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Hello all! The day has come at last! Ghost of a Tale is out on consoles!! 😀 You can find the game right now on the Xbox One store… (note that if you already bought the game when it was in the Preview program you... | {
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Almost all of mainland Australia will be roasted in a huge heatwave next week, with the mercury likely to nudge 50 degrees in parts of the south.
Perth is in the midst of a four-day scorching as it plays host to the first day-night cricket Test between Australia and New Zealand.
Maximum temperatures are likely to near or exceed 40 degrees until Sunday, with the heat gradually shifting east.
Records are likely to tumble in many areas for days of consecutive heat even if individual daily maximums are broken, Kim Westcott, a meteorologist with Weatherzone, said. Remaining moisture in the environment may not fare well. | {
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Robby Soave, Daily Beast, November 22, 2015
The everything-is-offensive brand of campus activism has struck a new low: Students at the University of Minnesota killed a proposed moment of silence for 9/11 victims due to concerns–insulting, childish concerns–that Muslim students would be offended.
{snip}
Theo Menon, a Minnesota Student Association representative and member of the College Republicans, realized that the university wasn’t doing anything to memorialize 9/11; on Oct. 6, he introduced an MSA proposal to do just that. The very short resolution asked the university to institute a “moment of recognition” during the mornings of all future September 11ths.
The resolution proved weirdly controversial. According to The Minnesota Republic:
At-large MSA representative and Director of Diversity and Inclusion David Algadi voiced severe criticism of the resolution. He also made sure to emphasize 9/11’s status as a national tragedy in his response.
“The passing of this resolution might make a space that is unsafe for students on campus even more unsafe,” said Algadi. “Islamophobia and racism fueled through that are alive and well.”
{snip}
Believe it or now, Algadi was not alone in his opinion–a majority of student government representatives sided with him, voting down the resolution in a 36-23 vote this month. There would be no moment of silence at UMN on Sept. 11, 2016, if students had their way.
Showing insufficient mournfulness for the great national tragedy that was 9/11 is itself deeply offensive to many people, however, and UNM’s administration was quickly inundated with demands for a rebuke of the vote. UNM President Eric Kaler announced Wednesday that he would formalize the moment of silence anyway.
{snip} | {
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LONDON -- British Prime Minister Theresa May has narrowly survived a no-confidence vote just one day after suffering a historic defeat in Parliament over her Brexit deal.
The vote was scheduled by the leader of the opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, on Tuesday evening.
In the end, May’s government survived to fight another day, as members of Parliament (MPs) voted in her favor by a margin of 325 to 306.
This is the second no-confidence vote the prime minister has faced in a matter of weeks. On Dec. 12, May survived a vote of no-confidence, orchestrated by disgruntled MPs from within her own Conservative party, by the margin of 200-117.
This vote, however, had the potential for far more significant implications.
If May had lost the vote, she would have likely been forced to resign, with a general election to follow soon after, putting the ultimate fate of Brexit even more in doubt.
Although 118 MPs in May's own Conservative Party voted against her Brexit deal on Tuesday, the prime minister was expected to survive the no-confidence vote.
Conservative MPs rallied behind her Wednesday, despite opposing the Brexit deal on Tuesday. The vote of confidence suggests they feared the prospect of a general election more than the prospect of May remaining in charge of the Brexit process.
May has held onto power, but the future of Brexit is still up in the air. After her heavy defeat on the Brexit deal on Tuesday evening, May now has until Monday to propose another deal to Parliament.
So far there are no indications as to what changes May plans to make to her original failed Brexit deal. However, after Tuesday's defeat, the prime minister said she would listen to politicians' concerns and try to seek better terms with leaders of the European Union.
In the lead-up to Tuesday's crushing defeat, May's deal was criticized by politicians and pundits on all sides of the political spectrum. Some argued May's deal would mean that the U.K. would be too closely tied to the EU for the indefinite future, while others suggested the deal would damage the economy and lead to job losses.
With more than two-thirds of parliament voting against May’s original Brexit deal on Tuesday, the defeat was the biggest government loss in a parliamentary vote in more than 100 years, according to the Institute for Government, a U.K. think tank.
May has spent the better part of two years negotiating a Brexit deal with EU leaders.
Jean Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, the EU's main political body, expressed his "regret of the outcome of the vote" on Tuesday evening.
"The risk of a disorderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom has increased with this evening's vote," he said in a statement. "While we do not want this to happen, the European Commission will continue its contingency work to help ensure the EU is fully prepared. I urge the United Kingdom to clarify its intentions as soon as possible."
The deadline for the U.K. to leave the European Union is March 29. If Parliament cannot agree to a deal or the deadline isn't extended, the U.K. could leave the EU with "no deal," which most politicians and businesspersons agree would be disastrous.
"Time," Junker added, "is almost up." | {
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ADVERTISEMENT
From the increasing scrutiny of Bitcoin to a big countdown at Ripple, here’s a look at some of the stories breaking in the world of crypto.
Bitcoin
Bitcoin bull Tim Draper says he didn’t predict the increased government scrutiny and regulation that hit BTC and crypto this year.
“I did not anticipate that the regulators would put a dark cloud over all this innovation. I had hoped that there would be some clear simple rules and we could then get on with it,” Draper told Forbes.
Despite increased regulation, Draper says he’s sticking by his bold BTC price forecast of $250,000 by 2022.
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Ethereum and Zcash
The founder and CEO of Zcash is revealing his new take on Casper, the much anticipated proof-of-stake upgrade to the Ethereum network.
Zooko Wilcox-O’Hearn says impressive work from the developers involved has moved him from a skeptic to a believer in the tech.
… but now thanks to the work that all these people have done on Casper, I'm becoming convinced that it is just about ready for serious use such as making Zcash rely on it. ៚ — zooko (@zooko) September 28, 2018
Ripple and XRP
The countdown to Ripple’s 2018 Swell conference in San Francisco is underway.
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The event starts on October 1st and features keynote speaker Bill Clinton, who is headlining a long list of influential speakers in finance and the blockchain industry.
VeChain and Wanchain
Trust Wallet, which was recently acquired by Binance, just added VeChain (VET) and Wanchain (WAN) to its long list of supported cryptocurrencies.
The wallet allows VeChain holders to stake their coins directly through the app.
Trust’s multicoin wallet adds support for $VET $VHTO $WAN 🎉🎉. Excited to welcome Vechain as the first staking coin on Trust! @vechainofficial and @wanchain_org great working with you guys 🍻🍻https://t.co/D9eBCdPyIk — Trust – Crypto Wallet (@TrustWalletApp) September 27, 2018
Bonus
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A cool piece of crypto art posted on Reddit shows a painted mural on the wall of a Bitcoin broker’s office.
If features jealous, old-fashioned bankers printing money while watching Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin shooting into outer space. | {
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A Bauer Nutrition é uma farmácia on-line de beleza e saúde que vende apenas suplementos alimentares de alta qualidade. A natureza está no coração de todos os produtos vendidos pelo site, uma vez que todos os compostos utilizados são de origem natural.
A Bauer Nutrition combina o poder da natureza com descobertas e avanços tecnológicos para oferecer a seus clientes os suplementos alimentares mais eficazes.
Hoodia, Raspberry Ketone, Garcinia Cambogia, Forskolin
A Bauer Nutrition é a base especializada em soluções naturais para perda de peso, expandindo rapidamente a beleza e a saúde como um todo. A Bauer Nutrition é um site sério e extremamente abrangente que não só vende suplementos dietéticos para perda de peso.
Os produtos vendidos neste saúde e beleza loja online são dos suplementos da mais alta qualidade, cuidadosamente fabricados e aprovados pela FDA, a agência dos EUA responsável por monitorar suplementos alimentares e medicamentos.
Além disso, a equipe Bauer Nutrition é formada por pessoas competentes que conhecem seu trabalho: especialistas em nutrição, profissionais de fitness, consultores de saúde, etc. Todos estão disponíveis para os clientes da loja online para orientá-los e apoiá-los em seus objetivos.
Também é possível consultá-los através da seção “Contato” do site para aconselhamento sobre nutrição, como adotar um estilo de vida saudável ou exercícios físicos para realizar a fim de alcançar suas ambições. A equipe também está disponível para fornecer os melhores conselhos sobre como usar os suplementos alimentares vendidos no site.
Código de cupom e código promocional da Bauer Nutrition
Os preços praticados pela Bauer Nutrition estão na alta média do que podemos encontrar em outro lugar. No entanto, não devemos esquecer que a qualidade dos produtos é muito alta e que atende aos padrões mais elevados.
Além disso, a Bauer Nutrition tem a vantagem de oferecer promoções extremamente interessantes:
2 produtos comprados, o terceiro oferecido;
3 produtos adquiridos, 3 produtos oferecidos (o dobro da quantidade adquirida gratuitamente).
Com estes especiais, é possível reduzir significativamente o custo de seus suplementos alimentares, especialmente porque eles trabalham em todos os produtos no site. Quaisquer que sejam os produtos escolhidos, os mais baratos são oferecidos.
E isso sem levar em conta os diferentes descontos regulares de acordo com os períodos dos diferentes produtos listados.
Código promocional
Compre 2 produtos e ganhe 1 grátis.
Compre 3 produtos e ganhe 3 grátis.
Oferta especial válida em todos os produtos Bauer Nutrition hoje!
Como encomendar e entrega na Bauer Nutrition?
O site da Bauer Nutrition é intuitivo e fácil de usar. O menu principal permite que você escolha o objetivo que nos interessa: perda de peso, nutrição esportiva, saúde geral ou beleza.
Uma vez que clicamos na categoria que nos interessa, é possível refinar ainda mais sua pesquisa através do submenu que aparece. Na categoria “Perda de peso”, é possível, por exemplo, escolher entre diferentes produtos:
Bloqueadores de carboidratos;
Cortes com fome;
Reforçadores de metabolismo;
Queimadores de calorias;
Queimadores de gordura;
… etc.
Temos a opção de visualizar todos os produtos “Perda de peso” ou classificá-los por sua ação.
A fim de aproveitar as ofertas “2 comprados 1 grátis” e “3 comprados 3 grátis” basta adicionar ao carrinho todos os produtos que nos interessam. Uma vez que os produtos adicionados, está diretamente redirecionado para a cesta e promoção é feito automaticamente ou os produtos mais baratos (dependendo do número de produtos em seu carrinho) é / são gratuitos (s).
Da mesma forma, para cada compra, a Bauer Nutrition oferece em bônus 5 guias de nutrição e treinamento no valor de 169,50 euros. Finalmente, todos os pedidos são entregues gratuitamente na Portugal, seja qual for o valor.
Para completar o pedido, basta clicar em “prosseguir para o pedido” para ser direcionado para uma página de pagamento. É possível ajustar por:
Cartão de crédito;
Cartão de débito;
Skril;
Neteller;
Sofort;
Transferência Rápida;
Paysafecard.
A página e os pagamentos são seguros, conforme indicado pela presença do cadeado ao lado do endereço. Aceite os termos e condições marcando a caixa fornecida e faça seu pedido para poder pagar. Você receberá um e-mail com o resumo das suas compras e a confirmação do seu pagamento.
Entrega em Portugal é fornecida por La Poste. Este último é rápido, uma vez que a Bauer Nutrition utiliza o serviço de entrega rápida.
A Bauer Nutrition é um site confiável?
A Bauer Nutrition parece ser a mais confiável: os produtos vendidos são de altíssima qualidade e autorizados pela FDA.
Da mesma forma, é um site cuja equipe é facilmente acessível:
Pelo título “Fale conosco”;
Pelo gato que se abre automaticamente;
Por telefone (listado no canto superior direito de cada página);
Por correio (endereço na Portugal disponível na página “Sobre nós”).
Os pagamentos são seguros, como mencionado acima, e todos os pedidos são apoiados por uma garantia de reembolso de 60 dias. Isso lhe dará tempo para mudar de idéia e enviar as novas caixas se você não notar um efeito, por exemplo.
Na página principal, na coluna da direita, podemos ver a inserção de “depoimentos”, mas infelizmente não é clicável. Portanto, não é possível ver no próprio site a opinião dos clientes. Por outro lado, alguns produtos beneficiam de notas de compradores anteriores, especialmente os mais populares como Proactol XS ou Capsiplex.
Comentários nutricionais Bauernutrition para usuários do site
A Bauer Nutrition está presente no site de revisão online e independente da Trust Pilot. Obtém a pontuação média de 3/5 porque o tempo de entrega é muitas vezes criticado pela marca.
No entanto, a equipe está fazendo o máximo para responder às queixas e parece que é necessário esperar entre 5 e 10 dias úteis para receber seu pedido na Portugal. Pode acontecer que o atraso seja um pouco maior quando o site está sobrecarregado com pedidos, como durante grandes promoções por exemplo.
No entanto, a qualidade dos produtos vendidos nunca é questionada. Pelo contrário, o último é recebido por compradores que estão muito satisfeitos e geralmente não são sua primeira ordem.
Nossa opinião sobre a Bauer Nutrition Portugal
A Bauer Nutrition ainda é um site recente na Portugal, o que explica que pode encontrar algumas dificuldades de entrega, bem como pequenos atrasos. No entanto, isso não afeta a qualidade dos produtos vendidos e a gravidade de sua equipe.
Os funcionários do site são profissionais comprometidos em ajudar seus clientes. Eles respondem a cada e-mail e mensagem, sejam eles positivos ou não. Profissionais de nutrição estão disponíveis para ajudar os compradores a fazer uma escolha e obter os melhores resultados.
Em termos de produtos, a Bauer Nutrition é o melhor do que podemos encontrar.
Os suplementos são todos de origem natural e de altíssima qualidade. Além disso, com promoções muito atraentes (2 compradas 1 grátis, 3 compradas 3 grátis ou a oferta para obter 20% de desconto que aparece na parte inferior da tela) estes produtos de alta composição são acessíveis a qualquer um cada um.
Os pagamentos são seguros e diversificados, o atendimento ao cliente é sério e está disponível. Só podemos recomendar o site da Bauer Nutrition para a compra de seus suplementos de saúde e beleza. | {
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Of course, one might say, there are certain kinds of problems that lend themselves to huge collaborations. One has only to think of the proof of the classification of finite simple groups, or of a rather different kind of example such as a search for a new largest prime carried out during the downtime of thousands of PCs around the world. But my question is a different one. What about the solving of a problem that does not naturally split up into a vast number of subtasks? Are such problems best tackled by people for some that belongs to the set ? (Examples of famous papers with four authors do not count as an interesting answer to this question.)
It seems to me that, at least in theory, a different model could work: different, that is, from the usual model of people working in isolation or collaborating with one or two others. Suppose one had a forum (in the non-technical sense, but quite possibly in the technical sense as well) for the online discussion of a particular problem. The idea would be that anybody who had anything whatsoever to say about the problem could chip in. And the ethos of the forum — in whatever form it took — would be that comments would mostly be kept short. In other words, what you would not tend to do, at least if you wanted to keep within the spirit of things, is spend a month thinking hard about the problem and then come back and write ten pages about it. Rather, you would contribute ideas even if they were undeveloped and/or likely to be wrong.
This suggestion raises several questions immediately. First of all, what would be the advantage of proceeding in this way? My answer is that I don’t know for sure that there would be an advantage. However, I can see the following potential advantages.
(i) Sometimes luck is needed to have the idea that solves a problem. If lots of people think about a problem, then just on probabilistic grounds there is more chance that one of them will have that bit of luck.
(ii) Furthermore, we don’t have to confine ourselves to a purely probabilistic argument: different people know different things, so the knowledge that a large group can bring to bear on a problem is significantly greater than the knowledge that one or two individuals will have. This is not just knowledge of different areas of mathematics, but also the rather harder to describe knowledge of particular little tricks that work well for certain types of subproblem, or the kind of expertise that might enable someone to say, “That idea that you thought was a bit speculative is rather similar to a technique used to solve such-and-such a problem, so it might well have a chance of working,” or “The lemma you suggested trying to prove is known to be false,” and so on—the type of thing that one can take weeks or months to discover if one is working on one’s own.
(iii) Different people have different characteristics when it comes to research. Some like to throw out ideas, others to criticize them, others to work out details, others to re-explain ideas in a different language, others to formulate different but related problems, others to step back from a big muddle of ideas and fashion some more coherent picture out of them, and so on. A hugely collaborative project would make it possible for people to specialize. For example, if you are interested in the problem and like having slightly wild ideas but are less keen on the detailed work of testing those ideas, then you can just suggest the ideas and hope that others will find them interesting enough to test or otherwise respond to.
In short, if a large group of mathematicians could connect their brains efficiently, they could perhaps solve problems very efficiently as well.
The next obvious question is this. Why would anyone agree to share their ideas? Surely we work on problems in order to be able to publish solutions and get credit for them. And what if the big collaboration resulted in a very good idea? Isn’t there a danger that somebody would manage to use the idea to solve the problem and rush to (individual) publication?
Here is where the beauty of blogs, wikis, forums etc. comes in: they are completely public, as is their entire history. To see what effect this might have, imagine that a problem was being solved via comments on a blog post. Suppose that the blog was pretty active and that the post was getting several interesting comments. And suppose that you had an idea that you thought might be a good one. Instead of the usual reaction of being afraid to share it in case someone else beat you to the solution, you would be afraid not to share it in case someone beat you to that particular idea. And if the problem eventually got solved, and published under some pseudonym like Polymath, say, with a footnote linking to the blog and explaining how the problem had been solved, then anybody could go to the blog and look at all the comments. And there they would find your idea and would know precisely what you had contributed. There might be arguments about which ideas had proved to be most important to the solution, but at least all the evidence would be there for everybody to look at.
True, it might be quite hard to say on your CV, “I had an idea that proved essential to Polymath’s solution of the *** problem,” but if you made significant contributions to several collaborative projects of this kind, then you might well start to earn a reputation amongst people who read mathematical blogs, and that is likely to count for something. (Even if it doesn’t count for all that much now, it is likely to become increasingly important.) And it might not be as hard as all that to put it on your CV: you could think of yourself as a joint author, with the added advantage that people could find out exactly what you had contributed.
And what about the person who tries to cut and run when the project is 85% finished? Well, it might happen, but everyone would know that they had done it. The referee of the paper would, one hopes, say, “Erm, should you not credit Polymath for your crucial Lemma 13?” And that would be rather an embarrassing thing to have to do.
Now I don’t believe that this approach to problem solving is likely to be good for everything. For example, it seems highly unlikely that one could persuade lots of people to share good ideas about the Riemann hypothesis. At the other end of the scale, it seems unlikely that anybody would bother to contribute to the solution of a very minor and specialized problem. Nevertheless, I think there is a middle ground that might well be worth exploring, so as an experiment I am going to suggest a problem and see what happens.
I think it is important to do more than just say what the problem is. In order to try to get something started, I shall describe a very preliminary idea I once had for solving a problem that interests me (and several other people) greatly, but that isn’t the holy grail of my area. Like many mathematical ideas, mine runs up against a brick wall fairly quickly. However, like many brick walls, this one doesn’t quite prove that the approach is completely hopeless—just that it definitely needs a new idea.
It may be that somebody will almost instantly be able to persuade me that the idea is completely hopeless. But that would be great—I could stop thinking about it. And if that happens I’ll dig out another idea for a different problem and try that instead.
It’s probably best to keep this post separate from the actual mathematics, so that comments about collaborative problem-solving in general don’t get mixed up with mathematical thoughts about the particular problem I have in mind. So I’ll describe the project in my next post. Actually, make that my next post but one. The next post will say what the problem is and give enough background information about it to make it possible for anybody with a modest knowledge of combinatorics (or more than a modest knowledge) to think about it and understand my preliminary idea. The following post will explain what that preliminary idea is, and where it runs into difficulties. Then it will be over to you, or rather over to us. I’ve already written the background-information post, but will hold it back for a few days in case the responses to this post affect how I decide to do things.
The blog medium is almost certainly not optimal for this purpose, so if a serious discussion starts with lots of worthwhile contributions, then I’ll look into the possibility of migrating it over to some purpose-built site. If anyone has any suggestions for this (apart from the obvious one of using the Tricki — I’m not sure that’s appropriate just yet though) then I’d be delighted to receive them. My feelings at the moment are that blogs are too linear—it would be quite hard to see which comments relate to which, which ones are most worth reading, and so on. A wiki, on the other hand, seems not to be linear enough—it would be quite hard to see what order the comments come in. So my guess is that the ideal forum would probably be a forum: if someone knows an easy way to set up a mathematical forum, I might even do that. But if the discussion is on this blog, then I might from time to time try to assess where it has got to and create new posts if I feel that genuine progress has been made that can be summarized and then built on.
I’ve been thinking of doing this for a long time. The reason I’ve suddenly decided to go ahead is that I followed a couple of links from this post on Michael Nielsen’s blog, and discovered that, unsurprisingly, others have had similar ideas, and some people are already doing research in public. But the idea still seems pretty new, particularly when applied to one single mathematics problem, so I wanted to try it out when it was still fresh. (I would distinguish what I am proposing from what goes on at the n-category café, which is an excellent example of collaborative mathematics, but focused on an entire research programme rather than just one problem.)
To finish, here is a set of ground rules that I hope it will be possible to abide by. At this stage I’m just guessing what will work, so these rules are subject to change. If you can see obvious flaws let me know.
1. The aim will be to produce a proof in a top-down manner. Thus, at least to start with, comments should be short and not too technical: they would be more like feasibility studies of various ideas.
2. Comments should be as easy to understand as is humanly possible. For a truly collaborative project it is not enough to have a good idea: you have to express it in such a way that others can build on it.
3. When you do research, you are more likely to succeed if you try out lots of stupid ideas. Similarly, stupid comments are welcome here. (In the sense in which I am using “stupid”, it means something completely different from “unintelligent”. It just means not fully thought through.)
4. If you can see why somebody else’s comment is stupid, point it out in a polite way. And if someone points out that your comment is stupid, do not take offence: better to have had five stupid ideas than no ideas at all. And if somebody wrongly points out that your idea is stupid, it is even more important not to take offence: just explain gently why their dismissal of your idea is itself stupid.
5. Don’t actually use the word “stupid”, except perhaps of yourself.
6. The ideal outcome would be a solution of the problem with no single individual having to think all that hard. The hard thought would be done by a sort of super-mathematician whose brain is distributed amongst bits of the brains of lots of interlinked people. So try to resist the temptation to go away and think about something and come back with carefully polished thoughts: just give quick reactions to what you read and hope that the conversation will develop in good directions.
7. If you are convinced that you could answer a question, but it would just need a couple of weeks to go away and try a few things out, then still resist the temptation to do that. Instead, explain briefly, but as precisely as you can, why you think it is feasible to answer the question and see if the collective approach gets to the answer more quickly. (The hope is that every big idea can be broken down into a sequence of small ideas. The job of any individual collaborator is to have these small ideas until the big idea becomes obvious — and therefore just a small addition to what has gone before.) Only go off on your own if there is a general consensus that that is what you should do.
8. Similarly, suppose that somebody has an imprecise idea and you think that you can write out a fully precise version. This could be extremely valuable to the project, but don’t rush ahead and do it. First, announce in a comment what you think you can do. If the responses to your comment suggest that others would welcome a fully detailed proof of some substatement, then write a further comment with a fully motivated explanation of what it is you can prove, and give a link to a pdf file that contains the proof.
9. Actual technical work, as described in 8, will mainly be of use if it can be treated as a module. That is, one would ideally like the result to be a short statement that others can use without understanding its proof.
10. Keep the discussion focused. For instance, if the project concerns a particular approach to a particular problem (as it will do at first), and it causes you to think of a completely different approach to that problem, or of a possible way of solving a different problem, then by all means mention this, but don’t disappear down a different track.
11. However, if the different track seems to be particularly fruitful, then it would perhaps be OK to suggest it, and if there is widespread agreement that it would in fact be a good idea to abandon the original project (possibly temporarily) and pursue a new one — a kind of decision that individual mathematicians make all the time — then that is permissible.
12. Suppose the experiment actually results in something publishable. Even if only a very small number of people contribute the lion’s share of the ideas, the paper will still be submitted under a collective pseudonym with a link to the entire online discussion.
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Anne Godlasky
USA TODAY
The most recent attack is another example of violence against the LGBT community.
• June 12, 2016 — A gunman opens fire in Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, killing 50 people and sending 53 to the hospital.
• Dec. 31, 2013 – Musab Masmari poured gasoline in a stairway at a decades-old gay nightclub and set it on fire. There were about 750 people in the Seattle club for a New Year's Eve celebration at the time, but the fire was extinguished with no injuries. An associate of his "reported that Masmari confided in him that he "burned a gay club" and that he did it because 'what these people are doing is wrong,'" an assistant U.S. attorney said in court documents. Masamari was sentenced to 10 years on federal arson charges.
• March 1, 2009 – Brothers Lawrence Henry Lewis and Lawrneil Henry Lewis and their cousin Alejandro Sam Gray hurled chunks of concrete at patrons of a gay bar in Galveston, Texas. One of the victims, Marc Bosaw, required 12 staples in his head.
• Sept. 22, 2000 – Ronald Gay opened fire in a gay bar in Roanoke, Va., killing 43-year-old Danny Overstreet and injuring six others. Gay told police he didn't like being teased about his last name. Several of his sons had changed their last name. And his fifth ex-wife had a same-sex relationship before their marriage. Gay told authorities it was his mission to make all gays move to San Francisco, which he thought would end AIDS.
•Feb. 21, 1997 – Eric Rudolph sets off a nail-laden explosive device at the Otherside Lounge, a nightclub in Atlanta with a mostly gay and lesbian clientele. The lounge was crowded with about 150 people when the device went off on a rear patio. Five people are wounded. Rudolph, better known for targeting the 1996 Summer Olympics, said he was striking back at a "morally corrupt government" that allows abortion and homosexuality.
•June 24, 1973 – An arsonist sets fire to the Upstairs Lounge, a gay bar in New Orleans' French Quarter, killing 32 people.
BEHIND THE BLOODSHED: THE UNTOLD STORY OF AMERICA'S MASS KILLINGS
Everyone was 'dropping and screaming': Witnesses describe chaos in Orlando shooting
Orlando nightclub shooting: What we know | {
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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (File Photo) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (File Photo)
Judging by the way the media, particularly the national television channels, is describing the violence in West Bengal, it seems that the state is burning, and only the Centre’s intervention can restore normalcy. The actual violence in West Bengal and the hysteria around it together pose a challenge to the state’s chief minister, Mamata Banerjee. While she is known to be a street smart politician, Banerjee is caught in more than one difficult predicament: Tackling the BJP; taking a decision on deploying the full range of security forces in the trouble spots and dealing with the Centre’s aggressive postures. She has to decide if the current conflagration is a law and order problem or one that demands political solutions. Banerjee has to find ways to keep communal politics at bay. But should that be done by promoting tolerance and encouraging participation in various. Religious activities or should she adopt a policy of secularism and come down hard on fundamentalists?
Except in the Darjeeling hills where the torching and burning of government property has been a daily occurrence and four (according to some accounts, seven) people have died in the renewed Gorkhaland agitation — with the state police claiming it did not open fire — the actual violence has not been enormous. In Basirhat, in the first two days of communal trouble, houses were torched and one person died. The police, but more crucially the local people, brought the situation under control. Yet given the hysteria worked up on the ground, including by right-wing forces, one wonders how long the state government can keep on fire-fighting.
Clearly, the state government as well as the party in office in West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), have not been adequately prepared to deal with the situation politically. In both Darjeeling and Basirhat, it faces a serious political challenge. The government will only harm itself if it is overconfident and does not augment its political preparedness. A measured response is the need of the hour. Herein lies the problem.
The TMC government is a populist government. It enjoys the confidence of the people because it has initiated several “pro-people” measures. The social churning in Bengal in the past seven to 10 years has thrown up many new leaders from the lower classes of society. This churning has also given rise to illegal elements. The TMC government is seen as anti-communal and has the support of minority groups. It has also been able to create a Bengali identity above caste, locality and religion. But the TMC’s politics remains thin, pragmatic, issue-oriented, minimal and tactical.
This is essentially a response of the lower classes to the ravages and uncertainties of globalisation. It does not, and cannot, think beyond the immediate. It cannot strategise administration, which remains largely informal, person-oriented, and, at times, direct. This is a politics untutored in formal modes. Herein lies its relevance as well as its grave limitation — particularly in light of the challenges it faces amid political and economic change.
This style of administration was evident in the way the chief minster announced the state’s new language policy. About a month and a half back, she suddenly declared that Bengali would be compulsorily taught in all schools in West Bengal. However, as if in a premonition of things to come, she added that West Bengal respected all languages — languages of all states — and the three-language formula of the state showed what the government really wanted. The announcement required greater consultation and deliberation. Given the conflict in the Darjeeling hills and the stand-off between the government and the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), more consultations with various segments of the society were required.
In a similar manner, on May 29, the CM suddenly declared that the government would hold some of its cabinet meetings in the Darjeeling hills. Amidst the tension and signs of renewal of the conflict, this announcement was seen as the government imposing its presence in the hills. The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) was not informed officially. It was an administrative decision taken in a populist manner. The government’s intentions were good but the decision was taken without proper deliberation. It misfired.
Such sudden decisions also betray the government’s overconfidence. This is typical of populist politics, which is always sure of its efficacy and does not have any doubt as to whether the people — that mysterious category — may indeed think differently. The government became overconfident of its strength in the hills after the TMC won the last civic polls in Mirik, and did well in the civic elections in the hills. It thought that the moderates were on its side. But the government had pushed the GJM into a corner and the latter decided to strike back. Restoring stability in the hills will now be a difficult task.
The government faces a similar dilemma with respect to handling the aggressive forces that want to “save the endangered Hindus”. On the occasion of Ram Navami, they carried swords and other weapons in processions and dared the CM to take steps. With the government wary that any strong action may prove counterproductive, the political leaders of the Right were allowed to do as they liked. To make matters worse, in various places, TMC leaders organised Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti celebrations. This was a repeat of an old Congress practice: Soft communalism to counter extreme communalism. It never worked for the Congress. It will not work now.
An alert police force has, on several occasions, prevented a communal conflagaration. Yet the government has neither been firm nor exercised caution. In Basirhat, the people with the help from the administration regrouped to restore peace. But the government’s political and administrative preparedness left much to be desired. All this is exacerbated by the self-destructive desire of the TMC to be preponderant in every part of the state. This, in effect, destroys all chances of dialogue. The West Bengal government shows no sign of realising that the chief minister’s plebiscitary style does not always work. Developmental policies and populist measures alone cannot cope with the challenges of contentious politics. A government that does not have a road map to deal with such politics will face a tough time.
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A
Art. ghastly defined.
And so we have this, You have it in your secret windows, And your understanding to understand it and to bring it forth. It takes minute detail It takes emotion It takes dedication It takes dedication It takes a death It brings us down It takes form of the intent It takes whisper in the wind, On a dim summer fore day, Gaze up to the skies and watch the terror, Clouds traverse the icy blue nether world, Make of it, make it remembrance. Take note, take forth and immerse And you will pass through this corridor Where they sat Where they are It will find you inside this madness, and it will drown. You saw something that was real | {
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The ethers.js library aims to be a complete and compact library for interacting with the Ethereum Blockchain and its ecosystem. It’s a complete Ethereum wallet implementation and utilities in JavaScript (and TypeScript).
You can read a comparison between web3js and ethers.js here.
Weekly Downloads — 63,709 | {
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annonse
annonse
I kronikken Jødehatets grunnsteiner spør Bjørn A. Jenssen kva som utløyste Martin Luthers utfall mot jødane. Kva var det som vekte til live reformatorens raseri? Vel – det veit vi. Martin Luther brukte tid på å setja seg inn i den konkurrerande religionen. Men han hadde ingen reidskapar for å handtera det han fann. Han var sjokkskadd av blasfemiane, det rituelle hatet, arrogansen. Og betalte tilbake tilbake i same valuta. Tango finst i mange variantar – frå Finland til Argentina. Men sams for alle variantar av dansen at du må vera to for å dansa tango.
Og slik er det ofte med hat. I denne litt mindre enn perfekte verda er gjensidig hat mellom to fiendtlege grupper heilt alminneleg. Og det kristne hatet hatet mot jødar, som ein finn i mange former opp gjennom historia, har sitt symmetriske svar i det jødiske hatet mot Kristus og kristendom. I Talmud er Kristus ein av tre erkesyndarar som er dømt til evig straff i helvete. På hebraisk er det vanlegaste namnet på Jesus «Jeshu», «Må namnet hans døy». Når fortidas ortodokse jøde gjekk forbi ei kyrkje, skulle han i følgje mi «handbok», Kizur Shulchon Oruch, seia fram ei forbanning der han ba Gud riva huset til dei stolte. Krossen, som for kristne er eit symbol på frelsa, er for ortodoks jødedom ein styggedom. Ein jøde som såg ein kross plikta å spytta tre gongar. Mellom anna difor er det internasjonale + – teiknet i israelske lærebøker i matematikk erstatta med eit teikn som ser ut som ein omvendt T.
