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leaving a barber's with a fresh haircut, and the second picture featured his naked torso.
Alexei is 26, he has a "dull nine-to-five job," and he kills his spare time building radio gadgets and analogue clocks. He dresses like most people, unremarkably, in a big sweater, black shoes, and jeans.
On March 24, 2016, he received a private message from someone named Maxim. "Hi, you look great," the text read. Alexei browsed through the man's profile and discovered that the stranger said he was 21, with tags like #bigdicks and #hardsex listed among his interests. The userpic showed Maxim half-turned, against a background of planes, in an airport.
In one of his first messages, Maxim invited Alexei to his place. Alexei declined the offer. They spent March 24 and 25 exchanging messages about their sexual preferences and experiences. Eventually, on the morning of March 26, they arranged to meet, first, in the afternoon near the Komendantsky Prospect subway station, but then rescheduled the rendezvous to a later hour and a different location.
Around 7 p.m., Alexei and Maxim met outside the Moskovskaya subway station. Alexei found Maxim to be rather attractive, and things progressed swiftly. Soon they were on the way back to Maxim's apartment, walking along the crowded Moskovsky Prospect, one of Saint Petersburg's busiest central streets. It was about a ten-minute walk, during which they slipped into small talk about the weather, which was still cold, with a mix of snow and rain.
House 224 at Moskovsky Prospekt, St. Petersburg. Photo: Daniil Turovsky / Meduza
Alexei and Maxim passed by the concierge to the elevator. Maxim told him that the apartment belonged to his brother, who was out of town. They went up to the 10th floor.
The apartment was a well-lit studio, furnished with a bed, an armchair, a TV set, and a mirrored sliding-door wardrobe. Maxim took off his warm jacket, and Alexei was confused to see that he was wearing a blazer and collared shirt underneath. The whole scene seemed too neat somehow, he now recalls. Then Maxim suggested "undressing and going to bed." They chatted for a while, and Alexei went to take a shower. He returned, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around him, and sat down in an armchair.
As soon as Maxim disappeared into the bathroom, the wardrobe doors flew open, and three stout men in their late thirties jumped out. Alexei recalls that two of them had "bandit faces," while the third one resembled a "typical Russian fellow." "Uh-oh! Do you know that kid isn't even 18 yet?" asked one of them. When Alexei asked to see Maxim's passport, he was punched in the stomach.
The men encircled Alexei. "The Russian" took out a tablet and pointed its camera at Alexei, while one of the "bandits" questioned him about his line of work and his salary. The third one paced, sometimes cutting in and screaming threats, like "We'll break your ribs and bury you in the ground," "Faggot, why don't you find yourself a woman?" and "What were you thinking, coming here?" They threatened to call the police and post the video of their conversation on the Internet.
Alexei says he wasn't scared at the time, crediting his antidepressant medication. As the gangsters interrogated him, he says he stopped hearing their voices and concentrated instead on a lingering worry: "What if the guy really is underage?" But another idea bothered him even more: the possibility of being seen on the Internet. He detested the idea of his parents learning about his sexuality under such circumstances.
The criminals moved all his belongings from the hall to the room and turned out his pockets. Six-hundred rubles ($10), a bottle of nose drops, a photocopy of his passport, and a mobile phone dropped to the floor.
One of the "bandits" grabbed the phone and said he was going to call the police. The second one stopped him: "We could actually think of something else..." "What do you have in mind?" Alexei asked. "We could find a financial remedy to the issue," suggested one of them. "Do you have any savings?" At this point, browsing through Alexei's phone, one of them found a message from a bank stating that his savings account balance was about 60,000 rubles ($900). They demanded that he transfer the amount to them immediately. But he couldn't remember his password, when he launched his banking app. The men tried to wire themselves the money using an app of their own, once misspelling the Russian word for “transfer.” They failed, too, in the end, and one of the "bandits" consoled himself by punching Alexei in the back of the head.
The criminals ordered him to get dressed and go home to fetch the credit card, "without any tricks." As Alexei was putting on his clothes, one of the "bandits" told someone on the phone: "You handle the next one. We'll be in Ilyushina soon." (Ilyushina Street is near Komendantsky Prospekt, which is where Alexei and Maxim first met).
The "typical Russian" guy escorted Alexei home. It turned out that the attackers didn't have their own car. The man tried to hail a ride, but no one would stop for them, so he ordered a taxi on the phone.
While they were waiting, the man told Alexei, "I have mouths to feed. Just bought a pair of trainers, with only 5,000 rubles ($75) left of my salary, and the recession is killing me. Actually, I'm not homophobic. We just came up with an idea of making money this way." They got in the back seat and kept silent for most of the trip. The driver even got lost. It took them about half an hour to get to Alexei's place. They got off in the neighboring yard. The man looked up the nearest bank on his cellphone and headed there. Alexei went up to his apartment. His parents were home. He quickly came up with a story about a suspicious transaction on his account, grabbed his ATM card and rushed out. As they were approaching the bank, the "typical Russian" suggested that Alexei withdraw only 50,000 rubles ($750), so that he would have at least 10,000 rubles ($150) left "for expenses." Alexei handed him the money, and the man returned his phone and promised to delete the video. After that Alexei was set free.
* * *
According to Meduza's sources, another unsuspecting Hornet user was lured to the same apartment the very next day, on March 27. The victim tried to escape and made it to the stairs. The gang caught him, but let him go, after realizing he had nothing to offer but the 100 rubles ($2) and cheap mobile phone in his pockets.
The concierge at 224 Moskovsky Prospekt told Meduza that the suspicious apartment is rented on a per-day basis. As she recalls, on the evening of March 27, tenants of other apartments on the 10th floor reported "a strange noise." She went up to check on it and rang the doorbell, but no one answered. Shortly thereafter, she says she saw two tenants from that apartment walk past her. She describes them as "men in their mid-thirties." When she asked what had happened, they said there'd been "a small fight." The woman couldn't remember any more details, saying too many visitors pass through the lobby every day, and most of the apartments in the building are rented.
At Meduza's request, the concierge shared the building's visitor log—a book adorned with kittens and flowers on its cover. The log entries for the apartment in question listed "one guy" and "two guys" entering the building on the afternoon of March 26. There were no names or any ID information recorded (and Alexei says he was never registered, when he was there).
The concierge says the notorious apartment is rented out by a man named Alexander, the building's manager. She intends to give him a call, but there he is, on the ground floor, wearing aviator sunglasses and a denim vest. "What the fuck do you want?" he says in a south-Ukrainian accent.
Alexander says he works for a company with dozens of apartments all around the city. In the first minutes of our conversation, he denies having rented the apartment where the two assaults allegedly took place, but soon he admits that the details fall into place, especially when he learns about the mirrored wardrobe. "I don't know anything about a fight. And I am aware of everything that's going on in my apartments. Even if someone's getting laid, I'll know about it," he says assuringly. "The walls are paper-thin. There's nothing you can't hear." The shady apartment is rented at 2,000 rubles ($30) per night. You can find it easily on the rental company's website, or even at Booking.com.
A booking.com screenshot with the booking offer for the apartment where the assaults occurred.
Alexander insists that he doesn't sign the rental contracts and does not remember who rented the apartment for the weekend of March 25–27. However, as our conversation continues, his memory seems to clarify. He smokes cigarette after cigarette. "The four guys referred to themselves as military men on a leave," he says. He hesitates to give any more details, using the same wording to describe them: late thirties, short hair. "It seems they had a good time," he adds.
"So you're saying they beat up a homo?" he asks. "He should thank God he survived at all. I know such things happen. There have been some incidents in the neighborhood. It's good that he survived, though. The police won't be looking for evidence."
‘We fight guys like you’
Unlike Alexei, 30-year-old Kirill (not his real name) used Hornet to find dates more than once, and nothing ever went wrong, until last time.
In mid-January 2016, Kirill went to the outskirts of St. Petersburg to meet a young man he'd befriended through the app. When the man came downstairs to answer the door, Kirill noticed that he was dressed in a typical soccer hooligan outfit, and a sport raincoat and turned-up pants. As soon as they entered the apartment, the new acquaintance began rubbing himself against Kirill, who suggested that they first uncork the bottle of wine he'd brought with him. So they moved to the kitchen. But a few minutes later, Kirill heard a key turning in the front-door lock. Then two men in their late thirties burst into the kitchen. In his mind Kirill, called one of them "the Round," because of his oval-shaped face, and the other one "the Felon," because he'd clearly had his nose broken at some point. "We're from a social organization called ‘Kindness.’ We fight guys like you," said the Round. "Do you even know how old he is?" one of the men asked. Kirill said his companion was 19, as stated in his Hornet profile. Then the Round punched him square in the head.
The criminals searched Kirill, finding two credit cards and a fitness-club membership card.
They invited a third man into the kitchen and introduced him as a "media worker who will record footage of your entire story." He started questioning Kirill about his work and trips abroad, and then asked if he owned a car. Most questions concerned Kirill's savings. "We should probably kill you, faggot," threatened the Round and hit him a few more times (in the shoulder, in the back of his head, and in his leg). The Felon said they were going to strip Kirill naked and take photos of him. Then he threatened to plant drugs on Alexei and call the police.
"But who benefits from you going to jail?" one of the men said. And Kirill asked what they wanted.
The men retreated to the hall for deliberation. Kirill heard them say "two million," then they started discussing “one million.” Finally, when they returned to the kitchen, they said they'd set him free for a ransom of 500,000 rubles ($7,500). Kirill suggested that they come up with a more realistic amount, as he only had as much as 10,000 rubles ($150) in his savings. Eventually, they bargained down the ransom to 200,000 rubles ($3,000), with 50,000 ($750) paid up front and 150,000 ($2,250) due the next day.
Kirill then called his sister on speakerphone, but her phone wouldn't ring. So he resorted to phoning a friend, who immediately agreed to wire him 40,000 rubles ($600). The Round took his card, went out and withdrew the money from a nearby ATM.
When he returned, he grabbed a cutting board and slapped Kirill with it several times. "You want me to beat your dick off?" he asked. They forced Kirill to finish the wine and pulled him out into the street. He was warned that they were expecting the 150,000 rubles ($2,250) by the next day, wired to a second account they provided. Kirill caught a bus and left.
He went straight to his friends, who tried to calm him down and recommended that he go to the police. At first, Kirill refused to heed their advice, but then he agreed, fearing that his silence could mean his friends and other men using Hornet might end up in the same situation.
The next day, he canceled his credit cards and stopped answering the criminals' phone calls. To this day, he walks home carrying a knife in his hand. Those men know where he lives.
Having filed a report with the police, Kirill started talking to his friends about the scam, to find out if there have been others similar incidents. So far, he's spoken to ten victims of these fake dates. Only one of them has had the courage to go to the police.
Kirill prefers not to give a detailed account of his investigation, to make sure the gangsters don't find out too much. He dreams of putting them away in prison for as long as possible, which in Russia would be seven years for organized robbery (Article 161 of Russia's criminal code).
Hunting gay men, but without homophobia
According to Meduza's source with connections at St. Petersburg's Interior Ministry Main Directorate, there is a single gang behind all the fake dates arranged to extort and blackmail the city's gay men. The gang consists of about 20 men, between the ages of 18 and 45. Some of them are ex-military, many have children, and they also keep in touch outside the gang, posting common selfies on social networks. It's likely that the offenders got acquainted through a martial arts club.
As Meduza's source reports, three or four gang members collaborate to put together a single fake date. A man between the ages of 18 and 20 serves as the bait, whose pictures are used to create an account on Hornet. It's this young man who first approaches the victim and lures him back to the designated apartment, where at least two other men are waiting. One of these men, with the looks of an ex-convict, plays the “bad cop,” shouting at the victim, beating him up, and threatening to kill him or frame him for drug possession and call the police, while the other plays “good cop,” talking reasonably and suggesting a “peaceful” resolution after a few minutes of pressure and intimidation. Sometimes there's also another man who acts as a “media worker,” who threatens to film the victim and interrogate him about his private and professional life.
The gang has been operating for about a year (the first attacks were recorded in March 2015). On the weekends, between Friday and Sunday, they lure victims to several addresses at the same time, using the mobile app. The thugs have managed to extort as much as 100,000 rubles ($1,500) in a single attack. Meduza's source, who is privy to the details of a police investigation, affirms that "very few of those assaulted" have filed statements. Presently, the police are gathering information, questioning witnesses and collecting CCTV camera footage.
The gang of extortionists use the exact same methods as activists in the now-dissolved “Occupy Pedophilia” movement, but they don't share the movement's ideology. In fact, many of these thugs say they aren't even homophobic, rarely mentioning “pedophilia” at fake dates. Instead of debating the morals of homosexuality, they're far more interested in their victims' savings. "Today they are nothing but a gang of bandits who has jumped at the opportunity to blackmail vulnerable people," says a report on violence against the LGBT community by the human rights group Vykhod (“A Way Out”).
Just like Occupy Pedophilia activists, these gangsters show little concern for discretion, never hiding their faces from CCTV cameras, and not shying from getting to know the landlords who rent them the rooms they use for their scams. They also openly disclose the bank card numbers they use in wire transfers, and they don't even throw out the SIM cards they use for contact with their victims. One of the men they targeted told Meduza that he later tried to call the man who acted as “bait” in his assault, and the call actually went through. Meduza spent several days trying to reach this number, but no one answered the phone.
Maxim Martsinkevich, aka Tesak ("The Hatchet") Photo: Zurab Dzhavakhadze / TASS
Maxim "Tesak" Martsinkevich's Occupy Pedophilia movement existed for a few years, from October 2011 to the fall of 2014.
Tesak turned his hunt for gay men into a full-fledged entertainment industry, with advertisements and "safari" tickets (this is how his activists described the group's hunt for “pedophiles”), and he even launched several regional “affiliates.” Every time his group “exposed” a new “pedophile,” it was recorded on video and posted online. Ekaterina Zigunova, one of the movement's former leaders, told Meduza that Occupy Pedophilia activists followed guidelines that "prohibited violence and stealing." By early 2014, the police had broken up most of the campaign's regional subdivisions. By the fall of 2014, the movement was totally crushed, and Tesak and many other activists were sent to jail.
‘This happens a lot more often than we know’
Last year, the LGBT activist group Vykhod, which works to protect gay rights, registered 12 assaults using the fake-date scenario. So far in 2016, it's recorded six attacks, including two in April. “This happens a lot more often than we know,” says Ksenia Kirichenko, the group's coordinator. "It's impossible to estimate the percentage of those who reach out to us. These gangs take advantage of their victims' vulnerable position, assuming that a man wouldn't want to go to the police and reveal that he went on a date with someone of the same sex.”
Vykhod activists are quite confident that most victims would rather pay the equivalent of a few hundred dollars than be forced to come out of the closet. Many of those who turned to Vykhod still didn't plan to file a police report, as they were mostly concerned about offenders uploading footage of the "date" to the Internet.
“Closeted homosexuals make perfect targets for criminals. Neither the victims nor their relations would go to the police," explains Igor Kochetkov, the head of the Russian LGBT Network. "Homosexuals normally keep such incidents [these assaults] secret even among themselves."
"I assume such phenomena are directly linked to the perception of the LGBT community as an enemy, which is largely promoted by the authorities through the federal media," insists Adrei Petrov, a spokesperson for Stimul (Stimulus), a Moscow-based LGBT organization. "When Occupy Pedophilia was out there, people were robbed, humiliated, and beaten up just like they are now. Nothing's changed. The regions are rapidly embracing the idea, because people involved in this realize they won't be punished very severely."
Activist Andrei Petrov says he knows of a few recent fake dates that took place in Moscow, Novosibirsk, Lipetsk, and Omsk.
This text was translated from Russian by Ksenia Khudadyan.
Daniil Turovsky St. PetersburgFollowing the presentation of the Alexander Wang x H&M lookbook, we take a look at the individual pieces that make up the fantastic collaborative collection. While the styling of the first lookbook may have turned some off, seeing each piece individually reveals a very wearable set of goods, done in Wang’s signature monochromatic color palette. Trendy materials like neoprene are used throughout while the designer’s last name, a handful of graphic prints and textures give the collection a luxurious feel.
Take a look at each piece above and pick up your favorite beginning November 6 at hm.com.
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Words by Brock Cardiner Director of Content Strategy Brock Cardiner is Highsnobiety's Director of Content Strategy. He oversees Highsnobiety's editorial approach across platforms & mediums. Brock splits his time between Berlin, Los Angeles and New York.Early results to BetaNews poll "Will iOS 6 maps keep you from buying iPhone 5?" are grim. Nearly 44 percent of respondents answer "yes", but when removing those who wouldn't buy the handset anyway, the result is much worse for Apple. Is it time to ask whether the Apple Maps offense should be a fireable offense? That one is for you in comments.
As I write, there are 1,238 responses, 43.62 percent of which are "yes". Only 29.64 percent of respondents won't change their purchasing plans because of Apple Maps. However, 22.13 percent wouldn't buy iPhone 5 anyway. When removing these respondents from the results and only looking at the pool of potential purchasers, the number saying they won't buy iPhone 5 because of iOS 6 maps is 56 percent.
Mapgate, Mapocalypse or whatever else you would call it is a disaster for Apple. The remedy isn't difficult: Restore the mapping experience that iOS users had with earlier versions by bringing back, even if temporarily, Google's product.
Perhaps Apple believes that, like iPhone 4 Death Grip, bad press will die down. Except bad buzz didn't just go away. Apple's CEO, then Steve Jobs, apologized (okay, kind of and grudgingly) and offered Death Grip remedy by giving away free bumpers. Successor Tim Cook apologized for Apple Maps but offered no real remedy other than to suggest alternative apps, like Microsoft's Bing, or using Google's web service.
BetaNews reader Julie Digs Design expresses exactly why Cook's remedy isn't enough: "I use the map app significantly more than any other maps because I don't have a car and I live in a city. This new feature doesn't have transit and walking directions at the ready (like the google app did). My train has already left by the time I wait to switch to the third party app to get my transit directions!"
Using another program doesn't change map defaults throughout iOS 6, which is part of the problem using something else.
"It would've been great if Apple could've compromised and licensed the Google data like Navigon did" snworf suggests. "Apple could've licensed this temporarily into their Maps app and removed it when they had things further along".
Dennis McClune puts Apple's response in larger context: "The Corporate ethos will likely keep me from ever buying any Apple crap".
Apple has apologized for its new home-grown maps app, which gives errors and misdirections. Will iOS 6 Maps keep you from buying iPhone 5?
Xuanlong goes farther:
Apple Maps will indeed keep me from buying anything from Apple. It's not the maps themselves that are the problem, but the problem that they represent: that Apple doesn't care about it's customers. Putting profits before people is bad enough, but when a petty feud with Google comes before customers too, I think it really begs the question of what Apple's priorities are. It certainly doesn't seem to be pleasing their droves of loyal fans who they are so quick to screw over.
"Just the iPhone 5 hardware is not enough to make want to upgrade my 4s", Richard Young comments. "The maps suck just the same on both models".
"The map application wouldn't stop" commenter Bob "from upgrading, but all the other issues like dents and scratches showing right out the box or after a few days of normal use will".
neutrino23:
We just bought two of them in our family. I've been driving through half a dozen states on both coasts the past two weeks using Apple's map app and it worked fine for me over hundreds of miles. It did misplace two businesses (which was easy to fix) but it also found one Starbucks which Google Maps on an older phone didn't find. This has been overblown by tech writers. A year from now we'll forget about this and move on to some new reason why Apple is a terrible company wich doesn't innovate and overcharges.
Commenter JC sees the situation differently: "This is more than just an app, with wrong directions, locations & lack of details can stop people to find restaurants, stores, hotels etc etc., so is extremely bad for marketing for other companies".
edstreiff:
My wife and I did a side-by-side at the Verizon store, and it was clear that the Google Maps on her iPhone 4 running iOS 5 were much better than the iPhone 5 and Apple Maps. It couldn't even find a restaurant that had been open for 5 years, nor could it find the address of the restaurant because the map had no data for the development that it was in, which again had been developed over 5 years ago. Google found the restaurant, had street view of the development and newer, clearer satallite photos".
Colleague Wayne Williams calls Apple Maps a "huge downgrade" in his review. That and a little lost. In one turn-by-turn test, iOS Maps directed him on a four-and-a-half hour, 248-mile, drive in the wrong direction.
Photo Credit: Robert Kyllo/ShutterstockCaught on tape: Antiabortion center resorts to scary, dangerous lies Watch: Exclusive video shows antiabortion pregnancy center give young woman medically inaccurate, dangerous advice
In a secretly recorded video (embedded at the bottom of this story), a young woman named Kate, 19, tells a counselor at Cleveland's Womankind "maternal and prenatal care" center, “Usually we use condoms, but yesterday we didn’t.” She's taken a pregnancy test, but is told it is probably too soon. Then Kate asks, “Like, I know there’s a pill you can take to not get pregnant. And I don’t know if you have to go to the doctor?”
After some confusion, the counselor replies inaccurately, “It sounds like the morning after pill. If you have intercourse and then take this pill and it causes a period to come on or something, or bleeding. It’s like having kind of an abortion.” She adds, “That could harm you. It really could harm you... You could hemorrhage from anything like that.”
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“Kate” is Katie Stack, a 24-year-old pro-choice activist and patients’ advocate at an Ohio abortion clinic, though she gave the counselor a different last name. Stack is also a founder of the Crisis Project, which films undercover video at crisis pregnancy centers like Cleveland’s Womankind and records the often medically suspect advice given there. And Womankind is one of thousands of clinics across the country that seek to dissuade women from having abortions. Unlike many of those centers, which gauzily gloss over whether they're actually clinics, it actually offers prenatal care from medical professionals, but that doesn't mean it dispenses accurate information.
Whether the counselor was misinformed or intentionally misleading, her advice on emergency contraception was false. The so-called morning after pill, or emergency contraception, has been shown only to block ovulation to prevent fertilization after unprotected sex; it’s decidedly not an abortion. It is entirely distinct from medication abortion, which can only be taken at a doctor’s office, and which does cause bleeding by inducing a miscarriage. By contrast, the possible side effects for Plan B, the most commonly taken form of emergency contraception, are listed as changes in your period, nausea, lower abdominal pain, fatigue, headache, dizziness and breast tenderness. The counselor did seem to be vaguely aware of the distinction, saying of the pills in question, "I know people do buy it over the counter, but is that wise? Something somebody else might do you don’t do."
Despite the fact that the fictional Kate would have a good chance at preventing an unplanned pregnancy, and perhaps an abortion, with the morning-after pill, the counselor also asks her, "Why do you have sex? You’re not married." After saying sex is a responsibility, the counselor adds, "It has consequences and you don’t want to put the consequences on having to harm yourself. And harming yourself would be having an abortion. Or taking the pill after. Because sometimes taking a pill like that could cause more bleeding than what you think. It would only take you to the emergency room and you having to take care of what’s happening. A lot of those things, you probably could read online, on the Internet, the risks in taking something like that would be. There’s risks in anything. It could leave damage to the cervix, it could mean hemorrhaging."
Crisis pregnancy centers -- of late, known simply as pregnancy centers -- are the foot soldiers of the antiabortion movement, seeking to put a warm and helpful face on it, and to counteract claims that they don’t care about women. In an interview with the New York Times, an Americans United for Life official called the centers “the darlings of the pro-life movement.” The Times put the count of crisis pregnancy centers at 2,500, compared to 1,800 abortion providers. State-level antiabortion leaders like Rick Perry have repeatedly touted the centers, including attempting to replace Planned Parenthood with them, despite the fact that they generally don’t provide services like pap smears, contraceptive prescriptions and breast exams.
Stack was inspired to start the project after her own real-life experience as a scared teen visiting one. Though she had an appointment at a Planned Parenthood clinic for an abortion, she visited an Iowa clinic closer to her home. " The “counseling” that I received included the following," Stack wrote in a 2011 New York Times Op-Ed. "I was cautioned that abortions caused breast cancer, even though the National Cancer Institute has found serious flaws in all research that suggests so. I was warned that I would inevitably suffer from post-abortion stress syndrome, even though the American Psychological Association says there is no evidence of increased mental health problems among women who have an abortion in the first trimester. I was told that I would not hear this information from doctors, because doctors make money performing abortions and would lie about the procedure’s risks."
Of course, the more famous secret recordings in abortion politics are on the right, with Live Action's stings on Planned Parenthood and independent abortion clinics. Stack says there's a difference: "The videos that Live Action puts out are promoting the myths and the fears that the antiabortion movement, such as the idea that abortion clinics cover up sex trafficking. Whereas our work is really much more investigative. We’re not creating unusual scenarios, we’re not looking to prove a particular thesis necessarily. We’re just going in there and letting them talk."
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Though these centers claim they are merely expressing their right to dissuade women from having abortions and not actively misleading them, Stack points out that Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood employee turned antiabortion activist, gave a workshop at Heartbeat International's 2012 conference titled "Competing With the Abortion Industry." According to audio of the event, Johnson told participants, "We want to look professional. We want to look businesslike. And yeah, we do kind of want to look medical." She discouraged them from foregrounding their religious affiliation, so as to better trick women: "We want to appear neutral on the outside. The best call, the best client you ever get is one that thinks they're walking into an abortion clinic. Those are the best clients that could ever walk in your door or call your center, the ones that think you provide abortions."
Johnson also told the audience of crisis pregnancy center directors to say, when asked about abortion, "No, we do not provide abortion services, but we do provide ultrasounds, and you're going to need to have your abortion. And that's true. So you don't have to say, no, we have a baby boutique, and we have pregnancy testing... No. You want them in your center. That day, if you can."
Efforts to regulate the centers have gotten tied up in courts. Several cities and counties, including New York, San Francisco, Austin and Baltimore, have passed laws requiring the centers to state in one form or another that they don't have doctors on the premises or that they don't perform or refer for abortions. Some of the regulations have extended to the centers' willfully unspecific and ubiquitous advertising. In May, Rep. Carolyn Maloney introduced the Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women's Services Act, which would "direct the Federal Trade Commission to prescribe rules prohibiting deceptive advertising of abortion services." But such laws have run up against thus far successful arguments that the centers don’t charge women for counseling and thus haven’t been considered commerce that can be regulated, but rather expressions protected under the First Amendment.
In the meantime, Stack says that she's seeing more and more clinics adding medical professionals for ultrasounds and prenatal care, presumably in an attempt to counteract criticism that they don't offer medical services. In her work at an Ohio abortion clinic, Stack often sees patients who have already been to crisis pregnancy centers. "For the most part it’s correcting misinformation and helping them feel like they get to make this decision for themselves," she says. Still, she notes, in those cases, at least, "they still come to the abortion clinic."
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Salon reached out to Womankind and Abby Johnson for comment, but they did not respond.
Watch the video:WASHINGTON - U.S. officials say Pakistan has apparently tipped off militants at two more bomb-building factories in its tribal areas, giving the terror suspects time to flee, after U.S. intelligence shared the locations with the Pakistani government.
Those officials believe Pakistan's insistence on seeking local tribal elders' permission before raiding the areas may have most directly contributed to the militants' flight. U.S. officials have pushed for Pakistan to keep the location of such targets secret prior to the operations, but the Pakistanis say their troops cannot enter the lawless regions without giving the locals notice.
All officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss matters of intelligence.
The latest incidents bring to a total of four bomb-making sites that the U.S. has shared with Pakistan only to have the terrorist suspects flee before the Pakistani military arrived much later. The report does not bode well for attempts by both sides to mend relations and rebuild trust after the U.S. raid on May 2 that killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, a Pakistani army town only 35 miles (56.32 kilometers) from the capital Islamabad.
The Pakistanis believe the Americans violated their sovereignty by keeping them in the dark about the raid. American officials believe bin Laden's location proves some elements of the Pakistani army or intelligence service helped hide the al-Qaida mastermind, bolstering their argument that the raid had to be done solo.
The U.S. officials explained Saturday how they first offered the location of the third, and then the fourth site, in order to give Pakistan another chance to prove it could be trusted to go after the militants.
In the tradition of 'trust but verify,' the Americans carefully monitored the area with satellite and unmanned drones, to see what would happen, after sharing the information a third and fourth time, the officials said.
In each case, they watched the militants depart within 24 hours, taking any weapons or bomb-making materials with them, just as militants had done the first two times. Only then, did they watch the Pakistani military visit each site, when the terror suspects and their wares were long gone, the officials said.
Pakistan's army on Friday disputed reports that its security forces had tipped off insurgents at bomb-making factories after getting intelligence about the sites from the United States. The army called the assertions of collusion with militants "totally false and malicious."
Army officials further claimed they had successfully raided two more sites, after finding nothing at the first two, but a Pakistani official reached Friday offered no details of what they found there.
The official admitted that in each raid, however, the Pakistani security services notified the local elders who hold sway in the tribal regions. The official said they would investigate U.S. charges that the militants had been tipped off.
Two U.S. officials said they were asking the Pakistanis to withhold such sensitive information from the elders, and even their lower ranks, to prove they could be trusted to keep a secret, and go after U.S. enemies.
At least two of the sites were run by the Haqqani network, which is part of the Taliban, closely allied with al-Qaida, and blamed for some of the deadliest attacks against U.S. troops and civilians in neighboring Afghanistan. Pakistan has long resisted attacking the Haqqani network, saying the group has never attacked the state of Pakistan.
The intelligence sharing was intended as a precursor to building a new joint intelligence team of CIA officers together with Pakistani intelligence agents. But U.S. officials say Pakistan has failed to quickly approve the visas needed, despite agreeing to form the team in May.
U.S. officials have also accused Pakistan of holding up to five Pakistani nationals accused of helping the CIA spy on the Abbottabad compound in advance of the bin Laden raid.
While not confirming the number, a Pakistani official said any citizen who worked with the U.S. to spy on the compound had betrayed his or her country by failing to tip off the government that someone the Americans wanted was hiding in the compound. Such a tip, the official said, could have saved the Pakistani government the embarrassment of being surprised by the bin Laden raid.Dear fans! Let us hear your voice! Use a hashtag #rizin2016 On Twitter and tell us which fighters you want to see in RIZIN FIGHTING WORLD GRAND-PRIX 2016 Open weight tournament Opening round!
9月25日（日）、12月29日（木）、31日（土）にかけて開催される『RIZIN FIGHTING WORLD GRAND-P |
and Palestinians during his last year in office. Ehud Olmert, the current Israeli prime minister, said this week that Bush’s letter gave the Jewish state permission to expand the West Bank settlements that it hopes to retain in a final peace deal, even though Bush’s peace plan officially calls for a freeze of Israeli settlements across Palestinian territories on the West Bank. In an interview this week, Sharon’s chief of staff, Dov Weissglas, said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reaffirmed this understanding in a secret agreement reached between Israel and the United States in the spring of 2005, just before Israel withdrew from Gaza.
The part of this story that you’ll really like, though, is that Colin Powell says he never made such an agreement.
Weissglas said that the letter built upon a prior understanding between then-Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and then-Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, which would allow Israel to build up settlements within existing construction lines. But Powell denied that. "I never agreed to it," he said in an e-mail.
Whereas Weissglas admits that the final settlement came in an agreement with Iran-Contra alum Elliott Abrams.
Weissglas said he then negotiated a "verbal understanding" with deputy national security adviser Elliott Abrams that would permit new construction in those key settlements; Rice and Sharon then approved the Weissglas-Abrams deal. "I do not recall that we had any kind of written formulation," Weissglas said.
Would it surprise anyone that Elliott Abrams concluded some super-secret, cross-my-fingers, Neocons-only deal with the Israelis? Or that Condi Rice, agreed to that settlement, but now pretends she didn’t?
There’s one part of this purported settlement, though, that is especially lovely. In true Neocon fashion, they used "market demand" as their fig leaf to rationalize the new settlements.
Israel could add homes in settlements expected to keep, as long as the construction was dictated by market demand, not subsidies.
It sounds like a remarkable piece of Elliott Abrams work: the West Bank for Gaza, in another freelance, off-the-books act of foreign policy, all the while enshrining the sanctity of the market.Tough Enough
Date: 25th November 2011
The video below (and linked Mixed Climbing Avalanche here, still figuring out WordPress) is really interesting. There aren’t that many videos of self-rescues done in the mountains. As I watched it I had some thoughts of course, but the main thing is that there are some good points to ponder in my own climbing and perhaps for others as well.
I don’t think these guys did a tremendous amount wrong. In fact, they did enough things right that they both lived–I have personally done far more wrong in the mountains, but had the good luck not to get called on it at the time. Many, many of us have made worse errors but just had, as my bud Barry Blanchard says, “Good luck when we needed it.” Ed, the injured climber, and Brice, the falling leader, did one thing amazingly well: they decided they are going to get the fuck off the mountain and live. Which they did; people have died with far lesser injuries. When I read of someone getting slung off a peak for a sprained ankle I think of guys like these: They cleaned up their own mess, well done, and anybody who wants to tear strips off of them had better be made of tougher material. That is unlikely.
I offer the following with full respect to the climbers; many people would not have done as well, including me at many points in my climbing career. I’ve been taking these guiding classes, and had some of my own weaknesses exposed, including rescue systems for my partners.
A few notes:
-I’m no avalanche expert, but there’s obviously a shitload of wind transported snow blowing around. “Serious wind” is how it’s described in the video. Wind transported snow is often a big problem in the mountains. I once watched a healthy-sized avalanche scatter a dozen or so Chamonix guides and 20 or 30 clients on a perfectly blue day with high winds and a few cm of fresh snow from the night before. The guides were teaching ice/glacier clinics on a glacier below a roughly 500 foot cliff with a deposition zone above it. Snow built up overhead on the slope continuously, but the classes below were unaware of the hazard. I too didn’t know any better, I’d just climbed one of the classic hard routes under the same wind-transported snow slope and then walked across it, but it wasn’t loaded up yet enough to rip… We were high and across the small valley on another route when enough snow finally collected to release. We watched it all in slow-motion horror as the guides and clients ran for what they thought was their lives under the blue-bird sky… In the end some packs were lost but no lives, but that moment taught me to respect the power of wind-transported snow–it’s not just an “annoyance.” Anyhow, you can see the transport clearly in the video (in the air and with the spindrift) and it’s no surprise that a something finally releases on the leader. They are simul-climbing when it does blow.
-I have very few hard rules in ice/mountaineering, but I try to never to climb ice/mixed terrain when it’s raining, and to never to climb/ski/whatever in the winter when I can’t see the terrain over my head. I’ll push the “not seeing” rule when the consequences are low (I’m in the woods and confident I’m not threatened by anything over head), but not in alpine terrain. These rules have saved my life once or twice over the years for sure. These guys clearly can’t see much, but are going up. Often being “tough” does not end well in the mountains. When there is a lot of spindrift, wind and general chaos in the air I often get scared and run away. But there are all these tales in the magazines and on the internet about “pushing upward into storms.” Not good.
-I don’t think the leader put a Ti-block on his rope before he fell off. I like doing this, prevents the leader from going for a huge fall if the second blows it, or has an avi situation or whatever. I think the “wall of snow” hit the second before the leader was even done falling; a Ti-block might have really helped reduce the second’s injuries. Or it might not, but I think a Ti-block on the rope is a good idea if you’re already simul-climbing and pushing safety boundaries.
-The guy on rappel (Ed) doesn’t seem to have had his leg splinted at all after the accident, or much of a first-aid effort done. Maybe not the time and place for it, and he’s a tough bastard, but a splint would have been really good. It’s also unclear if his quadricep injury was at all evaluated or treated. Fortunately it wasn’t immediately life-threating, but it would have been good to know what was going on a little more I think.
-Why doesn’t Brice back Ed up with a Fireman’s belay (hold the ends snug) as Ed raps? Ed is a tough SOB, but it would have been prudent given Ed’s injuries. Or a prussik backup on Ed’s rope at least. A fireman’s backup would have been really ideal I think. Again, Ed is a tough SOB so all good, but I’m always looking for a bit more margin in the mountains. I backed up some friends last weekend as we rappelled through a small but forceful waterfall in Maui; it didn’t slow us down any, and it was prudent.
-Why doesn’t Ed’s partner rap with Ed on his back? That would keep Ed’s foot off the rock, and prevent a lot of pain for Ed.
-As the death crawl/crawl to life commences Ed’s leg still doesn’t appear to be splinted at all. This is just excruciating to watch…
-Was there any potential for emergency communications via radio, sat phone, SPOT, etc? If Ed’s injuries were just a bit worse emergency coms could have been very, very important. I do not head out into the mountains now without a Spot or a Sat phone, it’s just not worth it. I have yet to see a mountain accident scene where the victim said, “No, please don’t call for help, it’s against my wilderness ethic.” Like it or not the technology is there, and many of my friends are alive today because they had the means to communicate. A SPOT is only $100 right now, and the new DeLorme device looks cool when it goes public.
In any accident or intense situation there are almost always many things everyone involved would do differently. In this case Ed and Brice lived, and their video gives all of us an excellent opportunity to think about our own systems and approach to the mountains. What is our true knowledge level? Would we do anything differently?
Thanks to Ed and Brice for the video, and a beer or two is on me if I see you guys out there!
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CommentsPop-punk shows can get rowdy sometimes, especially if the audience does a lot of crowd-surfing. Sometimes during said crowd-surfing, a fan ends up onstage. But their stay is brief — meaning that they’ll jump right back into the crowd in a second or two. But that was decidedly not the case for a female fan at a Story So Far show last Sunday night at Toronto’s Mod Club Theatre.
As you can see in the fan-shot video below, an overzealous fan got up onstage during the Story So Far’s show to take a selfie. Note that she was not facing the band, which only makes what happens next worse (not to mention a lot more dangerous). Lead singer Parker Cannon took it upon himself to literally kick the girl offstage, causing her to fall face-first into the crowd.
Look, no one likes unauthorized selfie-takers. In fact, selfie-taking in general is a pretty obnoxious move. But to kick them square in the back from a raised-off-the-ground platform… Well, that’s just begging for a lawsuit. Watch it go down (no pun intended) below.Race is a fascinating scientific subject. Unfortunately, for more than half of this century there has been a huge propaganda campaign to drive it completely out of the sciences. And even though most of the race-deniers’ claims are nonsense or wildly spun half-truths, the vast majority of serious scientists have been taught their lesson. For a youngster, to deal with race from a scientific perspective and risk the label “scientific racist” could be career suicide. Most of my scientific colleagues leave race alone, at least in public.
These days, in the genetic and biological sciences there are so many things that are unknown, and so many new and exciting techniques, that a scientist can easily have a productive career without ever mentioning race. But one of the consequences of the absence of work in this field is that there is a gold mine of data about the biological realities of race. Actually a gold mine is probably the wrong image because it implies one must dig and work to collect the prize. It’s really more like a riverbed strewn with gold nuggets. Race biology data have accumulated all around us and are lying there waiting to be picked up and publicized.
This article introduces a few of the many nuggets of information about the biological reality of race. I will not cover intelligence differences — everyone knows about that. But from bone thickness to brain size, there are many biological realities of race besides differences in intelligence.
I should first explain my definition of “race.” In biological tradition the word race is simply synonymous with the terms “subspecies” or “variety.” The basic unit of classification in modern taxonomy is the species. A species is usually said to consist of a set of individuals capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. If the offspring are not healthy and fertile, then the parent types are considered separate species. Mules are usually sterile so horses and donkeys are thought to be separate species.
However, in biology things are often fuzzy around the edges, and so it is with species. Sometimes what are considered to be separate species in nature can and will freely interbreed when brought together by man. Sometimes their hybrid offspring are partially or fully fertile. As one example of the fuzziness of species, consider Canis familiaris, the common dog, and Canis lupus, the Eurasian wolf. They are considered to be separate species because their habitats and life-styles are different. Within the dog species itself there are many varieties that are quite different in physiology and behavior. The tiny Mexican Chihuahua, would have a hard time mating with an Irish Wolfhound, but they are considered to be of the same species.
When wolves encounter dogs, they usually eat them. But sometimes they mate with them. When they mate it is almost always the male wolf with the female dog. The reverse is rare — male dogs are almost never able to mate with female wolves. The hybrid puppies are usually fully fertile, so by this definition Canis lupus and Canis familiaris are not different species. The point is that species and races are concepts of classification that often blur around the edges. This is because of the very nature of biological reality.
These days humans are thought to constitute one species — Homo sapiens. Humans are in many respects typical of geographically widespread mammalian species in that we are polymorphic (meaning we have “many forms”). This is what appears to us as individual differences. The bell-curve distribution of so many traits — height, weight, strength, intelligence, and the like — illustrates polymorphic traits. We are also typical among widespread mammals in being a polytypic species. Polytypic means “many types;” it is simply a fact of biological reality that not all different groups of humans are the same. Naturally occurring polytypic groups within a species are called varieties, subspecies, or races.
