italy and have family in Britain will be flown here, it emerged today.
Britain is to spend £10million to help improve Europe's system for dealing with migrants fleeing war in the Middle East.
Part of the money will be spent on making the UK 'more proactive' in finding unaccompanied children who have family in the UK.
The announcement comes despite David Cameron repeatedly insisting he would not support any policies to relocate refugees already in Europe to Britain because this would create a 'magnet' for more people to try and make the journey.
David Cameron last night rejected calls for Britain to take in 3,000 migrant children who have made the journey to Europe (pictured, migrants arriving on the Greek island of Lesbos)
David Cameron (pictured) said caving in would encourage thousands of youngsters to undertake dangerous boat journeys across the Mediterranean
Under the so-called Dublin convention, refugees have to claim asylum in the country where they first arrive in the European Union.
But the rules allow for families to be reunited if a new refugee can show they have a relative legally in another country - including Britain.
The process is automatic for a parent while aunts, uncles and grandparents can also trigger the rule.
The announcement was part of a package aimed at easing pressure on the government after Mr Cameron ruled out taking 3,000 unaccompanied Syrian children identified by Save the Children as already in Europe.
Instead, Britain will ask the UN to identify the most vulnerable children in refugee camps on the border of Syria so they can be brought to the UK - over and above the 20,000 resettlements already promised.
Immigration Minister James Brokenshire today said Britain was taking a 'measured' approach to the migration crisis in Europe.
And he told MPs: 'We have asked the UNHCR to make an assessment of the numbers and needs of unaccompanied children in conflict regions and advise on when it is in the best interests of the child to be resettled in the UK and how that process should be managed.
'The UNHCR has already been clear that these are likely to be exceptional cases.'
The minister added: The UK Government will also commit to providing further resources to the European Asylum Support Office to help in “hotspots” such as Greece and Italy to help identify and register children at risk on first arrival in the EU.
'And we will, of course, continue to meet our obligations under the Dublin Regulations.'
The Prime Minister's official spokesman today confirmed Britain will be 'more proactive' in identifying children in Greece and Italy who have a family link to the UK.
Mr Cameron's refusal to take in the 3,000 unaccompanied children mirrors a decision last summer not to take a fixed number of the refugees arriving in Europe from Syria and elsewhere (pictured, migrants in Macedonia)
Cameron said 'no country in Europe has been more generous than Britain in funding refugee camps, whether they are in Syria, Turkey, Lebanon or Jordan' (pictured, migrants in Macedonia)
The spokesman said: 'We are looking at the areas where you have the largest amount of refugees arriving and what we’re trying to do is protect children as much as possible from exploitation, from traffickers and so on.
'The clear driver from the Government has been to keep people in the region and that remains our core goal.
'But where people have made have made that perilous journey and travelled across where people we want to dissuade further engagement between children and traffickers who might want to take them across Europe.
'This is very much about trying to identify those children who have arrived in Greece and Italy who have a direct family link with the UK.'
HOW HIS AID MINISTER JUSTINE GOT IT SO WRONG David Cameron's decision on child refugees comes only days after the International Development Secretary dropped a heavy hint that the UK would take in 3,000 youngsters from Europe. On Sunday, The Observer newspaper claimed the PM was close to giving in to demands by charities and taking children directly from the continent. No 10 insiders dismissed the report, insisting that no decision had been taken. But Justine Greening told Dermot Murnaghan on Sky News: 'We've steadily evolved our approach as this crisis has evolved, we've been right at the forefront, frankly, of helping children who have been affected by this crisis and will continue to look at how we can do that over the coming days and weeks.' Her comments followed a visit to refugee camps in France on Saturday by Jeremy Corbyn. The Labour leader called on Mr Cameron to offer children not just a refuge in the UK but proper homes and education, saying: 'We must reach out the hand of humanity to the victims of war.'
Mr Cameron's refusal to take in the 3,000 unaccompanied children mirrors a decision last summer not to take a fixed number of the refugees arriving in Europe from Syria and elsewhere.
The Prime Minister was under pressure to throw open the UK's doors when photographs were published of the body of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi on a Turkish beach after an overcrowded boat carrying his family capsized.
But he said this would only make matters worse, which has been proved correct by the chaos triggered by Germany's decision to say the country would accept a million asylum seekers.
Instead of helping to solve the humanitarian crisis, it has led to even more people trying to flood into Europe.
Yesterday, Mr Cameron faced down his critics – saying 'no country in Europe has been more generous than Britain in funding refugee camps, whether they are in Syria, Turkey, Lebanon or Jordan'.
He added: 'We said that we would resettle 20,000 people in our country, and we promised to resettle 1,000 by Christmas. We achieved that.
'If we add up all that Europe has done under its relocation and resettlement schemes, we find that all the other 27 member states have done less than we have done here in the United Kingdom, because of those 1,000.
'Yes, we should take part in European schemes when it is in our interests to do so, and help to secure the external European border; but we are out of Schengen, we keep our own borders, and under this Government that is the way it will stay.'
Rather than taking children direct from mainland Europe, the UK is to work with UNHCR on an initiative to identify and resettle unaccompanied refugee children direct from conflict regions such as Syria.
Officials will look for the most vulnerable cases but check they are genuinely on their own without relatives to look after them.
Meanwhile, the Department for International Development will use the aid budget to create a fund of up to £10 million to support the needs of 'vulnerable' migrant children in Europe.
Extra funds will also be ploughed into the European Asylum Support Office to help Greece and Italy identify migrants, including children, who could be reunited with family members elsewhere in Europe. In a small number of cases, this could involve allowing them to move to Britain.
The Prime Minister's wife Samantha is an ambassador for Save the Children, which has been leading the campaign to let in unaccompanied children.
She spoke recently of her horror at the tragic stories of Syrian mothers and children living in refugee camps in Lebanon. This led to speculation at the weekend that Mr Cameron would agree to take children direct from Europe.
It was further fuelled by Justine Greening, the International Development Secretary, who said the Government was 'looking at whether we can do more… over the coming days and weeks'.
Tory MPs have cautioned against the Government making the same mistakes as other EU countries, which have suffered a backlash after letting in large numbers of migrants. |
More New Atelier Rorona Vs. Classic Atelier Rorona Comparisons
By Spencer . October 15, 2013 . 3:56am
Gust is giving Atelier Rorona, the first game in the Arland trilogy, a full remake for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. New Atelier Rorona uses Atelier Meruru Plus’ battle system as a base, which adds the turn order indicator and new special attacks.
Screenshots from the original Atelier Rorona are on the left and New Atelier Rorona screenshots are on the right for comparison.
Here’s a look at special attacks from classic Atelier Rorona (left) and New Atelier Rorona (right).
Sterk
Justice End (left), Brave Thunder (right)
Tantris
Dream Dance (left), Last Serenade (right)
Lionela
Psionic Doll (left), Trio de Valley (right)
Iksel
Kaiser Cooking (left), My Take On A Full Meal (right)
Fulfilling item requests is a key part of the game. New Atelier Rorona will give players a stamp on a bonus card if you exceed expectations. Similar to a bingo card, if you connect stamps in a row you can get a bonus like attack + 2 or defense + 2.
Speaking of Sterk, he has new costumes in New Atelier Rorona. Take a look at the Ocean Leader and Retro Worker.
Ocean Leader
Retro Worker
Miss out on Atelier Totori Plus or Atelier Meruru Plus for Vita? The PlayStation 3 version of New Atelier Rorona includes the galleries for the two Plus games.
New Atelier Rorona also has a gallery specific to the remake included in both the Vita and PS3 versions.
What else is different? Costumes. The PlayStation 3 version includes a Sailor Frill costume while the Vita release has a Wild Summer outfit.
Sailor Frill (PS3)
Wild Summer (Vita)
Players can also unlock accessories if they have save data from other Atelier titles.
Atelier Meruru (PS3) data unlocks Lovely Sunglasses and Stripe Heaven items.
Atelier Escha & Logy data unlocks a fluffy hat.
Atelier Meruru Plus (Vita) data unlocks a rabbit ear headband and Summer Blossom. |
Professor Brian Cox says the universe is devoid of any aliens.
All advance civilizations eventually die off and that fate is awaiting humanity.
Cox basis his theory on the Fermi Paradox which questions why humans are yet to make contact with aliens.
He says humans will never make contact with aliens because they are already dead.
Cox, who is an English physicist and a former keyboard player for the bands D:Ream and Dare, says humanity could soon be extinct as science advances more rapidly than political progress.
The Daily Express reports:
In 1950, physicist Enrico Fermi – the creator of the world’s first nuclear reactor – came up with a paradox which says due to the age and size of the universe there is bound to be a civilisation much more advanced than ours, but why haven’t they contacted us?
The solution, many scientists argue, is once a civilisation reaches a certain size, it eventually kills itself off, either through war with advanced weapons or natural disaster.
Mr Cox elaborated on this theory, claiming that it is the reason why we have not seen any strong evidence for extra-terrestrials.
He told the Sunday Times: “One solution to the Fermi paradox is that it is not possible to run a world that has the power to destroy itself and that needs global collaborative solutions to prevent that.
“It may be that the growth of science and engineering inevitably outstrips the development of political expertise, leading to disaster.”
The former keyboard player for the 90’s band D:Ream then warned: “We could be approaching that position.”
However, other scientists disagree with the Fermi Paradox and believe that Earth was the first planet in the entire universe to host complex life, according to a recent study.
The universe has been around for roughly 13.8 billion years and modern-day humans have existed for 200,000 years – just 0.00145 per cent of all time.
While this may lead some to the conclusion we were late to the party, a group of esteemed researchers claim we could actually be well ahead of the curve and that advanced civilisations may not emerge for another trillion years.
Avi Loeb of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and lead author, said: “If you ask, ‘When is life most likely to emerge?’ you might naively say, ‘Now’.
“But we find that the chance of life grows much higher in the distant future.”
The research says that any form of life became possible around 30 million years after the Big Bang, and scientists predict existence will continue to thrive for another 10 trillion years until all the stars in the Universe have extinguished.
Loeb and the team calculated when life is likely to evolve between those two markers and found that the lifespan and size of stars is the most significant factor.
Anything bigger than our sun would be too hot to support life, and anything younger would be too small. |
Gleefully landing right in the middle of the worthy-but-ever-so-slightly-tedious grind of ‘Award Season’, “Kingsman: The Secret Service” is an outlandish breath of fresh air; an elegant and deceptively clever action comedy thriller which delivers a long-overdue fight back for the gentleman spy of old against the current crop of gritty, serious pretenders to the throne.
When a veteran agent of the secretive Kingsman organisation, haunted by a mistake from the past, chooses an unconventional candidate for the toughest job interview in the world, the idea is snootily dismissed by his peers. Taking the young man under his wing, he embarks on one of the biggest missions of his career: stopping a megalomaniac billionaire intent on ushering in a new world order.
Based loosely on the comic book by Mark Miller and Dave Gibbons, and with Jane Goldman once again on scripting duty, director Matthew Vaughan has come up trumps once more. Funny, violent and action-packed, this tremendous film merrily tweaks the foibles of the classic James Bond while at the same time honouring and updating the traditions to bring them into the present, with an exquisite polish and impeccable tailoring. With the same kind of acknowledgement of the reality of modern daily life that “Attack The Block” had, Vaughan’s film plunges us straight into a familiar and imperfect world but with the added benefit of a benevolent super-secret society that owes as much to “The Avengers” (the Steed and Emma Peel ones) as it does to 007.
Having gathered together a tremendous cast, the film wastes no time in having them get down to business with the likes of Jack Davenport ably demonstrating why he would have been a fantastic James Bond (thirty to forty years ago), Michael Caine appearing more spritely than he has in recent films and Mark Hamill makes a welcome return to the big screen in advance of his much more anticipated appearance.
However, the film belongs to Colin Firth – who really steps up into the bad-ass big leagues and Taron Egerton, who impresses enormously in an unbelievably assured motion picture debut. As the elegant gentleman spy and the street thug, the two form a fantastic and realistic rapport, sparking off each other brilliantly. Samuel L Jackson has a whale of a time as the villainous Valentine, joyously sending up the conventions of supervillainy while still presenting a credible threat to our heroes, thanks to the help of his lethal sidekick Gazelle (Sofia Boutella).
The film wisely balances the usual spy school training hijinks and rivalries with the more experienced agents’ investigations and while it largely neglects the sex and nudity of its ancestry, it compensates by doubling down on the laughs, the violence and the old-school gadgetry. But Goldman and Vaughan have packed more than just punches and punch lines into “Kingsman” and there’s a sharp edge to the script which has subtle points to make about the insidious ubiquity of technology, economic inequality and class struggles and how our paths in life are determined. It never once forgets, though, that its prime purpose is to deliver a rollickingly good adventure and manages to keep the commentary light-hearted, not bogged down by the issues.
It’s a profane, violent and laugh-out-loud-funny love letter to the spy movies of yesteryear with a decidedly 21st Century attitude and a cracking cast at the top of their game. I know it’s early days and there are a lot – a lot – of big movies to come out this year, but I’ll be astonished if “Kingsman: The Secret Service” doesn’t feature in my Top Ten list come the end of 2015.
10/10 |
A comparison, of sorts, between Eric Gillis, one of the top Canadian marathoners and Jerome Drayton, the man from the ’70s, who still holds the national record for the fastest marathon.
Gillis: Strawberry and banana PowerBar gels and Ironman Perform Sports drink
Drayton: Flat coke, vitamin C and salt.
Drayton: “I did my own massage: a hot bath, a glass of shandy, half beer, half ginger ale and put some music on … I even bought my own ultrasound machine.”
Gillis: Weekly physiotherapy and massage appointments once or twice a month
Training shoes
Drayton: Brooks running shoes. “$50 max.”
Gillis: New Balance minimalist shoes with orthotics
Major sponsors
Drayton: None. He worked full-time at the Ontario Ministry of Culture and Recreation
Gillis: New Balance, CEP, PowerBar, “and my wife”
Naps
Drayton: 20 minutes in the morning and evening
Gillis: an hour in the afternoon during hard training
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RELATED:
Gillis chases 39-year Canadian marathon mark |
Share. A Knight, a Samurai, and a Viking walk into a ban. A Knight, a Samurai, and a Viking walk into a ban.
Ubisoft has issued bans to players using an AFK farming in For Honor.
Via Reddit, Ubisoft says its handed out around 1,500 3-day bans, and around 4,000 warnings to players who’ve been detected using the exploit.
Exit Theatre Mode
Ubisoft previously stated such action would take place if players continued to violate the Code of Conduct, and further detailed what AFK farming looks like.
"This week we wanted to give your more visibility about our policy against players who are 'AFK Farming' the For Honor Battlefields," said Ubisoft. "For those unfamiliar with the practice, players are able to go AFK (away from keyboard) and keep their in-game character moving throughout a match (ex. tying a rubber band on the control stick), garnering end-game rewards and progression without actually playing. The 'farming' aspect comes about when these players use this technique frequently to gain a large amount of these rewards.
Ubisoft also clarified that some players were using cheat engines to AFK Farm, and that anyone caught doing so is likely to receive a permanent ban, rather than a temporary one.
All players involved in such activities will receive an email from Ubisoft explaining their sanction in detail. You can also check out the For Honor Code of Conduct page should you have any questions.
Exit Theatre Mode
“Because this kind of behavior negatively affects the player experience of others, it has become a top priority for us. As such, we will be sanctioning all the players who have been found to be using AFK Farming repeatedly.”
The short version? Don’t cheat in online games or you’ll get banned.
In our review of For Honor, we said “For Honor has some dents in its shiny armor, such as the mediocre campaign, the frugal economy, and the snowballing victories in team modes. But it’s hard to be mad too long when I consider that the melee combat system is second to none and a joy to learn, take your licks, and then learn some more.”
Wesley Copeland is a freelance news writer who writes excellent bios. For more obvious statements and video game chat, you should probably follow him on Twitter. |
Mainstream Press Finally Realizing That Kids Want To Share News, Not Read News
from the it-took-them-this-long? dept
In an interesting followup to our earlier post about the state of the news business writes in to point us to a NY Times article all about how a younger generation of news readers now focus on sharing the news, rather than just consuming it . Mathew Ingram highlights the key sentence in the article, from a college student: "If the news is that important, it will find me." Very few mainstream publications have grasped that concept, even if some folks have been saying the same thing for years. It's time for those in the newspaper business to stop thinking of readers as straight consumers. They're distributors, promoters, creators and analysts of the news as well. Once you recognize that, you start to change how you approach the news business. You certainly get rid of paywalls and registration walls, and you start enabling your users to do more, rather than less, with the news.
Filed Under: generations, journalism, news, sharing |
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CLEVELAND -- Inappropriate or innocent fun?
A video is lighting up Facebook showing several Cleveland police officers having a snowball fight while appearing to be on-duty.
The man who shot the video says he was upset by the activity in front of his home. He posted the video on his Facebook page Wednesday night and people have been sharing it, including sending it to FOX 8.
Although it's dark outside, the video clearly shows Cleveland police cars in the video and officers in uniform throwing snowballs at each other. The recording lasts just over two minutes.
The man states in one of his postings that he woke up to a ruckus outside and saw the officers engaged in a snowball fight. He states he then started recording them, when you can see one of the officers shine a spotlight in his direction. Soon after that, the snowball fight stopped.
Cleveland police spokesman Sgt. Sammy Morris says he has seen the video. The department, including the chief, are investigating, but Sgt. Morris says they have no further comment.
FOX 8 also reached out to Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson's office. After watching the video, the mayor's office said, "It looks like the officers were relieving a little stress with a snowball fight that lasted a very short time. We’re not aware that it resulted in any harm or put anyone at risk." |
I was going to refrain from posting anything on the topic of Tim Tebow throwing 316 yards. But since it is 2012, and in addition to the Mayan calendar, apparently Ronald Weinland (formerly of the Worldwide Church of God) is predicting the end of the world this year, it seems worth mentioning both, since they are connected.
These numbering systems are arbitrary. If Tebow threw 316 yards, then he threw 288.9504 meters. There is no chapter 288 verse 9504 in the Bible. And in the original manuscripts, there aren’t even any 3:16s.
People making much of dates and numbers which are arbitrary human inventions illustrates one of the hurdles that stands in the way of people using critical thinking: we tend to find significance even in the genuinely random. And so whether one is looking for evidence of a miracle or a conspiracy, this tendency of human beings has the potential to lead us into error.
But there’s something worse about treating numbers in a football game as a sign from God. To see a miracle in a football game, while God apparently refrains from giving miracles to people suffering from disease and starvation, seems to me really bad religion. Why bring God into it in ways that make God out to be a football fan who couldn’t care less about anyone when the game is on? Talk about some of us making God in our own image! |
Csaba Müllner – painter, tattoo artist
I have been creating tattoos for nearly 15 years, during which I have been working and living in a number of different countries, including Spain, England, Switzerland, Holland, Liechtenstein, Italy, France and Austria. In recent years, I have been giving courses in three different countries for beginners, as well as professional training courses for practicing tattoo artists. Teaching took up a lot of my time and energy, which limited the rate of my own development, thus I decided to continue this activity online. In all certainty, I can reach a broader base of people this way with whom I can share the knowledge, experience and tricks I picked up over the years.
For me, diversity is the most inspiring medium. I always make sure my day-to-day life isn't monotonous. Besides working on tattoos, I paint, scuba dive, and drive boats and fly planes. I'm always seeking new thrills and I'm working hard on transcending my boundaries in all walks of life. I sincerely hope that my works mirror this attitude.
When I'm working on tattoos, I feel like the machine is the brush and skin is the canvas. I long for artistic freedom, the sense that my skin paintings aren't merely commissioned pieces of work.
I can now afford to only do jobs I consider to be professional challenges. It's important for the concept to be unique, hopefully something that hasn't been tattooed yet. I try using my experiences in painting to the benefit of my tattoo works.
In both cases, my style is mostly defined by realism and I strive to make the painted or tattooed portraits as realistic as possible.
I feel the definition of art can be captured by none other than the meaning of the word “inimitable”. I try to fully approximate the technically achievable level in both my paintings and tattoos. If this happens, I try pushing the boundaries as far as my strength and talents allows me to. Naturally, I also try creating my own style in the process, but the goal is always to achieve a maximum level of realism so I could one day achieve the sense of being “inimitable”. |
U mad at the DJ Mag Top 100 results this year? Judging by the backlash on social media, we bet a lot of you are. And we can't argue with a lot of the gripes we hear - while some of the results are clearly subjective, there are others that just don't make any sense. Now is your chance to voice your opinion.
So if you think Hardwell didn't deserve the number 1 slot, or say there is no way that this guy should be ranked higher than that guy, go ahead and re-rank them below. Vote your favorites up, vote the douchers down. Think somebody should be on this list and isn't? Well, add them on... there is no filter here. This ranking is truly up to you.
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We'll revisit it at the end of the week and see what Magnetic readers really think. Please use the comment section to discuss your positions as well.
Let's bring back the m#therf%*kin' DJ!
UPDATE 10/24 9 AM: Voting has closed and the final results can be seen below. Analysis of the results can be seen HERE.TO VIEW THE COMPLETE LIST ON RANKERCLICK HERE . Thank you all for participating in this!
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LONDON — Expect beards bedecked with baubles this month.
See also: The Best Type of Beard for Your Face
London ad agency, Grey London, is struggling to keep up with orders for their new packets of mini-metallic beard baubles — usually more readily associated with christmas trees than facial hair.
Tasked with coming up with a novel idea for a Christmas card to send clients and other agencies, employees Mike Kennedy and Pauline Ashford came up with the concept of the Beard Bauble last week, with proceeds going to Beard Season — an Australian melanoma charity that encourages men to grow beards in winter to raise awareness of the disease.
Ashford told Mashable that demand went through the roof after Beard Season founder (and impressive beard-owner) Jimmy Niggles posted a photo of the Beard Baubles on Instagram
#BeardBaubles now available for #Christmas courtesy of the wonderful team from @GreyLdn. All proceeds go to #BeardSeason to help spread awareness and action in the fight against #melanoma. Link below: A photo posted by jimmy niggles (@beardseason) on Dec 12, 2014 at 4:52pm PST
The Beard Baubles attach with mini-bobby pins, which the team add to the baubles before shipping.
Ashford says orders have been coming in from far and wide and they're currently managing to ship the baubles, priced at £7 a packet, to the UK, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Germany.
“On Saturday we started making them in small batches and we put them online. We sold a few… and on Monday they sort of rocketed," Ashford said. "The past few hours have been overwhelming."
And it's not only humans that want to decorate their beards, dogs are also getting in on the action.
With demand so high, the team is thinking of making a how-to video to teach people how to create their own festive fuzz. |
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Default Top Middle Bottom Apply CC Off CC On watch now Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., says it was a mistake for former Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear to give the Democratic response to President Trump’s joint address to Congress. msnbc News 03/01/17 Dem Rep: ‘Mistake’ for Steve Beshear to give Dem response MSNBC Visit msnbc.com for
During an interview on MSNBC today, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver addressed the less-than-positive reactions many people had to the official Democratic response to President Trump‘s address to Congress.
Steve Beshear Former Kentucky Governor delivered the rebuttal , mostly because he wanted to tout Obamacare successes in his state, but the reactions from even some liberal pundits weren’t exactly that enthusiastic.
MSNBC’s Craig Melvin joked a bit that the people behind Beshear “looked like they were in a hostage video.” He asked Cleaver why Beshear was chosen instead of an up-and-comer.
Cleaver admitted he wishes the party highlighted someone else instead, saying that while Beshear did a great job in his state, bringing him on instead of some new blood “was a mistake.”
Watch above, via MSNBC.
[image via screengrab]
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WASHINGTON -- Michael Flynn, President Trump’s embattled former national security adviser, is in ongoing negotiations with the Senate and House Intelligence Committees about testifying in their investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Flynn’s lawyer, Robert Kelner, verified that talks between Flynn and both committees are taking place, although Kelner did not specify the nature of the negotiations.
Russian misinformation tactics revealed in Senate hearing
Flynn “has a story to tell, and he very much wants to tell it, should the circumstances permit,” Kelner said in a statement. “No reasonable person, who has the benefit of advice from counsel, would submit to questioning in such a highly politicized witch hunt environment without assurances against unfair prosecution.”
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Flynn has offered to testify before the Senate and House Intelligence Committees in exchange for immunity. However, CBS News’ Catherine Reynolds reports that a House Intelligence Republican staffer said Flynn has not, in fact, made such an offer.
“There has been no discussion of any immunity deals with Flynn,” the staffer said.
It’s not an offer he’s made to Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee, either, a Democratic Intel Committee staffer told Reynolds.
In February, Flynn was forced to resign from his job after admitting he misled Vice President Mike Pence about his communications with Russian Envoy Sergey Kislyak.
It was later revealed after his firing that Flynn had worked as a foreign agent for Turkey last year, helping represent the country’s interests. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the lobbying work took place while Flynn was a private citizen. |
Are you someone who easily recognises everyone you've ever met? Or maybe you struggle, even with familiar faces? It is already known that we are better at recognising faces from our own race but researchers have only recently questioned how we assimilate the information we use to recognise people.