Vanlegvis var denne verda av rituelt hat løynt av ein smilande fasade. Det Luther gjorde var å sjå bakom fasaden – og det som møtte han gjorde Luther forskrekka. Det var ein mann rysta djupt inn i sjela som skreiv «Om jødene og deres løgner». Han hadde ikkje moderne menneskes arsenal av distanse, sosiologi, filosofi, antropologi og symbolforståing til å handtera det han hadde møtt.
annonse
Dei fleste jødar opp gjennom tida valde å leva i den kristne verda. Og hat og forfølgjing er berre ei side av denne historia. Jødar har utgjort ei positiv kraft i europeisk historie, og i lange periodar har dette ikkje handla om forfølgjing og destruktive mønster. Etter at moderniteten inntok den jødiske ghettoen har jødar ofte vore avantgarde i europeisk kultur. Den som vil forstå desse tinga må ha auga både for «retta og vranga i livsens vev», som Aasmund O. Vinje kalla det.
Bjørn A Jenssen hevdar at jødehatet i Europa i dag er på frammarsj. Det er ei sanning med modifikasjonar. Dagens europeiske jødar er ikkje den marginale utgruppa dei var etter at borgarrettane – emansipasjonen – tok grunnlaget bort frå middelalderens ghettoeksistens. Europeiske jødar er i hovudsak ei velintegrert og ressurssterk gruppe, og det finst ingen som utfordrar deira plass i det europeiske samfunnet.
Men samstundes blir all kritikk og all problematisering av jødane si rolle i vestlege samfunn sortert som «hat» – uavhengig av om kritikarane ønskjer å undergrava eller forsvara jødane si plass i debatten. Berre for å vera sikker blir likt og ulikt slått saman i ein svær sekkekategori – «hat» – som blir forvist frå alminneleg samfunnsdebatt.
annonse
Det er ikkje heilt ufårleg. Særleg når det gjeld emne som mobiliserer sterke kjensler er motforestillingar og sakleg argumentasjon viktig. Då Vatikanet i tidlegare tider skulle kåra nye helgenar, kunne ogso djevelens advokat ta ordet. Det er ein vettug skikk som ein bør kosta på seg når debattemaet er av det slaget der semja blant dei rettruande er over 100%.
For jødar er akkurat like jordiske og feilbarlege som oss andre. Det var urimeleg å gjera dei til representantar for det vonde, for ei stor samansverjing mot det kristne samfunnet. Men er det rimeleg å tru at jødisk innverknad alltid er positiv, og kritikk alltid av det vonde?
Amerikanske jødar har i løpet av det siste hundreåret skaffa seg stor innverknad over amerikansk politikk i Midtausten. Den innverknaden lobbyen har over offentleg debatt og i kongressen er på mange måtar unik. Dette handlar om makt. Men med makt følgjer ansvar.
Den konservative skribenten Joseph Sobran kommenterte jødane si rolle i amerikansk ordskifte slik: «Du må berre skriva om oss som passive og makteslause. Som ein historisk undertrykt minoritet som sloss for å halda oppe var eldgamle identitet i ei verd der alle odds er mot oss. Stakkars, hjelpelause oss, stakkars forfølgde og kringsette oss. Om ikkje – kjem vi til å slå deg i bitar.»
Sobran mista inntektene sine som skribent, og vart forvist til det ytterste mørket i amerikansk debatt berre for å nemna dette. Er det eit teikn på eit sunt klima der meiningar kan brytast?
Ein annan konservativ, amerikansk journalist, Phillip Giraldi, tok nyleg opp same tema. Og då spesielt den rolla den jødiske lobbyen har spela når det gjeld å vera pådrivar for krig dei siste tiåra – i Irak, i Libya, i Syria. Ex-CIA-mannen Giraldi er ikkje nokon konspirasjonsteoretikar, og argumenterer nøkternt for sitt syn. Blir han møtt av motargument? Nei, han blir møtt med moralsk panikk, og sett på porten etter femten år som velrenomert kommentator i «The American Conservative».
annonse
Giraldi sit like lite som oss andre på nokon fasit. Men det er heller ingenting som tyder på at vi blir klokare av å la rullegardina gå ned automatisk. Krig og fred er viktige spørsmål, og argument og perspektiv fortener å bli vurdert før dei blir forkasta. Vi treng ikkje gje frislepp til alt og alle. Men vi kan i det minste vera like liberale som Vatikanet i gamle dagar, og gje djevelens advokat rett til å ta ordet når han meiner han har viktige saksopplysningar. | {
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Take a stroll down Berlin’s Unter den Linden avenue, heading towards the Brandenburg Gate, and history will ambush you. First, you pass by the Willy Brandt Forum, paying homage to the German chancellor who from 1969 to 1974 invented Ostpolitik, Germany’s overture to the East and to the Soviet Union. You also pass near Russisches Haus, a German-Russian cultural centre currently commemorating the 70th anniversary of the end of what the Russians call the great patriotic war. A short walk away, the beautiful modern glass dome built on top of the Reichstag building comes as a reminder that it was only 15 years ago that the German parliament moved from Bonn to Berlin – shifting Europe’s centre of gravity eastwards.
German power is now mostly seen in economic terms. Given its 20th century past, the dream of simply being a bigger Switzerland still holds a strong appeal to the German public: a country without any serious external security concerns, focused on prosperity and wellbeing.
The rise of far right parties across Europe is a chilling echo of the 1930s | John Palmer Read more
And yet recently Angela Merkel has put her country on a new course. She is redefining German power. This is not happening via grand speeches, but through concrete steps and sometimes discreet messages. And it is happening as a result of circumstances, not because of a comprehensively pre-prepared plan. Last year, in quick succession, war broke out in Ukraine, populist and extremist parties made strong gains in European elections, and the Greek conundrum returned to the eurozone. Because of all these crises, Merkel has been reappraising what her country should be doing as Europe’s powerhouse.
Take the Greek issue. The reason why Germany recently decided to give Greece a reprieve (if only for four months) by pursuing EU financial aid is not just that Alexis Tsipras backed down on most of his earlier demands. It is because Germany saw a larger strategic question beyond the immediate financial issue.
The reasoning goes like this: if Greece falls out of the eurozone, not just the common currency but the whole European project will be weakened. It would be a signal of disintegration at a time when geopolitical threats are graver than ever. Berlin paid close attention to the way Tsipras cosied up to Vladimir Putin’s Russia after his election, and to how he sent one of his ministers to Moscow, possibly in the hope of leveraging Russian financial support against Brussels’s offer. When the German chancellor recently warned that Russia might start eyeing up the Balkans next, she may not just have had Serbia, but also Greece, in mind.
Strategic Angela is also visible when it comes to confronting populist political forces in Europe. She has taken a clear stand against Pegida, the anti-Muslim movement in Germany now trying to spread elsewhere in Europe. She is especially worried about the growth of France’s Front National. German officials have been asking their French counterparts how they intend to block the rise of Marine Le Pen, who wants to pull France out of the euro if she comes to power one day.
The European commission recently granted France a two-year extension to bring its budget within EU rules. This gives the French government some slack in terms of cutting down public expenditure – a gift at a time when the Front National thrives on the middle class sense of being mistreated. French officials privately admit that German concerns about the ascent of the far-right in France played no small part in the Brussels decision.
I have heard similar comments about how Germany sees the threat of “Brexit” – a British exit from Europe. Sources close to the Merkel point out that her message to David Cameron has been a strong warning, along the lines of “don’t play games with European politics”.
Countering Europe’s fragmentation has become the key objective in Merkel’s third term
Countering Europe’s fragmentation has become the key objective in Merkel’s third term. She has become obsessed with forging European unity. This was clear on Ukraine as well as Greece. It is the reason why she was quite glad to have President Hollande of France by her side when negotiating with Putin in Minsk. If Germany had gone it alone, her critics would have wasted no time evoking the ghost of the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact, with Germany and Russia carving up eastern Europe. On Greece, perhaps Merkel’s “unifying” task was made easier by the many provocations from within the Tsipras team, including its frequent references to Nazi war crimes. None of them went down too well in Paris or Rome, the capitals that Yanis Varoufakis, the Greek finance minister, visited in search of allies.
As strategic positions go, this new German assertiveness is still full of paradoxes. No doubt Merkel wasn’t quite expecting to find herself in such a position when she first got elected. One close observer of the chancellor, who has known Merkel since the start of her political career, told me Merkel would have much preferred to spend her successive terms in office concentrating on domestic issues such as industrial policy. But the fallout from the economic crisis and Russia’s threatening behaviour has pushed her into an altogether different role.
Those – and they are many – who see Germany as responsible for the economic austerity measures that have fuelled Euroscepticism and the rise of radical parties will emphasise the irony of Germany scrambling to fix problems that have come about as a consequence of its own policies. Others will ask how European Germany’s thinking really is, for example when accepting to sideline Poland during the Ukraine crisis.
But the bottom line is that Germany is no longer the country that has frequently been portrayed: a nation so obsessed with export markets and globalisation that it might be a more suitable fit for the Brics club of emerging global economies, somehow turning its back on Europe. One sign of the shift is that the German government has recently indicated it is thinking of increasing its defence budget by 2017.
Checkpoint Charlie, the old border crossing between East and West Berlin, was once a symbol for Europe’s division, and hence Germany’s constraints. Visit now, and you see only a tourist site. Sitting in a nearby restaurant, Joschka Fischer, the former foreign minister, tells me that in spite of her many flaws, the chancellor is indeed carving out a new sense of German responsibility for Europe’s internal and external affairs.
Whether that will be palatable to an inward-looking German public is another question that Merkel will continue to grapple with. “This is a new role for Germany,” Fischer says, “and the country is not yet accustomed to it.” | {
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Arsenal has unveiled plans for an extensive building programme to transform the club’s training ground at London Colney and continue development at the Hale End youth academy.
Planning permission was recently granted by Hertsmere Borough Council for the training ground development. Work is scheduled to get underway shortly, with completion scheduled for the beginning of the 2017/18 season.
The project will involve major work on the main building, which houses the first-team squad, and the construction of a new player performance centre.
The facility will be used by the first team and house first and second year professionals in the academy.
"These are significant investments to ensure we provide our players with the best possible facilities at every age group within the club" Ivan Gazidis
A new gym will be installed, along with a 40-metre running track, ice baths, a spa, a cryotherapy chamber, state-of-the-art data analysis and scouting suites and player meeting rooms.
The existing visitors, education and media centre will also be refurbished as part of the multi-million pound project.
The club is also proposing a new phase of work at the Hale End youth academy which will include the installation of three new pitches, changing rooms, education areas, landscaping and car parking.
The project is subject to planning permission. New gym facilities and offices have already been built or are under construction.
Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis said: “These are significant investments to ensure we provide our players with the best possible facilities at every age group within the club.
"These developments, together with the recruitment of specialists in player preparation, injury prevention and recovery, analytics, coaching and scouting, will ensure we stay at the forefront of the latest thinking within the game and are an important part of our ambition to keep improving and developing on and off the pitch."
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Watch the video above to find out more about the redevelopment, and see the gallery below for images of the London Colney plans plus recent work at Hale End. | {
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President Donald Trump’s strong support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his reelection campaign underscored the close alliance between the two leaders. On numerous issues, they have similar outlooks, have coordinated closely, and have defined their nation’s security, as well as their political fortunes, as being very much intertwined.
While the coalition negotiations are still ahead, it is clear that Netanyahu will continue in office, making continued smooth coordination between the two governments likely. Even so, some challenging decisions still lie ahead for both of them.
Haaretz Weekly Ep. 23 0:00 -- : -- 15 Skip 15 seconds backwards Play audio 15 Skip 15 seconds ahead 1 X Change playback rate from 1 to 1 Mute audio
No American administration and Israeli government, no matter how close, are always one hundred percent aligned, as demonstrated by Trump’s surprise announcement of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria late last year.
On three major issues, decisions await that could test the close coordination between these two allies.
First, the administration has to decide whether and when to present its plan for "the deal of the century," for Israeli-Palestinian peace, as well as the content of the plan.
Already, the timetable is slipping. After initial indications that the plan would be presented shortly after the Israeli elections, the administration is now signaling that it is more likely to wait until after the Israeli coalition is formed, and the Passover and Ramadan holidays have passed. That takes us to June, at the earliest.
At the same time, the substance of the plan is coming into greater focus. In a series of recent statements, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has revealed more and more about the thinking behind the administration’s still-secret plan.
Open gallery view Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu holds a proclamation signed by U.S. President Donald Trump recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan during the weekly cabinet meeting. Jerusalem, April 14, 2019 Credit: Ronen Zvulun,AP
He has signaled clearly that the plan will not be based on the formula of two states for two peoples, can accommodate Israeli moves to annex West Bank settlements, and will seek to substitute economic benefits for Palestinians - funded by the Arab Gulf states - for fulfilling their political aspirations for statehood.
But a question hangs over this decision for both governments. Such a plan is likely to be rejected by the Palestinians (in fairness, they would reject almost any plan proposed by Trump), by Arab states (who continue to back the two-state idea), by Europe and Russia, and by Democratic presidential candidates in the United States. The latter group will likely make clear that they will not feel bound by such a proposal, and will plan to return to the traditional U.S. position in support of two states in 2021.
So can such a plan be viably implemented, or - if it fails - could Israel proceed with unilateral annexation moves, at acceptable costs in such an environment?
One of those costs could be in U.S. and Israeli relations with Arab states, which presents the second issue for decision. Saudi, UAE, and other Gulf state leaders have made clear their appreciation for Trump’s strong stand against Iran. They are also closely aligned with Israel on the issue, have permitted a range of gestures of normalization, and deemphasized the Palestinian issue’s importance.
But they have not yet been asked to lend public support for a U.S. plan that buries any hopes of Palestinian statehood, much less fund it. They have not yet been asked to look the other way at overt Israeli moves, with U.S. backing, to annex portions of the West Bank. They have not yet been asked to accept U.S. and Israeli positions that their key Arab allies - Jordan and Egypt - fear could be destabilizing.
The signs of this tension are growing. King Abdullah of Jordan recently complained to Members of Congress that he is completely in the dark about the political elements of the Trump plan, but worried by what he smells is coming. Egyptian President Abdelfattah al-Sisi followed up last week’s warm Oval Office meeting with Trump with an announcement that Egypt would not participate in the American plan for a unified Arab military force - dubbed the "Arab NATO."
Open gallery view Jordan's King Abdullah II meeting with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the presidential palace in Cairo. March 24, 2019 Credit: AFP
So the question raised here is: can Israel’s warming ties with Arab states, and can those Arab states’ partnerships with the United States, withstand the presentation of a Trump plan that seeks to kill all possibilities for two states? Are the gains in those relationships truly irreversible, or could they be squandered?
Finally, on Iran, the administration faces a critical decision as time in Trump’s first term winds down: will they take some more definitive action to set back the Iranian nuclear program?
The steps so far - withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal and increasing sanctions - have won support from Israel and Arab Gulf states, and have imposed considerable economic pain on Iran. But Iran has remained in the nuclear deal, and appears to be trying to wait Trump out.
In the little more than year and a half that Trump can be sure he has left, and barely a year before he will be fully engaged in his reelection campaign, at least some of his advisers will argue that he must do more. The administration this week floated an argument that the Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) passed by Congress in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks can apply to strikes on Iran nearly two decades later.
With some Democratic presidential candidates voicing support for the United States returning to the Iran nuclear deal if they are victorious, Trump’s Middle East allies may also hope for a more definitive blow to Iran’s nuclear program during his first term.
Open gallery view President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump greet members of the U.S. military at a hangar rally at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq. Dec. 26, 2018 Credit: Andrew Harnik,AP
But that alignment of interests may not extend to who should strike such a blow. And that could flip the decision back on them.
Is Trump, who campaigned fiercely against the U.S. war in Iraq and has been in a hurry to get U.S. troops out of Syria, prepared to start a new war in the region, just as he goes back to the voters? And if not, Israel and its Arab partners may face their own decision when Trump informs them that they have an American green light to act.
That is not a decision that Netanyahu or any Arab leader has ever faced, but it is time that they give serious thought to how they would respond.
Daniel B. Shapiro is Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. He served as U.S. Ambassador to Israel, and Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa in the Obama Administration. Twitter: @DanielBShapiro | {
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Juventus and Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini has reiterated his belief that the four-month suspension handed to Luis Suarez was "excessive."
- Toe Poke: Suarez bite fuction in PES 2015?
- Luis Suarez CAS appeal set for August 8
Chiellini was bitten by Suarez during a World Cup group game between Uruguay and Italy in June, with the Azzurri defender initially furious that match referee Marco Rodriguez failed to spot the incident.
Retrospective action was taken against Suarez, who left teeth marks on Chiellini's shoulder, with FIFA banning him from all football-related activity for four months.
After receiving an apology from the Uruguayan, Chiellini expressed his belief on Twitter that the punishment was too harsh.
.@luis16suarez It's all forgotten. I hope FIFA will reduce your suspension. - Giorgio Chiellini (@chiellini) June 30, 2014
And the Juventus centre-back confirmed that his stance remained the same as Suarez and new club Barcelona wait for the results of their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Aug. 8.
"I said at the time I thought the ban was excessive and I hope it can be reduced," Chiellini said. | {
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Update: The World Cancer Research Fund caught wind of this article just after it went live. They scrambled to let people know they had nothing to do with it. In fact, their official response was “The articles talking about processed meat being ‘too dangerous for human consumption’ are unhelpful and scaremongering.” Yet in the same post, they tell you to avoid this stuff because it can cause bowel cancer.
We’re not scaremongering. But we’re not afraid to tell our readers the truth.
The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has completed a detailed review of more than 7,000 clinical studies covering links between diet and cancer.1 Bottom line: Processed meats are too dangerous for human consumption. Consumers should stop buying and eating all processed meat products for the rest of their lives.
Processed meats include bacon, sausage, hot dogs, sandwich meat, packaged ham, pepperoni, salami and virtually all red meat used in frozen prepared meals. They are usually manufactured with a carcinogenic ingredient known as sodium nitrite.2 This is used as a color fixer by meat companies to turn packaged meats a bright red color so they look fresh. Unfortunately, sodium nitrite also results in the formation of cancer-causing nitrosamines in the human body. And this leads to a sharp increase in cancer risk for those who eat them.
A 2005 University of Hawaii study found that processed meats increase the risk of pancreatic cancer by 67 percent.3 Another study revealed that every 50 grams of processed meat consumed daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 21 percent.4 These are alarming numbers. Note that these cancer risks do not come from eating fresh, non-processed meats. They only appear in people who regularly consume processed meat products containing sodium nitrite.
Sodium nitrite appears predominantly in red meat products (you won’t find it in chicken or fish products). Here’s a short list of food items to check carefully for sodium nitrite and monosodium glutamate (MSG), another dangerous additive:
Beef jerky
Bacon
Sausage
Hot dogs
Sandwich meat
Frozen pizza with meat
Canned soups with meat
Frozen meals with meat
Ravioli and meat pasta foods
Kid’s meals containing red meat
Sandwich meat used at popular restaurants
Nearly all red meats sold at public schools, restaurants, hospitals, hotels and theme parks
If sodium nitrite is so dangerous to humans, why do the FDA and USDA continue to allow this cancer-causing chemical to be used? The answer, of course, is that food industry interests now dominate the actions by U.S. government regulators. The USDA, for example, tried to ban sodium nitrite in the late 1970’s but was overridden by the meat industry.5 It insisted the chemical was safe and accused the USDA of trying to “ban bacon.”
Today, the corporations that dominate American food and agricultural interests hold tremendous influence over the FDA and USDA. Consumers are offered no real protection from dangerous chemicals intentionally added to foods, medicines and personal care products.
You can protect yourself and your family from the dangers of processed meats by following a few simple rules:
Always read ingredient labels. Don’t buy anything made with sodium nitrite or monosodium glutamate. Don’t eat processed meats served by restaurants, schools, hospitals, hotels or other institutions.
And finally, eat more fresh produce with every meal. There is evidence that natural vitamin C found in citrus fruits and exotic berries (like camu camu) helps prevent the formation of cancer-causing nitrosamines, protecting you from the devastating health effects of sodium nitrite in processed meats. The best defense, of course, is to avoid eating processed meats altogether.
These are great ways to start lowering your risk. But they aren’t the only natural ways to fight cancer… Some cancer-killers may already be in your kitchen.
A windowsill herb that makes cancer cells commit suicide…
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We’ve pulled together the five most important—and most easily accessible—weapons for warding off cancer. It’s a report unlike any we’ve ever put together .
Find out more HERE .
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References:
1 http://dietandcancerreport.org/expert_report/recommendations/recommendation_animal_foods.php
2 http://voices.yahoo.com/sodium-nitrite-processed-meats-causes-cancer-2522974.html?cat=5
3 http://preventcancer.aicr.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=15642&news_iv_ctrl=0&abbr=pr_
4 http://organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/processedmeat050305.cfm
5 http://today.com/id/16361276/ns/today-food/t/things-you-need-know-about-deli-meats/
6 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/11/63/abstract | {
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Several devices from Apple’s (AAPL) next-generation lineup will reportedly launch later than most industry watchers expect due to various delays with their development. Plugged-in analyst Ming-chi Kuo of KGI Securities on Thursday circulated a research note claiming Apple’s iPhone 5S will not launch as soon as most sell-side analysts believe, and neither will its upcoming entry-level iPhone or the second-generation iPad mini.
Ming-chi points to a number of different reasons for the various delays. For the iPhone 5S, the analyst said Apple is having difficulties integrating a new component — a fingerprint sensor — into the device.
“Apple has to work out how to prevent interference from the black and white coating material under the cover glass,” Ming-chi wrote in the note, which was picked up by AppleInsider. “Apple is the first to attempt this function and technology, and time is needed to find the right coating material, which will likely affect iPhone 5S shipments.”
He also noted that problems with the development of iOS 7 will play a role in the delayed launch. An earlier report suggested that iOS 7 will be getting a major UI overhaul.
Ming-chi stated that the launch of Apple’s new entry-level iPhone has been pushed back due to manufacturing difficulties involving the plastic case, which is said to be extremely thin. Finally, the iPad mini will be released later than expected because of difficulties manufacturing the tablet’s upgraded Retina display panels.
Despite the various setbacks, the analyst still believes all three devices will launch in the third quarter. | {
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42 men interviewed describe similar accounts of being extensively tortured while in captivity at a Baghdad prison, secret until recently.
28 Apr 2010 | InfoShop News
Dozens of men corroborate extensive torture toward false confessions during their prolonged, indefinite detention in a Baghdad prison—kept secret for months—after village raids from September through December 2009 by the Iraqi government, interviews with Human Rights Watch (H.R.W.) reveal. The men were kidnapped during raids in Sunni Arab areas in Nineveh.
The prison was discovered in March after families had been searching for missing relatives since October. The government has since vowed to shut the prison down and released 75 captives, while transferring 275 others to “regular jails”, Ned Parker reported at the Los Angeles Times last week.
More than 100 were tortured, regularly beaten, electrocuted, suffocated, put in stress positions for hours, repeatedly raped, extorted from, one Iraqi official familiar with the prison said.
“Detainees in a secret Baghdad detention facility were hung upside-down, deprived of air, kicked, whipped, beaten, given electric shocks, and sodomized,” H. R. W. said in a statement yesterday after interviewing 42 of the men at the Al Rusafa Detention Center on 26 April 2010:
They were among about 300 detainees transferred from the secret facility in the old Muthanna airport in West Baghdad to Al Rusafa into a special block of 19 cage-type cells over the past several weeks, after the existence of the secret prison was revealed. The men’s stories were credible and consistent. Most of the 300 displayed fresh scars and injuries they said were a result of routine and systematic torture they had experienced at the hands of interrogators at Muthanna. All were accused of aiding and abetting terrorism, and many said they were forced to sign false confessions…. All the detainees interviewed described the same methods of torture employed by their Iraqi interrogators. The jailers suspended the detainees handcuffed and blindfolded upside down by means of two bars, one placed behind their calves and the other against their shins. All had terrible scabs and bruising on their legs. The interrogators then kicked, whipped and beat the detainees. Interrogators also placed a dirty plastic bag over the detainee’s head to close off his air supply. Typically, when the detainee passed out from this ordeal, his interrogators awakened him with electric shocks to his genitals or other parts of his body. During the interrogations, security officials mocked the detainees and called them “terrorists” and “Ba’athists.” To stop the torture, detainees said, they either offered fake confessions or signed or fingerprinted a prepared confession without having read it. Even after they confessed, many said, torture persisted. The detainees told Human Rights Watch of other torture methods as well. They described how interrogators and security officials sodomized some detainees with broomsticks and pistol barrels and, the detainees said, raped younger detainees, who were then sent to a different detention site. Some young men said they had been forced to perform oral sex on interrogators and guards. Interrogators also forced some detainees to molest one another. Security officials whipped detainees with heavy cables, pulled out fingernails and toenails, burned them with acid and cigarettes, and smashed their teeth. If detainees still refused to confess, interrogators would threaten to rape their wives, mothers, sisters, or daughters. The interrogation sessions usually lasted three or four hours and occurred every three or four days.
Exceprts from the detainees’ testimonies to H.R.W.:
Detainee A was captured with 33 others in Mosul on the night of September 17, 2009: “The interrogators would tie my arms behind my back and blindfold me before they would hang me upside down and beat me. They would suffocate me with a bag until I passed out and would wake me with an electric shock to my genitals. Even after they forced me to confess that I killed ten people, the torture never stopped. Ten days before I was transferred out on April 8, I endured a horrific beating for speaking to an inspection team from the Human Rights Ministry. After they left, the prison staff beat me so badly that I urinated blood.”
Detainee B is a pediatrician who saw one of his cellmates dragged out for a torture session on 18 Jan 2010. When they brought him back to the cell, the doctor noticed swelling above his liver and suspected internal bleeding and told the guards that the man needed immediate medical attention. The guards took the tortured man out but returned him an hour later saying that he was fine. He died in the cell an hour later.
Detainee C was arrested in September in Mosul: “The torture sessions lasted for hours on end. The guards would come into our cell and grab three or four detainees at a time. They would walk us to the interrogation room to begin the abuse. They would beat us for hours and so badly that we could not stand up so they would have to drag us back to our cells. They would let us recover for three days before the cycle of torture began anew.”
Detainee D, a formal general in the Iraqi army and now a British citizen, who is in a wheelchair, was arrested on Dec. 7, after he returned to Mosul from London to find his son, who had been detained. His jailers refused him medicine for his diabetes and high blood pressure. “I was beaten up severely, especially on my head,” he told Human Rights Watch. “They broke one of my teeth during the beatings. … Ten people tortured me; four from the investigation commission and six soldiers. …. They applied electricity to my penis and sodomized me with a stick. I was forced to sign a confession that they wouldn’t let me read.”
Iraqi soldiers arrested Detainee E, a 21-year-old, on Dec. 19 at his home in Mosul: “During the first eight days they tortured me daily. They would put a bag on my head and start to kick my stomach and beat me all over my body. They threatened that if I didn’t confess, they would bring my sisters and mother to be raped. I heard him on the cellphone giving orders to rape my sisters and mother.” During one torture session, the man, who was blindfolded and handcuffed, was stripped and ordered to stroke another detainee’s penis. After he was forced to the floor, the other detainee was forced on top of him. “It hurt when it started to penetrate me. The guards were all laughing and saying, ‘He’s very tight, let’s bring some soap!’ When I experienced the pain, I asked them to stop and that I would confess. Although I confessed to the killings, I mentioned fake names since I never killed anyone. So the torture continued even after I confessed because they suspected my confession was false.” One of the guards also forced him to have oral sex.
Detainee F was arrested with his brother in Mosul on Dec. 16. His interrogators strung him upside down and severely beat him with his eyes blindfolded and his hands tied behind his back. He suffered broken ribs from the beatings and urinated blood for days. The interrogators threatened to rape his wife if he did not confess. One time he was stripped naked and told to penetrate another naked inmate lying on the floor or that he would otherwise be raped by two male guards.
Detainees G and H, father (59) and son (29) respectively, were arrested at their house in Mosul on September 30. Both endured sessions in which interrogators hung them upside down and beat them. During one session the father was stripped naked in front of the son, and the son was told they if he did not confess they would rape his father. The father was told that if he did not confess they would kill his son. The son was subsequently sodomized with a broomstick and the guards’ fingers.
Detainee I, 24, was arrested on September 30 in Mosul. He still has severe leg injuries and wets his bed after he was sodomized numerous times with a broomstick and pistol. During one session, an interrogator told him that they would rape his mother and sister if he did not confess. During another beating, interrogators hit him so hard that he lost several front teeth.
“The revelations could further polarize Iraqis, still coming to grips with the scars of the sectarian conflict between 2005 and 2007,” Sam Dagher reports at The New York Times. In Nineveh, Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki— a Shiite—is already “largely perceived as a sectarian leader with a personal vendetta against anyone associated with the former Sunni-led government of Saddam Hussein”.
“This breeds extremism,” Sheik Abdullah Humed, a Nineveh tribal leader, said. “In our country a man who is raped will commit suicide, and how do you think he will do it?”
After the discovery of the secret prison at Muthanna, I wrote about how this is not foreign element of the Iraqi government—the conduct and systematic cover-up and denial. It is system replicated from the U.S. government exported to Iraq. The Obama Administration is de facto immunizing murder, torture, humiliation, threats against children by the C.I.A. and the lawyers who criminally violated their licenses by justifying it. This along with the Bush Administration’s secret prison in Lithuania, the government’s current ‘black jail’ in Afghanistan and immigrant jail in New York City.
Mr. Dagher adds:
“Abu Ghraib was a picnic” compared with the secret prison, said Sheik Abdullah Humedi Ajeel al-Yawar, one of the most influential Sunni Arab tribal leaders in the northern province of Nineveh, where the detainees were rounded up by Iraqi soldiers based on suspicions that they had links to the insurgency and brought to Baghdad with little due process. Abu Ghraib is the prison at which American guards tortured Iraqi prisoners, severely damaging Iraqis’ trust in the United States…. “America is the symbol of democracy, but then you have the abuses at Abu Ghraib,” Mr. Maliki said. “The American government took tough measures, and we are doing the same, so where is the problem and why this raucousness?”
The U.S. State Department documented over 500 cases on torture in Iraq prisons in 2009.
Contradicting his own Human Rights Ministry, PM Maliki denies the existence of secret prisons, calling the center at Muthanna a “transit site under the control of the Ministry of Defense, which used it for a ‘specific period'”, Mr. Dagher reports. The prime minister also denies the existence of torture at the facilities, countering the testimonials to H.R.W. as a political conspiracy—that his opponents visited the prison and told the captives to start “rubbing matches on some of their body parts”.
Iraqiya, a secular alliance headed by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, defeated the prime minister’s State of Law bloc 91-89 in the initial counting of the votes of the March 7 election. Since then, two Iraqiya members’ elections to Parliament have been overturned and the Justice and Accountability Commission is moving to exclude nine more winning MP’s. Mr. Allawi is calling for a “caretaker government” to rule on an interim basis and new elections, Ernesto Londoño reports at The Washington Post.
The new prime minister must be appointed by more than half of the 325 ministers of Parliament. “Because of the closeness of the election, negotiations to form a new government are widely expected to be protracted and acrimonious,” Mr. Londoño reports. | {
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¿Cuáles son las raíces de Vox? Si tomamos como una base periodística bastante bien documentada el artículo de El País Semanal del 14 de abril de 2019, estas serían:
El Partido Popular, del cual surgieron la Fundación FAES, fundada por Aznar, y activistas del PP Vasco, como Santiago Abascal (hoy Secretario general de VOX), además de contar con muchos notables llegados del franquismo; la Fundación para la Defensa de la Nación Española (DENAES), creada en 2006, cercana a Basta Ya! y el Foro de Ermua, apoyados por Esperanza Aguirre y otros líderes del PP, incluso un ex jefe de la Casa del Rey Juan Carlos y en su momento patrono de honor de la Fundación; sectores fundamentalistas católicos, incluyendo varios obispos, el cardenal Antonio María Rouco Varela, cabeza del catolicismo madrileño, y la Fundación Hazte Oír y el Foro Español de la Familia; destacados militares, incluyendo generales, opuestos a las políticas de ascensos; grupos de opinión, como Intereconomía, Libertad Digital, Cadena Cope y adversarios del independentismo
Y otros que no menciona El País Semanal, como los núcleos patronales orientados por el economista Rubén Manso, ultraneoliberal y autor de la política económica de Vox; sus vínculos internacionales (el exilio cubano, la derecha norteamericana del Partido Republicano, de la Asociación del Rifle, los sionistas y anti-islamistas); núcleos antiabortistas de mujeres; negacionistas del Holocausto; aficionados a los toros, la caza y la pesca.
La reciente aparición de Vox en el panorama político español, incorporado con fuerza en el proceso electoral de 2019, y su impactante resultado en las elecciones andaluzas, con 12 diputados autonómicos, plantea la necesidad de evaluar el significado político de sus propuestas. Estas son muy claras en su propuesta económica y política. Enmarcado en la corriente neofascista en lo político en Estados Unidos y Europa, y en las posturas neoliberales en lo económico y social. Más que en sus documentos programáticos, conviene juzgar a Vox por las actitudes de sus dirigentes y las posiciones propuestas ante los grandes problemas nacionales e internacionales.