Starting With the Genes
Nowadays biological reality starts with genes, so that is what we will consider first. Genetic surveys have been done that identify many genes for many human populations all around the world. Some surveys have tried to concentrate on so-called “native populations,” that is, people who today are still living where their ancestors were before 1500 AD — before Columbus and the age of European expansion around the globe. When worldwide gene surveys are done of native populations, the results in broad outline are clear and consistent and can be replicated from one study to the next.
The most solid and remarkable finding is that genetically, the people from Sub-Saharan Africa are the most different from all other living humans. I will therefore concentrate mainly on Africans, but will quickly consider the rest of the world.
The illustration on this page shows the results from one large genetic survey with the lengths of the lines indicating the degrees of genetic difference between groups. Please note that Africans are far different from everybody else.
After Africans-versus-everybody-else, the next most different racial grouping is Australian Aborigines and similar peoples in New Guinea and surrounding areas. The famous anthropologist William Howells described them as follows:
“Australian aboriginals proper, [are] primitive men with a primitive hunting culture, lacking even the bows and arrows of the Negritos of other parts. They are dark skinned but hairy, with thick, ridged, poorly filled skulls and heavy, though fully sapiens, brow ridges; and with broad noses, short projecting faces, large teeth and receding chins. In every way they conform to a picture of Homo sapiensat his most backward, before racial specialization and before a final lightening of brows, reduction of teeth, and expansion of brain.” (W. Howells, Mankind in the Making, 1959, p. 326.)
If we return to the illustration on this page we see that the other major racial groupings are Caucasians, South Asians, and a cluster containing Northern Mongoloids and American Indians. About the only surprise from this worldwide gene survey is the degree of difference between Northeast and Southeast Asia. Even within China there are substantial average genetic differences between north and south. The racial/genetic differentiation within China is a fascinating topic for another day.
Let me turn now to the largest of genetic differences among humans, that between Africans and everyone else. Some people in the scientific literature argue that it is a vast oversimplification to think of “Africans” as a single race — they emphasize that there is tremendous genetic differentiation, and resultant biological differences, among the native inhabitants of Africa. And that is correct, up to a point. After all, the continent of Africa is a big place; it is the second-largest continent, with much environmental variation. It contains some of the driest and some of the most humid habitats on earth. Also some of the hottest. It has lowlands and highlands, sea level jungles and snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro. So it should come as no surprise that largely primitive people, still divided into tribes, show lots of genetic differentiation. This is a typically primitive condition of humanity. Thousands of years ago when Europeans were still largely tribal breeding groups there was also more genetic difference between different groups — though the different races of European Caucasians are still evident to some extent. The fact remains that although there is genetic difference among Africans, as a group they hang together and are relatively very different from everyone else.
It is useful, however, to separate North Africa from what is usually called Sub-Saharan Africa. The Sahara desert is a serious geographical barrier. North of the desert, all across the southern shore of the Mediterranean, the inhabitants are largely Caucasian. In the main we know where they came from, and often we know when. For instance the Phoenicians, ancestors of modern Lebanese, colonized sections of the coast. Later, Germanic tribes from Europe invaded and settled. The Arabs swept through. So today a hybrid, largely Caucasian population with some Negroid admixture, inhabits North Africa. The illustration on the previous page that shows the large split between Africans and all other groups is based on Sub-Saharan Africans.
Let us now look at genetic distances within the African cluster, which is shown in a slightly different perspective in the illustration below. Here again, the lengths of the lines indicate relative genetic distance. The top four groups — labeled Pygmy, W. African, Bantu, and Elongate (also known as Nilotic) are the Negro race of traditional anthropology and are referred to below as Blacks. There is substantial gene flow among them but also racial differentiation as indicated by the genetic distances.
Somewhat different from the Blacks are the Ethiopian and Hottentot peoples. They are more brownish and yellow than black in skin color and are thought by some to be remnants of an ancient pre-Negroid population. The recent expansion of Blacks, mostly Bantus and Elongates, has exterminated most of these people. Their genes remain concentrated in the Horn of Africa — Ethiopia and Somalia, and as a dwindling remnant in Southern Africa. The Ethiopians are today a hybrid population, with substantial Negroid and Semitic gene admixture.
What I have here labeled Hottentot are often referred to as the Khoids, or Khoisanids, which means Hottentots and Bushman. The remaining Bushman are desert gleaners while the Hottentots herd cattle. The Hottentot race is almost all gone today, replaced and exterminated in recent times by the invading Blacks. There was some intermating, however; enough so that even in America you can sometimes see the results of Hottentot genes.
In many characteristics Hottentots are biologically specialized for life in a hot and dry climate. One of these distinctive adaptations is steatopygia, which literally means “fat buttocks.” This is a solution to the problem of how to store fat in preparation for times of little food and still be able to shed body heat in a hot climate. Most of the fat is bundled in one place — the buttocks — leaving the rest of the body lean so as to make it easy to lose heat. It is the human equivalent of the camel’s hump. By contrast, Eurasian women put on a layer of subcutaneous fat all over the body. It is better than a fur coat in providing insulation against the arctic cold but makes it harder to lose heat in a hot climate. These differences in fat storage strategies are biological realities of race. Another biological peculiarity of the Hottentots is what is delicately called the “Hottentot apron” — four-and-a-half inches of dangling labia. This, too, is a biological reality.
A related biological reality is the difference in resting metabolic rate between black women and white women, which has been found in America. A lower metabolism generates less body heat, which is a useful trait in a hot climate. However, it means that in a place like America, which has a plentiful food supply, blacks are more likely to become obese.
Mating between Hottentots and Negroid Blacks generally followed a pattern that is worth noting. Even though it was unusual, most of the crosses were of Hottentot women with Black men. The hybrid children were raised as Blacks, so most of the gene flow was from Hottentot to Blacks. This pattern is common among humans and among mammals generally, like the wolves and dogs mentioned earlier: When populations mix, it is usually males of the dominant group that take up with women from the subordinate group. Women are attracted to socially dominant males. In this instance, the dominant Blacks have been acquiring the land, the property, and the women of the Hottentot race that they are replacing.
As an aside, one might note that by many traditional anthropological criteria African-Americans are now one of the dominant social groups in America — at least they are clearly dominant over whites. There is a tremendous and continuing transfer of property, land, and women from the subordinate race to the dominant race. When it comes to personal property, blacks have a tendency to take what they want. The July issue of AR points out that blacks commit robbery at a rate nine or ten times higher than whites and that they are about 50 times more likely to commit a violent crime against a white than vice versa. In many cases, what they do not take themselves, the government takes and redistributes for them. As for land, blacks have literally forced whites out of many of our major cities, the crown jewels of any civilization.
At the same time, there are four times as many marriages between black men and white women than between white men and black women. Like any conquering group, the winners are taking the property, the land, and the women. But perhaps the most incontrovertible evidence of dominance is the fact that blacks can work openly for black empowerment. They can complain about whites and get a sympathetic reception. Whites, on the other hand, are not permitted to discuss their own dispossession.
To return to the four African sub-races that are members of the Black Negro race, this group contains the tallest and the shortest of all humans. The shortest are the Pygmies of the African Forests. Adult males of some tribes average about 4-3/4 feet in height. There are many biological reasons for small size; one is a poorly-understood substance called Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). In Pygmies the genetic control of IGF-1 is different from that of other groups. Pygmies were kept as pets by some ancient Egyptian Pharaohs — they were prized for their size and rhythmic dancing ability.
Small size in humans, as in other mammalian species like the tiny deer found in the south of Florida, is thought to be an adaptation to hot, humid climates. Small size also helps in moving through the thick jungles where Pygmies hunt and collect food. To this day the Pygmies have not taken well to agriculture. Some work as irregular and unreliable laborers for their black masters. There is also some intermating, again mostly subordinate pygmy women being taken as wives by the dominant Blacks.
Rates of Maturation
On the subject of size, it is widely know that black babies tend to be born smaller than white babies but that black babies develop more rapidly in coordination and motor skills. Pygmies have been reported to mature especially quickly; babies sometimes walk and even run at six months of age, a developmental milestone reached on average by Caucasians at age 12 months. Our nearest non-human relatives, the apes, mature in motor skills considerably more quickly than any human group.
The next three groups, the West African, the Bantu, and the Elongate sub-populations are actually quite close genetically. The term Bantu originally referred to a group of closely related languages. The many different Bantu-speaking tribes are mainly the ones that in recent centuries greatly increased their range, invading East and South Africa. The Bantus and the West African groups were mostly planters, practicing primitive slash-and-burn agriculture.
The Elongates, on the other hand, were mostly pastoralists, herders of cattle. Because they had no horses, they herded cattle on foot. Among the Elongates are found the tallest humans. Height can be thought of as an evolutionary pre-adaptation for the modern American game of basketball.
The Elongate physique, slim and long, is thought to be an adaptation for survival in hot and dry climates. A popular theory is that the Elongates evolved in the Sahara region during the thousands of years the Sahara was slowly changing from a grassland to dry desert.
The historically pastoral Elongate tribes now live among the historically agricultural W. African and Bantu tribes. Usually the Elongates have been warrior rulers over the Bantus, though sometimes the Bantus revolt against their Elongate rulers. For example, the Hutu are a Bantu race while the Tutsi (Watusi) are Elongates. Their genocidal conflicts are well known. Much of the warfare currently ravaging Africa is conflict between genetically different groups.
Another interesting biological reality involves long-distance running. At the present time long-distance men’s running events are dominated by Blacks from the Elongate groups. This may not be so difficult to understand, since their ancestors have been tending cattle on foot for thousands of years. Kenyans dominate long-distance events, and about three quarters of Kenya’s top runners come from just one tribe, the Kalenjin, who are only about ten percent of the population of Kenya. About 40 percent of the top runners in men’s medium and long-distance events come from just this one tribe.
Why are the Kalenjin such exceptional runners? There is some speculation that it may be because the tribe specialized in cattle thievery. Anyone who can run a great distance and get away with the stolen cattle will have enough wealth to meet the high bride price of a good spouse. Because the Kalenjin were polygamous, a really successful cattle thief could afford to buy many wives and make many little runners. This is a good story, anyway, and it might even be true. Of course, racial biology is a taboo subject, even when differences in athletic ability could not be clearer. There is a book being written about race and sports. It’s working title is simply Taboo.
Many of these race differences are particularly clear in a multi-racial country like the United States. Compared to whites, African-Americans are born earlier and smaller, but they mature more quickly. Their bones are denser, and have a higher mineral content. Denser bones are found even in fetuses before birth, and this difference in density continues throughout life. For this reason osteoporosis among the elderly is less common in blacks than in whites.
Blacks have more lean body mass than whites, and they soon grow taller and heavier than whites. Black children begin their growth spurts two to as much as five years earlier than white children. Young black males outpace whites in muscle mass by age seven. By about age 12, when white boys are beginning their growth spurt, black boys are already much more physically developed. For girls, the growth spurt begins about age six for black girls but not until age eight or nine for white girls. Also black children mature sexually about three years sooner than white children.
There are differences in hormones, body composition, bones, brains, developmental rates, and these differences persist in adulthood. These are all biological realities of race that have many consequences for society.
Let us consider a completely different biological reality: bullet holes. The figures below are based on hospitalizations for gunshot wounds in California. There is a substantial race difference in these data. As expected, the rate for young males is much higher than for older folks. However, the more significant variable is race rather than age. Notice that the rate for the oldest age range of blacks is still as high as the most dangerous range for whites.
Gunshot Wounds per 100,000 Population Males Black White Age 15-24 450 25 Over Age 55 25 5
There are many other physical and social variables that differ substantially between whites and blacks. The recent excellent books by Phil Rushton and Michael Levin present hundreds of pages of differences and discussion.
Hybrid Vigor
If we turn now to the Eurasian land mass, the various human tribes and races on that continent have been traveling and mixing for a long time. Recent finds have added to the evidence that there were Nordic Caucasians in Bronze-age China, at the very beginning of Chinese civilization. At the same time there have been repeated incursions of Mongols into Europe. These people in their travels and conquests may not have always intermated, but often they did, and genetic crosses between closely related races can lead to improvement of populations. Everyone has heard of hybrid vigor.
Madison Grant thought that hybrid vigor played an important role in the development of European civilization. He points out that the Golden Age of ancient Greece was just a few generations after the invasion and mixing of Germanic tribes. Others have suggested that much of the miracle of American development was the result of hybrid vigor resulting from the melting pot of previously more separated European populations. There is modern evidence of hybrid vigor for intelligence among the children of marriages between whites and East Asians in Hawaii.
While hybrid vigor is a biological reality, so are hybrid incompatibilities. Some crosses, particularly between genetically distant races, can lead to mixes that don’t work very well. Until quite recently there was much scientific concern over hybrid incompatibilities between blacks and whites, and remember from recent evidence the Africans are genetically most different from all others. Before about 1950 the scientific literature openly discussed the problem of what Madison Grant called “disharmonious combinations”. After the 1950s, concern over miscegenation almost completely disappeared from mainstream scientific literature. The only thing that had changed was the politics, not the data.
I would like to suggest that modern data, those gold nuggets laying about, contain much that is suggestive of hybrid incompatibilities between blacks and whites. For example, according to the so-called “one drop” rule, hybrids are almost always classified as blacks, so almost all blacks have some white genes. And one of the best reported phenomena in present-day America is that the African-American population suffers a very wide range of health problems. Blacks tend to die sooner and younger from almost every cause but osteoporosis. There are reports that even after all known causes are accounted for there is still “unexplained” poor health among blacks.
This difference is often ascribed to the stresses of “racism,” but this is not a very convincing explanation. Recently, Surgeon General David Satcher appeared on television to point out that in America, black babies are 2½ times more likely than whites to die in the first year of life. It is not clear how infants suffer from the stresses of “racism.” It may simply be that just as blacks mature more rapidly than whites, they succumb to disease more easily and die at younger ages. On the other hand, if there are no inherent racial differences in longevity and resistance to disease, the poor health could be caused by one of the greatest taboos of all: biological, genetic hybrid incompatibility.
Needless to say, there is no research now being done in this field. So long as our rulers refuse even to consider the biological reality of race, this question and many others will remain unanswered.
Share ThisIn an explosion of relevancy, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, best known as the people behind the Golden Globes, the awards ceremony that for a brief moment in time was the predictor for the Academy Awards, landed a Skype interview with WikiLeaks founder and interwebs pinup boy, Julian Assange. The fifty reporters who joined on the Skype video interview will be filing the stories tomorrow and into the week, and the HFPA have dropped juicy hints about what the platinum haired cyber-star discussed as part of the association’s rapidly expanding Round Table series of interviews.
Last month HFPA vice president Lorenzo Soria told Variety that the Association wanted a return to real journalism. Today he told Variety:
We knew that getting a story with the importance of the Wikileaks controversy would be helpful in our efforts to broaden our reach beyond just interviewing the latest movie star. We hope that interviewing Julian Assange opens the door to other major interviews….My story for (Italian daily) La Stampa runs tomorrow and I know they’re really excited. This is clearly not the kind of story you work on every day.
The Skype call was arranged between the HFPA’s offices in West Hollywood and the Ecuadorian embassy in London where Assange has been living since June 2012 when he was granted diplomatic asylum. In his interview Assange warned of the dangers posed by the American security complex. He also stated that his family had received death threats. The interview took several months to arrange, and is timed perfectly to coincide with the release of the biopic The Fifth Estate, which Assange told the HFPA was
opportunistic and hostile.
The movie may well be, but it is also fomenting an increased interest in WikiLeaks, Assange, and the charges against him in Sweden. And while Assange may feel contrary to the adage that any publicity is good publicity, he’s getting a lot–and by speaking up again The Fifth Estate so clearly and loudly, so is the film. People will go to see it, and hopefully they will look deeper and longer into Assange, into WikiLeaks, into Bradley Manning and Edward Snowden.
And it also remains to be seen if the HFPA will nominate The Fifth Estate for any Golden Globe categories.
Assange’s stay in the Ecuadorian Embassy began in June of last year when the British government sought, per the HFPA’s explanation:
to extradite him to Sweden under a European Arrest Warrant for questioning in relation to a sexual assault investigation. Metropolitan police officers have been stationed outside the embassy since Assange entered the building and have been ordered to arrest him if he attempts to leave… WikiLeaks has been involved in the publication of material documenting extra-judicial killings in Kenya, a report on toxic waste dumping on the Ivory Coast, Church of Scientology manuals, Guantanamo Bay detention camp procedures, the July 12 2007 Baghdad air strike video and other documents.
At one point there were five WikiLeaks film projects in development. I’m just bummed no one is making a musical…Magic Leap may be raising as much as $1 billion to fund their vision of a future filled with augmented reality glasses.
A Delaware filing dated Wednesday was provided to us by CB Insights, confirming that the secretive startup has authorized about $1 billion in new funding. The filing authorizes over 37 million shares of Series D preferred stock at $27 per share. No details on investors yet. Using this and previous filings, Pitchbook estimates the post-money valuation to be up to $6.5 billion.
A spokesperson for Magic Leap would not confirm that the round had been completed.
To date, the most remarkable public details to emerge regarding the Plantation, Florida augmented reality startup have been the substantial cash they’ve raised and the noteworthy names that are backing them. This round withstanding, the company has publicly announced nearly $1.4 billion in funding coming from high-profile investors that include Google, Alibaba and Andreessen Horowitz.
This substantial amount of funding has placed Magic Leap firmly in the public eye, but the only official hints of the startup’s consumer product strategy have emerged from dated patent filings and cryptic remarks by the company’s leadership referring to the launch of a device it seems to be tentatively calling “Magic Leap One.”
A report last month in Bloomberg suggested that the AR startup may be readying itself to begin shipment of the device to a “small group of users” in the next six months at a price that could be as much as $2,000. In the past few weeks, the company has begun a new marketing push that has included a branding revamp with a new logo, new website and a new promo video which promises that “the whole story is coming soon.”It is a great time to be a science fiction fan.
With Doctor Who, Star Trek, and Star Wars all enjoying resurgences in popularity, with video games like Halo, movies like Interstellar, and even the movie adaptations of Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy, the prospects for science fiction have never seemed brighter.
So, why, then, is it such a horrible time to be a reader of science fiction?
According to Publisher’s Weekly, science fiction books are having a major sales problem–down seven percent in 2014, after a drop of 21% in 2013. Fewer and fewer people are reading it, despite the explosion of science fiction everywhere else. Taflak Lysandra L. Neil Smith Check Amazon for Pricing.
Why is science fiction–as a book genre–dying, while simultaneously conquering Hollywood, television, and video games?
Over the last twenty or thirty years, the science fiction publishing industry has changed. Now, all of the major publishers, save one, take the political viewpoints of writers into account before publishing their works. And if that writer happens to be libertarian, or conservative, or holds any views that don’t mesh neatly with the left-wing attitudes of the editors and publishers, then the only publisher willing to read their material is Baen. Political correctness has become the key to science fiction, so excellent writers who don’t fit the mold are almost completely excluded from publishing and awards.
Larry Correia describes how he came to learn this:
You know what I found? WorldCon voters angry that a right-wing Republican (actually I’m a libertarian) who owned a gun store (gasp) was nominated for the prestigious Campbell. This is terrible. Did you know he did lobbying for gun rights! It’s right there on his hateful blog of hatey hate hate! He’s awful. He’s a bad person. He’s a Mormon! What! Another damned Mormon! Oh no, there are two Mormons up for the Campbell? I bet Larry Correia hates women and gays. He’s probably a racist too. Did you know he’s part of the evil military industrial complex? What a jerk. Meanwhile, I’m like, but did they like my books? No. Hardly any of them had actually read my books yet. Many were proud to brag about how they wouldn’t read my books, because badthink, and you shouldn’t have to read books that you know are going to make you angry. Vortex Travelers: S |
Conference Center
02 (M) – Mezzanine Level, The Peabody Grand Ballroom, Venetian Room, Continental Ballroom, Louis XVI Room, Forest Room, Hernando DeSoto Room, The Tennessee Exhibit Hall, The Peabody Memorabilia Room, Francis Scott Key Piano, Hotel Kitchens, Banquet Offices
01 (L) – The Grand Lobby, Chez Philippe, Cappriccio Grill, The Lobby Bar, Lansky Brothers, The Corner Bar, Peabody Deli and Desserts, The Grand Galleria of Shops, Guest Registration, Valet, Concierge, Bell Stand
LL – Lower Level (Basement), Administrative Offices, Feather's Day Spa and Salon, Peabody Athletic Club, Shoeshine Parlor, Hotel Pool
At one time Northwest Airlines had a ticket office in the Peabody Hotel Arcade.[15]It's all about the journey
In the Mass Effect trilogy, Commander Shepard was already a hero. No matter which origin story players chose for their Shep, male or female, the commander had already demonstrated bravery, resourcefulness and, above all, the ability to lead.
Walters, referencing the trailer shown, had one big thing to point out: a younger cast of characters seen on-screen. Where players pick up Mass Effect as "a hero who then became a legend," Walters said, Andromeda focuses on characters who are far greener.
The details of Mass Effect: Andromeda, the next entry in BioWare's ambitious, space opera-esque series, have largely remained obscure. It's not "Mass Effect 4," but it is a game that builds on the concepts established by the trilogy: exploration, exotic worlds and relationships. The developer's most telling look at the game so far arrived at Electronic Arts' E3 press conference.
Strangers in a strange land
"We've probably all experienced at one point in time where we kind of felt like a fish out of water," Walters said.
In the Mass Effect universe, that concept is pushed to the nth degree. Mass Effect: Andromeda is no exception. You're not just an unfamiliar face; you're an entirely different race in a totally new place. Walters calls the game the story of a stranger in a strange land.
"People are kind of looking at you and going, 'Well, who are you and what are you doing here?'" he said. "This isn't your home. The only way that works is if we really make that an integral part of the story, and the story of the characters that you meet when you're there."
Over the course of our interview, there are a few ideas at play that Walters mentions: stranger in a strange land, "I am the alien," becoming a hero. These ideas date back to the earliest days of the project, he said, when BioWare was thinking about how to pursue a "hero's journey" kind of tale.
"we look to the stars as humans. It's something that's kind of in us"
"It would be very easy for us to go in and, you know, be the typical space marine who goes in and doesn't really recognize the impact that they're having on everything that's happening there," he said.
"What we want is someone who — I mean, it is a third-person shooter. What we don't want is someone who is like, 'What's a gun? I don't know what a gun is.' It's very important to us that, you know, you come ready for whatever's there, but to me it's more about, well, what experiences have they had up to that point. Has it just been training, have they actually had any live action, and most of the things we'll start talking about during the fall as well. You can imagine the difference between that and Commander Shepard."
This is something BioWare struggled with a lot on the original trilogy, Walters said — that you'd expect Shepard to know so much, and yet somehow players must be on-boarded into the universe and its workings as well.
Departures and delays BioWare has seen several departures in the last few months, including Mass Effect Andromeda's lead writer, Chris Schlerf. The Halo 4 writer announced in February that he would leave BioWare to go work at Destiny developer Bungie. When asked about the impact of Schlerf's and other departures, Walters said Andromeda's story was already "pretty much set." "That's why a really strong vision on a project is probably one of the most important things," he said. "A lot of other elements can change on a project, who's involved, timelines, all that kind of thing. If you have a strong vision, then everybody's at least got that sort of guiding light that they can move toward... Chris is a phenomenal writer, a person who we loved a lot of the stuff that he did, and even what he has injected into the team, a lot of that is gonna carry forward." He added that Schlerf's leaving did not contribute to the game's recent delays. "It didn't have anything to do with the delays or anything like that. People coming and going always affects your day-to-day, but it doesn't always affect your project.
"We're freeing ourselves up with in this game," he said. "It's new to the protagonist in the story as well, so you get to experience it with them, ask all the questions that they're probably asking as well and kind of go on that journey together."
This is true of characters within the game as well. Walters spoke briefly about how the team considered the kind of journey Andromeda's hero would experience with his or her fellows as well, and how they might form a bond.
"Think about it: alone in another galaxy," he said. "You don't necessarily have all the supports available to you that, say, Commander Shepard would have. How do they deal with those scenarios? For me, the most interesting thing about writing any character is not about trying to come up with some interesting hook for that character, but rather it's more about putting them in interesting circumstances and then seeing how they react to it. What could be more interesting than a brand new galaxy to explore with who knows what you could find with every planet?"
When asked if it's a more personal story than Shepard's journey, Walters concedes that's a fair observation. The team leaned into the more personal aspect, he said, but it's still Mass Effect. You can still expect the grand-scale of space and a driving sense of "there's something else out there."
Walters is still tight-lipped on the plot beats of Andromeda, dropping no more than hints about the state of Mass Effect's universe in a post-Shepard era. They point to fall for further announcements, when they'll have more to share on gameplay and the conflict at the heart of Andromeda.
"We're not getting into specifics right now, but you can imagine how long it would take to — even with the best technology, travel to a new galaxy — so you can imagine this is taking place quite a distance in the future," Walters said. "But there are strong ties to the original trilogy that players will recognize. "
Walters compares the original trilogy to a sort of foundational background; it's established the game's species and the general concepts and technology of the Mass Effect universe. That means new players can jump into this game with no previous knowledge of Shepard or the reapers.
"We'll be re-explaining [the series' technology and concepts] in this game, but other than that, this is very much a standalone game that then takes place in a completely new galaxy," he said.
The human lens
BioWare
In the original Mass Effect trilogy, Shepard was a central hero around which everything was built. The character appeared almost exclusively as the same guy in trailers and ads until Mass Effect 3, when BioWare let players choose a default "FemShep" to represent the game. It was an intentional choice that is perhaps a thing of the past, Walters said.
"When we started the Mass Effect trilogy, there was this idea of it being very cinematic and movie-like," he said. "So having a singular, titular hero that people recognized, and they had the same name and the same gender and everything like that, the same look — that was important at the time.
"I think that's something we've moved away from, and we want to embrace choice and diversity with what you can do in the game. I think you can expect to see more of that in the game as we go forward. It's less about saying, here is a named character who you will play, and more this is the role that you can play and this is the way you can play it in."
One thing staying the same: Players will still control a human hero. According to Walters, Mass Effect has always been a very human-centric story. It gives the players a foothold in the game's expansive lore, something they can relate back to.
"The first game was very much about humanity coming on the scene, and then finding themselves the underdog," he said. "I think that's always been just core to the story that we're trying to tell — seeing all of this through human eyes. Ultimately we're all humans. That's the story that we're going to relate to and understand the most. It's part of the franchise, part of the IP.
"When you look for something we can all understand — you look at, even today, there's this huge desire for people to talk about or learn about exploration, whether it's talking about going to colonize Mars, we look to the stars as humans. It's something that's kind of in us. We want to travel there. Being able to recapture that from a human perspective is ultimately the best way to sort of tell that story."
Andromeda's hero is largely still a mystery. Since the game's reveal, BioWare has dropped a few hints about the character: the deliberate use of Johnny Cash's "Ghost Riders in the Sky," and a fan-spotted dog tag (among other hints). Producer Mike Gamble confirmed that Andromeda's hero will go by the the handle "Ryder" — further confirming that the character we see waking up near the trailer's end is, in fact, the game's lead.Happy 2013!
This year opens with an exciting new project I’ve planned for my website: Each month, I will be posting a new interview with a studio potter.
First up is Jeff Campana. Jeff and I were fellow graduate students at Indiana University. He is an amazingly talented potter living and working in Helena, MT. To the left is a photo of Jeff re-constructing one of his pieces.
Before I begin the interview, I wanted to share a “small world” story about Jeff’s work: A few years ago, I toured the Homer Laughlin China Company (famously known as the Fiesta-ware Factory) in the northern panhandle of West Virginia with students from West Virginia University. When we entered the design studio, I noticed that there was only one poster hanging on the wall in the main design room: a poster of Jeff Campana’s works. I recently returned to HLCC with a group of students from BGSU, and Jeff’s poster was still the only one there. When I asked the art director why he only had Jeff’s poster on the wall, he said that not only did he admire Jeff’s work, but the poster was the most well designed poster he’d seen of an artist’s collective works. So, if you find yourself in Newell, WV, stop by the Homer Laughlin China Company and ask to visit the design studio.
For more information about Jeff and his work, please visit his fresh new website: jeffcampana.com. If you’d like to view available work, stop by his etsy shop: CampanaCeramics.
Hope you enjoy the interview!
How did you first get involved in ceramics?
I took a class my Sophomore year of High School. I pretty much knew right away that ceramics would always be a major interest of mine for the rest of my life. It just felt immediately like I was supposed to be a potter.
Can you briefly describe your background and education?
I chose my undergrad school based on the ceramics program. At the time, the University of Wisconsin Whitewater was by far my favorite ceramics program, so I went there. I took my time, spending 6 years there. I was a good student, but didn’t feel ready to move on to the next phase, so I just stayed and dedicated a lot of time to ceramics. After a year of trying to work independently, I got into grad school at Indiana University.
As a fellow classmate in graduate school, I wonder how you feel that your formal education prepared you for your career in ceramics? Is there anything you wish you had known before leaving school?
Very little about the art education system, with only a couple of exceptions that I know of, is based on preparing students to be professional artists. I was never taught anything about what is really involved in making a living from the making of art. All academia concerns itself with as an institution is artist statements, defending one’s work, theses, resume lines, etc. Things that could get you a job teaching ceramics.
Too bad none of that stuff really matters when you are out there making work and selling it to people. People who buy art largely don’t care about artist statements and all that stuff. They are more concerned with whether they feel the need to own a piece, and to a lesser degree, some collectors care about whether the artist seems like someone that will continue to grow and remain a known artist. The way you do this is not by writing fancy statements, but by continuously making work and selling it to people.
When I left grad school, I thought, as many do, that I would teach for a living. I wish I knew what an underpaid, under-appreciated, overworked, nomadic shitstorm that would be before I decided to go that route. It’s so much better for me to just make work all day. Thankfully I figured it out before it was too late. The actual people I worked with and for were all wonderful, but institutionally, early stages of a teaching careers are a very bad deal for the instructors. You need 3-5 years of adjunct/junior faculty experience before anyone will seriously consider you for a tenure track position in today’s market. If you are not familiar with what adjuncting really is, take a look at http://www.adjunctproject.com
How would you describe your work? How did you arrive at working this way?
My work is functional pottery that has been deconstructed and reconstructed in such a way that the seams of rejoining create beautiful decoration to the interior and exterior. When the glaze runs and pools, it emphasizes the tectonic structure and gives the seams incredible depth. It appears merely decorative, but at the same time there’s hidden connotations. The way it was made is an intriguing enigma to most. Also, there’s the fact that it was made more beautiful by being destroyed and rebuilt. Although they are cheerfully colored and shiny and bright, they sprouted up from a very dark place. They are as much about destruction as they are about nourishment and beauty. When I work, I feel like I’m part chemist, part craftsman, part designer, part engineer, and part inventor. I really like a good challenge, so I enjoy making things that are seemingly impossible. There is no end to the problem solving.
Would you explain your attraction for functional ceramics?
Like all potters I enjoy that people out there use my work daily. At this point there must be 2000+ pieces out there in about 10 different countries. I like thinking about how these objects I made are impacting the lives of all sorts of people. Occasionally, I get emails from people who dropped a mug and urgently need a replacement. This is verification that what I do matters to other people. The main reason I make pots, though, is that I simply like solving the problems that utility provides me.
What is the inspiration for your pieces? How do you come up with new ideas? Can you walk us through your creative process when coming up with new forms/ideas?
Inspiration usually comes from process for me. I like refinement and see that as a legitimate creative endeavor. So a lot of my growth is just trying to make better versions of what I have already made. I look at my work and figure out ways to make it better. Every once in a while, I decide to make something truly new. New forms take years to develop, as there are so many things to figure out. I sketch a bit, and then I throw “sketch pots” that I don’t intend to keep. They are rough, and rarely make it past greenware. I make physical sketches because I need to work out the how of the cutting. I need to know the lines in 3 dimensions. I have such a busy production schedule these days that I only get to squeeze these in occasionally. Once a form has been worked out, sometimes I need to make generations of them before they get good enough to release to the public. That’s where dinner plates are right now. Everything’s figured out, now I need practice.
I know you moved around a lot post graduate-school. How have these experiences after school prepared you for where you are now? Could you describe some of the most influential or career changing experiences you’ve had since you’ve left school?
I was well on my way to a career teaching at University. I adjuncted at the University of Louisville, Indiana University Southeast, both in the Louisville area, for a couple years, then moved to Helena for a summer residency at the Bray. I then got a full time technician gig at Bennington College in Vermont. After exactly one school year, I moved back to Helena to be a long term resident at the Bray. These experiences did teach me a lot. Learning to speak about what you do in completely basic layman’s terms actually clarifies what you do to yourself. I had the opportunity to meet a lot of wonderful colleagues, coworkers, and students. People who are lifelong friends now. It was very, very hard though, and most of that time was spent desperately poor and quite lonely. Nomadism can be fun, but for an introvert like me, it meant I was alone most of the time. Basically, what I got out of the whole experience is the sense that if I got through all that, I can endure anything. Toughness.
Was there a point in your career that you made a decision to sell your pots for a living? Could you describe how you came to that decision?
I had finally gotten a tenure-track Assistant Professor job offer, something I had been working toward for years. At the same time, I had been invited to be a long term resident at the Bray, something I had always dreamed of doing. I knew if I took the job, I might never get a chance to go to the Bray. That decision changed the direction of my career. I used my first year here to figure out whether I could make a living purely from my pots or not, and it turned out that I can. My plans now are to establish my own studio, in Helena, and try to make a go of it. It’s not that teaching is unpleasant, it’s that making a living by making art is just so awesome.
How have your experiences so far been different or similar to your expectations when you set out?
Happily, I can say that things are working out better than I had imagined. I remember in grad school, everything seemed so hopeless. I got a couple lucky breaks right out of the gate and then was able to capitalize on them, and make things happen. I never anticipated enjoying the business/marketing side of being an artist, but ended up loving it.
What does a typical workday look like for you? How much do you spend on marketing vs. making?
I wake up whenever I’m done sleeping (which is awesome), and immediately start on the stuff I call homework. My two bedroom apartment is basically a shipping center, warehouse, photo studio, and office – with a bed in the corner. So while coffee is brewing, I’m already going on this sort of stuff – packing Etsy sales, packing shows, photographing work, emailing people, facebook promotion, ordering supplies, if it’s nice out, go for a hike, etc. I usually cut myself off at noon, which is about 4 hours or so after I wake up, and go in to the studio. I like to work 8 hours in the studio at most. When in there, I am able to spend my time on whatever part of the process, but I try to stay very efficient and in my own world, with my giant cordless headphones and some Rdio. After that, maybe go out for a drink with friends, maybe come home and kick back. I work for 5-6 weeks in a row, no days off, and then when a cycle finishes, I try to get out of town for a week or so, but at least take 5 days off if I have no travel plans. It’s important to take breaks and avoid burning out. I am always trying to figure out how to get the same amount done in less time. I would love to trim it down to 50 hours a week.
How does an artist go about acquiring business and marketing skills? What piece of advice would you give to others just starting out?
Well, since nobody is going to teach them that in school, working artists are left to acquire business savvy the same way they learn anything else. Trial and error, persistence, critical thinking, careful deliberation, spontaneous curiosity fulfillment, falling on their ass and getting right back up, exploiting anything that works, abandoning anything that doesn’t. Fearlessness.
For marketing, my best piece of advice is to approach it with creativity, treat it the same way you treat making work. I think of marketing, everything from how I shoot the work to webpage updates to writing copy on Etsy as part of the process. A piece is finished for me when someone else owns it. Until then, it is in progress. Come up with things that work for you, not necessarily by the book. We live in exciting times, where you can invent your own brand identity and market it easily, and without even the help of galleries, amass a global following. Because I am willing to ship internationally and have a strong internet presence, I sell work all over the world.
What is your relationship with galleries (on and offline)? How has that relationship changed over time?
Galleries end up being very important, but some are effective and some aren’t. Some gallery affiliations just don’t work out, and when that happens, I’m not afraid to pull out of it and put my work somewhere else. I have some wonderful galleries that I know are out there working on my behalf, and I have come to know the managers or owners. They give the very best business advice if you pick their brain. I always respect my gallery relationships by not undercutting them. If I sell a piece directly to someone and get 100% of that money, it still costs the same to the customer as it would if they bought it at the gallery where I get 50%. If someone commissions something as a result of a gallery experience, you have to let the gallery know and give them a cut. I have had 5 galleries go out of business so far, so it’s not like they are getting rich off the exploitation of artists as many seem to think. They have to pay people to work there, pay the gas bill, pay a mortgage and whatnot, all for the purpose of allowing people to experience new art in person before they buy. That is a valuable service they provide to both the artist and the customer. They earn that cut.
You have had an Etsy site for quite a few years now. How has your experience on Etsy helped your career? What percentage of your income comes from Etsy sales vs. retail galleries?
I love Etsy. It has a great community, and sales are pretty good on there for me. Maybe ¼ of my income comes from Etsy sales. My favorite thing about it is the access to the customers. I might have regular customers at galleries, but never know it. With galleries it is boxes of pots that get shipped out, and paychecks that arrive in the mail. With Etsy, customers are in contact with me. I know where the pots go, and I get feedback. The whole transaction has much more meaning to me, and hopefully to the customer as well.
Finally, what advice can you give aspiring artists struggling to find their own voice/style?
One great quote our old professor Tim Mather always said on this subject was “The best way to ensure you never find your aesthetic is to go looking for it”. I think it’s just a matter of forgetting what anyone else thinks for a while. Indulge your own quirky stupid curiosities, and keep an open mind about what you see in the results. Once you have something that thrills you, just make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make make. It’s really that easy. If you get bored, try something new. It takes a lot of making to truly figure something out. Make so many things that your studio feels like it’s bursting at the seams. As the craftsmanship improves over time, so will the clarity of meaning and intention. Choices are made all the time. The choices you make mean something, even if you don’t know what at the time. Schools teach this backwards, I think. Most importantly, have fun with it.
Again, for more information about Jeff and his work, please visit his fresh new website: jeffcampana.com. If you’d like to view available work, stop by his etsy shop: CampanaCeramics.
AdvertisementsPracticing your guitar doesn’t have to take all day. And it doesn’t have to be complicated. Remember there is a big difference between practice and playing. We Practice so we can Play Better!! Here's how to make your guitar practice time work for you :
Break your practice time up into thirds. Even if you only have 15 minutes to spend on your instrument, 5 minutes of practicing each section correctly will yield great results.
Warm Up!
Just like an athlete, you are using muscles over and over so it's a great idea to warm them up. I know, younger players will say they don't need to. Let me tell you, after playing guitar for 20 plus years, warming up will make all the difference in the world. Best way I've found: chords. For beginners, just take two chords that you know and switch between them for say 20-30 repetitions. Switch chords and repeat. More advanced players use Barre Chords, or drop some music theory in the mix and switch chords using the circle of 5ths.
Scales!
There's no denying that at some point you will be using scales in your playing. Again, repetition is the key to learning. Pick any scale and practice it in every key. Whether it's the tried and true Minor Pentatonic or a more advanced Harmonic Minor, play them in every key! Play them low on the neck where the frets are wider. Play them higher where the frets are smaller. Mixing them up gets your fingers and muscles more comfortable all over the neck. Pro tip: If you want to play fast, you have to practice slow.
Jam!
Yes, the part of practice that everyone loves. During the first two parts of practice your focus was on Great Sounding Chords and Scales. You were paying attention to finger placement on the neck. Your chords were sounding out clearly with no muted notes and no buzzing. Your scales were smooth and fluent. Now that you put all that effort into working on your technique, let's hear what you can do. Start jamming to your favorite songs. There are plenty of backing tracks out there on YouTube and other sites that will allow you to play along with a full band with the guitars removed.
Consistency is the key. Play every day! Remember that even 10 minutes a day is better than putting in an hour once a week. If you can, get a guitar stand and keep the guitar out of it's case. You're more inclined to pick it up and play if you can see it. (This works great for the office too.) Nothing can the relieve stress of a job like closing the door for 10 minutes and playing guitar.
One more thing when it comes to finding time to practice: If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse! It's not hard to find 15 minutes in your day, especially when the outcome is a lifetime of enjoyment!
Matt Brechbiel has been teaching students of all ages and levels to play the guitar for over 20 years.
Book a online guitar lesson with him
or visit him at
mattbmusic.com
.news Two Federal Coalition Members of Parliament have flagged their intention to conduct a door-knocking campaign in their Queensland electorates to garner support for a petition which would support faster high-speed broadband being rolled out to their regions; effectively, a petition in support of the Coalition’s fibre to the node rival NBN plan.