New research by the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus has shown that when it comes to recognising people the Malaysian Chinese have adapted their facial recognition techniques to cope with living in a multicultural environment.
The study 'You Look Familiar: How Malaysian Chinese Recognise Faces' was led by Chrystalle B.Y. Tan, a PhD student at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus. The results have been published online in the scientific journal PLoS One, This research is the first PhD student publication for Nottingham's School of Psychology in Malaysia.
Chrystalle Tan said: "Our research has shown that Malaysian Chinese adopt a unique looking pattern which differed from both Westerners and Mainland Chinese, possibly due to the multicultural nature of the country."
The ability to recognise different faces may have social and evolutionary advantages. Human faces provide vital information about a person's identity and characteristics such as gender, age, health and attractiveness. Although we all have the same basic features we have our own distinguishing features and there is evidence that the brain has a specialised mental module dedicated to face processing.
Recognition techniques
Previous research by a group at Glasgow University in Scotland showed that Asians from mainland China use more holistic recognition techniques to recognise faces than Westerners.
Chinese focus on the centre of the face in the nose area
Westerners focus on a triangular area between the eyes and mouth
British born Chinese use both techniques fixating predominantly around either the eyes and mouth, or the nose
Chrystalle said: "The traditional view is that people recognise faces by looking in turn at each eye and then the mouth. This previous research showed us that some Asian groups actually focus on the centre of the face, in the nose area. While Westerners are learning what each separate part of the face looks like -- a strategy that could be useful in populations where hair and eye colour vary dramatically, mainland Chinese use a more global strategy, using information about how the features are arranged. Meanwhile British born Chinese use a mixture of both techniques suggesting an increased familiarity with other-race faces which enhances their recognition abilities."
Eye tracking technology
The study by the School of Psychology at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus set out to investigate whether exposure and familiarity with other cultures affects our recognition accuracy and eye movement strategies.
The team used specialised eye tracking technology to investigate the visual strategies used to recognise photographs of faces. They recruited 22 Malaysian Chinese student volunteers from across Nottingham's Malaysia campus. The results showed that Malaysian Chinese used a unique mixed strategy by focusing on the eyes and nose more than the mouth.
Chrystalle said: "We have shown that Malaysian Chinese adopt a unique looking pattern which differed from both Westerners and mainland Chinese. This combination of Eastern and Western looking patterns proved advantageous for Malaysian Chinese to accurately recognise Chinese and Caucasian faces."
The study was supervised by Dr Ian Stephen, an expert on face processing and Dr Elizabeth Sheppard, an expert in eye tracking. Dr Stephen said: "We think that people learn how to recognise faces from the faces that they encounter. Although Malaysia is an East Asian country its ethnic composition is highly diverse. The intermediate looking strategy that Malaysian Chinese use allows them to recognise Western faces just as well as Asians." |
Republican Rep. Matt Salmon of Arizona said "we know" that there are ISIS camps in Mexico within eight miles of the United States.
Salmon made the claim on Sean Hannity's radio program during a discussion about a drug tunnel found in Naco, Arizona.
"And we don't have a clue, have they done any investigation to determine whether foreign agents of terrorism have used the tunnel to get into the United States. We know there are ISIS camps...," Salmon told Hannity in response to a a question about if the tunnel had been tested for biological or chemical weapons.
"Eight miles," interjected Hannity.
"That's right, within 8 miles," said Salmon. "Do we know that any of them didn't come across? Now, the president grandstands, he did during the discussion about Homeland Security when we were trying to defund his illegal amnesty plan. He grandstanded about how we were jeopardizing national security, and is this the way they conduct national security? On a wink and a nod? And they either knew about it, which one of their folks says they did, and order people not to be near it, for reasons I can only assume, and they're not the best of assumptions."
"Or they didn't know about it and they found out on this drug bust, and when they did find out about it, they're not letting anybody know if they've done any forensics, and if they have done forensics, what they found out."
The claim that there are ISIS camps in Mexico seems to have originated from a report by the conservative watchdog Judicial Watch, which cited anonymous sources as saying that ISIS is operating a camp around eight miles from the U.S. border near Ciudad Juárez.
The claim has been denied by the Mexican Embassy in Washington D.C., the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the National Security Council, according to the fact-checking site Politifact, which rated the claim "false."
The U.S. State Department called the claim "unfounded."
Several days ago FBI Director James Comey called the claim "nonsense, not true" when visiting El Paso.
"I know since there's been a lot of attention to this in the media that has reached my eyes and ears in Washington," Comey said. "The media reports on if there is an ISIL camp across the border here in El Paso? Nonsense. Not true. It frustrates me a little bit because my folks have to run out such things, because we do run out every tip to make sure there isn't something to it. There is nothing to it."
Salmon said the lack of answers about the tunnel frustrated him as a member of Congress because it was hard to do oversight.
"Now how in the world is a member of Congress who's supposed to do oversight, how in the world are we supposed to make intelligent decisions about where we're spending our money and whether it's the right place and we're doing the right things if we can't even get answers to basic things like did they bring a weapon of mass destruction through that tunnel," added Salmon.
Salmon raised the concerns in a letter to Homeland Security chief Jeh Johnson posted on his website.
Last year, Arizona Rep. Trent Franks claimed, "it is true, that we know that ISIS is present in Ciudad Juarez or they were within the last few week." The Department of Homeland Security said then that this claim was not credible.
A spokesman for Salmon didn't return a request for comment on his source for the Islamic State camps claim. |
Adam Schefter and Mark Dominik are excited about the prospect of Tony Romo going to the Broncos, but Louis Riddick isn't sure Romo's the best fit. (1:58)
Before teams can start negotiating with free agents on Tuesday, March 7, NFL Nation analyzes who every team's top target will be once the market opens.
AFC East | AFC North | AFC South | AFC West
NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West
AFC EAST
Running back Mike Gillislee
I do not believe the Bills will aggressively look to sign outside free agents, especially considering they have 22 unrestricted and four restricted free agents to consider bringing back. One of their restricted free agents, Gillislee, was among the NFL's most productive running backs last season. On 101 carries, Gillislee led the NFL in yards per carry, touchdowns per carry, first downs per carry and third-down conversion rate on runs. The Bills might choose to tender Gillislee at a second-round level or higher to avoid a situation like last offseason, when they lost restricted free-agent wide receiver Chris Hogan to the Patriots for nothing. -- Mike Rodak
Linebacker Lawrence Timmons
The Dolphins ranked 30th against the run last season and need two new starting linebackers for 2017. Timmons provides a physical, veteran presence Miami desperately needs behind stud defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. Timmons and holdover Kiko Alonso would provide a solid duo for the Dolphins, and they could finish their makeover at linebacker by filling the third spot with a top-rated rookie in the first or second round of April's draft. -- James Walker
Wide receiver Robert Woods
The Patriots have several internal free agents to re-sign, but let's go with a player from another team for this one. In 2016, the Patriots signed Chris Hogan from Buffalo, and it soon became clear how catching passes from Tom Brady maximized the potential of a player who had been relegated to third on the Bills' depth chart. The 6-foot, 190-pound Woods, who is one of the NFL's better route-runners at the position, falls into the same category. If he was coming from an offense that featured better quarterback play, he'd be rated much higher. -- Mike Reiss
Quarterback Mike Glennon
Glennon won't be the cure-all to the team's decades-old problem, but he could be a moderately priced bridge quarterback who will buy time as the Jets continue to develop Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty. The Jets have to be careful not to overpay for someone with only 18 career starts, but desperate teams tend to make illogical decisions -- and the Jets are desperate for an experienced signal-caller. -- Rich Cimini
AFC NORTH
Wide receiver Pierre Garcon
Garcon represents the best free-agent fit for a team looking to replace retired wide receiver Steve Smith. He's a hard-nosed possession receiver with dependable hands who would pair nicely with the speed of Mike Wallace and Breshad Perriman. Garcon would fill the void of Smith in making the tough, contested catches and becoming the trusted go-to receiver for quarterback Joe Flacco. This signing wouldn't create as big of a splash as Alshon Jeffery or Brandon Marshall, but Garcon delivers more reliability. Since 2013, he has the sixth-most catches in the NFL (332) and has averaged 979 yards receiving per year. -- Jamison Hensley
Left tackle Andrew Whitworth
The Bengals are rarely active in free agency, so re-signing their own players will be a priority. With guard Kevin Zeitler looking like he's on his way out the door, the Bengals' longtime left tackle and team captain will become priority No. 1 to re-sign to keep some stability on the offensive line. -- Katherine Terrell
Guard Kevin Zeitler
Cleveland's two starting guards from last season, John Greco and Joel Bitonio, must come back from Lisfranc surgery. Adding Zeitler would allow the Browns to move Greco to center, assuming he's healthy, and Cam Erving to right tackle, which would give him one last chance to show he belongs in the NFL. -- Pat McManamon
Cornerback Prince Amukamara
The Steelers won't dip their toes too deeply into free agency, but they will search for moderately priced help when available and could use one more quality cornerback. Amukamara, whose injury history might affect his price tag, has adequate size and athleticism and can play press-man coverage. Many of the top corners will be overpriced, but the Steelers could find a sweet spot with this second-tier option. -- Jeremy Fowler
AFC SOUTH
Quarterback Tony Romo
This is an interesting question, because the Texans don't have all that many needs in free agency outside of a quarterback, and they don't have a lot of money to spend. Assuming the Cowboys cut Romo, the Texans will do their due diligence and see if they can add the veteran quarterback. They are a quarterback away from being one of the elite teams in the AFC. That, along with staying near his Dallas home, would be attractive for Romo. Houston likely can't trade for Romo because of the veteran's large contract, but if the team can figure out a deal to work with their available cap space, it is a possibility. If Romo isn't cut, the Texans' top priority is likely re-signing cornerback A.J. Bouye. -- Sarah Barshop
Cornerback A.J. Bouye
Defense is the theme of the offseason for the Colts. They've tried and failed in recent years to find a cornerback to go alongside Vontae Davis, who has made the Pro Bowl twice. Bouye will likely come with an expensive price tag, but he fits the mold of what the Colts are trying to accomplish with their roster improvements. He's young (25) and has lockdown-corner skills. -- Mike Wells
Guard Kevin Zeitler
The Jaguars' guard play in 2016 was not very good, and upgrading the offensive line is the team's No. 1 priority. Zeitler, who is regarded as the top guard available, can play both spots but would most likely slide in at left guard between tackle Branden Albert (who will be acquired in a trade with Miami on March 9) and center Brandon Linder. That would make the Jaguars significantly better on the left side, which should improve the run game and, the team hopes, take pressure off quarterback Blake Bortles. -- Mike DiRocco
Cornerback Logan Ryan
The Titans have a big need at cornerback, and I suspect Ryan is less likely to get a crazy market than A.J. Boyue. When Titans GM Jon Robinson worked in New England's front office, he had a hand in the Patriots' decision to draft Ryan. He may not be the No. 1-type cornerback they need, but he's the sort of player who can make the group better and understands exactly the sort of culture Robinson and Mike Mularkey are creating. -- Paul Kuharsky
AFC WEST
An offensive lineman, take your pick.
Even John Elway said he hasn't made the final decisions about who the Broncos can sign -- he said the money "is not a bottomless pit'' and that "the numbers have to make sense.'' But Ronald Leary fits the Broncos' free-agency profile in age (he's 27) and his performance as a guard in the Cowboys' offense. Leary started 12 games last season, and 15 in 2014. The question will be money seeing as the Chiefs just gave a five-year, $41 million deal this week to a two-year starter at guard in Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. If the Broncos want to sign one or two O-line starters in free agency, it will require a big slice of their salary cap space (expected to be more than $40 million). -- Jeff Legwold
Defensive tackle Alan Branch
The Chiefs will have a massive hole, literally and figuratively, in the middle of their defensive line if Dontari Poe walks as a free agent. The Chiefs have some capable defensive linemen, most notably Chris Jones, Allen Bailey and Jaye Howard. But there's nobody who can quite assume Poe's duties, at least on running downs. New England's Branch could be a short-term solution. Branch wouldn't have to play much on passing downs, given the skill sets of Bailey and Jones. -- Adam Teicher
Los Angeles Chargers
Offensive tackle Russell Okung
The 2017 draft class is weak at offensive line, and the Chargers need a player to bridge the gap if they decide to move on from King Dunlap at left tackle. Okung played all 16 games last season and is familiar with the AFC West from his time with the Broncos in 2016. The Chargers also plan to run the ball more in 2017, which fits Okung's skill set. The Oklahoma State product could be a solid player to fill the void until the Chargers find a long-term answer at left tackle. -- Eric D. Williams
Defensive end Calais Campbell
Imagine the Raiders going all in with a 3-4 defensive alignment, with Campbell and NFL Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack at defensive end and Bruce Irvin and Aldon Smith at outside linebacker. Even in a 4-3, Campbell could play inside, where the Raiders need more pass-rush help after finishing last in the NFL with 25 sacks. Campbell has averaged 7.0 sacks since 2009 and had eight sacks last season, along with three fumble recoveries and six pass deflections. The Raiders should have close to $43 million in cap space, but GM Reggie McKenzie still wants to extend Mack and QB Derek Carr. Campbell is expected to command up to $11 million a season, while linebacker Dont'a Hightower, another potential Raiders target, could get more. Running back Adrian Peterson could also be an option for Oakland on an incentive-laden deal. -- Paul Gutierrez
NFC EAST
Safety Barry Church
Church might provide more value to the Cowboys than to other teams, developing from undrafted free agent to starter to captain. He missed four games last year and still finished second on the defense in tackles and led the unit in interceptions. The Cowboys value their own free agents more than going outside the building and will do what they can to keep him. -- Todd Archer
Offensive tackle Russell Okung
The Giants are focusing their efforts on re-signing some of their own. They'll add some other pieces, but they'll mostly be second-tier players. Okung is their solution at offensive tackle after flirting with him last year. He stayed healthy in Denver and would at least give the Giants one proven offensive tackle. -- Jordan Raanan
Wide receiver Kenny Stills
The Eagles want a receiver who can stretch the field and young playmakers who can grow alongside quarterback Carson Wentz. Stills checks off both boxes. He averaged 17.3 yards per catch this past season -- good for third in the NFL behind DeSean Jackson and Chris Hogan -- with nine touchdowns. Just 24, Stills could be paired with Wentz for years to come. -- Tim McManus
Defensive end Calais Campbell
Campbell makes all the sense in the world for Washington, even though he's 31. GM Scot McCloughan has said he doesn't want to pay big money to free agents that old, but Campbell is the sort of player the Redskins lacked in their 3-4 front for a while: a lengthy end who can also be disruptive in a nickel package rushing inside. He's a true pro who has taken care of his body. Once upon a time, McCloughan signed a young Justin Smith, who anchored the 49ers' line; Campbell would give him an older version of that sort of player. -- John Keim
NFC NORTH
Cornerback A.J. Bouye
Bouye is a 25-year-old lockdown cornerback who fits in Vic Fangio's defensive scheme. After a breakthrough year in 2016, Bouye's price tag in free agency will be expensive. But Chicago is flush with salary-cap space -- projected top-five -- and has a glaring need at cornerback. The only proven playmaker in the Bears' secondary is Tracy Porter, who turns 31 in August. -- Jeff Dickerson
Cornerback Logan Ryan
While the Lions could make a play for Ricky Wagner or re-sign Riley Reiff at right tackle, Ryan seems to be the type of player Bob Quinn is will like. Quinn has familiarity with Ryan from his time in New England; plus, the cornerback is an ideal No. 2 opposite Darius Slay. It would immediately strengthen the secondary and allow the Lions to focus on the front seven and the offensive line throughout the rest of free agency and the draft. -- Michael Rothstein
Tight end Jared Cook
No less an authority than Aaron Rodgers said re-signing Cook should be the Packers' priority this offseason. Their offense was measurably better with Cook on the field last season, even if he wasn't the target. With Cook, the Packers went 10-3 (including playoffs) and Rodgers threw 25 touchdown passes and just three interceptions with a passer rating of 115.4, according to ESPN Stats & Information. It will take considerably more than the $2.75 million the Packers paid him last season. -- Rob Demovsky
Guard Kevin Zeitler
Mike Zimmer has tried to sign a number of former Bengals since coming to Minnesota -- with mixed results -- but as the Vikings prepare to go after offensive linemen in free agency, Zeitler could be an ideal fit. The Vikings need a right guard after cutting Brandon Fusco, and an interior trio of Alex Boone at left guard, Joe Berger at center and Zeitler at right guard would represent a marked improvement over their 2016 depth chart. -- Ben Goessling
NFC SOUTH
Wide receiver Taylor Gabriel
The speedy target is a restricted free agent and a player general manager Thomas Dimitroff said the Falcons intend to tender, probably at the second-round level (approximately $2.8 million). Even with the tender, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Falcons and Gabriel agree to a long-term deal at some point, considering the explosiveness Gabriel brings to the offense opposite Julio Jones. Not to mention Gabriel said he wants to be a Falcon forever. Gabriel tied Jones for the team lead with six touchdown receptions last season. -- Vaughn McClure
Offensive tackle Matt Kalil
Look for the Panthers to make a run at the Minnesota Vikings left tackle, who missed most of last season with a hip injury. It makes sense on many fronts. The Panthers remain unsure about the future of left tackle Michael Oher (concussion), and tackle Mike Remmers is set to become a free agent. Kalil, the brother of Carolina center Ryan Kalil, could be had at a reasonable price of around $5 million a year. Even if Oher returns and Remmers re-signs, Kalil adds competition and depth. -- David Newton
Defensive end Jabaal Sheard
The Saints have labeled an edge-rushing DE as a "must" for this offseason, but their options ran thin when Jason Pierre-Paul, Melvin Ingram and Chandler Jones were all hit with the franchise tag. That leaves Sheard as one of the best second-tier options. He has battled inconsistency in his six-year career with the Browns and Patriots, but with 36 career sacks, he has shown that disruptive ability the Saints crave. And New Orleans has always shown a preference for bigger edge rushers who can fit four-man fronts, so Sheard's size (6-foot-3, 265 pounds) is a plus. -- Mike Triplett
Wide receiver DeSean Jackson
If quarterback Jameis Winston gets his way (he's made no secret about the fact that he loves Jackson), the Bucs will go after the three-time Pro Bowler, who would give the Bucs the top-flight speed that they have lacked the last several years. Jackson's would pose a real dilemma for opposing defenses who double-teamed and shadowed Mike Evans all season long. The Bucs have approximately $69 million in cap space too, which means they can afford him. -- Jenna Laine
NFC WEST
Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery
The Cardinals will enter free agency with only one big, tall play-making receiver on their roster in Larry Fitzgerald since they cut Michael Floyd in December after his DUI arrest. After next season, Fitzgerald may retire, making Jeffery an intriguing option for Arizona to pursue in free agency. He's 6-foot-3, 218 pounds and a natural playmaker. His suspension is something the Cardinals could get past in favor of pairing another dynamic receiver, who could work the sideline and help take the top off defenses with Fitzgerald and quarterback Carson Palmer. And after next season, Jeffery could be left as the Cardinals' No. 1 receiver, easing a transition into the offense's future. -- Josh Weinfuss
Wide receiver Pierre Garcon
The Rams need a couple of dynamic, playmaking wide receivers, and Garcon is a good place to start. New head coach Sean McVay knows Garcon well from his time with the Redskins from 2012 to 2016, when the WR played in all but six games and racked up 4,549 receiving yards. Garcon would love nothing more than to be reunited with McVay in Los Angeles, but he'll probably end up going to the highest bidder, and nearly half the league will be interested. Garcon remains a solid, consistent receiver heading into his age-31 season. He's physical, runs good routes and is still dangerous after the catch. He may not blow by defenders vertically all that much, but he's great at those 15- to 20-yard in-breaking routes that McVay loves so much. He would be a nice complement to Tavon Austin. -- Alden Gonzalez
Cornerback A.J. Bouye
The 49ers have needs all over the roster, but there aren't many big-ticket players set to hit the open market who make sense in new coordinator Robert Saleh's 4-3 defense. Bouye is an obvious exception, given that Saleh's scheme is built on the same principles as the Seahawks. A tall, long cornerback capable of covering one side of the field is a good place to start for a defense that was 28th in yards per attempt allowed in 2016. Bouye is only 25 and looks the part of an ascending player who could be entering his prime. An added bonus for the 49ers: Signing a top corner would give San Francisco the freedom to move Jimmie Ward to free safety if they wanted. -- Nick Wagoner
Offensive tackle Russell Okung
GM John Schneider said at the combine that the Seahawks were too young on the offensive line last year. Okung could step in, serve as the leader of the group and fill a major need. One of the risks in signing free agents is that organizations don't know for sure how they'll fit in from a culture standpoint. That won't be an issue with Okung, who spent six seasons in Seattle. He turns 30 in October and had an up-and-down year with the Broncos in 2016. But if Okung signed with the Seahawks, he'd instantly be their most dependable tackle. Bringing him back makes a lot of sense if it doesn't take a ton of guaranteed money. -- Sheil Kapadia |
NEW DELHI: The Narendra Modi government will phase out the manual system of attendance in all central government offices over the next couple of months, and replace it with an Aadhaar-enabled biometric attendance system (AEBAS). The AEBAS, which will also cover attached and subordinate offices of the central government, will be installed across establishments in the capital by December 31 and in other places by January 26 next year, the department of personnel and training said on Friday.According to a DoPT note circulated to all ministries and departments, the biometric attendance will only be an enabling platform with no change in rules regarding office hours, late attendance etc. The note makes it clear that leaving office early will be treated on par with late attendance, and entail debiting of half a day’s casual leave for each day of early leaving and disciplinary action in case the government servant is found habitually logging out early from work.As per the late attendance rules revised last in 1982, half a day’s casual leave should be debited for each day of late attendance, though late attendance up to an hour may be condoned by the competent authority, if it’s not more than twice in a month and for justifiable reasons. However, disciplinary action must be taken against government employees who are habitually late for work.The Scope Complex in New Delhi is the largest government office complex in the capital.According to the biometric attendance data for central government offices now available on the net, the average in-time as on Friday was 9.29am, while the average out-time was 5.38pm.The office hours for central government stretch from 9am to 5.30pm, with a half-an-hour lunch break in between.The DoPT note sent to all ministries and departments on Friday announced that the biometric attendance equipment is to be procured directly as per specifications by department of electronics and information technology (DeitY) on DGS&D rate contract, from authorized vendors. The expenditure on the same must be met by the ministries/departments themselves under their office expenditure.Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is in the process of phasing out the manual system of attendance in all central government offices over the next couple of months.“The manual system of attendance may be phased out accordingly,” said the DoPT. It added that DeitY will provide the technical guidance for installing the system, and the equipment procured by DeitY will have a built-in annual maintenance contract (AMC) of three years. “The ministries /departments may ensure that the equipment being procured by them has similar provision,” said the DoPT. |
America's most popular vehicle is going electric. Ford will make an all-electric plugin version of the F-150 pickup truck.
DEARBORN, Mich. - Ford has announced a $350 million investment in its Livonia Transmission Plant to support production of a new transmission.
Ford says the investment will create or retain 800 jobs. The company expects to begin adding jobs late this year, with more coming next year and in 2019.
“We remain committed to American manufacturing and investing in our people and facilities,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president, The Americas. “Even as the industry’s largest employer of hourly workers in the United States and biggest producer of American-made vehicles, we believe it is important to continue investing right here in our home market.”
In the past four months alone, Ford has announced more than $2.25 billion in new investments in Michigan. The company has invested $12 billion in its U.S. plants and created a total of nearly 28,000 U.S. jobs during the last five years.
Earlier this week, Ford announced a cut to 10 percent of its global workforce.
Copyright 2017 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. |
We all know that next year’s Captain America: Civil War will finally bring the Black Panther to the big-screen and into the ever-growing Marvel Cinematic Universe, but fans are still eager to know more about the future King of Wakanda’s 2018 standalone movie. And in the latest issue of Empire magazine, Marvel Studios President of Production Kevin Feige offered some promising new details.
“This one is important,” said Feige of the Black Panther movie, which will be the last “Phase Three” movie before Marvel’s two-part Avengers: Infinity War event. “Not only do you get an unbelievable lead character, but you also get all of Wakanda which is a whole new setting and culture to explore.” And while Creed director Ryan Coogler is in line to direct, Kevin Feige assures Black Panther will have a “primarily African-American cast.” As for what the movie will be about, the Marvel producer says, “It's a big geo-political action adventure that focuses on the family and royal struggle of T'Challa in Wakanda, and what is means to be a king. T'Challa's story is very important to us as it links to the next Avengers films, which is why we brought it forward.”
Things sound very promising for the Black Panther movie, which so far stars Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa and potentially Ernie Hudson as T’Chaka with a February 16, 2018, release date. In light of the Black Panther movie being linked directly to the highly-anticipated Avengers: Infinity War, that could be where the Soul Stone is introduced if not during the two-part event. What do you think? |
Are you having tension issues or skipped stitches?
Well, you might just need to do a little sewing machine maintenance! This means cleaning your sewing machine and giving it a little TLC:) This post will give you some tips and show you how to clean a sewing machine. Now I am as guilty as the rest when it comes to cleaning my machine, but it is seriously one of the most important things you can do as a quilter….these babies are our lifeline, right?