En este artículo hemos optado por tomar de los medios de comunicación algunos ejemplos de su actitud sobre ese tipo de cuestiones, que resaltan con especial contundencia las posiciones de Vox:
Un partido militarista
La aparición de altos jefes militares retirados en sus listas es sumamente llamativa. Aun tratándose de generales en situación de retiro, es un número superior al que pueden tener todos los demás partidos que se presentan a las elecciones. Veamos una primera lista incompleta:
Manuel Mestre Barea, teniente general del Ejército del Aire, cabeza de lista por Alicante. Ha sido acusado de un delito de plagio en el concurso para acceso al generalato.
Alberto Asarte Cuevas, general de división, numero uno por Castellón.
Agustín Posety Fernández de Castro, general de brigada de Infantería de Marina, cabeza de lista por Cádiz. Firmante del manifiesto de cientos de militares retirados de apoyo al régimen franquista y al golpe militar de 1936, miembro de la Real Academia Hispano Americana y de la Asociación Católica de Propagandistas.
Fulgencio Coll, general, ex jefe de Estado Mayor del Ejército de Tierra, candidato a la Alcaldía de Palma.
Antonio Budiño Carballo, general de división del Cuerpo de Intendencia del Ejército de Tierra, cabeza de lista por la provincia de Pontevedra. Intervino en operaciones multinacionales en Croacia, Albania e Irak.
Un coronel cuyo nombre se reserva, destinado 11 años en la Legión como teniente y capitán, numero uno por Melilla.
Esta presencia militar del más alto nivel en las listas de las próximas elecciones implica un grado de complicidad entre Vox y los altos mandos de las Fuerzas Armadas que se extiende a los temas políticos más sensibles de la actualidad, y muestra el propósito de influir en la opinión pública, mostrando un apoyo militar al partido de la extrema derecha.
Pero esta complicidad de altos mandos cobra mayor significado si se toman en cuenta actuaciones de distintas personas o sectores de las Fuerzas Armadas cercanos o afines a Vox, que se han hecho públicas en marzo o abril, estando ya convocados los distintos procesos electorales, y que se refieren a temas sensibles a demandas militares o cercanas a ellas. Por ejemplo, el cabo Jenner López, presidente de la Asociación Profesional 45 Sin Despidos, se opone a la salida forzosa de las Fuerzas Armadas de los militares con contrato temporal al cumplir los 45 años de servicios. En un acto de organizaciones de militares y policías realizado en Madrid en marzo de 2018, hablaron dirigentes de Vox, así como el cabo López, y reclamaron la equiparación salarial de los diversos cuerpos militares y de seguridad. En su intervención López criticó que Abascal defendiera el restablecimiento del servicio militar obligatorio en España, cuando el mismo Abascal se libró del servicio por sucesivas prorrogas encadenadas. También reclamó que los numerosos soldados musulmanes tengan el derecho legítimo de poder elegir religión. Por sus intervenciones López fue sancionado con 12 días de multa por falta disciplinaria grave.
Otro ejemplo: su defensa de la legalización de la tenencia de armas: Santiago Abascal, secretario general del partido, abogo por “un cambio radical urgente” de la ley sobre tenencia de armas para que los ciudadanos puedan disponer de un arma en su casa y usarla “sin tener que enfrentarse a un infierno judicial, a penas de cárcel o incluso a indemnizaciones a los familiares de los asaltados.”
Su alianza en política internacional con la extrema derecha es también manifiesta. En Estados Unidos mantiene estrechas relaciones con la derecha del Partido Republicano y con los sectores más ultraderechistas del país, con Bannon, el analista de Trump que dirigió su campaña a la Casa Blanca, abanderado de la pena de muerte, del armamento de libre acceso y del combate contra la inmigración. En todo el mundo mantiene cercanía con las derechas más extremas, como los partidos fascistas en Europa, señaladamente en Francia, Italia, Hungría, el apoyo incondicional a Israel para la capitalidad de Jerusalén y la soberanía israelí sobre los Altos del Golán y es solidario con Estados Unidos en su política prosionista de enfrentamiento contra Palestina y los países árabes.
La visita de su responsable internacional al partido ultra de Polonia y su acercamiento a los otros países de extrema derecha del área del este europeo, como Hungría, también es otro ejemplo.
Vieja y nueva ultraderecha
También es muy visible la presencia en sus filas de antiguos miembros de la ultraderecha española. Son numerosos los antiguos miembros de partidos de la extrema derecha española en las filas de Vox. Entre ellos figuran históricos miembros de Fuerza Nueva, el partido de la ultraderecha fundado por Blas Piñar durante la Transición.
Un caso notorio es el de Kiko Méndez Monasterio, quien junto con Marcos Calera fue condenado el 26 de abril de 1999 por el Juzgado de Instrucción Nº 8 de Plaza Castilla, por los delitos de lesiones y amenazas contra Pablo Iglesias, al pago de indemnización económica. Kiko era miembro del grupo fascista Alianza por la Unidad Nacional en cuyo nombre realizó los delitos mencionados, que estaba dirigido por el conocido fascista Sáez de Inestrillas. Actualmente, Kiko es asesor de Abascal en Vox.
En las listas de Vox militan también miembros de las asociaciones de víctimas del terrorismo, significados en su oposición a ETA, como es el caso de José Alcaraz, que ha sido nombrado senador de Andalucía por Vox. Fue fundador de la AVT.
En cuanto a Abascal, su historia política comienza a los 29 años, cuando fue Presidente de las Juventudes (Nuevas Generaciones) del País Vasco y diputado autonómico. En 2011 Aznar asistió al quinto aniversario de la creación de la Fundación DENAES, presidida por Abascal. DENAES y FAES, la fundación dirigida por Aznar, eran almas gemelas, hasta que la competencia entre ambas por dirigir a la derecha española hizo surgir roces y diferencias entre las dos corrientes derechistas.
Por su parte, el líder de Vox en Lleida, José Antonio Ortiz Cambray, fue detenido por los Mossos d”Escuadra acusado de abusar sexualmente de hombres con discapacidad el 5 de marzo. Educadores de la Fundación Alosa, que tutela a varios discapacitados, cursaron una denuncia ante los Mossos, quienes sospechan de la existencia de 4 víctimas. Ortiz concurrió a las elecciones municipales de Lleida en 2011 como Plataforma per Catalunya, y luego pasó a Vox, que dispone de cerca de un centenar de miembros en la provincia. En 2016 se presentó como candidato al Senado por Vox. No obstante, este partido niega que Ortiz sea presidente ni tenga ningún otro cargo en Vox, tal como se presentaba.
Javier Ortega Smith, número 2 de Vox, tiene abierta una investigación penal por un supuesto delito de odio, que podría haber cometido al asegurar que “el enemigo común” es la “invasión islamista”, en un mitin pronunciado en Valencia el 16 de septiembre de 2018. La denuncia fue presentada por la organización Musulmanes contra la Islamofobia por haber sostenido en dicho mitin que “nuestro enemigo común, el enemigo de Europa, el enemigo de la libertad, el enemigo de la familia, se llama la invasión islamista […] cada vez más europeos se están poniendo en pie y no están dispuestos a que se derribe sus catedrales para ser sustituidas por mezquitas”.
En Albacete la dirección de Vox decidió cesar a su candidato al Congreso por sus polémicas declaraciones. Fernando Paz hizo manifestaciones ofensivas sobre los homosexuales, así como otras negacionistas y revisionistas sobre el Holocausto, que motivaron un comunicado de la Federación de Comunidades Judías de España para “rechazar la candidatura de Paz en las listas de Vox” ya que “es inadmisible que una persona con este pensamiento se postule para un cargo de representación pública”. Anteriormente Paz había sido miembro de la organización de extrema derecha Alianza Nacional, y en un acto afirmó que el hacinamiento y las enfermedades jugaron un papel enorme en la mortalidad que se produjo en los campos de concentración; y en un acto de Falange en 2016 atribuyó los asesinatos de judíos en Europa “en muchísimos casos al estado absolutamente caótico, a la falta de alimentación, a la extensión del tifus en los campos de concentración”. En síntesis, negaba la existencia del Holocausto y el asesinato de millones de judíos en Europa. (El Mundo, 22 de marzo de 2019).
Otro dato importante es el apoyo con que cuenta del sector más derechista del Vaticano: Abascal se distanció de declaraciones del Papa Francisco, que este hizo como persona, relativas a inmigración. Sin atacarlo directamente, lo contrapuso a palabras del cardenal Robert Sarah de Guinea Conakry del que tuiteó la frase: “La iglesia no puede colaborar en esta nueva forma de esclavitud en que se ha convertido la inmigración de masas”. Sarah, prefecto de la Congregación para el Culto Divino y la Disciplina de los Sacramentos, a quien el Papa desautorizó en alguna ocasión, encabeza el sector más ultramontano del Vaticano. Sarah compara la ideología de género con el Estado Islámico y la califica de “demoníaca”.
Un programa económico neoliberal
Rubén Manso fue encargado por Vox como responsable de presentar su programa económico; Manso es inspector en excedencia del Banco de España, doctor en Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, presidente del Consejo de Administración de Eurobank del Mediterráneo entre 2003 y 2004, y teniente del Ejército de Tierra en la reserva. En un acto en 2012 conjuntamente con Santiago Abascal, Alejo Vidal Quadras y Jose Antonio Ortega Lara, todos fundadores de Vox, “el reparto de las cargas publicas debe abandonar el absurdo principio de la progresividad” según el cual “deben contribuir proporcionalmente más quienes más tienen. “Discriminar a los individuos en función de sus ingresos (es decir, hacer pagar más a los más ricos) conduce a que desiguales niveles de esfuerzo y merito produzcan iguales niveles de consumo y ahorro”.
Manso defiende “un Estado reducido a su mínima expresión: la Defensa, la seguridad interior y la justicia criminal. Estos son los servicios que debe proveer el Estado mientras que la sanidad, la educación e incluso parte de la justicia civil deben quedar en manos privadas”. Manso admite que algunas personas no podrán pagarse la sanidad, por lo que el Estado debería “auxiliar a los ciudadanos pagando estos servicios al sector privado”. Pero “en esa intervención no debería pagarlo todo “sino solo hasta donde no alcancen los recursos del ciudadano auxiliado”… el Estado solo debería financiar lo “necesario” partiendo de “una definición austera del concepto de necesidad”. Todos los demás servicios deben quedar en manos privadas y “no parece razonable subvencionar el ocio y la cultura”.
Idéntico criterio debiera adoptarse para las pensiones. De sus palabras se deduce la intención de desmantelar el sistema para sustituirlo por otro privado. Los individuos deben intentar sufragarse los gastos presentes y futuros, incluyendo la jubilación. ¿Qué pasa con quienes no pueden pagarse un fondo privado de pensiones? Lo que “no hay que hacer es asegurar el cobro de una pensión, porque entonces no tendrían interés en ahorrar, ni asegurar una pensión mínima, igual para todos”-
Hay que exigir al que trabaja un ahorro mínimo para garantizar su futuro y “medios de vida suficiente a quien decida venir a jubilarse a España”. Estas consignas parecen calcadas de la doctrina de Trump y de otros neoliberales de rancia estirpe.
23/04/2019
Daniel Pereyra es escritor y miembro del Consejo Asesor de viento sur
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PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – It's getting to be that time of year again.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami is monitoring disturbances in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, one of which could become the next tropical storm.
A tropical cyclone churning in the Atlantic is located about 400 miles east-southeast of Trinidad. It could become Tropical Storm Bret later Monday.
Its maximum sustained winds are 40 mph. It was moving west at 25 mph.
Local 10 News meteorologist Julie Durda said computer models have it moving toward the Windward Islands and into the Caribbean Sea later this week.
Another disturbance closer to home in the Gulf of Mexico has a 90 percent chance of development within the next five days.
The area of low pressure is nestled near the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico.
Be sure to download the Local 10 Hurricane Survival Guide to keep you safe before, during and after a storm.
Remember to stay up to date on the all the latest storm news by downloading the Max Tracker app for iOS and ANDROID. | {
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A Polícia Federal e a Casa da Moeda apresentaram nesta sexta-feira (10) o novo modelo de passaporte comum brasileiro, que passa a ter validade de dez anos – o dobro dos anteriores – e itens de segurança mais avançados. O valor também mudou: de R$ 157,05 para R$ 257,25, um aumento de 64,8%.
O ministro da Justiça, José Eduardo Cardozo, justificou o aumento dizendo que o valor era reajustado com base na inflação. A taxa para emissão do documento não sofria alteração desde dezembro de 2006.
As novas expedições e as renovações feitas desde segunda-feira (6) já obedecem às novas regras. Quem possui o passaporte antigo pode continuar utilizando até o prazo de validade.
O ministro disse que a expedição do novo passaporte é uma "vitória". "É um ganho importante para a população porque podemos evitar as situações de acúmnulo e de renovação sem perder o controle necessário na expedição desta documentação".
Com a alteração do prazo de validade, o sistema de criptografia dos passaportes teve a segurança aprimorada. O passaporte comum continua azul, mas a capa ganhou cinco estrelas representando a constelação do Cruzeiro do Sul e a inscrição "Passaporte Mercosul" em amarelo.
Novo modelo de passaporte divulgado nesta sexta (10) pelo ministro da Justiça, José Eduardo Cardozo (Foto: Marcelo Camargo/Agência Brasil) | {
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Image copyright AFP Image caption President Donald Trump and Kris Kobach (L) have both stoked claims that millions voted illegally, without offering any evidence
A commission on elections was created so American voters could be heard. But critics complain the first meeting was held in a secure building with invited guests only.
Vice-President Mike Pence spoke at the first meeting of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity on Wednesday morning.
"We want to hear the voice of the American voter," he said. "Because that's really what this is all about."
That morning, members of the commission described their mandate: they'd examine registration and voting processes that were currently in place across the US. They said they would also look at vulnerabilities in the electoral system that could lead to improper voting.
President Donald Trump established the commission with an executive order in May and spoke briefly in the room on Wednesday morning, describing the meeting as "very, very important".
The presidential order stated that the commission would hold public meetings.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Last November's election results were certified by the Federal Election Commission
But although its first gathering was live-streamed, it took place on the third floor of a Washington DC secure facility that is off limits to members of the public.
The commission has a dozen members: voting experts as well as state and local officials, Republicans and Democrats, from across the US.
The vice-chairman of the commission, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, a Republican, is running for governor of his state.
As they met at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, near the White House, they talked about the importance of voting.
One of the members, the Heritage Foundation's Hans von Spakovsky, said his mother grew up in Nazi Germany and taught him the value of the democratic process.
The room was filled with people who worked for the White House, ranging from senior aides (Sebastian Gorka and Omarosa Manigault were there) to interns.
Many of the interns had been invited at the last minute, one of them told me.
"I don't know how they selected them," a White House staffer said, quietly, while glancing at them.
Image copyright Getty Images
Reporters watched the proceedings from behind a thick blue cord in the back of the room.
Altogether about 115 people were in the viewing areas. None of them appeared to be ordinary citizens, men and women who hadn't been screened by security or outfitted with security badges.
Critics of the administration said that holding the meeting behind closed doors violated democratic principles: transparency and openness.
Lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit earlier thi, saying the commission was required to hold open meetings under the federal advisory committee act.
Image copyright Twitter
Even worse, said the critics, the commission was created in bad faith - largely because Mr Trump claimed he won the popular vote.
"For months and months he has been trying to sell this lie," said the ACLU's Sophia Lin Lakin.
Mr Kobach said this morning that the goal of the commission was to look at the electoral process and not to determine who'd won the most votes in 2016.
He also told me the meeting had been held in "broad daylight".
Anyway, said Mr Spakovsky, it was not a big deal.
"It was simply an organisational meeting," he told me afterwards.
Ms Lakin disagreed. She said that important issues were discussed.
Besides that, she said, "scrutiny" can only occur when members of the public are in the room - not simply watching online (as she and her colleagues did).
Those who observed the proceedings online could see the speakers - but only a glimpse of their surroundings.
During the meeting, Mr Kobach sat at a long table with a wooden gavel in front of him.
He and others discussed voting equipment, voter IDs and US census bureau surveys.
Many people wanted to attend the meeting but weren't allowed in. Yet most of those who were invited didn't seem all that interested - or at least not enough to stick around.
By the early afternoon Mr Gorka, Ms Manigault and most of the others had left - and dozens of chairs were empty. | {
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Lifestyle and Culture
Skymet Weather Team
Dras, or Drass, is a small township situated about 60 km away from Kargil, on the road to Srinagar. Dras is widely recognized as the second coldest inhabited place in the world. Dras is popularly known as 'The Gateway to Ladakh'. The small town is situated at a height of 3230 meters ie 10,990 feet above sea level. During winters, mercury level in the Dras region can plummet to as low as -45 degree Celsius. However, despite biting cold temperatures, Dras is known to host riveting contests of Horse Polo. The easy going and quiet life of Dras is best fit for passing tourists. The region is also home to several treks and hikes for those interested in exploring the region on foot.
Dras first came to limelight in the year 1999, when Pakistan Army incursions started the famous Kargil War. The Indian Army was quick to retaliate and captured the region which is now one of its bases in the extreme north region. A War Memorial stands tall in remembrance of the martyred soldiers of the Kargil War. The site holds great prominence and is visited by thousands of tourists who come to pay their regards to the brave sons of our country.
Dras is home to the Dards and Baltis, people who live in scattered huts. The estimated population of the township is around 1,021. The town has a small Muslim majority along with a few Buddhists. The inhabitants of Dras are extremely well versed with the region. The Zoji La pass, which is the starting point of Dras valley, gets covered in snow during autumn and spring. The area also experiences frequent snow storms which make life even more difficult. The locals, however, have been able to deal with the adverse conditions in the region since ages. They continue to play a key role in transporting merchandise and assisting tourists surfacing the Dras region.
Dras continues to attract tourists from all parts of the world. Despite the growing presence of the Indian Army, the region guarantees a fulfilling experience. The magic of Dras speaks for itself and the idea of braving freezing temperatures to reach some of the most picturesque viewpoints further magnifies the adventure quotient. Out of all the places to see in Dras, the Manman Top (about 10 km from Dras) is perhaps the most important one. Upon reaching Manman Top, one can view the entire Dras valley and even the Line Of Control (LOC). Then there is the Chorkiat Forest offering a variety of flora and fauna, the Dongchik village which has zero cases to its name as per Police record, Laser La which is a little known hill-station, the Brigade War Gallery providing information regarding the Kargil War, Tiger Hill, and much more.
So go ahead and plan an ambitious, adventurous, and truly invigorating trip to the second coldest inhabited place in the world. The best time to visit is obviously during summer when the temperature is marginally warmer, between the months of May and September. Not that it needs to be said but be sure to carry a lot of winter wear! | {
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Andrew Dyson In Tasmania, the smallest state, there are just over 30,000 people for each federal seat (when senators and lower house members elected in the 2016 are combined). That compares with 131,000 people per federal MP in NSW and 125,000 in Victoria. Queensland is the only other state with an above average population-to-federal-seat ratio. South Australia, Northern Territory and Tasmania were all well below the national average.
The population-per-seat in federal parliament varies widely between the states. Credit:Nicole Emanuel Of course, the authors of the constitution created an electoral skew in order to "protect" the smaller states. The constitution stipulates that each "original" state must have an equal number of senators, regardless of population. The current quota is twelve senators per state and two senators for each of the territories. The constitution also dictates that each state will have "five members at least" in the House of Representatives. Those protections for smaller states were part of the deal that transformed Australia's six colonies into a Commonwealth back in 1901.
But since then patterns of population growth have been very uneven. In 1901, Tasmania accounted for nearly 5 per cent of the national population. But the latest population estimates, based on last year's national census, show that share has now shrunk to just 2.1 per cent. When Australia's very first census was taken soon after federation, the most populous state, NSW, had eight times more people than Tasmania. But that multiple has now blown out to 15 times. A population comparison between Victoria and Tasmania since federation tells a similar story. On current trends, the population gap between Australia's biggest and smallest states will keep growing, making the state-based disparity in voting power even more pronounced.
Tasmania will soon be home to less than one in 50 Australians but it will continue to return almost one in six Australian senators. And Tasmania is not the only state with a shrinking population share. Since federation, South Australia's proportion of the national population has fallen from almost 10 per cent to just over 7 per cent. NSW's share of national population has also declined from 36 per cent of the national total to about 32 per cent since 1901. But it still has the least favourable federal-seat-to-population ratio due to its sheer size. A comparison of the federal representation enjoyed by a Tasmanian voter to that of a voter living in the outer suburbs of Sydney or Melbourne illustrates the arbitrary distribution of national voting power. Two neighbouring council areas in Sydney's west - Blacktown and Fairfield - together have a bigger population than the whole of Tasmania.
Likewise, in Melbourne's east the neighbouring council areas of Casey, Knox and Greater Dandenong together have a bigger population than Tasmania. But unlike their Tasmanian counterparts, those outer suburban voters in Melbourne and Sydney don't have 12 senators to represent them. The relative size of lower house electorates also contributes to the inferior population-to-federal-seat ratio in large states. Federal seats in the suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne typically have about 110,000 voters. But each Tasmanian electorate only has about 74,000 voters. The difference is due to that constitutional rule giving each state a minimum five lower house seats. At the last election the federal electorate of Canberra in the ACT had over 143,000 voters – almost double the number of electors for the seat of Braddon in north western Tasmania.
Rawnsley, who is a regional economics expert with consultancy SGS Economics & Planning, predicts that over the next 20 years "the NSW and Victoria population will continue to grow, but their impact on the federal parliament will continue to weaken". He reckons the rules that gradually reduce the potency of votes in big states are as obsolete as the citizenship provisions in section 44 of the constitution that triggered the dual nationality crisis that has embroiled a bevy of MPs including deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce. "Sure section 44 is out of date but maybe first we should look at why a voter in Tasmania has 4.25 times more power than a NSW voter," he says. "As smaller states have a greater impact on the parliament you might see regional issues coming into conflict with the national good." But reform would require a constitutional referendum that wins majority support in every state. And voters in smaller states are very unlikely to agree to any change that crimped their political influence. So far, Australia's biggest states have quietly accepted their deteriorating share of federal representation.
But over time, the voting disparities driven by demographic change could undermine good policy and put pressure on the federation. The two smallest states already receive a disproportionate share of the GST which the Commonwealth splits between the states. Political tensions are bound to rise if some voters begin to feel they don't have a fair say. Matt Wade is economics writer. Ross Gittins is on leave. | {
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Georgia– A 21-year-old Georgia man was arrested after he allegedly fondled himself inside a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant Monday afternoon.
Kenneth D. McGhee, of Columbus, was charged with child molestation and providing false information, the Ledger-Enquirer reported. McGhee allegedly lied to police about his age when he was arrested after running to a store across the street, police told the newspaper.
A woman in the restaurant told police McGhee sat down at the end of a table she was sharing with her two children. Then she noticed he had exposed himself and was touching himself, police said.
Read more at AJC.com
Also On NewsOne: | {
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ORDERING packages online comes with pitfalls.
There's always a worry that you won't be in to greet your prized parcel and you'll have to join and endless queue at the post office.
3 Sam received a note from his postman saying he had dropped the package through an open window Credit: SJCooke94/Twitter
Or, worse still, they'll try and leave it somewhere helpful for you and it'll be damaged/stolen by the time you're back.
OR, an even bigger nightmare is the note announcing your package is with a helpful neighbour, who you usually try not to make eye-contact with and now you have to march up and ring on their doorbell.
No one wants that.
3 A follow up note revealed the package had actually gone down the toilet Credit: SJCooke94/Twitter
One Twitter user had his own unique run-in with dodgy parcel delivery yesterday.
Sam Cooke took to the micro-blogging site to post a picture of the two notes he was left to inform him that he hadn't been home when the postman had delivered his package.
MOST READ IN LIVING Sex Secrets Prostitute who earns £2,000 a week reveals the average penis size ... and how much she enjoys work look familiar? Don't listen to the Kama Sutra... apparently these are the only SIX sex positions we use Wtf 'Where did you come from?' Remember Cotton Eye Joe? There’s a theory it's a song about STIs... and the lyrics back it up ‘It’s been devastating’ Mum torn so badly giving birth she now has to wear a colostomy bag for LIFE RAUNCHY READS These nine steamy excerpts from the world's naughtiest books prove the best sex is under the covers basket-balls Did you ever spot the guy with his penis out in 1985 flick Teen Wolf? Thought not… take another look
The first read "put through window" but the second follow up said: "I'm really sorry I think your parcel might have fallen in the toilet accidentally."
The funny tweeter also included a picture of his sad looking package sitting in the toilet bowl.
The hilarious update has received more than 3,000 likes and more than 2,000 retweets since he posted it at 6.32pm yesterday.
3 Sam later revealed that the package was too wide to touch the water so was safe Credit: SJCooke94/Twitter
Fellow tweeters found the picture side-splittingly funny.
One said: "Made my day! Hahahahaha"
While another added: "That is amazing."
Made my day! Hahahahaha — Sean Bailey (@SeanBailey_7) March 30, 2017
If you're concerned about the safety of Sam's package you can rest easy, in a follow up post he said: "Thought someone was winding me up, how mad is that? box was too wide to hit the water though it's safe."
The Royal Mail have responded to the message to apologise for the incident.
They said: "Hi Sam, I'm so sorry they've popped it through the window. We're following so please DM & we'll do what we can to help out & get this sorted."
Hi Sam, I'm so sorry they've popped it through the window. We're following so please DM & we'll do what we can to help out & get this sorted — Royal Mail (@RoyalMail) March 31, 2017
If you're keen to know what was in the brown packet, we can reveal it was printer ink and that is it safe and fully functional. Phew.
But while this delivery man struggled to complete this duty, an Irish postman went above and beyond to deliver a Christmas card with a ridiculously complicated address. | {
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Several law firms in Illinois are mounting claims against a multinational agrochemical manufacturer, alleging one of the components in its herbicide product causes cancer.
In what could become class-actions against Monsanto Co., several law firms are banding together to find clients who allegedly have been affected by the company’s Roundup product, which they claim has caused cancer in several consumers.
Two such cases were recently filed in federal court in East St. Louis.
Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, was declared by the World Health Organization earlier this year as a probable carcinogen to humans. Following the organization’s announcement, several lawsuits have popped up declaring that Monsanto’s Roundup was the reason for the plaintiffs’ cancer.
Monsanto maintains that glyphosate is safe and said the World Health Organization is wrong in its findings.
Weekly Newsletter Sign-up and get latest news about the courts, judges and latest complaints - right to your inbox. Sign up × By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from Madison - St. Clair Record. You can unsubscribe at any time.
“The contrived claims that glyphosate causes cancer are based on the erroneous conclusions of a French-based, non-governmental agency of the World Health Organization,” Scott Partridge, vice president of global strategy at Monsanto, told the Record.
“IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) and its findings have been thoroughly discredited and rejected by the rigorous scientific research of governmental authorities around the world. In fact, those respected regulatory agencies, including the U.S. EPA, the European Food Safety Authority and the relevant bodies in Germany, Japan, Australia and Canada, have all come to the exact opposite conclusion: glyphosate is safe. Even the World Health Organization has now issued a new report that states glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic risk to humans from exposure through diet, contradicting the IARC report.”
Monsanto maintains that glyphosate has been an effective herbicide for farmers, landowners and homeowners to use for the last 40 years. Its Roundup product is used in more than 160 countries around the word and, according to Monsanto, has actually replaced herbicides that were dangerous to use.
“While we empathize with anyone facing these terrible illnesses, there is no evidence that glyphosate is the cause," Partridge said. "The very long and well-established history of glyphosate as safe clearly shows that these claims are supported neither by the science nor the facts.”
The Illinois litigation against Monsanto is especially interesting as the state's economy is supported by a significant agricultural sector and its southwestern border is within 20 miles of Monsanto’s headquarters in St. Louis. Other areas throughout the U.S. are also collecting plaintiffs and several suits have already been filed against the company involving its Roundup product.
Monsanto has come under fire before for the chemicals used in its products in the past with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) that were produced in the 1970s. The World Health Organization also declared PCB a carcinogen, causing Monsanto to face more than 700 lawsuits against it claiming that PCB caused the plaintiffs to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Monsanto is still fighting these claims today.
The amount of law firms and attorneys looking for clients to join their case against Monsanto is staggering. A Google search turns up hundreds of opportunities to become a plaintiff, which may lead to trouble for Monsanto if these claims can be proven. | {
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Last Updated, 5:44 p.m. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to Cairo, which started with an affectionate welcome on Tuesday from Egypt’s new Islamist president, turned less pleasant as the day wore on. First, Mr. Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, was lectured by a senior Sunni Muslim cleric and then was nearly struck with a shoe by a man furious at Iran’s support for the Syrian government.
A correspondent for Turkey’s Anadolu Agency captured the unsuccessful shoe attack on video and reported that the bearded man who tried to strike Mr. Ahmadinejad was a Syrian who shouted, “You killed our brothers!”
According to the Turkish news agency’s report, the man “was immediately detained” after hitting Mr. Ahmadinejad’s bodyguards with his shoe at Cairo’s al-Hussein mosque.
While striking someone with the sole of one’s shoe is a common sign of disrespect in Arab countries, the insult spread to other parts of the world after an Iraqi journalist, Muntader al-Zaidi, nearly hit President George W. Bush with both of his shoes at a news conference in Baghdad in 2008.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Ahmadinejad was apparently harangued during his meeting with Grand Sheik Ahmed al-Tayeb at Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam’s highest seat of learning. According to a statement released by Al-Azhar, Mr. Ahmadinejad was criticized for Iran’s role in what the cleric called the “spread of Shiism in Sunni lands.” The Sunni cleric also pressed the Shiite president to “not interfere in the affairs of Gulf states,” like Bahrain, where Iran is accused of lending support to protests against the ruling Sunni monarchy.
At a news conference after that meeting, Agence France-Press reported that Mr. Ahmadinejad “listened with noticeable unease” as another senior cleric complained about the disrespect shown to the Prophet Muhammad’s companions by “some Shiites.” Sunnis and Shiites disagree about whether the prophet’s companions or relatives were his rightful successors. | {
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United States electoral votes aren't distributed completely proportionally to state population. This is because the number of electors for a state is determined by adding the number of respresentatives and senators. Since there are always at least 2 senators and 1 representative, smaller states can have nearly 3x as much voting power as larger states on a per-capita basis.
This visualization shows the number of "weighted votes" a citizen has in each US state. This is determined as follows:
Weighted Votes = (Total US Population / Total US Electoral Votes) / (State Population / State Electoral Votes)
The national average number of weighted votes per person is 1, but some states have as much as 3 per person and some fewer than 1. | {
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Tavern Tales is a fantasy-themed roleplaying game that empowers you to play the game you always wished you could. | {
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This is nothing, though, compared to some of the 'smart' fridges made by rival firms. In 2006 LG launched one with a high-definition television built on, and Samsung now does a refrigerator complete with wi-fi (currently only in America). Researchers at the University of Central Lancashire are working on a 'self-cleaning fridge'.
In a little more than a generation we have gone from doing without fridges altogether to expecting them to organise our lives. If you want to understand how our approach to eating has changed, don't talk about sun-dried tomatoes and olive oil. Talk about fridges. | {
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In President Donald Trump’s world, the election that he won was rigged. Shortly after he won the 2016 election, Trump claimed on Twitter that “millions of people … voted illegally” on Election Day, costing him the popular vote despite his Electoral College victory. On Monday, he doubled down on those remarks in a closed-door meeting with congressional lawmaker. And on Tuesday, his press secretary said that Trump’s beliefs about voter fraud are based on “studies and evidence.”
Do studies actually support what Trump is saying? Are millions of Americans really voting illegally?
The answer is, simply, no.
Part of that is because the study Trump and his team have repeatedly cited — from the Pew Center on the States — couldn’t even begin to prove what Trump alleges. The 2012 report isn’t even about voter fraud; it’s about the technical aspects of voter registration systems, and how America could save money by upgrading how it registers voters.
In fact, David Becker, who worked on the 2012 report, has spoken out against Trump’s claims.
As I've noted before, voting integrity better in this election than ever before. Zero evidence of fraud. https://t.co/BBS8NVcACB — David Becker (@beckerdavidj) January 24, 2017
But there’s a reason Trump and his team can only seem to point to this report to back up their claims: When you look at analyses that have focused on voter fraud, they find it’s simply not widespread or even a little common.
What the Pew report actually found
In 2012, Pew conducted an investigation into how US voters are registered. The report, titled “Inaccurate, Costly, and Inefficient,” found that approximately 24 million — one of eight — voter registrations in the US are no longer valid or significantly inaccurate. And more than 1.8 million registered voters were actually dead, while 2.75 million had registrations in more than one state. This is where Trump apparently got his “millions” figure.