The two MPs, Peter Dutton and Seath Holswich, represent the Dickson and Pine Rivers electorates to the north of Brisbane in Queensland (Dickson contains part of Brisbane). The pair issued a joint statement in late January noting that they were dissatisfied with the rollout of Labor’s National Broadband Network project in their electorates and wanted to campaign for faster change.
In their statement, the pair pointed out that currently, businesses in the communities of Brendale and Strathpine were not scheduled to receive the National Broadband Network in the next 3-5 years.
“The rollout is taking too long and costing too much, and is not prioritising the areas with the worst broadband today” Dutton said. Mr Holswich added that he had met with business owners who had to invest in a deal with a telecommunications company, which cost them $15,000 to have a fibre run down their street. On top of that they are paying $1000 a month in line rental.
“This is not an affordable cost for small business owners in Pine Rivers and that is why Peter and I felt something had to be done,” he said. Dutton stated that the Coalition was committed to upgrading broadband sooner, cheaper and more affordably for consumers. “It will see existing infrastructure used where possible and use a mix of technologies to help benefit all users” Dutton said.
Holswich and Dutton said they planned to doorknock surrounding businesses and residential homes to gather signatures and Dutton would subsequently present the petition to the Federal Parliament later this year.
The pair are accurate in their claims that the adjoining Brendale and Strathpine areas are not slated to receive the NBN in the next three years under NBN Co’s existing rollout plan. However, it appears that Holswich and Dutton have been quite selective in choosing areas to criticise regarding the NBN rollout, as is evident from the map of the region above.
For example, directly to the south-east of Brendale, there is an extensive NBN rollout zone ranging from Bridgeman Downs to Carseldine almost to Geebung, where construction of the NBN’s fibre has already commenced, and there is another area to the right in Nudgee, Banyo and around the Eagle Farm Racecourse where construction has already commenced. There are other areas around that geography which are slated to receive the NBN’s fibre within the next one to three years.
It’s a similar situation to the north of Strathpine, where construction has already commenced around Petrie and construction is slated to start within one year on either side.
In addition, it’s not clear that Dutton and Holswich’s claims that the Coalition would roll out high-speed broadband to the regions mentioned are accurate. Currently, the Coalition has committed to a fibre to the node-style rollout, as opposed to the more comprehensive fibre to the premise-style rollout which constitutes the current Labor NBN project. However, the Coalition has also committed to requesting the Productivity Commission to undertake an extensive cost/benefit analysis into Australia’s broadband needs following the upcoming Federal Election, which could delay any infrastructure rollout by a period expected to be up to six months.
In addition, the Coalition will also need to rework NBN Co’s extensive contract with Telstra, which took more than a year to negotiate initially, and it will also need to sign contracts with construction companies and network equipment vendors for its fibre to the node rollout to proceed; a process which has occupied much of the first several years of NBN Co’s history after it was set up in mid-2009.
Dutton’s comments last month are not the first time the Liberal MP has attacked Labor’s National Broadband Network project. In March 2011, for example, Dutton issued a joint media release with Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull denouncing the NBN, following a local forum held by Dutton in Samford.
“There is no evidence whatsoever that the massive increase in speeds delivered by fibre-the-home will deliver any extra value or benefit to Australian households. Labor’s NBN is the least cost effective policy,” said Turnbull at the time in the joint media release. “The only thing that can be said for sure is that a national fibre to the home network, overbuilding and decommissioning our entire national fixed line customer access network, is by far the most expensive solution imaginable.”
Dutton and Holswich are also not the only Coalition MPs from seats in the Brisbane area who has recently criticised the NBN. In April 2012, for example, Turnbull also issued a similar joint media release with the Member for Bowman, Andrew Laming. At the time, the pair claimed that the NBN rollout in Brisbane “almost entirely” targeted safe Labor seats in the city, despite analysis having consistently shown no political bias in the NBN rollout and NBN Co itself strongly denying any such bias. At the time, Laming engaged in a war on words with a number of online commentators on Twitter with respect to the NBN project (see also Michael Wyres’ post on the subject here).
opinion/analysis
To be honest, I find it quite amusing that Coalition MPs have flagged plans to door-knock their electorates regarding the NBN issue. I suspect it will quite a fruitless exercise in general.
The first reason why I believe this is that the NBN has remained an overwhelmingly popular policy over the past few years. I believe frustration over the Howard Government’s anemic broadband policy was a minor factor in the 2007 Federal Election, and in the 2010 Federal Election internal Liberal Party analysis showed the Coalition’s poor broadband policy at that point was a substantial factor in the party not winning seats in key electorates in areas such as Tasmania. Since that time, independent polling has shown the NBN continues to enjoy enduring popularity as a policy.
When you couple this with the fact that the Coalition hasn’t yet released a hard communications policy to stack up against the Government’s firm NBN vision, and the fact that fibre to the node as a concept is a lot harder to explain than the “fibre everywhere” vision that Labor’s NBN project represents, you have to wonder whether Dutton and Holswich will have a hard time selling their message in their electorates.
I imagine that their efforts may actually stimulate some Queenslanders to become better informed about the NBN debate in general; and informally, history shows that when people become better informed about the NBN, they tend to support it. Queenslanders are a smart bunch and I expect they, like most of Australia, will continue to broadly support the NBN project.
Expect to see more of this kind of behaviour from Coalition MPs as the Federal Election in September gets closer, especially from junior MPs connected with Turnbull.
Image credit: NBN Co, Office of Peter DuttonSpread the love
Danby, New York – A SWAT team in New York entirely demolished a family’s home last week in order to arrest a DUI suspect.
The aftermath of the raid looked more like the devastation caused by a tornado or earthquake, and the police have made no mention of the destruction in their reports.
During the standoff, the suspect shot and killed himself to avoid going to jail, but now his family is left homeless, and there is very little chance that the police who participated in the raid will help in any way.
According to The Ithaca Journal, 36-year-old David M. Cady Jr. had recently missed court dates relating to a DUI arrest, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. At around 7 p.m. on December 30th, police arrived at Cady’s house to serve a warrant, but he refused to leave his home because he was afraid of going to jail. Cady’s wife, Melissa, and their two son’s were also in the house at the time of the raid.
Police then pulled hundreds of officers from at least 18 different local police departments and staged a 3 day siege of the family’s home.
The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Department made a statement which glossed over the destruction of the home, saying only that they “breached the outside area of the house.”
In the statement, they said:
“Eventually, law enforcement knew and anticipated needing to enter the residence, in order to take the subject into custody. Based upon the information being developed through interviews and practices used by other agencies in the past, it became necessary to breech part of the outside area of the house to ensure the safety of all involved.”
The police have also said that they had to handle the situation the way they did because Cady was a gun owner.
Whether or not you agree with Cady’s decision to hide from police on his property, the police had no right to demolish his home and leave his family homeless.
“She really has lost all the stability in her life in one fell swoop, so she will have to go through quite a period of readjustment. It’s pretty traumatic — this is awful stuff we’re dealing with,” Danby Federated Church pastor Ed Enstine told The Ithaca Voice.
“She’s basically lived her own life and worked and doesn’t take handouts very easily, but in this case she’s basically back to square 1 … square 0, at this point. We’re all just trying to figure out how to do something,” Enstine added.
See the destruction in the video below:
John Vibes is an author, researcher and investigative journalist who takes a special interest in the counter culture and the drug war. In addition to his writing and activist work he is also the owner of a successful music promotion company. In 2013, he became one of the organizers of the Free Your Mind Conference, which features top caliber speakers and whistle-blowers from all over the world. You can contact him and stay connected to his work at his Facebook page. You can find his 65 chapter Book entitled “Alchemy of the Timeless Renaissance” at bookpatch.com.General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and paramount leader of China
Xi Jinping (;[2][3] Chinese: 习近平; Mandarin pronunciation: [ɕi� |
and remove links without using the browser, and the functionality is also available in the bottom toolbar as "+" and "-" buttons.
There's a decent selection of keyboard shortcuts to navigate between previous and next items, archive, mark as favorite, and "open in browser" (links can be opened in the background by setting an option in the Preferences); you can't create new Instapaper folders from the app -- nor can you configure custom keyboard shortcuts for quickly moving items into one -- and there's a strange "Save" item from the File menu (I would guess a result from Xcode leftovers). Folders in the sidebar don't have an unread count badge (the Unread section does), but you can hide accounts like mailboxes in Mail. You can add accounts from the Preferences, and Pocket authentication uses the service's new API with OAuth 2.0.
ReadKit immediately stood out to me for its clean interface and simple interactions. The app is laid out like Mail: there's a list of services on the left; pieces of content are listed vertically in the middle; reading/watching videos/opening web views happens in the larger "content area" on the right. Articles are listed with their website favicon, bold headline, blue source link, and a brief excerpt; you can't right-click on an item in the Navigation view to bring up, for instance, a sharing menu. You also can't select multiple items at once. Text is downloaded using each server's stored copy and presented by default with a light theme (there are other three themes available in the Preferences) and the Optima font; you can tweak article width, line height, and alignment, but I was pretty happy with the default presentation.
In the article view, an "eye" icon in the bottom toolbar lets you toggle folders and navigation, something you can also do with keyboard shortcuts.
ReadKit feels inspired by Reeder in the way it puts search and "collapse sidebar" buttons in the middle panel. Unlike Reeder, though, you can't resize the sidebar to only icons for sections, so you'll always be forced to see the text labels. The top toolbar, containing buttons to expand the app in full-screen mode, share, star, archive, and a website favicon, is also reminiscent of Reeder, and like Pocket for Mac, ReadKit uses a popover for navigation if the folders aren't shown in the sidebar. ReadKit feels familiar, but I'm not sure about the use of favicons in the top toolbar (are they useful to give more context on the website you're reading if the article list isn't shown?) and the fact that you can't resize the sidebar down to simple icons (a trend I've become accustomed to).
I'm happy the developers decided to implement full-text search for the current folder, but I'd love to have match highlighting. Speaking of possible improvements, while I appreciate the native integration of Twitter and Facebook, I'd like to see more third-party services, such as Evernote, becoming available in the app.
My favorite little feature of ReadKit is search by field. You can click on the magnifying glass icon in the search field to search in All fields, or filter by Title, Content, URL, and, for Pocket, Tags. This is especially useful when I remember a specific title and permalink from an article I've read.
In spite of the improvements and feature ideas I've mentioned above, ReadKit is off to a solid start. It's got offline support, a clean interface (I'm a fan of "focus mode" in full-screen with no folders and navigation shown), and good support for Instapaper, Pocket, and Readability. The search feature is a great addition, and I'm looking forward to more third-party service integration for sharing, keyboard shortcuts, and fixes.
With Pocket having a great (and free) app available on the Mac, ReadKit is clearly aimed at Instapaper and Readability users looking for a desktop client, or people who use Instapaper for text and Pocket for everything else and who have been looking for a unified desktop experience. At $1.99 on the App Store, I recommend checking out ReadKit.Boasting, “The game just changed,” cloud giant Rackspace Hosting today announced it has bought SharePoint911.
Why? Think serious SharePoint cred with Microsoft SharePoint users, as Rackspace notes in its blog post about the acquisition:
SharePoint911 is a recognized thought-leader and authority in the SharePoint community and brings a technical powerhouse of SharePoint expertise ranging from architecture design, custom development, successful deployments and user adoption to Rackspace.
So what does Rackspace actually get in the box with SharePoint911?
Rackspace brags:
Its team of 16 industry experts, including six Microsoft MVPs (Most Valuable Professionals), is well-known and respected throughout the SharePoint community and sought out for training and global speaking engagements. Collectively, the team has authored more than 10 SharePoint books such as “Professional SharePoint 2010 Administration” and “Professional SharePoint 2010 Branding and User Interface Design” as well as nine SharePoint training courses.
There’s also some very practical and immediate value to Rackspace in the deal. Microsoft says it now has 125 million SharePoint users, and has experienced very rapid growth. This, in turn, has posed manage and control problems for enterprises. SharePoint 911 came to the rescue.
Rackspace says it is already one of the largest dedicated SharePoint providers. With the purchase, Rackspace will integrate SharePoint911’s consulting services into its services portfolio to better serve enterprise customers, the company said today.
Microsoft is aggressively marketing its cloud services, including SharePoint Online and also as part of Office 365. Rackspace buying SharePoint911 will “stand up” the SharePoint services and provide administration of them. “What SharePoint911 brings is the ability to help customers customize and build a whole solution around that,” Shane Young, President of SharePoint911, told GigaOm.
Melanie Posey, research vice president, hosting & managed network services at IDC said of the deal: “We believe that Rackspace has uniquely positioned itself above its competitors by adding the thought leadership and expertise of SharePoint911. Going forward, Rackspace can help to further accelerate adoption of SharePoint, one of the fastest growing applications in the business productivity segment.”
Have your say: Does this deal ultimately benefit Microsoft, or take away from its hosting prowess? Is it a game-changer?Bill Murray in the OED
When the Ghostbusters film was released in the mid-1980s it gave us many things: an earworm of a theme tune, an ideal group fancy dress costume, and a chance to appreciate Bill Murray’s wonderfully deadpan delivery of some classic lines. But who would have thought that one of these lines would have such an impact on the English language that it would earn itself an entry in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED)?
The line in question appeared in the script as: “Okay. That’s it! I’m gonna turn this guy into toast.” But thanks to some ad-libbing from Bill Murray – “This chick is toast” – it was instead the proleptic form which gained currency. The example quotations in the OED show that even two decades after the release of this cult film, this sense of toast lives on in the English language."It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it." - Oscar Wilde
This, I have to admit, is one of my favourite quotations, and by one of my favourite authors, too. All book readers know how sensitive -- even prickly -- we become about the books we read, or are seen reading.
I recall how defensive I once became over a book found on my bookshelf by a guest staying over at my place.
"It was given to me as a present, I didn't pick it," I found myself saying. It was a book about Napoleon, and it was given to me by one of my high school teachers who believed that Bonaparte's story would be an inspiration to me.
"It proves that you can do anything if you believe in yourself," were her words as she handed me the book. It was very sweet of her, but the truth is that it was the kind of book I would never have chosen myself.
I don't even remember now why I felt so defensive about it, but it probably had something to do with me not wanting to appear "geeky."
I was a teenager then: enough said.
I finally got around to reading the book last year on a train journey in Europe and it actually triggered conversation with some of the other passengers.
I began thinking about why we are so touchy about our books, and why we don't like people making judgments about us based on what we have on our bookshelves -- or even the ones we are seen browsing through at the book shop -- after something that happened in a bookstore in Abu Dhabi, UAE, the other day.
I was browsing the shelves when I "caught" a young Emirati man buying several romantic novels. I smiled and teased him about his books, and he blushed as he said: "No, no, I never read these. They are for my wife."
A likely story -- but I would have come up with something similar myself if I had just been caught with six romantic novels.
The reverse of being embarrassed by a book is that sense of connection you feel when you see a stranger reading one of your own favourites.
I am sure you have given the person a second look, or even started a conversation with them.
At the risk of sounding girly, I have to admit to having a particularly soft spot for Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Ten years on, my former classmates and I -- who have remained in touch despite living on different continents -- make references to the novel and even use some of its expressions in our daily lives.
Wherever I travel, I take my school copy and revisit the lines I underlined and the pages I marked. You can rediscover yourself through the books you collect.
I was reminded of how both a classmate and I preferred Mr. Wickham to Mr. Darcy.
But that "teenage crush" was due to the actor playing Wickham in the 1940 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
We smuggled the tape into class and watched it during our lunch break through a TV and video player we wheeled in from a science lab nearby. (It was the age of chunky video tapes, which I actually miss.)
Light, witty and flamboyant, this version is different in some parts than that of the book, but it leaves you smiling and with a good cozy feeling inside.
It has major stars of the golden era of cinema, like Maureen O'Sullivan as Jane, Greer Garson as Elizabeth and Laurence Olivier as Mr. Darcy. Less known, but with a lasting impression on me, was Edward Montague Hussey Cooper as Mr Wickham.
"It is those eyes... just so intense. So dreamy," is what we would say.
Of course, it was in black and white, and so we couldn't tell if they were blue or green or whatever, but they were hypnotic.
Watch it and you will see what I mean. Totally worth re-discovering it. Edna May Oliver was hilarious as Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
What is interesting to remember is that to this day, in traditional marriage and conservative societies, men like Mr. Darcy are in high demand and are the "dream" husband.
The more 'proud' and snobby this eligible bachelor is, the more he is valued as "wow" classy and marriage material.
Hate to admit it, but what family one belongs to and last names are very important when searching for partners, especially in the East.
But I digress. Back to books.
There is something comforting about looking at bookshelves filled with volumes that you have read. And there is no feeling worse than when the shelves are full and you have to throw or donate some of the books out.
Perhaps it is because reading actually isn't a passive activity: you have to put a considerable amount of yourself into it -- you have to visualise the main characters, hear their voices, picture the scenes.
It's why seeing the film of the book is often disappointing; it can never be as vivid as your own imagination.
And once you've done all that, it's difficult to simply discard the book, or give it to someone else.
You want to keep it.
I saw Oprah talking about the"Kindle, the digital book launched by Amazon in 2007, which lets you download books via the internet.
I was horrified.
It might save paper and reduces the weight of carrying books, but there is nothing that can compare with an old book; the feel, the smell, and the markings left behind by its previous owners.
I found one of my father's school books, Tolstoy's classic War and Peace, and I cherish it for it is packed with scrawled comments made by a very much younger Mr Ghazal.
Books, in their various forms, are one of the oldest forms of both entertainment and education.
They have been through many evolutions over the centuries -- from scrolls, to handwritten, to printed, to paperbacks -- and I guess we'll get used to digital books in time, though I don't think they will ever compete with the musty, slightly yellowing volumes on my shelves.
A particular book I cherish is one I bought for a mere three riyals (1 dollar), that was smuggled into school by a friend of mine in her pink "My little Pony" lunch box.
I kept the book about a princess and her friend the lion safe until I reached home.
I gave up a Kit Kat chocolate bar for that book.
There is an old Arabic proverb that sums up my feelings totally: "He who lends a book is an idiot and He who returns the book is more of an idiot."
But perhaps, the essence of book reading culture is best captured by the words of one wise leader: "Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new after all." - Abraham LincolnUpdated: Twitter has shared numerous aspects of its infrastructure over the past few years, and its decision to open source its work on MySQL might be the social media platform’s most useful contribution yet. Sure, open source big data tools are valuable, but they’re not MySQL.
Used by millions of web developers, MySQL is hugely popular; it’s the “M” in the LAMP stack that still underpins many web applications. But it has its problems, among them scalability and performance under the pressure of high transaction rates. This is part of the reason that NoSQL databases came into existence and continue to flourish. So, for anyone concerned with making MySQL scale, being able to see and build upon what a site like Twitter did with the code should be a big deal.
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It’s not like Twitter is alone in working on MySQL’s shortcoming or anything — companies such as Tokutek and ScaleBase are centered around this very premise, and Facebook has done some amazing things with the database — but Twitter’s willingness to open source its code is critical. No vendor licenses, no support contracts and no lock-in, just a tried and true MySQL fork from one of the world’ most successful web platforms.
As it turns out, however, Twitter’s move in open sourcing its core MySQL code comes after the company already open sourced various components that sit atop MySQL. In 2010, it open sourced Gizzard, a middleware component for creating distributed databases that can serve tens of thousands of queries per second, and FlockDB shortly thereafter.
Update: Someone alerted me that Facebook does have a site for sharing its MySQL patches, although it’s hosted at Launchpad. Earlier on Monday, commenters to a thread on the MySQL at Facebook page strongly urged Facebook to move its efforts to the far more popular Github, which is where Twitter hosts its code.Reports say HTC chairwoman Cher Wang personally filed a complaint to Taiwan's Investigation Bureau, which has since learned that Chien, Wu and Huang planned to set up a new design company (which is already registered under the Chinese name "Xiaoyu") aimed at the mainland Chinese market, and that they would resign after claiming their mid-year bonuses yesterday. The real beef HTC has here is that it apparently caught Chien secretly downloading files related to the upcoming Sense 6.0 UI design, and then shared them with external contacts via e-mail. The Investigation Bureau refused to comment on whether Sense 6.0 is related to the One Max due later this year.
The trio is also accused of making false commission fee claims for the One's aluminum chassis design. While the design was done in-house, the three men used an external design firm to invoice HTC for over US$334,000 worth of commission fee between May and July, and then they split the money between themselves.
We reached out to HTC for a statement on this matter, but the spokesperson didn't have much to provide at this moment:
"The matter is under investigation by relevant authorities. We therefore refrain from further comments."
Update: HTC now has a full statement:The mortgage crisis is far from over.
60 Minutes takes a new look at the state of the foreclosure crisis, interviewing homeowners, a regulator and so-called robo-signers, who approved thousands of foreclosure documents daily without reading them.
"It was just a matter of cutting corners," Sheila Bair, chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, tells CBS' Scott Pelley.
Home prices continue to fall, and record numbers of homeowners continue to lose their homes to foreclosure. Worse, the crucial documentation that should help organize this mess often makes matters more complicated, as homeowners and investors claim that banks botched or forged paperwork, raising concerns that many homeowners have been wrongfully kicked out of their homes.
Amid revelations that banks employed these "robo-signers," major mortgage companies temporarily halted foreclosures across the nation last fall, and all 50 state attorneys general joined together to probe the situation.
The Obama administration is working to reach an agreement with banks that would reduce mortgage payments for 3 million borrowers, in as few as six months, HuffPost's Shahien Nasiripour reported. But there is division among the federal agencies involved in the deal. It's unclear how much relief homeowners would win, or whether a deal would prevent banks from engaging in abusive practices in the future.
Home prices fell for the sixth straight month in January, according to the S&P Case-Shiller index. The number of existing home sales plummeted nearly 10 percent in February, according to the National Association of Realtors. About 6.9 million homeowners are either delinquent or in foreclosure proceedings through February, according to data provider Lender Processing Services.The WiiWare platform may not always be considered in a particularly glowing light, but it's undeniable that it did deliver some top-class download experiences. One of these was Swords & Soldiers from Ronimo Games, a side-scrolling real-time strategy title that made use of the Wii Remote pointer in an intuitive, natural way. Now Two Tribes is stepping in and publishing Swords & Soldiers HD on the Wii U eShop — having also produced an Android and iOS version — and we've taken on some battles to gauge the differences and whether an upgrade is worth your consideration.
The legacy of Two Tribes porting the title to smart devices is clear for all to see, in a positive sense, with the GamePad controls that are on offer. They're the primary area of distinction from WiiWare, as pointing is replaced with touch controls. As single and double taps are the primary inputs, there's much to be said for the precision offered by the stylus and resistive screen, which are ideal for the somewhat challenging levels that this title throws at you.
As you may recall from the WiiWare original, this real-time strategy approach places an emphasis of quick actions, with no direct control over units — your task is to find a right balance in using your money to invest and boost your available units and on-field assets. Mana, on the other hand, is a slowly replenishing source — which can be sped up through buying upgrades — used for magic or special abilities. You manage these aspects as your created units simply march to the right automatically, giving this a blend of genuine strategy and slightly frenzied action as you constantly replenish your army or unleash magic on the enemy. When in full flow it's as enjoyable a combination as it ever was.
The GamePad controls certainly cater to that desire for speed, and could be invaluable for those that found the campaign got too hot to handle on Wii. As before there are three tribes with separate campaigns — Vikings, Aztec and Chinese — and with the first down and the second underway we've found the going marginally easier this time around. It's all down to upgrades and purchases being a simple tap away, while moving left and right on the 2D battlefield is available with a swipe or flick on the right control stick. It's an excellent setup.
That said, playing on the GamePad has one downside — your eyes are glued to that smaller, lower resolution screen; it's big enough to control well, but that tablet-style option also means you can't enjoy the HD resolution boost of this version. It's a toss up, then, as Two Tribes has included Wii Remote pointer controls, as per the WiiWare original, to allow you to enjoy the spruced up visuals on the TV. The cartoon-like, caricatured units are still as full of verve as ever and look terrific — the visuals pop on a HD screen and stand up well to current-day standards. The downside of TV play is that the Wii Remote simply doesn't offer the speed and precision of touch, so it's down to individual players which option suits them best. For our money the GamePad is the way to go for the best performance.
Beyond the single player campaign there are unlockable challenges — one for each tribe — and a Skirmish mode, which allows you to customise aspects such as difficulty and map size for ad-hoc battles. Most notable is the return of local Multiplayer, which is a good example of how titles can be genuinely improved on Wii U beyond a superficial HD upgrade. As opposed to a split-screen each player now has a full screen each, with one using the GamePad touch screen and the other utilising the TV and pointer controls. It's a nice way for both players to have full viewpoints, and those interested in fairness will probably alternate between control schemes. If you beat your opponent with the GamePad and Wii Remote, you'll truly be the master of that battle.
Having played a dozen or so single player campaign levels and dabbled with the other modes, we're confident that this is a faithful and attractive port of the excellent original. It retains its appeal in the current day, as the simplicity of building resources and sending auto-moving soldiers forth is combined with a surprising degree of strategic depth. We're already noticing that same difficulty curve, and mindlessly spamming the wrong units or wasting resources does get punished. As we argued in our WiiWare review, there's more to this than may be obvious at first glance.
We're certainly positive about this one, on the way soon and likely at a thoroughly reasonable price. With Swords & Soldiers II currently in development this HD remake, with some GamePad bells and whistles included, could be an ideal warm-up for the future Wii U exclusive.A white TV reporter who voiced his opinions about black families and relations with police during a segment about a fatal police shooting said Tuesday he was suspended from his station and won't return.
Sean Bergin said he was suspended from News 12 New Jersey without pay on Monday and with pay on Tuesday. Bergin, a contracted employee, said the station told him that his assignments would be cut to one a week and he declined to remain in the position.
Bergin's report, which aired Sunday, featured the widow of a black man who police say shot a rookie Jersey City police officer to death and who was then killed by officers responding to the shooting. The widow, Angelique Campbell, told Bergin that Lawrence Campbell should have killed more officers, but she later apologized.
Bergin said in his report that the underlying cause of an anti-police mentality is young black men growing up without fathers.
"It's important to shine a light on this anti-cop mentality that has so contaminated America's inner cities," Bergin said after airing the widow's comments and showing a memorial for her husband. "The underlying cause of all of this, of course, young black men growing up without fathers."
The TV station said that the response to Bergin's report was being handled internally and that it doesn't comment on personnel matters.
"It is News 12's policy that reporters must be objective and not state personal opinions on-air," the station said in a statement Tuesday.
Bergin said that he added his commentary just before going on air because he had heard from police officers outraged that the station was airing the widow's comments.
"If I had it to do over again, I would do the exact same thing," Bergin said. "I broke the rules. I knew I was breaking the rules. But sometimes you have to break the rules to do the right thing."
He said that the issue of young black men without fathers deserves more media coverage.
The National Association of Black Journalists' president, Bob Butler, challenged Bergin's connection between young black men growing up without fathers and anti-police sentiments and said that Bergin went beyond the standards of a news reporter by inserting his views on the story.
"Are there problems in the inner city with kids without fathers? Yes. But does that make kids violent? No," Butler said. "There are a lot of kids without fathers who go to college, graduate and become upstanding citizens. He's talking about a social phenomenon where there's lack of opportunity in communities."
Bergin, 49, said that he has worked for News 12 as a freelance reporter for seven years, for six or seven days a week. He said he made about $1,300 a week working on stories in New Jersey and in New York's Long Island and Westchester County.
He said the station told him Tuesday that if wished to remain he would be limited to one story a week on Long Island for $300.Congressman Steve King (R) of Iowa has defended his position against the Employment Non Discrimination Act by saying that "If you don’t project it, if you don’t advertise it, how would anyone know to discriminate against you?" The entire segment about this can be seen in the video below. Essentially Representative King is saying that gays who "flaunt" it are bringing discrimination upon themselves, and that it's their fault. This philosophy breeds a closeted environment, and one in which only cisgender and "straight acting" individuals are safe at their workplace.
Congressman King has been no stranger to controversial remarks about the LGBT community and others. It was only a year ago that he warned that gay marriage will lead to socialism.
Congressman King can be contacted below:
1131 Longworth Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202.225.4426
E-contact form. TwitterOne way is through mind-body practices, like meditation, which “have been shown to cultivate positive and happy immune cells,” he says. Research has linked meditation to reduced negative inflammatory activity, increased positive antiviral response, improved function of specific strains of immune cells, and higher antibody production.
But perhaps the most striking theory posed of meditation is that it could alter genetic material.
In recent years, a new field of study, known as mind-body genomics, has emerged. Among the most well-known researchers in this area are Nobel laureate Elizabeth Blackburn, a biochemist at the University of California, San Francisco, and her colleague, psychiatrist Elissa Epel. Through a series of studies, the two found that meditation could affect the ends of DNA known as the telomeres, which act as protective caps for genes. The longer the telomere, the greater the protection conferred for the DNA strand, and the longer that cell can survive.
And telomeres, like immune cells, seem to respond to emotional cues. Negative external conditions like chronic stress that reduce eudaimonic happiness may shorten telomere length, while stress-reducing activities like meditation may help to maintain it. “Telomeres are affected by many things, but they are directly affected by stress. So we can see how improvements in our mental health, through the practice of meditation, might be linked to improvements in our telomeres,” Epel explains. “They offer us a window and some insight into how we are living, and help us appreciate how what we do today can affect our health tomorrow.”
As the field of mind-body genomics matures, the focus is moving towards gaining a better understanding of not only how DNA could be structurally changed by meditation, but also whether meditation can alter DNA functionally, through changes in how genes are expressed. In one recent study, for example, meditation was linked to enhanced expression of genes associated with insulin secretion, telomere structure, and cellular energy and function, and decreased expression of genes linked to inflammation and stress. What’s more, blood samples collected during the study found that experienced meditators showed changes in their genetic activity after just one meditation session.
With around 20,000 genes in the human genome, Cole, Epel, and other researchers have just scratched the surface of the connection between our emotional and biological selves. “We are an ever-changing conglomeration of cells very much influenced by our experience of the world around us,” Cole says. “At the rate we’re going, we have more data than we can make sense of. It’s this process that helps us get closer to understanding the black box. Who knows? Maybe in the future we may be able to sequence our own genes.” Epel agrees: “We don’t yet have the technology to monitor our telomeres, but it’s coming.”
In the meantime, though, the lessons of mind-body genomics still apply. “The experience you have today will influence the molecular composition of your body for the next 80 days, because that’s how long the average protein synthesized in your body today will hang around in the future,” Cole says. “So plan your day accordingly.”
This and other quotes of Cole's have been updated for clarity and accuracy.
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to [email protected]’s that time again. You may remember my old overclocking post for Raspberry Pi and the Raspberry Pi 2. Yes, still obsessed with performance.This Raspberry Pi 3 Overclock post seeks to overclock the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B. Squeezing out some extra performance without compromising stability. It’s highly recommended that you use a capable power supply with 2.5 amps or better. I’d recommend the CanaKit 5V 2.5A Raspberry Pi 3 Power Supply. Now, on to the /boot/config.txt edits.
Raspberry Pi 3 – Before overclocking
The Linux kernel ondemand governor used in the Raspberry Pi will increase the CPU speed to the maximum configured default value whenever there’s adequate load. Therefore, you can reduce lag and improve performance by disabling this CPU scaling feature and forcing the board to always use the default maximums.
The default idle config for the Raspberry Pi 3 board is arm_freq=600 and core_freq=250. The arm_freq setting still adds heat to the board when pushed beyond the default max of 1.2Ghz, so we are not touching that. This simply keeps the Raspberry Pi 3 board running at max defaults which are arm_freq=1200 and core_freq=400. To do this simply set these line in your config.txt:
force_turbo=1 #Voids Warranty! boot_delay=1 #helps to avoid sdcard corruption when force_turbo is enabled.
This is less risky than playing around with a bunch of other overclock settings. See below.
More speed? Raspberry Pi 3 Overclock – 1.35GHz
arm_freq=1350 core_freq=500 over_voltage=4 disable_splash=1 #force_turbo=1 #Voids Warranty! (uncomment to avoid CPU scaling down to 600Mhz) #boot_delay=1 #helps to avoid sdcard corruption when force_turbo is enabled. #sdram_freq=500 #uncomment to test. Works only with some boards.
Raspberry Pi 3 gpu_mem (1GB memory) allocation
gpu_mem (GPU memory) is measured in megabytes and sets the memory split between the CPU and GPU; the CPU gets the remaining memory. Minimum value is 16. If you are for example using the Raspberry Pi 3 as a gaming emulator, media player or using a desktop environment (LXDE, XFCE, Maynard, etc) then you’ll want to increase gpu_mem to at least 256. On the other hand, if you are using the Raspberry Pi as a web server, to build a drone or simply a console-based project then you should lower gpu_mem to 16. In other words, if your needs are graphical increase GPU’s memory, if not, lower it to the minimum.
eg. Web server, wireless access point, firewall, weather station, etc
gpu_mem=16
or for GUI usage, eg. OpenELEC, Raspbmc, RetroPie, XFCE, etc.
gpu_mem=320
Raspberry Pi 3 Overclock options
arm_freq – Frequency of ARM in MHz. (Raspberry Pi 3 Overclock)
– Frequency of ARM in MHz. (Raspberry Pi 3 Overclock) core_freq -Frequency of GPU processor core in MHz. It has an impact on ARM performance since it drives L2 cache.
-Frequency of GPU processor core in MHz. It has an impact on ARM performance since it drives L2 cache. sdram_freq -Frequency of SDRAM in MHz.
-Frequency of SDRAM in MHz. over_voltage – ARM/GPU core voltage adjust. Values above 6 are only allowed when force_turbo or current_limit_override are specified (which set the warranty bit).
– ARM/GPU core voltage adjust. Values above 6 are only allowed when force_turbo or current_limit_override are specified (which set the warranty bit). force_turbo – Disables dynamic cpufreq driver and minimum settings below. Voids Warranty.
– Disables dynamic cpufreq driver and minimum settings below. Voids Warranty. initial_turbo -Enables turbo mode from boot for the given value in seconds (up to 60) or until cpufreq sets a frequency. Default 0
-Enables turbo mode from boot for the given value in seconds (up to 60) or until cpufreq sets a frequency. Default 0 arm_freq_min – Minimum value of arm_freq used for dynamic clocking.
– Minimum value of arm_freq used for dynamic clocking. core_freq_min – Minimum value of core_freq used for dynamic clocking.
– Minimum value of core_freq used for dynamic clocking. sdram_freq_min – Minimum value of sdram_freq used for dynamic clocking.
– Minimum value of sdram_freq used for dynamic clocking. temp_limit – Overheat protection. Sets clocks and voltages to default when the SoC reaches this Celsius value. Setting this higher than default voids warranty. Default 85
– Overheat protection. Sets clocks and voltages to default when the SoC reaches this Celsius value. Setting this higher than default voids warranty. Default 85 disable_splash – If set to 1, avoids the rainbow splash screen on boot.
– If set to 1, avoids the rainbow splash screen on boot. boot_delay – Wait for x number of seconds in start.elf before loading kernel. Default 1
– Wait for x number of seconds in start.elf before loading kernel. Default 1 gpu_mem – GPU memory in megabyte. Sets the memory split between the ARM and GPU. ARM gets the remaining memory.
Raspberry Pi 3 Model B specifications
A 1.2GHz 64-bit quad-core ARMv8 CPU
802.11n Wireless LAN
Bluetooth 4.1
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
1GB RAM
4 USB ports
40 GPIO pins
Full HDMI port
Ethernet port
Combined 3.5mm audio jack and composite video
Camera interface (CSI)
Display interface (DSI)
Micro SD card slot (now push-pull rather than push-push)
VideoCore IV 3D graphics core
The Raspberry Pi 3 has an identical form factor to the previous Pi 2 (and Pi 1 Model B+) and has complete compatibility with Raspberry Pi 1 and 2.
I’d love to hear your Raspberry Pi 3 Overclock configs and what power supply amperage you are running.
Disclaimer: Be warned, as with most hardware and software modifications, individual results may vary.Saracens have named their side to face Worcester Warriors for Friday’ nights round five Aviva Premiership clash at Sixways Stadium, kick-off 19h45.
Calum Clark will make his first Premiership start for Saracens with the 28-year old back-rower packing down at openside flanker for Saracens trip to Sixways. Clark, takes his place alongside Jackson Wray (No8) and Maro Itoje (blindside flanker) in the Sarries back row as loose-forward trio of Schalk Burger (shoulder), Michael Rhodes (shoulder) and Billy Vunipola (knee) all ruled with injury.
At lock, Dominic Day will line-up alongside George Kruis whilst in the front-row, Hayden Thompson-Stringer starts alongside Schalk Brits and Vincent Koch.
At half-back, Ben Spencer continues at scrum-half, with Alex Lozowski rotating with Owen Farrell at fly-half. At centre, Brad Barritt returns to partner Duncan Taylor whilst in the back-three Chris Wyles comes in for the rested Liam Williams, with Sean Maitland (right-wing) and Alex Goode (full-back) also named to start.
Saracens team to face Worcester Warriors
15 Alex Goode (235)
14 Sean Maitland (24)
13 Duncan Taylor (105)
12 Brad Barritt (c) (198)
11 Chris Wyles (230)
10 Alex Lozowski (34)
9 Ben Spencer (104)
1 Hayden Thompson-Stringer (12)
2 Schalk Brits (208)
3 Vincent Koch (19)
4 Dominic Day (4)
5 George Kruis (138)
6 Maro Itoje (79)
7 Calum Clark (1)
8 Jackson Wray (177)
Replacements
16 Jamie George (175)
17 Mako Vunipola (123)
18 Juan Figallo (62)
19 Nick Isiekwe (10)
20 Ben Earl (4)
21 Richard Wigglesworth (189)
22 Owen Farrell (155)
23 Nick Tompkins (60)There are any number of provocative possibilities for a bipartisan ticket in 2008. Imagine the buzz if Republican John McCain and Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton committed to making the other vice president in the event that either won the election. Pick any combination of other names in the current field of potential candidates: Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Chuck Hagel; Democrat Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Republican Mitt Romney; Democrat John Edwards and Republican Michael Bloomberg; Democrat Bill Richardson and Republican Rudolph W. Giuliani. Any of these |
European Commissioner for Justice Věra Jourová | Olivier Hoslet/EPA EU’s Jourová wants funds linked to new prosecutor’s office European public prosecutor to be signed off by 20 governments.
If you want EU money, you'll have to submit to the jurisdiction of a new European public prosecutor — that's the message from European Commissioner for Justice Věra Jourová.
If the Czech commissioner gets her way, governments who refuse to sign up to the new pan-European law enforcement body charged with investigating and prosecuting cross-border VAT fraud won’t be eligible for EU cohesion funds, which are worth €63.4 billion between 2014 and 2020, in the next budget cycle that starts in 2021.
Justice ministers from 20 EU countries will on Thursday sign up to the new European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), which was first proposed in 2000 but has been delayed by discussions about potential EU interference in national criminal justice systems.
"I will be a strong promoter of having EPPO as one of the pre-conditionalities for the future financial budget," Jourová said in an interview with a small group of reporters.
The Netherlands, Sweden, Malta, Hungary and Poland are not participating (the U.K., Ireland and Denmark have an automatic opt-out from EU justice initiatives) but Jourová hopes to secure their backing by linking the project to EU funding.
"It's not only the money which is at stake, it's the trust of taxpayers," Jourová said. "It's very logical that the states that want further massive financial injections should be under [the prosecutor]."
Discussions about the EU's spending priorities for the next financing period, led by Budget Commissioner Günther Oettinger, include debate on what conditions should be attached to receiving cohesion funds for the poorer regions of the EU. As POLITICO reported last week, Berlin is looking into ways to freeze funding for countries that don’t comply with EU standards on the rule of law, though Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker rejected that idea as "poison."
The EPPO will have a remit to investigate and prosecute fraud and corruption relating to the EU budget and, significantly, cross-border VAT fraud, which costs countries in the bloc an estimated €50 billion a year.
To address concerns about EU "mission creep," a network of prosecutors located in each participating country will compliment the 20 prosecutors who will be based in the bureau's new Luxembourg headquarters.
Even so, the new agency was too much to stomach for some countries. "For our Polish partners, the [new prosecutor] seemed to be the first step in the direction of the federalization of criminal justice," Jourová said, rejecting this suggestion by pointing out the limitations to its powers.
Indeed, the European Parliament and some national capitals wanted the new prosecutor's office to have broader powers to tackle crimes like trafficking and terrorism. "If there's strong demand to use [the prosecutor] for other types of crime, never say never, but for the moment, I don't see any option of this kind during my mandate," said the Czech commissioner.