Why do I have to clean my machine?
Our thread and fabrics produce a lot of lint and dust that gets down in the feed dogs, bobbin case and under the throat plate while we are sewing. You will be really shocked if you have never looked inside these parts of your machine! This dust and lint can cause the parts of your machine to not work properly and the result is tension issues, skipped stitches and even machine failure. My machine has a lot of electronic sensors and if I don’t clean it, I notice they start to not work properly.
What do I need to clean my machine?
A screwdriver, a lint brush and my favorite….a pipe cleaner.
How do I get inside the machine?
First and foremost, consult your machine manual! Some machines are different, but here is the basics. Remove your bobbin cover and bobbin and then using a small screwdriver, remove your throat plate. My favorite screwdriver didn’t come with my machine, but it has a magnetic tip on one end that helps me catch those tiny screws so I don’t lose them.
What do I do now?
Using your lint brush and your pipe cleaner, gently remove all the lint you can see. I use a pipe cleaner that has these fluffier parts, they really grab a lot. Swipe all the areas that your thread travels; the tension discs and the take-up lever can also get linty.
I use a piece of scrap batting to wipe it on so it doesn’t try to run away:)
Yes, I took some of these pics after the fact….are you ready to see what I pulled out first????
Um, what the heck is this thing! Disgusting. I told you I was bad.
You will also need to lift out your bobbin case. Take note of how you got this out so you can put it back. Take a pic with your cell phone if you want to keep a reference. Most of these parts only go back in one way.
Get ready for more nasty!
Some references will tell you to use compressed air to blow out the dust, but others believe this forces dust into other areas where is shouldn’t go….use your discretion, but I skip the forced air(and I think most of us don’t have any!)
Put everything back in place and do some test stitching to make sure you are back in working order! Craftsy has a free video on how to clean your machine called Sewing Machine 911. It has lots of other good machine maintenance tips too. Click on the link below to check it out! This is great for beginners.
What else can you do to take care of your sewing machine?
•Keep a cover on it. This keeps all the dust and maybe even pet hair that floats around from settling in your machine.
•Change your needles often! Why do we spend hundreds of dollars on our quilts and shrink away from changing a one or two dollar needle? Your machine likes it and your quilting/piecing will be more accurate. About every 8 hours or even every project is good.
A GIVEAWAY!
This past week I won an awesome selection of Superior Needles from Superior Threads!
So as an incentive to get you to change your needles and because it is almost Valentines Day…I am going to share the love!
I am going to giveaway this variety set of Titanium coated needles! Just leave a comment below and you are entered.
Contest ends Friday at midnight, Feb. 14th. Open internationally:)
You can find and follow TheSassyQuilter here on Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin’, or by email(form on right sidebar)!
Keep it Sassy♥ |
A video has surfaced online showing Sudanese police repeatedly hitting a woman with a whip. For years, local women’s rights groups have called for the repeal of a law that allows police to publicly whip women they say are breaking public decency laws.
The video was posted on September 15 by a Sudanese opposition media organisation. The journalist who uploaded the video says someone sent the video to him via email, but does not know who the email address belongs to nor when the incident took place. Judging by the accent of those speaking in the video, it was shot in the region of the capital Khartoum.
WARNING: THESE IMAGES MAY SHOCK VIEWERS
The incident takes place in a courtyard – possibly at a courthouse – with a crowd of bystanders watching on. A police officer whips a woman seated cross-legged and facing a wall, all while the person filming and another person next to them giggle. At 39 seconds, an officer tells the woman, called Halima: “This is so you don’t get into cars anymore”. An Observer in Sudan who has watched the video says it is not unusual for a woman to be punished with lashes if she is found in a car with a man who isn’t from her immediate family (such as a husband, a father, or a brother). |
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said Wednesday that its leader, Kim Jong-un, had personally ordered the release of Jeffrey E. Fowle, an American, after considering requests from President Obama.
Mr. Fowle, an Ohio municipal worker and one of three Americans detained in North Korea, had been held for nearly six months before a United States military plane picked him up Tuesday. He arrived Wednesday in Ohio, where he was reunited with his wife and three children, who rushed to greet his plane when he arrived at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton.
Mr. Kim recently reappeared in state-run news media after a six-week absence, ending widespread speculation about his health and his grip on power. With the statement on Wednesday, North Korea appeared to be burnishing Mr. Kim’s image at home as a leader capable of doing a favor for the American president.
Analysts also said the sudden release of Mr. Fowle might have been a conciliatory gesture from Mr. Kim to bolster his government’s efforts to engage Washington in a dialogue. |
Mozilla announced a far reaching change coming to the organization's Firefox web browser in late 2017.
The organization plans to cut support of all extension technologies but the rather new WebExtensions when Firefox 57 Stable is released.
Support for WebExtensions was introduced in Firefox 48 Stable, and new capabilities were added in newer releases.
According to the announcement, Firefox 57 will block the loading of any non-WebExtensions add-on automatically.
By the end of 2017, and with the release of Firefox 57, we’ll move to WebExtensions exclusively, and will stop loading any other extension types on desktop.
This means that any add-on not converted to WebExtensions by that time will no longer be available regardless of whether it is already installed in Firefox or discovered on Mozilla's add-ons repository.
Firefox will only support WebExtensions by the end of 2017
Firefox 57 will only load the following add-on types:
Signed WebExtensions.
Signed bootstrapped system add-ons.
Language packs.
Dictionaries.
OpenSearch plugins.
Lightweight themes.
You may notice that complete themes are not listed, as are not any legacy add-ons that make the bulk of Firefox's extension offering. Mozilla appears to be working on a theming API however that provides more options to customize Firefox than lightweight themes. It is still too early to tell what it will be capable of, and how it compares to the existing full theme functionality in Firefox that will be deprecated in Firefox 57.
Mozilla plans to stop accepting new extensions that are not WebExtensions in Firefox 53. AMO (Add-ons Mozilla Org) won't sign new SDK, XUL or XPCOM extensions for Firefox desktop with the release of Firefox 53. This has no affect on existing add-ons at this point in time, and won't affect Firefox on Android, Thunderbird, or SeaMonkey extensions.
Firefox 53 is scheduled for release on April 18, 2017, and Firefox 57 for a release on November 28, 2017.
New APIs and capabilities will be introduced throughout the year according to Mozilla to add missing capabilities to the WebExtensions system of Firefox.
Throughout the year we’ll expand the set of APIs available, add capabilities to Firefox that don’t yet exist in other browsers, and put more WebExtensions in front of users.
Consequences
Firefox users who have legacy add-ons installed in the browser won't be able to use them anymore when Firefox 57 is released. Firefox ESR will run legacy add-ons as the change won't affect the extended support release version right away (the version is at 52.5 at the time of the release of Firefox 57. The earliest option for ESR is when Firefox ESR 59 is released in 2018).
Part of the add-ons that are currently available for Firefox will be ported to WebExtensions by their developers. Another part won't. This does not only include add-ons that are no longer in active development, but also add-ons that cannot be ported because of missing functionality.
Many Chrome extensions will work directly in Firefox however or can be ported relatively easily by their developers.
The core advantage of WebExtensions is that the technology does not depend on the browser. This means that any new change to Firefox's core functionality won't affect WebExtensions add-ons.
Closing Words
The decision marks a major cut that makes the Australis redesign or decisions such as putting Pocket or Hello in Firefox look like minor issues.
This move affects the add-ons that made Firefox. Sure, there are other parts of the browser that appeal to users, but for many, it was Firefox's add-on system that won them over.
While many popular add-ons will be ported to remain available, this cannot be said for all of them let alone the bulk of add-ons that are not popular enough.
Some Firefox users who rely on certain add-ons may migrate away from Firefox to Pale Moon or another third-party browser that shares code with Firefox.
Others might switch to Chrome directly, considering that the one major feature that distinguishes Firefox from Chrome and other browsers is no longer there for the most part.
It is too early to ring the Doomsday bell but if this move tanks, it could very well have disastrous consequences for Mozilla.
Summary Article Name Firefox will only support WebExtensions by the end of 2017 Description Mozilla plans to cut support of all extension technologies but the rather new WebExtensions when Firefox 57 Stable is released. Author Martin Brinkmann Publisher Ghacks Technology News Logo
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House Republicans made progress on Tuesday steering some of their most conservative members away from a course that could shut down the government next week, a prospect that would badly damage the party as it prepares to take control of Congress in January.
Though the outcome remained unpredictable, Speaker John A. Boehner and his deputies were already counting votes for a two-part plan that they presented in a closed-door meeting in the Capitol.
The first step would be to allow a largely symbolic vote on legislation to dismantle President Obama’s executive action last month that delayed the deportation of millions of illegal immigrants. The second would be to fund the government through the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, 2015, except for agencies that spend money to enforce Mr. Obama’s immigration action, like the Department of Homeland Security.
Congress would then revisit funding for those agencies early next year when Republicans are in control of both the House and the Senate and in a stronger position.
{snip}
House Republicans, however, are likely to lose enough conservative members that they will need at least some Democratic votes to pass their spending bill. Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the Democratic leader, has yet to decide whether to free her members to support it.
Drew Hammill, communications director for Ms. Pelosi, said, “We’re not inclined to support anything that diminishes the president’s legal authority to act on immigration.”
The resolution to undo the president’s action, however, would largely be a way for House Republicans to vent their displeasure, and could come as early as Thursday. Representative Ted Yoho of Florida, who came up with the plan, acknowledged that his measure would be a “symbolic message” if Senate Democrats did not take up his resolution–something Senator Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada and the majority leader, has said he is not going to do.
{snip}
Then, House Republicans would vote next week on legislation to fund almost all of the government through September 2015, but use a short-term measure known as a continuing resolution to fund the Department of Homeland Security, the agency primarily responsible for overseeing the administration’s immigration policy, only into March. {snip}
{snip}
A complicating factor, however, is that the primary agency responsible for carrying out the president’s executive action, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, is financed entirely through fees collected from immigration applications and therefore cannot be defunded in the appropriations process.
Republicans seemed to acknowledge that there was little they could do to stop the president. Speaking after the meeting, Mr. Boehner said his conference seemed to realize that options were limited until next month.
“I think they understand that it’s going to be difficult to take meaningful action as long as we have Democratic control in the Senate,” he said.
{snip}
Some conservatives, however, are likely to vote against the spending bill because they believe it does not go far enough. They say they would prefer a measure to fund the entire government on a short-term basis so that they can pass a spending plan early next year shaped by Republican majorities.
{snip}
Many of the more conservative House members have been pushing for an aggressive response to the president, like a censure vote or cutting off funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Republicans for the most part on Tuesday said that would not happen.
But there were still many conservative Republicans who were openly dismissive of the leadership’s package. “I would vote no because I don’t think you fund any unconstitutional action, even if it’s over a short period of time,” said Representative Joe L. Barton, Republican of Texas.
{snip}
Original Article
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Maharashtra is the second largest producer of sugarcane in the country after Uttar Pradesh. It is also the largest producer of sugar, which is a by-product of sugarcane. Maharashtra produces more sugar than Uttar Pradesh primarily because the sugarcane produced in the state has a higher sucrose content. In fact, among all states, Maharasthra has the highest sugar recovery rate of 11.1 percent from sugarcane.
Getting back to the issue of water and sugarcane. As TN Ninan writes in The Turn of the Tortoise -
Nationally, the bulk of the water is used for agriculture...Cropping patterns have developed such that water-intensive crops are grown in water-scare areas-like [rice] paddy in Haryana and sugar cane in Maharashtra.
In fact, Maharashtra uses a lot more water to produce sugarcane than other states like Bihar. As the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices(CACP) points out in a document titled Price Policy for Sugarcane-2015-16 Sugar Season:
Water productivity analysis shows that Bihar consumes just 822 litres of water to produce a kilogram of sugar compared to over 2100 litres in Maharashtra, and more than 2200 litres each in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Thus, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu consume an additional 1300 to 1400 litres of water over and above what it takes Bihar to produce a kilogram of sugar.
Andhra Pradesh produces only four percent of India’s sugarcane, so it doesn’t really matter much, if it is a water guzzler. Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu between them produce nearly one-third of India’s sugarcane (22 percent of Maharashtra and 10 percent for Tamil Nadu). Given that they use a huge amount of water doing so, this shouldn’t be the case.
As CACP further points out in the case of Maharashtra:
In Maharashtra, sugarcane cultivation, which is on less than 4 percent of the total cropped area of the state, takes away almost 70 percent of irrigation water in the state. This leads to massive inequity in the use of water within the state.
As mentioned earlier, it takes 2100 litres of water to produce one kilogram of sugar in Maharashtra. This basically means that it will take around 2100000 litres or 2.1 million litres of water to produce one tonne or 1000 kilograms of sugar.
It is estimated that the twenty IPL cricket matches being played in Maharashtra would end up using six million litres of water. How has this estimate been arrived at? A public interest litigation has been filed in the Bombay High Court stating that IPL cricket matches should be moved out of Maharashtra.
Ankita Verma, the lawyer for the petitioners told Rediff.com:
International maintenance for pitch guidelines state that for each match you need three lakh litres of water for one ground. If you multiply that for the 20 matches that will be played here, you will come to the figure of 60 lakh litres [or 6 million litres] of water.
The BCCI puts the number at four million litres, reports Mint. Let’s take the higher of the two numbers of six million litres of water. As mentioned earlier, it takes 2.1 million litres of water to grow one tonne of sugarcane. Hence, for IPL the total water being used is what would have been good enough to produce less than three tonnes of sugarcane, actually 2.86 tonnes to be very precise.
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Hence, the entire argument of IPL cricket matches leading to a wastage of water is basically nonsense. Sugarcane is the real water guzzler in the state of Maharashtra. In 2013-2014, the state produced 75,384,000 tonnes of sugarcane, which would have needed around 158,306,400 million litres of water (75,384,000 x 2.1).
On the other hand, IPL this year will end up using six million litres of water, which would essentially be good enough to produce three tonnes of sugarcane.
So the total amount of water used by IPL will be around 0.0000038 percent (6.1 million litres expressed as a percentage of 158,306,400 million litres) of the water used to produce sugarcane in Maharashtra in 2013-2014. The proportion is so small that we can even round it off to zero percent. This entire argument to move IPL out of Maharashtra is basically nonsense. The real issue is the production of sugarcane in the state.
Of course, no noise is being made against the excessive consumption of water in the production of sugarcane primarily because some of the bigger politicians of the state of Maharashtra are also sugar barons.
There are other issues also that need to be discussed here. India produces much more sugarcane than it consumes. The CACP estimates that the total demand for sugar in India (domestic demand plus bulk demand) is at 24.3 million tonnes. The domestic demand being 12.3 million tonnes and the bulk demand being 12 million tonnes.
In 2014-2015, India produced around 28 million tonnes of sugar. This is 3.7 million tonnes more than demand. This excess sugar is exported. We need to realise that when we export sugar, we are essentially exporting water. As Ninan points out:
Growing sugar cane, even more water hungry than[rice] paddy, in water-scarce Maharashtra is equally contraindicated-especially since the country happens to be surplus in sugar most of the time, and exporting sugar amounts to exporting water.
And a country as water-constrained as India is, should not be exporting water. To conclude, as CACP points out:
Future growth of cane in Maharashtra is likely to be severely hampered by scarce water supplies unless much of sugarcane is put on drip irrigation or varieties are evolved that use less water. Given that sugarcane is a water guzzling crop, its long term development must ensure that water pricing policies are formulated in a manner that reflects its scarcity.
And this is something worth thinking about.
Disclosure: The basic idea for writing this column came after reading Sunil Jain’s column titled IPL vs sugarcane: That’s really the equation in Maharashtra in The Financial Express.
This article was first published here. |
Taco Bell wants you to "live mas" for less than a buck.
The taco chain is throwing its hat into the uber-cheap fast food wars with a brand new menu that makes a lot of sense for those with just a few, well, cents.
The chain is testing a “Crave More” menu in Omaha, Neb. that features menu items at three price tiers: just 79, 89, and 99 cents, according to Brand Eating.
Along with the new price points come new menu items as well including Queso Bean Burrito, Flamin’ Hot Fritos Taco, Veggie Tostada, Queso and Chips, and Queso Beef Burrito.
At the 79 cent price mark, you can get Cinnamon Twists or a Cheesy Roll-Up, which are currently priced at $1 on the chain’s existing value menu.
For 89 cents, you can get a Queso Bean Burrito, Flamin' Hot Fritos Taco, or a Veggie Tostada.
The rest of the items are priced at a mere 99 cents.
More from The Daily Meal
Taco Bell Subs Tortilla Chips With Triangular-Shaped Chicken
Taco Bell Debuts Cheese-Filled Burritos
Taco Bell Is Testing a Portable, Pizza-Shaped Quesadilla
Taco Bell to Open Flagship on the Las Vegas Strip
Taco Bell Unveils Four New Restaurant Designs Inspired by Local Communities
Looks like the dollar menu has some serious competition from the popular taco chain.
Check out The Daily Meal's guide to making a Crunchwrap Supreme at home. You may even be able to save yourself a few extra dollars on this fast food favorite. |
In the immediate wake of last week's surprise announcement that EA and developer DICE were temporarily removing microtransactions from Star Wars: Battlefront II, VentureBeat reported that no less than Disney CEO Bob Iger called EA CEO Andrew Wilson to discuss the roiling controversy over the in-game purchases. Subsequent reporting from The Wall Street Journal now suggests Disney did put pressure on the game publisher to fix things, though not necessarily at the CEO level.
According to an unnamed "person familiar with the matter" who spoke to the Journal, Disney executives were "upset at how online outrage over the costs of gaining access to popular characters such as Luke Skywalker reflected on their marquee property." While Iger was concerned about this perception, it was Disney Head of Consumer Products and Interactive Media Jimmy Pitaro who sent EA a message expressing those concerns, according to the report.
EA acquired the lucrative exclusive rights to publish Star Wars-based games in 2013, a year after Disney purchased Lucasfilm for $4 billion.
On the record, Lucasfilm is backing up EA's position without volunteering any direct influence on the decision. "Star Wars has always been about the fans—and whether it’s Battlefront or any other Star Wars experience, they come first, a Lucasfilm spokesman told The Washington Post. "That’s why we support EA's decision to temporarily remove in-game payments to address fan concerns."
In an SEC filing late last week, EA said the temporary removal of Battlefront II microtransactions "is not expected to have a material impact on EA’s fiscal year 2018 financial guidance." EA stock is down roughly 3 percent on the NASDAQ exchange since the close of business Thursday, though still up more than 27 percent from this time a year ago. |
By Caroline Hawley
BBC News, Johannesburg
"Stu" escaped from Zimbabwe in January, crossing the border for the sanctuary of South Africa. Alexandra township has seen a spate of attacks on migrants Now - fearing for his life - he's trying to flee back, after a wave of xenophobic violence targeting immigrants in townships around Johannesburg. "I ran away from the situation in Zimbabwe to try to support my family," says the 24-year old, who is too afraid to give his full name. "But it's better to starve at home than to die here. At least, if I'm back in Zimbabwe, my parents can bury me and see my grave." The mob came for him in the sprawling Johannesburg township of Alexandra on Monday night. "They forced their way into my home with weapons, hammers and bricks. And they took everything I've got. The only things I have left are the clothes that I'm wearing. I don't even know how I'll get home." "Stu" and hundreds of other foreigners - Zimbabweans, Mozambicans and Malawians - are now sheltering in tents provided for them by the Red Cross on the grounds of Alexandra's police station. It was at 21.30 on Wednesday night when a group of people attacked Arlindo Nhantumbo, a Mozambican who has lived happily in South Africa for 12 years. "Ten of them came, with guns, and told me to leave the country. I don't know what to do, because I have married a South African and we have a five-month-old baby boy," he says. "I am desperate." A flood of refugees No one has exact figures of the number of immigrants now living in South Africa, but the Institute of Race Relations believes that there are between 3 and 5 million - equivalent to the country's entire white population. And they have become scapegoats for many of South Africa's social ills - high levels of unemployment, a shortage of housing and one of the worst crime rates in the world. Remember the horror from which we come from
Nelson Mandela
In pictures: S Africa's xenophobia Migrants tell of township tensions There has been a spate of xenophobic attacks over the past few years. In 2005 and 2006, Somalis living in the Eastern and Western Cape were targeted. But the latest wave of anti-foreigner attacks has caused growing concern in the "rainbow nation" which still bears the scars of apartheid, and where some of the country's poor are worse off than they were before the transition to majority rule. "Violence is not a solution," says Mbuto Mthembu of the Red Cross, which is providing blankets, clothing and food to the refugees. "We have seen it before in this country and we know just how ugly it is. We don't want to see that again." 'Sorry' And fears of the trouble spreading have prompted intervention from Nelson Mandela. "Remember the horror from which we come from" he urged South Africans this week. "Never forget the greatness of a nation that has overcome its divisions. Let us never descend into destructive divisiveness." Many South Africans are ashamed at the treatment of migrants His former wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, has also apologised to the victims, during a visit to Alexandra by senior ANC and government officials. "We are sorry," she said. "It is not South African to do this." And in the narrow dusty paths between Alexandra's corrugated-roof shacks - where competition for jobs and housing is fierce - there is sympathy, among many, for the immigrants. "We are ashamed," says 71-year old Sonny Mokoena. "I was born here and have lived in Alexandra all my life and have never seen anything like this. These people, who fled violence in their countries, are now fleeing again - some with small kids. It's not right." But the violence has already spread. 'Appalling' On Wednesday, immigrants who escaped Alexandra to stay with friends and relatives in the township of Diepsloot, near Pretoria, were attacked again and their homes looted. By Thursday, police had sealed off parts of Diepsloot to try to restore order, using armoured personnel carriers - a reminder of policing in the darkest days of apartheid. The anti-foreigner violence has spread to Diepsloot "It started with attacks on the people who fled Alexandra," says John Makola, chairperson of the Diepsloot Community Police Forum. "But today they are chasing every foreigner here, accusing them of being criminals or stealing their jobs. It's appalling." Papi, 29, standing near barricades blocking the road on the edge of Diepsloot, also condemned the violence. But he, like many other South Africans, blames immigrants for compounding the country's crime problem. "There are so many robberies and rapes here and people suspect the immigrants," he says. "So people don't feel safe in their own country." Ntokozo Msebeni, who came to South Africa from Zimbabwe in 2006, does not feel safe anywhere now. "A mob came and beat us up and stole our ID cards and our money," she says. "I have a small child and I have nothing left and don't know what to do."
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domesticated rodent species from South America
This article is about the small rodent species. For the domestic pig breed, see Guinea hog . For other uses, see Guinea pig (disambiguation)
The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), also known as cavy or domestic cavy, is a species of rodent belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia. Despite their common name, these animals are not in the pig family Suidae, nor do they come from Guinea in Africa, and the origin of their name is still unclear; they originated in the Andes of South America and studies based on biochemistry and hybridization suggest they are domesticated descendants of a closely related species of cavy such as C. tschudii, and therefore do not exist naturally in the wild.[1][2]
In Western society, the domestic guinea pig has enjoyed widespread popularity as a household pet, a type of pocket pet, since its introduction by European traders in the 16th century. Their docile nature; friendly, even affectionate, responsiveness to handling and feeding; and the relative ease of caring for them have made and continue to make guinea pigs a popular choice of pet. Organizations devoted to the competitive breeding of guinea pigs have been formed worldwide, and many specialized breeds with varying coat colors and textures are selected by breeders.
The domestic guinea pig plays an important role in folk culture for many indigenous Andean groups, especially as a food source, but also in folk medicine and in community religious ceremonies. The animals are used for meat and are a culinary staple in the Andes Mountains, where they are known as cuy. A modern breeding program was started in the 1960s in Peru that resulted in large breeds known as cuy mejorados (improved cuy) and prompted efforts to increase consumption of the animal outside South America.[4]
Biological experimentation on domestic guinea pigs has been carried out since the 17th century. The animals were so frequently used as model organisms in the 19th and 20th centuries that the epithet guinea pig came into use to describe a human test subject. Since that time, they have been largely replaced by other rodents such as mice and rats. However, they are still used in research, primarily as models for human medical conditions such as juvenile diabetes, tuberculosis, scurvy (like humans, they must get vitamin C), and pregnancy complications.
Name
The scientific name of the common species is Cavia porcellus, with porcellus being Latin for "little pig". Cavia is New Latin; it is derived from cabiai, the animal's name in the language of the Galibi tribes once native to French Guiana.[5] Cabiai may be an adaptation of the Portuguese çavia (now savia), which is itself derived from the Tupi word saujá, meaning rat.[6] Guinea pigs are called quwi or jaca in Quechua and cuy or cuyo (plural cuyes, cuyos) in the Spanish of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.[7] Ironically, breeders tend to use the more formal "cavy" to describe the animal, while in scientific and laboratory contexts, it is far more commonly referred to by the more colloquial "guinea pig".