But, contrary to what Trump and others have suggested, this does not mean that all of these registered voters actually voted. America has a multi-step system for voting: You register, then vote. The report only shows that people registered and were never taken off the rolls. They didn’t even have to register for the latest election — some of them registered for the 2008 election, died, and states just didn’t take them off their rolls.
Pew’s report also doesn’t cite its figures to argue that there’s widespread voter fraud, but instead to show evidence of America’s outdated voter registration system — one that still heavily relied on old-fashioned paperwork instead of electronic or online technologies.
This can be costly, Pew found: “A study Pew conducted with Oregon found that, in 2008, state and local taxpayers spent $4.11 per active voter to process registrations and maintain a voter list, or $7.67 per transaction (new or updated registrations).” In comparison, “Canada, which uses modern technology to register people as well as data-matching techniques common in the private sector, spends less than 35 cents per voter to process registrations, and 93 percent of its eligible population is registered.”
So this is about the cost of outdated voter registration systems — a fairly banal finding — not voter fraud. The report goes on to make some recommendations to upgrade the system (like moving beyond paper-based systems), with a follow-up in 2016 praising some of the progress that some states made since 2012.
Meanwhile, there are studies that look at voter fraud and how common it is. Only they don’t at all back up what Trump has claimed.
Studies that have looked at voter fraud haven’t found much of it
There have been multiple investigations into voter fraud. None of them have found serious evidence of anything close to millions of people voting illegally.
One analysis focused just on voter impersonation, the type of fraud that strict voter ID laws (which Trump supports) aim to curtail. Tracking allegations of this type of fraud, Loyola Law School professor Justin Levitt found 35 total credible accusations between 2000 and 2014, constituting a few hundred ballots at most, when more than 800 million ballots were cast in national general elections and hundreds of millions more were cast in primary, municipal, special, and other elections.
A 2012 investigation by the News21 journalism project looked at all kinds of voter fraud, including voter impersonation, people voting twice, vote buying, absentee fraud, and voter intimidation. It confirmed that voter impersonation was extremely rare, with just 10 credible cases.
But the other types of fraud weren’t common either: In total, the project uncovered 2,068 alleged election fraud cases since 2000, covering a time span when more than 620 million votes were cast in national general elections alone. That represents about 0.000003 alleged cases of fraud for every vote cast, and 344 fraud cases per national general election, in each of which between 80 and 130 million people voted. That’s a drop in the bucket.
What’s more, not all of these — maybe not even half of these — alleged fraud cases were credible, News21 found: “Of reported election-fraud allegations in the database whose resolution could be determined, 46 percent resulted in acquittals, dropped charges or decisions not to bring charges.”
Putting all of this together, the evidence is clear: Voter fraud is extremely rare. It doesn’t add up to the millions in one election, as Trump claimed. In fact, it doesn’t even add up to the thousands in a single election. So Trump may just have to come to terms with the fact he lost the popular vote fair and square.
Watch: It’s now on America’s institutions — and Republicans — to check Donald Trump | {
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A man from Winnipeg, Canada, successfully fought a speeding ticket in court using images from Google Maps' Street View.
Danial Mercer was cited for driving 49 kilometers an hour (30.4 mph) in a school zone limited to 30 kilometers an hour (18.6 mph) on April 6 of last year. The local police department sent him a photo of his Lincoln LS allegedly breaking the law, and attached a CND$299 ticket, a sum that converts to approximately $230. Mercer takes that stretch of road on a regular basis, and he claims that he's well aware of where the school zone starts and where it ends. Confident that he was out of the 30 km/h zone when the picture was taken, he decided to fight the ticket in court.
Instead of getting a lawyer, he turned to Google Maps. He gathered Street View images of where the school zone started, where it ended, and where the photo of his car allegedly speeding was taken. It might sound like a long shot, but he managed to prove that he was no longer in the school zone when he drove past the officer's speed camera and therefore was not speeding. The judge agreed, and quickly dropped the ticket.
Mercer now questions how police officers issue tickets in his area.
"I don't even know what to say, there are so many tickets that are being handed out every day. I mean there were 150 people [in traffic court] that day," he told Canadian television station CBC News.
The police department doesn't agree with the court's decision. An officer explained that the lens of the camera used to enforce speed limits sometimes distorts photos and makes cars seem farther away than they actually are. He added that measuring the distance from a manhole cover to Mercer's tires proves he was about two yards away from the end of the school zone when the picture was taken, so the ticket was completely justified.
It's not too late for the decision to be overturned, so Mercer might not be off the hook quite yet. And while he saved himself a good deal of money, he regrets that the incident cost him two vacation days. He took a day off to inform the judge of his intention to fight the ticket, and a second day to appear in court and defend his case. | {
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Life is getting harder for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
After a nightmare season that saw TV viewership fall a record 9.7 percent, an even larger wave of fans passed on watching the first round of the NFL playoffs last weekend.
Overnight ratings for the four Wild Card games fell by an average of 13 percent — with one game, the Saints-Panthers matchup, off a whopping 21 percent, according to Nielsen.
Even Goodell, speaking to reporters before Sunday’s Bills-Jaguars matchup, admitted, “We always want ratings to go up.” But then, perhaps knowing his games still draw a crowd, he mentioned the NFL accounted for 37 of last year’s top 50 TV shows.
Nonetheless, the 9.7 percent viewership decline in the regular season — after an 8 percent decline the prior year — has the league playing serious catch-up.
In its most recent report, ad-tracker Standard Media Index estimates that “audience deficiency units” — otherwise known as make-goods — accounted for 21 percent of NFL ad inventory through the first three months of this season and for 22 percent through the same period a year earlier.
This means NFL broadcasters have been devoting about a fifth of their in-game ad time to making their advertisers whole. They do that by providing additional ad time — at no extra cost — to meet the preseason ratings targets they negotiated with their advertisers.
SMI also reports that the networks airing the NFL’s national telecasts benefitted from a 2 percent bump in ad revenue through the end of November. But almost all of the uptick, it said, can be attributed to an extra game in 2017.
As for the Super Bowl, to be broadcast by NBC on Feb. 4, advertisers have been waging a PR war for months to keep rates below $5 million for a 30-second spot.
CBS got $4.8 million in 2016 for the championship game that has lately attracted more than 110 million viewers, and Fox tried to get $5 million last year — but had to settle for less in some cases, according to reports.
NBC declined to comment. | {
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MLB and MLBPA give $10 million to The Players Alliance Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association announced on Monday that they will be giving The Players Alliance a pledge of $10 million.
Campbell, other Cardinals defensive newcomers play big vs. WFT Early returns look good for the Arizona Cardinals' offseason commitment to reshaping a defense that a year ago was chock full of holes.
Possibilities endless with Cardinals unlocking Kyler Murray's potential Kyler Murray's superstar upside that made him the No. 1 overall pick started to really show in a 30-15 Cardinals win over Washington. | {
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One of the many surprises about the beautiful islands of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean is its fantastic geothermal activity. The dormant volcano that is located on the southern island of Basse-Terre is the cause of some truly amazing thermal effects located throughout the island. From bubbling thermal water to healing mud you can rub all over your body at Babin Beach, Guadeloupe gives you access to whatever kind of natural spa treatment you’re looking for!
Now there are half a dozen locations to feel the magical power from the volcano in Guadeloupe. Some spots are as simple as to have just a small trickle of healing water coming out of brass pipes. Then there’s giant hot ocean rock baths, or you can even find large thermal pools in the jungle! With so many other fun activities to do in Guadeloupe and never enough time, let me highlight the can’t miss spots!
Must Visit: These two locations are the highlight of the Guadeloupe thermal destinations!
Hot Water Pools
Location: Bouillante, Basse-Terre
This small, but amazing pool will be a highlight of your trip. That is if you can plan a visit at a time where the crowds are not swarming! We went twice, and the first was so perfect and pristine that we spent hours soaking in the Guadeloupe thermal water. The second was not so lucky, as we had the same idea as about fifty other travelers. Everyone knew the hot pools would be the perfect spot to spend a cloudy afternoon.
How to Hot Pool
I guess the name is somewhat deceiving, because the second I stuck my toe in the hot pool I was shocked… It actually wasn’t hot at all! However, once you slip your feet under the smooth dark rocks you’ll feel the warmth you’ve been yearning for. So soak in, and enjoy the volcanic thermal water of Guadeloupe!
Guadeloupe Mud Beach
Location: Babin Beach, Grand-Terre
Next up, it’s time to take a walk on the wild side at Babin Beach! The mud here actually has special therapeutic properties to help heal your skin. Getting to Babin Beach is a little tricky, and a lot more out of the way. Nonetheless, for anyone looking for the full thermal experience, this is definitely something not to miss out on! So who’s ready to get dirty? Since Babin Beach is rocky it may not be your typical island paradise, but there are ways to combine all the best things about Guadeloupe. We actually packaged some of the therapeutic Guadeloupe mud and took it with us to other beaches! Sure we got some weird looks, but you’re crazy if you think we didn’t have the softest skin in Guadeloupe!
How to Mud Bath in Guadeloupe Caribbean
After watching half a dozen noticeably confused tourists come and go at Babin beach, we decided to ask for help. The secret is that the soft and smooth healing mud is actually located fifty feet from shore. So yeah, you have to swim out with your container and get the good stuff. Otherwise, you’ll be packing on a mixture of dirt and seaweed that’s found on the shoreline. You may be wondering, why isn’t there there hundreds of people covered in mud? Well, the locals don’t lather up instantly. They instead take the Guadeloupe mud home for their own personal stash!
Now I will be the first to admit that I was somewhat of a skeptic. However, I can honestly say I’ve NEVER had softer skin in my life. The local good samaritan who helped us gather the miracle mud said that he had actually been in a horrible car crash. He then used the Guadeloupe mud, and successfully got the mobility back in his joints. Honestly, if you’re in Guadeloupe, why not get a free mud treatment that you would typically pay hundreds of dollars for?
Other Options in Guadeloupe
While not at the top of our list, these next places to find thermal water of Guadeloupe Caribbean are very special to the islands, and still worth checking out!
Beach Bath
Location: Basse-Terre
In theory this idea is amazing. A ceramic thermal pool built into the cliff overlooking the ocean? Plush. In reality though, it was extremely dirty! The pool was broken so the tub wouldn’t fill up, disappointing us and other travelers that had made there way to this supposedly magic thermal bath. This place had the potential to be a hidden gem, but not when we were there!
Thermal Water Shower
Location: Sofaia, Basse-Terre
If you’re passing by on your journey through the jungle, then why not take a hot water healing shower? This is just another one of the many ways to experience the thermal water of Guadeloupe!
Jungle Pool
Location: Start of the Hike to Soufriere Volcano
This beautiful large thermal pool set in the rain forest was one of the coolest places we went in Guadeloupe Caribbean! We arrived when it started to downpour, but that only added to it’s jungle allure. This thermal bath also marks the starting point for the glorious two hour hike up the Soufriere Volcano. So make sure to stop off and take a dip!
If you want to experience all the volcanic thermal waters Guadeloupe has to offer, then my advice is GO NOW! When speaking with a women that has been vacationing in Guadeloupe for over ten years from mainland France, she said the island is changing… And fast.
In previous years, it was rare to find anyone at the thermal pools or hot springs, but now it has all changed. With the growing tourism boom (especially from the United States), and the government capitalizing on it’s once hidden treasures, everything is getting more crowded. So get here while you can, and enjoy the thermal water of Guadeloupe!
If you have any questions about the island or the thermal water of Guadeloupe, please comment below and let us know!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
___________________________
Explore More of Guadeloupe with Us
Guadeloupe Beach Guide
10 Reasons to Visit the Islands of Guadeloupe
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Where To Stay In Guadeloupe
Ultra Luxury (High End) – La Toubana Hotel & Spa – Swim all day in one of nicest beaches in the world or from the hotel pool overlooking the beautiful ocean. This hotel is perfect for anyone looking for luxury on the island.
Fun Vacation (Mid Range) – Habitation Grande Anse – You’ll need a car for your stay, but it will be worth the adventure. Just a short walk from our favorite beach you’ll be secluded in the jungle, and still close to all the small beach town action.
Hostel Life (Budget) – Butterfly Hostel – Located in a popular and lively area of the island, everything will be within your reach. You can relax in the common area or take a quick walk down to the beautiful beaches of Guadeloupe!
For more places to stay in Guadeloupe Caribbean you can explore the latest prices here!
***By booking through our website we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This allows us continue our travels and keep providing great content to our readers! You can also bookmark this link for all your future stays*** | {
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Leader of The House of Commons — Andrea Leadsom MP (Licence under CC BY-ND 2.0)
The Leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom MP has been condemned for implying that Muslims in Britain are ‘foreign’.
Labour MP Naz Shaz raised a question in The House of Commons asking for a debate so as to establish an official definition of Islamophobia. This comes at the same time that the Conservative Party has been branded “institutionally Islamophobic” by one of their own Peers, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi.
Responding the question, Leadsom the MP for South Northamptonshire started by saying;
2You will be pleased to see that the Conservative Party has taken very strong action in any cases that we identify of Islamophobia. We have been extremely robust and urgent in our response to that”
Leadsom’s claim about her party’s swift response has however now been thrown into doubt following a report by the Guardian stating that the Conservative Party Chairman Brandon Lewis MP, has been repeatedly ignoring complaints of islamophobia and racism.
It was Commons Leader’s next comments that have sparked outrage. Leadsom went on to say;
“She raises a very important point about whether we should seek a definition of Islamophobia and I would encourage her to perhaps seek an adjournment debate in the first instance so she can discuss with Foreign Office officials,”
The insinuation that Islamophobia in Britain is a ‘foreign office’ issue is extremely damaging. This gives the impression that Muslims like myself are not British.
Baroness Warsi was quick to respond on Twitter and, as can be seen, she is clearly frustrated at Ms Leadsom’s comments.
At a time when Conservatives are under the spotlight for their lack of worry about how party members are treating Muslims in the UK, you’d think senior officials would be more careful in their wording.
Only this week were the Tories forced to suspend 14 members after racist and Islamophobic comments surfaced on a pro Jacob Rees Mogg Facebook group. This was initially uncovered by Independent Journalist Lucy Wood from the Morning Star before being picked up by the mainstream press.
The issue of adopting a definition of Islamophobia is becoming more and more relevant in the UK. With UKIP becoming the party of anti Islam and an increase in attacks on UK Muslims, never has it been so important.
Education needed to tackle
However, a definition doesn’t solve much. It’s education that will do the most to improve things.
Often, a lack of education in Islam is what leads to some misconceptions that those on the Far-right like to spread.
Firstly, Muslims do not want to impose Sharia Law across the country. More importantly, Sharia isn’t “law” in the sense we in the UK would describe it. Sharia is a set of guidelines for Muslims use to lead a more Islamic life. This guidance never overrules the civil and criminal laws of the country you reside in.
Something called Fiqh is used when interpreting religious matters in Islam.
Fiqh means “understanding”. There are different schools of thought in Islam that illustrate that Islamic scholars who decided on Fiqh, knew they didn’t speak for God.
Fiqh is not designed to help governments police morality in the way Saudi Arabia does today. It’s for each Muslim to use themselves. Most of it’s common sense too. Don’t kill, rape or steal. Be respectful to everyone and don’t damage the environment are just a few things Sharia call for.
There’s no big book of Sharia anywhere.
Examples of Misconceptions of Islam
Nowhere does it say, invade a country and suppress its citizens. Nor does it say kill people and you’ll get 71 virgins or whatever. That really annoys me that one because it is just a blatant lie.
Jihad despite popular belief, does not mean “Holy War,” it means “Inner Struggle.” This is to do with resisting temptation to do things you shouldn’t. It’s more complex yes but basically, it doesn’t say go out and kill people. It says the opposite. Supporting your parents is classed as Jihad as is helping those less fortunate.
References of killing in the Qur’an, like the Bible, are in to do with the times they lived in. Battles and wars were often fought and police forces didn’t exist. Killing was usually related to crime or protection of the lands they lived in. While it may be seen as wrong now, we can’t change the past.
Do we start banging on about how our country used to hang draw and quarter people? Of course not, that was the law of those times. Right or wrong we can’t change that.
The Qur’an is also very clear that religion cannot be compelled on ANYONE. People can believe whatever they want as long as it brings no harm.
Those citing Saudi Arabia as an example of Sharia Law need to understand this;
The law in Saudi Arabia was and is designed by the government. It is not in line with the norms of Islam and equally, the country does not speak for all Muslims. Just because they call it Sharia doesn’t mean it is.
These are only basic examples of a much wider discussion that’s required to inform people about Islam.
A definition is all well and good but. unless people understand why, it’s pointless. | {
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KATHMANDU, Dec 11: The retail price of onion came down to Rs 180 per kilogram on Tuesday. However, this is the price of onion imported from China, not the regular ones that come from India.
Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board has stopped publishing prices of onion imported from India. Instead, it has started publishing price of onions brought from China.
"We have stopped publishing onions brought from India as there has been no supply since a week. We were getting some supplies even after India put a ban on export. But since last week, the supply has dried up," Binaya Shrestha, deputy director of Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market Development Board, told Republica.
India put a ban on export of onions on September 29 after the southern neighbor faced shortage due to sharp decline in its production. According to Indian media, heavy rainfall this year destroyed the crop, resulting to shortage.
"Indian suppliers were sending onions to Nepal despite the ban, taking advantage of the porous border. But as Indian government has intensified checking at border points, the market is not getting onion grown in India," Shrestha said.
Nepal relies heavily on India to meet its demand for onion. Almost 98% of domestic demand is met through imports from India, according to the board. Not only onions, Nepali farmers are also dependent on other countries for onion seeds.
According to the board, some 40 tons of onions from China is entering the Nepali market on a daily basis. "Nepalis are not used to the taste of Chinese onions. They are larger in size and moisture content higher compared to Indian onions," Shrestha said, adding: "But there is no option but to consume Chinese onions."
He also added that Chinese onions are comparatively cheaper than the ones brought from India. | {
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For indispensable reporting on the coronavirus crisis, the election, and more, subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily newsletter.
Even though more than a month remains until an official release, Reuters is now reporting on a leaked draft of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fifth Assessment Report. The report, the first in six years by the international body, is considered the definitive scientific take on climate change (although it is sometimes faulted for being too conservative, and quickly becomes out of date).
Previous IPCC reports have made news for a variety of reasons. The 2001 report, for instance, declared it “likely” (e.g., a 66 percent probability; explanation here) that most of the observed warming that the planet has seen is caused by humans. The 2007 report upped that assessment to “very likely” (a 90 percent probability); and now, according to Reuters, scientists are giving us a 95 percent confidence in this central conclusion of modern climate research. That appears to be the chief headline that will be emerging from the IPCC this time around.
Another bombshell reportedly contained in the draft: The IPCC will now label the phenomenon of sea level rise “unequivocal” and increase prior estimates of projected sea level during this century.
IPCC reports are, invariably, attacked upon release by climate skeptics, who seek to cast doubt on some or all of the findings. Based on the Reuters report, those seeking a soft underbelly this time will know where to look: The report validates the increasingly popular skeptic claim that the rate of increase in global temperatures has “slowed” since 1998. In other words, temperatures are still going up, just not necessarily as quickly as previously.
The new report, Reuters says, offers only “medium confidence” that scientists understand the reasons for this slowing. Causes cited include the possibility that the oceans are taking up more heat, that volcanic eruptions (which tend to produce cooling) may be providing a partial offset to temperature rise, contributing too cooling, or that the climate itself has a lower “sensitivity” to greenhouse gas emissions than previously proposed. (For an explanation of why skeptics’ arguments about the global warming “slowdown” are misleading and should not offer any consolation, see this explainer from Skeptical Science.)
According to Jonathan Lynn, who is head of communications at the IPCC, the organization expects that leaks will occur because report drafts wind up in so many different hands. Lynn cautions that “there’s no question that the final report will not be the same as the drafts.” Indeed, for the upcoming 15-page “Summary for Policymakers,” requested changes are myriad. “We’ve received about 1,800 comments from governments, which will have to be taken into account in the approval sessions coming up in September,” says Lynn.
But will any of that reverse the scientific community’s overwhelming conclusion that global warming is human-caused?
Not very likely. | {
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BARCELONA, Spain, March 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Global home furnishings retailer IKEA today announced a product launch of Qi-powered bedside tables, lamps and desks that eliminates cable mess and makes it easier to stay connected with always-charged mobile devices.
IKEA said the wireless charging home furnishings will be available in Europe and North America this April, followed by a global rollout. The announcement girds support for Qi – the leading global wireless charging standard from the Wireless Power Consortium.
"IKEA is delivering on its vision of making life at home better with this innovative, stylish and useful new collection that show consumers the beauty and simplicity of wireless charging," said Menno Treffers, WPC chairman. "We applaud IKEA for its unmatched insight and their unique passion for making wireless charging affordable and simple for consumers."
Qi is the most widely deployed wireless power standard, available in 3,000 hotels, restaurants, airports and public locations worldwide. There are now more than 80 Qi-enabled smartphones, 15 models of Qi-enabled cars and countless Qi mobile accessories in the market today.
"Our belief is that mobile phones are vital parts to people's lives at home and their desire to stay connected, and Qi addresses an unmet need to keep devices powered," said Bjorn Block, Range Manager for Lighting and Wireless Charging, at IKEA. "As a member of WPC, we value the access to the leading and most advanced global standard for wireless charging."
During Mobile World Congress, WPC will showcase the latest Qi-enabled products at booth 5C41, Hall 5.
About the Wireless Power Consortium and Qi
Established in 2008, the Wireless Power Consortium is an open, collaborative standards development group of more than 200 company members. WPC's members include Belkin, ConvenientPower, Delphi, Freescale, Haier, HTC, IKEA, LG, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, Panasonic, PowerbyProxi, Royal Philips, Samsung, Sony, TDK, Texas Instruments, Verizon Wireless and ZTE. These companies -- large and small competitors and ecosystem partners, from all parts of the industry and all parts of the globe -- collaborate for a single purpose: to design and evolve the world's most useful, safe and efficient standard for wireless power. This global standard is called Qi, and it has become the world's leading method for transferring electrical power without wires. Qi is designed into 80+ mobile devices, 15 models of cars, has more than 700 registered products that are enjoyed by more than 50 million users worldwide. For more information, visit www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com.
SOURCE Wireless Power Consortium
Related Links
http://www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com
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Horse meat is not something New Yorkers are accustomed to eating, but it will soon be added to the menu at the M. Wells Diner in Queens.
"It doesn't sound appetizing to me, but that's their prerogative," remarked neighbor Dave Nellhaus.
M. Wells opens Thursday inside the MoMA P.S. 1 Museum in Long Island City, an iteration of its former eatery, which shuttered in August 2011 amid a rent dispute with the landlord.
Last year, Congress lifted a ban on the slaughter of horses in the U.S., although there is no real market for human consumption of horse meat in the states. Many Americans consider horses to be pets, but in some European and Asian countries, it's seen as a delicacy.
"I've been to France a number of times, and I know they eat horse meat," said Jan Murtha. "It was one of the few things I learned to say in French, to make sure I recognized it on the menu and never ordered it."
But other say the unique addition is part of a growing trend in a diverse neighborhood.
"We do have a very European-specific base, so in that sense, it fits together well," said Jennifer Brandon, a former intern at P.S. 1.
"I actually go to restaurants here that serve ostrich, wild boar," said another Long Island City resident.
The owner of M. Wells said horse meat won't be on the menu on opening day, but he plans to add it soon. | {
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DIE-compressed Off-Week 8: Make Stuff Up Gen and Drew get back from their unexpected hiatus and are ready to read Split the Party and the DIE RPG Arcana rules (Which can be found here ) They have many good things to say about both! The energy in this one is a little strange, and they go off on more tangents than usual, but it’s a fun one. Audio Transcript to follow, on our website: Our Tumblr: DIE-compressed.tumblr.com Our Twitter: @diecompressed Our Email: [email protected] DIE, by Kieron Gillen, Stephanie Hans, and Clayton Cowles, is published by Image Comics. Our intro and outro theme is “oh no oh no no no no no” by the Windom Earle All-Stars off of the album A Series of Minor Personal Tragedies. The “Oh no” loop we use is originally from the song “Remember” by The Shangri-Las /episode/index/show/die-compressed/id/13355120 | {
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RICHMOND, Va. (CN) – A state court judge on Wednesday ordered that the name of an Independent candidate for Congress be struck from this year’s ballot after he concluded the effort to get her on it was fraught with “fraud, forgery and perjury.”
Judge Gregory Rupe, who presides in Virginia’s 13th Judicial Circuit, concluded candidate Shaun Brown and her supporters cut every conceivable corner to collect the more than 1,000 signatures she needed to get on the ballot for the upcoming midterm election.
He also said smaller discrepancies in Brown’s paperwork, including the listing of fake addresses on her petitions, were “sophomoric.”
In an August civil filing, the Virginia Democratic Party claimed Brown, with the help of staff members of incumbent Republican Rep. Scott Taylor, used the names of dead people and others who did not legitimately sign the petition to push her over the signature threshold for qualifying for the ballot.
Over the course of Wednesday’s four-hour hearing, Brown denied knowing Taylor’s staff was involved in her petition efforts. Taylor told the Virginian-Pilot newspaper earlier this year that he sent his staffers to help the political novice, but he has since avoided discussing the issue.
In court, the plaintiff Democrats argued both Brown and Taylor were involved in an illicit bid to get her on the ballot, and that the Republican’s hope was to split the democratic vote and ensure his re-election.
“The democratic party, the commonwealth, and the Board of Elections should not have this fraud committed against them,” said Jeffrey Breit, who represented the plaintiffs. “They should not have the wool pulled over the eyes and the court needs to make that determination.”
At issue was the state Board of Elections lack of specific authority to address fraud allegations after a ballot has been certified. While Brown’s petition was certified earlier this year, a whistleblower report to a local public radio station led to the discovery of several discrepancies in her signatures. Among them were the names of dead people, those who had since moved out of the state, and others who said their names and signatures were completely fraudulent.
For its part, the Board of Elections put up little resistance to evidence presented or witness testimony.
“The Department of Elections has no tolerance for fraud,” said lawyer Steven Cobb on behalf of the agency. “We’re here to stand by whatever decision the court makes.”
On Wednesday, five members of Taylor’s staff, including his former campaign manager, submitted affidavits asserting their Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate themselves when asked about the legality of their signature collection, the role Taylor played in ordering them to collect signatures, and whether there was a concerted effort to defraud the Board of Elections in their signature collection.
This, according to Breit, will protect them in criminal cases but in civil challenges it presented the image of guilt which aided to the court in getting to today’s decision.
While Taylor had been subpoenaed to appear at today’s trial, that order was quashed under state law which allows elected officials to dodge such court orders.
Taylor’s campaign is also subject to a separate criminal investigation.
James Ellenson, who is representing Brown, argued that neither the court nor and board of elections have the authority to pull her name from the ballot. He also said that while “Taylor’s folks did whatever they did,” Brown was unaware and should not be punished for the misdeeds of others.
Approached by reporters on the steps of the courthouse following Rupe’s decision, Brown quoted the controversial new Nike ad featuring Colin Kaepernick.
“Believe in something even if you have to sacrifice everything,” she said, again swearing she had no knowledge of Taylor’s involvement in her petition drive and wondering if he was “trying to help us or try and hurt us.”
Brown said she entered the race as an Independent after the Democrats decided on another candidate before the primary.
Elaine Luria, a Navy veteran, is that candidate, despite the fact she has admitted to voting for Taylor in the past.
Brown said she plans to appeal Rupe’s ruling to the state supreme court.
The fracas over Brown’s petition signatures is by far the largest legal controversy to materialize in an election year when all 11 of the state’s congressional seats are up for grabs.
Taylor, once considered the most progressive member of the state GOP has since shifted to the right, aligning himself with President Donald Trump. | {
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Last updated at 08:13 21 February 2007
The scale of the obesity crisis was laid bare last night when an alarming report revealed Britons are the fattest people in Europe.
A quarter of women and a fifth of men in the UK are now so overweight that their health is at serious risk.
British women head the EU league, with 23 per cent clinically obese, and men fare little better, with 22.3 per cent classified as obese -behind only Malta.
The shocking figures, compiled by the British women are now officially the most overweight in Europe and men aren't far behind
EU's statistical office, will fuel fears that Britain is facing a public health timebomb created by a growing reliance on fast food and time-saving technology.
Experts say that unless the Government acts now, an entire generation faces an old age blighted by heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other diseases brought on by obesity.
Neville Rigby, of the International Obesity Task Force, said: 'We are not just sitting on a health timebomb, we are watching it go off.'
And Dr Colin Waine, of the National Obesity Forum, said: 'The health risks are tremendous but the statistics are still going up exponentially.
'We need the Government to work with food manufacturers to produce a diet which is nutritious but less dense in sugar, salt and fat.
'We need to make motorised transport less necessary and make it easier for people to walk and bicycle to where they need to go.'
The authoritative Eurostat yearbook places Britain at the top of a chart of obesity of the EU's 27 member countries. Second and third place are taken by Germany and Malta.
Breaking the data down by gender shows that British women are the fattest in Europe, with almost a quarter at least two to three stone over their ideal weight.
German women have an obesity rate of 21.7 per cent and Maltese women 21.2 per cent. The thinnest women are in Italy, where fewer than 8 per cent are obese.
The highest rate of male obesity is in Malta, with 25.1 per cent obese. British men are second with a rate of 22.3 per cent, followed by Hungary and Germany. Romania has the best record on male obesity, with just 7.7 per cent obese.
Measured by calculating Body Mass Index - a mathematical formula relating height to weight - people are classified as obese if they weigh a fifth more than their ideal maximum weight.
The EU statisticians looked only at adult obesity, but previous studies have shown rates of child obesity are equally worrying.
In Britain the figures have trebled in 20 years, with 10 per cent of six-year-olds and 17 per cent of 15-year-olds now obese.
Adult obesity rates have nearly quadrupled over the last 25 years, making Britain the second-fattest nation in the developed world, trailing behind only America.
Obesity causes 9,000 premature deaths a year and costs the NHS up to £1billion.
Being obese can take nine years off a person's lifespan and raise the risk of a host of health problems including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, infertility and depression.
Various cancers, including breast, colon, kidney and stomach cancer, are known to be linked to weight.
A spokesman for the British Heart Foundation said: 'Being overweight or obese is a serious risk factor for heart disease and something we all need to work to sort out.
'The good thing is that there are lots of things people can do to make a difference such as combining healthy eating and activity.'
LibDem health spokesman Norman Lamb said: 'To be bottom of the European league table is a dire situation to be in. Although food manufacturers have made some progress in making foods healthier, more needs to be done.'
Previous Government drives to cut obesity included offering dance classes on the NHS. In November, TV watchdog Ofcom announced a ban on junk food adverts during programmes targeted at under-16s.
The Department of Health also plans to weigh children when they start school and send letters home if they are too fat.
The average Briton eats just over three portions of fruit and vegetables a day - well under the recommended five portions a day - and will get through 22,000 ready-meals, sandwiches and sweet snacks in a lifetime - little short of one a day. | {
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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- SeaWorld Entertainment confirmed Friday that it will upgrade its killer whale tanks, succumbing to public pressure that has been mounting since the release of CNN’s “Blackfish” documentary last year.
Shares of the theme park operator are down 35% since the company axed its outlook and reported a decline in attendance at its flagship San Diego park on Wednesday.
SeaWorld SEAS, -1.11% directly attributed disappointing earnings to “adverse publicity” surrounding the treatment of its Orca whales. A documentary called “Blackfish” released last year highlighted less-than-ideal habitats for the killer whales it holds in captivity, outraging activists and triggering lawsuits seeking to ban killer whale captivity.
“Adverse publicity concerning our business generally could harm our brands, reputation and results of operations,” SeaWorld said in earlier this week.
The Orlando-based company plans to nearly double the size of the tanks that house its Orcas in San Diego to about 10 million gallons of water and a depth of 50 feet.
Animals rights group PETA, which is pushing for the complete release of the whales, was not convinced.
“This is a desperate drop-in-the-bucket move,” a PETA spokesperson said. “It will not save the comapny.”
SeaWorld admitted that the new facilities still wouldn’t satisfy some of the company’s biggest critics, many of whom are calling for the complete ban of Orcas in captivity. But it says there are benefits to expanding, not just completely abandoning, Orca tanks, including spurring new scientific research about the species.
While SeaWorld says this project was conceived before the release of “Blackfish,” this isn’t the first time powerful documentaries and loud-spoken activists have sparked change to industry practices.
Movies like 2004’s “Super Size Me” have roiled entire sectors, prompting change. Morgan Spurlock’s “Super Size Me” documentary, which documented the negative health transformations of a man who only ate super-sized McDonald’s meals for an entire month, seemed to have awoken a sleeping American public, previously unconcerned about rising obesity rates.
McDonald’s MCD, -1.03% sales were initially pressured from the backlash a decade ago, ultimately leading the company to phase out super-sized fries and sodas. Since then, a massive industry-wide movement has led to healthier alternatives at burger joints, such as apples and carrots.