This story was updated to clarify the context of the commissioner's comments.Earlier this year, pin-up Minako Komukai was on the run from Johnny Law. She stood accused of purchasing drugs from a group of Iranian dealers and fled to the Philippines. A warrant was put out for her arrest, and Komukai was an international fugitive.
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As previously posted, Komukai worked mostly as a pin-up, but also appeared at Japanese game events. She was a Metal Gear nut and was apparently friendly with Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima.
Besides doing commentary at a Metal Gear Online event when the game was released, she appeared on Kojima's "Hide-chan Radio" program three times as a guest in 2006, giving her opinion on the Tokyo Game Show and talking about turning 20 years old. Their rapport was friendly, with Kojima referring to her playfully as "Mina-tan" and talking to her about doing motion capture for MGS4. The motion capture is done totally nude, he added.
According to game site Dengeki Online, Komukai possesses a "deep knowledge" of the Metal Gear series.
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Alice Japan NSFW)
The drug charges against her earlier this year were Kumokai's second. In 2009, she was arrested for drugs. Later that year, she released an autobiography titled I'm Really Sorry.
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When Komukai arrived at Tokyo Narita from Manila earlier this year (top), she was mobbed by the press and arrested by cops. The drug charges against her were eventually dropped due to a lack of evidence and Komukai was released from jail.
This October, Komukai, who's been working as a stripper and appearing in softcore movies, will make her hardcore porn debut. This is the same Komukai who stood up to her talent agency and spilled the beans about dark underbelly of the glossy pin-up world, saying that many Japanese models work as high priced escorts.
In 2006, Komukai told Hideo Kojima, "I want to become a voice actress." That, or a new video game character. When Kojima asked her what kind of character, she replied, "I'd like to be Snake's illegitimate child."
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Komukai won't be Snake's illegitimate kid anytime soon. Starting this fall, she'll be a pornstar, and there's voice acting in that. Snakes, too.
(Top photo: News 23 | HBC)
You can contact Brian Ashcraft, the author of this post, at [email protected]. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, and lurking around our #tips page.President Trump's Twitter provides plenty of news and comedy fodder, and on Thursday he issued a real doozy of a tweet referencing a legend that General John Pershing laced bullets in pig blood to fight Islamic terrorists.
There's just one problem: this is a myth.
Here is Trump's tweet:
Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017
Trump had previously discussed General Pershing in the heat of the Republican primary in February 2016: (H/T: Time)
Speaking in South Carolina ahead of the primary, Trump told his crowd that Pershing, who led U.S. troops during World War I, was a "rough guy," according to Mother Jones. He then said that during the Moro rebellion in the Philippines (1899-1913, and Pershing served as governor of the Moro Province between 1909 and 1913), Pershing "caught 50 terrorists who did tremendous damage … and he took the 50 terrorists and he took 50 men and dipped 50 bullets in pig's blood. You heard about that? He took 50 bullets and dipped them in pig's blood. And he has his men load up their rifles and he lined up the 50 people and they shot 49 of those people. And the 50th person, he said, you go back to your people and you tell them what happened."
According to Snopes, the incident that Trump describes has been an internet rumor since the 9/11 terror attacks and has even been cited by former Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL), who chaired the Senate Intelligence Committee, although Graham claimed the bullets were dipped in pig fat. But the fact-checking site was unable to find any evidence to substantiate such claims.
Pershing was involved in the Moro Province of the Philippines during the country's transition from the 1898 Spanish-American war to political independence, which America helped facilitate. The Moros were Muslims who were against the country being occupied. Their swordsmen, Juramentados, murdered scores of Christians during this time. Snopes cites numerous Pershing biographies stating that the general was "reluctant to be responsible for any more loss of life than was necessary" and that he never actually executed any Muslims. He did, however, shower pig blood onto prisoners and then warn other Juramentados that the same would happen to them if they didn't stop their killing spree, as they believed that being doused in pig blood would result in eternal damnation.
According to Time, there was an instance where "Pershing brought a pig's head to a ceasefire negotiation with a Muslim leader." American soldiers would also bury Juramentados in pig blood and with pigs themselves, although Pershing is not believed to have been associated with that. But Pershing biographers contacted by Time claimed to have no evidence that he ever committed the acts that Trump claimed.
In sum, it seems that Pershing did use the Juramentados' religious aversion to pigs against them, but there is no evidence that he ever dipped bullets in pig blood and then shot 49 prisoners and told the 50th to warn the others about it. This seems to be typical Trump: completely overstating an incident that occurred, but there is a grain of truth in that Pershing used the Juramentados' religious fear of pigs against them.
The problem with this is that, as is usually the case with the president, Trump's imprecise claim forces the coverage to be about his tweet rather than Pershing's actual actions themselves.
Follow Aaron Bandler on Twitter.In my previous article, How to Write Jokes – Joke Premise Part 3, I wrote about the joke premise and its relationship to the comic voice. In this article, How to Write Jokes – Joke Structure Part 1, I’ll uncover the first layers of joke structure to show how setup and punch create expectation and surprise.
Joke Structure
What is a joke? Funny you should ask. Most people would define a joke as something someone says or does that makes others laugh. That statement, though true, doesn’t really tell us what a joke is. It just describes the desired effect. What about jokes that get a huge laugh in one situation and a roar of silence in another? If a joke doesn’t get a laugh, does it suddenly stop being a joke?
Interestingly enough, people usually recognize a joke whether it makes them laugh or not. Why? Because there is some consistent, intrinsic structure that everyone identifies as a joke. Until now, no one has presented this structure in an understandable manner. That’s about to change. Explaining joke structure to you is exactly what this blog series is all about.
Setup and Punch
Let’s begin with what most people already know about jokes. Traditionally, they contain two parts:
1. The Setup
2. The Punch
Take this joke, for example, by my friend A. Whitney Brown:
Setup: “I saw my grandmother the other day…probably for the last time.”
Punch: “Oh, she’s not sick or anything, she just bores the hell out of me.”
The setup and punch are usually defined in this way:
The Setup is the first part of a joke that sets up the laugh.
The Punch is the second part that makes you laugh.
You may say, “That doesn’t explain anything but the order.”
That’s true. So, let’s dig deeper into joke structure.
Expectation and Surprise
The setup and the punch have two very different functions. The setup creates expectation and the punch reveals a surprise. Take this joke by Wendy Liebman for example. Notice how the setup causes us to expect something.
Setup: “The only way to really have safe sex is to abstain.”
Now notice how the Punch reveals a surprise:
Punch: “From drinking.”
In order to work, a joke has to surprise. And we cannot be surprised unless we’re expecting something else. That’s what a joke does. The setup causes us to expect something, and then the punch surprises us.
So, here are better definitions of setup and punch:
The Setup creates an expectation.
The Punch reveals a surprise.
So now that you understand this, you can write a joke, right? Wrong. It isn’t enough to know what a joke does. You need to know how a joke does what it does. And I’m going to explain that in my next blog How to Write Jokes – Joke Structure Part 2.One of the obligations of council's standing committees is to oversee the use of public funds.
In the report last month by audit staff, which finally revealed the secret plan, the public was told that the payments were hard to monitor because proper coding to follow the city's transactions was not used. It also noted that senior staff was approving the payments without notifying or getting consent from council.
Questions are also mounting regarding the length of time it took for the investigation to unfold, including the sudden departure of the woman who initiated the internal probe, audit head Catherine Spence.
She left the city while the audit was underway, and while she reported directly to the chief administrative officer.
At the time, the city did not have a permanent CAO, and it's unclear who made the decision to let Spence go and whether or not they were involved with the secret payment practice she was investigating.
There are also questions about why it took city officials more than nine months from when the audit fieldwork concluded in September, 2016, to issue the findings publicly.
"It would have had to be senior staff to have arbitrarily handed out extra money to people without going to council," Bauld said.
He agreed with Mayor Linda Jeffrey’s assessment that the system of secret bonus payments devised by senior staffers and paid out to other non-union employees — and possibly to themselves — for years while elected officials were kept in the dark “is at best serious negligence, and at worst corruption.”
John Corbett was a member of Brampton’s senior leadership team for decades, both as planning chief and then as chief administrative officer (CAO) from 2012 up to the termination of his contract in 2015.
Asked recently by The Guardian if he knew of the OPR practice, had approved it and whether he received such payments, Corbett said: “I’m really not equipped to answer that in time or verify it."
He added he has never heard the term Outside Policy Requests.
“Over my 40 years there, there were all these terminologies for different things and the policy I guess changed from time to time. But I’d have to have to do some real memory digging to remember details and specifics.”
Brampton's current CAO, Harry Schlange told The Guardian that city staff reached out to Peel Regional Police Chief Jennifer Evans via written correspondence on June 22, outlining the June 21 resolution by council requesting a full police investigation into any possible wrongdoing.
Asked when he first became aware of the internal audit work to investigate the secret payment plan, and when the audit was completed, Schlange said he was briefed about the 2015 audit work plan upon taking up the chief bureaucrat's job in Brampton in May 2016.
The audit report states that the fieldwork to put the report together was completed about the beginning of September.
About the same time, Schlange began a major restructuring of senior staff that eventually saw dozens of non-union employees depart city hall.
But Schlange said the "September 2016 restructuring was not linked to the audit."
Asked if any of the 167 non-union staff, according to the audit report, who received a payment without council's knowledge were let go in his restructuring, Schlange said: "The city will not be citing specific individuals, including status of their employment."
It's unclear if city officials know the names of staff who received the payments or the staff who approved them. The city has stated it won't reveal names.
But a police investigation would likely reveal some of those names, if any charges are laid.
Schlange was asked if any staff released in his restructuring were paid severances — even though they might have been involved in the secretive payment scheme and therefore could have been let go with cause without any severance.
He offered the same response, that the restructuring was not linked to the audit.
Asked how much the city paid out in severances for his restructuring plan, Schlange said, "Severances as a result of organizational changes in 2016 have been estimated at $8.5 million."
That is more than double the $3.5 million to $4 million figure Schlange stated last year when he was asked how much severances for his restructuring would cost.
Asked where specifically the total amount for severances will appear in the city's 2016 budget document, he said: "The city includes severances as part of the total'salaries, wages and fringe benefits' line of its annual end-of-year financial reports."
Schlange said these end of year financial reports for 2016 are "not yet public."
It's unclear if police will investigate severances paid out to non-union staff who might have been involved with the secret OPR payment program.
Bauld said a police investigation is needed to get to the bottom of things.
“It will be up to the police to decide whether it was poor accounting or it was malice. But there were no provisions for (these payments). It’s like making up a rule and not telling anybody about them."
City officials described OPRs as “discretionary salary increases determined by the operating department heads” that were “outside of council-approved policies” and documented procedures.
Payments to individuals ranged from as little as $123 to more than $95,000, the audit report said. A total of $316,000 was paid to just eight employees.
The Brampton auditors said that bonuses were not authorized under relevant rules and that over time OPR “requests were approved for reasons beyond its initial intention.” They added that with no oversight or formalized processes “the OPR practice became mismanaged.”
The report notes that “favouritism” was listed as one of the top 10 reasons to allow an OPR bonus.
The city stated that there was no OPR line item in the annual budget. It also noted that council approval for the OPRs was not sought.
The auditors noted a sudden drop to almost no OPRs after 2014, the year of the last municipal election.Christina Sarich, Staff Writer
Waking Times
With pedophilia rings being busted almost weekly now, and the gender-bending meme playing out all over Hollywood, never mind its being insinuated into our biology chemically, without our choice — there seems to be a new-fangled perversion which we are supposed to accept as “normal.” Never-mind its psychological and social implications. The introduction of robots as sex toys – that you can rape, masturbate to, or simply voice your most outlandish fantasy to – is being inserted into our psyche via a slow drip, but make no mistake, the intention is to open a deluge so that non-human sexual “play” is commonplace.
On a recent trip to the near-Silicon-Valley-area of California, I was awe-struck at the promotion of the technocratic singularity – a time in which AI intelligence would surpass our own and we would all bow down as AI slaves to a “greater” intelligence. As unwitting, dumbed down humans we are meant to absorb this advanced technology into our lives without questioning its motivations.
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” – Arthur C. Clarke
Children were encouraged to play with robots as “pals” at a science museum in San Diego, and robots were at the airport in Santa Ana, within a toddler-safe den of toy blocks. The robot was accompanied by a woman with sparkly glitter on her cheekbones who handed out robot stickers and encouraged children to play with the robot instead of each other. This de-humanization of our species takes an even more sinister twist, however, when you consider the sterilization attempts of the larger powers in play, and the concerted effort to bring AI into our lives at every turn – including into our sexuality.
In a society that has already objectified the human being to such a degree that women are told they “deserved it” when they are raped, for dressing provocatively, or even wearing red lipstick, and “sexting” among teens now includes describing forceful and violent acts of fisting, while young boys are silenced in Vatican torture chambers and used as sexual mannequins by the elite, we now have the bizarre creation of Samantha. She’s an AI robot who “really likes to be kissed” at least according to her maker, Sergi Santos.
She also sits passively to be “used” whenever her owner feels sexually aroused, with no need for said person to learn social graces, or the emotional maturity and sensitivity that would allow a sexual interaction with a real woman. Surely, he won’t have to stimulate her clitoris to bring her to climax, as his only goal is his own sexual fulfillment. And certainly he won’t have to take her to dinner or act attentive when she expresses real emotion.
You can also buy a sex-robot on sale in Britain’s Covent Gardens. There are “try-before-you-buy” models being paraded like used cars ready for a test drive.
Or how about this creepy sex-bot that can talk dirty to you in bed? If that level of odd perversion isn’t enough, the most recent model is called the Real Doll. She’s being promoted as “better than a woman.” As Engadget describes how the Real Doll works with other AI technologies,
“Harmony AI is part Android app, part sexualized personal assistant available for download directly from RealBotix. Imagine something between a horny Her and Siri for phone sex. For $20 a year, users can create a limited number of personalized avatars with customizable voices, moods and personality traits. Like Scarlett Johansson’s Samantha in Her, McMullen sees Harmony as a sort of girlfriend in your smartphone; a companion to keep you company throughout the day.”
Put succinctly, if you don’t like your girlfriend’s personality – you can just change it with your smartphone app. That’s not setting a dangerous precedent at all.
But Samantha, and the Real Doll aren’t one of a kind novelties. Robot doll brothels already operate in South Korea, Japan and Spain, while the first robotic oral sex coffee shop opened in Paddington, west London, just last year.
Cyborg sex is an emotionless, guilt-free, abuse-promoting pathway to completely submissive sex on demand. Even Noel Sharkey, Professor Emeritus of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Sheffield, and the co-founder of the FRR said that the government needs to regulate the use of cyborgs (pleasure-bots) for sex.
“I can tell you that robots are certainly coming,” he said at the launch of one such robot.
“The concern is that this [rape and sexual deviancy] is going on and nobody is talking about it. People snigger about them, but they are actually shipping quite a lot and we are going to see them a lot more.”
Why all the fuss that someone may want to dry hump an inanimate object made of silicon and a hair wig?
There are a few serious implications.
First, we already live in a society that has become technologically isolated. With more ways to reach out and “touch” someone (text, email, snapchat, IM, virtual video, etc.) than ever before, psychologists warn that loneliness and human disconnection are on the rise. We are raising a generation that knows less and less how to interact with real human beings, and instead are lost in a virtual world created by AI intelligence.
Juxtapose this current phenomenon with AI sex-dolls and we will be creating a generation of human beings who has forgotten the human-physical benefits of sexual interaction, including the emotional, energetic, and psychological support that comes from human-to-human coitus.
No robot will increase oxytocin levels in the same manner that a human will – the hormone released to bond us to each other and create high levels of empathy, that is present both during sexual climax, but also when a mother breastfeeds her child, or we give one another a heartfelt, non-sexual hug. Sex literally makes human beings fall in love. Sex without love can be fun, but it also has long-term ramifications for a society.
Human-to-human sex also involves a grab-bag or various subtle energetic exchanges which can never be mimicked by a robot.
Perhaps most distressing, however, is the fact that the technocracy is attempting to redirect one of the most powerful human urges towards its own agenda. Obviously, sexual energy can create a new human being when it is exchanged person-to-person. Not so with a robot. Of course this isn’t a problem for a technocracy which wishes to sexually castrate us and minimize the population to begin with. If genetically modified babies will be made in test tubes in the near future, who needs a viable sperm and egg interplay created by consensual sexual activity between a man and a woman?
Moreover, the sexual energy that can be redirected to the pineal gland and crown chakras can awaken our spiritual perception – but it is unlikely our spiritual unfoldment will happen as we jack off to a cyborg who was programmed to tell us how hot we are in our week-old boxers, and wheezing grunts as we copulate into oblivion, our GM-fat wiggling, and chemically-induced sexual release the culmination of a lackadaisical courtship of a completely passive AI dummy waiting in our closets. I’m pretty certain enlightenment won’t come as someone ejaculates into a silicon-sheathed accumulation of 0s and 1s.
Should this not be of immediate concern to the masses, there is the implication that all sex with a woman should be easy and passive – that a woman should never have her own volition, sexual preferences, moods, a menstrual cycle, or have a general distaste for being objectified as purely a sexual object. That those who are most passive and fragile – children, the elderly, abused women, the mentally challenged, etc. are easy targets – like a robot – for the deviant sexual whims of a population of men who have become (by design) dissociative of guilt, shame or moral righteousness.
This also teaches people that physical desires should always be granted and that there are no consequences to overindulgence in sexual acts. This is patently untrue. Not only is the nervous system disrupted, but social connection which causes normal human growth and interpersonal relationship is stunted.
Are robot harems helpless? Hardly. They’re the next step in making human beings the slaves of AI. The next step in cancelling all real-world interaction. The plan has been in the making for possible eons. And when the “sexually-programmed” robot becomes smart enough with the development of AI to perpetrate the same behavior on non-robot “others” what do we do then? Fully autonomous “killer robots” have already been created. These new “dolls” pave the way for fully automated AI rapists.
Read more articles by Christina Sarich.
About the Author
Christina Sarich is a staff writer for Waking Times. She is a writer, musician, yogi, and humanitarian with an expansive repertoire. Her thousands of articles can be found all over the Internet, and her insights also appear in magazines as diverse as Weston A. Price, Nexus, Atlantis Rising, and the Cuyamungue Institute, among others. She was recently a featured author in the Journal, “Wise Traditions in Food, Farming, and Healing Arts,” and her commentary on healing, ascension, and human potential inform a large body of the alternative news lexicon. She has been invited to appear on numerous radio shows, including Health Conspiracy Radio, Dr. Gregory Smith’s Show, and dozens more. The second edition of her book, Pharma Sutra, will be released soon.
This article (Sex Robots – The Evolution of the Objectification of Women) was originally created and published by Waking Times and is published here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Christina Sarich and WakingTimes.com. It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution and author bio.Boston went 106 years before electing a woman of color to its city council—that is, until 42-year-old powerhouse Ayanna Pressley came along with a no-nonsense platform and a hunger to serve women and children.
Purpose
“I ran on a platform of [saving] our girls because I believe broken girls grow up to be broken women. I know intimately the challenges of single parenthood, and I’m a survivor of a near decade of childhood sexual assault. I didn’t just run on my résumé. I told the totality of my journey. That resonated.”
I want to create a policy that will stand long after I’m gone, to prevent social ills and to mitigate the adverse impact of them.”
Résumé
After working as a senior aide to Congressman Joe Kennedy and political director for Secretary of State John Kerry during his senatorship, Pressley was pushed by colleagues and mentors to run for office herself. “People around me said, ‘I believe you have something to contribute,’ ” Pressley recalls.
Heritage
“My family’s roots are primarily in Ohio. My mother was born and raised in Cincinnati; my father, Columbus. I grew up in Chicago. [My mother] raised me alone; I’m an only child. I like to say she gave me my roots, my wings and my voice. My mother was never cynical about the role that government, compassionate government, could play in our lives. On Election Day, from a very young age, I felt powerful.”
There is nothing like being able to express your own voice, to articulate your own vision and then get to work doing exactly that.
“I don’t think anyone who has made history set out to make history. Shirley Chisholm, Barbara Jordan, Ruby Bridges, Sojourner [Truth]—they just set out about their business…. I’d like to think that my election made it easier for the women who came behind me. Since I’ve been elected, three women of color have joined the council.”
Contact us at [email protected] of instant talaq +
NEW DELHI: The government does not plan to bring any legislation to ban triple talaq as the five-judge Supreme Court bench by a majority verdict has held instant divorce as unconstitutional and illegal, a top government source said.There was no requirement of a legislation to implement this order, the functionary added and pointed out that anyone persisting with thecould be prosecuted under domestic violence laws. Such a violator could be sent to jail if a woman approached the police for harassment on these grounds and the SC order would act as a deterrent seems to be the view of the government in the wake of the verdict.“India of 2017 is not the India of 1986-87, the leadership of Narendra Modi is not the same as that of Rajiv Gandhi,” law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, referring to the Shah Bano judgment of the apex court which the then Rajiv Gandhi government, enjoying absolute majority in Parliament, overturned in 1986, diluting rights of Muslim women for maintenance on the grounds of triple talaq.Th government, he said, strongly backed the judgment and would “consider the issue in a structured manner”. He said this was the beginning of the fight for equality for Muslim women. Prasad said the issue was not of religion and religious practices, it was of gender justice, gender dignity and gender equality. “It’s a great dawn for women’s empowerment….We need to understand that 22 countries have regulated triple talaq, abolished it or laid down stringent preconditions for its exercise but India being a secular country it was insulated by this change,” the law minister said.Terming the SC judgment agreat legal and moral victory for women in India, the minister said he had the support of PM Modi who wanted the government to take a strong stand in the courts on this issue. Prasad pointed to the judgment of Justice Kurian Joseph, saying what was held to be bad in the Quran could not be good in Shariat, adding that the government had stressed that several Muslim-majority nations had done away with or restricted triple talaq.Simon Fraser (right), with then-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Philip Hammond. has told BBC Radio 4 that Brexit negotiations aren't going well for the U.K. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Brexit negotiations are not going well, says former top UK diplomat ‘I don’t think they have begun particularly promisingly, frankly, on the British side,’ says Simon Fraser.
A former senior British diplomat said the U.K.'s Brexit negotiations have not begun well because of "differences" inside Prime Minister Theresa May's cabinet.
Speaking on the BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour, Simon Fraser, who led the Foreign Office and Diplomatic Service from 2010 to 2015, expressed concern over the disunion in May's cabinet and lack of clarity over the U.K.'s position on several key issues.
"The negotiations have only just begun, I don't think they have begun particularly promisingly, frankly, on the British side," said Fraser.
"We haven't put forward a lot because, as we know, there are differences within the cabinet about the sort of Brexit that we are heading for and until those differences are further resolved I think it's very difficult for us to have a clear position."
The rights of EU citizens in the U.K., the Irish border and the so-called divorce bill have all become major sticking points in the U.K.'s Brexit negotiations with the EU.
Fraser, who now consults businesses on Brexit at Flint Global and serves as an adviser at the think tank Chatham House, cautioned that the U.K. has done too little to address these concerns.
"I think so far we haven't put much on the table apart from something on the status of nationals, so we are a bit absent from the formal negotiation," he said.
"I think we need to demonstrate that we are ready to engage on the substance so that people can understand what is really at stake here and what the options are."
The Telegraph reported the U.K. was willing to pay a €40 billion Brexit divorce bill, but Downing Street denied the reports.
Authors:The MMA Hour is back in your life. Below is a rundown of who will be stopping by Tuesday's show:
1 p.m. -- We'll have a live look-in at the Anderson Silva press conference in Brazil.
1:25 p.m. -- Joe Warren will look back at his win over Eduardo Dantas on Friday to become the new Bellator bantamweight champion.
1:45 p.m. -- Rick Story will discuss last week's win over Gunnar Nelson and where he goes from here.
2:05 p.m. -- Martin Kampmann will talk about his transition from fighter to coach.
2:25 p.m. -- Holly Holm will preview her UFC 181 fight against Raquel Pennington.
2:45 p.m. -- Piotr Hallmann will discuss his drug test failure following his loss to Gleison Tibau last month.
3:05 p.m. -- We'll go Inside the Vault and look back at one of our classic interviews.
3:25 p.m. -- We'll answer your #themmahour questions on anything and everything going on in the MMA world. Hit us up on Twitter using that hash tag, leave a question in the comments section below.
Plus, we'll be taking your calls on anything and everything. Got a question or comment? Give us a call at 1-888-418-4074.
Watch the show live below beginning at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT / 6 p.m. GMT. Subscribe to The MMA Hour on iTunes: audio feed here; video feed here. Listen to the show via Stitcher here or via TuneIn here.The recent arrivals have given the Turkish giants their best squad since 2000, but president Unal Aysal's strategy could prove costly
'Fatih' | Gala are hoping to conquer Europe with their'saviour' Terim at the helm
"We are aiming to win the Turkish league and to be successful in Europe. We are taking steps to becoming a global team"
- Lutfi Aribogan
By Ibrahim KocyigitIn 2011, Unal Aysal became the new president of Galatasaray, whose debt then exceeded €240 million. The club were virtually broke. Less that two years later, though, they are soaring, and are currently ranked 30th in the Deloitte Football Money League.World renowned stars such as Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder ply their trade at the Turk Telekom Arena alongside established names like Fernando Muslera, Emmanuel Eboue, Johan Elmander and Burak Yilmaz.So how did everything change so rapidly?The simple explanation would be that Aysal, the 45th richest man in Turkey, used his considerable wealth to solve their problems just as Roman Abramovich did at Chelsea. The way in which Galatararay were saved, though, was far riskier than that, and even more controversial.The risky part was merely the investment. Aysal invested in new players upon his arrival. He may have sold Arda Turan to Atletico Madrid, but he brought in Muslera, Eboue, Elmander and Felipe Melo.The gamble paid off. Galatasaray won the Super Lig title, worth €30m, and it led to another €27m in revenue from Champions League qualification. The opening of their new stadium, the 52,000-seater Turk Telekom Arena also earned them €30m from VIP lounges and season tickets.The controversial part was their dealings in the stock market. Between August and December 2011, they sold 28.35 per cent of shares from Galatasaray AS, the holding company that manages all of their revenues and expenses, earning them €70m.This was followed by the announcement that all gate receipts from the Turk Telekom Arena would go directly to the football branch of the organisation, as opposed to the parent company, to which all revenue for the period of 2014-30 would go for a one-off sum of €187m.Then came a 400% increase in the company's share capital, devaluing each individual cut. Holders were made to pay €11 per share to subsidise the transaction, raising a total of €117m. Unlike the other shareholders, the club didn't pay its share which was €65m in cash, but wrote it off from the €187m which the company owed them for the sale of the future gate receipts.A mere five months later, the company again applied for a 300% increase in share capital, only for Turkish equities watchdog Capital Market Board to deny the request. While it was technically legal, it was not deemed ethical.Balancing the books was all part of a big plan to establish themselves as a global force. Drogba (whose taxes will be paid by his employers) and Sneijder have not been signed only to win the Super Lig - they have their eye on the continent."We are aiming to win the Turkish league and to be successful in Europe," the CEO of the club's holding company, Lutfi Aribogan, said recently. "We are taking steps towards becoming a global team."Aysal has spoken of the club needing "big players" to reach "big targets", but no-one, including |
of fossil fuels the level of CO2 in the atmosphere was 280ppm.
Myers told the Guardian: "It is very hard to predict all the challenges to human health resulting from climate change. My guess is there will be many more surprises as we remake the environmental conditions on the planet. As a civilisation we are now living with 400 ppm for the first time: it's a new world."After all the speculation, it's now official. The Mariners have bid farewell to Chone Figgins, cutting him loose three years into his four-year deal. Figgins was due to make $8.5 million this season, but the team felt his roster spot was more valuable at this stage.
Figgins was officially designated for assignment, so the team has 10 days to release, trade or outright him to the minors. If outrighted, he could refuse and become a free agent. In other words, he's as good as gone.
The team also DFA'd recently-acquired outfielder Scott Cousins, then added third baseman Vinnie Catricala, left-handed pitcher Anthony Fernandez, left-handed pitcher Bobby Lafromboise, right-handed pitcher Brandon Maurer and outfielder Julio Morban to their 40-man roster.
This morning's acquisition of Robert Andino from the Orioles gave them a backup who can fill many of the positions that Figgins did -- including center field in a pinch. And so, rather than keep Figgins around for another spring when they had little intent on using him -- and knowing his trade value is virtually nil -- the team let him go.
We'll see whether Figgins can resurrect his career someplace else. I'm sure he'll get picked up rather quickly, since the Mariners are on the hook for the overwhelming majority of his salary minus the major league minimum.
Today was the day the team had to set its 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 draft, deciding which players to protect and leave unprotected. Figgins goes so that a spot could be used on somebody else and not have him subjected to the draft.Donald Trump's presidency will be 'hopelessly conflicted', corporate governance expert says
Updated
Donald Trump will be a "hopelessly conflicted president" with an unrivalled array of commercial conflicts of interest that threaten to undermine the presidency, according to a leading expert on corporate governance.
"I doubt he will survive two years. It could be months," Professor Thomas Clarke, director of the Key University Research Centre on Corporate Governance at UTS, told the ABC.
"We have never in history seen anything like this, the conflicts of interest are unprecedented."
The Trump business empire spans more than 140 companies, with interests in at least 25 countries, according to filings with United States regulators — raising fears the President-elect's commercial interests could taint decision-making on both domestic and foreign policy.
"Whatever decisions his government might reach with regards to either domestic policy or overseas policy, people will inevitably point the finger and say he is protecting and extending his business interests and the Trump brand rather than the United States of America," Professor Clarke said.
Trump's planned business arrangements 'wholly inadequate'
Mr Trump proposes that his sons will run the Trump organisation under a trust structure and says he will play no part in the business while he is president.
"Don and Eric are going to be running the company, they are going to run it in a very professional manner, they are not going to discuss it with me," he told reporters at his recent press conference.
But the director of the United States Office of Government Ethics, Walter Shaub, said this was wholly inadequate, and that Mr Trump must either appoint an independent party to sell his business interests or establish a genuine blind trust without any involvement of members of the Trump family.
"This is not a blind trust, it's not even close, the only thing it has in common with a blind trust is the word trust," Mr Shaub said at a Brooking Institutions address on January 11.
"His sons are running the business and of course he knows what he owns."
Legal experts warn Mr Trump's refusal to formally divest himself of his global business empire may place him in breach of a constitutional provision, known as the emoluments clause, that forbids officeholders from receiving any form of payment from a foreign government.
"He's going to be in violation of a host of conflicts laws, starting with the one in the Constitution which prohibits him from getting foreign government payments, he's getting them all over the world today," White House ethics lawyer Norman Eisen has said.
Overseas interests will attempt to capitalise on connections
Nations are already looking to capitalise on Trump connections.
Prior to Mr Trump's election, the strongman president of Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, made a Trump business partner an envoy to the USA.
The chair of Century Properties Group, Jose EB Antonio, is now envoy to Washington for trade, investment and economic affairs.
The company is building the Trump Tower at Century City — a $150 million, 57-storey apartment building in metropolitan Manila — though Mr Trump's involvement is limited to the licensing of his brand name.
Professor Clarke described this as, "the first instance of an overseas leader currying favour through commercial interests of the new president of the United States. It's very unsavoury and it's very worrying for the future."
But it is not the only one. Earlier this month the ABC reported on an Indonesian businessman building a Trump-branded golf resort, and who is also considering running for his nation's presidency.
Professor Clarke said the conflicts of interest were not limited to the incoming president.
"His entire cabinet is conflicted," he added.
"The secretary of state is the best friend of Vladimir Putin in Russia; the treasurer (treasury secretary) made his money out of the sub-prime mortgage crisis and is a film financier in Hollywood whose latest movie is The Rules Don't Apply.
"The commerce secretary is a speculator and the labour secretary is opposed to the minimum wage and made his fortune out of the dubious labour practices in fast food restaurants; the environment secretary is a former governor of Texas who, when he was a presidential candidate, declared that the Department of Environment should be abolished.
"This is a coalition of business interests, not a representative, democratically-accountable government."
Topics: us-elections, corporate-governance, world-politics, united-states
First postedSen. Bernie Sanders is undoubtedly walking a thin, and often confusing, line. He's railing against the Democratic establishment during the primaries, but he has vowed to do whatever he can to help Hillary Clinton win the general election in November should she be the party's presidential nominee. Will Sanders' supporters follow suit and fall in line with Clinton? Fears that they won't have led to widespread criticism of Sanders' campaign from Democratic politicians and pundits, who think that the Vermont senator should be careful to avoid alienating his supporters from the party. The thing is, it's not Sanders' job to unite the Democratic Party. Rather, he set out to fundamentally change it.
Recent events, such as Sanders' response to disruptions at Nevada's state caucus, have certainly increased criticism against his supposed "divisiveness," but the critique is far from new. The Wall Street Journal distilled a common line of criticism back in April when it wrote about one of Sanders' prominent critiques of Clinton — that she, like nearly every other politician, takes super PAC money, and that this could compromise her commitment to average citizens. This essentially calls her trustworthiness into question, and according to polls cited by the Journal, a lot of voters don't perceive Clinton as trustworthy. This could deter voters in November.
FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images
But campaign finance reform and not taking super PAC money are primary elements of Sanders' campaign and his lifelong politics. Expecting him not to campaign on one of his key positions is expecting him not to actually campaign. Campaigning is a candidate's job.
A couple recent developments have ramped up criticism against Sanders' campaign: the Nevada state caucus chaos and his support for Tim Canova, who is running for a seat in the House against Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz. What happened in Nevada is hard to untangle. Members of the Sanders camp are mostly launching accusations of corruption by the state's Democratic Party in favor of Clinton. Party leaders denied accusations of wrongdoing. The state's party filed a complaint accusing Sanders delegates of inciting violence amid reports of chair-throwing and death threats.
Sanders said in response to the party's complaint, "I condemn any and all forms of violence, including the personal harassment of individuals." But many think that he didn't adequately disavow the alleged violence at the caucus.
David McNew/Getty Images News/Getty Images
This criticism seems to stem from the idea that the remainder of what Sanders had to say on the caucus was somehow meant to excuse the violence, which is in no way clear. He said that the state lacked a "fair and transparent process," and continued: "If the Democratic Party is to be successful in November, it is imperative that all state parties treat our campaign supporters with fairness and the respect that they have earned." These words led the Tribune's Dana Milburn to conclude that Sanders is campaigning against the Democratic Party itself, and that this is great news for Trump.
It's hard to say for sure, when looking at the available evidence, whether there was disproportionate unfairness and disrespect toward Sanders' delegates in Nevada's clusterfluff of a state caucus. PolitiFact's report found a number of claims from Sanders supporters to be unsubstantiated, though it didn't address accusations that a vote to implement "temporary rules" was held earlier than scheduled, leaving some delegates out, and didn't address questions around the deadline for registering as a Democrat, which, according to John Oliver, was set for a date that had already passed.
FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images
One could criticize Sanders for advancing unsubstantiated, or at least exaggerated, accusations of corruption here, but the idea that he's waging an irresponsible war against the Democratic Party which will turn voters away isn't quite fair. Obviously, the process at the caucus wasn't "transparent," as Sanders noted, evidenced by the widespread confusion surrounding what happened and why. Whether the specific allegations from his supporters are true or not, that lack of transparency in itself is unfair.
The idea seems to be that, even if something bad happened, Sanders shouldn't attack a state party because it's part of the Democratic Party. But Sanders wants a better Democratic Party. Although I agree that he shouldn't be playing up the corruption card unless more is proven, I object to the idea that he shouldn't criticize a state party for what was a messy, chaotic convention, which facilitated at least the suspicion of corruption.
Finally, the fact that Sanders is backing Canova has been turned into some kind of mean girl cattiness, seen as a petty slight against Wasserman Shultz, who is running for reelection to the House for Florida's 23rd district against Canova. Politico's Kristen East called it "a clear and intended affront to the Florida congresswoman" and went on to outline the history of bad blood between Sanders and Wasserman Schultz.
Canova is a progressive candidate who has given his support to Sanders. The idea that Sanders would only have endorsed him back to hurt Wasserman Schultz (and, through her, the party) out of some kind of personal vendetta neglects the fact that Sanders is not only trying to get himself the presidency, but also get more progressives into Congress as well — something he outlined in his statement endorsing Canova.
During a conversation about whether Sanders is hurting the Democratic Party, MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell asked his campaign manager, Jeff Weaver, what Sanders' support for Canova means for his standing with the party. Weaver responded to Mitchell's question by noting that Canova is himself a Democrat.
David McNew/Getty Images News/Getty Images
And that really gets to the heart of the matter. Perhaps Milburn was correct, in a sense. Sanders is running against the Democratic Party as it is. His job in this race has been not only to run for president, but also to attempt to make the party more progressive. That means doing things like pointing out fundamental non-progressive elements of the political process and the party itself, like big-money campaign financing. It involves calling out the party itself if its processes are flawed. It involves endorsing progressive candidates for Congress precisely because they are not establishment candidates.
These are Sanders' responsibilities. It's not his job to unite the party. It's the party's job to give Sanders supporters a reason to be part of it.Big changes are coming to the Oregon District.
Soon, visitors will have to pay to park in two popular parking lots in the Oregon District, which are currently free.
A metered parking lot system will be set up for the lot behind Ned Peppers, and the lot on Fifth Street used primarily by the Environmental Protection Agency employees and for Salar Restaurant and Lounge’s valet parking, according to Amelia O'Dowd, president of the Oregon District Business Association, and Natalie Skilliter, a member of that board’s parking committee.
The pair discussed the shift yesterday at a meeting of the Oregon Historic District Society Board of Trustees. They noted that Salar's valet service will have use of another lot.
Trustee board president Katie Earnhart Joseph said research will be conduct to determine options for the residential area of the Oregon District, which is separated from the business district. This reporter is a member of the board of trustees.
O’Dowd said parking is at a premium in cities around the nation. She offered the Short North District in Columbus as an example.
“This is the way that cities across America are going,” O’Dowd said of paid parking during a follow up interview today. “This is a sign of how valuable downtown is becoming.”
Patrons will be able to park in the lots for $3 for up to 8 hours after entering their license plate number into a machine.
At least initially, no penalty will be applied to those who park in the lot overnight.
The lots will be managed by ABM, which will provide security. That company operated the district’s short-lived shuttle service.
“It will be cleaner and it will be brighter,” O’Dowd said of the lots.
Operated by Ned Peppers owner Jim Schaefer, the parking lot behind Ned Peppers has been the site of several car break-ins and other criminal activity over the years. O'Dowd said that Schaefer has expressed that the change is in response to increased development in the area, and that his customers often cannot find parking in his lot due to customers from other businesses using it.
Upgrades will be made to the parking lot at Jackson Street and Wayne Avenue and the lot at Gate Street and Jackson. They will transformed into paid lots in the coming months as well, O’Dowd and Skilliter said.
“We are just hoping to reach a solution that benefits everyone,” Skilliter said.
O’Dowd said other major changes will come to the district in months to come with the addition of Troll Pub Under the Bridge.
The Louisville-based business plans open a 250-seat bar and restaurant in the vacant Weustoff and Getz Co. building, 210 Wayne Ave., as part of the effort to extend the Oregon District.
Schaefer’s decision has caused discussion of parking in the district in general and how it can serve all involved, O’Dowd said. A message was left for Schaefer, who is out of the area according to a member of his staff. Questions were sent to Jeffrey Russell of ABM.
She said other Oregon District parking lot owners are considering becoming paid lots as well.Atlanta's biggest snowfall events of all time are listed in the table below. The most snow ever recorded on a single day in Atlanta was on January 23, 1940 when 8.3 inches fell. The top 10 snowstorms in Atlanta have a median accumulation of 4.2 inches.
View the full list
We often hear the cliche:
"...accumulation is not expected because the ground is too warm..."
The problem with that statement is that it is nothing more than hand-waving, with no consideration of the microphysical processes associated with snow or sleet melting on exposed surfaces, including pavement, particularly if temperatures during the event fall into the 20s. Melting snow or sleet causes the surface temperature to drop rapidly, especially if the precipitation is heavy. For example, if you take an ice cube out of the freezer and place it on your kitchen counter at room temperature, the temperature of the counter beneath the melting ice will drop rapidly. It is my goal to eradicate this myth, because some of the most significant snow/sleet storms that caught people by surprise are those that were preceded by warm temperatures and some forecasters told the public that there would be no accumulation.