How the animals came to be called "pigs" is not clear. They are built somewhat like pigs, with large heads relative to their bodies, stout necks, and rounded rumps with no tail of any consequence; some of the sounds they emit are very similar to those made by pigs, and they also spend a large amount of time eating. They can survive for long periods in small quarters, like a 'pig pen', and were thus easily transported on ships to Europe.
The animal's name alludes to pigs in many European languages. The German word for them is Meerschweinchen, literally "little sea pig", which has been translated into Polish as świnka morska, into Hungarian as tengerimalac, and into Russian as морская свинка. This derives from the Middle High German name merswin. This originally meant "dolphin" and was used because of the animals' grunting sounds (which were thought to be similar).[10] Many other, possibly less scientifically based explanations of the German name exist. For example, sailing ships stopping to reprovision in the New World would pick up stores of guinea pigs, which provided an easily transportable source of fresh meat. The French term is cochon d'Inde (Indian pig) or cobaye; the Dutch call it Guinees biggetje (Guinean piglet) or cavia (while in some Dutch dialects it is called Spaanse rat); and in Portuguese, the guinea pig is variously referred to as cobaia, from the Tupi word via its Latinization, or as porquinho da Índia (little Indian pig). This is not universal; for example, the common word in Spanish is conejillo de Indias (little rabbit of the Indies).[7] The Chinese refer to them as 豚鼠 (túnshǔ, 'pig mouse'), and sometimes as Netherlands pig (荷蘭豬, hélánzhū) or Indian mouse (天竺鼠, tiānzhúshǔ). The Japanese word for guinea pig is "モルモット" (morumotto), which derives from the name of another mountain-dwelling rodent, the marmot; this is what guinea pigs were called by the Dutch traders who first brought them to Nagasaki in 1843. The other Japanese word for guinea pig, using kanji, is tenjiku-nezumi (天竺鼠, or てんじくねずみ), which literally translates as India rat.[11]
The origin of "guinea" in "guinea pig" is harder to explain. One proposed explanation is that the animals were brought to Europe by way of Guinea, leading people to think they had originated there. "Guinea" was also frequently used in English to refer generally to any far-off, unknown country, so the name may simply be a colorful reference to the animal's exotic appeal.[12][13] Another hypothesis suggests the "guinea" in the name is a corruption of "Guiana", an area in South America.[12] A common misconception is that they were so named because they were sold for the price of a guinea coin; this hypothesis is untenable, because the guinea was first struck in England in 1663, and William Harvey used the term "Ginny-pig" as early as 1653.[15] Others believe "guinea" may be an alteration of the word coney (rabbit); guinea pigs were referred to as "pig coneys" in Edward Topsell's 1607 treatise on quadrupeds.
History
The guinea pig was first domesticated as early as 5000 BC for food by tribes in the Andean region of South America (the present-day southern part of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia), some thousands of years after the domestication of the South American camelids.[17] Statues dating from circa 500 BC to 500 AD that depict guinea pigs have been unearthed in archaeological digs in Peru and Ecuador. The Moche people of ancient Peru worshipped animals and often depicted the guinea pig in their art.[19] From about 1200 AD to the Spanish conquest in 1532, selective breeding resulted in many varieties of domestic guinea pigs, which form the basis for some of the modern domestic breeds.[20] They continue to be a food source in the region; many households in the Andean highlands raise the animal, which subsists on the family's vegetable scraps. Folklore traditions involving guinea pigs are numerous; they are exchanged as gifts, used in customary social and religious ceremonies, and frequently referenced in spoken metaphors. They also play a role in traditional healing rituals by folk doctors, or curanderos, who use the animals to diagnose diseases such as jaundice, rheumatism, arthritis, and typhus. They are rubbed against the bodies of the sick, and are seen as a supernatural medium. Black guinea pigs are considered especially useful for diagnoses. The animal also may be cut open and its entrails examined to determine whether the cure was effective. These methods are widely accepted in many parts of the Andes, where Western medicine is either unavailable or distrusted.
Spanish, Dutch, and English traders brought guinea pigs to Europe, where they quickly became popular as exotic pets among the upper classes and royalty, including Queen Elizabeth I. The earliest known written account of the guinea pig dates from 1547, in a description of the animal from Santo Domingo; because cavies are not native to Hispaniola, the animal was earlier believed to have been introduced there by Spanish travelers.[1] However, based on more recent excavations on West Indian islands, the animal must have been introduced by ceramic-making horticulturalists from South America to the Caribbean around 500 BC,[28] and it was present in the Ostionoid period, for example, on Puerto Rico,[29] long before the advent of the Spaniards. The guinea pig was first described in the West in 1554 by the Swiss naturalist Conrad Gessner.[30] Its binomial scientific name was first used by Erxleben in 1777; it is an amalgam of Pallas' generic designation (1766) and Linnaeus' specific conferral (1758).[1] The earliest known European illustration of a domestic guinea pig is a painting (artist unknown) in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery in London, dated to 1580, which shows a girl in typical Elizabethan dress holding a tortoise-shell guinea pig in her hands; she is flanked by her two brothers, one of whom holds a pet bird.[31] The picture dates from the same period as the oldest recorded guinea pig remains in England, which are a partial cavy skeleton found at Hill Hall, an Elizabethan manor house in Essex, and dated to around 1575.[31]
Characteristics
Guinea pigs are large for rodents; the common pet breeds weigh between 700 and 1,200 g (1.5 and 2.6 lb) when full grown and measure between 20 and 25 cm (8 and 10 in) in length. Some livestock breeds weigh 3 kilograms (6.6 lb) when full grown.[33] Pet breeds live an average of four to five years, but may live as long as eight. According to the 2006 Guinness World Records, the longest living guinea pig survived 14 years, 10.5 months.[35] Most guinea pigs have fur, but one laboratory breed adopted by some pet owners, the skinny pig, is a mostly furless breed. Some breeds are longfur breeds such as the Peruvian, the Silkie, and the Texel.
In the 1990s, a minority scientific opinion emerged proposing that caviomorphs, such as guinea pigs, chinchillas, and degus, are not rodents and should be reclassified as a separate order of mammals (similar to lagomorphs).[36][37] Subsequent research using wider sampling restored the consensus among mammalian biologists regarding the current classification of rodents as monophyletic.[38][39]
Behavior
Guinea pigs can learn complex paths to food, and can accurately remember a learned path for months. Their strongest problem-solving strategy is motion.[40] While guinea pigs can jump small obstacles, most of them are poor climbers, and are not particularly agile. They startle extremely easily, and either freeze in place for long periods or run for cover with rapid, darting motions when they sense danger. Larger groups of startled guinea pigs "stampede", running in haphazard directions as a means of confusing predators. When happily excited, guinea pigs may repeatedly perform little hops in the air (known as "popcorning"), a movement analogous to the ferret's war dance.[43] They are also good swimmers.[44]
Guinea pigs "social groom" each other
Like many rodents, guinea pigs sometimes participate in social grooming, and they regularly self-groom. A milky-white substance is secreted from their eyes and rubbed into the hair during the grooming process. Groups of boars often chew each other's hair, but this is a method of establishing hierarchy within a group, rather than a social gesture.[44] Dominance is also established through biting (especially of the ears), piloerection, aggressive noises, head thrusts, and leaping attacks. Non-sexual simulated mounting for dominance is also common among same-sex groups.
Guinea pig eyesight is not as good as that of a human in terms of distance and color, but they have a wider angle of vision (about 340°) and see in partial color (dichromacy). They have well-developed senses of hearing, smell, and touch.
Vocalization is the primary means of communication between members of the species. These are the most common sounds made by the guinea pig:
A " wheek " is a loud noise, the name of which is onomatopoeic, also known as a whistle. An expression of general excitement, it may occur in response to the presence of its owner or to feeding. It is sometimes used to find other guinea pigs if they are running. If a guinea pig is lost, it may wheek for assistance. ( help · info )
" is a loud noise, the name of which is onomatopoeic, also known as a whistle. An expression of general excitement, it may occur in response to the presence of its owner or to feeding. It is sometimes used to find other guinea pigs if they are running. If a guinea pig is lost, it may wheek for assistance. A bubbling or purring sound is made when the guinea pig is enjoying itself, such as when being petted or held. It may also make this sound when grooming, crawling around to investigate a new place, or when given food. ( help · info )
A rumbling sound is normally related to dominance within a group, though it can also come as a response to being scared or angry. In the case of being scared, the rumble often sounds higher and the body vibrates shortly. While courting, a male usually purrs deeply, swaying and circling the female in a behavior called rumblestrutting . A low rumble while walking away reluctantly shows passive resistance. ( help · info )
. A low rumble while walking away reluctantly shows passive resistance. Chutting and whining are sounds made in pursuit situations, by the pursuer and pursuee, respectively. ( help · info )
A chattering sound is made by rapidly gnashing the teeth, and is generally a sign of warning. Guinea pigs tend to raise their heads when making this sound.
Squealing or shrieking is a high-pitched sound of discontent, in response to pain or danger. ( help · info )
Chirping, a less common sound, likened to bird song, seems to be related to stress or discomfort, or when a baby guinea pig wants to be fed. Very rarely, the chirping will last for several minutes. ( help · info )
Environment
Natural habitat
C. porcellus is not found naturally in the wild; it is likely descended from closely related species of cavies, such as C. aperea, C. fulgida, and C. tschudii, which are still commonly found in various regions of South America.[1] Studies from 2007–2010 applied molecular markers[53][54] and studied the skull and skeletal morphology of current and mummified animals,[55] thereby revealing the ancestor to most likely be Cavia tschudii. Some species of cavy identified in the 20th century, such as C. anolaimae and C. guianae, may be domestic guinea pigs that have become feral by reintroduction into the wild.[20] Wild cavies are found on grassy plains and occupy an ecological niche similar to that of cattle. They are social, living in the wild in small groups that consist of several females (sows), a male (boar), and the young (which, in a break with the preceding porcine nomenclature, are called "pups" not "piglets"). They move together in groups (herds) eating grass or other vegetation, and do not store food. While they do not burrow themselves or build nests, they frequently seek shelter in the burrows of other animals, as well as in crevices and tunnels formed by vegetation. They tend to be most active during dawn and dusk (crepuscular), when it is harder for predators to spot them.
Domestic habitat
Domesticated guinea pigs thrive in groups of two or more; groups of sows, or groups of one or more sows and a neutered boar are common combinations, but boars can sometimes live together. Guinea pigs learn to recognize and bond with other individual pigs, and testing of boars shows their neuroendocrine stress response is significantly lowered in the presence of a bonded female when compared to the presence of unfamiliar females.[57] Groups of boars may also get along, provided their cage has enough space, they are introduced at an early age, and no females are present. Domestic guinea pigs have developed a different biological rhythm from their wild counterparts, and have longer periods of activity followed by short periods of sleep in between. Activity is scattered randomly throughout the day; aside from an avoidance of intense light, no regular circadian patterns are apparent.
This cat has accepted a pair of guinea pigs. However, the success of interspecies interaction depends on the individual animals.
Domestic guinea pigs generally live in cages, although some owners of large numbers of guinea pigs dedicate entire rooms to their pets. Cages with solid or wire mesh floors are used, although wire mesh floors can cause injury and may be associated with an infection commonly known as bumblefoot (ulcerative pododermatitis). "Cubes and Coroplast" (C&C) style cages are now a common choice.[60] Cages are often lined with wood shavings or a similar material. Bedding made from red cedar (Eastern or Western) and pine, both softwoods, were commonly used in the past, but these materials are now believed to contain harmful phenols (aromatic hydrocarbons) and oils. Safer bedding materials made from hardwoods (such as aspen), paper products, and corn cob materials are other alternatives. Guinea pigs tend to be messy within their cages; they often jump into their food bowls or kick bedding and feces into them, and their urine sometimes crystallizes on cage surfaces, making it difficult to remove. After its cage has been cleaned, a guinea pig typically urinates and drags its lower body across the floor of the cage to mark its territory.[63] Male guinea pigs may also mark their territory in this way when they are taken out of their cages.
Guinea pigs do not generally thrive when housed with other species. Housing guinea pigs with other rodents such as gerbils and hamsters may increase instances of respiratory and other infections, and such rodents may act aggressively toward the guinea pig. Larger animals may regard guinea pigs as prey, though some (such as dogs or cats) can be trained to accept them.[66] Opinion is divided over the cohousing of guinea pigs and domestic rabbits. Some published sources say that guinea pigs and rabbits complement each other well when sharing a cage.[66] However, rabbits have different nutritional requirements; as lagomorphs, they synthesize their own Vitamin C, so the two species will not thrive if fed the same food when housed together. Rabbits may also harbor diseases (such as respiratory infections from Bordetella and Pasteurella), to which guinea pigs are susceptible. Even a dwarf rabbit is generally stronger than a guinea pig and may cause intentional or inadvertent injury.[70]
Diet
A silver agouti guinea pig eating grass
The guinea pig's natural diet is grass; their molars are particularly suited for grinding plant matter and grow continuously throughout their life. Most mammals that graze are large and have a long digestive tract; guinea pigs have much longer colons than most rodents, but they must also supplement their diet by eating their feces (coprophagy) . However, they do not consume all their feces indiscriminately, but produce special soft pellets, called cecotropes (or caecal pellets), which recycle B vitamins, fiber, and bacteria required for proper digestion. The cecotropes are eaten directly from the anus, unless the guinea pig is pregnant or obese. They share this behaviour with rabbits. In geriatric boars or sows (rarely in young ones), the muscles which allow the softer pellets to be expelled from the anus can become weak. This creates a condition known as "anal impaction", which prevents the animal from redigesting cecotropes even though harder pellets may pass through the impacted mass. The condition may be temporarily alleviated by a human carefully removing the impacted feces from the anus.
Guinea pigs benefit from a diet of fresh grass hay, such as timothy hay, in addition to food pellets which are often based on timothy hay. Alfalfa hay is also a popular food choice and most guinea pigs will eat large amounts of alfalfa when offered it, though some controversy exists over offering alfalfa to adult guinea pigs. Some pet owners and veterinary organizations have advised that, as a legume rather than a grass hay, alfalfa consumed in large amounts may lead to obesity, as well as bladder stones from the excess calcium in all animals except for pregnant and very young guinea pigs.[76][77] However, published scientific sources mention alfalfa as a food source that can replenish protein, amino acids, and fiber.[78]
Like humans, but unlike most other mammals, guinea pigs cannot synthesize their own vitamin C and must obtain this vital nutrient from food. If guinea pigs do not ingest enough vitamin C, they can suffer from potentially fatal scurvy. Guinea pigs require about 10 mg of vitamin C daily (20 mg if pregnant), which can be obtained through fresh, raw fruits and vegetables (such as broccoli, apple, cabbage, carrot, celery, and spinach) or through dietary supplements or by eating fresh pellets designed for guinea pigs, if they have been handled properly. Healthy diets for guinea pigs require a complex balance of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and hydrogen ions; but adequate amounts of vitamins A, D, and E are also necessary.
A short-haired guinea pig eating a piece of apple
Poor diets for guinea pigs have been associated with muscular dystrophy, metastatic calcification, difficulties with pregnancy, vitamin deficiencies, and teeth problems. Guinea pigs tend to be fickle eaters when it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables after having learned early in life what is and is not appropriate to consume, and their eating habits may be difficult to change after maturity. They do not respond well to sudden changes in their diet and they may stop eating and starve rather than accept new food types.[44] A constant supply of hay is generally recommended, as guinea pigs feed continuously and may develop bad habits if food is not present, such as chewing on their hair. Because their teeth grow constantly (as do their nails, like humans), they routinely gnaw on things, lest their teeth become too large for their jaw (a common problem in rodents).[60] Guinea pigs chew on cloth, paper, plastic, and rubber, if they are available.
A number of plants are poisonous to guinea pigs, including bracken, bryony, buttercup, charlock, deadly nightshade, foxglove, hellebore, hemlock, lily of the valley, mayweed, monkshood, privet, ragwort, rhubarb, speedwell, toadflax (both Linaria vulgaris and Linaria dalmatica), and wild celery. Additionally, any plant which grows from a bulb (e.g., tulip or onion) is normally considered poisonous, as well as ivy and oak tree leaves. A guinea pig may or may not eat poisonous material.
Reproduction
Pregnant sow one week before delivering three pups
Males reach sexual maturity in 3–5 weeks, while females can be fertile as early as 4 weeks old, and can carry litters before they are adults. The female guinea pig is able to breed year-round, with spring being the peak. A sow can have as many as five litters in a year, but six is theoretically possible.[20] Unlike the offspring of most rodents, which are altricial at birth, newborn cavy pups are well-developed with hair, teeth, claws, and partial eyesight.[44] The pups are immediately mobile and begin eating solid food immediately, though they continue to suckle. Females can once again become pregnant 6–48 hours after giving birth, but it is not healthy for a female to be constantly pregnant.
The gestation period lasts from 59 days (1.9 months) to 72 days (2.4 months), with an average of 63–68 days.[63] Because of the long gestation period and the large size of the pups, pregnant females may become large and eggplant-shaped, although the change in size and shape varies depending upon the size of the litter. Litter size ranges from one to six, with three being the average; the largest recorded litter size is 17.[91] The guinea pig mother only has two nipples, but she can readily raise the more average-sized litters of 2 to 4 pups.[92][93] In smaller litters, difficulties may occur during labour due to oversized pups. Large litters result in higher incidences of stillbirth, but because the pups are delivered at an advanced stage of development, lack of access to the mother's milk has little effect on the mortality rate of newborns.
Cohabitating females assist in mothering duties if lactating;[95] guinea pigs practice alloparental care, in which a female may adopt the pup(s) of another. This might take place if the original parents die or are for some reason separated from them. This behavior is common and is seen in many other animal species such as the elephant.[96]
Guinea pig pup at eight hours old
Toxemia of pregnancy (hypertension) is a common problem and kills many pregnant females. Signs of toxemia include: anorexia, lack of energy, excessive salivation, a sweet or fruity breath odor due to ketones, and seizures in advanced cases. Pregnancy toxemia appears to be most common in hot climates. Other serious complications during pregnancy can include a prolapsed uterus, hypocalcaemia, and mastitis.
Females that do not give birth may develop an irreversible fusing of the pubic symphysis, a joint in the pelvis, due to calcification which may occur between 6 and 10 months of age.[63]:73 If they become pregnant after this has happened, the birth canal will probably not widen sufficiently and this may lead to dystocia and death as they attempt to give birth. Calcification of the female's pubic symphysis if not bred is greatly overstated. The reason for potential calcification is a metabolic disease, like ochronosis. A healthy, normal female guinea pig's pubic symphysis does not calcify.[102]
Male and female guinea pigs do not differ in appearance apart from general size, with the male being about 30% larger.[103] The position of the anus is very close to the genitals in both sexes. Female genitals are distinguished by a Y-shaped configuration formed from a vulvar flap. While male genitals may look similar, with the penis and anus forming a similar shape, the penis will protrude if pressure is applied to the surrounding hair. The male's testes may also be visible externally from scrotal swelling.
Health problems
Common ailments in domestic guinea pigs include respiratory tract infections, diarrhea, scurvy (vitamin C deficiency, typically characterized by sluggishness), abscesses due to infection (often in the neck, due to hay embedded in the throat, or from external scratches), and infections by lice, mites, or fungus.
Mange mites (Trixacarus caviae) are a common cause of hair loss, and other symptoms may also include excessive scratching, unusually aggressive behavior when touched (due to pain), and, in some instances, seizures. Guinea pigs may also suffer from "running lice" (Gliricola porcelli), a small, white insect which can be seen moving through the hair; their eggs, which appear as black or white specks attached to the hair, are sometimes referred to as "static lice". Other causes of hair loss can be due to hormonal upsets caused by underlying medical conditions such as ovarian cysts.
Foreign bodies, especially small pieces of hay or straw, can become lodged in the eyes of guinea pigs, resulting in excessive blinking, tearing, and in some cases an opaque film over the eye due to corneal ulcer. Hay or straw dust can also cause sneezing. While it is normal for guinea pigs to sneeze periodically, frequent sneezing may be a symptom of pneumonia, especially in response to atmospheric changes. Pneumonia may also be accompanied by torticollis and can be fatal.
Because the guinea pig has a stout, compact body, it more easily tolerates excessive cold than excessive heat. Its normal body temperature is 101–104 °F (38–40 °C), so its ideal ambient air temperature range is similar to a human's, about 65–75 °F (18–24 °C). Consistent ambient temperatures in excess of 90 °F (32 °C) have been linked to hyperthermia and death, especially among pregnant sows. Guinea pigs are not well suited to environments that feature wind or frequent drafts, and respond poorly to extremes of humidity outside of the range of 30–70%.
Guinea pigs are prey animals whose survival instinct is to mask pain and signs of illness, and many times health problems may not be apparent until a condition is severe or in its advanced stages. Treatment of disease is made more difficult by the extreme sensitivity guinea pigs have to most antibiotics, including penicillin, which kill off the intestinal flora and quickly bring on episodes of diarrhea and in some cases, death.
Similar to the inherited genetic diseases of other breeds of animal (such as hip dysplasia in canines), a number of genetic abnormalities of guinea pigs have been reported. Most commonly, the roan coloration of Abyssinian guinea pigs is associated with congenital eye disorders and problems with the digestive system. Other genetic disorders include "waltzing disease" (deafness coupled with a tendency to run in circles), palsy, and tremor conditions.[117]
As pets
Handling, temperament and socialization
If handled correctly early in life, guinea pigs become amenable to being picked up and carried, and seldom bite or scratch.[44] They are timid explorers and often hesitate to attempt an escape from their cage even when an opportunity presents itself. Still, they show considerable curiosity when allowed to walk freely, especially in familiar and safe terrain. Guinea pigs that become familiar with their owner will whistle on the owner's approach; they will also learn to whistle in response to the rustling of plastic bags or the opening of refrigerator doors, where their food is most commonly stored. In Switzerland, owning a single guinea pig is considered harmful to its well-being and forbidden by law.[118]
Appearance, coat and grooming
Domesticated guinea pigs occur in many breeds, which have been developed since their introduction to Europe and North America. These varieties vary in hair and color composition. The most common varieties found in pet stores are the English shorthair (also known as the American), which have a short, smooth coat, and the Abyssinian, whose coat is ruffled with cowlicks, or rosettes. Also popular among breeders are the Peruvian and the Sheltie (or Silkie), both straight longhair breeds, and the Texel, a curly longhair. Grooming of guinea pigs is primarily accomplished using combs or brushes. Shorthair breeds are typically brushed weekly, while longhair breeds may require daily grooming.[119]
Clubs and associations
Cavy clubs and associations dedicated to the showing and breeding of guinea pigs have been established worldwide. The American Cavy Breeders Association, an adjunct to the American Rabbit Breeders' Association, is the governing body in the United States and Canada.[120] The British Cavy Council governs cavy clubs in the United Kingdom. Similar organizations exist in Australia (Australian National Cavy Council)[121] and New Zealand (New Zealand Cavy Council).[122] Each club publishes its own standard of perfection and determines which breeds are eligible for showing.
Allergies to guinea pigs
Allergic symptoms, including rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and asthma, have been documented in laboratory animal workers who come into contact with guinea pigs.[123][124] Allergic reactions following direct exposure to guinea pigs in domestic settings have also been reported.[123] Two major guinea pig allergens, Cav p I and Cav p II, have been identified in guinea pig fluids (urine and saliva) and guinea pig dander.[123] People who are allergic to guinea pigs are usually allergic to hamsters and gerbils, as well.[125] Allergy shots can successfully treat an allergy to guinea pigs, although treatment can take up to 18 months.
In popular culture and media
As a result of their widespread popularity, especially in households with children, guinea pigs have shown a presence in culture and media. Some noted appearances of the animal in literature include the short story "Pigs Is Pigs" by Ellis Parker Butler, which is a tale of bureaucratic incompetence. Two guinea pigs held at a railway station breed unchecked while humans argue as to whether they are "pigs" or "pets" for the purpose of determining freight charges.[126] Butler's story, in turn, inspired the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "The Trouble With Tribbles", written by David Gerrold.[127] In the Golden Hamster Saga books, two guinea pigs named Enrico and Caruso are modern-day thespians (named after Enrico Caruso) who serve as secondary characters, and often irritate the main character, Freddy Auratus, who strongly dislikes their acting antics.
In children's literature
The Fairy Caravan, a novel by Beatrix Potter,[128] and Michael Bond's Olga da Polga series for children,[129] both feature guinea pigs as the protagonist. Another appearance is in The Magician's Nephew by C. S. Lewis: in the first (chronologically) of his The Chronicles of Narnia series, a guinea pig is the first creature to travel to the Wood between the Worlds.[130] In Ursula Dubosarsky's Maisie and the Pinny Gig, a little girl has a recurrent dream about a giant guinea pig, while guinea pigs feature significantly in several of Dubosarsky's other books, including the young adult novel The White Guinea Pig and The Game of the Goose.[131]
In film and television
Guinea pigs have also been featured in film and television. In the TV movie Shredderman Rules, the main character and the main character's crush both have guinea pigs which play a minor part in the plot. A guinea pig named Rodney, voiced by Chris Rock, was a prominent character in the 1998 film Dr. Dolittle, and Linny the Guinea pig is a co-star on Nick Jr.'s Wonder Pets. Guinea pigs were used in some major advertising campaigns in the 1990s and 2000s, notably for Egg Banking plc,[132] Snapple, and Blockbuster Video.[133] The Blockbuster campaign is considered by some guinea pig advocates to have been a factor in the rise of caging guinea pigs and rabbits together.[70] In the South Park season 12 episode "Pandemic 2: The Startling", giant guinea pigs dressed in costumes rampage over the Earth.[134] The 2009 Walt Disney Pictures movie G-Force features a group of highly intelligent guinea pigs trained as operatives of the U.S. government. A video game based on the movie was also released. A guinea pig named Bugsy appears in the 2008 film Bedtime Stories. A guinea pig named Cashew features prominently in the second season of the U.S. adaptation of House of Cards.