Shares of McDonald’s have risen 262% since 2004. Today, the company is valued at a colossal $92 billion.
Construction on the San Diego SeaWorld facility is set to begin next year and be completed by 2018. Similar upgrades will follow at its SeaWorld locations in Orlando and San Antonio.
Among the features of the new facilities will be a “water treadmill” system, a moving stream of water that enables the Orcas to swim in place, getting more exercise.
Wells Fargo downgraded SeaWorld on Thursday to market perform from outperform, saying the competitive pressures “appear modestly greater than thought.”
“Media fallout from extreme animal rights activists in CA appear to have materially impacted June San Diego attendance/admission results,” Wells Fargo analyst Tim Conder said in a note to clients.
JPMorgan and Wells Fargo both lowered their revenue estimates on SeaWorld, though JPMorgan maintained its neutral rating.
More must-reads from MarketWatch:
China’s ‘beach balaclava’ goes global
Why to buy the miners rather than the metals
Does George Soros know something we don’t about the S&P 500? | {
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Show caption Kevin De Bruyne has been one of the key players for Manchester City as they sit top of the Premier League. Photograph: Victoria Haydn/Manchester City FC via Getty Manchester City Kevin De Bruyne: the stubborn boy who developed into a world beater The Manchester City midfielder, nicknamed the ‘tumble dryer’ by his friends because of his dry responses on WhatsApp, has gone from being a perceived troublemaker to one of the best players in the world. How did he do it? Kristof Terreur @HLNinEngeland Fri 20 Oct 2017 09.33 EDT Share on Facebook
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‘He just held on to one of the posts and refused to let go. He was in a rage. Three of us tried to pull him away from it but we didn’t manage.”
Kevin De Bruyne’s youth coach at Gent, Frank De Leyn, remembers the incident well. A young De Bruyne had been reprimanded for not helping to clear up the pitch after training and became so infuriated at being told off that he grabbed one of the posts and refused to let go.
“It was at a training camp in Spain,” De Leyn continues. “I stayed with him because he was planning to stay there all night. After a long conversation I finally managed to convince him to let go. We walked back to the hotel hand in hand. He was stubborn as hell, like a mule, but I also think that it is that stubbornness, that character trait, that has made him the player he is now.”
De Bruyne’s rise has been remarkable and it is fair to say that he has reached a different level this season. He is not in the Cristiano Ronaldo-Lionel Messi bracket but perhaps just beneath that. His performances for City have stood out, the best player in the best team, and this week there was a flash of that anger, that stubbornness, that sets him apart.
Most of the time he is the quietest, most amenable man – 99% of the time he is, in his own words, “super chilled” – and the saliva tests done by City’s doctors on the eve of games reveal his stress levels are so low they are negative. However, every now and then, as we saw at half-time in the Champions League game against Napoli, he erupts and reacts with a fury that few people in England have witnessed. “Once a referee has blown the whistle, you see another Kevin,” as he once said.
“Let me talk! Let me talk! LET ME TALK!” De Bruyne shouted at David Silva as he tried to get past his team-mate to admonish the officials, having been booked. He was eventually led away by team-mates and said afterwards: “That argument was over a minute later. It was like one of the ones I have with my wife. At the highest level a discussion can be good sometimes to get everyone back on their toes.” He was back in “super chilled” mode.
He slept in Liverpool bed linen, wore the tracksuit and a Michael Owen replica shirt was the pride of his collection
De Bruyne’s best friends call him the “tumble dryer”, because he often replies to WhatsApp messages in a very dry manner. He is the same off the pitch as on it. Most of the time he is modest, calm and collected, but when he doesn’t agree with something, he will let everyone know in a brutally honest way.
He has a long history of straightforwardness. Back at Genk, De Bruyne reprimanded the team’s star player, Elyaniv Barda, because the latter did not work hard enough in training. De Bruyne was 19 at the time. During a half-time TV interview in February 2012 he famously accused his Genk team-mates of not giving their all: “I’m ashamed of them. I suggest that those who don’t have a desire to play just leave.” While at Wolfsburg, he was caught in a media storm after insulting a dawdling ball-boy, shouting: “Give me the ball, you motherfucker.” He apologised and sent the ball boy a signed shirt. Most of these eruptions happen without malice. It is the winner in him taking control.
De Bruyne poses at the Cristal Arena in 2012, the same year he joined Chelsea. Photograph: Christophe Ketels/ImageGlobe/PA Images
His frankness, strong will and single-minded pursuit of his goals have been with him for ever. When he was 11, he told his mum out of the blue: “I want to study Latin for two years, then I’ll go to the Topsport School and when I’m 18 I will fully focus on my football.” It was a plan he stuck to.
At home in Drongen, his bedroom was plastered with Liverpool paraphernalia. His mother, a Belgian born in Burundi and who grew up in London, as well as his grandfather instilled in him a passion for Liverpool. The young De Bruyne slept in Liverpool bed linen, he wore LFC tracksuits and a worn-out Michael Owen replica shirt was the pride of his collection.
Like so many children, he played football whenever and wherever he could – and it was in one of his friends’ gardens that he developed his weaker left foot. The young De Bruyne and his friends had been ruining the flowers and plants in the garden so were allowed to use only a plastic ball. However, after a while, they negotiated a deal to use a proper football – but only if they used their weaker feet. A disadvantage soon turned into an asset: he practised so much with his left foot that it became almost as good as his deadly right foot.
Aged eight he told his VV Drongen coach that he was joining Gent because their training sessions were much better
Throughout De Bruyne’s early career, however, he had to fight the perception that he was a difficult character. Aged eight he told his VV Drongen coach that he was joining Gent “because their training sessions are much better”.
At Gent one of the coaches made it his mission to “tame” De Bruyne. It backfired. De Bruyne, already very self-critical, did not understand why the coach was always on his back, even though he was performing well. He joined Genk, at the age of 14, leaving home to try his luck on the other side of the country because he liked their style of play.
At Genk he experienced something that changed him for life and probably made him even more determined to succeed. In his second year he lived with a family but because of his withdrawn character they informed the club they did not want him with them any more. De Bruyne was heartbroken but has since said: “People were saying that I wasn’t going to make it because of my poor character. I told myself at that point: ‘Let’s see who has the last word.’”
De Bruyne is one of the key players for Roberto Martínez’s Belgium as they prepare for the World Cup in Russia. Photograph: MB Media/Getty Images
He went on to star for the under-21s, providing crosses for Christian Benteke, and made his first-team debut as a 17-year-old. Hein Vanhaezebrouck, one of his former managers, called him “the modern Cruyff” and, after De Bruyne won the Belgian league with Genk, Chelsea signed him as their long-term replacement for Frank Lampard.
Fast forward 18 months to September 2013 and for the first time in years his attitude was questioned again. There had been little sign of that coming. De Bruyne had enjoyed a good loan spell at Werder Bremen and Jürgen Klopp was desperate to sign him for Borussia Dortmund as Mario Götze’s replacement, bombarding the Belgian with phone calls and texts. They agreed personal terms and De Bruyne asked Chelsea if he could leave but José Mourinho phoned him and told him he was a good player and going nowhere.
He did not get many chances, however, and his mood worsened after being publicly rebuked by Mourinho after a disappointing performance against Swindon in the League Cup. “I didn’t like the match he played against Swindon and I didn’t like the way he was training,” the manager said.
In November, after only a handful of minutes in the League Cup and Champions League, he decided he wanted to take his future into his own hands. He did not fancy becoming one of Chelsea’s serial loanees and pushed for a transfer. It was mid-December when he met his agent, Mourinho and the board. De Bruyne has spoken of what Mourinho said: “He showed us the stats of all attacking midfielders: assists, goals, pass percentage, decisive actions, dribbles. He wanted to prove that I didn’t perform at the same level as the others. I answered him: ‘Sorry, that’s not logical. I’ve played fewer games. How can you compare us?’ That wasn’t fair. Mourinho told me things about competition, training hard, there’s always a chance that you’ll play.
“He also made it clear that he wasn’t keen on letting me go, even not on loan – ‘you are a good player’. I’ve told him that I had a feeling that I would never get a fair chance. That’s when the club started looking at a transfer too.” Wolfsburg took a calculated gamble by paying €25m fro him, an investment they will never regret. De Bruyne had a point to prove and we know what happened next.
The current Chelsea manager, Antonio Conte, talked of his frustration that the club had let De Bruyne go, after the Belgian scored City’s winner in September’s league meeting at Stamford Bridge. It is clear that Pep Guardiola has got much more out of De Bruyne than Mourinho did but then the player is older and wiser and every setback seems to have made him more determined to succeed. With Guardiola he has clicked. “Tactically he’s the best manager I have ever worked with,” De Bruyne has said. “We think about football in a similar way. I like his style and understand his ideas quickly. That’s one of the reasons I feel so good.”
José Mourinho instructs De Bruyne during a training session when they were both at Chelsea. Photograph: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
The Spaniard wants his team to circulate the ball quickly and apply intense and constant pressure and needs players thinking ahead to the next move when they are passing. De Bruyne is a quick thinker and has the technical ability to do what he wants with a ball. He not only sees what to do but can execute it too.
It was no coincidence that City played their best football in Guardiola’s first season with De Bruyne and David Silva paired in midfield. However, with a lack of full-backs, Guardiola was forced to move De Bruyne around in different positions and systems: he played several games on the wing, even as a false No9 and once as a wing-back. He does not complain and has said: “Playing me in different positions helped me to get in the head of the others players: to know what they’re thinking, where and how they are going to move.” De Bruyne ended the season with 18 assists in the Premier League, more than anyone else.
De Bruyne probably knew he was going to reach another level this season. Just before the campaign started he posted a video with highlights of last season on his social channels. In the background he has “Watch me” by The Phantoms: it was his announcement that his year is coming. He has bought into his manager’s philosophy and feels Guardiola has made him a better team player. In addition, he is tactically more disciplined than ever. His passing accuracy has gone from 78% to 84% and, as the team have mastered the system, he has been able to move into pockets of space more easily. The understanding of the fast-moving players around him makes him even more ruthless: he can find them without looking up. In Guardiola’s game of geometry and triangles, De Bruyne is the segment that connects them all. In a slightly deeper role than before he is at the heart of all attacks.
He was rightly lauded for his winner against Chelsea but his assists against Stoke City were almost more breathtaking, not to mention the moment he hit the bar with that supposed weak foot, his left. Has he reached peak De Bruyne? Probably not. Has he stayed the same person as he was when he grew up? Absolutely.
De Bruyne is embraced by his manager, Pep Guardiola, after being substituted. De Bruyne calls Guardiola ‘tactically the best manager I’ve ever worked with’. Photograph: McNulty/JMP/Rex/Shutterstock
He is a player who has never signed a contract with the aim of earning as much as possible. He is a person who still thinks twice before buying something expensive and he once walked out of bar when he found out that they charged £26 for a bottle of Coca-Cola. Outside football he loves nothing more than spending time with those who matter most to him, his wife Michèle, his son Mason Milian and a small circle of close friends. Last season he celebrated a stellar performance against Manchester United with a take-away and a swim with his son. | {
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Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment Melanie Schultz rode in the first highway test drive of an autonomous car in the Netherlands.
TU Delft, TNO, RDW and Connekt are collaborating in the Dutch Automated Vehicle Initiative (DAVI). The demonstration involves automatic, cooperatively driven cars where a car drives at a short distance from the car in front, determining the speed itself by communicating with other cars on the road and with the driver not having his or her hands on the steering wheel (platooning).
The cars not only have the technology for automatic driving but can also communicate through a wireless communication network with other cars and the surrounding infrastructure.
Platooning can reduce fuel consumption; if two trucks drive close together, for example, 10-20% fuel can be saved. TNO and its partners in industry and government are targeting more road testing in 2014 and 2015. | {
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-- The search for the missing AirAsia jetliner that disappeared over the Java Sea resumed Tuesday morning after a day with no significant breakthroughs reported, according to officials.
While the second day of searching mainly focused on the waters around Belitung Island, Indonesia, search crews plan to spend day 3 focusing on utilizing foreign vessels with sonar capabilities, officials said.
At a press conference, Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency said the day 3 search area will be expanded to 13 sectors, including ground areas.
The search by Indonesian Air Force planes spotted two pools of possible oil slick Monday but these were later determined to be shadows from underwater coral. Two fishermen who reported hearing or seeing the plane are being taken out today by search and rescue teams to that area.
The search equipment includes 12 helicopter units, 11 fixed-wing units, and 32 ship units with assistance from neighboring countries Singapore, Malaysia and Australia. The U.S. said Monday it sent the San Diego-based destroyer Sampson to assist and it should arrive in the area late Tuesday.
Here is a look at what we know so far:
What Happened?
An AirAsia jet lost contact with air traffic control over the Java Sea during a flight to Singapore Sunday morning, shortly after the pilots requested a change of flight plan because of weather.
Flight QZ8501, an Airbus A320-200, lost contact with air traffic control in Jakarta, Indonesia, at 6:17 a.m. Sunday local time near Belitung Island, Indonesia, after the flight left Surabaya, Indonesia, Indonesian Air Transport Director Djoko Murjatmodjo said during a news conference.
The flight had at least 162 people on board.
"We currently suspect that plane is located on the ocean floor," Bambang Soelistyo, the head of Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, announced in a news conference on Sunday.
Where are They Searching?
Much of the search has focused largely in the waters near Belitung Island, though there have not been any significant findings in the first two days of the search.
Oil slicks were spotted near the island but experts believe that it is likely waste from ships that pass through the area regularly. All told, there are now seven search areas. Initially they were focused on four sectors but that was expanded this morning.
Those sectors were determined by the initial geographic information collected from the plane before it went dark, and experts have factored in additional information that could weigh in natural conditions and weather patterns.
How is This Different Than the Vanished Malaysian Airlines Plane?
The biggest difference between these two incidents is that the search area in this latest flight is much smaller than before.
When MH370 vanished, the search area changed several times but investigators eventually determined that it is believed to have crashed somewhere in the Indian Ocean. That body of water is significantly larger, deeper, and less predictable than the Java Sea, the body of water surrounded by portions of the island nations Indonesia and Malaysia.
What About the Plane's Black Boxes?
Like in the case of the missing MH370 plane, there is something of a deadline facing the search teams.
Black boxes have batteries that last for 30 days, with the intention that if the plane crashes, rescuers have a month to find it before they stop sending their automatic hourly signal sending out an alert to their location.
The plane's Emergency Locator Transmitter should function automatically and send warning signals, but no signal has been detected by control centers in Indonesia or in neighboring countries.
Who is Helping?
Five South East Asian countries are actively involved in the search and have contributed vehicles and manpower, though the Indonesian government is running point on the operation.
The United States has formally been asked to assist in the operation, even though none of the passengers are American. State Department press director Jeff Rathke said at a briefing this afternoon that they're "reviewing the request" but did not elaborate further.
The Indonesia National Search and Rescue Agency is leading the charge with 12 ships, two helicopters, two Hercules planes, two Puma aircraft, two warships and one Boeing 737 dedicated to maritime intelligence.
Malaysia and Singapore have both deployed three ships and a Hercules plane a piece to help in the search.
The Royal Malaysian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Air Force are also actively involved in the search, and the Singapore Air Force has also helped scan the waters by both air and sea.
Two Singaporean teams of specialists and two sets of underwater locator beacons are being used to try and find the flight data recorders.
Australian forces were the ones spearheading the extended search for MH370, and they have also brought their expertise to this operation. The Royal Australian Air Force has sent aircrafts to assist the search by air.
Get real-time updates as this story unfolds. To start, just "star" this story in ABC News' phone app. Download ABC News for iPhone here or ABC News for Android here. To be notified about our live weekend digital reports, tap here. | {
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Natasha Crown is a Swedish model aspiring to have the biggest butt in the world has caught the attention of people with her striking asset. In order to achieve her plan, Natasha gorges on chocolate sundaes and huge meals in an attempt to deliberately pile on the pounds for a fat transfer that will make her butt even bigger through surgery.
"I was 24 when I had my first procedure and yes, I would say I'm obsessed. "The first thing I do in the morning is go to the mirror and look at my butt. "Maybe I have body dysmorphia or something but I don't feel like it is even that big. I definitely want bigger."
Posted By Joe | {
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Treaty of Interest
Henry VIII of England and Francis I of France sign the Treaty of Westminster, pledging to combine their forces against Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in attempt to win War of the League of Cognac | {
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A bit bizarre to see, but remember back at Computex 2017 where we showed you some prototypes? Among them was an early build of the 1000D, the new Obsidian flagship chassis from Corsair. To date very little we've heard about it, however, it's been posted in full on Amazon, photos, and everything.
The chassis is listed as Corsair CC-9011115-WW Obsidian Series 1000D Super Tower Case Premium with Tempered Glass and Aluminum Smart Case. Well let's just run through the description:
The Obsidian Series 1000D is the ultimate super-tower PC case, able to house the most incredible PCs within its iconic tempered glass design. Hinged tempered glass and aluminum doors make accessing your system a breeze, while a dual-system layout lets you install two full PCs into a single case. An integrated CORSAIRCOMMANDER PRO lighting and fan controller makes your case smart, able to control and monitor your system using CORSAIR LINK software. The ultimate super-tower PC case, able to house the most incredible custom PCs
Iconic and clean exterior lines, smoked tempered glass side doors and seamlessly integrated RGB lighting
Integrated CORSAIR COMMANDER PRO fan and lighting controller
Dual-system layout lets you install both an E-ATX and Mini-ITX system simultaneously
Telescoping fan/radiator trays make it simple to install up to 20 fans Telescoping fan and radiator trays, up to 20 fan mounts and a triple-chamber design equip the 1000D for the most ambitious of cooling setups, able to mount four 480mm radiators simultaneously. When you want to create the most epic build, only the 1000D is up to the challenge. The Obsidian 1000D was listed at roughly 500 USD, and apparently also was briefly visible online at the Corsair website for 499 USD, on both locations the chassis currently is out of stock.
Brand Name Corsair Item model number CC-9011115-WW Item Weight 65 pounds Product Dimensions 27.3 x 12.1 x 27.4 inches Item Dimensions L x W x H 27.28 x 12.09 x 27.44 inches
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Rose Quartz was a gem that was fueled by her own passion for life and humanity in an effort to protect earth. An individual that believed that gems should be able to do as they please and be who they want to be. She was the leader of the crystal gems alongside Pearl, while proceeding to carry through with an attempted rebellion as a way of forcing the home world gems to leave earth. However, there are various pieces of the story that tend to be constantly shrouded in a fog of mystery, an oath of silence or an idea of “this does not make sense.” However, the bulk of the matter was how every piece of offered information had led her own son, Steven, into another closed door that could only be opened by his mother, Rose Quartz.
For many fans, viewers and theorists of Steven Universe, the latest episode “A Single Pale Rose” truly did set off a variety of alarms and realizations. The many portions of the series, “Steven Universe,” had encompassed this mystique and mystery of What was the true identity of Rose Quartz, for what purpose did the rebellion serve and the main question: Why was Pink Diamond shattered by ‘Rose Quartz’ in the first place?
This episode can be a tad confusing, especially when you consider the variety of elements and transitions that occur within so little time. Also, having to re-process the information offered and allow the missing puzzle pieces to be put into their proper place. This has caused an amount of backlash and up-rise within the community. However, for those, such as myself, that have already considered this theory long ago also realize that this play through of “the big identity reveal” might have been obvious but forced.
What is The Truth and Why?
The episode has displayed the most critical answers for the questions that resonate constantly within the show. The “Rose Quartz” that everyone one had come into contact with, and remember, was not who she truly was. This ‘Rose Quartz’ was an alter-ego created by Pink Diamond to escape from her duties, proceed with her plan to protect earth, while attempting to gain freedom through manipulation and betrayal. What is theorized is that she was able shift forms when necessary: retaining her leadership role as Pink Diamond while being able to become a separate leader as Rose Quartz.
Within the “Pearl-ception,” meaning that alongside Steven we were able to travel into the darkest portion of Pearl’s mind and memories, we were able to discover the truth. As a whole, to display each level that we traveled, I have created a small bullet list describing each pearl we had met in chronological order:
Physical Entity Pearl (Before we enter her gem) Persuades Steven to travel into her gem to “find her phone.” Then, explains that once he finds her phone, he should text her. Organizational Surface Pearl (First Level Pearl within her gem) Assumes that Steven is meant to be put away in her organizational compartments. However, she seems to have also “misplaced” the cellphone that Steven is looking for. She attempts to persuade Steven to resist going “there” because “it is a mess.” However, he was persistent in wanting to travel deeper into pearl’s gem to find her phone. Emotionally Shattered Pearl (Second level Pearl within First Level Pearl’s gem.) The scenery changes to represent the past, the past that emotionally hurt Pearl. Making Steven realize that this goes back to the romance that blossomed between his mother and father; allowing for the awkwardness to sink in. This pearl is seen crying over the idea of Rose conceiving a child, followed by her anguish of not knowing what will occur if she loses her. Steven also brings up the “Cellphone” issue and this pearl is willing to say where she thinks it is. Referring to the location, “it’s probably where I lost everything else.” She made the initiative to transport Steven within her own gem to the specific place. Logically Shattered Pearl (Third Level Pearl within Second Level Pearl’s Gem) This scenery also changes to the aftermath of the battlefield (reference to the rebellion). Various gems lying around and Steven attempting to light the situation as he denies that her cellphone would be within her “repressed war memories.” Pearl is seen in shock, alone on the battlefield speaking about being the only ones and how they thought they had won, also questioning why she had done what she did. When questioned by Steven about whether this was truly about her phone, she made the same initiative as the “Second Level Pearl” had done and transported Steven within her own gem to the specific scene of what ‘she’ did. The Muted Pearl (Fourth Level Pearl within Third Level Pearl’s Gem) The scenery changes again to depict the darkness, sadness and realization that swirls within Pearl’s memories. Steven finds shattered gem pieces but is shocked to view his mother shattering what ‘was’ Pink Diamond. He doesn’t understand why his mother would be here since this is Pearl’s memory. ‘Rose Quartz’ is crying however, as Steven approaches, she opens her eyes and they are not black, they are glossy blue and with a turn of her head, a ‘Pearl’ gem glistens upon her forehead: Pearl has shape shifted into his mother ‘Rose Quartz.’ Allowing Steven to realize that it was ‘Pearl’ who had “committed the crime” of shattering Pink Diamond in the form of ‘Rose Quartz.’ However, when Steven refers to her, she opens her hand, revealing the actual Pink diamond un-shattered. This pearl again proceeds to take the initiative to transport Steven within her gem again. The Pressured and Honest Pearl (Fifth Level Pearl within Fourth Level Pearl) The scenery changes again but now Steven is inside Pink Diamonds Palaquin within the specific scene that has always been questioned and referred to throughout the series. ‘Rose Quartz’ and Pearl can be seen behind the throne, Rose is seen whispering ‘her plan’ to Pearl, Pearl questions her method but, Rose mentions how Yellow and Blue diamond simply do not care since it was “Pink Diamond’s Colony.”
Within this scene, we get to view Rose’s other expressions, followed by a more direct and thorough tone in comparison to how we’ve always seen her originally. Pearl continues to label this plan as “crazy,” followed by addressing her own concerns of where “her purpose” and Roses “status” would stand. Rose displays her passion and interest in humanity, her desire to give her “world” to the crystal gems, including her desire to live with Pearl and attain freedom.
Pearl is officially set on accomplishing this task, after blushing from the plan of living with rose and a promise of freedom; still retaining her own thoughts of disbelief. ‘Rose’ also states to Pearl *major spoiler* of how she “can’t shatter herself.” Rose proceeds to shape shift, her gem begins to turn upward as she reverts to her original form: Pink Diamond.
Pink Diamond picks up some soil, Pearl taking the flower from her hand, and crushes the soil to appear as shattered gem pieces. Pearl agrees that the gem pieces look convincing as Pink Diamond replies: “Soon it will be just Rose.” Pink Diamond consumes the pieces and proceeds to tell Pearl that no one can ever know that they did this and does not wish to look back.
Pink Diamond brings Pearls hands up and proceeds to place them on Pearls mouth as a symbolic gesture of silence. As Pink diamonds final order to Pearl as a diamond, she tells Pearl to never speak of this again and that no one can know. As Pink Diamond leaves her Palaquin, the sequence is interrupted as Pearl apologizes to Steven for making him come all this way and hands him her phone. Pearl proceeds to shape shift as Rose Quartz and continues to the sequence while Steven text messages the “Physical Entity pearl” that he “found it.”
her Palaquin, the sequence is interrupted as Pearl apologizes to Steven for making him come all this way and hands him her phone. Pearl proceeds to shape shift as Rose Quartz and continues to the sequence while Steven text messages the “Physical Entity pearl” that he “found it.” We view the conclusive sequence of Pearl (Shape shifted into Rose Quartz) proceeding to “shatter Pink Diamond” (while holding Pink Diamonds gem secretly within her hand) with ‘Rose Quartz’s Sword.’
From then onward, we proceed to exit out of the various pearl gems, followed by clips of the rebellion and the memories of the crystal gems on earth along the beach. Steven pops out and says “I know,” Pearl has tears as she breaks her silence stating how she wanted to tell him for so long. Steven finally speaks the truth: “Mom was Pink Diamond,” in front of Garnet & Amethyst.
Now, considering all the information we have taken in, we can now truly realize various things that we have overlooked or have been mislead to believe about certain scenes and songs. Even though this was a forced and foreseen plot twist, this adds value to the reasoning behind Rose’s character, the confusion about why there is a lack of information of the true Rose Quartz and why Pearl silences herself.
Within Pearl’s iconic song “It’s over, isn’t it?” there is the simple speculation that she has still not gotten over Rose Quartz (assuming that you are viewing it as a love interest). However, the lyrics begin to gain a strong amount of value when you read into it with this new episode. Pearls devotion, loyalty and willingness (which can be considered normal for a Pearl and her Diamond master) was taken for granite. She has actually been taken advantage of through an abusive format of mental and emotional manipulation that still resulted in a loss.
Another example can be the scene of Greg attempting to fuse with Rose Quartz, proceeding to ask her ‘personal questions’ yet reveals facial gestures that do reveal her willingness to avoid answering with short responses. Specifically the response towards Gregs’ comment of “I barely know you.”
Also, if you can recall within the episode, “The trials,” the Zircon gem lawyer begins to state where the issue of the shattering scene had faltered; specifically specifying that this attempt to explain the shattering process “doesn’t make sense.” Every Diamond has, at least sapphires and a ‘Pearl,’ nearby as security to protect their Diamond from harms way. Yet, now we can return to this exact scene with answers to these statements and accusations.
This Zircon gem Lawyer proceeds to brings up valid points for consideration:
“Rose Quartz is flawed, I grant you. A shallow strata-gem who turned against her own kind out of a misguided attachment to a planet and creatures like these.” (0:14) “It’s indisputable that as the Diamond overseeing Earth, Pink was Rose Quartz’s enemy. Rose had everything to gain by shattering her. But even though she may have wanted to shatter Pink Diamond, could she?” (0:25) Now, as the records show, Pink Diamond was shattered just outside a palanquin much like this. Witnesses say Pink had just stepped out and had only taken a few steps forward when Rose attacked her from the front!(0:52) B-because at that time that Pink was shattered, Rose Quartz had been a recognized threat for several hundred years. There were no Rose Quartz soldiers in her entourage and none in her guard. So how did a Rose Quartz, with no business being anywhere near Pink Diamond, get so close in the first place? Where were Pink Diamond’s attendants? Her Agates, Her Sapphires? And where was her Pearl? (1:14) But none of them saw Rose Quartz approach? Wouldn’t her Sapphires have seen Rose Quartz coming? Wouldn’t her Agates have tried to fight her off? (1:50) Even if she did, wouldn’t her Pearl have cried out an alarm, “Watch out, My Diamond!” No, whoever did this was already close to Pink Diamond. Someone her guards would allow to get near her, someone she would listen to when asked to stop her palanquin and step outside, and someone with the authority to cover it up afterwards! Someone with supreme authority… (pauses) Someone… like one of you! (points to both of them) (2:04)
Within these statements, the pieces can be viewed more clearly with respect to, the mystery and who the “someone” was. The irony from this series has already increased because of this. Even now, Roses (Pink Diamond’s) character begins to shift once more and now, some characters can be viewed differently; such as Blue Diamond.
Her character can be understood better because of this new information. She is grieving alongside Greg for the same person yet with distorted views of the main persons alter egos. Even she herself begins to realize that earth does have valuable things; greg being able to relate and understand the loss of loved one.
The realization that Steven’s dreams are the past life memories of Pink Diamond.
Through another realization, Pink Diamond can be viewed as both selfish but un-selfish. True, she can be labeled ‘childish’ and ‘demanding’ but she was also not respected (for the theory that she could have possibly been defective) by her fellow diamonds. She did not have any planetary ruling until the moment where she possibly ‘demanded it’.
“You have so many worlds, and I don’t even have one! It’s not fair! I. want. One! I want my own army! I want my own planet! I deserve it! I’m just as important as you!” (2:33)
As far as we know, Diamonds are leaders and they are “perfect” therefore, their murals depict their status and authority. Pink Diamond does not necessarily look like her mural because of the possibility that it was a cover up. She can be compared to the height of Stevonnie and her clothing displays a different personality.
Who are you? (Manipulation and Distortion)
Rose Quartz is guilty of a common practice that is known within society. The many people you meet can have various views of you based on the way you present yourself and the information you offer. She is a gem that has been labeled various things yet, there are no responses that are the same. Everyone views her differently because of both a “He said, She said” scenario and what was proposed to them about her.
In a theoretical perspective, Rose Quartz did not mind the manipulation and distortion, she wanted to remain as a mystery, no one truly knowing who she was deep down. Some gems label her negatively, due to the crimes of shattering Pink Diamond, while others label her positively due to the rebellion, her leadership and dedication to allowing gems to be how they want.
Conclusion (Aftermath and Future)
The ones that have suffered the most within this game are Pearl and Steven. As reiterated, a Pearl’s purpose is to serve and obey their diamond through thick and thin. Of course, Rose knew that Pearl’s loyalty had no end. She knew that Pearl would acknowledge the plan, do as she was told and proceed with the command to keep quiet of the taboo act. She was led to believe that doing all this would give her the spoken “perks” of spending the rest of her time free with her diamond; a one sided love interest with Rose Quartz.
Besides Pearl, Steven has also been on a never ending game of hide and seek with his own mother’s memory. He has to face her mistakes and take the blame from others for the things she had done prior. A son that just wants to understand who his mother truly is and why she is the way she is (or was). He has all these various identities and different perceptions of his mother that he does not know what to believe or who is truly telling the truth.
Rose Quartz’s reasoning and passion for doing what she did can be viewed on a balanced positive and negative. The positive being that she did carry through with her plan of giving earth to the crystal gems, “somewhat” save the humans and live freely. The negative being that she had done this master plan through her own agenda manipulation, mental abuse, lies and an attempt to stage her own death to escape her duties. | {
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When I was growing up I used to go hunting with my dad. Nothing fancy or cruel it was just one man with his child, his dogs and a 12 gauge catching little more than a cold. Most weekends we would go out rambling through fields with wax jackets and wellies on. On special days like the start of duck hunting season (Sept 1st) we would wake long before dawn, go out into the wilderness and await the morning chorus (and the ducks of course) but mostly it was a Sunday afternoon type of activity. One day we were out and had to cross an area which was spotted with gorse and other rough shrubs. As we were making our ways around and through this over-grown scrubland we came across a very disgruntled goat. Now when out hunting with dogs in tow a general rule of thumb is not to bother farm animals and give them a wide berth. Cows in particular can get very worked up when dogs are around so much so that on another occasion we nearly got trampled … but more of that later. On this occasion we decided to it best not to try and cross an animal with such intent in its eyes. We tracked back, turned and started moving along the other side of some hedges. The goat however followed and cut us off at the pass. Every direction we tried this goat would follow getting ever closer, all the while staring maliciously in our direction. We made it past that day without seeing any action but it was a pretty scary experience for the preteen little ol’ me and one I will never forget. I guess it was a sort of coming of age moment where I was introduced a type of adult fear or sense of danger. Thankfully I have never come across a goat with such evil intent again. Well that is until I saw a bottle of Jack Cody’s ‘Duxie: Grapefruit Tea Pale Ale’
It pours a hazy light amber orange with a bubbly head. The head fades very quickly for the initial size. It smells fresh and lightly floral with a hint of caramel. Not at all what I was expecting. From the bottle and the mention of grapefruit I was kind of expecting big massive hop aromas. However, I didn’t feel let down, more of a pleasant surprise. Plus it makes a nice change from the large number of hop forward ales and IPAs on the market. The taste is again light and refreshing with a relaxed yet solid bittering at the tail end of the taste. Straight out of the fridge this would be a great summer ale. As it warms the tea becomes more pronounced which is not to say it becomes undrinkable but just more noticeable. Over all this is very very drinkable. Not something I would buy often but still very nice. Kind of like a flavoured water but at 5% it packs a bit of a punch.