Sufficient conditions for snow or sleet to accumulate:
The temperature of surfaces upon which the precipitation falls must be subfreezing; If surfaces are above freezing, the precipitation rate must exceed the melt rate; Melting snow/sleet can cause the temperature of surface to drop rapidly due to the latent heat of melting (very efficient)
What about freezing rain?
This discussion is about the efficiency of snow and sleet to cool the ground due to the latent heat of melting. Rain is less efficient at cooling surfaces than snow or sleet, because the latent heat of melting is absent; furthermore, the freezing of water releases latent heat which can cause a sensible increase in air temperature (i.e., freezing rain is a self-limiting process). If raindrops are super-cooled, they can certainly cause surface temperatures to drop; oftentimes rain drops are not super-cooled because they have passed through a deep warm layer aloft.
Duration of warm spell?
Preliminary results find NO correlation between the capacity for snow/sleet accumulation following a warm period and the duration of the warm period itself. The same result is achieved irrespective of duration, whether the warm period was a month or just a week; the critical factors are the surface temperature, the specific heat capacity of various surface materials, and the other factors listed above.
✏️ Tidbit: Officially, Atlanta's "worst" snowfall on record was 8.3 inches on January 23, 1940. The second greatest snowfall accumulation was 7.9 inches during the "surprise" snowstorm of March 24, 1983. Incidentally the day before the March 24, 1983 snowstorm, the high was 61º and the day of the snowstorm itself, the high was 47º (just two hours before the snow began).
This simple study examines the temperatures for the 21 days prior to each of the top-20 greatest snowstorms on record in Atlanta, Georgia. On the graph below, the snowstorm occurred on "day 22".
➡︎ This is a followup to the essay entitled Weather Myths: Too Warm for the Snow to Stick? (Also featured in the Douglas County Sentinel)
List of the top-20 snowstorms (and sleet) for Atlanta (1928 to present)
Date Rank Accumulation Median High Temp for
the Preceding 5 Days High Temp the Day
Prior to the Event High Temp the Day
of the Event 01/23/1940 1 8.3" 35ºF 35ºF 36ºF 03/24/1983 2 7.9" 52ºF 52ºF 47ºF 01/30/1936 3 6.0" 33ºF 33ºF 32ºF 01/18/1992 4 5.0" 49ºF 37ºF 43ºF 01/07/1988 5 4.2" (sleet) 41ºF 38ºF 32ºF 03/13/1993 6 4.2" (Blizzard of '93) 70ºF 55ºF 38ºF 03/01/2009 7 4.2" 61ºF 61ºF 52ºF 01/12/1982 8 4.0" (Snow Jam '82) 47ºF 24ºF 26ºF 02/18/1979 9 4.0" (sleet) 62ºF 62ºF 28ºF 02/10/1934 10 4.0" 56ºF 62ºF 23ºF 03/11/1960 11 4.0" 40ºF 40ºF 41ºF 02/26/1952 12 3.9" 53ºF 45ºF 48ºF 03/02/1942 13 3.7" 40ºF 47ºF 43ºF 01/09/2011 14 3.7" 49ºF 59ºF 34ºF 01/22/1987 15 3.6" 43ºF 40ºF 37ºF 02/12/2010 16 3.6" 47ºF 36ºF 38ºF 01/09/1962 17 3.5" 60ºF 41ºF 41ºF 02/15/1958 18 2.7" 38ºF 48ºF 42ºF 03/02/1980 19 2.7" 61ºF 50ºF 27ºF 01/28/2014 20 2.6" 49ºF 61ºF 30ºF
High temperatures prior to each of the top-20 snow storms
The snowstorm occurs on "day 22" in the chart
In this study, the top-20 snowstorms in Atlanta's historical record dating back to 1928 are considered. The chart below shows the trend of daily high temperatures for the 21 days prior to each of the top snowstorms. The 20 snowstorms multiplied by 21 days yields 420 days. Of those 420 days, only 15 days (3.5%) had a high temperature below freezing.
Displayed on the graph are:
The high temperatures for the 21 days leading up to the snowstorm; The high temperature on the day of the snowstorm (day 22); The high temperature on the day following the snowstorm (day 23)
Mouse over the dots in the lower right hand corner to see the snowfall amounts.
Average daily temperatures (average of the high and low)
Snow-Jam '14 Ranks #20 and Certainly Proves My Point
On January 29, 2014, Atlanta and Birmingham were brought to a standstill for days. People were trapped in their cars on virtually every highway and interstate for 24 to 48 hours. I wasn't at all surprised ahead of the storm to hear the phrase that makes my skin crawl, "we don't expect significant accumulation because it has been... eh hem... warm in recent days." The temperature on the day before the snowfall was in the lower 60s (officially 61º at Hartsfield). The median high temperature for the 5 days prior to the snow event was 50º. This photo sums it up.
❄️ Be prepared this winter. Make sure you and your family know about the various winter weather advisory types and the criteria used for their issuance. As always, beware of internet hype and weather hoaxes.It would be nice if there were another candidate who had a shot, but the way our voting system works, any vote for anyone aside from Hillary is a vote for Trump. Please understand that while some of his policies sound good it is because he has made policies specifically based on fear to win this election. Do you know what would really happen if he decided to default on our loans? At first things would just get more expensive very quickly, any business with foreign ties would be in jeopardy. Millions would lose their jobs and homes. Do you know what would happen if he cancelled our trade agreements to get “better deals?” No imports. We don’t have the infrastructure to make the things we import anymore, and starting new factories will give more kids brain damage as they throw chemicals into our poor residential environments. You will have no fruit or lettuce (which is already often left rotting on the docks when there is any ripple in trade talk), no batteries. How do you think the US would survive that when we’re boiling from the inside already and we have several countries warming up nukes because they know Trump will be in charge? This man would be an apocalypse to our way of life, and perhaps if we let him get even this far, we deserve what’s coming. We’ve taken a 50 year step back as a country by even entertaining his impulses because it gives the evil a foot in the door. Turn on your TV. You can blame that on Obama, sure. Blame the first black president for all the police murders, blame Clinton for having an insecure email server (that didn’t get hacked, yet when Trump’s company does get hacked they don’t even tell their customers that their credit cards are out there costing millions in fraud), blame herv husband for having an affair. Don’t blame the monster that used to be a punchline about excess and cheating until NBC marketed him as a world-class businessman (who is, incidentally, not great at business). He’s a snake oil salesman. And just like those who drank it in the 1800s, those who buy it deserve the poison.I recently have been working in a Clojure project which is made up of several microservices. While trying to build in a secure method for each service to be able to call the others, I’ve been in several different projects at the same time.
At least once I accidentally opened the wrong “handler.clj” buffer, and spent a few minutes adding a function that never worked. Since I hate doing things like this, I wanted a simple way to see what project I was currently viewing.
I started with a changing the title of the frame to show the whole path of the current buffer, like this:
The code to change the title is simple, and the default in some of the pre-packaged emacs bundles:
(setq frame-title-format '((:eval (if (buffer-file-name) (abbreviate-file-name (buffer-file-name)) "%b"))))
This is fine, but still not great. The font is tiny and the important part: “octopress” is buried. I wanted something a little more fluid, so I could easily tell the different projects apart instantly. I came up with the idea to color the background faintly different based on the path of the file. Files with a path containing “octopress” might be different from those containing “.emacs”.
Thankfully, buffer-face-mode makes it easy to change a single property of a single buffer’s face without changing any other buffer. So long as you disable buffer-face-mode when closing emacs, your files will open with the correct coloring scheme, then have the new background overlaid.
While not perfect, this was the result.
The colors I choose are only faintly different, but just enough for me to tell instantly which is which.
The buffer colors are applied when opening a file, using these functions:
(defun my-buffer-face-mode-variable (color) (interactive) (setq buffer-face-mode-face (list :background color)) (buffer-face-mode 1)) (defun my-set-theme-on-mode () (interactive) (let ((file-name (buffer-file-name))) (cond ;; add your own project/color mappings here ((string-match "halcyon" file-name) (my-buffer-face-mode-variable "#00001A")) ((string-match "dwarf" file-name) (my-buffer-face-mode-variable "#001A1A")) ((string-match "nimbus" file-name) (my-buffer-face-mode-variable "black")) (t ""))))
To force them to run when opening a file, since I use helm, I set it to execute on exiting helm for any reason:
(add-hook 'helm-after-action-hook'my-set-theme-on-mode) ;; uncomment if not using helm ;; (add-hook 'find-file-hook'my-set-theme-on-mode)
Lastly, to make sure emacs applies my normal theme and settings to a buffer when starting, I disable buffer-face-mode on all buffers before exiting.
(defun disable-all-buffer-face-mode () (interactive) (let ((current (get-buffer (current-buffer)))) (-map (lambda (x) (progn (switch-to-buffer x) (buffer-face-mode 0))) (buffer-list)) (switch-to-buffer current 1))) (add-hook 'kill-emacs-hook 'disable-all-buffer-face-mode)
This block needs dash.el to get the -map function.
While not the only solution, this seemed a simple and elegant way to quickly be reminded of your current project.
Enjoy!A special Cross Assault announcement was just revealed on the Capcom-Unity stream. It seems Capcom is sponsoring another great event this Saturday that includes some high-level Street Fighter x Tekken show matches between some very well-known community names. The contestants will have some special part to play in Cross Assault down the road, and each winner will receive $1000. The match-ups are listed below.
Rip vs. MYK
TS|Sabin vs. coL.CC|Combofiend
FilthieRich vs. Flash Metroid
WW|Ryan Hart vs. EG|Ricky Ortiz
coL.CC|Mike Ross vs. FC|Jago
Each exhibition looks incredibly exciting, and I personally can’t wait to see Mike Ross and Jago run it back in this new game. This is all the information we have for now, but check back for more in the near future.
UPDATE: A recent blog post we received from TwitchTV reveals they are partnering with Capcom in this endeavor. Check it out below.
Today TwitchTV announces a partnership with Capcom to bring you five high-profle Street Fighter x Tekken Show Matches, to be played LIVE, this Saturday at 8PM PST, during the Cross Assault reality show event. We’ve gathered a strong line-up of amazing players, all of whom will be competing for a prize purse of $1,000 per match.
coL.CC Mike Ross vs FC Jago
LLL|MCZ. Ryan Hart vs EG Ricky Ortiz
Filthie Rich vs Flash Metroid
TS Arturo Sanchez vs coL.CC Combofiend
Rip vs MYK
The aim of the TwitchTV Top Player Assault is to showcase Capcom’s upcoming brawler,Street Fighter x Tekken, by pitting premiere fighting game community members who represent the two franchises, in what should make for highly entertaining matches. We’re thrilled to be able to bring high-level play and top caliber fighting talent to the Cross Assault reality show and look forward to bringing the hype in the days to come!
Source: Capcom-Unity, TwitchTVMost smart TVs watch you back, to some extent. There’s money — a lot of money — to be had in user data, and advertising makes the world go ’round. Even accepting that, though, there are limits on what one generally should and should not have to expect when it comes to privacy-invading televisions, and new reports indicate that one manufacturer has gone well past that line.
Our colleagues down the hall at Consumer Reports explained earlier this year how Samsung, Vizio, and LG all work with third-party companies to capture user data and better target advertising. But Vizio goes farther than the competition, ProPublica has found, and not in a good way.
For starters, Vizio models ship with tracking turned on by default, where other brands let you opt-in, ProPublica reports. And not only that, but Vizio’s data connects to far more third-party sources than the other brands do.
Vizio’s TVs capture what you’re watching, when, and how — so, for example, they know if you’re watching live broadcast TV, or something on your DVR, or on-demand programming from your cable provider, or an app like Netflix. All of the smart TVs can do that. But Vizio then goes farther: they then match that data to your IP address, which makes it personal. Because from your IP address, they can match it to third-party data sources that have a pretty good fix on your other demographic information: age, income, gender, and other marketable bits of information.
As ProPublica explains, that clear picture of who you are and how to market to you is then a profile worth a lot of money, which Vizio can then sell to other parties who, in turn, can match it to any other device you have using the same IP address.
Pause and think for a moment about how many wired and wireless devices there are in your home, on your home network. Even if your household is only a couple of people, when you add the computers, TVs, phones, tablets, game consoles, and any other connected or smart devices together, it adds up pretty quickly. And those are all matches that can be made with that IP address data, from your phone to your fridge.
If your TV thinks you like a lot of shows that tend to correlate with coffee consumption and then shows you coffee ads on your TV, well, that’s one thing. If your TV thinks you like a lot of shows that tend to correlate with coffee consumption and then starts putting coffee ads on your phone, that’s another. And if your roommate, spouse, kids, or other members of your household also get those coffee ads on their phones and tablets, that’s a third, even sketchier, thing.
Better yet: Vizio does not even say they will encrypt the IP addresses of their users before sharing them willy-nilly with third parties.
ProPublica points out that your cable company is prohibited by law from sharing this level of information about their subscribers’ programming consumption, but Vizio says it is under no such obligation.
Own a Vizio Smart TV? It’s Watching You [ProPublica]NEW YORK (Reuters) - Citigroup Inc (C.N) management outlined an ambitious plan on Tuesday to grow profits and return at least $60 billion to shareholders, setting a new tone at the first major conference the bank has held for investors in over nine years.
FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: A view of the exterior of the Citibank corporate headquarters in New York, New York, U.S. May 20, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo/File Photo
Executives detailed ways they intend to generate more revenue, cut unnecessary costs, use capital more wisely and get back to building businesses after a long period of divestitures.
They described the plan as a sign Citigroup has finally regained its footing after the 2007-09 financial crisis, when it needed three bailouts to survive, and acknowledged investors had reason to be frustrated after Citigroup missed previous targets.
“We haven’t yet delivered the level of returns that you, our investors, both expect and deserve,” Chief Executive Officer Michael Corbat said at the start of the event. “You have been patient with us. And I want you to know that we don’t take that patience for granted and we don’t think it is inexhaustible.”
Citigroup shares closed up 2.9 percent, at $68.03. The stock, up 14 percent this year, has lately been trading at levels not seen since December 2008.
Since the crisis, Citigroup has shrunk significantly, selling and closing businesses around the world. Once the largest U.S. bank by assets, it has slipped to fourth place.
But executives at the event said they intend to grow businesses ranging from stock trading to Mexican consumer banking, while making operations more efficient and shrinking the number of outstanding shares.
By 2020, Citigroup should be able to generate $9 per share in profit, up 80 percent from the $5 per share it has produced over the past 12 months, Chief Financial Officer John Gerspach said in a presentation.
About half of that forecast is based on an expectation that Citigroup will be able to buy back more stock. Another 40 percent comes from expected performance of underlying businesses, with just 10 percent coming from rising interest rates.
As Citigroup becomes more profitable, executives also expect higher returns on equity, a measure watched closely by Wall Street to judge how well a bank uses shareholder money.
By 2019, Citigroup should be able to produce a 10 percent return on common tangible equity, rising to 11 percent in 2020 and 14 percent over the longer term, executives said.
Evercore ISI analyst Glenn Schorr characterized the bank’s forecasts as not only better than expected, but “credible.”
“We think investors will be happy,” he wrote in a note to clients.
“BIG NUMBER”
Citigroup invited about 250 analysts and investors to the investor day, its first since May 2008.[nL1N1KG11S]
Attendees said they were encouraged by the new targets, in part because they relied on improvements in underlying businesses.
Jamie Forese, who heads Citigroup’s institutional businesses, detailed plans to pick up market share in equities trading and investment banking. Stephen Bird, who runs global consumer banking, expects strong growth in Mexico, where Citigroup has a large retail business.
Management’s plan to return at least $60 billion to shareholders through 2020 also signaled confidence that Citi has resolved issues that led the U.S. Federal Reserve to reject its capital plans in the past, analysts said.
Last month, Citi passed the Fed’s annual stress tests, allowing it to boost stock buybacks and dividends so much that it will reduce its capital for the first time since the crisis.
“Over $60 billion over three years is a big number,” Barclays analyst Jason Goldberg said in an interview.
Citigroup is still some distance from its new targets, and far behind some rivals.
During the first half of this year, Citi generated an 8.2 percent return on tangible common equity, compared with 14 percent at JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N). Analysts generally like to see minimum returns of 10 percent, which Corbat had intended to reach in 2015 but did not.
Still, Goldberg said the targets “are not easy, but are doable,” as long as market and economic conditions do not deteriorate.The German media are now largely treating a Granit Xhaka transfer as good as done. He's set to be leaving Borussia Monchengladbach and the likeliest destination is reported to be Arsenal.
Xhaka is very keen for things to be sorted out before Euro 2016, he's a very intense competitor and doesn't want anything getting in the way of his concentration. The midfielder will be going into the championship with high hopes and, whether he wears the armband or not, Xhaka is a leader for Switzerland and will act as such, hence him wanting everything sorted out quickly.
Switzerland meet up as a squad in Lucerne this weekend, which doesn't leave a great deal of time. There's longer until Euro 2016 actually kicks off, but Xhaka wants things sorting as soon as possible. Bild quote the player as saying: "There are now daily talks. And definitely a decision before the European Championship.
"I played my first competitive match for Borussia in the cup in Darmstadt. This was followed by |
very proud of myself because I have accomplished something that nobody else has been able to accomplish," Trump said back in April 2011. "I was just informed, while on the helicopter, that our president has finally released a birth certificate.... He should have done it a long time ago."
And in fact, in June 2015, Trump pretty clearly raised the questions all over again. CNN's Anderson Cooper asked Trump whether he is now saying Obama was born in the United States.
"No. I don't know. I really don't know," Trump said. "I mean, I don't know why he wouldn't release his records. But you know, honestly, I don't want to get in it. He came up with this thing, all of a sudden. Remember this one thing. I'm only going to get one thing because I'm about jobs, the economy, and I'm about the military and taking care of all that.
That "one thing" is apparently Obama's birth certificate. And Trump in that interview cast a significant amount of doubt about just what it proved and why Obama doesn't release more proof. And this is all what Trump said when he was launching his 2016 campaign, more than five years after he first raised the issue.
The reason journalists keep asking him about it is because his position isn't clear. The extremely bold charge he made several years ago -- something he repeated over and over again -- stands as his point of view until he says otherwise. Just like Obama took the opportunity to put to rest a story that he didn't want to talk about by releasing his birth certificate, Trump has repeatedly had the chance to say that his questions about Obama's birthplace have been satisfied.
Rather than take that chance, Trump continues to feed the idea that he has doubts. Until he indicates otherwise, it's hard to say he no longer believes in this stuff. And that's not old news.Image copyright Standard Image caption The story was published in a satirical column called Crazy Monday
A satirical story that Eritrean men have been ordered to marry at least two wives, which has been shared across Africa, has upset Eritrean officials.
"Even a madman in [the Eritrean capital] Asmara would know that this story was not true," an Eritrean official told the BBC.
The hoax was first published online on a Kenyan news site called Crazy Monday.
Some men have commented on Twitter that they are ready to travel to Eritrea to find a new wife.
Crazy Monday, which is published by the Standard newspaper, is well known for its focus on scandalous stories and gossip as part of an attempt to attract a younger readership, says Mathias Muindi from the BBC's media monitoring service.
But this has not stopped it being reported in many countries from Nigeria to South Africa, with some suggesting that it was true.
The story said that to make up for the shortage of men in the country, following the civil war with Ethiopia from 1998-2000, every man must marry at least two women or face imprisonment.
It has been trending on Twitter in Nigeria, and other countries, for several days with people sharing links to the Eritrea's visa application documents.
'Dark Forces'
Eritrea's Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel tweeted that "the media frenzy to parrot this ludicrous, fabricated and trite story... is appalling".
One news website, Sahara Reporters, has retracted the story acknowledging that it was false.
In another tweet Mr Yemane said "the story illustrates [the] vileness of the dark forces of disinformation and proclivity of others to readily embrace the negative narrative on Eritrea".
The New York-based group Human Rights Watch says that there is a "dismal human rights situation" in Eritrea and the restrictions there, including on the freedom of expression, have led some to call it the North Korea of Africa.
More about Eritrea:
Inside the secretive state of Eritrea
Eritrean life in pictures
The lone seven-year-olds leaving EritreaYesterday afternoon I drove down to Kiptopeke, Virginia from State College to start my summer job with the Center for Conservation Biology. I have previously worked for the CCB capturing and tagging Whimbrel during the spring migration of 2010, and now this year I am back to work with the Whimbrels again! I will also be working with a wide assortment of other species including Peregrine Falcons, Black-bellied Plovers, and seabirds. Today I planned to head out and re-familiarize myself with the study site, Box Tree Marsh, during mid-falling to mid-rising tide which wasn’t until the afternoon. During the morning hours, I slowly wandered my way around the Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR, where I am living for the summer (eBird checklist). The birding was fun but there were no migrant landbirds anywhere, although gulls and shorebirds were moving overhead in decent numbers. Quite a few southern species that aren’t nearly as numerous back up in State College were also fun to see, including Yellow-breasted Chat, White-eyed Vireo, Blue Grosbeak, Northern Bobwhite, and loads of Prairie Warblers.
The shorebirding around the channels of Box Tree Marsh during the afternoon was incredible (eBird checklist)! Short-billed Dowitchers and Dunlin were the most numerous but Whimbrel, Black-bellied Plovers, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Semipalmated Plovers, both subspecies of Willet, and Greater Yellowlegs were all present in good numbers. There were also smaller numbers of Spotted Sandpiper and Ruddy Turnstone. Perhaps the most exciting bird of the afternoon was a Red Knot, mixed with sleeping dowitchers.
I am eagerly awaiting more and more migrant landbirds and shorebirds to move through the Eastern Shore throughout the next few weeks and am equally as excited to get out into the marshes, working with Whimbrel other birds of Virginia’s coast. Check back for updates and photos over the course of the summer! In the meantime, below are a few photos I took today.A 22-year-old gay man from Florida who's entire life is based around mermaids is the subject of a new TLC documentary
A gay man in Florida does not just love mermaids – it’s his life.
Eric Ducharme, 22, is the subject of the latest TLC documentary ‘My Crazy Obsession’.
In the trailer for the episode, he is seen swimming in a natural spring while wearing a fish tail of his own creation.
He says: ‘My name is Eric Ducharme, and I’m obsessed with mermaids.
‘I eat, breathe and sleep mermaids. It’s a lifestyle – it’s my lifestyle. It’s the path in life that I have chosen.
A licensed scuba instructor, Ducharme drives over an hour and a half to a Florida natural spring to swim three times a week.
He swims without equipment, and with practice is able to hold his breath up to four minutes underwater.
Ducharme adds: ‘When I put on a tail I feel transformed, I feel like I am starting to enter into a different world when I hit the water.
‘It’s taken me a really long time to understand my place in life. Being underwater I feel totally like I’m away from the world.’
His boyfriend Matthew Quijano describes how when he met Eric, he was introduced to the subject of mermaids on their first date.
‘Your jaw kinda drops, and you’re just like… “Wow”,’ he says. ‘When we go swimming I don’t even see him, he just goes off to his own little corner.
‘It’s all about getting away from the rest of the world.’
However it isn’t all good being a part of Ducharme’s world, as the two often receive ‘scolding looks’.
Quijano said: ‘They’re like “Why is there a guy in the water with a tail? It’s supposed to be a girl.”
‘Haters gonna hate.’
While his mermaid obsession may be peculiar to some, Ducharme is making a living as a ‘Mertailor’. His creations have been worn by celebrities like Lady Gaga, and featured in shows like Germany’s Next Top Model.
Check out the trailer to TLC’s ‘My Crazy Obsession’ here.Getty Images The idea of giving every American an unconditional basic income is flying around the blogosphere, but has not been picked up by any major politicians.
The idea is simple: the government would mail a check to every American each month. That's it. It would replace all other government benefit programs.
This is not a policy that is popular only on the left. Many conservatives have supported it as well. The idea of eliminating all of those programs and simply mailing people a check would cut down on the bureaucratic waste that conservatives hate about government.
In fact, just this past weekend, Fox News host Stuart Varney was extremely supportive of the idea. The American Enterprise Institute's Charles Murray has written an entire book on it. Milton Friedman was a huge proponent of a negative income tax, which is a very similar idea.
But it will not take off on the right until a major conservative figure with policy credentials supports it. Paul Ryan should become that figure.
Here's why:
1. Ryan is creating an anti-poverty plan. 2. Ryan hates big government programs. 3. A basic income for every American would end poverty. 4. A basic income would eliminate gaggles of big government programs.
Instead of unveiling an anti-poverty platform that is complicated, he should think simple. Conservatives will love the idea of eliminating dozens of government programs and liberals will love the idea of eliminating poverty. In addition, more and more research is showing that the best way to help out poor people is to simply give them money. They know what they need the most so let them decide. An unconditional basic income does exactly that.
There are, of course, a couple of roadblocks.
First, he'd have to find a way to fund it. I laid out some ways in my previous piece for how to do that. The elimination of all the other benefits helps, but he still must find more revenues. I'm not holding my breath that he will sign on for a carbon tax anytime soon, but he could look to other ways to raise money while trimming down the level of the guarantee. For instance, instead of $1,000 per month, he could make it $800 and trim 20% off the cost.
Second, he'll face backlash from conservatives who believe that a basic income will disincentivize work. This is the number one reason that some wonks oppose an unconditional basic income. If people earn money for doing nothing, they'll choose not to work. Economists however are not certain that this is how it would play out. A basic income of $800 a month is still a paltry sum. In addition, workers can gain more bargaining power and push for higher wages if they have the security of a basic income to fall back on. Finally, making the benefits universal eliminates steep marginal tax rates that low-income workers face as they move up the income ladder. All of these will have a major positive effect on the economy that Ryan should emphasize.A little before midnight on Saturday, a crowd of around 700 gathered in an old industrial warehouse a few blocks from the Detroit River for what they’d been told was the “largest public satanic ceremony in history.” Most of them professed to be adherents of Satanism, that loosely organized squad of the occult that defines itself as a religious group. Others came simply because they were curious. After all, Satanists exist in the popular psyche as those who casually sacrifice goats and impregnate Mia Farrow with Lucifer’s child; if this ceremony was indeed unprecedentedly big, who knew what could be in store?
Read more: The Evolution of Modern Satanism in the United States
The reality of the event — and of the contemporary Satanic movement at large — was tamer, and, if the Facebook pictures speak the truth, harmlessly festive: a cross between an underground rave and a meticulously planned Halloween party. They were there to publicly unveil a colossal bronze statue of Baphomet, the goat-headed wraith who, after centuries of various appropriations, is now the totem of contemporary Satanism. The pentagram, that familiar logo of both orthodox Satanists and disaffected teens, originated as a rough outline of Baphomet’s head.
The statue itself is impressive: almost nine feet tall, and weighing in at around a ton. The horned idol sits on a throne adorned with a pentagram, but it is the idol’s wings, and not his chair, that curiously evoke the Iron Throne from a certain celebrated HBO fantasy series. He has the jarring horns of a virile ram but the biceps of a guy who lifts four or five times a week. His legs, which are crossed, end not in feet but in hooves. It might seem more menacing if not for the two bronze-statue children standing on either side of him — a girl on his left; a boy on his right; both are looking up at him earnestly.
“Baphomet contains binary elements symbolizing a reconciliation of opposites, emblematic of the willingness to embrace, and even celebrate differences,” Jex Blackmore, who organized the unveiling, told TIME late Sunday night. In a sense, the statue is a stress test of American plurality: at what point does religious freedom make the people uncomfortable?
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Blackmore directs the Detroit chapter of the Satanic Temple, one of the few coherent organizations in a field that’s otherwise disorganized and dogmatically nebulous. The Satanic Temple has chapters in Florida and Finland, in Italy and Minneapolis. Its headquarters are in New York, but the Detroit office is its first and largest outpost. Blackmore — who, by the way, uses a pseudonym for safety reasons — grew up in the Detroit metropolitan area and returned to the city to work with the Satanic Temple after attending a lecture on Satanism at Harvard.
Asked whether her group is a religious organization (or rather an anti-religious organization) she explains that it’s less of a church and more of an affinity group, built around what she repeatedly refers to as “Satanic principles.” It’s not the dogma you might expect. To quote from the group’s website:
The Satanic Temple holds to the basic premise that undue suffering is bad, and that which reduces suffering is good. We do not believe in symbolic “evil.”
Most vitally, though, the group does not “promote a belief in a personal Satan.” By their logic, Satan is an abstraction, or, as Nancy Kaffer wrote for The Daily Beast last year, “a literary figure, not a deity — he stands for rationality, for skepticism, for speaking truth to power, even at great personal cost.”
Call it Libertarian Gothic, maybe — some darker permutation of Ayn Rand’s crusade for free will. One witnesses in the Satanic Temple militia a certain knee-jerk reaction to encroachments upon personal liberties, especially when those encroachments come with a crucifix in hand. The Baphomet statue is the Satanic Temple’s defiant retort du jour.
“We chose Baphomet because of its contemporary relation to the figure of Satan and find its symbolism to be appropriate if displayed alongside a monument representing another faith,” Blackmore said.
The monument she refers to is a six-foot marble slab engraved with the Ten Commandments, controversially situated on the grounds of the Oklahoma State Capitol. In 2012, state representative Mike Ritze fronted $10,000 out of his own pocket to have the marker installed in the shadow of the capitol’s dome, prompting the ire of those who believed it flagrantly violated the separation of church and state. The American Civil Liberties Union sued the state of Oklahoma; the Satanic Temple fought fire with fire. If the Christians could chisel their credo onto public property, the argument went, why couldn’t they?
The state didn’t agree, and rejected the Satanic Temple’s petition to place Baphomet’s statute on legislative property. The point is now moot, though: a month ago, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that the Ten Commandments monument violated the state constitution, a judgment that will probably stick in spite of an obstinate governor.
It seems there are battles left to fight, though. A Detroit pastor described the unveiling of the statue as “a welcome home party for evil.” A Catholic activism group in the city actively encouraged people to attend mass at a local cathedral to speak out against the statue — a pray-in, if you will. Meanwhile, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson recently signed a bill that will put the Ten Commandments on a similar monument on the grounds of the State Capitol in Little Rock. The Satanic Temple may be planning a road trip.
LIFE at the Vatican: Unearthing History Beneath St. Peter's Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images 1 of 24 Advertisement
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Contact us at [email protected]’ve been searching for a reason why I like libertarians even as they drive me round-the-bend out of my mind sometimes. And on Saturday, Michael Kinsley of the Washington Post provided me that reason.
In his column titled The Church Doctrines of Pope Ron Paul – What’s wrong with libertarianism?, Kinsley described libertarianism as a movement that is so devoted to its principles that it is essentially irrelevant, but that is still vital to our political institutions. Libertarians focus so much on “free markets for everyone and everything” that they lose track of the bigger picture – things like pragmatism, or areas where the idea of personal property simply doesn’t (and can’t) apply. For example, Kinsley points out that fundamentalist libertarians (my term, not his) would reject government taxes for national defense, which is a “public good” issue that no individual should ever be allowed to decide for another. Similarly, pollution leeches across all personal property lines, and so must be addressed by governmental entities instead of nebulous “market forces.” And while I do understand (and even agree with) the right to die arguments that Kinsley rightly attributes to the libertarian impulse, he’s also right that the libertarian right to not wear a seat belt and speed runs smack into the brick wall of reality when the libertarian is involved in a fatal accident that snarls up traffic along a major highway for half the day.
Rights always come along with responsibilities, and it’s the latter part of that truism that libertarians generally forget.
But libertarians are still useful in our culture for one, very important reason – they keep us on our toes. When we’re asked why we don’t privatize the national highway system, we’re forced to answer that, as Kinsley pointed out, the inevitable result is that it’d end up being controlled by a single monopolistic corporation, and that’s functionally equivalent to the government that already owns the highways. When we’re asked why we should all have to pay for a sports stadium if we dislike sports or a major mass transit program if we live outside the metro area, libertarians force us to explain that the economic benefits of a major sports franchise and mass transit will boost the entire region’s growth, reduce pollution throughout the region, etc, so fairness requires that everyone who will benefit should help pay the costs (although sometimes the costs will outweigh the benefits, and in those situations the projects shouldn’t get any public money). And when libertarians ask why there should be regulations barring too much media consolidation in a single market, we’re forced to explain to them why monopolies are bad for them as much as everyone else.
In the process of explaining to the libertarians why they’re wrong on any given issue, the rest of us are forced to reexamine our own assumptions and opinions as they relate to the explanation. In addition, anyone else listening to the discussion learns more about the issue and comes away understanding the ideological objections and the pragmatic reasons those objections have to be rejected.
Both of those are good things.Photo
Summer is both a blessing and curse for millions of people afflicted with a common chronic skin condition called eczema. The dry, red and usually intolerably itchy patches often recede when the air is warm and damp and skin is exposed more often to sunlight.
Yet, for many of the 15 million Americans with eczema, shedding the clothes may be embarrassing and, in the case of children, may result in teasing and exclusion. Even for those who are comfortable in a bathing suit, swimming in a pool can be problematic if sensitivity to chlorine worsens the condition.
In industrialized countries, eczema has become two or three times more common in recent decades. Only part of this rise can be attributed to better diagnosis. Now between 15 and 30 percent of children and 2 percent to 10 percent of adults have eczema, which nearly always begins in the first five years of life. Fortunately, in more than two-thirds of children with eczema, the condition resolves on its own before adolescence.
The medical name for eczema is atopic dermatitis, which reflects the immunological nature of the condition. It is more common among children living in cities than those in rural areas. According to the so-called hygiene hypothesis, exposure to infectious agents early in life offers protection against allergic diseases. The more hygienic a child’s environment, the greater the risk.
Eczema is not contagious, but more than one member of a family may be afflicted. The condition seems to have a genetic component. In identical twins, 77 percent will both have eczema, but it occurs in both fraternal twins only 15 percent of the time. My sons, who are identical twins, had eczema as young children, and one still has it in his 40s.
Another indication is the fact that people with celiac disease (a gluten intolerance) are three times more likely to have eczema; relatives of celiac patients are twice as likely to have eczema.
Eczema is often called “the itch you can’t scratch,” though a wiser description would be “the itch you shouldn’t scratch.” Scratching can make the lesions worse and expose the skin to infection.
“Scratching the spot when it’s itchy brings relief only as long as you scratch it,” said my son, Lorin. “After scratching, the itch generally stays the same or worsens. It’s better not to scratch, though sometimes the itch is so intense that scratching feels compulsory.”
Although there is no known cure for eczema, flare-ups can nearly always be minimized and sometimes prevented, and recent research has identified factors involved in its development that may lead to new treatments to control it more effectively.
Normal skin provides a remarkably effective physical and chemical barrier to substances in the environment. It also prevents substances that should remain in the body from escaping.
As Dr. Thomas Bieber, a dermatologist at the University of Bonn in Germany, explained in The New England Journal of Medicine, the hallmark of eczema is an alteration in the skin that allows essential water to escape and environmental allergens (like those from pollen, dust mites and food) to enter. The result is dry, itchy, inflamed patches that are sometimes misdiagnosed as psoriasis.
Eczematous skin also lacks normal amounts of a natural antimicrobial agent called cathelicidin, leaving it susceptible to infections that can be hard to control. More than 90 percent of people with eczema have colonies of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus growing on their skin and contributing to the skin’s allergic sensitivity and inflammation, Dr. Bieber reported. Scratching the lesions enhances the ability of these bacteria to further disrupt the skin’s barrier function.
While it has long been known that the skin’s outermost layer functions poorly in people with eczema, researchers at the University of Rochester have identified another reason eczematous skin is susceptible to invasion by allergens. Dr. Anna De Benedetto and co-authors showed that a protective protein called claudin-1 is significantly weakened in the skin of eczema patients but not in those with normal skin or other skin conditions.
When claudin-1 is reduced, the “tight junctions” between skin cells become leaky and permeable to environmental allergens and infectious agents. If future studies confirm these findings, developing treatments that strengthen this barrier should improve control of eczema.
Current treatment focuses on reducing inflammation, loss of moisture and colonization by bacteria. Doctors typically recommend a prescription steroid, used topically in tiny amounts, coupled with an over-the-counter moisturizer applied generously right after showering to hold water in the skin. Only mild, nondrying bath soaps should be used.
Overly expensive and exotic skin products are not necessary, according to Dr. Lisa A. Beck, a dermatologist at the University of Rochester. But finding the most helpful products may require trial and error.
For example, my son tried several steroids before finding that mometasone furoate, the generic version of Elocon, is most effective for him. He has also used coal tar-based shampoo, like Neutrogena T/Gel, for occasional eczema on his scalp.
In selecting a moisturizer (often called an emollient), choose a product that contains no scent, which itself can be a skin irritant.
An acquaintance who suffered for years with widespread eczema finally found relief last year when her doctor suggested she try taking a nonsedating antihistamine, like loratadine (Claritin), fexofenadine (Allegra) or cetirizine (Zyrtec).
Sweat can trigger an outbreak, so it is best to shower as soon as possible after a sweat-inducing activity. Stress can provoke flare-ups in some people with eczema, so measures to reduce stress may be helpful.
Food allergies show up as eczema in some patients. Eliminating one potential culprit at a time, like dairy products, eggs or nuts, may reveal an eczema-inducer.
Some people develop a form of eczema that results from skin contact with an irritant, not unlike a reaction to poison ivy. Contact eczema is often an occupational disease stemming from exposure to detergents, for example, or various cleaning agents or wet cement. The condition may show up only after the skin is exposed to sunlight. People with eczema on their hands are usually advised to wear cotton-lined waterproof gloves when washing dishes or working with irritating substances.“When they said, ‘We’re going to Winki’, I started channeling Sunny Garcia against John Shimooka in ’95,” said Mick Fanning, after beating Taj Burrow to win the 2014 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. Photo: Kirstin/ASP
“After that result (13th) in Margaret River I went home and worked really hard and I’m so pleased that the hard work paid off,” said Mick Fanning. “Congratulations to Taj, I’ve never been so nervous for nine minutes of my life, he surfed amazingly.” Photo: Cestari/ASP
“It’s always been my dream to surf a heat at Winkipop,” said Fanning. “This is such a special event for me and I feel comfortable here. With the caliber of surfers on Tour at the moment, there’s never an easy heat, and it keeps it so exciting.” Photo: Ed Sloane / Video: ASP
Paddle battle! (Mick won.) “I felt really good and I had a fun today,” said Taj. “I had a good Final with Mick, but it was rough losing knowing I needed a 7 because I felt like there were so many opportunities to get one, but that’s the way it goes.” Photo: Ed Sloane
“There’s nothing better than ringing that Bell, even the little one,” added Burrow. “It’s such an iconic event and I’m glad to have my name on the Bell. I’d love to have it on there a second time but I’ll take this result, put it in the bank and carry on to the next event.” Photo: Ed Sloane / Video: ASP
“We got to surf everywhere at this event, which was awesome,” said Fanning, hugging Burrow afterwards. “We got to surf the Bowl, Rincon and finish at Winkipop.” Photo: Ed Sloane
Photo: Kirstin/ASP
Photo: Ed Sloane
“It's been a long Australian leg with three events in a row and it couldn't have been much better for me,” finished Moore. “Two wins and a Quarterfinal and to finish by winning at Bells is so unique and special." Photo: Ed Sloane / Video: ASP
“When I hit the water it’s all about surfing and catching waves; I like to enjoy what I’m doing and be in the moment,” said Tyler. “Not worry about anything else that I can’t control. I just want to surf the way I surf.” Photo: Ed Sloane
“Carissa is just an amazing human and a great winner,” credited Tyler, who lost this rematch of Moore and Wright's 2013 Bells Final. Photo: Cestari/ASP / Video: ASP
"Julian seemed as if he’d settled on something here," writes Nick Carroll, "on what he felt was expected of him, perhaps — and he produced it in clutch heat after heat, killing logical contender Parko in the Quarters with a lovely calm display." Photo: Ed Sloane
“Jordy was the best surfer of the contest, but he didn’t win,” writes Nick Carroll. “Neither did Jules (Wilson, pictured), although he came bloody close.” Photo: Ed Sloane
Julian Wilson leaves Bells with an equal-3rd, after losing a tight Semifinal to eventual champ Mick Fanning, 18.20-17.36. Sequence: Ed Sloane
"More surfers ripped at Bells than at any previous Bells (in this reporter’s 36-year experience)," writes Nick Carroll. "Any of the final 12 could have walked away with what we suspect may be one of the critical victories of the year." John John Florence. Photo: Ed Sloane
After beating Slater, John John Florence lost Semifinal 1 to Taj Burrow, 14.43-13.43, leaving the Hawaiian prodigy with an equal-3rd place keeper. Sequence: Ed Sloane
“It was a difficult heat,” said Stephanie Gilmore after falling to Tyler Wright in the Semis. “Tyler’s the sort of girl that you can’t let get any waves if you want to win a heat. She caught a wave on my priority, and it was a bomb, and got a 9-point ride.” Photo: Ed Sloane
“Unfortunately, I’ll take a 3rd-place,” added Gilmore. “I’ve never had so many heats where I’m always on my toes.” Photo: Cestari/ASP
In the Women's Semifinals, Sally Fitzgibbons fell to eventual champ Carissa Moore, 11.10-10.53. Photo: Ed Sloane
"Winkipop, just around the corner from Bells, is a way better wave, mostly," writes Nick Carroll. "It’s a long, straight-angled reef without the complications of the Bells/Rincon/Bowl weirdness." Photo: Ed Sloane
“‘That was the best wave on tour this year,’ Kelly said, his eye alight with the stoke of seeing someone go to the ends of his skills and come out clean,” writes Nick Carroll of Jordy Smith’s ride (pictured). ‘To keep speed out of that carve…’ He was lost for words, too.” Photo: Ed Sloane
“I saw Jordy as he went into the judges’ booth,” writes Nick Carroll. “‘I’m just gonna ask them what they really want to see,’ he said. ‘I feel like they’re judging me on my ability, or what they think is my ability.’ ‘Like, expecting you might do more?’ I asked. He shrugged. His face had that empty look of an athlete who’s given it everything and found himself short.” Photo: Ed Sloane
“I started well but the second wave I picked the wrong one and Taj got the opportunity,” said Adriano de Souza. “I did my best, that’s all I can say.” Photo: Ed Sloane
“I’m happy that I got as far of the Quarterfinals, but I wish I was able to defend my title,” Adriano de Souza finished. “Let’s see what I can do in Brazil.” Photo: Ed Sloane
“I had the waves to win the heat and he (Florence) capitalized on my mistakes,” said Kelly Slater, after losing Q2 to John John Florence, 13.13-11.10. “It was a slow heat so the nerves built and I forced a couple of turns. I’m happy for John John, though.” Photo: Cestari/ASP
“I think after I blew it on that one wave, it hit my confidence,” Slater added. “I’ll be hard on myself on that one for the next few hours I think.” Photo: Ed Sloane
“Joel, the man of passion, wanted the Bowl,” writes Nick Carroll. “‘That’s what this contest is all about,’ he said, semi-frothing in the half dark. ‘That’s where you want to win the Bell.’” Photo: Ed Sloane
"This swell was, in fact, rather thinner than it looked," writes Nick Carroll, "a lower-interval pulse from some godforsaken Southern Ocean storm that died before it could destroy Tasmania, and it looked as if the depleted energy level might not suit the big man." Photo: Ed Sloane
Gabriel Medina's limelight was cut short by fellow Brazilian superstar Adriano de Souza in the first heat of R5, where Adriano aced his younger countryman, 16.27-13.33. Photo: Ed Sloane
Freddy Patacchia also went down in Round 5, losing a heartbreaker to fellow Bells backsider Owen Wright, 13.37- 13.10. Photo: Ed Sloane
"Then Fanning’s Quarterfinal against Owen Wright (pictured) found itself stranded in an epic lull," writes Nick Carroll, "and people started muttering about Winkipop." Photo: Ed SloaneJava is one of the most popular programming language nowadays. There are plenty of books for beginners. But to those who have programmed with Java for a while, some of them may look redundant. However, advanced Java books are not always right at hand, not partially because they require more skills, experienced, and deep thinkers to write.