As food
South America
Cuy being raised at home in the traditional Andean fashion being raised at home in the traditional Andean fashion
Guinea pigs (called cuy, cuye, or curí) were originally domesticated for their meat in the Andes. Traditionally, the animal was reserved for ceremonial meals by indigenous people in the Andean highlands, but since the 1960s, it has become more socially acceptable for consumption by all people. It continues to be a major part of the diet in Peru and Bolivia, particularly in the Andes Mountains highlands; it is also eaten in some areas of Ecuador (mainly in the Sierra) and in Colombia, exclusively in highland locations in the department of Nariño near the border with Ecuador. Because guinea pigs require much less room than traditional livestock and reproduce extremely quickly, they are a more profitable source of food and income than many traditional stock animals, such as pigs and cattle;[137] moreover, they can be raised in an urban environment. Both rural and urban families raise guinea pigs for supplementary income, and the animals are commonly bought and sold at local markets and large-scale municipal fairs. Guinea pig meat is high in protein and low in fat and cholesterol, and is described as being similar to rabbit and the dark meat of chicken.[4][139] The animal may be served fried (chactado or frito), broiled (asado), or roasted (al horno), and in urban restaurants may also be served in a casserole or a fricassee.[140] Ecuadorians commonly consume sopa or locro de cuy, a soup dish.[140] Pachamanca or huatia, a process similar to barbecueing, is also popular, and is usually served with corn beer (chicha) in traditional settings.[140]
cuy in Traditional preparation of a grilledin Quito , Ecuador
Peruvians consume an estimated 65 million guinea pigs each year, and the animal is so entrenched in the culture that one famous painting of the Last Supper in the main cathedral in Cusco shows Christ and the 12 disciples dining on guinea pig.[4] The animal remains an important aspect of certain religious events in both rural and urban areas of Peru. A religious celebration known as jaca tsariy ("collecting the cuys") is a major festival in many villages in the Antonio Raimondi province of eastern Peru, and is celebrated in smaller ceremonies in Lima. It is a syncretistic event, combining elements of Catholicism and pre-Columbian religious practices, and revolves around the celebration of local patron saints. The exact form the jaca tsariy takes differs from town to town; in some localities, a sirvinti (servant) is appointed to go from door to door, collecting donations of guinea pigs, while in others, guinea pigs may be brought to a communal area to be released in a mock bullfight. Meals such as cuy chactado are always served as part of these festivities, and the killing and serving of the animal is framed by some communities as a symbolic satire of local politicians or important figures. In the Tungurahua and Cotopaxi provinces of central Ecuador, guinea pigs are employed in the celebrations surrounding the feast of Corpus Christi as part of the Ensayo, which is a community meal, and the Octava, where castillos (greased poles) are erected with prizes tied to the crossbars, from which several guinea pigs may be hung. The Peruvian town of Churin has an annual festival which involves dressing guinea pigs in elaborate costumes for a competition.[143] There are also guinea pig festivals held in Huancayo, Cusco, Lima, and Huacho, featuring costumes and guinea pig dishes. Most guinea pig celebrations take place on the National Guinea Pig Day (Día Nacional del Cuy) across Peru on the second Friday of October.[144]
Breeding program
cuy guinea pigs raised non-commercially for the table in South America, showing common size and markings Typicalraised non-commercially for the table in South America, showing common size and markings
Peruvian research universities, especially La Molina National Agrarian University, began experimental programs in the 1960s with the intention of breeding larger-sized guinea pigs. Subsequent university efforts have sought to change breeding and husbandry procedures in South America, to make the raising of guinea pigs as livestock more economically sustainable. The variety of guinea pig produced by La Molina is fast-growing and can weigh 3 kilograms (6.6 lb).[33] All the large breeds of guinea pig are known as cuy mejorados and the pet breeds are known as cuy criollos. The three original lines out of Peru were the Perú (weighing 800 grams (28 oz) by 2 weeks), the Andina, and the Inti.[147]
Western World
cuy Dish from Ecuador called
Andean immigrants in New York City raise and sell guinea pigs for meat, and some South American restaurants in major cities in the United States serve cuy as a delicacy.[33] In the 1990s and 2000s, La Molina University began exporting large breed guinea pigs to Europe, Japan, and the United States in the hope of increasing human consumption outside of countries in northern South America.[4]
Sub-Saharan Africa
Many efforts have also been made to promote guinea pig husbandry in developing countries of West Africa,[137] where they occur more widely than generally known because they are usually not covered by livestock statistics. However, it has not been known when and where the animals have been introduced to Africa.[149] In Cameroon, they are widely distributed.[150][151] In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, they can be found both in peri-urban environments[152] as well as in rural regions, for example, in South Kivu.[153][154] They are also frequently held in rural households in Iringa Region of southwestern Tanzania.[155][156]
In scientific research
A guinea pig being examined by a veterinary medical officer for a study on leptospirosis
The use of guinea pigs in scientific experimentation dates back at least to the 17th century, when the Italian biologists Marcello Malpighi and Carlo Fracassati conducted vivisections of guinea pigs in their examinations of anatomic structures.[157] In 1780, Antoine Lavoisier used a guinea pig in his experiments with the calorimeter, a device used to measure heat production. The heat from the guinea pig's respiration melted snow surrounding the calorimeter, showing that respiratory gas exchange is a combustion, similar to a candle burning.[158] Guinea pigs played a major role in the establishment of germ theory in the late 19th century, through the experiments of Louis Pasteur, Émile Roux, and Robert Koch.[159] Guinea pigs have been launched into orbital space flight several times, first by the USSR on the Sputnik 9 biosatellite of March 9, 1961 – with a successful recovery.[160] China also launched and recovered a biosatellite in 1990 which included guinea pigs as passengers.[161]
In English, the term "guinea pig" is commonly used as a metaphor for a subject of scientific experimentation, or any experiment or test in modern times. This dates back to the early 20th century; the Oxford English Dictionary notes its first usage in this capacity in 1913.[162] In 1933, Consumers Research founders F. J. Schlink and Arthur Kallet wrote a book entitled 100,000,000 Guinea Pigs, extending the metaphor to consumer society.[163] The book became a national bestseller in the United States, thus further popularizing the term, and spurred the growth of the consumer protection movement.[164] During World War II, the plastic surgeon Archibald McIndoe established the Guinea Pig Club at Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, Sussex, England as a social club and mutual support network for his patients, who were undergoing previously-untested reconstruction procedures. The negative connotation of the term was later employed in the novel The Guinea Pigs (1970) by Czech author Ludvík Vaculík as an allegory for Soviet totalitarianism.[165] Guinea pigs remained popular laboratory animals until the later 20th century: about 2.5 million guinea pigs were used annually in the U.S. for research in the 1960s,[166] but that total decreased to about 375,000 by the mid-1990s.[44] As of 2007, they constitute about 2% of the current total of laboratory animals.[166] In the past, they were widely used to standardize vaccines and antiviral agents; they were also often employed in studies on the production of antibodies in response to extreme allergic reactions, or anaphylaxis.[167] Less common uses included research in pharmacology and irradiation.[167] Since the middle 20th century, they have been replaced in laboratory contexts primarily by mice and rats. This is in part because research into the genetics of guinea pigs has lagged behind that of other rodents, although geneticists W. E. Castle and Sewall Wright made a number of contributions to this area of study, especially regarding coat color.[117] In 2004, the U.S.'s National Human Genome Research Institute announced plans to sequence the genome of the domestic guinea pig.[169]
The guinea pig was most extensively implemented in research and diagnosis of infectious diseases.[167] Common uses included identification of brucellosis, Chagas disease, cholera, diphtheria, foot-and-mouth disease, glanders, Q fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and various strains of typhus.[167] They are still frequently used to diagnose tuberculosis, since they are easily infected by human tuberculosis bacteria.[166] Because guinea pigs are one of the few animals which, like humans and other primates, cannot synthesize vitamin C, but must obtain it from their diet, they are ideal for researching scurvy.[166] From the accidental discovery in 1907 that scurvy could be induced in guinea pigs, to their use to prove the chemical structure of the "ascorbutic factor" in 1932, the guinea pig model proved a crucial part of vitamin C research.[170][171]
Complement, an important component for serology, was first isolated from the blood of the guinea pig.[166] Guinea pigs have an unusual insulin mutation,[172] and are a suitable species for the generation of anti-insulin antibodies.[173] Present at a level 10 times that found in other mammals, the insulin in guinea pigs may be important in growth regulation, a role usually played by growth hormone.[174] Additionally, guinea pigs have been identified as model organisms for the study of juvenile diabetes and, because of the frequency of pregnancy toxemia, of pre-eclampsia in human females.[95] Their placental structure is similar to that of humans, and their gestation period can be divided into trimesters that resemble the stages of fetal development in humans.[175]
Guinea pig strains used in scientific research are primarily outbred strains. Aside from the common American or English stock, the two main outbred strains in laboratory use are the Hartley and Dunkin-Hartley; these English strains are albino, although pigmented strains are also available. Inbred strains are less common and are usually used for very specific research, such as immune system molecular biology. Of the inbred strains that have been created, the two still used with any frequency are, following Sewall Wright's designations, "Strain 2" and "Strain 13".[117]
Hairless breeds of guinea pigs have been used in scientific research since the 1980s, particularly for dermatological studies. A hairless and immunodeficient breed was the result of a spontaneous genetic mutation in inbred laboratory strains from the Hartley stock at the Eastman Kodak Company in 1979.[177] An immunocompetent hairless breed was also identified by the Institute Armand Frappier in 1978, and Charles River Laboratories has reproduced this breed for research since 1982.[178] Cavy fanciers then began acquiring hairless breeds, and the pet hairless varieties are referred to as "skinny pigs".
See also
References |
I celebrated the official release of Fate Reforged by taking a weekend trip back to Brooklyn to test for the upcoming Pro Tour. Thanks to Blizzpocalypse 2015, I got an extra two days of testing when my Monday flight home got canceled. The end result: five days of constant drafting interspersed with chunks of Modern testing.
My first impression of the limited format is that I enjoy it much more than triple Khans. I will admit that I was not a huge fan of the old format, but the addition of Fate Reforged to start the draft really makes it sing. First of all, most cards in the new set are a single color. That means you don’t have to start the draft making difficult decisions between powerful gold cards and solid mono-colored cards. But the real key is a better balance for the morph.
Morph is an amazing limited mechanic, both in terms of power level and exciting gameplay, but it is better in moderation. Fewer morphs means a lower power level and more variety in the creatures you can use to fill out your curve. Morph is so dominant in limited that it warps the format. In triple Khans, you wanted tons of morphs, preferably the stronger ones, and you only played other creatures that brought something special to the table. Now that there are less morphs available in the draft, the field opens up for other creatures to play useful roles. This rewards creative card evaluation, which is one of my favorite aspects of limited play. It is truly a breath of fresh air.
Plus, if you appreciate how powerful morph is in limited Magic, you can scoop them up and gain a significant edge over other decks. Less morphs in an eight-person draft pod improves the gameplay of the draft, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a great deck with a lot of them. Morphs in FRF/KTK/KTK draft are like dual lands in KTK/KTK/KTK draft: now you can be the “morph” drafter like you could previously be the “five color” drafter. Blue-green is the main home for the best morph creatures, and the deck below is a fun example of perhaps the best archetype in the new format.
Face Down
This deck could really use a removal spell or two instead of the Temur Runemark and one of the card draw engines, but otherwise it is a thing of beauty. I actually lost a game I should have won because I got so wrapped up in how much fun I had visiting Value Village that I forgot basic combat math. I will be more disciplined at the Pro Tour, and I’d be very happy to run this deck back in DC next weekend. (I’ll also remember to run a basic land for my third color to fetch with Trail of Mystery even if the deck has enough sources from dual lands.)
Friend of Hipsters and Pro Tour testing buddy Hugh Kramer revealed himself as an Enemy of Value in his match against me. I played turn two Trail of Mystery followed by turn three Jeskai Infiltrator. He must not have known how those cards interact when he immediately killed the Infiltrator with Bring Low. A successful Infiltrator hit with Trail on board is basically a turn four Treasure Cruise—you get two untapped Manifests and you draw two lands. I still won that game, at least in part because Hugh was constrained on mana, but he should have been playing Trail of Mystery and drawing all the lands. Enemy of Value.
Jon Pena, another Friend of Hipsters, had an epic game with me where his turn two Soulfire Grand Master led to him being ahead 31 life to three with a Cloudform threatening to kill me in two more turns. I attacked with a Hero’s Blade-wearing Infiltrator and he let it through rather than chump, letting me manifest a Sagu Archer that I could then flip up to block and kill the Cloudform. It was a crazy game and a ton of fun.
I have to keep some secrets for the Pro Tour, as I know everyone will read this to get the full intel on my draft strategies, so I’ll leave it at that. See everyone in DC and hopefully on the feature match coverage!
Brendan McNamara (MTGO: eestlinc, Twitter: @brendanistan) used to play Magic in the old days. His favorite combo was Armageddon plus Zuran Orb. After running out of money to buy cards and friends who were willing to put up with that combo, he left the game. But like disco, he was bound to come back eventually. Now he’s a lawyer by day and a Dimir agent by night. |
Apparently people like Erin Simmons, who hate CrossFit didn't read my article on how CrossFit saved my health, nor have they considered the broader implications of how this fitness program may be helping tens of thousands (and maybe more) of people get healthy and happy.
Erin is just one among many who have made headway bashing CrossFit as being a sport that causes too many injuries, is overwhelmed by poor coaching or thoughtless programming, and, oh yes, for being a cult. And though there is some validity to some of what I have read, and I am happy to stand corrected on any point, it seems to me that these opinions are personal, ego-based vendettas written by people who feel the need to shout out warnings on subjects that are not completely substantiated by research or fact.
It's really incredible to me. Really. I've been practicing medicine for close to 20 years and none of us have figured out a way not only to get people motivated to exercise and get fit, but to stick to it. CrossFit is not the problem folks, obesity is. We have an epidemic of obesity that is not only propelling the rising costs of healthcare, but also morbid problems like metabolic syndrome, heart disease, cancer and diabetes. The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the U.S. was $147 billion in 2008 U.S. dollars. The medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight.
I remember this time last year, I spent a weekend going to watch the CrossFit Northeast Regionals competition. It was truly an amazing experience. I couldn't decide where to feast my eyes, the athletes competing, or the athletes in the spectator stands. The entire Reebok CrossFit One field was swimming with fit people. It was such a thrill for this doc to witness, especially since the night before I found myself walking amongst an ocean of obesity in the streets of Boston's North End.
In my two years of being part of CrossFit, I have witnessed more couch potatoes getting fit either because of CrossFit or because they were influenced by my or a friend's change in fitness level from participating in CrossFit. My friends and parents, for example have stopped eating high levels of grains and sugars and have started exercising regularly. Do you have any idea how many years I have been trying to get them to do so? This time around, I didn't push them to do anything. They merely started because they saw how much healthier and fitter, not to mention happier I became.
Now why would you want to shut down something that is getting people to exercise by the droves? No program is fail-safe, especially when it gets to be this big and popular. But rather than bashing something that is working to get so many people fit, maybe we can put our minds together to fix any flaws, unless, that is, you feel the program is threatening your business or way of life.
How about I'll start. I am going to list the top three factors that seem to get bashed most frequently and offer my opinion to meet yours. Maybe we can come up with some solutions.
Let's start with bashing factor number one: CrossFit (CF) is dangerous because of the injuries:
This seems to be the most popular, though there is no current literature that validates that CF causes more injuries than any other sport. You can get injured skiing, running marathons, playing football and yes, the new research is pointing to injuries from yoga.
I personally am more worried about the broad health implications of the increased morbidity and mortality associated with poor fitness and not being able to get up from sitting on the floor.
Perhaps it is more important to shine a light on the notion that injuries are occurring because people are actually exercising and talking about it? I don't know about you, but in my clinic, I hear more complaints of injuries people are sustaining from walking up the stairs because their knees can't handle carrying the heavy weight of their body.
If people actually like to run, do gymnastics, play basketball or become active in any sport, you are going to see more widespread injuries because being active and inactive come with risks, risks which can be avoided with proper education and learning to be mindful of one's abilities and the body's needs, instead of allowing the ego to run the show.
So if I were to pull out the value of this argument, I would surmise that the real concern is that novices and people who don't know their fitness levels are pushing too hard, too fast and getting injured. It seems to me that the solution is asking people to be more mindful and educated, to put their egos aside and understand their fitness level and set appropriate goals, and take into account that the fitness program also involves days of rest and recovery, appropriate sports and life nutrition, and self-care.
Oh wait a minute, CF already advocates that.
Which brings me to bashing factor number two: poor coaching and thoughtless programming:
The claim that CF coaches are under-qualified, as they need only a weekend certification course to teach, which means they are not trained adequately to offer good or safe programming or training to participants, is an important one, though I am not so sure how prevalent.
I am not sure how many CF gyms the "bashing" authors have been, too, but I have never had this experience. In the two gyms I belong to, nothing we do is random. The coaches spend days coming up with specific programming that sometimes seems boring because we work on building strength or getting a form right for a long time.
I have, on the other hand, experienced poor coaching from at least three different personal trainers who did not take my back injuries into account when prescribing exercise routines for me, that left me injured and out for the count for six months to a year. From my understanding, one can get a personal training degree from doing an online program, so I am not so sure pointing a finger at CF is the answer.
It seems to me the answer is education and the need for all teachers, coaches or leaders to understand that pupils, students and participants take your words very seriously. As a doctor I face the same problem, which is why I am very careful about what I recommend and I am constantly staying on top of new literature and my own education.
To pull from the value of this argument, I would suggest that clients, students and coaches should continue to stay educated and programs or classes can be initiated to enable everyone to do so, whether this involves classes on injury prevention, nutrition, stress management, or importance of form. Anyone joining CF or any other exercise program can be smart by doing their own research, getting to know the coaches and seeing for themselves how qualified they are to teach.
My favorite, bashing factor number three, is the CF is a cult:
Calling CrossFit a cult holds with it the implication that people who choose to engage in this sport do not think for themselves because they have been drinking some kind of "Kool-Aid", and that the members are "a relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister."
I am sure most of the people in my gym -- lawyers, doctors, engineers, teachers, nurses, firemen, plumbers, mothers and fathers -- might take offense to this belief, but most of us would more likely just laugh. It's true, CrossFitters are very excited about CF and they have a tendency to talk about it too much to anyone that will listen. But let's look at the big picture, which is that this so called "cult" is really representative of people who are experiencing a strong sense of belonging, something that is actually vital for a human being's sense of well-being and happiness.
Studies, in fact show that our happiness, motivation and health are tied to the feeling that we belong to a greater community.
Studies also show that individuals are more likely to stick to a fitness plan when it is social or there exists social support.
As I have mentioned before, I am one of those people who has a hard time motivating to go to the gym on some days and I go because I know my friends will be there and I have someone and something to be accountable to. In addition, coming together with the larger community to cheer and watch competitors, whether it is the Northeast Regional's competition or a rumble with a nearby gym, is beyond thrilling and motivating, not just because the athletes are so inspiring, but because the sense of togetherness and belonging is fun and inspiring too.
In all honesty, if I could get more of my patients to jump on this healthy bandwagon I would. Instead, I will advocate that though a sense of community and belonging is important, people also need to still think for themselves and make wise decisions based on their own needs and fitness levels. |
A town in North Dakota was evacuated by authorities after an oil train derailed Wednesday morning.
Valley News Live reports the Wells County Sheriff's Office confirmed a BNSF train left the tracks near Heimdal at around 7.30 a.m.
[googlemaps https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d10721.652163143772!2d-99.64492641649673!3d47.792828550643065!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x52dbae352192d6f9%3A0x6c30343e2c06d5d6!2sHeimdal%2C+ND+58341!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1430921952323&w=240&h=240]
An image of the crash by Jennifer Willis published on Facebook shows tankers left the track and caught on fire, with thick black smoke billowing from the cars.
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She says she was evacuated from her home along with the rest of the town.
In a statement released Wednesday morning, BNSF said that the train consisted of 109 cars, of which 107 were carrying crude oil and the other two were buffer cars loaded with sand.
MPR News reports six rail tanker cars were burning, but no injuries were reported nor were any buildings threatened.
KHND reports motorists were told to steer clear of the area by emergency officials.
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Heimdal is a small town located between Harvey and New Rockford, and has a population of just 27, according to the 2010 census. The town is located about 192 miles west of Fargo.
The state has had several train derailments in recent years involving trains transporting fuel from the Bakken oilfields.
The most notable derailment occurred in Casselton in 2013, and Wells County Emergency Manager Tammy Roehrich told the Bismarck News Tribune this latest incident bears the hallmarks of Casselton.
The newspaper adds the train's engine and some of its cars were decoupled and taken away from the burning wreckage.
BNSF spokesman Michael Trevino told the Forum News Service the train had 107 tank cars carrying crude oil with two buffer cars loaded with sand between the crude cars and locomotives.
Dayton calls for improvements
The high number of derailments across the country has prompted the National Transportation Safety Board to call for an "aggressive schedule" to replace or retrofit oil railcars so they are better protected against heat from fires, as well as improving their ability to withstand impact damage.
BNSF confirmed to FOX 9 the train cars involved in the derailment are the same models the federal government wants phased out by 2020.
Gov. Mark Dayton, speaking to FOX 9, said the latest incident is another example of why he wants to push ahead with his proposed $842 million bonding bill, part of which would fund a series of railway infrastructure projects across Minnesota.
Minnesota created two emergency response teams – one in Moorhead and one in St. Paul – to travel to oil the site of any oil train derailments in Minnesota.
According to WCCO, Republicans are proposing the creation of two more, in St. Cloud and Duluth, but they have resisted the governor's call for a new tax on railroads to pay for infrastructure improvements.
Republicans have resisted Dayton's call for a new tax on railroads to pay for some of those infrastructure improvements.
"The problem is [derailments are] not happening at rail grade crossings," Rep. Tim Kelly (R-Red Wing) told WCCO. "They're happening in North Dakota, outside the towns and rail grade crossings."
Additionally, the railroads themselves say they are spending $300 million on rail improvements.
Around 50 oil trains a week pass through Minnesota on their way to refineries on the East Coast and in the south. |
In addition, Pittsburgh also has a very large population of students, making it a major college town. As often the case, having so many students around has a strong influence on the local culture. In fact, Pittsburgh is one of only a few big cities that are also major college towns, making it one of the nation's prominent intellectual centers. In addition, the presence of thousands of college students gives Pittsburgh a sophisticated style, and provides lots of diversions and entertainment for students. Being a big "college town" not only means that Pittsburgh has a burgeoning arts, music, and nightclub scene, but the innovation sector of the local economy receives a great boost from both the intellectual output of the faculty and the thousands of enthusiastic students who graduate every spring.
Pittsburgh, like many big cities in America, has a public transportation system, but the citizens of Pittsburgh are lucky because theirs is one of the most extensive and widely used. Many commuters choose to leave their cars at home and instead use the bus to get to and from work. In fact, for some people it is feasible to forgo car ownership entirely, avoiding the cost and headache of driving in heavy traffic. The benefits include reduced air pollution and load on the road network.
The citizens of Pittsburgh are among the most well-educated in the nation: 40.73% of adults in Pittsburgh have a bachelor's degree or even advanced degree, whereas the average US city has 21.84% holding at least a bachelor's degree.
The per capita income in Pittsburgh in 2010 was $29,196, which is upper middle income relative to Pennsylvania and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $116,784 for a family of four. However, Pittsburgh contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.
Pittsburgh is an extremely ethnically-diverse city. The people who call Pittsburgh home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Pittsburgh residents report their race to be White, followed by Black or African-American. Important ancestries of people in Pittsburgh include German, Irish, Italian, Polish, and English.
The most common language spoken in Pittsburgh is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Chinese. |
I love all things Star Wars as much as the next guy, and I am extremely pleased to see that Rogue One is annihilating the competition at the box office, but I’m beginning to wonder whether Disney’s hubris is about to send the franchise into an inescapable tailspin.
As is the case with most movies that top the box office, the new Rogue One TV spots make sure to highlight that fact. Except Rogue One is taking things pretty far in bypassing the worldwide box office and making the wild claim that this is the top movie in the ENTIRE galaxy.