1 (Palawan), 2 (Bornean), 3 (Heude’s), 4(Visayan), 5(Celebes)
Aroma: 3/5
Taste: 3/5
Originality: 4/5
Overall: 3/5 | {
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Despite their laughter and smiles, there was a vague feeling of heaviness lingering in the air as Asher and Landon sat together in the library. It was their last tutoring session before midterms. And, if Landon’s enormous progress was any indication, possibly their last ever.
It was hard for Asher to overcome the sense of loss that had been plaguing him lately. Oliver had suddenly been so busy with the play that he and Asher hadn’t hung out in weeks. He couldn’t even remember the last time they’d gone so long without getting together after school. They only saw each other at lunch and in Math class now. It was almost starting to feel like they were drifting apart or something.
And now, to be losing Landon on top of it all…
Asher tried his best not to think about it. He smiled proudly as he looked down at the paper in front of him. “You only got three wrong… That’s awesome!” He cried happily.
“Wait, seriously?” Landon seemed genuinely surprised at how well he’d done on the practice test. “That’s like… Like an A, right?”
Asher quickly did the math in his head. “B+, I think… But still!” He beamed at Landon. “You’ve got this midterm in the bag. No way is Marshall gonna have a test harder than this one. All his shit’s so dumbed-down…” He winced inwardly as he realized how that might have sounded. Up until recently, Mr. Marshall’s ‘dumbed down’ lessons were next to impossible for Landon. “Well, you know what I mean.” He continued hastily. “Like, the book stuff’s way more complicated than what we do in class.”
Calling it ‘complicated’ was totally pushing it, but Asher had been trying so hard to be more sensitive about things like that, especially given how touchy of a subject it seemed to be for Landon.
“Relax, I knew what you meant…” Landon smiled warmly at him. “So uh… does that mean we’re done for the day?” Despite his smile, his voice sounded so sad as he spoke. Defeated, almost.
Asher shrugged. “Guess so… We should probably clear out pretty soon anyway. I think the library closes early on Wednesdays, doesn’t it? For some stupid teacher meeting?” They’d gone off their usual schedule leading up to their midterm, so he wasn’t entirely sure.
“Oh shit, yeah… I think you’re right. Don’t want Mr. Strout giving us shit.” The school librarian was widely known for being a huge douchebag if you got on his bad side. So far they’d been lucky enough to avoid his wrath, but it would be best to not push their luck during their last tutoring session.
Landon hastily grabbed his backpack from the floor, stuffing his textbook and practice test inside. “I seriously don’t know how I’m gonna be able to thank you for everything.” He continued, rising to his feet. “I’d be beyond screwed tomorrow if it wasn’t for you, Asher.”
He laughed softly as he got to his feet as well. “Well, first off, you can thank me by NOT kicking my ass the next time we do a Bloodwatch raid? And secondly, like I keep saying, don’t thank me til after you pass the test, okay? But honestly, I think you’re gonna be fine.” Asher’s smile faltered for a moment. “I’ll be surprised if you still need me to tutor you after this…”
He noticed that Landon’s smile seemed to flicker as well. “Hey, you never know. I’ve got a whole second semester of this shit to go through before graduation. I might totally suck at all the new crap. Don’t forget who you’re dealing with here…”
Asher shook his head. “Nah, you’ve got all the basics now. All you’ve gotta do is figure out how to apply them to the new stuff. It’ll be easy.”
“Hope so…” Landon was silent for a moment, looking thoughtful. “So, if we’re really done with this tutoring thing now, what are you gonna do with all that extra free time?”
“SAT Prep.” Asher replied without hesitation. “I mean, I’ve already started studying, but I’m gonna have to step up my game pretty soon. I’ve got a LOT riding on that stupid test… I’m sure you can relate.” He gave the older boy a smile as he spoke.
Landon nodded. “I just wish there was some way I could pay you back or something for all your help. And I mean, I did take my SATs already… But I’m pretty sure you don’t wanna get a super shitty score like I did, so…” He let out a low chuckle. “I’m guessing it’s a ‘hell no’ to me tutoring you?”
“Uh, yeah. Thanks, but no thanks.” Asher laughed softly in reply.
They both fell silent then, still lingering at the desk by the door. Asher’s mind began to race. It was starting to hit him that this could really be his last chance. After this, it would be back to only seeing each other in class, wouldn’t it? Things would go right back to the way they always were…
But maybe they didn’t have to.
Ever since Landon’s team had won the state championships, the two of them had been growing closer and closer. They’d been playing online together several nights a week, spending more and more of their tutoring sessions talking and laughing together instead of studying… It all had to mean something, didn’t it?
Despite Ollie’s repeated warnings still echoing in his mind, Asher couldn’t shake the feeling that this was finally his moment. Maybe he wasn’t ready to completely throw caution to the wind just yet… but maybe dipping his toes in the water wouldn’t hurt?
“Landon, listen… I’ve been thinking. And um, I… I really just… I, um…” He paused, taking a breath. He hadn’t felt this nervous talking to Landon in a very long time. “The past couple months have been pretty awesome. I mean, I know the tutoring itself kinda sucked… But I’ve really liked getting to know you.”
Landon smiled, despite the sadness in his eyes. “Me too.”
“And I’ve actually always kinda wished we were closer. Like… Like friends, maybe, or… Or… something?”
His heart leapt with excitement as he watched Landon’s eyes light up at his words. “You have?“
Asher nodded, feeling his heart racing in his chest. “Yeah. I… I really like hanging out with you… you’re really cool. And… and…” He felt like he was going to be sick. “I guess what I’m trying to say is… I really like you, Landon.”
“You do?” Landon asked softly.
He nodded once more, still feeling on the verge of puking everywhere. “Yeah… A-A lot…”
His breath caught in his throat as the older boy took a step closer, closing the distance between them. “I really like you too…” Landon whispered as his green eyes pierced right into Asher’s soul.
“Gentlemen! The library closed nearly fifteen minutes ago!” A harsh voice snapped, causing both of them to jump.
It was like a switch had been flipped. In an instant, the spell was broken.
They muttered hasty apologies and practically ran from the library, fearing further wrath from the grumpy librarian. They could hear his loud grumbling and complaining echoing all the way down the hallway until they finally made their way around the corner and vanished from sight.
As soon as they were in the clear, Landon turned to him, a smile on his lips that quickly grew into full-on laughter. Asher wasn’t entirely sure what was so funny, but it was impossible not to join in. Landon’s laughter was infectious.
“Jesus, that was a close one.” The older boy said as his laughter finally faded. “Too bad though… We could’ve gone from tutoring together to being trapped in detention together instead. Wouldn’t have been so bad, right?”
Asher smiled. “Minus my parents grounding me for the rest of my life, sure.” He teased. “Pretty sure the last thing I need is another detention on my record though.” He’d been working hard on watching his mouth with his teachers this year, and didn’t want this simple faux pas to mess him up. “But you’re right… Probably wouldn’t be so bad with you.” He felt his cheeks grow warm as he spoke.
Landon said nothing. As Asher looked up at his handsome face, he couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if Mr. Strout hadn’t interrupted them. Goddamn it. Now I’ll probably never know.
“Anyway… I, um… I guess I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” Asher continued lamely, his earlier courage now completely erased. He was back to feeling just as terrified and uncertain as ever. “Good luck on the test.” He forced what he hoped was an encouraging smile.
Landon’s smiled quickly faded at his words. “Yeah, you too… Not that you’ll need it.”
“Thanks…” He knew he didn’t have it in him to force a laugh, so he didn’t even try. “Later, Landon.”
Asher turned and walked away then, both his mind and stomach still swirling and bubbling uncomfortably with adrenaline, anxiety, and now anger at himself for losing his nerve so easily. I’m hopeless.
“Asher, wait.”
He turned around to see Landon striding toward him. “Yeah?”
Landon took a deep breath, as though steeling himself for something. “There’s a party this weekend I was thinking of going to… I think it’s supposed to be celebrating the end of midterms or something? Or the start of Christmas break? I dunno. Whatever.” He shrugged. “But anyway, if you aren’t busy, I thought maybe it would be kinda cool if… We went together, or something? If you wanted to?”
Asher could have literally died. Was this like… a date? Was Landon asking him out?
Don’t read too much into it, he reminded himself, thinking of what Ollie would probably say if he were there. Date or not, this is fucking awesome!
“Yeah!” His voice came out about two octaves higher than normal. Asher paused to clear his throat before continuing. “I mean, that’d be cool. Sure.”
Landon beamed at him, sending a flurry of butterflies through Asher’s stomach. “Awesome. I’ll text you later with the details and stuff, okay?”
Asher’s head nodded while his heart soared. “Sounds great… I’ll see you tomorrow, Landon.” This time, the words brought him joy and anticipation rather than sorrow.
“See you tomorrow.” Landon seemed to hesitate. It almost looked like he wanted to say something else, but seemed to think better of it as he flashed Asher another smile and strode past him down the hallway.
Asher was giddy with excitement as he turned and watched Landon’s glorious ass disappear through the door at the end of the hall. He still didn’t know for sure what this whole thing meant, and part of him still wondered what would have happened if Mr. Strout hadn’t interrupted them.
But maybe it’s not too late to find out… | {
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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — No one in Puerto Rico can go anywhere without listening to a song from Bad Bunny’s debut album “X100PRE,” a play in letters and numbers that reads “por siempre,” Spanish for forever.
“I’m at a gas station and the four cars [that are here] are blasting different songs of #X100Pre. I love Puerto Rico,” Míster Medina wrote in Spanish on Twitter.
After a successful 2018, Puerto Rican Latin trap and reggaeton singer Bad Bunny — born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio — gave fans an early Christmas present when he dropped his 15-track album on Dec. 24 at midnight.
“Bad Bunny is releasing his album on the 24th of December. So La Nueva Religión will have almost the same birthday as Jesus,” wrote Frances Solá-Santiago on Twitter, referencing the artist’s 2018 tour titled “La Nueva Religión.”
Besides a very successful tour, Bad Bunny became one of the top 10 most streamed artists worldwide before dropping an album of his own.
He rose to the top of the charts by collaborating with world-renowned artists like Marc Anthony, Jennifer López, Nicky Jam and many others in over a dozen songs and remixes. Apple Music included him in its ‘Up Next Class of 2018’ list, which aims to highlight music’s next generation of artists.
He also landed a 2019 Grammy nomination alongside Cardi B and J Balvin for “Record Of The Year” with hit “I Like It.”
“X100PRE” was mainly produced by renowned Puerto Rican music producer Marcos "Tainy" Masís and includes collaborations with American DJ Diplo, rapper Drake, Dominican dembow artist El Alfa, icon Ricky Martin and others.
Bad Bunny, 24, took to Twitter to dedicate his new album to “all my real fans! Those who follow me from the heart. Those who believe in me and in what I do! For people sure of themselves!”
But intentionally or not, the album spotlights the experiences of a generation of young Puerto Ricans who, like Benito, came of age in the island between the late 1990s and the mid-2000s — a time in which reggaeton was starting to become more prominent as more mainstream radio stations were willing to play the music that for years was considered solely an underground genre.
Songs like “Tenemos Que Hablar,” Spanish for we have to talk, mix the trap and reggaeton beats he's known for with the punk, rock rhythms that characterized the late 1990s and the early 2000s.
“I knew people were going to relate to this song because we’ve all gotten that message that says ‘we have to talk’ and we know how that always makes things tense,” said Bad Bunny during an Instagram livestream on Christmas Day.
However, his track “Cuando Perriabas,” meaning, when you danced reggaeton, jogs the memory of Puerto Rican millennials in a particular way.
The sounds in the song resemble the "perreos" from the early 2000s, mainly sung by reggaeton artists such as Plan B, Alexis y Fido and Jowell y Randy — reminding listeners on the island of the “parties de marquesina,” also known as garage parties, that almost every young person attended while in middle school or high school, which consisted of dancing to the old-school reggaeton songs.
“Everyone my age probably grew up listening to the ‘perreos’ of Plan B...” said Bad Bunny. “Here, I’m talking about the ‘perreos’ from when I was in puberty: 12, 13, 14,15,16,17,18,19, 20. What’s one’s youth.”
For many Puerto Ricans in that same age group, Bad Bunny’s subtle reference to the infamous case of a 5-year-old child that went missing in Puerto Rico in 1999 did not go unnoticed.
In the song “RLNDT,” Bad Bunny alludes to the disappearance of Rolando Salas Jusino, known as Rolandito — especially with the line “And I do not know if they kidnapped me or I'm lost.”
El título del tema RLNDT del nuevo álbum de Bad Bunny es una referencia a Rolandito, un niño que desapareció sin rastro en Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, en 1999.
El nombre de la canción va de la mano con su letra, en la cual el artista indica sentirse perdido por la fama. pic.twitter.com/ajSNiQFCsV — Enciclopedia Urbana (@EnciclopediaUrb) December 24, 2018
The case shook many parents at the time, since the minor disappeared without a trace and was never found. Even 19 years after his disappearance, the image of Rolandito’s missing poster is still ingrained in the memory of most Puerto Ricans.
Bad Bunny uses the memorable case as a metaphor of how lost he felt after quickly rising to stardom in less than two years and feeling like music and fame were not making him happy.
“People tried to change my concept of what music is. That music is work, but it’s not like that,” said Bad Bunny. “So, in this album I said ‘No, I need to do something that fulfills me and makes me happy.’”
In the album, “RLNDT” is followed by single “Estamos Bien,” which means we’re fine.
“That’s how I felt after those dark times, after that episode of depression, of sadness. I took time for myself to think. I stayed away from what I thought was bad and toxic for me,” said Bad Bunny. “I’m very happy with what’s happening in my life right now, beyond my career.”
A day before dropping “X100PRE,” the singer distributed 30,000 gifts such as musical instruments and balls to children in Puerto Rico through his newly-launched non-profit Fundación Good Bunny, which seeks to empower Puerto Rican youth through arts.
Bad Bunny is set to start off 2019 with a new tour, including cities like New York, Miami and Puerto Rico.
FOLLOW NBC LATINO ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM. | {
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1. Two very different, very intense debates are dominating the news.
First, how did President Trump’s condolence call to the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson go so far off the rails? Above, his coffin. The administration has been swept up into a feud that pits Mr. Trump and his chief of staff, John Kelly, against Frederica Wilson, a Democratic congresswoman who sharply criticized the call as insensitive.
The bitter exchanges raised new questions about exactly how Sergeant Johnson died. The Pentagon and, unusually, the F.B.I. are investigating the conflicting accounts surrounding the Oct. 4 ambush in Niger that claimed his life, along with those of three other Americans and four Nigerien soldiers. | {
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced today that nearly $3 billion will quickly be made available to governors to ensure education continues for students of all ages impacted by the coronavirus national emergency. The Governor's Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund, authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, is an extraordinarily flexible "emergency block grant" designed to enable governors to decide how best to meet the needs of students, schools (including charter schools and non-public schools), postsecondary institutions, and other education-related organizations.
"Governors have the opportunity to truly rethink and transform the approach to education during this national emergency and ensure learning continues," said Secretary DeVos. "At a time when so many school boards and superintendents have shut down learning for the balance of the school year, I want to encourage each and every governor to focus on continuity of education for all students. Parents, families, teachers and other local education leaders are depending on their leadership to ensure students don't fall behind."
In an effort to get these emergency funds to states as quickly as possible, the Department has streamlined the application process and reduced the red tape and delays typically associated with the award of federal grant funds; all that is required is the completion of a brief application, which can be digitally signed and submitted in PDF to the email address [email protected].
The application, including instructions to apply, is available on the Department's website at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/education-stabilization-fund/governors-emergency-education-relief-fund/. Once states have submitted the signed PDF, the Department expects to obligate the funds within three business days.
To see state allocations for the GEER Fund click here.
Today's announcement comes on the heels of the Secretary's quick action to implement the CARES Act and distribute more than $6 billion to colleges and universities to provide direct emergency cash grants to college students whose lives and educations have been disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak.
The Department continues to update ed.gov/coronavirus with information for students, parents, educators and local leaders about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
For more information about COVID-19, please visit the following websites: coronavirus.gov, cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html, and usa.gov/coronavirus. | {
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About ArtVo
Welcome to Australia’s first immersive, ‘trick-art’ gallery! Priceless photos. Unbelievable scenarios. The gallery first opened at The District in 2016. The first of its kind, it is a self-guided gallery suitable for all ages, groups small or large with visitors taking hundreds of photographs with family and friends, memories that will last a lifetime. Just take a look at the ArtVo Instagram page @artvo_melbourne, not short of inspiration for your next visit. And there’s a new theme – Fantasy – spanning the entire course of the gallery. The Fantasy theme will see people explore the ocean, polar ice caps, space and the forest. Plus, the dreamscape art will see some very exciting interactive experiences.
A PERFECT DAY OUT AT THE DISTRICT DOCKLANDS MELBOURNE.
Stepping into a world of optical illusions, the larger than life murals allow people of all ages to come face to face with wild animals, scale rocky crevasses and surf the ultimate pipelines. Stretching over 1400 square metres, visitors can walk through a variety of different zones, each with its own spectacular illusions. ArtVo offers everyone the chance to experience the traditional art museum in a whole new way. It offers their patrons the opportunity, to not only touch the art but be the art by simply striking a pose in front of the camera. What is even more refreshing are the museum staff who encourage you to take as many photos and selfies as possible. They can assist you so you and your friends are free to become part of the art at all times. 15 artists, 1000 litres of paint, 800 hours and over 80 new artworks, ArtVo immersive gallery is re-opening for business! | {
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Fathom and Warner Bros. partnered on Friends 25th: The One With the Anniversary, comprised of 12 fan-favorite episodes of the series that ran for 10 seasons from 1994-2004.
A special three-night event celebrating the 25th anniversary of the hit NBC sitcom attracted over 230,000 fans and grossed an estimated $2.9 million from more than 1,600 theaters, making it the second-highest-grossing U.S. event cinema release of 2019. It's also among Fathom's all-time biggest earners.
The screenings, held Sept. 23 and this past Saturday and Wednesday, were one of many anniversary tributes paid to the show. Each night showcased four episodes, which were remastered in 4K from the original 35mm camera negative.
Friends debuted Sept. 22, 1994, on NBC. The Emmy Award-winning series, from creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman, starred Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow and Matt LeBlanc.
The episodes shown on the big screen were: "The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate," "The One With the Blackout," "The One With the Birth" and "The One Where Ross Finds Out" on night one; "The One With the Prom Video," "The One Where No One's Ready," "The One the Morning After" and "The One With the Embryos" on night two; and "The One With Chandler in a Box," "The One With Ross's Wedding Part 2," "The One Where Everyone Finds Out" and "The One Where Ross Got High" on night three. | {
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Gov. Steve Sisolak has ordered the temporary closures of schools across the state until at least April 6, the most drastic step yet taken by Nevada authorities to limit spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Sisolak made the announcement alongside Clark County School District Superintendent Jesus Jara on Sunday afternoon, saying the closure will affect all public, charter and private schools in the state and could possibly extend longer. He said it had become “increasingly clear” in the last 48 hours that school closure was needed for containment of the virus, and that no schools would be allowed to reopen until the state chief medical officer makes a determination.
“I realize this will cause hardships for our families, our students, and our school staff,” he said. “I assure you we have not reached this decision lightly.”
The move comes amid a growing chorus of teacher unions and public health officials to temporarily close schools to limit spread of the virus, but is likely to have a major impact on the 500,000 students statewide enrolled in public and charter schools. The closure will also be acutely felt in the Clark County School District, the nation’s fifth largest school district, where roughly 70 percent of the estimated student body population of 332,000 qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch.
Washoe County schools went on a scheduled two-week spring break on Friday.
Clark County School District superintendent Jesus Jara, right, and Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announce CCSD school closures because of coronavirus during a news conference in Las Vegas on Sunday, March 15, 2020. There will be no classes until April. (Jeff Scheid/The Nevada Independent)
Sisolak said that the state would coordinate with the 17 school superintendents throughout the state on food security plans and “academic continuity,” noting that education leaders would “find creative and innovative solutions” to serve students during this period.
But an immediate move to online learning doesn’t seem on deck, at least for schools in Clark County.
“We don’t have the capacity right now,” Jara said.
The governor called on employers to be flexible with workers who suddenly may have children to care for given the school closures. He also pointed out one of the challenges facing Nevada during this time — a large number of shift workers in the tourism and gaming industries who may find child care more difficult.
“Nevada is a unique state,” he said to close out the news conference. “We are different than any other state, but we are tougher than any other state, and we will get through this together.”
As of Sunday afternoon, 21 people in the state have tested presumptively positive for COVID-19, though actual numbers are likely much higher due to limits on who can be tested. Nationwide, more than 2,900 people in 49 states have tested positive for the virus, which medical experts believe has a higher mortality rate than most strains of the flu.
State law grants the governor additional special powers after calling a “state of emergency,” including the abilities to assume direct operational control of any and all emergency management forces, to temporarily seize property as needed for emergency response, allow non-state-licensed medical professionals to operate in the state and to “compel the evacuation of all or part of the population from any stricken or threatened area or areas within the State and to take such steps as are necessary for the receipt and care of those persons.”
The governor is also given broad authority in law to exercise as necessary any “functions, powers and duties as are necessary to promote and secure the safety and protection of the civilian population.”
Clark County School District superintendent Jesus Jara, left, and Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announce CCSD school closures because of coronavirus during a news conference in Las Vegas on Sunday, March 15, 2020. There will be no classes until April. (Jeff Scheid/The Nevada Independent)
The announcement comes after Sisolak officially declared a state of emergency over the coronavirus outbreak on Thursday, which took steps to centralize and coordinate the state’s response to the virus.
Clark County School District officials said last week that in the event of a closure, 14 sites throughout the region have been identified where families qualified for free or reduced-price lunch can pick up food.
It also comes after the Clark County Education Association and the National Education Association of Southern Nevada called on Jara to suspend school operations as soon as possible to limit spread of the virus. Jara previously announced on Saturday that schools would open as normal on Monday but that he had not ruled out a “short-term closure.”
Jara said Sunday that the district will follow existing collective bargaining agreement contracts and had been in touch with employee unions about the planned closure.
“They will be getting paid,” he said.
Sisolak declined to answer questions about whether he would institute a ban on large public gatherings in the state, as governors in Washington and New York have already done. Another press conference on Nevada’s response to the virus is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sunday.
Already, higher education institutions in the state, including the University of Nevada, Reno, UNLV and Nevada State College, have announced plans to transition to remote, online courses to avoid further spread of the virus.
Nationwide, governors in Ohio, Illinois and California announced imminent required closures of all bars and dine-in restaurants in their respective states to help prevent further spread of the virus.
Mary Beth Sewald, president and chief executive officer of the Vegas Chamber, said the business organization supports the efforts to keep students and staff safe, limiting the spread of the upper-respiratory virus.
“There are so many moving parts to all of this,” she said. “So we’re trying to work in conjunction with them to do the best that we can for the students.”
The Vegas Chamber has been fielding questions from companies on everything from human resource-related matters to how to stay in business, she said. The business organization has been sending out resources and guidance, such as encouraging employees to work from home if possible.
But she stopped short of calling for a temporary shutdown of certain service-oriented businesses.
“For our members and for the business community, it’s kind of a case-by-case basis,” she said. “We’re encouraging them on best practices, but for them, it’s kind of their own decision.”
Updated at 3:52 p.m. with additional information and context. | {
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They were also charged with attempted second ...
They were also charged with attempted second degree murder for critically wounding the boy's father
They were also charged with attempted second degree murder for critically wounding the boy's father
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Family and friends are set to say goodbye to a 6-year-old autistic child who was killed during a police pursuit in Louisiana that left his father seriously wounded.
Funeral services for Jeremy Mardis are scheduled Monday afternoon at Moore Funeral Chapel at Moore Funeral Services in Hattiesburg, followed by burial in Beaumont Cemetery.
An undated photo shows Jeremy Mardis, 6, who was shot and killed Nov. 3, 2015. CBS News
Authorities say Mardis died last Tuesday in Marksville, Louisiana, after city marshals fired into a vehicle driven by his father, Chris Few. State police said they have found no evidence that Few had a gun. Two law enforcement officers are in custody and face charges of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder.
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The head of the Louisiana State Police says a video of the shooting is one of the most disturbing things he's ever seen, CBS News' David Begnaud reported.
Photos released by the Louisiana State Police show Norris Greenhouse Jr., left, and Lt. Derrick Stafford. Louisiana State Police
Investigators said both father and son were shot by Marksville police officers Norris Greenhouse Jr. and Derrick Stafford. They are being held without bail.
The family had recently moved to Marksville from Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
The officers surrendered Friday night and were charged with second degree murder for the death of Jeremy and the attempted second degree murder of his father, Christopher Few.
Neither officer said a word as they were rushed out of the Avoyelles Parish Jail in handcuffs.
A law enforcement source told CBS News the officers will not tell state police investigators why they wanted to pull over Few Tuesday night, starting a police pursuit that ended in gunfire.
Col. Mike Edmonson, head of the Louisiana State Police, has seen the video of the shooting.
He told Begnaud how key the video was to making the arrests.
"That video was incredible," Edmonson said. "I mean, as a father, much less head of the state police, I looked at that tape, I said this is incredibly disturbing."
CBS News has learned it was a third officer who recorded the shooting with a body camera after he responded to a call for backup. According to a source, that officer told investigators Few was not acting in a threatening manner toward police.
Initially there was a report that Few had a warrant out for his arrest. It turns out there was no warrant. He had no gun in the vehicle.
Edmonson says they're trying to determine what Few did to warrant the traffic stop.
"I think the rest of the investigation tells us that," Edmonson said. "I mean, we've got to look at everyone involved, and we'll get to the part of that, but what we learned from the very first night, what we heard an hour after that, was that they were trying to effect an arrest warrant on a traffic stop. Not factual. Not factual."
Edmonson said initially the two officers claimed that Few tried to reverse his vehicle and ram it into one of their police cars.
The damage on the police car that was reportedly hit appears minor.
Begnaud asked Edmonson whether Few was someone who deserves blame here.
"It doesn't seem from what we see," Edmonson said, "because we don't know why they were trying to chase him."
A source told CBS News that the two officers arrested fired a total of 18 shots at both father and son.
Few was shot twice but survived and is listed in serious condition at a local hospital.
The Avoyelles Parish coroner said Jeremy was shot five times in the head and chest.
"I can tell you he didn't suffer," Edmonson said. "He didn't suffer, and his dad was near him, but he did not suffer."
The two officers arrested usually work for the Marksville city police department, but on the night of the shooting they were working for the city marshal's office.
Law enforcement confirmed to CBS News they are probing whether one of the officers arrested has a personal grudge against Few and may have sought revenge with gunfire.
Few's 57-year-old stepfather, Morris German, earlier in the week accused the marshals of indiscriminately opening fire on the vehicle.
German said Few was heavily sedated after the shooting, unable to talk and had bullet fragments lodged in his brain and lung.
He described Few was a loving father and added the man's son "was his whole life."
German added that the 6-year-old had been diagnosed with autism, describing him as a delightful child who "loved everything, everybody." | {
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Eminem has unleashed a lyrical tirade against President Donald Trump, saying he "came to stomp." The rapper took aim at Trump in a 4½-minute freestyle rap video that aired as part of BET's Hip Hop Awards on Tuesday night. Eminem focused several times on Trump's ongoing campaign against NFL national anthem protests, rapping: "so we focus on that instead of talking Puerto Rico or gun reform for Nevada. All these horrible tragedies and he's bored… Read at AP News | {
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Puckett’s stunning resignation came on the eve of finalizing the state budget and gave Republicans a 20-19 advantage in the previously deadlocked Virginia Senate. That edge allowed the GOP to insert and delete language in the final spending plan that effectively prevented McAuliffe from using his executive authority to authorize the expansion of Medicaid.
The contents of Reagan’s message, first reported Thursday night by The Washington Post, reflect the high stakes and level of desperation in which Democrats regarded Puckett’s defection.
Prominent statewide Democrats, including McAuliffe and U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner, also made appeals to Puckett to stay on and preserve Democratic control of the chamber.
“I know there was a lot of frustration with your daughter, not, you know, getting a judgeship or something,” Reagan said, according to a transcript of the call.
“If there’s something that we can do for her, I mean, you know, we have a couple of big agencies here that we still need agency heads. We could potentially, potentially, subject to approval of the governor and so forth, you know, the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy could be available. | {
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In the 1980s and 1990s, Bjarne Stroustrup designed implemented, and popularised the C++ programming language, which introduced object-oriented programming to the mainstream, and influenced numerous other programming languages, including Java, C# and Fortran 99.
C++ remains the archetypal ‘high level’ computer language – one that preserves the features of natural, human language – and it is still used by millions of programmers today.
Many of the systems and applications of the PC and Internet eras were written in C++. For all this, the language has its detractors. It has the reputation for being difficult to learn and use because of its large feature-set , and because Dr Stroustrup’s design chooses not to enforce a single paradigm on developers, serious programming errors can sometimes be made, but not detected.
Bjarne Stroustrup and his family now live in Texas. He was, for many years, a researcher at AT&T Bell Labs, (where he still retains a link) is now the ‘College of Engineering Chair in Computer Science Professor’ at Texas A&M University, near Houston. He was born in Aarhus in Jutland, Denmark in 1950. He studied Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Aarhus before moving to Churchill College, Cambridge University to obtain his PhD in 1979, studying under David Wheeler and Roger Needham. He remains a member of the college.
His book ‘The C++ Programming Language’ is the most widely read book of its type and has been translated into at least 19 languages. His later book ‘The Design and Evolution of C++ broke new ground in the description of the way a programming language was shaped by ideas, ideals, problems and practical constraints. In addition to his five books, Stroustrup has published over a hundred academic papers and has contributed to a number of newspapers and magazines.
He has received a litany of honours including being named as one of ‘America’s twelve top young scientists’ by Fortune Magazine in 1990 and was recognized as one of the 20 most influential people in the computer industry in the last 20 years by BYTE magazine in 1995.
Recently Bjarne was awarded the Dr Dobb’s ‘Excellence in Programming award’ for ‘advancing the craft of computer programming’. We now award him the Simple-Talk accolade of ‘Geek of the Week’.
RM:
“Bjarne, given that our technological civilization depends on software why is most of it so poor?”
BS:
“Hmmm. If software was as bad as its reputation, we’ll all be dead by now. It is always easy and entertaining to tell a story of a disaster. People feel competent, comfortable, and superior when describing other people’s failures. On the other hand, spectacular success is often hard to understand, to appreciate, and can – as it should – make us feel humble. I can understand a crashed disk or a simple ‘silly’ programming error but it is much harder to imagine a million disks not failing for a month and the software that didn’t fail to make that possible. I look at the Mars Rovers, the human genome project, and Google with awe. So, much software is not just ok. It’s good from the point of view of its users. Unfortunately, part of that success comes from an increased ability to craft functioning systems out of failing parts through layers upon layers of – largely redundant – internal checking and huge amounts of testing. I would strongly have preferred to get to this point through clean, logical, comprehensible, well-analyzed structure, through design and implementation by professionals. That would be safer and cheaper in the long run and certainly avoid the huge bloat we see today. We would also be able to use simpler and less power-hungry hardware. There are examples of this today – often high-end, high-reliability embedded systems – but the PC/Web bloatware dominates in volume and in people’s perception of software.”
RM:
“Do you think education is the answer to developing better software and that somehow we get out from the ‘we must do it first no matter how buggy it is’ way of thinking?”
BS:
“Education is part the answer, an essential part, but ‘education’ itself is not a solution. We need an education for software developers that combine principles from science and engineering with practical skills. Most likely, we will need several specializations, hopefully with a common base. Unfortunately, I am not at all sure that the fields of computer science, software engineering, IT, whatever, are mature enough to agree on such a principled common base and specialisations. I also suspect that such a degree would be a master’s rather than a bachelor’s. Currently, we have another problem: students often leave educational establishments with a set of skills that are seriously misaligned to what the industry needs. We can argue that maybe industry should ask for something different, but there is a lot of hasty re-training and un-learning going on at the handover from education to industry. I think this is really bad for both sides. It discourages industry from relying on more than basic skills and puts an emphasis on tools and techniques that can be used by relatively unskilled labour. Students know that and therefore pay less attention to higher-level skills and some of the best students chose what they perceive as more challenging fields, such as physics and biology. It discourages professors, who then concentrate on work that does not directly relate to industry or join the scramble to build tools and processes to develop and maintain software with semi-skilled labour I don’t think you have to be first with a product in a given field. In fact, I suspect that typically the first product in a field fails as a slightly later product comes along with facilities – or stability – that allows it to appeal to a larger group of users. Think of Simula, WordPerfect, Netscape, and AltaVista (do you even remember those?). However, I do not think that we can delay and delay until a product reaches “perfection.” My ideal model is something basically sound and potentially beautiful, made available early (warts and all) and then gradually improved over the years under real-world pressures. The real-world pressures will improve a fundamentally sound product and make it better adjusted to real needs than we could make it from first principles. Shipping “no matter how buggy” is something else – that’s unethical and irresponsible. What you ship has to at least deliver what it promises and have a design that allows it to grow to meet future challenges.”