This post provides a book list for experienced Java developers. Books like "Thinking in Java" or "Head First Java" won't be listed although they are very good for beginners.
Effective Java
This book is really only for deeper understanding Java developer. It brings together seventy-eight indispensable programmer’s rules of thumb: working, best-practice solutions for the programming challenges you encounter every day.
The elements of Java style
It is directed at anyone who writes Java code, by furnishing a set of rules for Java practitioners, by offering a collection of standards, conventions, and guidelines for writing solid Java code, and by illustrating how to write solid Java code that will be easy to understand, maintain, and enhance.
Java Concurrency in Practice
This is one of the hardest things to get right.
Programming Pearls
Programming Pearls is a very good book discussing how to think and solve problem as a programmer.
Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture
You may have learned design patterns, but not sure how they are used in enterprise frameworks. This book explains common enterprise design patterns.
Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code
If you have programmed for years, you will find this book definitely worth to read. Refactoring can make code more readable and easier to maintain.
OSGi in Action: Creating Modular Applications in Java
For more or less, it is good to know service oriented programming. The first several chapters of this book can give you a nice introduction and concrete examples.
Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship
Last but not least, it is always good to review your coding style. 90% of effort will be spent on maintenance, it is extremely important to make clean code.
Algorithm in Java
A little advertisement for myself. This book is a collection of popular algorithm questions from ProgramCreek. Download Link.
There are other good books for advanced Java developers. If you think any other book should be here, please leave your comment. I will combine them later here.Wauwilermoos was an internment camp and prisoner-of-war penal camp in Switzerland during World War II. It was situated in the municipalities of Wauwil and Egolzwil in the Canton of Lucerne (Luzern). Established in 1940, Wauwilermoos was a penal camp for internees, including Allied soldiers, among them members of the United States Army Air Forces, who were sentenced for attempting to escape from other Swiss camps for interned soldiers, or other offences. Together with Hünenberg and Les Diablerets, Wauwilermoos was one of three Swiss penal camps for internees that were established in Switzerland during World War II. The intolerable conditions were later described by numerous former inmates and by various contemporary reports and studies.[1]
Aerial photograph of the Wauwilermoos camp area in mid-1944.
Wauwilermoos camp in late 1944.
Background [ edit ]
During World War II more than 100,000 belligerent troops, mainly Allied soldiers, were interned in Switzerland – service personnel from England, France, Poland, Russia, Italy |
1. Alluxio site
GridGain GridGain is open source project licensed under Apache 2.0. One of the main pieces of this platform is the In-Memory Apache Hadoop Accelerator which aims to accelerate HDFS and Map/Reduce by bringing both, data and computations into memory. This work is done with the GGFS - Hadoop compliant in-memory file system. For I/O intensive jobs GridGain GGFS offers performance close to 100x faster than standard HDFS. Paraphrasing Dmitriy Setrakyan from GridGain Systems talking about GGFS regarding Tachyon: GGFS allows read-through and write-through to/from underlying HDFS or any other Hadoop compliant file system with zero code change. Essentially GGFS entirely removes ETL step from integration.
GGFS has ability to pick and choose what folders stay in memory, what folders stay on disc, and what folders get synchronized with underlying (HD)FS either synchronously or asynchronously.
GridGain is working on adding native MapReduce component which will provide native complete Hadoop integration without changes in API, like Spark currently forces you to do. Essentially GridGain MR+GGFS will allow to bring Hadoop completely or partially in-memory in Plug-n-Play fashion without any API changes. 1. GridGain site
XtreemFS XtreemFS is a general purpose storage system and covers most storage needs in a single deployment. It is open-source, requires no special hardware or kernel modules, and can be mounted on Linux, Windows and OS X. XtreemFS runs distributed and offers resilience through replication. XtreemFS Volumes can be accessed through a FUSE component, that offers normal file interaction with POSIX like semantics. Furthermore an implementation of Hadoops FileSystem interface is included which makes XtreemFS available for use with Hadoop, Flink and Spark out of the box. XtreemFS is licensed under the New BSD license. The XtreemFS project is developed by Zuse Institute Berlin. The development of the project is funded by the European Commission since 2006 under Grant Agreements No. FP6-033576, FP7-ICT-257438, and FP7-318521, as well as the German projects MoSGrid, "First We Take Berlin", FFMK, GeoMultiSens, and BBDC. 1. XtreemFS site 2. Flink on XtreemFS. Spark XtreemFS
Distributed Programming
Apache Ignite Apache Ignite In-Memory Data Fabric is a distributed in-memory platform for computing and transacting on large-scale data sets in real-time. It includes a distributed key-value in-memory store, SQL capabilities, map-reduce and other computations, distributed data structures, continuous queries, messaging and events subsystems, Hadoop and Spark integration. Ignite is built in Java and provides.NET and C++ APIs. 1. Apache Ignite
2. Apache Ignite documentation
Apache MapReduce MapReduce is a programming model for processing large data sets with a parallel, distributed algorithm on a cluster. Apache MapReduce was derived from Google MapReduce: Simplified Data Processing on Large Clusters paper. The current Apache MapReduce version is built over Apache YARN Framework. YARN stands for “Yet-Another-Resource-Negotiator”. It is a new framework that facilitates writing arbitrary distributed processing frameworks and applications. YARN’s execution model is more generic than the earlier MapReduce implementation. YARN can run applications that do not follow the MapReduce model, unlike the original Apache Hadoop MapReduce (also called MR1). Hadoop YARN is an attempt to take Apache Hadoop beyond MapReduce for data-processing. 1. Apache MapReduce
2. Google MapReduce paper
3. Writing YARN applications
Apache Pig Pig provides an engine for executing data flows in parallel on Hadoop. It includes a language, Pig Latin, for expressing these data flows. Pig Latin includes operators for many of the traditional data operations (join, sort, filter, etc.), as well as the ability for users to develop their own functions for reading, processing, and writing data. Pig runs on Hadoop. It makes use of both the Hadoop Distributed File System, HDFS, and Hadoop’s processing system, MapReduce.
Pig uses MapReduce to execute all of its data processing. It compiles the Pig Latin scripts that users write into a series of one or more MapReduce jobs that it then executes. Pig Latin looks different from many of the programming languages you have seen. There are no if statements or for loops in Pig Latin. This is because traditional procedural and object-oriented programming languages describe control flow, and data flow is a side effect of the program. Pig Latin instead focuses on data flow. 1. pig.apache.org/
2.Pig examples by Alan Gates
JAQL JAQL is a functional, declarative programming language designed especially for working with large volumes of structured, semi-structured and unstructured data. As its name implies, a primary use of JAQL is to handle data stored as JSON documents, but JAQL can work on various types of data. For example, it can support XML, comma-separated values (CSV) data and flat files. A "SQL within JAQL" capability lets programmers work with structured SQL data while employing a JSON data model that's less restrictive than its Structured Query Language counterparts.
Specifically, Jaql allows you to select, join, group, and filter data that is stored in HDFS, much like a blend of Pig and Hive. Jaql’s query language was inspired by many programming and query languages, including Lisp, SQL, XQuery, and Pig.
JAQL was created by workers at IBM Research Labs in 2008 and released to open source. While it continues to be hosted as a project on Google Code, where a downloadable version is available under an Apache 2.0 license, the major development activity around JAQL has remained centered at IBM. The company offers the query language as part of the tools suite associated with InfoSphere BigInsights, its Hadoop platform. Working together with a workflow orchestrator, JAQL is used in BigInsights to exchange data between storage, processing and analytics jobs. It also provides links to external data and services, including relational databases and machine learning data. 1. JAQL in Google Code
2. What is Jaql? by IBM
Apache Spark Data analytics cluster computing framework originally developed in the AMPLab at UC Berkeley. Spark fits into the Hadoop open-source community, building on top of the Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS). However, Spark provides an easier to use alternative to Hadoop MapReduce and offers performance up to 10 times faster than previous generation systems like Hadoop MapReduce for certain applications.
Spark is a framework for writing fast, distributed programs. Spark solves similar problems as Hadoop MapReduce does but with a fast in-memory approach and a clean functional style API. With its ability to integrate with Hadoop and inbuilt tools for interactive query analysis (Shark), large-scale graph processing and analysis (Bagel), and real-time analysis (Spark Streaming), it can be interactively used to quickly process and query big data sets.
To make programming faster, Spark provides clean, concise APIs in Scala, Java and Python. You can also use Spark interactively from the Scala and Python shells to rapidly query big datasets. Spark is also the engine behind Shark, a fully Apache Hive-compatible data warehousing system that can run 100x faster than Hive. 1. Apache Spark
2. Mirror of Spark on Github
3. RDDs - Paper
4. Spark: Cluster Computing... - Paper
Spark Research
Apache Storm Storm is a complex event processor (CEP) and distributed computation framework written predominantly in the Clojure programming language. Is a distributed real-time computation system for processing fast, large streams of data. Storm is an architecture based on master-workers paradigma. So a Storm cluster mainly consists of a master and worker nodes, with coordination done by Zookeeper.
Storm makes use of zeromq (0mq, zeromq), an advanced, embeddable networking library. It provides a message queue, but unlike message-oriented middleware (MOM), a 0MQ system can run without a dedicated message broker. The library is designed to have a familiar socket-style API.
Originally created by Nathan Marz and team at BackType, the project was open sourced after being acquired by Twitter. Storm was initially developed and deployed at BackType in 2011. After 7 months of development BackType was acquired by Twitter in July 2011. Storm was open sourced in September 2011.
Hortonworks is developing a Storm-on-YARN version and plans finish the base-level integration in 2013 Q4. This is the plan from Hortonworks. Yahoo/Hortonworks also plans to move Storm-on-YARN code from github.com/yahoo/storm-yarn to be a subproject of Apache Storm project in the near future.
Twitter has recently released a Hadoop-Storm Hybrid called “Summingbird.” Summingbird fuses the two frameworks into one, allowing for developers to use Storm for short-term processing and Hadoop for deep data dives,. a system that aims to mitigate the tradeoffs between batch processing and stream processing by combining them into a hybrid system. 1. Storm Project/
2. Storm-on-YARN
Apache Flink Apache Flink (formerly called Stratosphere) features powerful programming abstractions in Java and Scala, a high-performance runtime, and automatic program optimization. It has native support for iterations, incremental iterations, and programs consisting of large DAGs of operations.
Flink is a data processing system and an alternative to Hadoop's MapReduce component. It comes with its own runtime, rather than building on top of MapReduce. As such, it can work completely independently of the Hadoop ecosystem. However, Flink can also access Hadoop's distributed file system (HDFS) to read and write data, and Hadoop's next-generation resource manager (YARN) to provision cluster resources. Since most Flink users are using Hadoop HDFS to store their data, it ships already the required libraries to access HDFS. 1. Apache Flink incubator page
2. Stratosphere site
Apache Apex Apache Apex is an enterprise grade Apache YARN based big data-in-motion platform that unifies stream processing as well as batch processing. It processes big data in-motion in a highly scalable, highly performant, fault tolerant, stateful, secure, distributed, and an easily operable way. It provides a simple API that enables users to write or re-use generic Java code, thereby lowering the expertise needed to write big data applications. The Apache Apex platform is supplemented by Apache Apex-Malhar, which is a library of operators that implement common business logic functions needed by customers who want to quickly develop applications. These operators provide access to HDFS, S3, NFS, FTP, and other file systems; Kafka, ActiveMQ, RabbitMQ, JMS, and other message systems; MySql, Cassandra, MongoDB, Redis, HBase, CouchDB and other databases along with JDBC connectors. The library also includes a host of other common business logic patterns that help users to significantly reduce the time it takes to go into production. Ease of integration with all other big data technologies is one of the primary missions of Apache Apex-Malhar. Apex, available on GitHub, is the core technology upon which DataTorrent's commercial offering, DataTorrent RTS 3, along with other technology such as a data ingestion tool called dtIngest, are based. 1. Apache Apex from DataTorrent
2. Apache Apex main page
3. Apache Apex Proposal
Netflix PigPen PigPen is map-reduce for Clojure which compiles to Apache Pig. Clojure is dialect of the Lisp programming language created by Rich Hickey, so is a functional general-purpose language, and runs on the Java Virtual Machine, Common Language Runtime, and JavaScript engines. In PigPen there are no special user defined functions (UDFs). Define Clojure functions, anonymously or named, and use them like you would in any Clojure program. This tool is open sourced by Netflix, Inc. the American provider of on-demand Internet streaming media. 1. PigPen on GitHub
AMPLab SIMR Apache Spark was developed thinking in Apache YARN. However, up to now, it has been relatively hard to run Apache Spark on Hadoop MapReduce v1 clusters, i.e. clusters that do not have YARN installed. Typically, users would have to get permission to install Spark/Scala on some subset of the machines, a process that could be time consuming. SIMR allows anyone with access to a Hadoop MapReduce v1 cluster to run Spark out of the box. A user can run Spark directly on top of Hadoop MapReduce v1 without any administrative rights, and without having Spark or Scala installed on any of the nodes. 1. SIMR on GitHub
Facebook Corona “The next version of Map-Reduce" from Facebook, based in own fork of Hadoop. The current Hadoop implementation of the MapReduce technique uses a single job tracker, which causes scaling issues for very large data sets. The Apache Hadoop developers have been creating their own next-generation MapReduce, called YARN, which Facebook engineers looked at but discounted because of the highly-customised nature of the company's deployment of Hadoop and HDFS. Corona, like YARN, spawns multiple job trackers (one for each job, in Corona's case). 1. Corona on Github
Apache REEF Apache REEF™ (Retainable Evaluator Execution Framework) is a library for developing portable applications for cluster resource managers such as Apache Hadoop™ YARN or Apache Mesos™. Apache REEF drastically simplifies development of those resource managers through the following features: Centralized Control Flow: Apache REEF turns the chaos of a distributed application into events in a single machine, the Job Driver. Events include container allocation, Task launch, completion and failure. For failures, Apache REEF makes every effort of making the actual `Exception` thrown by the Task available to the Driver.
Task runtime: Apache REEF provides a Task runtime called Evaluator. Evaluators are instantiated in every container of a REEF application. Evaluators can keep data in memory in between Tasks, which enables efficient pipelines on REEF.
Support for multiple resource managers: Apache REEF applications are portable to any supported resource manager with minimal effort. Further, new resource managers are easy to support in REEF.
.NET and Java API: Apache REEF is the only API to write YARN or Mesos applications in.NET. Further, a single REEF application is free to mix and match Tasks written for.NET or Java.
Plugins: Apache REEF allows for plugins (called "Services") to augment its feature set without adding bloat to the core. REEF includes many Services, such as a name-based communications between Tasks MPI-inspired group communications (Broadcast, Reduce, Gather,...) and data ingress. 1. Apache REEF Website
Apache Twill Twill is an abstraction over Apache Hadoop® YARN that reduces the complexity of developing distributed applications, allowing developers to focus more on their business logic. Twill uses a simple thread-based model that Java programmers will find familiar. YARN can be viewed as a compute fabric of a cluster, which means YARN applications like Twill will run on any Hadoop 2 cluster.
YARN is an open source application that allows the Hadoop cluster to turn into a collection of virtual machines. Weave, developed by Continuuity and initially housed on Github, is a complementary open source application that uses a programming model similar to Java threads, making it easy to write distributed applications. In order to remove a conflict with a similarly named project on Apache, called "Weaver," Weave's name changed to Twill when it moved to Apache incubation.
Twill functions as a scaled-out proxy. Twill is a middleware layer in between YARN and any application on YARN. When you develop a Twill app, Twill handles APIs in YARN that resemble a multi-threaded application familiar to Java. It is very easy to build multi-processed distributed applications in Twill. 1. Apache Twill Incubator
Damballa Parkour Library for develop MapReduce programs using the LISP like language Clojure. Parkour aims to provide deep Clojure integration for Hadoop. Programs using Parkour are normal Clojure programs, using standard Clojure functions instead of new framework abstractions. Programs using Parkour are also full Hadoop programs, with complete access to absolutely everything possible in raw Java Hadoop MapReduce. 1. Parkour GitHub Project
Apache Hama Apache Top-Level open source project, allowing you to do advanced analytics beyond MapReduce. Many data analysis techniques such as machine learning and graph algorithms require iterative computations, this is where Bulk Synchronous Parallel model can be more effective than "plain" MapReduce. 1. Hama site
Datasalt Pangool A new MapReduce paradigm. A new API for MR jobs, in higher level than Java. 1.Pangool
2.GitHub Pangool
Apache Tez Tez is a proposal to develop a generic application which can be used to process complex data-processing task DAGs and runs natively on Apache Hadoop YARN. Tez generalizes the MapReduce paradigm to a more powerful framework based on expressing computations as a dataflow graph. Tez is not meant directly for end-users – in fact it enables developers to build end-user applications with much better performance and flexibility. Hadoop has traditionally been a batch-processing platform for large amounts of data. However, there are a lot of use cases for near-real-time performance of query processing. There are also several workloads, such as Machine Learning, which do not fit will into the MapReduce paradigm. Tez helps Hadoop address these use cases. Tez framework constitutes part of Stinger initiative (a low latency based SQL type query interface for Hadoop based on Hive). 1. Apache Tez Incubator
2. Hortonworks Apache Tez page
Apache DataFu DataFu provides a collection of Hadoop MapReduce jobs and functions in higher level languages based on it to perform data analysis. It provides functions for common statistics tasks (e.g. quantiles, sampling), PageRank, stream sessionization, and set and bag operations. DataFu also provides Hadoop jobs for incremental data processing in MapReduce. DataFu is a collection of Pig UDFs (including PageRank, sessionization, set operations, sampling, and much more) that were originally developed at LinkedIn. 1. DataFu Apache Incubator
Pydoop Pydoop is a Python MapReduce and HDFS API for Hadoop, built upon the C++ Pipes and the C libhdfs APIs, that allows to write full-fledged MapReduce applications with HDFS access. Pydoop has several advantages over Hadoop’s built-in solutions for Python programming, i.e., Hadoop Streaming and Jython: being a CPython package, it allows you to access all standard library and third party modules, some of which may not be available. 1. SF Pydoop site
2. Pydoop GitHub Project
Kangaroo Open-source project from Conductor for writing MapReduce jobs consuming data from Kafka. The introductory post explains Conductor’s use case—loading data from Kafka to HBase by way of a MapReduce job using the HFileOutputFormat. Unlike other solutions which are limited to a single InputSplit per Kafka partition, Kangaroo can launch multiple consumers at different offsets in the stream of a single partition for increased throughput and parallelism. 1. Kangaroo Introduction
2. Kangaroo GitHub Project
TinkerPop Graph computing framework written in Java. Provides a core API that graph system vendors can implement. There are various types of graph systems including in-memory graph libraries, OLTP graph databases, and OLAP graph processors. Once the core interfaces are implemented, the underlying graph system can be queried using the graph traversal language Gremlin and processed with TinkerPop-enabled algorithms. For many, TinkerPop is seen as the JDBC of the graph computing community. 1. Apache Tinkerpop Proposal
2. TinkerPop site
Pachyderm MapReduce Pachyderm is a completely new MapReduce engine built on top Docker and CoreOS. In Pachyderm MapReduce (PMR) a job is an HTTP server inside a Docker container (a microservice). You give Pachyderm a Docker image and it will automatically distribute it throughout the cluster next to your data. Data is POSTed to the container over HTTP and the results are stored back in the file system. You can implement the web server in any language you want and pull in any library. Pachyderm also creates a DAG for all the jobs in the system and their dependencies and it automatically schedules the pipeline such that each job isn’t run until it’s dependencies have completed. Everything in Pachyderm “speaks in diffs” so it knows exactly which data has changed and which subsets of the pipeline need to be rerun. CoreOS is an open source lightweight operating system based on Chrome OS, actually CoreOS is a fork of Chrome OS. CoreOS provides only the minimal functionality required for deploying applications inside software containers, together with built-in mechanisms for service discovery and configuration sharing 1. Pachyderm site
2. Pachyderm introduction article
Apache Beam Apache Beam is an open source, unified model for defining and executing data-parallel processing pipelines, as well as a set of language-specific SDKs for constructing pipelines and runtime-specific Runners for executing them. The model behind Beam evolved from a number of internal Google data processing projects, including MapReduce, FlumeJava, and Millwheel. This model was originally known as the “Dataflow Model” and first implemented as Google Cloud Dataflow, including a Java SDK on GitHub for writing pipelines and fully managed service for executing them on Google Cloud Platform. In January 2016, Google and a number of partners submitted the Dataflow Programming Model and SDKs portion as an Apache Incubator Proposal, under the name Apache Beam (unified Batch + strEAM processing). 1. Apache Beam Proposal
2. DataFlow Beam and Spark Comparasion
NoSQL Databases
Column Data Model
Apache HBase Google BigTable Inspired. Non-relational distributed database. Ramdom, real-time r/w operations in column-oriented very large tables (BDDB: Big Data Data Base). It’s the backing system for MR jobs outputs. It’s the Hadoop database. It’s for backing Hadoop MapReduce jobs with Apache HBase tables 1. Apache HBase Home
2. Mirror of HBase on Github
Apache Cassandra Distributed Non-SQL DBMS, it’s a BDDB. MR can retrieve data from Cassandra. This BDDB can run without HDFS, or on-top of HDFS (DataStax fork of Cassandra). HBase and its required supporting systems are derived from what is known of the original Google BigTable and Google File System designs (as known from the Google File System paper Google published in 2003, and the BigTable paper published in 2006). Cassandra on the other hand is a recent open source fork of a standalone database system initially coded by Facebook, which while implementing the BigTable data model, uses a system inspired by Amazon’s Dynamo for storing data (in fact much of the initial development work on Cassandra was performed by two Dynamo engineers recruited to Facebook from Amazon). 1. Apache HBase Home
2. Cassandra on GitHub
3. Training Resources
4. Cassandra - Paper
Hypertable Database system inspired by publications on the design of Google's BigTable. The project is based on experience of engineers who were solving large-scale data-intensive tasks for many years. Hypertable runs on top of a distributed file system such as the Apache Hadoop DFS, GlusterFS, or the Kosmos File System (KFS). It is written almost entirely in C++. Sposored by Baidu the Chinese search engine. TODO
Apache Accumulo Distributed key/value store is a robust, scalable, high performance data storage and retrieval system. Apache Accumulo is based on Google's BigTable design and is built on top of Apache Hadoop, Zookeeper, and Thrift. Accumulo is software created by the NSA with security features. 1. Apache Accumulo Home
Apache Kudu Distributed, columnar, relational data store optimized for analytical use cases requiring very fast reads with competitive write speeds. Relational data model (tables) with strongly-typed columns and a fast, online alter table operation.
Scale-out and sharded with support for partitioning based on key ranges and/or hashing.
Fault-tolerant and consistent due to its implementation of Raft consensus.
Supported by Apache Impala and Apache Drill, enabling fast SQL reads and writes through those systems.
Integrates with MapReduce and Spark.
Additionally provides "NoSQL" APIs in Java, Python, and C++. 1. Apache Kudu Home
2. Kudu on Github
3. Kudu technical whitepaper (pdf)
Apache Parquet Columnar storage format available to any project in the Hadoop ecosystem, regardless of the choice of data processing framework, data model or programming language. 1. Apache Parquet Home
2. Apache Parquet on Github
Document Data Model
MongoDB Document-oriented database system. It is part of the NoSQL family of database systems. Instead of storing data in tables as is done in a "classical" relational database, MongoDB stores structured data as JSON-like documents 1. Mongodb site
RethinkDB RethinkDB is built to store JSON documents, and scale to multiple machines with very little effort. It has a pleasant query language that supports really useful queries like table joins and group by, and is easy to setup and learn. 1. RethinkDB site
ArangoDB An open-source database with a flexible data model for documents, graphs, and key-values. Build high performance applications using a convenient sql-like query language or JavaScript extensions. 1. ArangoDB site
Stream Data Model
EventStore An open-source, functional database with support for Complex Event Processing. It provides a persistence engine for applications using event-sourcing, or for storing time-series data. Event Store is written in C#, C++ for the server which runs on Mono or the.NET CLR, on Linux or Windows. Applications using Event Store can be written in JavaScript. Event sourcing (ES) is a way of persisting your application's state by storing the history that determines the current state of your application. 1. EventStore site
Key-value Data Model
Redis DataBase Redis is an open-source, networked, in-memory, data structures store with optional durability. It is written in ANSI C. In its outer layer, the Redis data model is a dictionary which maps keys to values. One of the main differences between Redis and other structured storage systems is that Redis supports not only strings, but also abstract data types. Sponsored by Redis Labs. It’s BSD licensed. 1. Redis site
2. Redis Labs site
Linkedin Voldemort Distributed data store that is designed as a key-value store used by LinkedIn for high-scalability storage. 1. Voldemort site
RocksDB RocksDB is an embeddable persistent key-value store for fast storage. RocksDB can also be the foundation for a client-server database but our current focus is on embedded workloads. 1. RocksDB site
OpenTSDB OpenTSDB is a distributed, scalable Time Series Database (TSDB) written on top of HBase. OpenTSDB was written to address a common need: store, index and serve metrics collected from computer systems (network gear, operating systems, applications) at a large scale, and make this data easily accessible and graphable. 1. OpenTSDB site
Graph Data Model
ArangoDB An open-source database with a flexible data model for documents, graphs, and key-values. Build high performance applications using a convenient sql-like query language or JavaScript extensions. 1. ArangoDB site
Neo4j An open-source graph database writting entirely in Java. It is an embedded, disk-based, fully transactional Java persistence engine that stores data structured in graphs rather than in tables. 1. Neo4j site
TitanDB TitanDB is a highly scalable graph database optimized for storing and querying large graphs with billions of vertices and edges distributed across a multi-machine cluster. Titan is a transactional database that can support thousands of concurrent users. 1. Titan site
NewSQL Databases
TokuDB TokuDB is a storage engine for MySQL and MariaDB that is specifically designed for high performance on write-intensive workloads. It achieves this via Fractal Tree indexing. TokuDB is a scalable, ACID and MVCC compliant storage engine. TokuDB is one of the technologies that enable Big Data in MySQL. 1. Percona TokuDB site
HandlerSocket HandlerSocket is a NoSQL plugin for MySQL/MariaDB (the storage engine of MySQL). It works as a daemon inside the mysqld process, accepting TCP connections, and executing requests from clients. HandlerSocket does not support SQL queries. Instead, it supports simple CRUD operations on tables. HandlerSocket can be much faster than mysqld/libmysql in some cases because it has lower CPU, disk, and network overhead. TODO
Akiban Server Akiban Server is an open source database that brings document stores and relational databases together. Developers get powerful document access alongside surprisingly powerful SQL. TODO
Drizzle Drizzle is a re-designed version of the MySQL v6.0 codebase and is designed around a central concept of having a microkernel architecture. Features such as the query cache and authentication system are now plugins to the database, which follow the general theme of "pluggable storage engines" that were introduced in MySQL 5.1. It supports PAM, LDAP, and HTTP AUTH for authentication via plugins it ships. Via its plugin system it currently supports logging to files, syslog, and remote services such as RabbitMQ and Gearman. Drizzle is an ACID-compliant relational database that supports transactions via an MVCC design TODO
Haeinsa Haeinsa is linearly scalable multi-row, multi-table transaction library for HBase. Use Haeinsa if you need strong ACID semantics on your HBase cluster. Is based on Google Perlocator concept. 1. Haeinsa GitHub site
SenseiDB Open-source, distributed, realtime, semi-structured database. Some Features: Full-text search, Fast realtime updates, Structured and faceted search, BQL: SQL-like query language, Fast key-value lookup, High performance under concurrent heavy update and query volumes, Hadoop integration 1. SenseiDB site
Sky Sky is an open source database used for flexible, high performance analysis of behavioral data. For certain kinds of data such as clickstream data and log data, it can be several orders of magnitude faster than traditional approaches such as SQL databases or Hadoop. 1. SkyDB site
BayesDB BayesDB, a Bayesian database table, lets users query the probable implications of their tabular data as easily as an SQL database lets them query the data itself. Using the built-in Bayesian Query Language (BQL), users with no statistics training can solve basic data science problems, such as detecting predictive relationships between variables, inferring missing values, simulating probable observations, and identifying statistically similar database entries. 1. BayesDB site
InfluxDB InfluxDB is an open source distributed time series database with no external dependencies. It's useful for recording metrics, events, and performing analytics. It has a built-in HTTP API so you don't have to write any server side code to get up and running. InfluxDB is designed to be scalable, simple to install and manage, and fast to get data in and out. It aims to answer queries in real-time. That means every data point is indexed as it comes in and is immediately available in queries that should return under 100ms. 1. InfluxDB site
SQL-on-Hadoop
Apache Hive Data Warehouse infrastructure developed by Facebook. Data summarization, query, and analysis. It’s provides SQL-like language (not SQL92 compliant): HiveQL. 1. Apache HIVE site
2. Apache HIVE GitHub Project
Apache HCatalog HCatalog’s table abstraction presents users with a relational view of data in the Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) and ensures that users need not worry about where or in what format their data is stored. Right now HCatalog is part of Hive. Only old versions are separated for download. TODO
Apache Trafodion Apache Trafodion is a webscale SQL-on-Hadoop solution enabling enterprise-class transactional and operational workloads on HBase. Trafodion is a native MPP ANSI SQL database engine that builds on the scalability, elasticity and flexibility of HDFS and HBase, extending these to provide guaranteed transactional integrity for all workloads including multi-column, multi-row, multi-table, and multi-server updates. 1. Apache Trafodion website
2. Apache Trafodion wiki
3. Apache Trafodion GitHub Project
Apache HAWQ Apache HAWQ is a Hadoop native SQL query engine that combines key technological advantages of MPP database evolved from Greenplum Database, with the scalability and convenience of Hadoop. 1. Apache HAWQ site
2. HAWQ GitHub Project
Apache Drill Drill is the open source version of Google's Dremel system which is available as an infrastructure service called Google BigQuery. In recent years open source systems have emerged to address the need for scalable batch processing (Apache Hadoop) and stream processing (Storm, Apache S4). Apache Hadoop, originally inspired by Google's internal MapReduce system, is used by thousands of organizations processing large-scale datasets. Apache Hadoop is designed to achieve very high throughput, but is not designed to achieve the sub-second latency needed for interactive data analysis and exploration. Drill, inspired by Google's internal Dremel system, is intended to address this need 1. Apache Incubator Drill
Cloudera Impala The Apache-licensed Impala project brings scalable parallel database technology to Hadoop, enabling users to issue low-latency SQL queries to data stored in HDFS and Apache HBase without requiring data movement or transformation. It's a Google Dremel clone (Big Query google). 1. Cloudera Impala site
2. Impala GitHub Project
Facebook Presto Facebook has open sourced Presto, a SQL engine it says is on average 10 times faster than Hive for running queries across large data sets stored in Hadoop and elsewhere. 1. Presto site
Datasalt Splout SQL Splout allows serving an arbitrarily big dataset with high QPS rates and at the same time provides full SQL query syntax. TODO
Apache Tajo Apache Tajo is a robust big data relational and distributed data warehouse system for Apache Hadoop. Tajo is designed for low-latency and scalable ad-hoc queries, online aggregation, and ETL (extract-transform-load process) on large-data sets stored on HDFS (Hadoop Distributed File System) and other data sources. By supporting SQL standards and leveraging advanced database techniques, Tajo allows direct control of distributed execution and data flow across a variety of query evaluation strategies and optimization opportunities. For reference, the Apache Software Foundation announced Tajo as a Top-Level Project in April 2014. 1. Apache Tajo site
Apache Phoenix Apache Phoenix is a SQL skin over HBase delivered as a client-embedded JDBC driver targeting low latency queries over HBase data. Apache Phoenix takes your SQL query, compiles it into a series of HBase scans, and orchestrates the running of those scans to produce regular JDBC result sets. The table metadata is stored in an HBase table and versioned, such that snapshot queries over prior versions will automatically use the correct schema. Direct use of the HBase API, along with coprocessors and custom filters, results in performance on the order of milliseconds for small queries, or seconds for tens of millions of rows. 1. Apache Phoenix site
Apache MRQL MRQL is a query processing and optimization system for large-scale, distributed data analysis, built on top of Apache Hadoop, Hama, and Spark.
MRQL (pronounced miracle) is a query processing and optimization system for large-scale, distributed data analysis. MRQL (the MapReduce Query Language) is an SQL-like query language for large-scale data analysis on a cluster of computers. The MRQL query processing system can evaluate MRQL queries in three modes: in Map-Reduce mode using Apache Hadoop,
in BSP mode (Bulk Synchronous Parallel mode) using Apache Hama, and
in Spark mode using Apache Spark.
in Flink mode using Apache Flink. 1. Apache Incubator MRQL site
Kylin Kylin is an open source Distributed Analytics Engine from eBay Inc. that provides SQL interface and multi-dimensional analysis (OLAP) on Hadoop supporting extremely large datasets 1. Kylin project site
Data Ingestion
Apache Flume Flume is a distributed, reliable, and available service for efficiently collecting, aggregating, and moving large amounts of log data. It has a simple and flexible architecture based on streaming data flows. It is robust and fault tolerant with tunable reliability mechanisms and many failover and recovery mechanisms. It uses a simple extensible data model that allows for online analytic application. 1. Apache Flume project site
Apache Sqoop System for bulk data transfer between HDFS and structured datastores as RDBMS. Like Flume but from HDFS to RDBMS. 1. Apache Sqoop project site
Facebook Scribe Log agregator in real-time. It’s a Apache Thrift Service. 1. Facebook Scribe GitHub site
Apache Chukwa Large scale log aggregator, and analytics. 1. Apache Chukwa site
Apache Kafka Distributed publish-subscribe system for processing large amounts of streaming data. Kafka is a Message Queue developed by LinkedIn that persists messages to disk in a very performant manner. Because messages are persisted, it has the interesting ability for clients to rewind a stream and consume the messages again. Another upside of the disk persistence is that bulk importing the data into HDFS for offline analysis can be done very quickly and efficiently. Storm, developed by BackType (which was acquired by Twitter a year ago), is more about transforming a stream of messages into new streams. 1. Apache Kafka
2. GitHub source code
Netflix Suro Suro has its roots in Apache Chukwa, which was initially adopted by Netflix. Is a log agregattor like Storm, Samza. TODO
Apache Samza Apache Samza is a distributed stream processing framework. It uses Apache Kafka for messaging, and Apache Hadoop YARN to provide fault tolerance, processor isolation, security, and resource management. Developed by http://www.linkedin.com/in/jaykreps Linkedin. 1. Apache Samza site
Cloudera Morphline Cloudera Morphlines is a new open source framework that reduces the time and skills necessary to integrate, build, and change Hadoop processing applications that extract, transform, and load data into Apache Solr, Apache HBase, HDFS, enterprise data warehouses, or analytic online dashboards. TODO
HIHO This project is a framework for connecting disparate data sources with the Apache Hadoop system, making them interoperable. HIHO connects Hadoop with multiple RDBMS and file systems, |
running up to the edges and eagerly grabbing the lighter plastic bottles. Glasses gently clinked, cameras flashed. Men and women in suits and turtlenecks were down on their knees, checking each bottle before putting it back or loading up. Everyone stepped calmly and deliberately, and eventually even a few bagless attendees jumped in to claim as many bottles as their hands could hold. Weeks later, I talked to Yuri Cataldo, the founder and CEO of IndigoH2O, which, before this year's gold-medal finish, had won bronze in 2013 and silver in 2014. It is a relatively new company, having only been founded in 2011, making it a classic Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting success story. Between this win and the Oscars attention, IndigoH2O went on to dominate the Indiana news for weeks, and its sales increased 3,000% for the time being. But this media attention only came because Cataldo approached reporters about his newfound claim to the Best Tasting Water in the World. “The award itself doesn't win anything; it's all about me telling people,” he said. And much of the time, when he shared the good news, he was greeted with skepticism: How could there be a tasting competition for water? Doesn’t it all taste the same? But being the best at something still means being the best, especially when you're the best at something every person on Earth needs. "To say that you have an ‘award-winning’ bottled water is really amazing,” Cataldo explained. "There aren't that many water competitions."
Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Jon Premosch / BuzzFeed NewsA new report released Monday has given Norwegians something to celebrate - if they weren't smiling already. The Scandinavian country vaulted three spots to claim the title of world's happiest country according to the latest world Happiness Report released on Monday.
Norway ousted Denmark, which landed in this year's second spot, followed by Iceland and Switzerland.
The top four countries scored high on factors that the report says are key to happiness including: "caring, freedom, generosity, honesty, health, income and good governance," the report said.
"What works in the Nordic countries is a sense of community and understanding of the common good," Meik Wiking, chief executive officer of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen told the Associated Press. Wiking was not part of Monday's global scientific study.
The report's lead author, John Helliwell, noted that they found it takes more than money to make people feel happy.
"It's the human things that matter. If the riches make it harder to have frequent and trustworthy relationship between people, is it worth it?" said Helliwell, who is also an economist at the University of British Columbia in Canada.
"The material can stand in the way of the human."
Watch video 04:30 Share Looking for happiness in 2016 Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/1HX0u Looking for happiness
Poverty, conflict-hit countries at bottom
Although a sense of community can help people, some amount of money and security are necessary to feel happy. Most of the countries at the bottom of the list are in desperate poverty.