How the hell would they know that? There are potentially 100 billion planets in our own Milky Way galaxy, so is Disney trying to tell me here that they’ve been tracking the box office rankings on every single planet? They’ve learned every alien language and culture, figured out how to compare our currencies, and somehow devised a system that is able to collectively rank every planet’s overall box office? Please. If anything, this is terribly reckless, because we really have no idea how an alien civilization would react to this potentially catastrophic slight.
I guess none of this matters anyway, because in today’s post-truth society, whether or not you have the facts doesn’t make a difference. You just need to state your baseless claim with enough conviction that no one really bothers to fight it. And then when people do start to investigate your claim, you just immediately make another one to deflect the attention.
So when the next Rogue One TV spot says it is the #1 movie in the universe, you’ll be able to see right through it. And you’ll be able to see just how dangerous a claim it is.
Stay vigilant, my friends. |
Earlier this year, after sending a team of economists to Australia, the IMF produced their latest Country Report on Australia, giving the country a clean bill of health. They appear to have simply used or endorsed the Reserve Bank of Australia's Dwelling prices and Household Income ratios and charts. But these charts are wrong. The RBA argues that when making international comparisons in dwelling prices to income ratios, the median income that most countries use is not well suited for Australia due to lack of up-to-date surveys, and therefore the average measure is more appropriate. It appears that the IMF has bought into this argument and also mixed up the median measure (which the RBA has at about 7 times income) with the average measure (which the RBA has at about 4 times income) and then compared Australia's average ratio with the rest of the world's median ratios. This is hiding Australia's true housing bubble. The IMF has also failed to understand the unsustainable dynamics at work in Australia's economy, which is due to the high net migration policy adopted after 2003 to contain the risk of a crash in house prices after a huge run-up in prices and credit from 2000 to 2003 (after the Sydney Olympics). It seemed to work so the government just kept on bringing in more migrants (first 100K, then 200K then 300K per year). High population growth has fuelled high GDP growth, high wages growth and very high household debt growth. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has just released an alarming update on household debt (4102.2 Australian Social Trends 2014). Total household debt in Australia now stands at $1.84 trillion or $79.000 per person; total household debt to gross household disposable income is 180%. But these ratios are misleading because Australia, similar to Spain before 2008, has been systematically raising real wages to internationally uncompetitive levels so that in absolute terms household debt levels are now about double that of households in Canada, UK, Germany and even the US. Recently the reserve banks of Germany and Austria reported that house prices in their countries were now overvalued. In contrast the Reserve Bank of Australia reports consistently maintain that house prices and household debt are not too high. And apparently the IMF sees nothing wrong either. As Paul Krugman writes in his book End This Depression Now: "once debt levels are high enough, anything can trigger the Minsky moment - a run-of-the-mill recession, the popping of a housing bubble, and so on". So if the IMF is trying to avoid causing any panic, then their reports need to be viewed as uninformative at best. |
One competition where you can win 5 games! ~ You now get the chance to win 5 different games on Steam ~
I have a lot of games inside my storehouse on Steam that I've had for a very long time and never know when or where to put them out, since they are small games. So here you can win:
Blood of the Werewolf ~ Sponsored by: Kark-Jocke Dead Horde ~ Sponsored by: Kark-Jocke The Legend of Korra™ ~ Sponsored by: Sakura Matou Don't Starve Together ~ Sponsored by: Sakura Matou Trine 2: Complete Story ~ Sponsored by: Kark-Jocke
Sakura Matou gave me some game that I could use as a contest for a very long time ago, so some of them are here now on this contest. I have other games too, but they are very big packages that will be used for other competitions coming after summer.
Game Competition (5 Games Package)
~ Answer the following questions to win ~
Question 01: What is your favorite group on this website?
Question 02: What Mod are you hoping will be released this year?
Question 03: What is the most exciting video of a Mod you ever seen here on this website? Share a link on the comment to the video here on this website.
This competition is under the Rule nr. 01 - (Game Competition Info)
One lucky winner will be drawn in this competition.
This competition will expire 22.05.2017 - (The competition is now closed)
Those who win will be contacted by those who Sponsor this competition.
The game will be handed on PC through Steam.
To aid delivery through Steam friend one of the Sponsors.
To see Sponsor list refer to main blog here. |
Look Out! There Are Robots All Around
Marketplace correspondent David Brancaccio wanted to see if it was possible drive across the country without interacting with a human being — just machines. He discovered how technological advances — from factory robots to self-checkout machines — are changing the future of U.S. jobs.
NEAL CONAN, HOST:
This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Neal Conan in Washington. We've all become accustomed to robots on the assembly line. We don't even think about automatic doors and the card swipe that lets us fill up when the gas station is closed. But Marketplace special correspondent David Brancaccio recently drove across the country with the goal of never speaking to another human being along the way.
He did meet a robot comic, hotel check-in kiosks and a robot receptionist.
DAVID BRANCACCIO, BYLINE: So Tank(ph), I'm looking for Room 2111.
TANK: I'll check. You can take the elevators down to the second floor where the room is located.
CONAN: On the odyssey, some claimed robots create more and better jobs. Others took a darker view. Where have you been surprised to meet a robot? Give us a call, 800-989-8255. Email us, [email protected]. You can also join the conversation on our website. That's at npr.org. Click on TALK OF THE NATION.
Later in the program, 30 years after the Falkland's War, a new conflict between Britain and Argentina in the South Atlantic. But first, David Brancaccio joins us from member station KJZZ in Mesa, Arizona. He's a special correspondent for Marketplace. His new series, "Robots Ate My Job." Nice to have you with us today.
BRANCACCIO: Great to be here, Neal.
CONAN: And Tank was the robot receptionist you encountered at Carnegie Mellon University, which is, well, the source of all these problems.
BRANCACCIO: Exactly. They have the Robotics Institute there, and they are a hotbed of research into this stuff. I'll tell you, if you are a student in that program there, you have a job for life. In fact, I asked some of these Ph.D. candidates in the Robotics Institute: So, do your parents call you, as all parents seem to call their offspring at college, and worry about where they're going to find work? And not one of them is worried about that.
CONAN: Because this is the expanding field, in fact expanding so fast we can't think of applications quickly enough.
BRANCACCIO: No, it's just amazing. I met a young man from southwest Virginia who has a snake robot that crawls into small apertures to do search and rescues, for instance after an earthquake. We met an amazing woman named Anka(ph) who has - they're finally cracking this problem, Neal.
Robots are great on the factory floor, right, or, you know, where you know where the pathways are. But they haven't been able to figure out, really, how to get them into homes. Anka is working on this caregiver robot that could learn your apartment, learn your house and give you a hand, especially for people with disabilities.
The scientist, the professor who is also working with Anka on this said the other day they got the robot to successfully pick up 800 mugs of coffee. And I said: Wow, isn't that cool? And he said: Yeah, but the only thing anyone remembers is the four it dropped.
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
BRANCACCIO: So a work in progress.
CONAN: A work in progress. But the fact is these applications are coming faster and faster and faster and faster.
BRANCACCIO: And it's affecting the workplace. That's what I was most interested in. I was interested in the future of work. I have this series, Economy 4.0, on Marketplace that looks at the future of the economy, and for over 100 years, really since the Industrial Revolution, what economists have been saying - and you've heard it, I've heard it - which is that yes, of course technology destroys jobs.
When they brought mechanization onto farms, most people lost their jobs, but technology creates better jobs, if not for the people who lost their jobs then for their kids, better jobs and more jobs, and that has been generally the case since the Industrial Revolution.
But now we have some smart people reflecting on this, and they're worried about maybe something is different now. Maybe technology is moving ahead so quickly that the jobs supposedly being created have not caught up, and it's very interesting. The argument is, and we can develop this as we talk, Neal, is that it's hurting the middle, the middle class more than it is people at the top or at the bottom.
CONAN: Because at the bottom, the exception being that home care robot, as soon as she doesn't drop any coffee cups, maybe she'll take a job. But right now, those kinds of jobs - janitors' jobs, things like that - people who make up the rooms in motels and hotels, these are bottom-end jobs, those seem pretty safe.
BRANCACCIO: Right, now it is possible that clever engineers could come up with a janitor robot, but would it be cost-effective because the human may just be cheaper, actually in perpetuity. And at the very top, if you are a person, for instance the students at Carnegie Mellon creating robots, or if you're a person more widely creating with robots, creating with technology, it's a golden age, really.
But in the middle, even people - and this is the part that scared me - people with college educations, even if you have a graduate degree, there could be a piece of technology that can do what you do and do it better.
CONAN: The example you gave in the series was the pathologist, a branch of medicine that requires many years of study.
BRANCACCIO: Yeah, it was interesting. I was hoping that maybe my master's degree in journalism was going to protect me, and a professor at MIT who studied this pointed out this pathology robot. Now, pathology is one of the toughest, most training-intensive parts of medicine, and now apparently there's a computer that has looked at breast tissue and identified cancer about as well as a human being. So even the pathology job isn't protected.
CONAN: We want to hear from you in the audience. Where is the most surprising place you have encountered a robot? Give us a call, 800-989-8255. Email us, [email protected]. We'll start with Ed(ph), and Ed's with us from Racine in Wisconsin.
ED: Yeah, the robots are starting to invade your bailiwick. Local talk shows here are using robots to screen out left-wing callers from right-wing talk-show programs, and it's just a matter of time. But we think that the right-wing talk-show hosts are robots anyway, but...
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
CONAN: Well, that's another story. But what does it sound like when you call? And presumably, the robot is ideologically neutral, it's being programmed by somebody.
ED: Oh no, the robot understands the phone numbers that you're calling from, and they're - if you repetitively call, they feed that into the (technical difficulty) you don't even get on the program. So it's gotten to that point now, it's terrible. We in organized labor didn't fight this in the 1980s when Reagan jammed it down our throats, and here we are.
BRANCACCIO: Well, you know, it's interesting, what got me down this whole road about what technology might be doing to jobs is just this: I got a call from a buddy of mine in D.C., and he had called his health care company and swore that the digitized voice when he got into voicemail at the health insurance company was me.
And he calls me up. He goes: Is that what you - did you do that? And I denied this. I didn't do this. But it reminded me that a million years ago, an old boss at Marketplace, Jim Russell, had sold my voice to science.
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
BRANCACCIO: And I tracked this guy down, and he said: Yeah, it was to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania. But he reassured me it wasn't to synthesize a Marketplace host, it was to in fact use what we were doing on Marketplace to see if machines could understand what we were saying, OK.
But that then led to the next bit of research, that showed that in fact journalism is becoming digitized and robotized even as we speak, Neal. If you go to Forbes, the business publication, if you go to Forbes online and look for a byline on some of the pieces that are posted there, if you look for the byline narrative sciences, that's a company in which a computer writes the news story.
CONAN: Really?
BRANCACCIO: It has some sort of algorithm...
CONAN: The who, what, where, why, when story, the algorithm?
BRANCACCIO: Yeah, I mean, you know, it's probably not the in-depth feature story, Neal, in which he went to a developing country and came back with some important multi-layered story of injustice. It is probably the story about corporate profits, where the machine - anything really repetitive, sports reporting lends itself to computers writing the stories.
And I have a journalism professor actually just up the road at the Cronkite School of Journalism at ASU who says to me - he tells his students, really, that if they think journalism is calling one side, then calling someone on the other side of the story, then sort of brief synthesis in the middle, that a robot has already taken that job.
CONAN: Let's see if we can get another caller in. This is Michael(ph), Michael with us from Denver.
MICHAEL: Hello.
CONAN: Hi, you're on the air, go ahead please.
MICHAEL: Oh, I'm on the air. Hi, Neal.
CONAN: Hi.
MICHAEL: My name's Mike Plotnik(ph), I'm an OB/GYN in Greeley, Colorado. And for about the last year, I've been doing the bulk of my laparoscopies with a robot, the robotically assisted Da Vinci System. And I can tell you that last I heard, about a third of hysterectomies in Colorado are being done robotically, so...
CONAN: And by robot, do you mean you're using what - you're controlling a machine remotely?
MICHAEL: There is a - we actually hook up standard laparoscopes, although they're a little bit different. We insert them into the patient, and then I actually leave the surgical field and go to a console in the corner of the room. And I put my hands into little controlling devices, and the robotic components enables me to move my hands in ways that I would not normally be able to do.
I can rotate my hand around two and a half times, which I certainly couldn't do it...
CONAN: Those were called - are they still called Waldos from the old Robert Heinlein science-fiction story?
MICHAEL: We don't call them Waldo. The Northern Colorado Medical Center purchased the robot a few years ago, and it's quite the wonder. It enables me to do things that I could never have done before. And these patients can now go home the same day. So I can do a very big surgery, take out a very big uterus, and the woman can really be home six hours later.
BRANCACCIO: Mike, you're probably loving this, right, because it doesn't replace you. It's just sort of a colleague who works alongside you, this robot.
MICHAEL: Oh, well, I immerse myself in the robot. Yeah, I actually called my mom when we started doing it, and I said: Mom, the Xbox paid off.
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
CONAN: So I'm glad it paid off finally. Michael, thanks very much for the call.
MICHAEL: Thank you very much.
CONAN: David Brancaccio, this would be an example of the good robot. In other words, a lot of people make very good money making this robot, and it doesn't replace anybody.
BRANCACCIO: Yes, exactly, and what's interesting is we spent a little bit of time with another robot with pretensions for a career in the medical field, a robotic scrub nurse. It was called GestoNurse, and it essentially passes the tools over to the surgeon. And whether this is good or bad depends on your perspective because if you're a scrub nurse, and the potential is maybe you might get replaced by this piece of technology, perhaps you're a little worried.
If you're the patient, maybe not so much because this robotic scrub nurse takes careful account of all the surgical instruments, to be absolutely sure that none get left inside after they sew you up. So the idea is that they want to make outcomes, surgical outcomes, better, in which case they're using robots to try it.
CONAN: Here's an email from Sue(ph) in Portland: My housemate is a milk tester. She drives around to dairies testing the milk for quality. She told me about a robotic milking machine the cows can use to milk themselves whenever they want. This is amazing. It sits in the cow yard, and the cows can use it whenever they like, as opposed to on a human schedule.
BRANCACCIO: That's amazing, it'll let the cow decide.
CONAN: Let the cow decide. There's a concept. David Brancaccio, stay with us. We're talking about his series "Robots Ate My Job," that's the series he did as a correspondent, special correspondent for Marketplace. So tell us: Where have you been surprised to find a robot? Give us a call, 800-989-8255. Email us, [email protected]. Stay with us. I'm Neal Conan. It's the TALK OF THE NATION from NPR News.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
CONAN: This is TALK OF THE NATION from NPR News. I'm Neal Conan. And there's a development in the case against the men accused of planning the attacks of September the 11th. The Pentagon announced today the trial of five men facing terrorism and murder charges, including the alleged mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, will take place at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Stay tuned to NPR for more on that story as we learn more throughout the day.
Robots are all around us, integrated into our lives in ways we may not always think about. Sure, that check-in kiosk at the airport is kind of a robot. So is an ATM. What about the friend – friendly digital accountant that guides you through TurboTax or Siri, helping you find your way to the closest drug store?
Marketplace's David Brancaccio was struck by this steady encroachment of robots, who tried to drive across the country without ever speaking with a single human being, came pretty close.
So where have you been surprised to interact with a robot? Call and tell us what happened, 800-989-8255. Email [email protected]. You can also join the conversation on our website. That's at npr.org. Click on TALK OF THE NATION.
Our guest is David Brancaccio, and David, as you were making the drive, all right, we figured out there's a way to check in automatically at hotels. What did you do about food?
BRANCACCIO: I went down to the local grocery stores along the route, and I did self-check-out, and the solution to warming up the food was a little clumsy but effective. I had a microwave oven I stuck in the trunk of the car, and I hid it away in one of those wheelie carry-on luggage things, and I snuck it into the...
CONAN: Oh because the hotels don't want you to bring it in.
BRANCACCIO: Probably not, you know, making macaroni and cheese and fish late at night in the hotel.
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
BRANCACCIO: But it worked. It worked fine. I did have my first scrape with a human being on that 3,200-mile drive at one of those self-check-outs. I was thinking: Do I really want to eat all this TV dinner stuff the whole week? And so I got a fresh piece of produce. It happened to be an ear of corn. And, you know, you've tried the self-check-outs. That's - the robots at the cashier, the cashier robots are often confounded by the fresh produce.
And there was a woman at a supermarket in Roanoke, Virginia, and her job is to lord over the self-check-out lanes. Her name is Pat(ph). And she was full of customer service enthusiasm, and she was trying to help me, and I was trying to, in a delicate way, extricate myself, not wanting to deal with humans for the week.
I did get the ear of corn, and it was the one healthy thing I ate all week.
CONAN: Well, joining us now from a studio at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is Andrew McAfee, the principal research scientist at the Center for Digital Business at MIT and co-author of a book called "Race Against the Machine." Nice to have you with us today.
ANDREW MCAFEE: Hi Neal. Hi David.
BRANCACCIO: Hi there.
CONAN: And you were one of the people that David consulted before starting out on his trip, and there are some robots you told him that are so advanced they can take on jobs in, well, we've been talking about fields like science, jobs that require humans - that would require humans to complete years of schooling.
MCAFEE: Yeah, the robots are spreading all throughout the economy. But Neal, I want to go back to something you said earlier in our segment, which is you identified - you talked about this as a problem. And I want to be really clear: Technical progress is not a problem for an economy. It's one of the best things that can happen in an economy.
CONAN: So this advancement is tremendous news, and we talked about good robots. There are, by implication, bad robots, people lose their jobs.
MCAFEE: Well, there are bad robots in the sense they will put some people out of work, and in some ways, technical progress is bad news for some kinds of employee. It's great news for basically all kinds of consumer. I just want to make sure that we keep that in mind. However, losing your job to a robot is never fun.
CONAN: Never fun, and as David was suggesting earlier, it is the people in the middle who seem to be most vulnerable to losing their jobs.
MCAFEE: Yeah, the average - or the average worker in America does not have a college degree and is not doing physical labor. So they're doing kind of routine-knowledge work. That is squarely in the sights of automation and better computers and better robots these days, especially as they get better at recognizing speech, producing speech, pattern matching, answering questions, all these abilities we've seen them demonstrate recently.
These are going to have a big impact. They're already having a big impact, right in the middle of the workforce. Now as we talked about earlier, they are also encroaching both up and down.
CONAN: Up and down, so this window is widening. You talked about the hourglass economy, it's the people in the middle getting squeezed.
MCAFEE: Yeah, and one of the things that I find really interesting is that it's not just people in the middle anymore. There are some folk, like we've talked about, who go through a lot of education, very expensive training, and they're finding that at least some of what they do is right within the - right in the sights of the technical revolution that's going on these days.
We mentioned a pathologist. In many ways, a lawyer, someone who participates in a discovery process, is just pattern-matching across a huge number of documents. Computers are better at that than we are.
CONAN: And David, we tend to think, sometimes, we think back to those jobs in agriculture from a century ago, and, well, these were not exactly - not to get too nostalgic about it, these were difficult, tough, low-paying jobs. People who worked in those businesses did not live what a lot of us would think was the best of lives.
And some of the jobs on those factory floors, good, honest work yes, like the farming work, too, but a little soul-destroying to be welding the same piece of equipment 87 times in a row.
BRANCACCIO: Well, it's interesting, I mean, economists refer to them as bad jobs and that the idea would be that technology would bring better ones. But we talked to someone who has one of these - at least what some economists might regard as not such a great job. A checkout clerk at a supermarket has to do that over and over, year after year.
It turns out the woman is from Encino, California, and she comes from a long line of supermarket checkout clerks. She says she's third generation. And I asked her, I said: That's not such a great job? And she doesn't see it that way. She enjoys the interactions that she has with her customers. She gets health care coverage through that particular job. She would be happy to do it until retirement, and she doesn't want any economist telling her it's no good, yet as we can see, there's technology that can do what she does quite effectively.
CONAN: And as we consider the future, Andrew McAfee, how quickly is this advancing?
MCAFEE: Quicker and quicker, all the time. So I relied really heavily in my teaching for a bunch of years on a book written in 2004, very carefully researched, where the author said, as the Exhibit A, computers are not going to learn to drive cars. It's such a complex thing to do, there are so many skills involved that that is going to be defensible human labor territory for the foreseeable future.
Fast-forward six years, and Google announces that it's been driving cars around American roads for hundreds of thousands of miles, no human input and just about a flawless track record. So the astonishing thing is how quickly progress is coming with technology and how it's overturning a lot of our assumptions about the comparative mix of human and digital labor.
CONAN: Which raises questions about artificial intelligence that - raised by many of your colleagues over there at MIT.
MCAFEE: Yeah, and computers are expanding their skills much, much more quickly than we are. Digital progress is a lot faster than human evolution.
CONAN: So as we consider the future of these jobs, OK, technological progress is a good thing, if not for the people run over by the new robotic steamroller, then for everybody else. But is there a point at which you have to say, wait a minute, maybe this equation's going the other way?
MCAFEE: Well, trying to slow down or stop technical progress would be about as bad an idea as closing all the schools and ripping up all the roads in an economy. It's just a terrible thing to even contemplate. But your question is a really interesting one.
I believe that these science-fiction technologies that we have today, are going to bring us, in the fairly near future, into kind of a science-fiction economy. And it's an economy where there's a lot of work being done, but maybe not a lot of jobs available.
And, you know, we've all watched enough science-fiction movies to know that there are two flavors of movie about the future. There's kind of the utopian version and the dystopian version. And we're going to have a choice about which of those two scenarios we head toward as we move deeper into this era of astonishing technical progress.
CONAN: David Brancaccio, it's almost impossible to imagine that we would all grow fatter and fatter slurping up our drinks on space stations while WALL-E continues to do our jobs.
BRANCACCIO: Exactly. By the way, science fiction offers a solution here. I think it was Isaac Asimov, his idea was that - at least the character in one of the books - was that labor unions set aside certain jobs for just humans and exclude robots from certain positions in society. So there is one solution drawn from the pages of science fiction.
CONAN: Here's an email from Justin(ph) in Detroit: I recently saw a video of a robot conducting the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. What other creativity-driven professions are being investigated in robotics? Any idea, Andrew McAfee?
MCAFEE: Yeah, we haven't seen what I would call a lot of digital creativity yet, but we absolutely are seeing the automation of some of the more routine, shorter kinds of a creative work. We mentioned writing earlier. I was talking to a guy that runs a company called Automated Insights, which automates sports writing, which is kind of formulaic, is pretty fact-based.
So he sets up websites that are populated with stories about college basketball, and he says every year the website will get an email from an athletic director of the college that's being covered to say: Hey, do you want a couple tickets to the upcoming tournament? And he has to kind of politely explain the laptop is not going to show up and want to go to your college tournament.
CONAN: The laptop's not going to come up with: The Ruth is mighty and shall prevail. So...
MCAFEE: Right.
CONAN: ...in any case, this email from Jerry(ph) in San Francisco: I don't know how many NPR member stations use this, but mine, KQED-FM, has a computer running the overnight broadcast. The afternoon announcer records the time checks and announcements ahead of time, then the machine inserts them between recorded programs through the wee hours.
David Brancaccio, we can't begin to tell you how much of the broadcast industry is thus operated.
BRANCACCIO: I know. And I needed something to listen to as I was driving across the country, all those six days alone. And so what I did was I downloaded some Pandora, and that's that online service where you put in your favorite band or your favorite song, and it uses an algorithm to choose - to do the DJ work. And it worked pretty well. When I put in the musician Beck, the set was really good. It was a very clever selection of songs. When I put in Neil Young, it was bizarre. It didn't work. So the robots' efforts are a bit uneven at this stage.
CONAN: Let's go next to George(ph), George with us from Ann Arbor.
GEORGE: Yes. My encounter with one particular - with a robot - well, I didn't know it was a robot. It was calling my house for months, and it would call up and it would ask for the lady of the house. And I would say, no, and it would hang up. And then it would call back, and I was never thinking ahead. It always got me off-guard. So for months and months this went on.
And then, finally I said - you know, I would say, who's - you know, can I help you? Because it kept hanging up. It would just say, are you the lady of the house? I'd say no, and I'd hang up. I thought it was just really rude. And then, finally, I said, yes. And then it went on to tell me - ask me about - did I want to buy some family videos? But I thought it was a person the whole time talking to me, and I tried to engage him in a conversation.
And finally, I asked - I said, do you - are you a person or a machine? And the machine said, ha-ha-ha. Of course I'm a person. I'm not a machine. So I asked the exact same question again, and the machine replied, ha-ha-ha. Of course I'm a real person. I'm not a machine. Then I knew I was dealing with a machine.
And finally, by pushing different buttons and basically tricking the machine, I finally got to a real person. I said, please, stop calling me. But for months, I thought a real person was calling me. For the first 30 seconds, I thought I was talking to a real person.
CONAN: One thing about robot devices like that is they are tireless, as you suggest, George. And maybe the most annoying prompt is please continue to hold for our automated phone answering system.
GEORGE: Yeah.
CONAN: Yeah. Thanks very much for the phone call.
GEORGE: Sure. Thank you.
CONAN: We're talking about David Brancaccio's series for American Public Media's "Marketplace," "Robots Ate My Job." He's with us, along with Andrew McAfee, principal research scientist at the Center for Digital Business at MIT. You're listening to TALK OF THE NATION from NPR News.