RM:
“Do you think you would ever design a new language from scratch?”
BS:
“Sometimes, I’m tempted, but designing a language for real use is a decade’s worth of work. It requires a firm idea of what problem is to be solved and stable funding. It’s not something that fits the academic model and it’s not something that has an obvious commercial payoff. I doubt it will happen.”
RM:
“How soon after you created C++ did you see it start to take over the industry?”
BS:
“The first real use of ‘C with Classes’ (C++’s direct ancestor) started 6 months after I began the project and then I saw steady exponential growth for a decade. The use of C++ doubled every 7.5 months from 1980 to 1991. After that, I lost count, but the current ‘best guesses’ are in the three million C++ programmers range. For most of the early years, I was simply too busy (designing, implementing, writing, and providing support) to observe what was going on. C++ was not a project with plans, marketing budgets, and consumer surveys.”
RM:
“What’s your opinion about the Microsoft implementation of C++?”
BS:
“It’s getting very good actually both in terms of standard conformance and in code quality. I use that – and other C++ implementations – weekly, if not daily. I don’t care much about the proprietary extensions such as /CLI), but it’s their OS and their system interfaces, so my opinion is not really relevant. It would be hard to meet their design aims significantly better. For a language to be a systems programming language, it has to deal with real systems, rather than idealized abstractions. However, I do wish that they had interfaced ISO standard C++ to .Net through interface libraries. I do understand why they did not (think: generating meta data), but once you rely heavily on /CLI features, you no longer write portable or easy to port standard C++, you write for a specific proprietary system. To be fair: just about every implementation provider tries to lock in its users. Apple’s Objective C++ GUI is a nasty lock-in and deep in GNU C++ you find quite a few non-standard features. Whenever I can, I prefer to deal with ISO standard C++ and to access system-specific features through libraries with system-independent interfaces.”
RM:
“Do you think C++ has become too ‘expert friendly’?”
BS:
“Yes. In fact, I think that it was me who stuck that label on it – reflecting the old saying “Unix is expert friendly” – I said it to alert people to my view that the experts were getting too complacent and were not sufficiently sensitive to the needs of novices (of all kinds), casual and occasional programmers – whatever you want to call people who want to use C++ well before they could become experts – and the many who don’t need to or want to become C++ experts; they are often quite happy being experts in some other field and just want to use C++ in support of that. I tried to do something about that with C++0x and had some success – not at must as I would have liked, of course, but enough that there is a large and powerful subset of C++0x that’s easier to learn, to use, and to teach than I could carve out of C++98. In particular, I can’t wait to be able to use the simpler, safer, and more flexible initialization mechanisms. For example: for (auto p = v.begin(); p!=v.end(); ++p) cout << *p << ‘
’; The auto says that the type of p is to be that of its initializer (v.begin()), so that I don’t have to remember how to write the type of v’s iterator, say, vector::iterator.
That’s actually the oldest C++0x feature by far; I first implemented it in 1983, but was forced to take it out for C compatibility reasons. Now, with “implicit int” banned in both C++ and C, we can have this convenient notation. Another example is variable length (homogenous) initialize lists. In C++0x we can write: vector greats = { “Newton”, “Darwin”, “Archimedes”, “Bohr” }; And get a suitably initialized vector of 4 strings. The list of small new features is long (e.g., see my C++0x FAQ), but they are designed to work together and with all other features of the language so that I hope people get to see them as generalizations rather than complications. In particular, the { } initialization syntax can be used for every form of initialization: void f(const vector>& v);
f({ {“Simula”, 1967}, {“BCPL”, 1967}, {“C”, 1978}, {“C++”,1985} }); struct Point {
int x,y;
Point(int xx, int yy) :x{xx}, y{yy}
}; Point* p = new Point{x,y}; If you feel this is not sufficiently advanced to warrant attention and need some really hard technical stuff, you can have a look at the C++0x machine model. If you feel that real language design needs a heavy dose of type theory, have a look at the concepts and concept_maps used to control template arguments. The area where C++ is still not sufficiently supportive of novices is libraries. There are lots of libraries for people who are experts, for people who can search out libraries on the web, and for people who can afford commercial quality libraries. However, there is no one place to which a “novice” (of any degree of previous experience) can turn for a linear algebra library, a GUI library (and builder), an XML manipulation and Web service toolset, a 3D graphics library, a computational geometry library, a concurrent programming support library, a set hard-real time programming facilities, etc. All of these exist, but you have to search for them, chose among alternatives, download and install them, convince yourself about their quality, worry about the timescale of their support, etc. Those are not tasks for which the average novice is well prepared. My home pages are often a good place to start to look (especially the C++ page and the applications page), but I can only feature links to a few collections of libraries, such as Boost, Poco, and Qt, and they don’t all work together seamlessly. C++0x does provide a few new libraries, but not as many as I would have liked. I particularly like to be able to use regular expressions (the regex library) and to use that library even when teaching my freshman (first year) students. Finally getting standard and portable threads is a relief.”
RM:
“Why do you think C++ is so successful?”
BS:
“It met its fairly modest design aims. C++ was meant to be efficient in the hands of good programmers, capable of expressing elegant solutions to hard systems programming problems, suitable for work close to the hardware (without compromises), to allow organization of code in the style of Simula (object-oriented programming), to cope with the complexity of large systems, to fit into existing systems, to be portable across different hardware, operating systems, and linkers (again in the hands of capable programmers), to be cheap (no complicated run-time systems and fairly simple compilers), non-proprietary, and to be teachable on an industry wide scale. That was actually not easy to achieve given the almost complete ignorance about object-oriented programming at the time and the extreme skepticism about the use of higher-level languages for systems programming. When I started, it was less than 5 years since C and Unix had demolished the idea that an operating system had to be written in assembler for a particular piece of hardware.”
RM:
“In your well-read and well-written book The Design and Evolution of C++, you claim that Kierkegaard was an influence on your conception of the language. What do you mean by this?”
BS:
“I wanted to say something about C++’s intellectual roots. In particular, I wanted to state my opposition to the authoritarian system builders (e.g. Plato and Hegel) and emphasize my concern for the individual and the exceptional. In that context, Kierkegaard fits right in. Maybe referring to philosophers appears a bit pretentious, but I did read a fair bit of philosophy before I got too busy with computing and occasionally still do. The human aspects of programming, software design, etc. are often overlooked – and when they are not, it is often by someone trying to shoehorn humans into an inhuman development process. A “process” that does not recognize the enormous variations in human abilities is inhumane and suboptimal in that it fails to utilize the best in the people involved. That does not imply that I’m arguing for anarchistic “cowboy programmers.” On the contrary, I’d argue that a firmer foundation of programming addressing areas such as types, interfaces, resource management, invariants, underlying models, etc. is needed for less wasteful collaboration of many developers. A rush to the lowest common denominator is not a great idea.”
RM:
“How do you think more programmers can write quality code (as opposed to quantity) and still keep their jobs?”
BS:
“They have to be more effective than the popular million monkey approaches. Worse, they have to be more productive over a variety of time spans: the first year, the first two years, the first five years, and the first ten years. That means that it should be possible to replace the pioneers and not rely on exceptional talent and exceptional enthusiasm – in other words, the approach has to be a form of sustainable professionalism. Where upper management sees it as a major aim to ensure that their software development and maintenance can be done primarily by semi-skilled and interchangeable individuals, getting to professionalism and quality code is an up-hill task; where upper management is consistently supportive it’s only difficult. I think we have to base the necessary professionalism on classical computer science core areas such as algorithms, data structures, and machine architecture. To this we have to add a notion of “software architecture” that must be more than simply showing off the features of a language or two. We have to get into interface design, into invariants, applications of predicate logic, model checking, design for testing, systematic resource management and systematic error-handling strategies. There is much material on these subjects, but not a coherent and widely accepted body of work supported by standard textbooks such as you find in other fundamental fields. People are still stuck arguing language choice (e.g., C vs. functional vs. Java vs. domain specific vs. C++ vs. Python) rather than techniques and principles. I fear we have a lot of work still to do in this area – it is not easy to express and apply principles across languages. What people have to do is to articulate principles for their languages of choice and try to see languages – any language – as an incomplete approximation to the ideals. The old idea of re-use, of well-specified, well-tested components must be realized (as far as our real-world constraints allow in a given situation). Programming must come much closer to Math so that we can reason (informally and formally) about properties of a program. There is hope, though. We have come a long way since Doug McIlroy’s original 1968 call for software components.”
RM:
“What things in your technological life would you have done differently? And what are you most proud of?”
BS: | {
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Senadores de oposição querem mexer novamente no texto da reforma da Previdência, que deve ser votado em segundo turno pelo Senado na próxima terça-feira (22). Eles pretendem mudar as regras para a aposentadoria de pessoas que trabalham em serviços perigosos (como vigilantes e eletricitários) e atividades prejudiciais à saúde.
O governo ainda não fechou a conta sobre o impacto dessas medidas, mas estimativas preliminares estimam que essas mudanças têm potencial para "desidratar" a reforma da Previdência em R$ 25 bilhões em dez anos, e reduzir ainda mais a economia prevista, atualmente em pouco mais de R$ 800 bilhões.
No primeiro turno, a oposição conseguiu alterar as regras para concessão do abono. O governo, por outro lado, tenta convencer os senadores a reverter tais mudanças.
Estratégia ainda indefinida
Segundo o senador Paulo Paim (PT-RS), o partido deve apresentar um destaque (proposta de mudança) para garantir aposentadoria especial para vigilantes e eletricitários. A oposição também quer retirar a idade mínima para aposentadorias especiais de pessoas que trabalham em atividades prejudiciais à saúde.
Segundo Paim, o senador Randolfe Rodrigues (Rede-AP), deve apresentar o destaque voltado para aqueles que trabalham em atividades prejudiciais à saúde. Procurado, o gabinete de Randolfe confirmou que ele apresentará um destaque, mas informou que o conteúdo ainda está em discussão com os partidos de oposição.
O UOL procurou o gabinete do senador Weverton (PDT-MA), que informou que estuda apresentar uma proposta de mudança e que definirá o teor até a próxima semana.
Atualmente, quem trabalha em ambientes que trazem risco à saúde pode se aposentar com 15, 20 ou 25 anos de contribuição, conforme a gravidade da exposição. Na Câmara, além do tempo mínimo de contribuição, foi definida idade mínima para o benefício e pontuação para ter direito à aposentadoria especial. | {
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Manovra, niente tasse se affitti non incassati. Contributi per rottamare vecchie auto
Manovra: arriva la sugar tax, la tassa sulle bibite super zuccherate
3' di lettura
Nel pacchetto degli emendamenti alla manovra, e in particolare tra quelli presentati dalle due forze politiche di maggioranza, spuntano contraccettivi gratis per i giovani sotto i 26 anni e soluzioni per promuovere la mobilità sostenibile. Il disegno di legge Bilancio è all’esame della Commissione Bilancio della Camera. Lunedì 19 novembre si deciderà quali degli oltre 3.700 emendamenti (450 circa dei partiti di maggioranza) depositati dai gruppi parlamentari sono ammissibili.
I contraccettivi gratuiti verrebbero garantiti a chi è già esentato dal costo delle spese sanitarie, ai richiedenti asilo o a chi è beneficiario di protezione internazionale e, per un anno, alle donne che abbiano subito un’interruzione di gravidanza. La gratuità dei contraccettivi “di barriera” sarebbe garantita anche «a coloro cui sia stata diagnosticata una malattia sessualmente trasmissibile». Il costo stimato è di 5 milioni l’anno.La proposta è contenuta in un emendamento alla manovra del Movimento 5 Stelle, che a sua volta ricalca uno del Pd.
GUARDA IL VIDEO: Manovra: arriva la sugar tax, la tassa sulle bibite super zuccherate
Da 3.000 a 6.000 euro per rottamazione vecchie auto
Per quanto riguarda invece la mobilità sostenibile, spunta un contributo del 20%, «fino a 6mila euro, a chi rottama vecchie auto euro zero». È la proposta annunciata dai componenti del Movimento 5 Stelle in commissione Trasporti alla Camera e contenuta in emendamenti alla manovra. «Nel caso di rottamazione dei veicoli euro 1 - spiegano i parlamentari in una nota - il contributo scende a un massimo di 4mila euro e, per gli euro 3 o euro 2, a un massimo di 3mila euro». Un altro emendamento della Lega propone incentivi di massimo 1.000 euro.
M5S-Lega: niente tasse se affitti non incassati
Un emendamento Cinque Stelle-Lega prevede che sui redditi da locazione, abitativa e non abitativa, non incassati il proprietario non dovrà pagare le imposte che si tratti di Irpef o cedolare secca. Nella proposta, firmata da Carla Ruocco (M5S) e da Alberto Gusmeroli (Lega), si stabilisce che la nuova regola si applichi quando il reddito è percepito da persone fisiche fuori dall’esercizio di impresa. Gli oneri sono coperti con il Fondo per interventi strutturali di politica economica, ma se questo non dovesse bastare si fa riferimento anche in questo caso alla discussa “sugar tax” sulle bibite zuccherate. | {
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Mad_Economist of Cascade Audio has been kind enough to lend me a Talos 2 for review, and man do I love this headphone. Priced at 325USD, this hard to drive T50rp Mk3 mod is a ton of fun to listen to. They are an over-ear and mostly closed-back design. Despite their low impedance of 50Ω, these are pretty inefficient, and you certainly need a decent amp to get these to a good volume, especially if you enjoy listening loudly. I am reviewing them using my Teac UD-301 and Audio-GD NFB1Amp stack to power them.
As I said, this headphone is a mod of the Fostex T50rp Mk3, and the overall build has not changed much, aside from a coppery paint job, added logos, new pads, and a comfort strap. That being said, it feels sturdy enough to not break from normal use, but I certainly wouldn’t take it on the go. Included with the headphone are the two stock cables from the T50rp Mk3, which are honestly not good cables; they are both horrible janky, rubbery messes. I highly recommend just getting a V-moda 3.5mm cable for these instead, they’re only about 12USD. These also come in a very nice giant hardshell case with cutout foam for protection.
So far as comfort goes, Mad_Economist really knows what he’s doing. The impact pads that these ship with are huge, very soft, and incredibly comfortable. They are hybrid pads, with either leather or pleather around on the outside, and cloth on the inside and where they touch your head. I want these pads on more things. The clamp is a bit high, but with such big soft pads, it feels more like they’re hugging your head than being a headache-inducing vice like a new HD600. While they’re certainly close to having too much clamp, they manage to still be quite comfortable. The comfort strap does an excellent job of distributing the 385g weight without any hotspots. While you do feel the weight, it’s not like the M560 where it feels like you’re strapping weights to your head. Overall, comfort is very good, and I have been able to wear these for 8 hours on end without any discomfort.
These being mostly closed, they do offer some decent isolation, but you’ll still hear some of what’s going on around you. Sound leakage is low as well, with your music really only able to be heard by others in a quiet room, at least at the low-moderate volumes I listen at.
Finally, the sound: these have an interesting and almost U-shaped tuning, with emphasis on the bass and upper treble, though the midrange most certainly is not lacking. The bass has a very satisfying thump and weight to it, without feeling overpowering. It also sounds very clean and refined, never boomy or flabby. The low end extension is spectacular, with some of the best sub bass I have heard. While I wouldn’t classify these as basshead cans, they’ll certainly have enough impact for most.
The midrange is completely inoffensive, and I can’t find anything to nitpick about. There doesn’t seem to be any emphasis toward either lower or upper midrange, which combined with their fast transient response and decay speed leaves vocals and instruments sounding very realistic and natural. Detail is very good, and these honestly beat out my HD600 in resolution, and rival my DT1990.
The treble is interesting; the upper treble is elevated a bit more than the rest of the treble, making them sound a bit brighter than they really are. The lower and mid treble regions are incredibly clean and refined, once again thanks to their excellent speed, though the upper treble can sound a little off. The very top is not hazy, the decay is too fast for that, but something is bit off, and I can’t put my finger on what’s wrong. Overall, the treble sounds very good
Soundstage is absolutely fantastic. These sound impressively wide for a mostly closed set, rivaling some open backs. Sound placement is surprisingly good as well; I swear it sounds three dimensional at times. In the song Demolition Man by The Police, there is one drum bit that made me turn around, because it sounded like it was coming from the wall five feet behind me.
One thing I don’t talk about much here is gaming, and these may be some of the best cans I’ve heard for gaming. With the fantastic bass extension and accentuated treble combined with the wide sound and incredible sound placement, they lend themselves very well to gaming.
These cans are absolutely fantastic. Despite their elevated bass and treble, similar to my DT1990, these sound different enough that I honestly want a pair of my own. While the DT1990 edges these out in detail retrieval and tuning to my personal tastes, the Talos 2, especially their bass and midrange, just scratches an itch that none of my other cans really do.
Thanks again to Mad_Economist for lending these out to me. He is doing some good work, and I very highly recommend these cans to anyone who wants accentuated bass and treble, without losing a great midrange, so long as you have a decent amp. | {
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The Ethics of Using Biology as Technology
To a dance-beat musical accompaniment, a handful of lab-coated students descended the stairs into the Druckenmiller Hall Atrium, each bearing a snack tray containing what looked like green ice cream for the awaiting audience. “You’re probably wondering what is this weird thing you’ve been given,” said Stephanie Rothenberg, a renowned media artist and Bowdoin’s inaugural Roux scholar.
Kenny Lam ’20 “It’s carcinus meanas elixir,” she explained, a dipping sauce made from the European green crab—the invasive crustacean wreaking havoc on Maine’s marine ecosystem, munching its way through countless clams and shellfish. Turning the critters into a delicious snack could be one way of mitigating their threat in the future, she suggested. “With the help of dining services, we’ve developed this ‘Crustacean Station,’ which looks at ways to depopulate the invasive green crab. If you can’t beat it, eat it.” Rothenberg and her students were presenting an event called Living Machines for Extreme Landscapes, which explored the implications of biology as technology for future survival. Students from art, English, and environmental studies were involved, as were local scientists and fishermen.“Specifically,” she explained, “it’s about looking at the social, economic, political, and ethical ramifications of engineering animals or microorganisms.” Green crabs were a recurrent theme, as Kenny Lam ’20, sporting a distinctively themed lab coat (see photo), copresented a talk on living with green crabs.
A group of English professor Samia Rahimtoola’s students gave a literary performance, in which they presented a manifesto on how to survive in extreme landscapes. They were asked by Rothenberg to imagine the Maine environment fifty years from now. “Rather than trying to seek a solution to climate change, the students decided to portray a future in which adaptation had taken over our attitude to the crisis,” said Rahimtoola, who teaches a class in environmental literature. “I thought it was a brilliant, creative, and, honestly, quite weird performance,” she added. There were a number of striking student art presentations: Hadley McCollester ’20 presented “Planktopets,” a performance art piece with digital media and cardboard cut-out supplements. “It’s a light-hearted look at the importance of phytoplankton, the microscopic, carbon-absorbing organisms that live in the ocean,” she said. McCollester imagines a future in which phytoplankton are developed into large pets, which can be owned and cared for as a way of mitigating climate change.
“Bloom” is a series of drawings by Kodie Garza ’21 looking at how to combat the problems caused by harmful algal blooms in lakes, rivers, and coastal waters. “Algae tend to thrive in warmer bodies of water,” she said, “so algal bloom growth is becoming increasingly problematic, due to water temperatures rising as the result of global warming.” Her drawings portray a recyclable plant-based system that could be used in small bodies of water to decrease nitrogen levels and limit the presence of algal blooms. They also show what such a system might look like when used in a particular lake and the impact it could have by 2050. Caroline Godfrey ’19 created a sculpture called “Source,” which featured water flowing through different vessels—a visualization of melting glaciers and rising sea levels. Other artworks on display included a participatory sculpture by Devon Garcia ’21, featuring empty bottles, a fishing net, and a representation of Portland’s working waterfront. People are invited to write and place their own messages inside a bottle about how they envision the waterfront by 2050.
A Living Art Installation The event was also the occasion for the unveiling of Rothenberg’s own installation project. “It’s a bio art lab,” she explained, “also exploring the theme of biology as technology and the implications of engineering non-human life for human future survival in extreme landscapes.” | {
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The Liberal Democrats will block any attempt by their Tory coalition partners to revive the home secretary’s controversial snooper’s charter, a source close to Nick Clegg said, after it emerged that a group of peers was trying to force the measures through parliament at the last minute.
The warning of a coalition split came as a former Conservative cabinet minister joined campaigners in opposing a plan to insert whole sections of the “discredited” communications data bill into legislation currently before parliament.
“The bottom line is that there isn’t a collective government position. The Tories didn’t win the general election and they can’t pretend that they did,” a senior Lib Dem source told the Guardian.
“Clearly, there is not agreement on this issue and, for that reason, there is not collective responsibility.”
Under the proposals, internet service providers would be required to retain logs of customers’ web histories for a year and hand them over to police and the security services when told to.
They were included in an amendment to the counter-terrorism and security bill tabled by Lord Blair, Lord King, Lord West and the Lib Dem peer Lord Carlile and due to be debated by Lords on Monday.
Theresa May has not openly backed the proposal but, in the aftermath of the Paris terror attacks, she made a renewed call to introduce the measures, which were rejected by MPs in 2012.
Clegg’s opposition adds to a growing campaign to stop the measures being sneaked into law.
“Regardless of the where and how and what, the Liberal Democrats remain opposed to what they are trying to do, full stop,” the senior Lib Dem source said.
“We do not agree with the fundamental principle that national security requires every website visited by every man, woman and child to be stored for a year.”
He accused the peers of simply “cutting and pasting” some of the most controversial measures included in the original snooper’s charter, adding: “This is not the way to make responsible legislation.”
They did so, he said, despite serious concerns about the draft legislation having been raised by the chair of the joint parliamentary select committee that scrutinised the original bill.
Lord Blencathra said he could not support the new bill. In a letter to King, he wrote: “My committee savaged the draft bill and we found fault with nearly every part of it.”
He said there were concerns over the “fundamental question of retaining web logs” and that the bill was “too sweeping” in its powers.
The peers are not believed to have taken issue with the claim that the new measures are simply lifted wholesale from the bill parliament voted down in 2012.
But Carlile did insist that the group made a “deliberate effort to remove the aspects of the draft communications bill that people found unacceptable, such as giving powers to local authorities, revenue and customs or water companies”.
The powers, he added, would be confined to the police and intelligence agencies.
The draft legislation will be debated by the House of Lords, before returning to the Commons for a vote by MPs. | {
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China’s parliament is drafting a new foreign NGO law, addressing the long-time legal limbo situation of the sector. (Photo : commons.wikimedia.org)
Chinese non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are feeling the effects of the country’s new law that restricts the entry of foreign NGOs.
According to Chinese media outlet the Global Times, some local NGOs are already complaining of the side effects of the controversial new law, particularly in terms of financial support from their foreign backers.
"Though the effects the law will have on foreign NGOs in China have yet to become clear, it has already had side effects on domestic NGOs and the fields that these NGOs work in," the outlet noted.
Many see the first ever Chinese law to govern foreign NGOs to be more detrimental than helpful in terms of social services and advocacy work, reported Time.
Effects of NGO Law on Local Charity Organizations
According to the Global Times, local NGOs' fundings from overseas backers have been affected by the new law as it covers foreign NGOs' activities in China that obviously include financing.
"International charitable organizations are already giving less to China, especially since the second draft law was published in May last year," the outlet explained.
Based on November's China Foundation Rankings 2015, local organizations confirmed a drop in foreign funding by as much as 40 percent compared to the previous year's records.
Furthermore, the report saw a drastic change in numbers in terms of foreign funding, especially on overseas grant-giving organizations.
"There's widespread concern in the NGO sector that the [new law] will massively affect foreign NGOs' operations in and funding to China," it stated. "From our survey, the decline in the number of overseas funders in China is happening faster and more drastically than expected."
Aside from that, several domestic organizations have voluntarily cut their ties with their foreign backers to abide by the new law, not only among NGOs but also in other organizations such as universities.
International Reaction on the NGO Law
The international community widely criticized China's NGO law since its introduction in April and BBC News cited some of them.
The White House was first on the list of critics for the Chinese NGO law, which they described as something that would "further narrow space for civil society."
Meanwhile, international rights group Amnesty International deemed the new law as a move aimed at "further smothering civil society" and called on China to ditch it.
"The authorities--particularly the police--will have virtually unchecked powers to target NGOs, restrict their activities, and ultimately stifle civil society," Amnesty's China researcher William Nee told the BBC. "The law presents a very real threat to the legitimate work of independent NGOs and should be immediately revoked."
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This restaurant owner proved to his employees that he knows a business is about people and not just profit.
Bruce Kroll, who owns a Culver's restaurant in Platteville, Wisconsin, found himself in a tough spot when he discovered that his establishment had burned down last November, according to WKOW. While the insurance covered his 40 employees' pay for 60 days, Kroll decided the right thing to do was to pay his workers out of pocket until the restaurant was rebuilt -- which amounted to about four months' worth of pay, or a total of $144,000.
"Given a different situation, if I was on the other side of the table, I would hope that someone would take care of me, too," Kroll told WKOW.
He used profits from another Culver's franchise he owns in Iowa to help pay his Wisconsin workers until the Platteville location reopened in June, according to WISC-TV.
Kroll asked that his employees pay it forward and spend some time volunteering in the community, the outlet reported.
Many of his employees were eager to fulfill his request, saying they were moved by his kindness. Some workers came together and raised funds for their local fire department, while others volunteered at a local church or helped out at Badger Camp, a facility for people with disabilities.
Kroll's generosity has created a workplace where employees say they truly feel valued.
"I'm probably going to be here another five years just because of the owner," Cole Cooper, one of Kroll's employees told WISC-TV.
Kroll said he was glad to show his employees the appreciation he thinks they deserve. | {
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As the creator of your world you are endowed with some amazing powers. You can make things fly, people laugh at jokes that weren’t funny and men be overwhelmingly attracted to a character that is remarkably similar to you. But how can you make a character into a genius? Someone that is not just smarter than your readers but even smarter than you. Surely, that’s not possible?
It is possible by the technique of creating backwards instead of forwards.
Let’s say we have a dead man in a room. He’s been stabbed. The only other thing in the room we need concern ourselves with is that there is a glass of water spilled on the floor by the victim. Can you work out what the murder weapon was?
Our detective can because he’s smarter than both you and me and because we created him with the power of working backwards.
The victim was killed with a shard of ice. That was my starting premise. Of course this would leave a wet patch on the floor for the detective to notice. Our readers are unlikely to guess the murder weapon from his observation of the water alone. However that’s a little simplistic. If the detective had worked out the murder weapon from that alone people may have thought that he was to smart to be plausible. So we have the murderer leave an intact glass at the murder scene to account for the spilled water. You can then concoct clues as to why the glass was suspicious. Such as:
The victim was left handed and the glass was on their right side
Victim didn’t drink water / that type of drink.
The victim had just drunk some water before entering the room.
The victim secretly had Parkinsons disease which made it difficult for him to hold a glass.
The glass would have smashed if the victim had dropped it from that height but it is intact.
“That glass doesn’t make sense there. The murderer must have placed it there. So why would a murderer leave a glass at the scene? Maybe it’s because he was covering up for using ice as a weapon.”
All this happens in the detective’s head in the blink of an eye. The policeman carries on briefing him saying “We still haven’t found the murder weapon.”
“You won’t find a murder weapon.” The detective snaps back. Your audience are amazed as to how the detective could have known that just from looking at the dead body and the glass. They won’t find out until you deem to tell them though.
This technique can be applied to many, many parts of your plot. You can gift your characters with any piece of knowlege that you have. All you have to do is give a few hints to the readers before hand to conceivably let them have the same realisation as well.
This is how you make a character smarter than you. By working backwards through your construction of the plot. When you work like this it can seem very odd. You’ll actually feel as if you’re creating something very pedestrian and obvious. But to a reader it will be amazing and entertaining. If you don’t believe me I suggest you actually watch some videos on how magicians do their tricks. Hearing the solutions is rarely captivating. It’s usually an anti climax like seeing a woman remove her make up. It’s not disappointing exactly and you feel like you should have expected what is there but it’s not better than the magic. | {
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A REGIONAL PARTY…. I was looking over the new results from the weekly Research 2000 poll conducted for Daily Kos. Most of the results are about what we’ve come to expect — President Obama’s ratings are more favorable than unfavorable (55% to 38%); neither congressional caucus is popular, though Dems are more than twice as popular as Republicans (39% to 18%), and the Democratic Party has a 41% favorable rating to the GOP’s 23%.
But I also like looking at these numbers when broken down by region. I put together this chart, for example, showing Republican Party favorability in the Northeast, South, Midwest, and West. While about a fourth of the country overall has a positive impression of the GOP, it’s hard not to notice that the party’s strength seems to rest in one specific part of the country.
In case anyone’s having trouble reading the visual, the Republican Party’s favorability is very weak in Northeast (7% to 87%), and only marginally better in the Midwest (13% to 78%) and West (14% to 75%). In the South, however, 50% have a favorable opinion of the GOP, and only 37% have an unfavorable view.
Time will tell how the electorate responds to changing economic circumstances, the debate over health care reform, etc., and I can very easily imagine Democrats taking a drubbing in the midterms. But it seems the Republican Party would be in a much more competitive position — in the short and long term — if its base wasn’t centered in just one region. | {
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Julian ‘s 3D Sidewalk Chalk Art can be seen in the U.K., Belgium, U.S., the Netherlands, Germany & Australia. One of the most gifted artists of our time. I would love to see one of his works of art in person.
Video by 64z. | {
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Gazprom, Petrofac sign 3-year Kurdistan deal
ERBIL, October 10, 2017 – Petrofac will provide engineering services to Gazprom Neft at its operations in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, the Middle East-focused EPC company announced on Monday.
The two companies signed a master services agreement under which Petrofac will provide engineering services on a call-off basis for three years at the Russian company’s Sarqala block (formerly known as Garmian).
Petrofac’s works will be directed towards a debottlenecking operation to expand the Sarqala field’s central processing facility, the company said in a press release.
“We have been working with this key client in Iraq for more than three years and hope to take this opportunity to build on our relationship through the demonstration of Petrofac’s fit-for-purpose and value-driven engineering solutions in the Kurdistan region,” Steve Webber, senior vice-president, Petrofac Engineering & Production Services East, said.
Gazprom Neft Middle East has a 40% operating stake in the Sarqala block, with WesternZagros also holding 40% and the Kurdistan Regional Government holding the remaining 20%.
In late September, a Gazprom executive told the company’s news service that it is eyeing entering new Kurdistan blocks as operator, as well as looking to renegotiate the terms of its PSAs due to the drop in oil prices. | {
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Strax före klockan tio fick polisen larmet om att en man misshandlats i sin lägenhet på Temperaturgatan i Länsmansgården.
– Det är två män som slagit honom i huvudet med batong och yxa. Han ska även ha blivit hotad med en pistol säger polisens presstalesperson Peter Adlersson.
De två männen ska ha lämnat platsen i en röd bil av mindre modell. Polisen har kunnat prata med den misshandlade mannen som är förd till sjukhus för vård av skador i huvudet.
– Jag kan inte uttala mig om hur allvarliga skadorna är. Vi kunde prata väldigt kort med honom på plats innan han åkte, Vi har en patrull på Sahlgrenska men de har inte kunnat prata med honom ännu, säger Peter Adlersson.
När polisen kom till platsen hittades en yxa utanför lägenheten, och den är nu tagen i beslag. En förundersökning har inletts om försök till dråp alternativt grov misshandel. Polisen säger sig i nuläget inte veta något om vad som ligger bakom misshandeln.
– Nu har vi larmat ut att de åkte iväg i en röd bil, och vi har spärrat av lägenheten för teknisk undersökning. | {
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The A’s are expected to announce as many as three contract extensions soon. The timing could be tied to the length of the Red Sox-Dodgers outcome, because MLB discourages teams from making major announcements during the World Series.
According to a team source, A’s manager Bob Melvin’s contract extension is in the works and is going to get done. All indications are that similar extensions for executive vice president Billy Beane and general manager David Forst are being hashed out as well and that ownership wants align these signings so they happen simultaneously. Melvin, Beane and Forst’s current contracts are all set to expire after the 2019 season.
Fancred Sports’ Jon Heyman reported in late September that ownership would like to extend Melvin, and assumed deals would be in place for all three of the A’s top baseball figures. But the wheels are now in motion with the World Series possibly ending as soon as... | {
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Yates Electrospace Corporation (YEC), the company behind the Silent Arrow, envisions the drone as a potential replacement for the Joint Precision Airdrop System (JPADS) delivery method several armed forces, including the US military, use to deliver battlefield supplies. Even if you're not familiar with the acronym, you've probably see JPADS in action in movies and newsreels. The system uses a combination of GPS and steerable parachutes to guide supplies that are dropped from an airplane to their intended destination. Compared to JPADS, YEC claims the main advantage of the Silent Arrow is that it can deliver up 1,631 pounds of supplies, the drone's maximum load, at less than half the cost. Since it's a glider, it's also easier to steer to its target destination. When the situation calls for it, it can also be stealthy in a way that parachutes can't.