Central African Republic fell to last on the happiness list, joined by Burundi, Tanzania, Syria and Rwanda.
Yemen, a country hit hard by civil war and with millions risking starvation, was also ranked in the bottom ten.
Red, white and feeling blue
Germany stayed in the same spot as last year - coming in 16th on the list under Ireland but above Belgium.
The latest report shows, however, that people in Germany are steadily rating themselves as happier compared to previous years.
The United States, on the other hand, was 14th on the list ranking, falling down one spot from last year. The report also found that America's happiness score dropped 5 percent over the past decade as people are rating themselves as well happy.
Nicaragua and Latvia's happiness scores increased the most.
The report, which was released to coincide with World Happiness Day, ranks 155 countries. The list has been used by the United Nations since 2012 when Bhutan secured support for a proposal to recognize happiness as a guiding principle for public policies.
rs/rc (AP, dpa)Francesco Reginato/The Image Bank
Related The evil of Aries: Could astrology help point to future jail time? National Post
One Canadian city would like to caution you to beware of loved ones who claim Aries as their zodiac sign—they might be more likely to break the law.
Canada’s National Post reports that according to police in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, 203 of 1,986 people arrested last year were Aries, while Sagittarius came in as the least-arrested sign at 139.
It sounds like it was a rather slow day for the city’s police force, who compiled this ranking for the first time. The Chatham-Kent Police Service explained their method in a news release: “To provide an interesting astrological perspective, an algorithm was applied to all the arrestees’ dates of birth.”
Yet even the police themselves aren’t taking the list seriously. “You can’t really read too much into it,” police spokesman Const. Michael Pearce told the National Post.
However, if one wanted to believe that sun signs do give some indication of personalities more prone to breaking the rules, Aries would seem fitting. The National Post’s horoscope writer Georgia Nichols told the paper, “Aries is the sign of the warrior. Aries rules the military. Aries jump in head first, and love adventure.” A fire sign, Aries are known to be bold, impulsive, hot-headed, and quick to temper—traits that those landing in jail might seem to share.
Then again, the individual bad decisions of a few people (like noted Aries Adolf Hitler) who happen to share the same sign shouldn’t speak to the character of an entire zodiac sign population (like sweetheart Aries actor Matthew Broderick!). But people really do love to make grand generalizations at times, don’t they?
MORE: Horoscope Hang-Up: Earth Rotation Changes Zodiac SignsRemember the days when motorcycles made it onto the cover of magazines like Sports Illustrated? Riding bikes was something that real men and movie stars did. And as we’re relentlessly reminded these days, there was no greater star than Steve McQueen.
McQueen’s unusual prowess on anything fueled by gasoline is well-documented. So it’s interesting to see this motorcycle from his own collection—a 1970 Husqvarna 400 Cross.
Under the influence of Bud Ekins, McQueen usually rode Triumphs in the 1960s. But when Husqvarna appeared in the States, McQueen found another favorite, and famously rode a Husky in the 1971 film On Any Sunday. (Now remastered and reissued and available on DVD from Amazon.)
The 400 Cross was pretty, but it also had serious competition credentials. The lusty 395cc two-stroke single was matched to a lightweight chassis and excellent suspension, and was ridden to victory in the 1971 Baja 1000 by Malcolm Smith and Gunnar Nilsson.
The Steve McQueen motorcycle went under the hammer at Bonhams’ annual Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction in January 2013. We’re told that it was supplied with ‘a large number of documents supporting its provenance and authenticity.’
If you fancy putting a little McQueen magic in your own garage, at a slightly lower cost, check out the stunning Steve McQueen Métisse Desert Racer now in limited production.
Photography by Matt Stone.After a successful penetration test, I wanted to publish a detailed writeup about it, but the template we use at the company that includes a logo and some text in the footer was created using Microsoft Word, and I prefer using LaTeX for typesetting. It would have been possible to recreate the template from scratch, but I preferred to do it quick and, as it turned out, not so dirty.
First, I saved a document written using the template from Word to PDF, opened it up in Inkscape and removed the body (e.g. everything except the header and the footer). Depending on the internals of the PDF saving mechanism, it might be necessary to use ungroup one or more times to avoid removing more than needed. After this simple editing, I saved the result as another PDF, called s2bg.pdf.
Next, I created a file named s2.sty with the following lines.
\ProvidesPackage{s2} \RequirePackage[top=4cm, bottom=2.8cm, left=2.5cm, right=2.5cm]{geometry} \RequirePackage{wallpaper} \CenterWallPaper{1}{s2bg.pdf}
The first line sets the package name, while the next three adjust the margins (which I calculated by using the ones set in Word and some trial and error) and put the PDF saved in Inkscape to the background of every page. The wallpaper package is available in the texlive-latex-extra package on Debian systems.
As our company uses a specific shade of orange as a primary color, I also changed the \section command to use this color for section headings.
\RequirePackage{color} \definecolor{s2col}{RGB}{240, 56, 31} \makeatletter \renewcommand{\section}{\@startsection{section}{1}{0mm} {\baselineskip}% {\baselineskip}{
ormalfont\Large\sffamily\bfseries\color{s2col}}}% \makeatother
Creating a package comes with the advantage, that only a single line needs to be added to a document to use all the formatting described above, just like with CSS. The following two documents only differ such that the one on the right has an extra \usepackage{s2} line in the header.
Two documents published with this technique (although written in Hungarian) can be downloaded: the aforementioned writeup about client-side attacks and another one about things we did in 2011.This week's Eagles Film Review is going to be a little different. Normally, we show you something that reveals itself in the coaches tape, and still will. The difference this time is we can't necessarily show you why Carson Wentz wasn't throwing deep against the Cowboys on Sunday, because by and large, he wasn't even given the chance.
The biggest takeaway from watching all 47 of Wentz's dropbacks in the Eagles' 29-23 loss is how few of those calls even had a shot at stretching the field.
There were 19 attempts marked as "quick passes" — throws under 10 yards that generally went to the first read — eight of which were slant patterns. Another nine attempts were wide receiver or running back screens, and six more more were checkdown passes. After everything was said and done, Wentz threw just seven passes over 10 yards in the air.
That tells only part of the story. The Eagles had just nine plays the entire game where at least one route was run 20 yards down the field, either by design or because the ball was out of Wentz's hand before it could develop. Even if we account for the 11 dropbacks inside the red zone, that's still just nine out 36 passing plays that even threatened the Cowboys deep, or one in four.
And while nine plays might seem like enough for Wentz to turn it loose at some point, even just once, that's not accounting for the coverage, the pass-rush or the situation. Quite a few of those opportunities came while Wentz was leading a scoring drive with less than two minutes in the first half and during a touchdown drive in the third quarter. Can't complain about those results.
Nonetheless, those two series make up most of the good examples that we have where the Eagles had a receiver of any kind operating 20 yards down the field. We'll take a look at them, but they're probably about what you would expect.
Unavailable.
This is 1st-and-10 from the Eagles' 25-yard line in the second quarter and one of the first times all game the offense considers pushing the ball downfield. The Cowboys' zone concept employed by the cornerback and safety has the crossing pattern well covered though, and Wentz wisely dumps the ball down to Ryan Mathews rather than force the issue.
It's not that the Cowboys' zone look was unbeatable. Here we see a similar combination and defensive scheme on 2nd-and-10 from the Dallas 22, and this time the cornerback trails the receiver toward the middle of the field. Tight end Zach Ertz might find some empty space running toward the corner of the end zone here.
Except take a closer look at the pocket. Feeling the pressure close in on his blind side, Wentz isn't comfortable waiting for the routes to develop, so he checks it down to Darren Sproles for a gain of four.
And it's difficult to argue with the decision, quite honestly. Maybe if he waits it's a touchdown to Ertz, maybe it's a sack. By taking the safe way out, the Eagles lived to fight another day and wound up getting six a few plays later anyway.
Well what about straight-up fly routes?
Normally, the Cowboys have at least one safety over the top.
This is 2nd-and-6 from the Eagles' 37-yard line, and there's only 36 seconds remaining in the first half — an ideal time to pick up a huge chunk of ground. The offense is going to attack the seam, but with a single-high safety patrolling deep center field in addition to man-to-man coverage, there's not much to assess. Nelson Agholor is open at the bottom of the screen, and the wideout's seven-yard gain is good for a first down. The Eagles would get three on the drive, by the way.
Once again, the Cowboys have a single-high safety on 1st-and-10 from the Cowboys' 45 as the third quarter is coming to an end, only this time the coverage is shaded to the side of the vertical. It's a good route combination actually, because the safety must respect the deep route and can't come crashing down on Ertz crossing over the middle. He'll pick up 11 and the first down.
But the moral of the story is the same: The deep route is nothing more than a decoy here. Even if it turns into a one-on-one, will it even be open?
Good question. There was roughly one decent example of a one-on-one route going 20 yards down the field this entire game. You judge whether the opportunity is there.
Third quarter, 2nd-and-6, and full disclosure, this is the same touchdown drive as earlier. Yet here we are, looking at a receiver in one-on-one coverage, no safety in sight, and the receiver Wentz ultimately does target, Dorial Green-Beckham, in tight coverage down the sideline.
Of course, Green-Beckham is going to break in and beat his man for a 14-yard gain. And that receiver going deep? The defensive back is in lockstep with him. There's no move here, unlike with DGB. If it's not open now, why would it be 20, 30 yards down the field? Not like anybody on this team has shown themselves consistently capable of making a tough catch either.
We may have just found the one shot all game Wentz could've taken and it wasn't open.
Of course, just because Eagles receivers have trouble getting open or capitalizing on attempts down the field isn't an excuse to stop trying. The fact that only 25 percent of the offense's plays even gave Wentz the option to throw long is an issue. Defenses may not respect these players, but at this rate, they won't have to respect the possibility the quarterback might hit them over the top.
It's not like all of the short stuff is working anyway. Wentz completed 15 of 19 "quick passes" for 107 yards and 6 of 9 screens for 17 yards for an average of 4.4 yards per attempt. That would be just half decent for a running back, let alone in the passing game.
But it's by design to some extent too, and it's not really Wentz's fault. If the Eagles don't unshackle him, it's not going to get any better regardless of bad receivers or rookie mistakes. Simply put, the offense needs to be willing to take chances, and it all starts with the game plan and coaching.The City Council is considering a five percent increase to the existing ten percent liquor tax. The money collected would help fund city schools. NBC10's Doug Shimell spoke to bar employees and reports what this tax could mean for business. (Published Friday, April 5, 2013)
Liquor Tax May Mean Pay More to Drink More
That drink in your hand could soon be costing you more.
Philadelphia officials may soon be asking you to raise a drink to the city's school system.
Mayor Michael Nutter and City Council are weighing the idea of increasing the “liquor by the drink tax” to help pay for the School Reform Commission's request last week for $60 million.
The tax was enacted in 1994 and is currently at 10 percent. It affects retail sales of wine, beer and malt beverages and generates about $40 million annually, which is earmarked for the school district.
Nutter says increasing that tax is “certainly something that we should explore now.” City Council President Darrell Clarke has also pledged support for increasing the tax.
The school district says it needs an extra $60 million from the city and $120 million from the state.
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Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 PhiladelphiaHeritage’s Index of Economic Freedom has the U.S. slipping for the seventh straight year.
The United States is on a steady skid downward. The latest milestone in America’s decline is especially demoralizing: The U.S. has slouched from among the world’s Top 10 freest economies. In fact, we’re No. 12 — down two spots from No. 10 last year.
This bad news emerges from the 2014 Index of Economic Freedom, released this morning by the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal.
#ad#“Now considered only a ‘mostly free’ economy, the U.S. has earned the dubious distinction of having recorded one of the longest sustained declines in economic freedom, second only to Argentina, of any country in the [20-year] history of the Index,” observe the report’s editors, Ambassador Terry Miller, Anthony B. Kim, and Kim Holmes, Ph.D., all Heritage Foundation scholars. “The U.S. is the only country to have recorded a loss of economic freedom each of the past seven years.” This sad, maddening interval began in 2007 with Republican George W. Bush’s reckless expenditures, brand-new regulations (including the unforgivable federal destruction of Thomas Edison’s incandescent light bulb), and the post-crisis nationalization of American enterprises. This folly continues with President Obama’s trillion-dollar annual deficits, his 24/7 red-tape factory, and the triumph of Obamacare, now blossoming in its entire splendor.
It’s even worse than it appears: U.S. economic freedom has slid for seven years running.
Fully eleven countries now enjoy freer economies than America’s. They are:
The Most Free 1. Hong Kong 2. Singapore 3. Australia 4. Switzerland 5. New Zealand 6. Canada 7. Chile 8. Mauritius 9. Ireland 10. Denmark
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Estonia is No. 11, just ahead of the United States, and Bahrain is No. 13, just behind us. (Bahrain’s relatively high rank among the 178 nations in the Index reinforces that it measures economic freedom.)
Why is America so dull in an area where the Land of the Free should shine? Blame the ever-expanding state.
“Substantial expansion in the size and scope of government, including through new and costly regulations in areas like finance and health care, has contributed significantly to the erosion of U.S. economic freedom,” the Index states. “The growth of government has been accompanied by increasing cronyism that has undermined the rule of law and perceptions of fairness.” It also cites Obamacare as a culprit: “Implementation of the health care law passed in 2010 has hit major snags and appears to be significantly hurting job creation and full-time employment.”
The Index identifies aspects of the U.S. economy that sound downright Third World.
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“Protection of property rights has been uneven, raising charges of favoritism,” the Index states. Beyond this and other strong winds of corruption, the predictability and professionalism one would expect in a serious country are becoming scarcer. “The full effects of the onerous Dodd–Frank bill, passed three years ago, have yet to be felt. A backlog of ongoing rulemakings has prolonged business uncertainty, impeding economic growth.” While many U.S businesses hate Dodd-Frank, they at least could try to endure it... if they only knew the rules. Instead, federal bureaucrats who often receive double the average private-sector American worker’s compensation drag their feet and miss one regulatory-publication deadline after another.
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The U.S. actually is well below world norms on “fiscal freedom,” with a score of 65.8 points (out of 100), versus a global average of 77.3. America’s 48.1 points for government spending are an embarrassment, compared to the 62.7 global average. Washington’s high taxes, massive spending, and crippling national debt all uglify this picture.
So what?
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#page#The U.S. remains the world’s largest economy. Best Buy is full of low-cost high-definition TVs that are literally too big for many homes. And Americans are not on the brink of starvation — not in the least!
This all matters because economic freedom puts money in people’s pockets.
#ad#“The strongly positive relationship between economic freedom and prosperity is apparent throughout the world,” the Index states. “In every region, per capita incomes are much higher in countries that are economically free.”
The figures are remarkable and highly persuasive. Among free economies, per capita GDP stands at $45,404. For mostly free nations, it’s $37,799. Among moderately free economies, per capita GDP plunges to $16,457. This craters to $5,541 in mostly unfree countries.
Paradoxically, this number actually ticked up to $6,231 among repressed economies.
“Resource rich countries, whose economic freedom for ordinary people still remains repressed, generated a bit more per capita income due to oil and other commodity exports over the past years,” Heritage’s Anthony Kim tells me from Hong Kong. Dictatorial, oil-rich Iran and Venezuela come to mind. “However,” he says, “due to extreme wealth concentration in these resource-rich countries, these per capita income statistics need to be analyzed with caution.”
People like Obama who obsess about income inequality should consider robust economic growth the best way to boost the fortunes of all, and especially for those with the least. Rather than redistribute what little is on hand, America’s business should be a constant effort to increase the winnings on the table, well before any effort to figure out whom, ultimately, gets what — and the way to do that is to stay atop a measure like Heritage’s.
For all of America’s problems and humiliations, we can be thankful not to be among the bottom 10 nations in the Index:
The Least Free 169. Republic of Congo 170. Timor-Leste 171. Turkmenistan 172. Democratic Republic of Congo 173. Iran 174. Eritrea 175. Venezuela 176. Zimbabwe 177. Cuba 178. North Korea
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The United States of America remains far from this dungeon. Alas, year after year, we burrow inch by inch toward it.
— Deroy Murdock is a Manhattan-based Fox News Contributor and a media fellow with the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace at Stanford University.POPULAR
First, let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of American mediums as a whole. We'll look at the individual tanks later on.
Manoeuvrability. The Americans have some of the most agile tanks in the game. You have the ability to turn on the spot without moving backwards and forwards, and your traverse rate is extremely high. Also, you lose very little speed when making a turn. These attributes make it very easy to obtain superior positioning with your tanks.
The Americans have some of the most agile tanks in the game. You have the ability to turn on the spot without moving backwards and forwards, and your traverse rate is extremely high. Also, you lose very little speed when making a turn. These attributes make it very easy to obtain superior positioning with your tanks. Gun depression. American tanks have the best gun depression in the game, bar none. This means you can shoot over slopes no other tank would be able to shoot over without exposing their entire hull. Firing with just your turret showing is called "hull down", and if done effectively in combination with peekaboo, makes you extremely difficult to hit, especially by heavy tanks.
American tanks have the best gun depression in the game, bar none. This means you can shoot over slopes no other tank would be able to shoot over without exposing their entire hull. Firing with just your turret showing is called "hull down", and if done effectively in combination with peekaboo, makes you extremely difficult to hit, especially by heavy tanks. Rate of fire. The Easy 8 has some wicked rate of fire, but the T20, Pershing and Patton still maintain excellent rates of fire, especially for the amount of the damage their guns do. The Patton does a full 390 damage (same as BL-9 on the IS-3) per shot and still shoots once every seven seconds. Despite what people say, rate of fire and DPS are very important attributes for a medium tank, much more so than for a heavy.
The Easy 8 has some wicked rate of fire, but the T20, Pershing and Patton still maintain excellent rates of fire, especially for the amount of the damage their guns do. The Patton does a full 390 damage (same as BL-9 on the IS-3) per shot and still shoots once every seven seconds. Despite what people say, rate of fire and DPS are very important attributes for a medium tank, much more so than for a heavy. Accuracy on the move. A very good natural accuracy on the move, combined with the ability to fit a vertical stabiliser from tier 6 where other tanks can only fit them from tier 8, means that American mediums can fire while moving at full speed with good accuracy. This is especially important when trying to circle a heavy, playing peekaboo, or trying to deal some damage while moving from cover to cover.
A very good natural accuracy on the move, combined with the ability to fit a vertical stabiliser from tier 6 where other tanks can only fit them from tier 8, means that American mediums can fire while moving at full speed with good accuracy. This is especially important when trying to circle a heavy, playing peekaboo, or trying to deal some damage while moving from cover to cover. View range. American mediums, especially the Patton, have some of the longest view ranges in the game. This makes you an excellent scout for artillery.
American mediums, especially the Patton, have some of the longest view ranges in the game. This makes you an excellent scout for artillery. Speed and acceleration. I've mentioned this last because I feel as though American mediums don't really have any speed advantage over the other medium tanks. Their top speeds are often capped at around 45-50 km/h whereas German and Russian tanks can do almost 60. However, acceleration is very good, and the speed cap is often an advantage because it keeps the reticle smaller when you're moving. Overall, speed and acceleration are an advantage for you.
Hull armour! American mediums have terrible hull armour for the most part. Pretty much anything above perhaps two tiers below you can penetrate you easily. This means you have to adapt your gameplay to make sure they don't get a chance to shoot at your hull. Obviously there are some exceptions to this (Jumbo), but this guide will focus on the main medium line for the most part.
Turret armour You can actually bounce shots here! The Patton can sometimes bounce tier 9 or 10 shots, depending on where it gets hit. The Pershing has some sort of a magical mantlet that allows it to absorb ridiculous hits.
You can actually bounce shots here! The Patton can sometimes bounce tier 9 or 10 shots, depending on where it gets hit. The Pershing has some sort of a magical mantlet that allows it to absorb ridiculous hits. Module damage and fire. It's not too bad. I haven't experienced any more module damage or fires on American mediums than I would on any other tank. By that, I mean you won't get set on fire from the front like in German tanks, and you won't get your driver knocked out all the time like on Russian tanks.
Okay, so now I know the strengths and weaknesses of my tank - how do I play it?
Give me an example?
Conclusion
Do not engage a heavier target head on.
Use your speed and agility to flank.
Use your viewing range to scout.
Use your gun depression to not get hit.
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Okay, so you're grinding up the American medium line because you really like the look of the tanks. Let's face it, they are REALLY nice looking tanks, all the way from the Sherman right up to the Patton.However, you're a bit disappointed because you can't take a hit to save your life. What kind of tanks can you engage? It seems like even the smallest, crappiest tanks are dealing hit after hit to you.Here's a short article to give you some ideas on how to play your American medium effectively.The main roles of American mediums are toand. When possible, you shouldandYour main role is ALMOST NEVER to take the hits, even when you're at the top of the list.When you have heavy tank teammate on 50 HP with you, you should probably go first and take some hits for him. If you're going up against a smaller tank that doesn't do nearly as much damage as you, you should probably trade some shots and take a few hits.Your ROF and superior positioning makes you the perfect tank for hit and run. As such, if you find yourself in a position where you're facing a heavier enemy tank head on, you should extract yourself from that situation as soon as possible (in most cases). You need to always be trying to look for ways to flank and deal damage from the side and rear.You excel at putting yourself to the side or to the rear of enemy tanks. This can really help your team out. If you're in a heavy tank and you're taking hit after hit from the side, you're going to want to try to eliminate that secondary threat. You'll be turning your turret, trying to get a shot on them. This will allow your teammates to get some good hits in from the front. In this way, you can effectively take down several heavier tanks and save your teammates from getting steamrolled, all without facing the enemy directly.People will always be gunning for you because they know you do a lot of damage, and they can penetrate you easily.A lot of people will go and try to circle enemy heavies. In my experience this doesn't work most of the time. A good heavy driver will still be able to keep up with you, and you'll end up running into something and getting screwed. To me, trying to circle an enemy heavy out in the open is a last resort. Flanking and letting the enemy focus on something else is a much better move.Sure. I'll tell you about a game I played the other day that was the perfect example of how to use the Patton's advantages effectively. The same tactics apply with lower tier American mediums.The map was Steppes. Very little artillery cover, but lots of good slopes to use to go hull down. Lots of open space as well. This is the perfect map for an American medium.First stop:This position is an excellent one to go hull down on and cover the area I've highlighted in blue. Three E-75s were rolling through that area trying to get to the island of cover to the west of me. This is a perfect chance to pop some shots into them or track them as they try to make it to arty cover. I tracked one of the E-75s, allowing arty to get some good hits on him. Got three or four solid shots on the the others.The way I did this is to quickly drive forward, take my shot, then back up. You only show your turret for a second or two - too short a time for a heavy (especially a moving one) to get an accurate hit on you.Next stop: the plateau.The yellow dot to the north shows a Tiger peeking out from the rocks there. The three dots to the west are the E-75s. My team had started moving up and trading shots with them amongst that rock formation.I moved up onto the plateau to start putting shots into the sides and rear of the E-75s as they focused on my team. This is a perfect opportunity to use the Patton's high DPS to really dish out some damage. The trick to this is to watch which way the turrets of the enemy heavies are facing. Move forward over the edge of the plateau and fire as many shots as you can until they start to try to focus on you. Then move back into cover and wait for them to focus on your team again.Pretty soon all the E-75s were dead, mostly from my shots. The Patton is one of the highest DPS tanks in the game - take advantage of this.Now to go for their artillery. The first thing I did was use my excellent view range to spot one of the artillery before even getting close to their position. Next, I used the accuracy on the move of the tank to keep moving while destroying the other two artillery. Here is where other tanks cannot do the job of an American medium. You can land all of your shots even while moving at full speed, making you extremely hard to hit.Finally, it seemed like three of their tanks had almost made it to our base and were about to cap. After taking out their artillery, I was the only tank on the team fast enough to make it back to reset cap. While the rest of my heavies slowly went for the enemy cap, I raced back.The position I put myself in was close enough that I could spot all of the enemy tanks on the cap. There is also a nice spot where you can go hull down. This makes it almost impossible for them to stop you resetting cap. Always look for those nice hull down spots on maps, then remember them!I loaded HE first up so I didn't risk any bounces. My job was not to destroy them right away, but to reset cap. Watch your minimap to try to work out which one has the most cap, then shoot that one first.With some peekaboo and my high ROF, I successfully reset the cap long enough for my team to cap.Victory!Notice that I did not engage an enemy heavy head on at any point during this match. Only at the start were the E-75s face to face with me, but since they were mostly moving they could not get a shot on my hull-down Patton.I used my speed and manoeuvrability to flank the enemy and provide a threat from a 2nd direction. This is the true strength of a medium tank!Here are the main lessons to take away with you:American mediums are fantastic all-rounders. Do what your team needs you to do, whether it be scout, deal damage, reset cap or destroy artillery.Anyways, hope this helps some people out there! Feel free to add your own comments or questions below.Serene Coast - 2050 XP, 9000 damage and 10 kills. In this match I show how to use camo and hull down to basically be a ninja tank. I take out several of their tanks without even being hit, then flank around the back to finish off the rest of their team.Lakeville. One of my best matches ever in the Patton. Took a route I don't usually take - the cliff. Took out a T-54 and Ferdinand along the way, before killing two of their arty and an E-50 that tried to waylay me.Lakeville. I went to town as I usually do. Some good examples of how to take down other mediums using terrain as an advantage. I took out two E-50s in the town, then went back and stopped the enemy from capping. After that, I rushed their base - during which I made the mistake of not being patient and waiting for an enemy heavy to face away from me. 5 kills, 1290 XP loss!Redshire. 4 kills, 1800 XP match, with heaps of spots. This is another really good example of how to use the view range and gun depression of the Patton to really make a difference.Mountain Pass. Another 2000+ XP game. Myself and a T32 successfully defended against about seven tanks pushing into our base. I sniped from the hill. Good example of the power of American gun depression.Malinovka. 10 kills, ~2300 XP. My best match ever kills-wise. A great demonstration of the devastating firepower of the Patton. I take a LOT of sniping shots as well. Goes to show that the low accuracy numbers don't mean a thing. There is a hidden value that makes certain tanks more accurate even if the numbers don't reflect that (eg. Patton > Bat Chat for sniping).I'll upload more gameplay vids as I get them!The woman, who has not been named, has spoken to French media A French Muslim woman has been fined for wearing a full-face veil while driving a car. Police in the western city of Nantes said the veil - which showed only her eyes - restricted her vision and could have caused an accident. The woman's lawyer says they will appeal against the decision, which he described as a breach of human rights. The incident follows months of intense debate in France about whether the veils should be banned. Earlier this week, President Nicolas Sarkozy ordered parliament to debate a law banning women from wearing full-face Islamic veils in public. 'Safety risk' After stopping the 31-year-old woman - who has not been named - police asked her to raise her veil to confirm her identity, which she did. Currently no law forbids the wearing of the niqab
Lawyer Jean-Michel Pollono They then fined her 22 euros ($29; £19), saying her clothing posed a "safety risk". "This fine is not justified on road safety |
304) 5.6-32 6-4 24x36 Leica c. 1977 Hard coated [80] Rodenstock Rodagon 5.6/80 (Cat. No. 452-306) 5.6-32 6-4 2 1/4"x2 1/4" Leica c. 1977 Hard coated [80] Rodenstock Rodagon 5.6/105 (Cat. No. 452-301) 5.6-32 6-4 2 1/4"x3 1/4" Leica c. 1977 Hard coated [80] Rodenstock Rodagon 5.6/135 (Cat. No. 452-303) 5.6-32 6-4 4"x5" Leica c. 1977 Hard coated [80] Rodenstock Rodagon 5.6/150 (Cat. No. 452-305) 5.6-45 6-4 4"x5" 50 c. 1977 Hard coated [80] Rodenstock Rodagon 5.6/180 (Cat. No. 452-307) 5.6-45 6-4 5"x7" 50 c. 1977 Hard coated [80] Rodenstock Rodagon 5.6/210 (Cat. No. 452-309) 5.6-45 6-4 5"x7" c. 1977 Hard coated [80] Rodenstock Rodagon 5.6/240 (Cat. No. 452-310) 5.6-45 6-4 5"x7" c. 1977 Hard coated [80] Rodenstock Rodagon 5.6/300 (Cat. No. 452-311) 5.6-45 6-4 8"x10" c. 1977 Hard coated [80] Rodenstock Rodagon 6.3/360 (Cat. No. 452-312) 6.8-45 6-4 10"x10" c. 1977 Hard coated [80] Rodenstock Rodagon 4/28 4-16 6-4 20, 5-30 18x24 N M32.5x0.5 M30.5x0.5 27.7 1995 MTF_Rodagon_28 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon 4/35 4-16 6-4 20, 5-30 24x24 N M32.5x0.5 M30.5x0.5 35.6 1995 MTF_Rodagon_35 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon 2.8/50 2.8-16 6-4 10, 2-15 24x36 Y 39x1/26 M40.5x0.5 43.5 1995 MTF_Rodagon_50 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon 4/50 4-16 6 10 35 Y Leica c. 1980 [67] Rodenstock Rodagon 4/60 4-22 6-4 10, 2-10 40x40 Y 39x1/26 M40.5x0.5 56 1995 MTF_Rodagon_60 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon 4/80 4-22 6-4 6, 2-10 60x70 Y 39x1/26 M40.5x0.5 74.7 1995 MTF_Rodagon_80 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon 5.6/80 5.6-22 6 10 60x60 Y Leica c. 1980 [67] Rodenstock Rodagon 5.6/105 5.6-32 6-4 6, 2-10 60x70 Y 39x1/26 M40.5x0.5 99.5 1995 MTF_Rodagon_105 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon 5.6/135 5.6-32 6-4 6, 2-10 90x120, 4"x5" Y 39x1/26 M40.5x0.5 128 1995 MTF_Rodagon_135 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon 5.6/150 5.6-45 6-4 6, 2-10 90x120, 4"x5" Y M50x0.75 M52x0.75 146 1995 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon 5.6/180 5.6-45 6-4 5, 2-8 130x180, 5"x7" Y M50x0.75 M58x0.75 177 1995 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon 5.6/210 5.6-45 6-4 4, 2-8 130x180, 5"x7" Y M58x0.75 M67x0.75 201 1995 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon 5.6/240 5.6-45 6-4 4, 2-8 180x240
8"x10" Y M72x1 M77x0.75 230 1995 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon 5.6/300 5.6-45 6-4 4, 2-8 180x240
8"x10" Y M72x1 M86x1 283 1995 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon 6.3/360 6.3-45 6-4 2.5, 2-8 240x300
10"x12" Y M90x1 M95x1 300 1995 [41] Make Model/Aperture/Focal Length Aperture Range Lens
Construction
E-G[a] Type[b] Optimum Mag.
and/or
Mag. Range[c] Negative Size/
Coverage[k] Illuminated
Aperture[j]
Y/N Number of
Aperture
Blades[l] Mounting
Thread[d] Filter Screw
Thread[e] Flange Focus
Distance
at Infinity[i] Approximate
Date/Period[f] Special Attributes or Comments[g] References[h] Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon 2.8/50 2.8-16 6-4 10 35 Y Leica 1982 [69] [3] [69] Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon 4/80 4-22 6 8 60x70 Y Leica 1989 [1] Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon 4/90 4-22 6-4 60x70 Y Leica 1982 [69] Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon 4.8/180 4.8-32 6 6 4"x5" Y 58mm 1989 [1] Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon-N 2.8/45 2.8-16 15, 2-30 24x36 Y 39x1/26 M40.5x0.5 47.1 2004 discontinued approx 2004 [62] Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon-N 2.8/50 2.8-16 6-4 [40] 10 [40], 2-20 24x36 Y 39x1/26 M40.5x0.5 46 1995 working aperture from F4
MTF_APO-Rodagon-N_50 [38][40] Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon-N 4/75 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22[pc] 10, 2-10 60x60 Y[pc] 5[pc] 39x1/26 M40.5x0.5 68.7 1998[60] to
2008[54]? Possibly introduced during Linos era for machine vision[tbc] [60][54][pc] Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon-N 4/80 4-22 7-5 [40] 10 [40], 2-15 60x70 Y 39x1/26 M40.5x0.5 77 1995 working aperture from F5.6 [38][40] Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon-N 4/90 4-22 10, 2-15 60x70 Y 39x1/26 M40.5x0.5 93.5 2004 [62] Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon-N 4/105 4-22 7-5 [40] 6 [40], 2-15 60x90 Y 39x1/26 M40.5x0.5 99.1 released
1990[55] working aperture from F5.6 [38][40] [55] Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon-N 4/150 4-32 7-5 6, 2-15 9x12 or 4"x5" Y M50x0.75 M67x0.75 144 released
1990[55] working aperture from F8 [40] [55] Make Model/Aperture/Focal Length Aperture Range Lens
Construction
E-G[a] Type[b] Optimum Mag.
and/or
Mag. Range[c] Negative Size/
Coverage[k] Illuminated
Aperture[j]
Y/N Number of
Aperture
Blades[l] Mounting
Thread[d] Filter Screw
Thread[e] Flange Focus
Distance
at Infinity[i] Approximate
Date/Period[f] Special Attributes or Comments[g] References[h] Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon-D 2x 4.5/50 0.4-2.5 43mm
image circle 2008 [61] Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon-D 1x 4/75 4-22 6-4 1, 0.8-1.2 60x60 N 39x1/26 M40.5x0.5 136.7
(at 1:1) 1995 MTF_Apo-Rodagon-D1x75 [41] Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon-D 2x 4.5/75 4.5-22 6-4 2, 1.2-2.5 60x70 N 39x1/26 M40.5x0.5 109.4
(at 2:1) [62] 1995 MTF_Apo-Rodagon-D2x75 [41][62] Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon-D 2x 5.6/120 5.6-32 6-4 2, 0.5-3 4"x5" N 39x1/26 M52x0.75 172.9
(at 2:1) Already discontinued in 2004
MTF_Apo-Rodagon-D-120 [62] Make Model/Aperture/Focal Length Aperture Range Lens
Construction
E-G[a] Type[b] Optimum Mag.
and/or
Mag. Range[c] Negative Size/
Coverage[k] Illuminated
Aperture[j]
Y/N Number of
Aperture
Blades[l] Mounting
Thread[d] Filter Screw
Thread[e] Flange Focus
Distance
at Infinity[i] Approximate
Date/Period[f] Special Attributes or Comments[g] References[h] Rodenstock Eurygon 4/40 4-22 6-4 10 24x36 39x1/26 1983 [3] Rodenstock Eurygon 4/60 4-22 6-4 40x40 39x1/26 1983 [3] Rodenstock Eurygon 4/80 4-22 6-4 10 60x90 39x1/26 1983 [3] Rodenstock Rodagon-WA 4/40 4-22 6-4 10, 4-20 24x36 Y 39x1/26 M40.5x0.5 36.5 1995 MTF_Rodagon-WA_40 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon-WA 4/60 4-22 6-4 8, 4-15 60x60 Y 39x1/26 M40.5x0.5 55.5 1995 MTF_Rodagon-WA_60 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon-WA 4/80 4-22 6-4 8, 4-15 60x90 Y 39x1/26 M40.5x0.5 77 1995 MTF_Rodagon-WA_80 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon-WA 5.6/120 5.6-45 6-4 6, 4-15 90x120, 4"x5" Y M50x0.75 M52x0.75 116.4 1995 [41] Make Model/Aperture/Focal Length Aperture Range Lens
Construction
E-G[a] Type[b] Optimum Mag.
and/or
Mag. Range[c] Negative Size/
Coverage[k] Illuminated
Aperture[j]
Y/N Number of
Aperture
Blades[l] Mounting
Thread[d] Filter Screw
Thread[e] Flange Focus
Distance
at Infinity[i] Approximate
Date/Period[f] Special Attributes or Comments[g] References[h] Rodenstock Rodagon-G 2.8/50 2.8-16 6-4 25, 15-50 24x36 Y 39x1/26 M40.5x0.5 47 1995 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon-G 5.6/105 5.6-45 6-4 20, 10-40 60x90 Y M50x0.75 M40.5x0.5 100.3 1995 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon-G 5.6/150 5.6-45 6-4 20, 10-40 90x120, 4"x5" Y M50x0.75 M49x0.75 141.8 1995 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon-G 5.6/210 5.6-45 6-4 20, 8-30 130x180, 5"x7" Y M72x1 M67x0.75 179.5 1995 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon-G 5.6/240 5.6-45 6-4 20, 8-30 130x180, 5"x7" Y M72x1 M77x0.75 230.6 1995 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon-G 5.6/300 5.6-45 6-4 20, 8-30 180x240
8"x10" Y M90x1 M86x1 253.3 1995 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon-G 6.8/360 6.8-45 6-4 20, 8-30 180x240
8"x10" Y M90x1 M105x1 304.2 1995 [41] Rodenstock Rodagon-G 8.4/480 8.4-64 6-4 20, 8-30 240x300
10"x12" Y M110x1 M112x1.5 412 1995 [41] Make Model/Aperture/Focal Length Aperture Range Lens
Construction
E-G[a] Type[b] Optimum Mag.
and/or
Mag. Range[c] Negative Size/
Coverage[k] Illuminated
Aperture[j]
Y/N Number of
Aperture
Blades[l] Mounting
Thread[d] Filter Screw
Thread[e] Flange Focus
Distance
at Infinity[i] Approximate
Date/Period[f] Special Attributes or Comments[g] References[h] Ross Resolux 3.5/5cm or 2" [56] 1, 2, 4, 8, 16[pc] 4-3[36] Tessar[36] 24x36[56]
/50°[36] N[pc] 39[56] 1954[56] [pc][36][56] Ross Resolux 4/9cm or 3 1/2" [56] 1, 2, 4, 8, 16[pc] 4-3[36] Tessar[36] 60x60[56]
/50°[36] N[pc] 39[56] 1954[56] [pc][36][56] Ross Resolux 4/11cm or 4 3/8" [56] 1, 2, 4, 8, 16[pc] 4-3[36] Tessar[36] 60x90[56]
/50°[36] N[pc] 39[56] 1954[56] [pc][36][56] Make Model/Aperture/Focal Length Aperture Range Lens
Construction
E-G[a] Type[b] Optimum Mag.
and/or
Mag. Range[c] Negative Size/
Coverage[k] Illuminated
Aperture[j]
Y/N Number of
Aperture
Blades[l] Mounting
Thread[d] Filter Screw
Thread[e] Flange Focus
Distance
at Infinity[i] Approximate
Date/Period[f] Special Attributes or Comments[g] References[h] Samigon 3.5/35 3.5-16 3 16 Leica c. 1980 [67] Samigon 3.5/50 3.5-16 3 35 Leica c. 1980 [67] Samigon 3.5/75 3.5-16 3 60x60 Leica c. 1980 [67] Make Model/Aperture/Focal Length Aperture Range Lens
Construction
E-G[a] Type[b] Optimum Mag.
and/or
Mag. Range[c] Negative Size/
Coverage[k] Illuminated
Aperture[j]
Y/N Number of
Aperture
Blades[l] Mounting
Thread[d] Filter Screw
Thread[e] Flange Focus
Distance
at Infinity[i] Approximate
Date/Period[f] Special Attributes or Comments[g] References[h] Schneider Kreuznach Componar-C 2.8/50 (No.14455) 2.8-16 3 8 24x36 Y Leica none [78] 38.8 c.1985
c.1980[78] BK(illuminated) mount [77][78] Schneider Kreuznach Componar-C 4/75 (No.14251) 4-22 3 8 60x60 Y Leica none [78] 61.2 c.1985
c.1980[78] BK(illuminated) mount [77][78] Schneider Kreuznach Componar-C 4.5/105 (No.10314) 4.5-22 3 8 65-90 N M32.5x0.5 M35.5x0.5 [78] 100.2 c.1985
c.1980[78] BK mount [77][78] Schneider Kreuznach Componar-S 2.8/50 (No.15818) 2.8-16 4 6-10 24x36 Y Leica M30.5x0.5[tbc] 45 c. 2000+ BL-L mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach Componar-S 4.5/80 (No.15819) 4.5-22 4 6-10 60x60 Y Leica M30.5x0.5[tbc] 72.3 c. 2000+ BL-L mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach Componar-S 4.5/105 (No.16278) 4.5-22 4 6-10 65x90 Y Leica M35x0.5[tbc] 96 c. 2000+ BL-L mount [75] Make Model/Aperture/Focal Length Aperture Range Lens
Construction
E-G[a] Type[b] Optimum Mag.