And this email from Andy(ph) in Oakland: This is a very interesting conversation. I'd like to know where the line is between a robot and a machine. The latest example of the Da Vinci surgical device is an example. I would say it's no different from the keyboard I'm using - not so much a computer, more of a machine. Insomuch as computers are cheaper, history shows there's nothing cheaper than human. People will work themselves to death for less than food needed to keep them alive. It's more than a question of working for a decent standard of living - having robots do the greatest good for the society.
So Andrew McAfee, is there a meaningful line between a robot and a machine?
MCAFEE: Less meaningful all the time. So the boundaries between computer and robot and machine and tool are getting super fuzzy. My car doesn't drive itself, but it's got a GPS system in it. I don't know how much micro - how much processing power it has in it, and it's going to become more robot-like and more computer-like while remaining a car for years to come.
CONAN: Here's another email, this from Netto(ph) in Minnesota: My daughter, age 5, has cerebral palsy, is currently receiving physical therapy with a robotic device. She gets strapped into a device with robotic legs that move along with her legs, and the machine can be programmed to provide the appropriate amount of support. This helps her move with the proper gait. We've seen improvements with her walking speed and smoothness. There's even a biofeedback option where the computer screen shows a smiley face that smiles larger when she puts out more effort. The device is called a Lokomat or RobALT. My daughter receives this therapy at Gillette Specialty Healthcare in St. Paul.
And David Brancaccio, so many of these robotic applications are in medicine.
BRANCACCIO: They certainly are, and you know, what is a robot and what isn't? Young parents today seem to whip out the iPad, which then reads the storybook to their offspring. And it's sort of a robot parent situation. It's - everywhere that you look, this technology is starting to encroach. Andy, you mentioned this metaphor to me that really stuck with me. I think it's originally from the philosopher and musician Ray Kurzweil. It's the idea of the chessboard to illustrate just how quickly innovation is moving. Do you think you can share with us that metaphor for us?
MCAFEE: Yeah. Ray makes this great distinction between the first half of the chessboard and the second half of the chessboard. And it comes from an old story about when you put one grain of rice on the first square and double it, put two on the second, double it again, put four, what happens over the 64 squares of the chessboard? And by the end, you've got a pile of rice the size of Mount Everest. So it just staggers the imagination.
Kurzweil's point is that in the first 32 squares total, you've got about four billion grains of rice. Now, that's a lot, but it's only about as much as you'd get from one large field, and it doesn't stagger the imagination. You know, we can kind of - we can think about a billion, especially in the wake of the debt crisis. That's a number that kind of makes sense to us. It's in the second half of the chessboard that that constant doubling yields numbers so big that our intuition falls apart, that prior experience falls apart.
So when we were writing our book, we did just a quick back-of-the-envelope calculation. The U.S. started tracking computers as an investment category in 1958, and the standard period for doubling of computer power is 18 months. You do a little bit of math, and that quick estimate tells you that we entered the second half of the chessboard in about 2006 with computers, which helps me understand why we've got Google cars and Siri and Watson and all these robots coming at us just in the past few years. If this analogy holds up at all, the only real conclusion is we ain't seen nothing yet.
CONAN: We talked about some advanced medical devices. This email from Teresa: My daughter works at a brand new hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where they have a robot that can deliver food and meds and do other tasks. It can sense when something is standing in its way and will say excuse me and go around. I guess not too dissimilar from the cars and other devices like that. Gentlemen, thanks very much for your time today. And David, I assume that your golden-throated tones will sometimes show up in applications we'll never understand.
BRANCACCIO: No, exactly. I mean maybe we'll live on, both you and I, in this way.
CONAN: David Brancaccio, special correspondent for American Public Media's "Marketplace," joined us from member station KJZZ in Tempe, Arizona. Andrew McAfee of MIT's Center for Digital Business, author, co-author of "Race Against the Machine," thanks very much for your time today.
ANDREW MCAFEE: Thanks very much.
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What kind of present do you give a man who has +40 years of life experience on you? A man who most likely already owns everything that he could wish for (aside for things which no reasonable person could afford). This eternal conundrum plagues us every year when my Dads birthday comes around.
All of us kids have far surpassed the age where home made gifts are an option – but none of us really know what he could want. This situation has led to him being gifted a nice pair of socks in the past.
Not wanting to have a repeat of that I started racking my brain as to what he would really enjoy.
By off-chance I stumbled across a TV program (at 2am) which highlighted the “Best Action/Man Presents”. Normally these kind of things consist of some crap like bungee jumping, driving a racing car, paintballing and that sort of stuff. Not ultimately appealing, Especially not for a guy like my Dad. As the list was coming to an end – they showcased something rather interesting. Out in the middle of nowhere in the German countryside, some crazy people bought up a bunch of old Soviet/DDR Tanks (they’ve got 13 in total) and let you drive around in them. That could do the trick.
The place was called “Panzerkutscher” and was located close to Beerfelde, which is about 60km east of Berlin. I say close to Beerfelde as the “Panzerkutscher” is actually located in a field in the middle of the countryside.There are no real restrictions as to who can drive one of these Tanks. As long as you are over the age of 16 (and can fit through the entry hatch you are good to go. You don’t even need a drivers licence. For those who just want to tag along for the fun, for €10 you can hitch a ride on top of the tank. Bonus!
My old man served in the military when he was younger where he had driven a Tank before – and what better way to round off 4 years of Living in Moscow than driving around in a Soviet T55 Tank?
BOOM! We bought him a voucher and the deal was sealed.
So the fateful day came along and my dad popped over to Berlin for the Weekend. We got into the car and drove out east. What should have been a straight forward one hour drive through the country – ended up being a 2 hour trip through the forest. If you thought Berlins roads where crap – well I suggest you take a road trip to Beerfelde when the only road you can take is closed off. We eventually did find our way back onto a paved road again – after thoroughly testing the off road capabilities of my girlfriends Chevrolet Spark.
So there we were, a torn up piece of land with a small concrete hut. And right in the middle a T55 Tank with an elderly family was cruising at full speed through the dirt.
We made our way to the Hut to sign ourselves in and got a quick breakdown of what was going to happen. The friendly man inside the hut then guided us towards the T55 Tank and the Instructor.
First lesson of the Day. Never ever stand in front of a tank, even when its standing still. Might sound obvious, but it’s not.
The Instructor gave my Dad one of those hats that seem to be all the rage when revolutions break out (you always see a handful of guys wearing them for some reason) – and hooked him into the intercom system. He asked if was coming along for the ride and after a quick nod told me to jump on.
After giving him a quick refresher about the gears and the other technical aspects we were good to go. Apparently its not more difficult than driving a Trabbi
Now while my Dad got to sit inside the Tank, our Instructor perched himself on top of the Commanders Hatch and started to dish out some instructions into the intercom.
I on the other hand got to sit on top of the tank. Right next to the Engine and Exhaust.
With nothing to hold on to. There are not seats or anything substantial to hold on to. They did provide me with a slice of styrofoam padding for some extra comfort. This didnt makes it any easier to take pictures or videos (didn’t help that all I had with me was a crappy little Fuji Finepix)
Another interesting lesson I learned that day was that those awesome Soviet Tank Helmets not only serve as an awesome Skype headset, but also help cancel out the noise. Sitting right next to a 12 cylinder, 581 Horsepower Engine is pretty loud. Dear god if I wasnt deaf before, I sure was now.
So while I was in the process of going deaf I did manage to take 2 quick videos. Essentially what you see going on is the Tank doing its rounds while the Instructor is sitting on top of the open hatch smoking cigarettes like a Boss. What you don’t see is that he’s giving instructions all the time.
*I warn you – if you watch the video, turn the sound down, the engine noise is quite loud.*
I think the youtube video has some problems with chrome – if it doesnt load/appear you can see the video here. And theres a second video if you are interested.
One thing id like to point out in the video is at the 2:45 mark the T55 stops in front of 2 “mounds*. What you need to remember is that the Tank has an absolutely tiny filed of vision – approx. the size of 2 cigarette packs. So when you drive uphill, the driver ends ups staring into the sky until he drives back down again.
After driving around for another few rounds, splashing through giant “puddles” which submerged the Tank halfway – our Tank adventure came to an end. My dad was absolutely ecstatic about the 40 minute experience and he even earned massive praise from the Bossman Instructor for his driving skills.
Even a year later my Dad is still raving about the experience – so it must have been good. Although I was just sitting on top I can only recommend it as well. An absolutely fantastic experience.
If you want to have a go at driving the BMP-1 or the T55 Tank it will set you back 145€. Riding along on top will cost you €10.
If you want to have a really unique experience then you can shell out another €260 (on top of the €145) and crush a car with one of the Tanks.
For more information check out their website (*Achtung – it’s all in German*)
http://www.panzerkutscher.de/
Siedlerweg 14
DE-15518 Steinhöfel OT Beerfelde
(Brandenburg) |
Join us each night from January 23-27, 2014 at 7:00 PM Mountain Time from a distance or at the Sanctuary of the New Message in celebration, honor and reverence of the mystery and reality of the Messenger’s origins… his lineage, his qualities, his mission, his future and destiny…
On each date we will be LIVE on YouTube…
January 23: The Origins and Lineage of the Messenger https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnybTfSy5Pg
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January 26: The Mission and the Burden of the Messenger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xelg1EN1FLM
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or at www.newmessage.org/live
We are living at a time of Revelation. The Messenger demonstrates, through his own life, the value the significance of the Revelation itself. Let us honor the one who has come and let us assist him by moving this into our hearts and into the world as we have been sent here to do, according to our nature and design.
“In the history of this world and all worlds, the process of Revelation is the same. An individual is selected and sent into the world. When they reach a certain stage in their development and maturity, they are called out of normal circumstances, called to a great rendezvous, a great encounter with the Angelic Presence that oversees that particular world.
Then they are called into a greater service and prepared for a greater service, preparing to bring something new and revolutionary into the world. This is not merely a refinement of past understandings or past beliefs. It is something really new and revolutionary. It is not merely an improvement or an enhancement or a new perspective on something that has already been provided and is well established. It is a new threshold.”
~ Living at a Time of Revelation: As revealed to God’s Messenger Marshall Vian Summers on Sept 27, 2011 in Leadville, CO, USA.
Join us on at New Message Live or on YouTube (see above links) for each sacred evening from January 23 – 27, 2014.
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Of course, the panel that I decide not to go to, the Media Blasters’ industry panel, is the only one with an important announcement; just my luck. Anyways, otaku freedom fighter Nebs did go to the panel, and told the world that Media Blasters is planning to bring back Moribito – Guardian of the Spirit back on Adult Swim. Finally you will be able to see the last ten episodes of this series, but not before watching the entire thing all over again.This will happen in late July, 25th if Nebs memory is correct. This is great and everything, but is it too late? Have you guys and girls moved on to bigger and better things in your life already? This might be the case, but you really should just sit down and watch it all. It’s a nice story, and the final battle reminds me of, which is never a bad thing.Take a look at one of the awesome fight scenes from this anime after the jump.
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With the 2016 presidential campaign bringing Donald Trump an audience every day, he also had an opportunity each day to say something outrageous and oftentimes inaccurate or at least contradictory. But, as this collection shows, he's been saying outrageous things for decades.
Showing His Humility
"I'm also honored to have the greatest temperament that anybody has." —November 3, 2016
"I alone can fix it." —in his self-aggrandizing acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, July 21, 2016
"I think I am, actually humble. I think I'm much more humble than you would understand." —"60 Minutes" interview, July 17, 2016
"The beauty of me is that I'm very rich."
"I will be the greatest jobs president that God ever created." —announcing his campaign for president
"All of the women on 'The Apprentice' flirted with me—consciously or unconsciously. That's to be expected."
"Let me tell you, I'm a really smart guy." —on his intelligence
"Sorry losers and haters, but my I.Q. is one of the highest—and you all know it! Please don't feel so stupid or insecure. It's not your fault."
On His Body
"My fingers are long and beautiful, as, it has been well been documented, are various other parts of my body."
"He referred to my hands, if they're small, something else must be small. I guarantee you there's no problem. I guarantee it." —bragging about his penis size in reference to a joke by Republican rival Marco Rubio, GOP presidential debate, March 3, 2016
On the Campaign and Election
"We should just cancel the election and just give it to Trump." —speaking at a rally in Toledo, Ohio, October 27, 2016
"I will tell you at the time. I’ll keep you in suspense, OK?" —refusing to say whether he will accept the election outcome during the third presidential debate, October 19, 2016
“I've had a beautiful, I've had a flawless campaign. You'll be writing books about this campaign.” —July 29, 2016
‘You know what I wanted to. I wanted to hit a couple of those speakers so hard. I would have hit them. No, no. I was going to hit them, I was all set and then I got a call from a highly respected governor...I was gonna hit one guy in particular, a very little guy. I was gonna hit this guy so hard his head would spin and he wouldn’t know what the hell happened...I was going to hit a number of those speakers so hard their heads would spin, they’d never recover. And that’s what I did with a lot—that’s why I still don’t have certain people endorsing me: they still haven’t recovered." —reacting to the Democratic National Convention, July 29, 2016
"I think the only card she has is the women's card. She has got nothing else going. Frankly, if Hillary Clinton were a man, I don't think she would get 5% of the vote. And the beautiful thing is women don't like her, ok?" —victory press conference, New York, April 26, 2016
"I don't think I'm going to lose, but if I do, I don't think you're ever going to see me again, folks. I think I'll go to Turnberry and play golf or something." —Maryland rally, April 24, 2016
"I think you'd have riots. I think you'd have riots. I'm representing many, many millions of people. In many cases first-time voters...If you disenfranchise those people? And you say, well, I'm sorry, you're 100 votes short, even though the next one is 500 votes short? I think you'd have problems like you've never seen before. I wouldn't lead it, but I think bad things will happen." —on what will happen if the nomination is taken from him at the Republican convention, CNN interview, March 16, 2016
"We won with poorly educated. I love the poorly educated." —on his performance with poorly educated voters who helped him win the Nevada Caucus, Feb. 23, 2016
"I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose any voters, okay? It's, like, incredible." —speaking at a rally in Sioux Center, Iowa, as the audience laughed, January 23, 2016
“I know where she went—it’s disgusting, I don’t want to talk about it. No, it’s too disgusting. Don’t say it, it’s disgusting." —on Hillary Clinton taking a bathroom break during a Democratic presidential debate
“I don’t think I’ve made mistakes. Every time somebody said I made a mistake, they do the polls and my numbers go up, so I guess I haven't made any mistakes."
"We need a leader that wrote 'The Art of the Deal.'" —plugging his book in his presidential campaign announcement
"I think the only difference between me and the other candidates is that I'm more honest and my women are more beautiful." —while teasing a presidential run in 2000
Showing His Ignorance
"'You do know you just attacked a Gold Star family?' one adviser warned Trump
Trump didn’t know what a Gold Star family was: 'What’s that?' he asked." —as reported by New York Magazine
"Why can’t we use nuclear weapons?" —reportedly asking a foreign policy adviser three times during a meeting why the United States couldn’t use its nuclear weapons stockpile, according to MSNBC's Joe Scarborough
"[Vladimir Putin] is not going into Ukraine, OK, just so you understand. He’s not gonna go into Ukraine, all right? You can mark it down. You can put it down." —apparently unaware that Russia had already annexed Crimea in a 2014 intrusion into Ukraine that left thousands dead, July 31, 2016
“I’m speaking with myself, number one, because I have a very good brain and I’ve said a lot of things." —when asked on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” whom he talks with consistently about foreign policy, March 16, 2016
"I'll tell you, it's Big Business. If there is one word to describe Atlantic City, it's Big Business. Or two words—Big Business."
"Trump Steaks, where are the steaks? Do we have steaks? We have Trump Steaks." —touting his alleged steak business during a press conference by handing out steaks from Bush Brothers Provision Co. Trump frozen steaks were offered at Sharper Image stores in 2007 but have since been discontinued, March 8, 2016
"When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're sending people that have lots of problems...they're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime. They're rapists."
On Not Paying Taxes and His Wealth
"That makes me smart." —responding to Hillary Clinton’s suggestion that he pays no federal income tax, Sept. 26, 2016
"I'm not a schmuck. Even if the world goes to hell in a handbasket, I won't lose a penny."
"I sort of hope that happens because then people like me would go in and buy. If there is a bubble burst, as they call it, you know you could make a lot of money." —in a 2006 audiobook produced by Trump University, expressing excitement two years before a housing-market collapse brought down the U.S. economy
Showing His Double Standards
"I don't care. It's a long time ago. And he voted that way and they were also misled. A lot of information was given to people…" —forgiving his running mate, Mike Pence, for voting in favor of the Iraq war, saying he was "entitled to make a make mistake," but adding that Hillary Clinton isn't, "60 Minutes" interview, July 17, 2016
On Women and Womanizing
Donald Trump at the third presidential debate: "Nobody respects women more than me."
Three minutes later: "Such a nasty woman." —October 19, 2016
"I sorta get away with things like that." —on bursting into Miss Universe pageant dressing rooms
"Believe me, she would not be my first choice, that I can tell you." —Donald Trump, mocking the women who alleged he sexually assaulted them, suggesting his accusers weren't attractive enough to earn his attention. —October 14, 2016
"You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful—I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the p**sy. You can do anything." —in a 2005 interview with "Access Hollywood"’s Billy Bush
"You know, it really doesn't matter what [the media] write as long as you've got a young and beautiful piece of ass."
"There has to be some form of punishment…you go back to a position like they had where they would perhaps go to illegal places, but we have to ban it." —on women who have abortions, MSNBC interview, March 30, 2016
"Women: You have to treat them like s**t."
"A person who is very flat chested is very hard to be a 10."
"I don’t even know some of those statements. I don’t even know what they are. Nobody respects women more than I do." —when asked in a CNN interview about his degrading remarks about women, March 21, 2016
On Michelle Fields
"She had a pen in her hand, which Secret Service is not liking because they don’t know what it is, whether it’s a little bomb." —on reporter Michelle Fields, whom his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, allegedly assaulted when she tried to ask Trump a question after a rally, CNN town hall, March 29, 2016
“She’s not a baby. She was grabbing me. Am I supposed to press charges against her?" —suggesting it was Michelle Fields who was the aggressor, not his campaign manager, who he insisted had been merely protecting him from her. Lewandowski was arrested on battery charges following the incident, CNN town hall, March 29, 2016
On 9/11
"40 Wall Street actually was the second-tallest building in downtown Manhattan...And now it’s the tallest." —bragging about his building following the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center in an interview with WWOR/UPN 9 News in New York, Sept. 11, 2001
"I wrote this out, and it's very close to my heart. Because I was down there and I watched our police and our firemen down at 7/11, down at the World Trade Center right after it came down. And I saw the greatest people I've ever seen in action." —confusing 7/11 with 9/11, Buffalo, New York, April 18, 2016
On Russia and Putin
“I don’t think anybody knows it was Russia that broke into the DNC. [Clinton’s] saying Russia, Russia, Russia, but I don’t—maybe it was. I mean, it could be Russia, but it could also be China. It could also be lots of other people. It also could be somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds, OK?” —in the first presidential debate, Sept. 26, 2016
“Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press."—calling on Russian espionage services to intervene in the U.S. election and help sabotage Hillary Clinton. The emails in question were deemed "personal," but Trump had previously said he thinks they contain sensitive intelligence, meaning that Trump is hoping Vladimir Putin gains access to classified U.S. government information, July 27, 2016
“I was shocked to hear [Vladimir Putin] mention the N-word. You know what the N-word is. Number one he doesn’t like him and number two he doesn’t respect him. I think he’s going to respect your president if I’m elected and I hope he likes me." —implying that Putin uses the "N-word" to describe President Barack Obama, July 27, 2016
On Obama's Birth Certificate
"Hillary Clinton…started the birther controversy. I finished it." —falsely claiming that Hillary Clinton started the rumors that President Obama wasn't born in the United States, Sept. 16, 2016
"I have people that have been studying [Obama's birth certificate] and they cannot believe what they're finding...I would like to have him show his birth certificate, and can I be honest with you, I hope he can. Because if he can't, if he can't, if he wasn't born in this country, which is a real possibility…then he has pulled one of the great cons in the history of politics." —three weeks before President Barack Obama released his long-form birth certificate in 2011
"I am really honored frankly to have played such a big role in hopefully, hopefully, getting rid of this issue. We have to look at it, we have to see is it real, is it proper, what's on it, but I hope it checks out beautifully. I am really proud, I am really honored." —on President Obama releasing his long-form birth certificate
"Let me tell you, I'm a really smart guy. I was a really good student at the best school in the country. The reason I have a little doubt, just a little, is because he grew up and nobody knew him." —on why he thought President Obama wasn't born in the United States
On Violence Against Hillary Clinton
"I think what we should do is—she goes around with armed bodyguards like you have never seen before. I think that her bodyguards should drop all weapons. They should disarm. Right? Right? I think they should disarm—immediately. What do you think? Yes? Yes. Yeah. Take their guns away! She doesn't want guns. Take their—let's see what happens to her." —on Hillary Clinton, Sept. 16, 2016
"If she gets to pick her judges—nothing you can do, folks. Although, the Second Amendment people. Maybe there is. I don’t know." —in what many interpreted to be a suggestion that someone might shoot Hillary Clinton, her Supreme Court picks, or both, Wilmington, North Carolina, campaign rally, August 9, 2016
On Violence Against Protestors
"I love the old days, you know? You know what I hate? There's a guy totally disruptive, throwing punches, we're not allowed punch back anymore....I'd like to punch him in the face, I'll tell ya." —on how he would handle a protester in Nevada, sparking roaring applause from the audience, February 22, 2016
"There may be somebody with tomatoes in the audience. If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you? Seriously. Okay? Just knock the hell—I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees." —encouraging violence at his rallies, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Feb. 1, 2016
"That was so great. Who was the person who did that? Put up your hand, put up your hand. Bring that person up here. I love that." —praising two audience members who tackled a protester at his rally in South Carolina, Feb. 16, 2016
"The press is now going, they're saying, 'Oh but there's such violence.' No violence. You know how many people have been hurt at our rallies? I think, like, basically none except maybe somebody got hit once. It's a love fest. These are love fests. And every once in a while…somebody will stand up and they'll say something.…It’s a little disruption, but there's no violence. There's none whatsoever." —on his campaign rallies, despite documented evidence to the contrary, March 14, 2016
Unfounded Accusations
"I’ve been treated very unfairly by this judge. Now, this judge is of Mexican heritage. I'm building a wall, OK? I'm building a wall." —accusing U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who is presiding over the fraud case against Trump University, of being biased against him because of his Mexican heritage, despite the fact that he is a U.S. citizen who was born in Indiana, CNN interview, June 5, 2016
"How about bringing baskets of money into Iraq? I want to know—who were the soldiers who had that job? I want to know who were the soldiers that had that job, ’cause I think they’re living well right now, whoever they may be." —Donald Trump, apparently accusing U.S. soldiers in Iraq of grand larceny, June 14, 2016
"His father was with Lee Harvey Oswald prior to Oswald's being—you know, shot. I mean, the whole thing is ridiculous. What is this, right prior to his being shot, and nobody even brings it up. They don't even talk about that. That was reported, and nobody talks about it." —suggesting that Ted Cruz's father may have been involved in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Fox News interview, May 3, 2016
"There were people that were cheering on the other side of New Jersey, where you have large Arab populations. They were cheering as the World Trade Center came down." —making an unfounded accusation regarding the 9/11 attacks
On China
"China steals United States Navy research drone in international waters—rips it out of water and takes it to China in unpresidented act." —misspelling "unprecedented" in a tweet that drew widespread mockery, December 17, 2016
"Who knows?" —when asked if, as president, he would start a war with China, New York Times interview, March 25, 2016
"When was the last time anybody saw us beating, let’s say, China in a trade deal? They kill us. I beat China all the time." —on his diplomacy skills
On Politicians
"I don't like the crying." —on House Speaker John Boehner
"My entire life, I've watched politicians bragging about how poor they are, how they came from nothing, how poor their parents and grandparents were. And I said to myself, if they can stay so poor for so many generations, maybe this isn't the kind of person we want to be electing to higher office. How smart can they be? They're morons." —New York Times interview with Maureen Dowd, Nov. 28, 1999
On the Middle East
“When Iran, when they circle our beautiful destroyers with their little boats, and they make gestures at our people that they shouldn’t be allowed to make, they will be shot out of the water." —threatening to go to war with Iran over rude hand gestures, Pensacola, Florida, Sept. 9, 2016
"Iraq and Iran were very similar militarily, and they’d fight, fight, fight, and then they’d rest. They’d fight, fight, fight, and then Saddam Hussein would do the gas, and somebody else would do something else, and they’d rest." —demonstrating his knowledge of foreign policy at a town hall meeting in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Sept. 6, 2016
"Yeah, I guess so." —when asked if he supported the Iraq war in 2002, despite the fact that he now claims he opposed it, interview with Howard Stern, Sept. 11, 2002
"I think Islam hates us." —CNN interview, March 10, 2016
"We're going to knock the s**t out of ISIS." —Portsmouth, New Hampshire
"The other thing with the terrorists is you have to take out their families, when you get these terrorists, you have to take out their families. They care about their lives, don't kid yourself. When they say they don't care about their lives, you have to take out their families." —Fox News interview, Dec. 2, 2015
On African-Americans
"Dwyane Wade's cousin was just shot and killed walking her baby in Chicago. Just what I have been saying. African-Americans will VOTE TRUMP!" —tweeting about the tragic death of Nykea Aldridge, cousin of NBA star Dwyane Wade, and making it all about him, Aug. 27, 2016
"What do you have to lose by trying something new like Trump? What do you have to lose? You’re living in poverty; your schools are no good; you have no jobs; 58 percent of your youth is unemployed. What the hell do you have to lose?" —making a pitch to win over African-American voters, adding, "At the end of four years, I guarantee you that I will get 95 percent of the African-American vote," Aug. 19, 2016
"Look at my African-American over here!" —at a campaign rally, June 3, 2016
"I have a great relationship with the blacks."