While far removed from the consumer-facing delivery drones Amazon has been testing as a part of its Prime Air project, the Silent Arrow is a step forward for the field. With production slated to start this October, it'll be among the first delivery drones to take to the skies. | {
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Public memory is usually short but the memory of taxation is even shorter. Benchmark brent crude might have tested an unprecedented low of $37 per barrel, but domestic petrol and diesel prices are still ruling higher thanks to heavy taxes. If only the debate on goods and services tax (GST) revolved around explaining this dichotomy, a viable tax structure could have emerged. Or, if only we had learnt lessons from the value added tax (VAT) roll-out during the last decade, we could have better fixed the shortcomings in tax structure. Now that the importance of having a common and uniform tax structure is obvious to all, it is time to expand the debate on GST to the perennial inconsistencies of India’s indirect taxation.
Moving ahead with GST by sweeping the debate on India’s lop-sided tax structure under the carpet can be dangerous at a time when India is gearing up for green taxes to curb ecologically damaging consumption and production. Green taxes will constitute congestion tax, pollution tax and green energy tax which are already being successfully experimented in countries around the world. Before implementing these new taxes, it is necessary to soften indirect taxes that inflate the cost of living and basic consumption.
The report of the advisor to the finance ministry has suggested a framework of a three-layered GST rate regime. The first 12 per cent minimum rate shows that the days of single digit Central and state rates of excise and VAT will soon be over. That is, a host of mass consumption products taxed at six to eight per cent will attract a 12 per cent levy. At the second level, the service tax will climb from the existing 14.5 per cent to 19 per cent. It is likely that a new tax will be introduced for petro products while luxury products will attract a tax rate of 40 per cent. State governments are yet to present their points of view on this. They may propose even higher tax rates which, in turn, would fuel substantial inflation over the next three to four years.
The concurrent tax structure of having a higher tax on consumption and a lower one on income is archaic. Despite several major reforms over the last two decades, we have not been able to make our tax structure modern, easy, and inspiring. Unlike the globally established principle of having a higher tax on net earnings and a limited tax on consumption, India keeps income tax and corporate tax lower, while taxes are higher on consumption as a result of a spate of indirect levies like excise, service tax and VAT. Concessions in income tax (direct taxes) benefit a small group of people while increase in indirect taxes dampens the consumption of a very large population.
Theoretically, a large tax base (a large number of taxpayers) necessitates a lower range of indirect tax rates. However, with the growth of economy, increased production, growing consumption and a bigger taxpaying population, indirect taxes and their rates (excise, service tax, surcharge, cess) have been increased consistently. On the other hand, even though income tax and corporate tax have been reduced, the number of people under the ambit of indirect taxes is still under four crore, which is only three per cent of the population.
Our experiences with VAT suggest that having a cap on the maximal GST rate is important. VAT was introduced in the states in 2005 replacing the state level sales tax system with a similar three-layered rates structure. However, within three years of its implementation all rules vanished with different states imposing different tax rates on the same product. In fact, consumer prices have been going up consistently in local markets as most of the mass consumption products have been elevated to higher slabs of VAT.
Owing to India’s commitment to global pacts, import duties in the country have declined fast, and to compensate for the same, budgets have milked excise and service taxes. This has led to costlier production in the country resulting in reduced industrial competitiveness.
Now that the government is mulling doubling the salary of ministers, the debate on taxation should begin with control over government expenditure, which has already shot through the roof thanks to populist experiments. Governments will have to limit their sizes and roles to get rid of taxation that shrinks consumption.
India is a nation of a plethora of taxes, which has throttled demand and dashed hopes of having a better standard of living. As the era of green taxes is looming, it is essential to confront the need of doing away with multiple and high taxation in the country before jumping to a new and increased structure of taxation via GST. We are running the risk of instituting a highly misaligned tax structure which may eventually demolish hopes of ease of doing business, demand and investment. | {
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A feast for the eyes, the V35 ThinQ 64GB Smartphone from LG delivers a large 6" QHD+ OLED display with a FullVision display that features a cinematic 18:9 aspect ratio, and a stunning 2880 x 1440 resolution. The display also features support for HDR10, which is designed to improve brightness, color, and contrast in your images and video.
Speaking of images and video, the V35 doesn't disappoint in that regard with dual 16MP rear cameras, a front 8MP wide-angle camera, and the ability to film 4K Ultra HD video. One of the rear cameras has a wide-angle lens with a 107-degree field of view. This lets you take in more of the landscape, or capture group shots where no one is left out. There's also plenty of creative functions to choose from, such as 240 fps slow motion video, time-lapse video, and a host of still photo modes.
Running the Android 8.0 Oreo operating system, this phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 2.8/1.7 GHz (2.8 GHz Quad + 1.7 GHz Quad) Octa-Core processor and 6GB of RAM. You can store your wide-angle pics, 4K videos, and apps on 64GB of built-in storage, which can be expanded via an (optional) microSD card up to 2TB in size.
This phone is unlocked and compatible with GSM/4G LTE networks. Connect to the internet and other devices with built-in 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/i/r Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0. The V35 ThinQ also supports NFC technology for making phone-to-phone data transfers or mobile payments. | {
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Electronic cigarettes cause damage to the lungs, according to a study that challenges earlier research suggesting the devices to quit smoking are harmless.
E-cigarettes, electronic tubes that simulate the effect of smoking by producing nicotine vapor, caused an immediate increase in airway resistance, lasting for 10 minutes, making it harder for participants to breathe, researchers from the University of Athens said in a study presented at the European Respiratory Society annual meeting in Vienna today.
The researchers used a lung function test to observe airway resistance in 32 participants who used an e-cigarette for 10 minutes. Among the healthy subjects who had never smoked, airway resistance rose to an average 206 percent from 182 percent; among smokers with normal lung function, the reading rose to an average 220 percent from 176 percent.
“We do not yet know whether unapproved nicotine delivery products, such as e-cigarettes, are safer than normal cigarettes, despite marketing claims that they are less harmful,” Christina Gratziou, one of the study authors, said in a statement. “This research helps us to understand how these products could be potentially harmful.”
More research is needed to understand whether the effect on the lungs is long-lasting, Gratziou said.
Not Alternative
Gratziou’s study supports the European Respiratory Society’s position on e-cigarettes and other emerging nicotine delivery products, Klaus Rabe, the group’s president, told reporters today in Vienna.
“ERS does not classify e-cigarettes as a safe alternative to smoking nor does it consider them an approved tobacco cessation tool,” Rabe reiterated from the society’s statement in February. “ERS recommends following effective smoking cessation treatment guidelines based on clinical evidence which do not advocate the use of such products.”
The study follows a separate paper presented last month by researchers at the Athens-based Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center at the European Society of Cardiology annual meeting that said e-cigarettes prompted no adverse effects on cardiac function.
Previous studies have found that the electronic devices would have to be smoked daily for four to 12 months to achieve the levels of carcinogenic nitrosamines that are present in a single tobacco cigarette, said the researchers for that paper. Industry-wide e-cigarette sales this year are likely to double from $250 million in 2011, according to UBS AG.
Psychological Effects
Electronic cigarettes, which mimic the look and feel of traditional versions without generating smoke and ash, are one of the few smoking alternatives that provide users with their chemical need for nicotine and reproduce the psychological effect of holding and smoking a cigarette, the Onassis researchers said.
Makers of the battery-powered devices include Lorillard Inc., a Greensboro, North Carolina-based producer of standard cigarettes, which acquired Blu Ecigs for $135 million in April. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has yet to impose rules on the testing and production of e-cigarettes.
About 2.5 million people use e-cigarettes in the U.S., according to an estimate by the Tobacco Vapor Electronic Cigarette Association.
(Updates with comment from European Respiratory Society in sixth paragraph.) | {
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A handful of apps are no longer supported on the Apple Watch, according to a report by Apple Insider. Major apps like Google Maps, Amazon, and eBay appear to have quietly abandoned the Apple Watch App Store, without giving a heads up or providing any explanation to users.
AI reports that Google pulled support for its Maps app on watchOS a few weeks ago, while recent updates to the Amazon and eBay apps no longer reference support for the Apple Watch. A Google spokesperson confirmed to The Verge that it had removed its watchOS app, but intends to return to the platform. “We removed Apple Watch support from our latest iOS release, but expect to support it again in the future.”
“We don’t think this is the right solution for our customers.”
Amazon echoed the sentiment. “There are a number of reasons we don’t think this is the right solution for our customers at this time,” a spokesperson told The Verge. “We are always trying new things and look forward to experimenting with wearable solutions in the future.”
Other affected apps include Target (the main one, not its coupon app Cartwheel) and TripAdvisor. A TripAdvisor thread dating back to February questioned the changes, but users said they emailed technical support and received no response. When reached for comment, TripAdvisor, too, said it pulled its watchOS app until it believes a better wearable solution comes along.
“We suspended our Apple Watch app in February 2017 as we work to develop a better experience for consumers using wearable tech,” a TripAdvisor spokesperson said. “We believe in the Apple Watch as a platform and intend to continue to explore how wearables can help travelers throughout their planning and in destination experiences.”
The lack of a direct response or explanation to users from these companies seem peculiar — AI speculates it’s likely that users were simply not using the apps which is why the change went mostly unnoticed for weeks. This would theoretically explain why developers may have thought it was best to discontinue support. After all, shopping on apps like Target, eBay, and Amazon on your wrist is probably not ideal. For Google Maps users on the Apple Watch, however, it’s back to Apple Maps for now. Maybe something will come out of watchOS 4?
We’ve reached out to the above companies for comment and will update if we hear back.
Update May 3rd, 9:22AM ET: This post has been updated to include statements from Google, TripAdvisor, and Amazon. | {
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The number of $100 bills in circulation has doubled since the onset of the global financial crisis. Photo by Valeri Potapova/Shutterstock
July 31 (UPI) -- For the first time in U.S. history, $100 bills surpassed $1 bills in circulation volume, according to an International Money Fund report.
The report states that the $100 bill officially overtook the $1 bill in circulation in 2017 and the number of $100 bills in circulation has doubled since the onset of the global financial crisis more than a decade ago, according to Federal Reserve data.
While the $100 bill is proliferating at a historic rate, data shows that most of the bills aren't being held by Americans.
"According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, nearly 80 percent of $100 bills -- and more than 60 percent of all U.S bills -- are overseas," the report states.
Fed economist Ruth Judson said international demand for dollar bills abroad saw a spike at the beginning of the global financial crisis in 2008, as the dollar is viewed as a safe asset.
"Cash demand, especially from other countries, increases in times of political and financial crisis," Judson said.
Harvard University economics professor and former IMF Chief Economist Kenneth Rogoff said that high-value currencies such as the $100 bill are primarily used to avoid taxes and regulation for illegal activity.
"Apartments and houses in major cities all over the world are paid for with suitcases of cash every day and it is not because the buyers are afraid of bank failures," Rogoff said. | {
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Poll: Where would you prefer to see team content such as interviews?
During breaks between matches (32)
78%
Here on Teamliquid (9)
22%
41 total votes (32)78%(9)22%41 total votes
Your vote: Where would you prefer to see team content such as interviews?
(Vote): During breaks between matches
(Vote): Here on Teamliquid
| {
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KickassTorrents has become the first public torrent site to offer two-factor authentication to its users. The new feature helps users to increase their privacy and makes it harder for malicious parties to hijack their accounts.
Most torrent sites are not known for their advanced security features, but KickassTorrents recently made a change in this direction.
The most used torrent site on the Internet has millions of visitors per day, and the site now offers registered users the option to secure their accounts with two-factor authentication.
Simply put, this offers people an extra later of security, similar to what most other large services including Google, Facebook and Twitter offer.
“Using a username and password together with a piece of information that only the user knows makes it harder for potential intruders to gain access and steal that person’s personal data or identity,” KAT’s Mr.Gooner explains.
The feature can be enabled in the profile settings, after which a second screen pops up detailing the authentication procedure.
KAT’s “2FA”
KAT’s two-factor authentication requires users to use a third party authentication app of their choosing, which is then required to login to the account. This means that even if one’s password is compromised, outsiders can’t get into the account.
While there’s very little valuable information to “steal” from a KickassTorrents account, quite a few people can appreciate the extra layer of security. After all, some download and upload habits are better left private.
Sloppy users should keep in mind that if one loses access to the app, he or she can no longer get into their account. As a precaution, it’s wise to write down the code and store it somewhere safe.
The new two-factor authentication feature is entirely optional. So, torrenters who feel pretty confident about their security already can just continue to use the ‘plain’ old password. | {
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by PakistanToday , (Last Updated May 21, 2017)
Police have filed FIRs against 200 unidentified persons and 25 nominated ones over the Quaid-i-Azam University clash.
Out of the 25 names, 12 are of students belonging to the Mehran Students Council, while 13 others are of those from the Baloch council. The FIR states one of the students belonging to the Mehran council was arrested with weapons in possession.
The FIRs have been lodged by Quaid-i-Azam University Deputy Registrar Humayun Khan at the Secretariat police station.
The nominated persons have been accused of illegally possessing weapons, wreaking havoc at the varsity and on murder attempts.
At least 30 people were injured when two students group broke into a brawl inside the university premises.
Authorities had also called in Rangers to control the situation.
The injured students were shifted to the hospital. A few of them were also said to have been wounded by gunshots.
Police also arrested a few students involved in the clash from the scene. | {
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An 11-year-old girl was scalped at a Cinco de Mayo festival in Nebraska when her hair was caught in a carnival ride.
Elizabeth Gilreath was riding the spinning King's Crown ride at the Cinco de Mayo festival when witnesses say her bright red hair was caught in a mechanism on the ride and she began screaming from the pain, according to WOWT.
"There's nothing we could do and so I stood up and I [yelled], 'Stop the ride. Stop the freaking ride,'" Elizabeth's friend, Aushanay Allen, told WOWT.
Jolene Cisneros heard Aushanay's cries and quickly ran over to stop the ride.
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"It was still spinning," Cisneros said. "I had to stop it with my hands and turn it to the point where it [faced] the platform."
When the ride was stopped, Cisneros saw Elizabeth lying on the floor of the ride, bleeding, says Daily Mail. She eventually lost consciousness.
Elizabeth's family is grateful that Cisneros came to the rescue and called her a hero.
"I wanted her to live," Cisneros said. "Please don't let her pass. My prayers are with her. I want her to know that she's loved and cared about and it's going to be okay. She's still here with us and I'm grateful for that."
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The operator of the King's Crown ride is seen in surveillance footage running away from the ride, possibly to get help, though the girl's family wondered why he didn't act sooner.
"I don't understand how this man did not notice my daughter laying on the ground," Elizabeth's mother, Virginia Cooksey, told WOWT.
"I drove here to find my daughter's scalp had been totally removed," her father, Timothy Gilreath said. "I whispered to her, 'Baby, you're a Gilreath. You're tough.'"
Cooksey said she has been in the hospital with her daughter.
"I can't let my daughter see it," Cooksey said. "I have to stay strong."
"Surgical doctors played a big role and they saved my daughter's life and I cannot thank them enough."
Elizabeth's parents say the company that makes the ride has not reached out to them, though they say that safety is their number-one priority.
Sources: WOWT, Daily Mail / Photo credit: Facebook via Daily Mail | {
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Donald Trump is re-tooling his controversial immigration policy, which included a vow to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants. So what’s the new plan?
CBS News’ Major Garrett asked Trump’s running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.
MAJOR GARRETT: When it comes to deportations, can you explain to me Donald Trump’s immigration policy?
MIKE PENCE: Donald Trump put the whole issue of illegal immigration back in the forefront of the national debate through the Republican primaries and I commend him for that.
GARRETT: But there’s confusion in the last few days over what he actually means and what he intends to do.
PENCE: Well I think he’s been very clear that Donald Trump is gonna restore strong borders, enforce our laws. He’s gonna build a wall.
GARRETT: Build a wall first, in other words?
PENCE: We’re going to build a wall. We’re going to enforce the laws that are on the books today, Major. And the mechanism for how we do that -- he’s also been very clear that we’ll do it in a humane way.
GARRETT: But isn’t the mechanism important for people to understand?
PENCE: It’ll be tough but fair when Donald Trump is president of the United States.
CBS News
GARRETT: Can you explain what tough and fair means when it comes to deportations?
PENCE: I think those are issues that will continue to be worked out in the days ahead.
After landing in Philadelphia, we asked for more detail.
GARRETT: He’s used the word deportation force -- is that your understanding?
PENCE: People who have run afoul of the law gotta leave immediately.
GARRETT: Got to leave immediately?
PENCE: The details and how we do that, we’ll work that out with the Congress.
We also asked about Trump’s tax returns. Pence said his were coming.
PENCE: Donald Trump and I have both complied with federal rules about financial disclosure.
GARRETT: Yes, it’s a different standard running for president and you know that, governor. Presidential candidates have released these returns for decades now.
PENCE: And I will tell you I’ll be releasing my tax returns in the days ahead.
GARRETT: How soon?
PENCE: And Donald Trump will be releasing his tax returns once the audit is completed. Look this is a man who --
GARRETT: -- Before the election, governor?
PENCE: I think that’s yet to be seen.
We also discussed Trump’s recent boast he could win 95 percent of the black vote in 2020, and Trump’s latest appeal to minority voters.
PENCE: I think Donald Trump is one of the most optimistic people I’ve ever met in my entire life
GARRETT: That would redefine Republican optimism, wouldn’t you agree?
PENCE: Well, he’s, I don’t know. Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican president of the United States.
GARRETT: Ninety-five percent?
PENCE: The truth is that the liberal policies that Hillary Clinton has advanced, and Barack Obama has advanced, and the Democratic party has advanced now for two generations have dis-served people in our major cities. One after another.
GARRETT: He said, “What the hell do you have to lose?” Does that sound like Ronald Reagan to you?
PENCE: No, it sounds like Donald Trump! That’s what people love about him.
Pence also told us he expects Trump to participate in all three presidential debates with Hillary Clinton, and waved off Trump’s negotiations as mere formalities. He also said he expects Trump to win those debates, and in the process turn the election around | {
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Barn och personal på flera förskolor hålls inomhus efter skjutningen i Hässleholm, rapporterar SVT Skåne. En skola har bett vårdnadshavare att komma och hämta sina barn. Inga elever får i nuläget gå hem själva, uppger kommunen.
Barn- och utbildningsförvaltningen i kommunen har kontakt med polis. | {
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Industrial Sonomechanics is launching a series of blog posts dedicated to describing the main principles of developing water-compatible cannabis extract formulations, also known as water-soluble CBD and THC. As explained in our earlier blog post, since medical marijuana extracts are oils and, as such, not soluble in water, they have to be specially formulated in order to become water-compatible and acquire the appearance of being water-soluble. There are three formulation classes that can provide this property: microemulsions, liposomes and nanoemulsions.
Microemulsions and nanoemulsions are described in our earlier article as well as in this free eBook:
However, due to a large number of questions we have been receiving on this subject, we though that it deserves to be expanded upon in this separate article.
Oil-in-water emulsions are visually homogeneous mixtures that combine the properties of both oil and water, wherein water is the continuous phase and oil is the dispersed phase, stabilized by at least one surfactant (emulsifier). There are three main types of oil-in-water emulsions: macroemulsions, microemulsions and nanoemulsions. Liposomes can be used to create similar types of oil and water mixtures with some notable differences, as explained below.
Macroemulsions are common emulsions with droplets averaging over 1 micron in diameter and generally having wide droplet size distributions. They are unstable and tend to separate into an oil layer at the top and a water layer at the bottom, sometimes with a mixed layer in between. Due to their lack of stability, macroemulsions are generally not suitable as water-compatible cannabinoid delivery vehicles.
Microemulsions are translucent and thermodynamically stable mixtures of oil, water and surfactants having average droplet diameters below 100 nm. They can be spontaneously formed by “solubilizing” the oil in water or a beverage by very high amounts of surfactants - substantially higher than the amount of the oil. Because of many undesirable side-effects caused by concentrated surfactants (health issues, taste deterioration, etc.), the use of microemulsion-based, water-compatible cannabis oil formulations is disadvantageous. Furthermore, it is frequently impossible to achieve the desired cannabinoid concentration in a beverage without exceeding maximum permitted surfactant levels.
A typical microemulsion precursor (before the addition to a beverage) formulation is presented below [1]:
Active ingredient (e.g., cannabis oil extract) ------------- 10.00 % Carrier oil (e.g., Miglyol 812) ------------------------------- 30.00 % Surfactant 1 (e.g., oleic acid) ------------------------------- 15.00 % Surfactant 2 (e.g., Tween 80) ------------------------------- 33.75 % Surfactant 3 (e.g., Cremophor RH 40) -------------------- 11.25 %
For a typical cannabinoid dose of 10 - 15 mg, about 20 – 30 mg of cannabis oil extract (assuming 50 – 70 % cannabinoid concentration) needs to be mixed into a beverage. With the microemulsion-type formulation, the same beverage will also end up with about 120 - 180 mg of surfactants, making it taste soapy and (for many surfactants) bitter, as well as potentially leading to regulatory compliance issues.
Liposomes are spherical structures with diameters from about 50 to 5000 nm formed by one or more concentric phospholipid bilayers with an aqueous phase inside and in-between the bilayers. Liposomes can entrap water-soluble (hydrophilic) active ingredients in their internal water compartment and water-insoluble (hydrophobic) active ingredients in their bilayer membrane. The latter property makes it possible to use liposomes to formulate water-compatible cannabis extracts. This, however, involves complex preparation procedures and, as with microemulsions, very high surfactant (lecithin phospholipids) concentrations. In addition, it is difficult to produce liposomal formulations using natural cannabis extracts, requiring the use of synthetic or isolated cannabinoids instead.
A typical liposome precursor (before the addition to a beverage) formulation is presented below [2]:
Active ingredient (e.g., synthetic cannabinoids) -------- 18.90 % Surfactants (e.g., lecithin phospholipids) ----------------- 75.60 % Encapsulant (e.g., sodium alginate) ------------------------ 5.50 %
Nanoemulsions are emulsions with narrow droplet size distributions centered below approximately 250 nm. Nanoemulsion-based formulations in which all droplets are smaller than 100 nm are optically translucent, achieving progressively higher degree of clarity as the droplet sizes are diminished. These formulations have several attractive properties, including low viscosity, high interfacial surface area and long-term kinetic stability. Nanoemulsions are made using significantly (about 10 times) lower surfactant amounts than microemulsions or liposomes. They are completely water-compatible and can be easily mixed into water or any beverage.
A typical nanoemulsion concentrate (with some water, but before the addition to a beverage) formulation is presented below [3]:
Active ingredient (e.g., cannabis oil extract) ------------- 5.40 % Carrier oil (e.g., olive oil) ------------------------------------ 7.20 % Surfactant (e.g., Quillaja saponin) ------------------------- 2.00 % Water -----------------------------------------------------------85.4%
For a typical cannabinoid dose of 10 - 15 mg, requiring 20 – 30 mg of cannabis oil extract to be present in a beverage, a nanoemulsion-type formulation will only contain about 7 - 11 mg of surfactant, making the beverage much easier to bring into compliance with regulations and helping it retain its original taste. In addition, nanoemulsions can be produced using natural surfactants (formulation shown above), which avoids having any synthetic ingredients in the resulting products.
The reason that cannabis oil nanoemulsions require much lower surfactant concentrations than the alternatives is that the driving force for their formation is mainly mechanical instead of chemical. Nanoemulsions can be produced by utilizing ultrasonic cavitation-derived high shear forces, able to break the oil droplets down to nanometer sizes.
Laboratory, bench and industrial-scale ultrasonic liquid processors specially designed for the production of high-quality nanoemulsions are available from Industrial Sonomechanics. We also offer help with the development of formulations for “nano-cannabinoids” starting from different types of cannabis extracts or cannabinoid isolates.
REFERENCES: | {
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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings: A Celebration of Paul Laurence Dunbar Join us for a celebration of Paul Laurence Dunbar featuring: poetry, song and dance featuring soprano Dr. Minnita Daniel-Cox singing settings of Paul Laurence Dunbar texts; collaborative pianist John Benjamin; emeritus English Professor Herb Martin in dramatic recitations of Dunbar poetry; and interpretations of the poetry through dance by the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Debbie Blunden-Diggs, Artistic Director. The Paul Laurence Dunbar House Historic Site is located at 219 North Paul Laurence Dunbar Street, Dayton, Ohio. Please enter through the Visitor Center entrance on Edison Street (around the corner from the Dunbar House). Tours of the home are free and available from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (last tour at 3:30 pm). For more information call 937.224.7061 or 937.225.7705. | {
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Article content
Edmonton has become the first Canadian city to buy its own mini weather radar station, hoping the high-tech equipment will minimize damage from severe rain storms before the pipes back up and manholes blow.
The egg-shaped canister is already installed on a rooftop in northwest Edmonton. It’s scanning the skies for 32 kilometres in every direction and will give city engineers far more and better quality data on each storm than they could get from Environment Canada or a rain gauge.
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tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Edmonton first city in Canada to buy its own mini weather radar station Back to video
“For us, this is high-definition rainfall data,” said Steven Chan, senior hydraulic engineer with the city’s drainage department.
It won’t let them predict the storms. But will let them predict how different types of storms will affect the capacity of underground pipes underground. The radar data will feed into a computer model that will predict effects and immediately send instructions to the main control room. | {
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Last week we ended a month-long Dead Rising 3
Grand
Rene
Peter
Jideobi
In the end, one grand prize winner and ten runner-ups were chosen. Designs were judged based off of their creativity and originality. Below are the 11 winners of the contest and links to their portfolio.
Maegan
Moses
Rob
Ian
Don
Alex
Honorable
Thank you to everyone who entered!
Eriq Martin is IGN's Social Media Coordinator. He couldn't draw a stick figure if there was a gun to his head. You can follow his strange life on his Twitter | {
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@nossr50: Yeah, same problem as with the ASCII tileset - the raws are messed up, they are for a graphics tileset, and not for an ASCII one, so the mappings are messed up.Should be a quick fix when PeridexisErrant gets back.- As for the second question: We can't provide an easy setup for every single tileset version, it is very easy to edit one line in the init.txt and load the 9x12 sheet, but it's a nightmare to provide like 6 settings for every single pack we include. The original files -should- be there in the download (I didn't check the latest LNP though, so I might be mistaken), but the launcher can't do what you ask at the moment without bloating the size of the download and messing up the interface. It's not a bad idea though, so I'll try to figure something out, but don't expect anything soon. | {
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“Have you gotten them to sleep?” Darcy asked.
“Yeah, finally.” Benjamin replied.
Darcy sighed and leaned into her husband. After a hard day at work, it was nice to get some alone time.
“Listen, so it’s your birthday tomorrow…” Darcy started. Benjamin groaned and rubbed his temples. She smiled. “Don’t worry. You’re still as handsome as the day I met you. If not more.” She told him. “I’ve booked a room at the big resort in town. Sitter’s been called, everything’s ready for us to go and be by ourselves for a while.”
“Well that’s going to be a change from the norm.” He said. Darcy glared at him. “What? We have twins. It’s bound to be a madhouse around here. But I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, or with anyone other than you.”
“Are you sure? Even though…even though you left the Plains for me?” Darcy asked.
“That was years ago. All that matters is that you’re safe. And you are. All of us are. Besides, I love it here. Don’t worry that silly little head of yours. Lets go to bed.”
***
The winds stirred, and a family watched the house.
“She isn’t ready. She’s prime material, but she isn’t ready. We’ll just have to wait.”
***
The morning of his birthday, Benjamin had only exploded a couple of times before he finally got what he wanted.
Darcy went to work, and he made snowmen with the children.
It was a good day.
They relaxed together, alone for what felt like the first time in years.
“It’s so nice to sit down without having to worry about sitting on a toy car or something.” Darcy moaned in bliss.
***
The next day was a snow day again. It was two days before Snowflake Day, and the family decided to go down to the beach, so that Benjamin could encourage Holly’s budding love of fishing, and so that Harley could swim. Darcy watched over him. It was cold, but they had winter clothes and a fire pit was set up nearby.
Benjamin’s eyes met Darcy’s, and they got the children together.
“We have surprises for you.” Benjamin started.
“We both know about your imaginary friends.”
The children looked shocked.
“My sister had an imaginary friend. And now they’re married.” Darcy told them.
“You had a sister?” Holly asked.
“Yes. A twin sister. She, uh…moved away.” She told them. “Anyway. The reason my sister could get married to her imaginary friend was because she made him real. And this is how you do it.”
They all rushed back home.
“I think it’s going to become more of a madhouse around here, babe.” Benjamin winked at Darcy. She giggled.
Robbie and Puzzle Schmidt were alive.
***
Snowflake Day was full of friends, cheer and way too much food. The house was decorated in all corners, and everyone was very happy.
All was well.
A few days later, it was Darcy’s birthday.
She did not take it well.
She felt sad all of a sudden. Unfulfilled…old.
She had a husband, two biological children, and two former imaginary friends living in her house. At least dogs couldn’t talk.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, they got broken into.
He got away.
They were all very nervous about this. Darcy decided that she wanted more security, and so she made preparations to move.
But first, it was time for the birthdays of the four Schmidt children.
They were all developing into very different, very good people.
But Darcy still felt unfulfilled and old.
Times were changing. | {
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Rohingya crisis: Video of Myanmar forces’ crackdown emerges
Mobile phone footage of Myanmar forces’ crackdown on Muslim Rohingya in 2016 could be used as evidence in court. | {
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Lexus’ all-new sports car tops 100K, fully loaded.
I’m on location today in Kailua-Kona, on the Big Island of Hawai’i for the national press reveal of the 2018 Lexus LC 500 and LC 500h sports cars. It seems like a long time coming for the official reveal of this halo luxury sports coupe, but it is finally here.
My full review won’t be shared immediately. Instead, I’ve taken numerous photos and am sharing these along with model highlights today.
Production Starts March 2017
The day began with Lexus sharing background information about the LC 500 and the LC 500h. The vehicles on hand were pre-production models; production starts this March in Japan. It’ll probably be April before the first vehicles arrive in US dealer showrooms. Initially, each Lexus dealer will be given just two models.
Why the limited release? Because Lexus expects to sell just 400 units per month with 10 percent of that number comprised of hybrids. The US market accounts for half of all Lexus sales. Europe, China, and Japan are among the remaining markets.
Hybrids, Not Diesels
Like Toyota, Lexus routinely releases a hybrid variant along with the gasoline model. You won’t find a diesel in the US fleet, but that’s not a bad thing. Lexus has chosen to with hybrids to offer a high-efficiency model and does so without the drama some diesel manufacturers have experienced in recent years. Audi is a prime example.
The standard engine in this 2+2 luxury sports car is a 5.0-liter V8 with 471 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque. It is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Lexus estimates a 0-60 mph time of just 4.4 seconds and fuel economy of 16 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.
Also available is a 3.5-liter V6 engine, part of a hybrid system found in the LC 500h. The LC 500h delivers 354 total system horsepower and has a 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds. Lexus estimates that this model will get 26 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway.
Pricing and Options
You can consider the LC 500 and LC 500h as mono-spec models, but each one offers sport and luxury packages. The V8 model costs $92,000 and the hybrid comes in at $96,510.
Add in the destination charge and a package upgrade and the hybrid will top $100,000. That’s a price point Lexus hasn’t reached previously with a regular production sports car. The LC is also about $30,000 more than the RC F, but these are two very different models — the LC is based on Lexus’ all-new rear-wheel drive platform, while the RC is related to the IS line.
Lexus Spokeswoman
Lexus is pulling out all the stops with its new LC line and that’s why they hired actress Minnie Driver as a spokesperson. The brand made a splash with a commercial in Super Bowl LI and they’ll be bringing the LC Series to key events over the coming months in Florida, California, and Texas. Although expected sales will be small compared to models such as the highly popular RX SUV, the LC introduces a new Lexus platform with the improved driving dynamics that go with it.
Photos copyright Auto Trends Magazine. All Rights Reserved.
Lexus B-Roll of the 2018 LC Series | {
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BURBANK, Calif. (KABC) -- A Glendale police officer is under investigation after allegedly getting into a fight with two Burbank police officers while he was drunk.Investigators said Burbank officers responded to a disturbance call outside Barney's Beanery on North 1st Street early Wednesday morning.When they arrived, Burbank police said they found off-duty Glendale police officer Cameron Sanchez standing on a sidewalk, unable to take care of himself.A fight broke out as the Burbank officers arrested Sanchez, according to Burbank police.During the fight, Burbank police said their officers suffered scrapes and scratches.Sanchez, 36, was charged with suspicion of battery on a peace officer and public intoxication. Burbank police said he is due in court in December. | {
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Altruistic Artistry: inaccurate at best
Addison "Addie" Mallory // desperately floundering artist from the States // I'm not a minor, 99% SFW with questionable content tagged and/or safe-moded // drop me asks about whatever // reading my about is not mandatory // always open for commissions and accepts most art trades //
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Subsets and Splits