On Trade
"Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people."
On Lying and His Lies
"I might lie to you like Hillary does all the time, but I'll never lie to Giacomo, okay?" —admitting to lying to voters while speaking at a rally in Connecticut but saying he would not lie to an 18-year-old cancer patient in the audience, Giacomo Brancado, August 13, 2016
"From a moral standpoint, I believe in it. But you also have to get elected. And there’s no way a Republican is going to beat a Democrat when the Republican is saying, 'We’re going to cut your Social Security’ and the Democrat is saying, ‘We’re going to keep it and give you more." —privately explaining to House Speaker Paul Ryan that he supports cutting Social Security even though he says the opposite on the campaign trail (Bloomberg Businessweek, May 26, 2016)
"These are stupid people that say, 'Oh didn't Trump declare bankruptcy? Didn't he go bankrupt?' I didn't go bankrupt." —Donald Trump, on filing for bankruptcy on parts of his various businesses
"Yeah, I guess so." —when asked if he supported the Iraq war, despite the fact that he now claims he opposed it, interview with Howard Stern, Sept. 11, 2002
“Actually, I was only kidding. You can get that baby out of here. Don’t worry, I think she really believed me that I love having a baby crying while I’m speaking. That’s OK People don’t understand. That’s OK." —booting a mother and her crying baby from a rally moments after saying "I love babies," August 2, 2016
"I've seen numbers of 24 percent—I actually saw a number of 42 percent unemployment. Forty-two percent. 5.3 percent unemployment—that is the biggest joke there is in this country.…The unemployment rate is probably 20 percent, but I will tell you, you have some great economists that will tell you it's a 30, 32. And the highest I've heard so far is 42 percent." —vastly overstating the unemployment rate in a claim rated false by Politifact, Sept. 28, 2015
On Getting to Heaven
"For evangelicals, for the Christians, for the everybody, for everybody of religion, this will be, may be, the most important election that our country has ever had. And once I get in, I will do my thing that I do very well. And I figure it is probably, maybe the only way I'm going to get to heaven. So I better do a good job." —speaking to evangelical leaders in Orlando, Florida, August 11, 2016
On the Media
"They don’t write good. They have people over there, like Maggie Haberman and others, they don’t—they don’t write good. They don’t know how to write good." —attacking The New York Times in a grammatically flawed tirade, Fox News interview with Sean Hannity, Aug. 1, 2016
"I think our country does plenty of killing also, Joe." —seemingly unconcerned that Russian President Vladimir Putin kills journalists who disagree with him, when pressed to condemn such actions in an interview with MSNBC's Joe Scarborough
"The man that wrote the second book...didn't write the first book. The difference was like chicken salad and chicken s**t." —on President Obama's books
On the Military
"I always wanted to get the Purple Heart. This was much easier." —on receiving a Purple Heart as a gift from a retired lieutenant colonel and supporter, August 2, 2016
"I know more about ISIS than the generals do, believe me...I would bomb the sh**t out of them."—Nov. 13, 2015
"This is the Trump theory on war. But I'm good at war. I've had a lot of wars of my own. I'm really good at war. I love war in a certain way. But only when we win." —though he never served in the military and received five draft deferments, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Nov. 12, 2015
"He’s not a war hero. He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured." —on John McCain
On His Sacrifices
"I think I've made a lot of sacrifices. I work very, very hard." —rejecting the assertion made at the Democratic convention by Muslim lawyer Khizr Khan, whose son died in Iraq in 2004, that Trump had "sacrificed nothing and no one." Trump was unable to name a single sacrifice when pressed to elaborate, ABC News interview, July 30, 2016.
On Immigration
"Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on." —campaign statement
"I will build a great wall—and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me—and I'll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words."
Insults About Specific Women
"If Hillary Clinton can't satisfy her husband what makes her think she can satisfy America?"
"You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her wherever." —insulting Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly over questions she asked during the first Republican primary debate
"Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president I mean, she's a woman, and I'm not s'posedta say bad things, but really, folks, come on. Are we serious?" —on Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina
"Even a race to Obama, [Hillary Clinton] was gonna beat Obama. I don't know who would be worse, I don't know, how could it be worse? But she was going to beat—she was favored to win—and she got schlonged, she lost, I mean she lost." —using a vulgar Yiddish word in reference to Clinton
"I'd like to hear [her] say something." —smearing Ghazala Khan, the mother of a fallen American soldier, by implying that she was not allowed to speak, despite the fact that she has spoken publicly about her son's death, ABC News interview, July 30, 2016
"Must be a pretty picture, you dropping to your knees." —to female "Celebrity Apprentice" contestant Brande Roderick, after another cast member said she had gotten down on her knees and begged not to be fired
"If I were running 'The View,' I'd fire Rosie [O'Donnell]. I mean, I'd look her right in that fat, ugly face of hers, I'd say, "Rosie, you're fired."
On Gays
"It's like in golf. A lot of people — I don't want this to sound trivial — but a lot of people are switching to these really long putters, very unattractive. It’s weird. You see these great players with these really long putters, because they can't sink three-footers anymore. And, I hate it. I am a traditionalist. I have so many fabulous friends who happen to be gay, but I am a traditionalist." —telling The New York Times why he opposes gay marriage
“The LGBT community, the gay community, the lesbian community—they are so much in favor of what I’ve been saying over the last three or four days. Ask the gays what they think and what they do, in, not only Saudi Arabia, but many of these countries, and then you tell me—who’s your friend, Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton?" —in a boast that provoked widespread ridicule from the LGBT community, June 15, 2016
On His Family
“I like kids. I mean, I won’t do anything to take care of them. I’ll supply funds, and she’ll take care of the kids."
"I don't think Ivanka would do that, although she does have a very nice figure. I've said if Ivanka weren't my daughter, perhaps I'd be dating her." —when asked how he would react if Ivanka posed for Playboy
"Yeah, she's really something, and what a beauty, that one. If I weren't happily married and, ya know, her father..." —on his daughter Ivanka
"She really has become a monster...I mean monster in the most positive way." —on his pregnant wife Melania
Other Offensive or Stupid Comments
"I don't know what hotel this is, but you ought to try turning on the air conditioning or we're not going to get you paid." —delivering an extended rant about a hot ballroom at the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center in Virginia. The hotel said the air conditioning system was working properly, July 26, 2016.
"Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, I don't want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance. We must be smart!" —tweeting a humble brag following the Orlando shooting massacre, June 12, 2016
"Happy Cinco de Mayo! The best taco bowls are made in Trump Tower Grill. I love Hispanics!" —via Twitter
"What do I know about it? All I know is what's on the internet." —on trying to smear a protester who rushed the stage at his campaign rally by tweeting a widely debunked hoax video tying him to ISIS, 'Meet the Press' interview, March 13, 2016
"Just so you understand, I don't know anything about David Duke, OK? I don't know anything about what you're even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists. So I don't know. I don't know—did he endorse me, or what's going on? Because I know nothing about David Duke; I know nothing about white supremacists." —refusing to condemn former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard and noted white supremacist David Duke, who endorsed Trump for president, February 28, 2016
"It is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep.” —in a tweet quoting fascist Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, February 28, 2016
"For a religious leader to question a person's faith is disgraceful. I am proud to be a Christian.…If and when the Vatican is attacked by ISIS, which as everyone knows is ISIS' ultimate trophy, I can promise you that the Pope would have only wished and prayed that Donald Trump would have been President because this would not have happened." —in response to remarks by Pope Francis saying that "a person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian." (February 18, 2016)
“Now, the poor guy—you've got to see this guy, ‘Ah, I don't know what I said! I don't remember!'" —mocking New York Times investigative reporter Serge Kovaleski, who has a physical disability called arthrogryposis that limits flexibility in his arms, by jerking his arms in front of his body
"I will build you...one of the great ballrooms of the world." —on building a $100 million ballroom at the White House
"You know the funny thing, I don't get along with rich people. I get along with the middle class and the poor people better than I get along with the rich people."
"If Obama resigns from office NOW, thereby doing a great service to the country, I will give him free lifetime golf at any one of my courses!"
"We're gonna bring businesses back. We're gonna have businesses that used to be in New Hampshire, that are now in Mexico, come back to New Hampshire, and you can tell them to go f**k themselves. Because they let you down, and they left!" —at a rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
"These people—I'd like to use really foul language. I won't do it. I was going to say they're really full of s**t, but I won't say that." —speaking about politicians at a campaign rally in Exeter, New Hampshire
"When it comes time to default, they’re not going to remember any of the Republicans’ names. They are going to remember in history books one name, and that's Obama." —urging Republicans to force a default on America's debt so that Obama wouldn't be reelected |
Promotional merchandise is products branded with a logo or slogan and distributed at little or no cost to promote a brand, corporate identity, or event. Such products, which are often informally called swag or schwag (mass nouns) or tchotchkes[1] or freebies (count nouns) are used in marketing and sales. They are given away or sold at a loss to promote a company, corporate image, brand, or event. They are often distributed as handouts at trade shows, at conferences, on sales calls (that is, visits to companies that are purchasing or might purchase), and as bonus items in shipped orders. They are often used in guerrilla marketing campaigns.
History [ edit ]
The first known promotional products in the United States were commemorative buttons dating back to the election of George Washington in 1789. During the early 19th century, there were some advertising calendars, rulers, and wooden specialties, but there was no organized industry for the creation and distribution of promotional items until later in the 19th century.
Jasper Meek, a printer in Coshocton, Ohio, is considered by many to be the originator of the industry when he convinced a local shoe store to supply book bags imprinted with the store name to local schools. Henry Beach, another Coshocton printer and a competitor of Meek, picked up on the idea, and soon the two men were selling and printing marble bags, buggy whips, card cases, fans, calendars, cloth caps, aprons, and even hats for horses.[2]
In 1904, 12 manufacturers of promotional items got together to found the first trade association for the industry. That organization is now known as the Promotional Products Association International or PPAI, which currently has more than 10,000 global members.[3] PPAI represents the promotional products industry of more than 22,000 distributors and approximately 4,800 manufacturers.
The UK and Ireland promotional merchandise industry formally emerged as corporate marketing became more sophisticated during the late 1950s. Before this, companies may have provided occasional gifts, but there was no recognised promotional merchandise industry. The real explosion in the growth of the promotional merchandise industry took place in the 1970s. At this time an ever-increasing number of corporate companies recognised the benefits gained from promoting their corporate identity, brand or product, with the use of gifts featuring their own logo. In the early years, the range of products available were limited; however, in the early 1980s demand grew from distributors for a generic promotional product catalogue they could brand as their own and then leave with to their corporate customers.
In later years these catalogues could be over-branded to reflect a distributor's corporate image; distributors could then give them to their end user customers as their own. In the early years, promotional merchandise catalogues were very much sales tools and customers would buy the products offered on the pages.
In the 1990s, new catalogue services emerged for distributors from various sources. The nineties also saw the emergence of ‘Catalogue Groups’ - groups who offered a unique catalogue to a limited geographical group of promotional merchandise distributor companies. Membership of a Catalogue Group could also offer improved buying terms, a network of fellow distributor companies, and provide other support services. Examples of Catalogue Groups include Trade Only Spectrum Catalogue, Page Group and the Envoy Group, offering discounted products to a select group of distributors who have all been in the industry for over three years. Members of the Envoy Group have regional exclusivity as one of their perks providing some protection to the low entry barrier of the market
Up until the 1990s, the industry had a peak season in which the majority of promotional products were sold. The season featured around Christmas and the giving of gifts. This changed significantly in the early 1990s as Christmas gifts became less appropriate in a multicultural Britain. Corporate companies were also becoming more inventive in their marketing and were now using promotional merchandise throughout the year to support the promotion of brands, products & events. In the early 21st century the role of a promotional merchandise catalogue started to change, as it could no longer fully represent the vast range of products in the market place. By 2007, catalogues were being mailed to targeted customer lists, rather than the blanket postal mailings that had taken place before. The catalogue had now become seen more as a ‘business card’ demonstrating the concept of what a company did, rather than a critical sales tool. In 2009 published results from research involving a representative group of distributor companies, which indicated the usage of hard copy catalogues was expected to fall up to 25% in 2010.
Distributor companies are experts in sourcing creative promotional products. Traditionally, to ensure that they had an effective manufacturer network, they kept themselves aware of the trade product ranges available from mailings received from manufacturers themselves and by attending trade exhibitions across the world, for example the Trade Only National Show in the UK, the Promotional Product Service Institute (PSI) show in Europe and the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Show in Las Vegas, NV.
In 2004, the way the trade sourced promotional products began to change with the launch an online trade sourcing service, which united distributors with manufacturers worldwide. This service is purely for vetted trade promotional merchandise distributor companies and is not available to corporate end user companies.
By 2008 almost every distributor had a website demonstrating a range of available promotional products. Very few offer the ability to order products online mainly due to the complexities surrounding the processes to brand the promotional products required.
Sourcing [ edit ]
In the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia and NZ, companies and corporations mainly purchase their merchandise through promotional merchandise distributor companies. These distributors are called "Promotional Consultants" or "promotional product distributors".
Promotional products by definition are custom printed with a logo, company name or message usually in specific PMS colors. Distributors help end-users gather artwork in the correct format, and in some cases also create artwork for end-users. Distributors then request the artwork from the manufacturers, printers or suppliers.
Many distributors operate on the internet and/or in person. Many suppliers wish not to invest in the staffing to service end-users' needs, which is the purpose of merchandise distributor companies.
Products and uses [ edit ]
Swiss parking disk (early 1970s). Selected arrival time shows at the left window, departure at the right. Other side of disk is used for afternoon parking. Disk was a sales promotion for UBS bank.
Promotional merchandise is used globally to promote brands, products, and corporate identity. They are also used as giveaways at events, such as exhibitions and product launches. Promotional products can be used for non-profit organizations to promote their cause, as well as promote certain events that they hold, such as walks or any other event that raises money for a cause.
Almost anything can be branded with a company's name or logo and used for promotion. Common items include t-shirts, caps, keychains, posters, bumper stickers, pens, mugs, koozies, toys or mouse pads. The largest product category for promotional products is wearable items, which make up more than 30% of the total. Eco-friendly promotional products such as those created from recycled materials and renewable resources have been experiencing a significant surge in popularity.
Most promotional items are relatively small and inexpensive, but can range to higher-end items; for example celebrities at film festivals and award shows are often given expensive promotional items such as expensive perfumes, leather goods, and electronics items. Companies that provide expensive gifts for celebrity attendees often ask that the celebrities allow a photo to be taken of them with the gift item, which can be used by the company for promotional purposes. Other companies provide luxury gifts such as handbags or scarves to celebrity attendees in the hopes that the celebrities will wear these items in public, thus garnering publicity for the company's brand name and product.
Brand awareness is the most common use for promotional items. Other objectives that marketers use promotional items to facilitate include employee relations and events, tradeshow traffic-building, public relations, new customer generation, dealer and distributor programs, new product introductions, employee service awards, not-for-profit programs, internal incentive programs, safety education, customer referrals, and marketing research.[4]
Promotional items are also used in politics to promote candidates and causes. Promotional items as a tool for non-commercial organizations, such as schools and charities are often used as a part of fund raising and awareness-raising campaigns. A prominent example was the livestrong wristband, used to promote cancer awareness and raise funds to support cancer survivorship programs and research.
Using promotional merchandise in Guerrilla Marketing involves branding in such a way as to create a specific visual effect, attracting more attention.
The giving of corporate gifts vary across international borders and cultures, with the type of product given often varying from country to country.
Promotional merchandise is rarely bought directly by corporate companies from the actual manufacturers of the promotional products. A manufacturer's expertise lies in the physical production of the products, but getting a product in front of potential customers is a completely different skill set and a complex process. Within the UK & Ireland promotional merchandise industry a comprehensive network of promotional merchandise distributor companies exist. A promotional merchandise distributor is defined as a company who "has a dedicated focus to the sale of promotional merchandise to end users". (An 'end user' is a corporate company or organisation that purchases promotional merchandise for their own use.) These distributor companies have the expertise to not only take the product to market, but are also to provide the expert support required. The unique aspect of promotional merchandise is that on most occasions the product is printed with the logo, or brand, of a corporate organisation. The actual manufacturers rarely have the set up to actually print the item. Promotional merchandise distributor companies are expert in artwork and printing processes. In addition to this the promotional merchandise distributors also provide full support in processing orders, artwork, proofing, progress chasing & delivery of promotional products from multiple manufacturing sources.
Trade associations [ edit ]
In the UK, the industry has two main trade bodies, Promota (Promotional Merchandise Trade Association) founded in 1958, and the BPMA (British Promotional Merchandise Association) established in 1965. These trade associations represent the industry and provide services to both manufacturers & distributors of promotional merchandise. The BPMA provides a range of services including market research into the UK promotional merchandise industry.[5] Since 2010 the BPMA has partnered with Trade Only, A UK company that organizes the primary UK Trade Show for the Promotional Product Industry, this takes place at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry usually the third week of January. The BPMA host an awards dinner and banquet on the middle night of the exhibition which is called the Trade Only National Show
In the United States, PPAI (the Promotional Products Association International) is the not for profit association, offering the industry's largest tradeshow (The PPAI Expo), as well as training, online member resources, and legal advocacy. Another organization, the Advertising Specialty Institute, promotes itself as the largest media and marketing organization serving the advertising specialty industry.[6]
In Europe, the existing EPPA will be replaced by a new organization setup by the key countries welcoming all other countries to join. The new umbrella organization will be called EPMO or PME (Product Media Europe).
UK market statistics [ edit ]
According to research completed and published in 2008 the UK and Ireland promotional merchandise industry had an overall value of £850m. By mid 2009 the market had decreased to £712m as the UK's worst ever recession took grip. In July 2009 published research demonstrated that the top 10 promotional merchandise products were promotional pens, bags, clothing, plastic items, USB memory sticks, mugs, leather items, polyurethane conference folders, and umbrellas. The July research from a representation industry focus group also found that the current fastest growing product was hand sanitiser, which at the time coincided with the outbreak & growth of swine flu in the UK.
US market statistics [ edit ]
Sales of the US promotional products industry totaled $24 billion in 2017 and growing at a rate of 2.5 percent since 2012, according to statistics released by IBISWorld.[7] There are 26,413 business in this category and they employ 392,820 people across the United States.[7]
The most common promotional items include T-shirts (25% of the market), writing instruments, tech accessories,[7] bags, keychains, brochures, bookmarks and notepads.[7]
Australian and New Zealand market statistics [ edit ]
The Australasian Promotional Products Association (APPA) has conducted research to show the value of the promotional merchandise industry in Australia and New Zealand. According to APPA the industry has a turnover of AUD$1340m in Australia and NZ$144m in New Zealand [8] APPA states the effectiveness of promotional merchandise is demonstrated by their research which shows that 52% of recipients of promotional merchandise say their impression of a company is more positive after receiving a promotional product, 76% recall the name advertised on the product, 55% keep the item for more than one year, nearly 50% of recipients use them daily and 52% of people do business with a company after receiving a promotional product. Other considerations and benefits of promotional merchandise include product definition, residual value marketing, accountability, "The Power of Purpose", product types, such as printing and artwork.[9]
See also [ edit ] |
There’s snow on the ground, love in the air and wafts of garlic floating down the stairwell of my West Village apartment building. Perched on high in my New York nest, I’m infusing olive oil with garlic. My neighbors tell me they can smell me from the second floor of my fifth floor walk-up. I’ve heard that vanilla candles in the kitchen and apple pies in the oven help sell homes, but I don’t think there’s any scent more seductive than the bittersweet smell of caramelized garlic. The first step in many a recipe, sautéing garlic holds a sense memory of every unforgettable meal you’ve ever had and sets off sparks both on the plate and on the palette.
It worked on my new neighbors. I first met the couple who moved in next door when our Super was showing the vacated studio that shares a wall the length of both our apartments. It’s an intimate building, or as Craigslist would say, “cozy,” which is shorthand for small. I prefer the term tenement chic! Kip and James laughed when I used it to answer their question, “What’s it like living here?” I didn’t tell them about the break-in I had two summers ago or the ratatouille-types who threatened my pantry (and my sanity) until I adopted Taleggio, and it wouldn’t have mattered if I had. All they really wanted to know was what that whiff of garlic was coming from my kitchen. Now that was a question I could answer.
“Quail Egg Toasts,” I boasted. “What are you Martha Stewart?” Kip quipped. “Close,” I replied, then James added, “No man, she’s way hotter than Martha.” I liked them already.
The combination of garlic wafts and rent control convinced Kip & James to take the apartment, but not before I invited them in to taste-test my garlic & thyme toast points topped with fried quail eggs and spread with a thin layer of spicy salami paste called ‘nduja. An Italian invention imported from the California Coast, the first time I tried ‘nduja was at Boccalone in the San Francisco Ferry Building. Mac and I were on a tasting adventure out West, and ‘ndjua was the standout flavor sensation of the trip. This soft, spreadable sausage has been referred to as “flaming liquid salami” and “the spreadable Italian love child of pepperoni and French rillettes.” A few weeks ago, The Times called ‘nduja, “the perfect food trend: it combines nose-to-tail eating, pork, smoke and chili heat.” With the official Dining & Wine decree, it’s now flying off the shelves at Murray’s. I’ve seen it pop up on menus at dell’anima and A Voce, and used it on pizzas for the Cajun Super Bowl party I attended last Sunday. Everyone swoons over the stuff, but combine it with a cutesy-runny quail egg, high quality extra virgin olive oil and garlic bread, and it’s a surefire knockout.
I’ll serve it to the girls I’m having over this Sunday to celebrate/commiserate the dagger to the heart that is Valentine’s Day. To my mind, V-day is lame if you’re in love and cruel if you’re not (made only crueler if you venture out for price-fixe menus on the worst dining date of the year), so I’ll have plenty of sausage on hand to sedate any among us who feel the sting of cupid’s arrow. If that doesn’t work I’ll break out the chocolate, but this year, I’ll save my green goodies until after I’ve finished cooking.
Here’s to hoping we all find a spicy sausage to love! February might be too cold for tomatoes and taking the long way home, but it’s perfect for toast points and nesting among new neighbors and old friends.
Quail Egg Toasts (serves as many as you toast)
• 1 loaf Texas Toast
• 1 head Garlic (diced)
• 1 cup+ Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 bunch Thyme
• 1 ‘Nduja Sausage
• Quail Eggs
• Fleur de Sel
• Salt & Pepper
Make the garlic oil in advance. I usually make big batches of this stuff and save it in the refrigerator for every opportunity I get to toast garlic bread, sauté vegetables or whip together a pasta sauce. It’s also a great base for a marinade or salad dressing, and will stay fresh for weeks at a time. You can add lemon zest, chili flakes, basil, any spice you choose, but keep in mind that adding perishable ingredients decreases the shelf life of the garlic oil.
Simply dice or press a head of garlic, pour a cup of olive oil into a heavy-bottomed frying pan on medium-low heat, and when the oil begins to get hot (about 2 minutes) add the garlic. Season the pan with a pinch or two of salt and pepper and a few springs of thyme leaves separated from their stalks. Watch the pan carefully, stirring occasionally, and as soon as the garlic is about to turn brown take it off the heat (about 2 minutes more). The hot oil will continue to caramelize the garlic minutes after it’s off the flame. If you burn the garlic, you have no choice but to start over. Transfer the garlic oil to a bowl to cool, and reserve the frying pan.
Cut slices of thick-cut Texas white-bread toast into triangles, brush them with a thin layer of garlic oil and pop them in a toaster oven or under a broiler until golden (about 5 minutes in my oven, but oven temperatures vary, so watch these carefully so as not to let them burn).
Pierce the ‘ndjua sausage with a knife, creating a slit from which you can spoon out the soft insides. Spread a thin layer of ‘ndjua on each toast point.
In the same heavy-bottomed pan now coated with a thin layer of garlic oil, fry the quail eggs over-easy over a low heat, and season them gently with kosher salt as they fry. These suckers are quick so watch them carefully, and when the edges of the egg whites start to brown, remove them from the pan and place atop each toast. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and fleur de sel, and finish with a drizzle of the best extra virgin olive oil you got. Happy nesting! |
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