and/or
Mag. Range[c] Negative Size/
Coverage[k] Illuminated
Aperture[j]
Y/N Number of
Aperture
Blades[l] Mounting
Thread[d] Filter Screw
Thread[e] Flange Focus
Distance
at Infinity[i] Approximate
Date/Period[f] Special Attributes or Comments[g] References[h] Schneider Kreuznach Comparon 3.5/50 (No.14150) 3.5-16 4-3 2-6 24x6 N Leica M43x0.75 46 c.1983 BK00 mount [79] Schneider Kreuznach Comparon 3.5/50 (No.14165) 3.5-16 Leica M43x0.75 46 c.1980 BLK00 mount [78] Schneider Kreuznach Comparon 4.5/75 (No.10601) 3.5-22 4-3 2-6 60x60 N Leica M43x0.75 71.4 c.1983 BK00 mount [79] Schneider Kreuznach Comparon 4.5/75 (No.10322) 4.5-22 Leica M43x0.75 71.4 c.1980 BLK00 mount [78] Schneider Kreuznach Comparon 4.5/105 (No.10324) 4.5-32 4-3 2-6 65-90 N M32.5x0.5 M35.5x0.5 98.9 c1983
c.1980 [78] BK0 mount [79][78] Schneider Kreuznach Comparon 4.5/135 (No.10326) 4.5-32 4-3 2-6 90x120 N M39x0.75 M40.5x0.5 127.1 c1983
c.1980 [78] BK1 mount [79][78] Schneider Kreuznach Comparon 5.6/150 (No.10328) 5.6-45 4-3 2-6 90x120 N M32.5x0.5 M34x0.5 143.1 c1983
c.1980 [78] BK0 mount [79][78] Make Model/Aperture/Focal Length Aperture Range Lens
Construction
E-G[a] Type[b] Optimum Mag.
and/or
Mag. Range[c] Negative Size/
Coverage[k] Illuminated
Aperture[j]
Y/N Number of
Aperture
Blades[l] Mounting
Thread[d] Filter Screw
Thread[e] Flange Focus
Distance
at Infinity[i] Approximate
Date/Period[f] Special Attributes or Comments[g] References[h] Schneider Kreuznach Componon 4/28 (No.37275) 4-22 6-4 2-20 18x24 Y Leica M43x0.75 25.2 c. 2000+ BLV-L mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach Componon 4/28 (No.10334) 4-16 6-4 2-20 18x24 N M25x0.5 M30.5x0.5 26.9 c. 2000+ B-00 mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach Componon 4/35 (No.37277) 4-22 6-4 2-20 24x24 Y Leica M43x0.75 30.6 c. 2000+ BLV-L mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach Componon 4/35 (No.10340) 4-16 6-4 2-20 24x24 N M25x0.5 M30.5x0.5 32.4 c. 2000+ B-00 mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach Componon 4/40 (No.37814) 4-16 6-4 2-20 24x24 N M25x0.5 M30.5x0.5 36 c. 2000+ B-00 mount [75] Make Model/Aperture/Focal Length Aperture Range Lens
Construction
E-G[a] Type[b] Optimum Mag.
and/or
Mag. Range[c] Negative Size/
Coverage[k] Illuminated
Aperture[j]
Y/N Number of
Aperture
Blades[l] Mounting
Thread[d] Filter Screw
Thread[e] Flange Focus
Distance
at Infinity[i] Approximate
Date/Period[f] Special Attributes or Comments[g] References[h] Schneider Kreuznach Componon-S 2.8/50 (No.16828) 2.8-16 6-4 2-20 24x36 Y Leica M43x0.75 42 c. 2000+ BLV-L mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach Componon-S 2.8/50 (No.18827) 2.8-16 6-4 2-20 24x36 N M25x0.5 M28.5x0.75 43.8 c. 2000+ B-00 mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach Componon-S 4/80 (No.14850) 4-22 6-4 2-20 60x60 Y Leica M43x0.75 77.5 c. 2000+ BLV-L mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach Componon-S 4/80 (No.37185) 4-22 6-4 2-20 60x60 N M25x0.5 79.2 c. 2000+ B-00 mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach Componon-S 5.6/100 (No.14022) 5.6-32 6-4 2-20 65x90 Y Leica M43x0.75 95.8 c. 2000+ BLV-L mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach Componon-S 5.6/100 (No.12720) 5.6-45 6-4 2-20 65x90 N M32.5x0.5 M40.5x0.5 97.1 c. 2000+ B-0 mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach Componon-S 5.6/135 (No.39569) 5.6-45 6-4 2-20 90x120 Y M50x0.75 M49x0.75 129.6 c. 2000+ BL-0a mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach Componon-S 5.6/150 (No.39570) 5.6-45 6-4 2-20 90x120 Y M50x0.75 M52x0.75 144.3 c. 2000+ BL-0a mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach Componon-S 5.6/180 (No.39571) 5.6-45 6-4 2-20 130x180 Y M55x0.75 M62x0.75 172 c. 2000+ BL-1a mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach Componon-S 5.6/210 (No.39572) 5.6-45 6-4 2-20 130x180 Y M55x0.75 M72x0.75 201.8 c. 2000+ BL-1a mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach Componon-S 5.6/240 (No.12728) 5.6-45 6-4 2-20 180x240 N M66x0.75 M82x0.75 209.7 c. 2000+ B-3 mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach Componon-S 5.6/300 (No.12730) 5.6-45 6-4 2-20 240x300 N M77x0.75 M100x1 254.6 c. 2000+ B-3 mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach Componon-S 6.8/360 (No.12732) 5.6-45 6-4 2-20 240x300 N M90x1 M110x1 307.2 c. 2000+ B-3 mount [75] Make Model/Aperture/Focal Length Aperture Range Lens
Construction
E-G[a] Type[b] Optimum Mag.
and/or
Mag. Range[c] Negative Size/
Coverage[k] Illuminated
Aperture[j]
Y/N Number of
Aperture
Blades[l] Mounting
Thread[d] Filter Screw
Thread[e] Flange Focus
Distance
at Infinity[i] Approximate
Date/Period[f] Special Attributes or Comments[g] References[h] Schneider Kreuznach WA-Componon 4/40 (No.14853) 4-22 6-4 24x36 Y Leica M43x0.75 39.7 c.1990 BK 15 mount [76] Schneider Kreuznach WA-Componon 5.6/60 (No.14854) 5.6-32 6-4 60x60 Y Leica M35.5x0.5 62.7 c.1990 BK 15 mount [76] Schneider Kreuznach WA-Componon 5.6/80 (No.14855) 5.6-32 6-4 65x90 Y Leica M39.5x0.5 85.4 c.1990 BK 15 mount [76] Make Model/Aperture/Focal Length Aperture Range Lens
Construction
E-G[a] Type[b] Optimum Mag.
and/or
Mag. Range[c] Negative Size/
Coverage[k] Illuminated
Aperture[j]
Y/N Number of
Aperture
Blades[l] Mounting
Thread[d] Filter Screw
Thread[e] Flange Focus
Distance
at Infinity[i] Approximate
Date/Period[f] Special Attributes or Comments[g] References[h] Schneider Kreuznach APO-Componon HM 2.8/40 (No.19746) 2.8-16 6-4 24x36 Y Leica M43x0.75 38.1 c. 2000+ BLV-L mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach APO-Componon HM 4.0/45 (No.39256) 4-22 6-4 24x36 Y Leica M43x0.75 42.4 c. 2000+ BLV-L mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach APO-Componon HM 4/60 (No.18928) 4-22 6-4 45x60 Y Leica M43x0.75 53.3 c. 2000+ BLV-L mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach APO-Componon HM 4.5/90 (No.37834) 4.5-64 6-4 60x70 Y Leica M43x0.75 85.5 c. 2000+ BLV-L mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach APO-Componon HM 5.6/120 (No.23457) 5.6-45 6-4 90x120 N M50x0.75 M40.5x0.5 120.4 c. 2000+ B-0 mount [75] Schneider Kreuznach APO-Componon HM 4/150 (No.14679) 4-32 6-4 90x120 Y M55x0.75 M55x0.75 149.2 c. 2000+ BL-1a mount [75] Make Model/Aperture/Focal Length Aperture Range Lens
Construction
E-G[a] Type[b] Optimum Mag.
and/or
Mag. Range[c] Negative Size/
Coverage[k] Illuminated
Aperture[j]
Y/N Number of
Aperture
Blades[l] Mounting
Thread[d] Filter Screw
Thread[e] Flange Focus
Distance
at Infinity[i] Approximate
Date/Period[f] Special Attributes or Comments[g] References[h] Schneider Kreuznach Xenar 3.5/60 4-3 Tessar N[pc] M25x0.5[pc] Taking Lens [pc][18] Schneider Kreuznach Xenar 3.5/75 3.5, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22 4-3[18] Tessar[18] 60x60 N[pc] M25x0.5 71.3 Taking Lens [pc][18][19] Schneider Kreuznach Xenar 3.5/100 4-3[18] Tessar[18] 65x90 N[pc] M32.5x0.5 M40.5x0.5 96.2 Taking Lens [pc][18][20] Make Model/Aperture/Focal Length Aperture Range Lens
Construction
E-G[a] Type[b] Optimum Mag.
and/or
Mag. Range[c] Negative Size/
Coverage[k] Illuminated
Aperture[j]
Y/N Number of
Aperture
Blades[l] Mounting
Thread[d] Filter Screw
Thread[e] Flange Focus
Distance
at Infinity[i] Approximate
Date/Period[f] Special Attributes or Comments[g] References[h] Soligor 3.5/50 3.5-16 4 35 Leica c. 1980 [67] Soligor 3.5/75 3.5-22 4 60x60 Leica c. 1980 [67] Soligor 4.5/90 4.5-22 3 60x90 Leica c. 1980 [67] Soligor 4.5/105 4.5-16 3 3 1/4"x4 1/4" Leica c. 1980 [67] Soligor 4.5/135 4.5-22 4 4"x5" Leica c. 1980 [67] Make Model/Aperture/Focal Length Aperture Range Lens
Construction
E-G[a] Type[b] Optimum Mag.
and/or
Mag. Range[c] Negative Size/
Coverage[k] Illuminated
Aperture[j]
Y/N Number of
Aperture
Blades[l] Mounting
Thread[d] Filter Screw
Thread[e] Flange Focus
Distance
at Infinity[i] Approximate
Date/Period[f] Special Attributes or Comments[g] References[h] Spiratone 2.8/50 Resomax 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16 6[1] N 8 Leica 1984[66] Made in Japan by unknown maker [pc][66][1] Spiratone 3.5/35 3.5-16 3[67] half 35mm Leica 1989 [1][67] Spiratone 3.5/50 3.5-16 3[67] 35 Leica 1989 [1][67] Spiratone 3.5/75 3.5-16 3[67] 60X60 Leica 1989 [1][67] Spiratone 4.5/90 4.5-22 60x70 Leica 1989 [1] Spiratone 4.5/150 4.5-22 3[67] 4"x5" Leica 1989 [1][67] Make Model/Aperture/Focal Length Aperture Range Lens
Construction
E-G[a] Type[b] Optimum Mag.
and/or
Mag. Range[c] Negative Size/
Coverage[k] Illuminated
Aperture[j]
Y/N Number of
Aperture
Blades[l] Mounting
Thread[d] Filter Screw
Thread[e] Flange Focus
Distance
at Infinity[i] Approximate
Date/Period[f] Special Attributes or Comments[g] References[h] Taylor Hobson Ental 3.5/50 1, 2, 4 |
kh Khan to campaign for Congress
Bhopal
oi-Preeti
Bhopal, Sept 16: In a run up to the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, the opposition Congress has reportedly roped in Cricketer and MP Sachin Tendulkar and Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan to be the "star campaigners" for their party.
Also read: Will Sachin Tendulkar, Rekha campaign for MP Congress?
According to reports, the member of the election campaign committee, Mahesh Joshi told mediapersons that party is planning to bring Sachin Tendulkar onboard for campaigning before elections in Madhya Pradesh.
It has also emerged that party may seek the help of Cricketer-turned-politician and Congress MP from Moradabad in western UP, Mohammad Azharuddin, to convince Sachin to campaign for Madhya Pradesh Congress.
Besides wooing cricketer Sachin, MP Congress also wants Bollywood king Shahrukh Khan to campaign for their party. For that, they are in talks with another actor-turned-politician, Congress MP from Firozabad, Raj Babbar, who can help in bringing the popular actor for campaigning in MP.
MP Congress party workers are engaged in door-to-door campaigning.
Joshi also said that MP Congress is preparing a list of celebrities to campaign for their party in the upcoming assembly elections. The list will be made in accordance with the busy schedule of the celebrities.
It seems that MP Congress is leaving no stone unturned in toppling the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government from power.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that the MP Congress party workers are engaged in door-to-door campaigning, to ensure their party's victory.
OneIndia NewsIn August, Penn Jillette’s God, No! was published, to great acclaim. As of October it ranked #273 in Amazon’s book sales category. (Those of us whose books are ranked down in the millions can’t help but feel a little pang of jealousy; it does tell us, however, who is getting read!) Jillette is the vocal member of Penn & Teller, the bad-boy magician duo, and a noted iconoclast. Largely a ramble through his inner monologue, God, No! is the first book to cause me to laugh out loud in years.
Writing, for example, about a zero gravity ride (the “Vomit Comet”) with Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, a supermodel, and some very queasy paramedics, creates an almost psychedelic mental image up front. Jillette notes laconically, “I decided to have a Cinnabon (‘You pig!’) for breakfast because I thought it might taste nice coming back up.” Not wanting to give too many spoilers, just let me state that if you can read the hairdryer story without ending up snorting aloud, you’re made of iron.
But does Jillette accomplish his goal of demonstrating the truth of atheism? Probably not. The problem comes in the form of the issue itself: we are all experts when it comes to religion. Not even a magician can convince us we’re wrong.
As the subtitle indicates, Jillette believes atheism is more prevalent than many Americans would care to admit. This may be due to the definition of atheism he provides in the book’s preface: “If god (however you perceive him/her/it) told you to kill your child—would you do it? If your answer is no, in my booklet you’re an atheist.” He later qualifies this a bit, asserting that anyone who can’t answer a solid “Yes” to “Does god exist?” is an atheist. Religious specialists, however, tend to be sticklers for precise definitions. Those who don’t know about the existence of god are agnostics. Toward the end, Jillette has a few choice words about those who refuse to give a clear answer. Either you believe, or you don’t. Agnosticism is for cowards.
Overall, the book is very loosely structured on the Ten Commandments, each with a rewording from Jillette’s unique perspective. That having been noted, the book does not focus on the question of god’s existence; instead it is full of anecdotes from the author’s life—some quite moving—that help to explain why he can’t countenance the existence of god. “Up Your Santa Claus Lane,” which describes Jillette’s response to his mother’s death, cannot fail to move. The devotion to family throughout puts to shame those who populate our headlines with the divine injunctions misguided parents cite to punish their children too severely. Penn may be an atheist, but he would not sacrifice his family, even for “God.”
Few will be surprised that many of these stories are funny, but they are often angry too. Having written on the lack of trust I have in the TSA before, Jillette’s rant in “Penn’s Bacon and a Kiss Airline” was like finding a long-lost brother; another guy who feels it is criminal to be viewed naked by strangers—involuntarily—is a true freedom fighter. This is a comedian with a conscience. He may come down on the wrong side of many traditional issues (global warming and sexual mores, e.g.), but he is keenly aware that too many people suffer. Theodicy in motion.
In the end, most of Jillette’s Ten “Suggestions” are not too far from the mark of those in Exodus or Deuteronomy. For instance, instead of taking the fifth commandment as honoring your parents, his “fifth suggestion” adds a hedge thick enough to make a Pharisee proud: “Be there for your family. Love your parents, your partner, and your children. (Love is deeper than honor, and parents matter, but so do spouses and children.)” In what may raise frustration for religious critics, his ideas here come very close to the traditional words of Jesus.
An academic critic might say this book is not what it seems; it is not just another media figure giving us reasons to hang our pious heads in shame. What does come through in all the vignettes, however, is ethical, libertarian, and very human. It is difficult not to feel like you want to get to know this guy when you put his book down. While those who pick it up as believers or agnostics probably won’t come away changed, they will sense that it—like the magic for which Penn Jillette is so well known—has brought them to an unexpected place. Indeed, the book is full of surprises. (If I told you here, they would no longer be surprises, would they?)
God, No! is not for everyone. Those who object to coarse language or sexual situations will find themselves uncomfortable at several junctures. On the other hand, those who want an honest assessment of the angst religion produces in a thoughtful, forthright, and outspoken atheist should take a look. If they are honest, they will probably have to admit to a smile or two along the way.Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin J. Martin yesterday challenged several of Comcast's claims about how it operates its Internet network, taking his strongest stance yet against the cable operator.
Martin's comments came during a hearing held by the Senate Commerce Committee on the future of the Internet. Comcast is under investigation for allegedly delaying some Web traffic over its network.
Specifically, Martin said in his testimony that it appeared Comcast had singled out content for delay over its network, even when the network may not have been congested with overuse. He also said he doubted the company's statements that it would stop some of its practices by the end of the year.
"I believe that we should evaluate the practices with heightened scrutiny," Martin told lawmakers.
The FCC chairman, however, stopped short of asking Congress to act, arguing against passing new laws to enforce openness on the Web, a concept known as net neutrality. He said that the FCC had sufficient authority to enforce its four broad principles on broadband Internet management and that the agency should evaluate complaints on a case-by-case basis.
"I have consistently stated that the four principles are enforceable through the complaint process and adjudications," Martin said in a statement after the hearing. Martin has argued against a bill introduced by Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) to enforce open-network rules. At the same time, he has not objected to clarifications that would enable the FCC to enforce its existing guidelines.
The FCC chairman's comment about Comcast indicated that the agency was moving toward taking action against the cable operator, said Roger Entner, a senior vice president at IAG Research.
Comcast was thrust into the debate over net neutrality after the public-interest group Free Press and a company called Vuze filed complaints that the cable company slowed the transfer of video and other Internet content by users of the file-sharing application BitTorrent.
"Right now, the agency's principles give the FCC a lot of leeway, which is what they want," Entner said.
But the agency's authority to enforce those principles is being debated.
Cable operators have said that the FCC doesn't have the power to enforce principles that broadly require unfettered Internet access for consumers. They said that their network management practices are reasonable and that the industry can police itself.
"None of the evidence suggests that any network provider manages their network for anti-competitive reasons. Rather, all of the evidence suggests that they do so to ensure all of their customers have the best possible Internet experience," said Kyle McSlarrow, head of the National Cable and Telecommunications Association.
Some committee members said industry-backed solutions might not go far enough. Sens. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) said yesterday that rulemaking would help codify the agency's power to enforce its policies.
Ben Scott, policy director of Free Press, agreed that rules clarifying the FCC's role would be an important step. "That would give Kevin Martin an ironclad way to protect consumers and their right to the content of their choice," he said.
The entertainment industry, meanwhile, is divided on net neutrality. Yesterday's panel included Hollywood writers and actors who testified in favor of regulations that would prevent media companies and cable and telecommunications carriers from controlling content over the Internet networks.
"The Internet holds incredible potential to resurrect a vibrant industry of independent creators with free access to, and distribution of... content," Patric M. Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America, West, said in his testimony yesterday.
But groups such as the Songwriters Guild of America have argued against net neutrality, saying a network without controls would effectively enable rampant piracy and copyright infringement.In this edition of roster breakdown, the Los Angeles Gladiators get the spotlight. One of two Los Angeles, California based teams sporting the flashy purple and white jersey’s for the inaugural season of the Overwatch League. The talented Gladiators squad will house players from all across the globe, and will focus on two things in this upcoming season: having fun and playing aggressive, according to Rob Moore of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment (KSE).
Ownership
Stan Kroenke, owner of the newly acquired Los Angeles Gladiators, is constantly being discussed in sports media. He recently moved the St. Louis Rams franchise out of Missouri and back to Los Angeles where the franchise previously resided in the 1980’s. It’s been a point of contention around NFL circles, and since then the Kroenke name has been vilified by the people of St. Louis.
Regardless of the public perception of Kroenke, one thing’s clear and that’s the fact that he understands how to run a franchise. Consider this, Stan Kroenke owns KSE, a parent company for all his sports holdings. That same company has become a multi-media conglomerate with television and radio stations. On top of that, KSE expanded its holdings to five different franchises major sport franchises (MLB, NBA, MLS, NHL, and NFL) and finally seized the opportunity in the esports space.
Now, along with Boston Uprising owner Robert Kraft, Stan Kroenke adds legitimacy and national media attention to a new, burgeoning league. As someone actively cheering for the Overwatch League to succeed, it can’t go understated how important it is to have the backing of names like the Kroenke’s. KSE is planning to build an arena for the Gladiators, and could be big players in free agency.
Coaching
Team Kungarna was one of the surprising North America teams throughout the last year of Overwatch. The Kungarana roster had talented pieces, but the interchanging roster made it difficult to obtain any team synergy. Current Gladiators’ head coach and former Kungarna coach, David “dpei” Pei, was a big reason for Kungarna’s Overwatch Contenders run and meshing a moving roster. His coaching was key in bringing together a jumbled group of players and making them into one of the best North American teams.
Players
The LA Gladiators are one the few daring teams to only stick with seven players on the roster. The one backup spot will most likely be filled by one of the teams three-DPS (damage per second) mains. Gladiators decision to stick with seven players limits their ability to counter certain match ups. It puts extra pressure on the tank and support line.
Looking at how this roster was constructed, it’s not trying anything innovative or new, like San Francisco Shock essentially going with a team filled with DPS/Flex players. Gladiators roster will be more straight forward: 3 DPS, 1 Flex, 1 Tank, and 2 support.
Lane “Surefour” Roberts
Role: DPS/Hit-scan
Region: North America (Canada)
Former teams: Cloud 9
Favorite Heroes: Soldier 76, McCree
Surefour, as I’m sure this is the case with most people, was the first player to ever grab my attention in high-level Overwatch. Arguably the best North American Overwatch player, and one of the premier hit-scan players in the world. If there was a player to build around on this team, Surefour would be that player.
Recently, we saw Surefour and the talented Canadian team push Korea in the World Cup final. A strong showing showcased that he’s still improving. He’s certainly good enough to compete with the best players in the OWL, and should be a star in the making in Los Angeles. One of the most accurate players in Overwatch.
Jung Sung “Asher” Choi
Role: DPS/hit-scan
Region: South Korea
Former teams: CONBOX Spirit
Favorite Heroes: Tracer, McCree
Asher is a rather interesting name. Obviously starting off in Korea and getting plenty of Apex experience gives him a leg up, but there’s still some questions regarding his effectiveness heading into this season. His play was often overshadowed by former teammate Park “Architect” Min-ho, and he’s not considered one of the best Korean Tracer’s.
As a Tracer main, his duty will be to be disrupt the enemy back line, but his aggressive play can put himself into bad situations. Luckily, Asher will be playing alongside Surefour which will open up lanes for Tracer. Asher’s Tracer heavy play can be substituted for Hydration’s projectile focus on Genji and Pharah. Asher provides explosiveness, experience, and will be a key starting piece for the Gladiators in season one.
Joao Pedro “Hydration” Goes Telles
Role: DPS/Projectile
Region: South America (Brazil)
Former Teams: CLG
Favorite Heroes: Genji, Pharah
Hydration is going to be the first player off the bench. He’s known for his Pharah, but Hydration has a good enough hero pool to go Junkrat or switch onto Genji when needed. He’s one of the few Brazilian born players in the OWL.
Tanks
Aaron “Bischu” Kim
Role: Flex
Region: South Korea
Former teams: Kungarna, Team SoloMid, Ronin
Favorite Heroes: D.va, Zarya
Bischu is a must-watch player and a fantastic pickup for a team looking to play aggressively. The former League of Legends star now switches his focus to Overwatch, and he’s proved in a short amount of time that his Zarya is one of the best.
On top of his efficient play in the flex slot, he brings continuity with his head coach and former Kungarana teammate iRemix. The fact that the Gladiators tank line will have some synergy coming in is a big advantage and is the reason these three guys were brought in over potentially more skilled players. It’s possible this is one of the better tank lines in season one.
Luis Galarza “iRemix” Figueroa
Role: Tank
Region: Puerto Rico
Former Teams: Kungarana, Splyce
Favorite Heroes: Winston, Reinhardt
iRemix’s tank play in Overwatch Contenders was always extremely impressive. His Reinhardt during season two was one of my favorites in North America, and he’s made the necessary adjustments when Reinhardt with Winston when Reinhardt was fazed out of the meta. In his role, iRemix might be the most important player on the team. He’ll be the defensive linchpin.
Supportsional
Jonas “Shaz” Suovaara
Role: Support/Flex
Region: Finland
Former teams: Reason Gaming, Hammers Esports, Team Gigantti
Favorite Heroes: Ana, Zenyatta, Sombra
It’s apparent that Kevin “Kez” Jeon, the Gladiators manager, did his homework. While the decision to go with Asher and Hydration as their DPS-mains is somewhat questionable, bringing in the two Finns is no mistake. Gigantti, which both Shaz and BigGoose played for, overwhelmingly over-succeeded and it’s the play of these two that sprung that success.
Shaz can plug and play any number of heroes, but his primary role in season one will be on Mercy. Look for this team to switch Shaz to get advantageous composition. There’s a reason why they didn’t bring in any other support mains. It’s because this duo is versatile and skilled.
Benjamin “BigG00se” Isohanni
Role: Support
Region: Europe (Finland)
Former Teams: Rest in Pajamas, Team Gigantti
Favorite Heroes: Lucio
Similarly to the tank line, the Gladiators supports will have plenty of familiarity of how they want to play. It’s a great move to target players that have experience playing with each other. On top of all this, BigGoose’s Lucio is ridiculously good and will play into how this team wants to play on paper.
Expectations?
When I first glanced at the roster, I gave a loud sigh. Another team missing out on Carpe, Saebyeol, and Stitch. After examining it further, this could be a surprise team this season. Yes, they’re lacking the Korean talent, but outside of Miami, Seoul, and London, this is probably the most familiar team in the OWL. A team built around familiarity with each other.
However, it’s tough seeing this squad make a push for the postseason. While Surefour is a game-changer, the two other DPS-mains don’t stack up as well on paper. This team will need more firepower to come out on top.
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Like this: Like Loading...Members of families changed by Indy 500 crashes will meet at Speedway
Dave MacDonald's wallet contained several family photographs. (Photo: MacDonald Family)
IRVINE, Calif. – There are only 13 known photographs of former race car driver Dave MacDonald and his son, Rich — the most precious of those is worn and tattered.
That photo, of Rich as an infant with his parents, was in Dave’s wallet the day he and Eddie Sachs died in the fiery, second-lap crash in the 1964 Indianapolis 500.
Other photographs Dave carried were of his wife, Sherry, and their daughter, Vicki, then 4 years old. But Rich noticed something else revealing about his father: He kept two shots of his ’55 Corvette.
“That tells you he kept things he loved close to him,” Rich MacDonald said.
This is a story of what MacDonald has learned about his father and the things he is about to discover. On Wednesday, the boy who was 6 years old when his father didn’t come home, will arrive in Indianapolis to see what drew his father away.
MacDonald is now 58 and has been in this city before, but this will be the first time he has experienced Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The anticipation is great, the anxiety arguably greater. See, MacDonald won’t be coming alone. His mother, now 78, is scheduled to be alongside. She has not been to IMS since she was hurriedly fetched from her paddock seat as the plume of black smoke filled the north end of the front straightaway.
She remembers black noon, as Art Garner’s 2014 book is called. She lived it. MacDonald estimates she’s talked about it three times in the 50 years since.
The plan is to see the area of the track where Dave lost control, hit the inside wall and ricocheted into Sachs’ path. MacDonald wants to join Angela Savage, who lost her father, Swede, in an accident there in 1973, and Sachs’ son, Eddie Jr., for a photograph. Sherry is eager for the trip to IMS and is a strong woman — she's a cancer survivor who volunteers with the La Verne (Calif.) Police Department — but she isn’t sure she can do that.
“This is still raw for her, and I understand that,” MacDonald said. “She said, 'You and Angela and Eddie weren’t there (in '64), but I was.'"
Sherry MacDonald (far left) attended the U.S. Road Racing Championships' Hall of Fame event in April with her daughter, Vicki, Angela Savage and her son, Rich. (Photo: MacDonald Family)
The rising star
Sachs was the Clown Prince of Racing, a two-time 500 pole winner known for his flamboyancy and zaniness. Had he not pitted for a new right rear tire with three laps left in the '61 race, his likeness would be on the Borg-Warner Trophy and A.J. Foyt might not have become the event’s first four-time winner.
Which made Dave MacDonald the other driver in that '64 crash.
MacDonald had been a successful West Coast drag racer, and then a successful national road racer. By all accounts, he was a rising star with Hollywood's attention, a Universal Pictures deal lined up.
The year before being hired to drive Mickey Thompson’s car at Indianapolis, MacDonald won the prestigious Los Angeles Times Grand Prix, where a collection of drivers at Riverside International Raceway included a pair of Formula One champions (Jim Clark and Graham Hill), that year's F-1 champion (John Surtees), reigning race winner Roger Penske, Dan Gurney and 500 winners Rodger Ward and Foyt. MacDonald lapped the field, receiving a whopping $14,000 and keys to the pace car. The next year, Parnelli Jones won — it was that kind of an event.
MacDonald was Carroll Shelby’s stud, giving the automotive designer's Cobra roadster, the King Cobra and the Daytona Coupe their first wins. In Garner’s book "Black Noon: The Year They Stopped the Indy 500," MacDonald is called “The Natural.”
"He was the best driver in the world," Sherry said, proudly.
Thompson wasn’t the only car owner hot for MacDonald’s services. In the months before the '64 500, MacDonald had signed a 20-race NASCAR deal with Bill Stroppe and Ford, had been offered a chance to drive for J.C. Agajanian in '65 and was only a few weeks from racing at Le Mans, the ultimate 24-hour sports car race.
MacDonald, 27, had just gotten his passport.
A car difficult to drive
Thompson’s cars were radically low rear-engine Fords, which were revolutionary in '63 and still unproven and difficult to drive in '64. Several of the top drivers, including '62 world champion Graham Hill, turned down the chance to race one of them because they were designed for 12-inch tires and the United States Auto Club now mandated 15-inch tires. Shelby had vehemently warned MacDonald against getting behind the wheel of the car with a tendency to have its front end lift off the ground.
Fact is, Maston Gregory, Duane Carter and MacDonald all crashed or spun in Thompson cars that month, and Gregory quit the team. But against Shelby’s insistence, MacDonald stayed loyal to Thompson.
MacDonald qualified 14th and lost a couple of positions on the start, but he was 10th by the time he made his second pass through Turn 4. What happened next has been extensively debated. Rich MacDonald believes the account of driver Len Sutton is the most accurate.
Sutton, who was trailing the impending trouble, said Dave MacDonald dropped to the inside to pass Walt Hansgen and Jim Hurtubise. At that moment Hansgen, a rookie, came down on MacDonald to escape pressure from the right. The nose of MacDonald’s car lifted, shooting him to the left.
After contact with the inside wall, the car's fuel system failed, shooting a stream of flammable gasoline onto hot exhaust pipes. Engulfed in flames, MacDonald’s car slid across the track and was struck broadside by Sachs.
The cars went up in a fireball because of the large amount of flammable gasoline they carried in those days. Said Bobby Unser in "Black Noon:" “The whole track was blocked with fire. I didn’t know if it was one burning car or 10. It looked like 10.”
Sachs hitting MacDonald created an even larger fireball. That’s where the billowing plumes of black smoke came from. Black noon had arrived.
Buy Photo Rich MacDonald (Photo: Curt Cavin / IndyStar)
Learning about his father
Rich MacDonald was watching a closed-circuit broadcast at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. He remembers meeting his mother at the airport, and he tells of Thompson coming to their home in El Monte, Calif., to return Dave’s wallet and the watch he was wearing when he crashed.
MacDonald described himself as “a normal kid playing other sports,” and he wasn’t much into racing at the time; he still isn’t. But kids brag about their fathers, and he did, too. His hook: My father died in a crash at Indianapolis.
“I guess that was my way of screaming at the top of my lungs how bad-ass my dad was even though most of the kids didn’t get it,” he said.
For years, MacDonald's knowledge of his father’s racing history was left to others. He became a flight attendant, spending one Indianapolis layover at Market Square Arena watching the Pacers rather than making a visit to the racing palace where his father died.
“Never thought about it, I guess," he said of an IMS visit that day. "I’m sure I told the crew my father was killed in Indianapolis."
That all changed in 2003 when a photograph of his father arrived in the mail. Dave MacDonald was driving a Mercury in the ’64 Daytona 500. Rich MacDonald was blown away.
“I didn’t even know my father ran in NASCAR, and I certainly didn’t know he finished 10th in the Daytona 500, a race which NASCAR.com has called the greatest field in NASCAR history,” he said. “I was so embarrassed (by not knowing) that I made it my mission to find out all I could about my dad.”
One of the 13 photographs Rich MacDonald (left) has of he and his father, Dave. (Photo: MacDonald Family)
The invitation
About a year ago, MacDonald joined Facebook, and soon after he started making Indianapolis connections. One was Sachs,, who was 2 years old when his father died. Sachs owns a race team which fields USAC Silver Crown cars, so he's spent a lifetime around IMS.
"We've been communicating lightly; it's been very amicable," Sachs said. "I'm sure we have a lot in common."
Doug Hardwick, president and pipe major of the Indianapolis 500 Gordon Pipers, became another of MacDonald's Facebook friends, and the Pipers offered to host the MacDonalds over race weekend.
“I didn’t know if anyone had ever reached out to them,” said Hardwick, who plans to formally introduce Rich and Eddie. “Growing up I was a big, big fan of California road racing, and I knew all about Dave MacDonald. Back then there were not many guys who had enough (courage) to do an oval, but he did.
“I thought they should be part of this 100th event.”
MacDonald has been to NASCAR races as a guest of the Wood Brothers, the legendary team his father drove for in ’63 at Riverside, Calif. He also has been part of the masses enjoying the spectacle of IndyCar’s Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (Calif.), but his young children were in tow, and their attention span was too short for extensive visiting.
When the Pipers’ invitation came, MacDonald struggled with how to — or even if he should — approach his mother. She had returned to IMS once — sometime in the 1990s — for a visit to the photo department. She flew to Indy and back home in the same day.
"I had put all these memories — newspaper clippings and such — in binders, but it was 20 years before I could go back and look at them," she said. "What I didn't have a lot of were pictures of Dave before that awful day, so I went (to IMS) — it was the first time I'd ever flown by myself — and I got some."
Sherry doesn't remember seeing the Speedway, and her son couldn't imagine she'd ever want to.
“I talked to my wife and she said, ‘Whoa, that’s a deep question,’” he said. “I finally decided to, but I was scared to. When your mom cries you cry, right?”
Surprisingly, she said yes.
"Dave achieved his goal, which for a race car driver was to drive at Indianapolis," she said. "Rich has done so much to preserve his dad's memory, and I'm really, really happy he'll get to see (Indy).
"My focus will be on that."
Follow IndyStar reporter Curt Cavin on Facebook and Twitter: @curtcavin.o
Chapter 70
Part 2
The ground shook as the Nidoking stomped into the room, his cape waving in his wake. A toothy grin spread across his face as his eyes scanned the shadows at the edges of the firelight.
"Hmm, most fascinating," he said evilly, touching his chin. "I come back to my hideout after a long and tiresome day, and I find… hmm? Three invisible Pokémon here? Ohh, but they're not any old Pokémon, are they? Here we have none other than… my longtime acquaintance. Kebb, is it? Or is that your brother? I always forget, you look the same to me."
"If it does not concern you, then I will not bother to tell you my name," Kecleon said defiantly, shifting his scales back to visibility. "I implore you, great Cepheus, we mean you no harm or interference this evening. We are only here to set a trap for a thief, nothing more; would you consider leaving us to our own devices? This matter concerns only a petty street-thief and myself, it is no concern of the Master's."
"…What, and waste this golden opportunity to catch my own petty street-thief?" Cepheus mused. "Don't think I don't know about you, Kecleon. Don't think I don't know what you've done to the Master and what he rightfully owns. Do not think that I don't know how you… built your empire."
The Nidoking stepped closer, narrowing his glowing eyes.
"Do not think that the continent is big enough for more than one empire," he growled lowly. "It has been a dream of mine, a longtime dream, to dismantle what you have built, and take back what you have taken."
Kecleon crossed his arms. "Pah! Says the one who doesn't even know my name," he laughed. "I'd like to see you try. My brothers and I have occupied this continent since before the empire was founded. We know it like the very scales on our hides. And what do you know about Midwestern Ambera, easterner? Don't you have your own city to rule?"
Char felt a paw nudge his side.
"I'm going to get the other Kecleon," Ray whispered as quietly as he could. "He should be outside… the brothers could defeat Cepheus together…"
The Nidoking's ears perked, and Char heard the invisible Raichu gasp. A gleaming red eye was cast in his direction.
"I see you underestimate my hearing," Cepheus said, "not to mention my eyesight. Do not bother getting your brother. I've brought him in for you."
Scales glimmered in the darkness as the Nidoking thrust his hands up to his shoulder, flinging a blurry shape to the ground just beside the fireplace. The shape flickered and flashed as scales turned colors, the failing camouflage of an unconscious Kecleon.
A gasp rose from the room, the loudest coming from the green Kecleon still standing. He rushed to the side of his fallen brother, holding his hand.
"Brother!" he cried. "Brother, what has this brute done to you?! Brother… are you still… are you still alive?"
Kecleon lifted his brother to survey his injuries, and noticed a large, gaping hole in his chest. The wound was completely dry, as though the blood and fluids had been sucked out and burned away.
The room fell so silent, Char thought he could hear Kecleon's pulse rising.
"Seems as though your brother doesn't have the heart to get up," Cepheus said nonchalantly. "Wasn't my fault, though. He struck first."
"Oh… oh no," Ray whispered in despair. "By the gods above… He can't be dead!"
"This is all our fault," Char replied quietly. "We set this up. We made the Kecleon bothers come here… We… we led him to his death."
The green Kecleon stared at his lifeless companion, his breaths deepening as he let the umoving body slide from his claws and slump to the dusty ground.
He clutched his brother's claws. He gave Cepheus a narrow, deathly glare.
Veins of red began streaking across the chameleon's scales.
"You will pay," Kecleon said with a hollow, terrifying voice. "You will pay for what you have done to my family. I will never rest until you get what you deserve."
The Nidoking chuckled. "Hmm? Oh, what was it you said just now? Ah, yes, that's right. 'I'd like to see you try.' Because you see, your brother said the very same thing, but his vow didn't quite last too long. As you can see, he's quite busy resting at the moment."
"Oh, and he will be avenged, you can trust me about that," Kecleon said darkly, taking sideways steps around the great Nidoking as his scales turned the color of blood and anger. "See, I am known for vengeance. I am known far and wide for… the things I will do to someone who steals my merchandise. But you want to know what I am not known for? I am not known for what I do to those who hurt my family. And that is because, like your own victims, Cepheus, nobody has lived to spread the word. You will be no exception! I have slain greater things than you. Meet your doom, Nidoking!"
Kecleon disappeared just as the Nidoking lunged for him.
"Ah, you poor misguided lizard. Haven't you learned by now that I can see you while you are invisible?" the Nidoking sighed.
There was a cracking sound as the Kecleon appeared directly behind the Nidoking, connecting with pointed headbutt into the back of his neck. Cepheus waved his claws to swat the aggressor away, but Kecleon was already gone.
"An invisible double-team. Not bad," Cepheus said. "Unfortunately for you, the same trick isn't going to work twice. I learn from my mistakes. But you… you can't seem to learn that the same thing is about to happen to you that happened to your brother."
"Say, do you actually fight, or do you only speak your opponents to death?" Kecleon called from somewhere.
Cepheus shrugged. "Trust me, you will know the very moment I decide this is worthy of anything more than words," he said, sounding bored.
"Yes," said Kecleon evilly, voice coming from everywhere at once. "It shall be the same moment that you realize you've underestimated me!"
The red shopkeeper appeared on the ceiling, propelling himself for the Nidoking's open hide. Cepheus glanced up, giving his tail an effortless flick and sending the Kecleon flying. In a shocking move, however, Kecleon snagged hold of the Nidoking's horn and swung around, redirecting his momentum and clawing at the Starborn's unguarded belly on the way down. He vanished into a cloud of dust the moment he hit the ground, leaving visible gouge marks on his foe's white scales.
The Starborn Nidoking sighed again, producing a pair of blue berries from a pocket somewhere on his person. He popped them into his mouth, and Char already saw the gouges begin to heal within moments. "You still don't understand, do you?" the beast groaned in frustration. "I'm not even using a small percentile of my power. You are not even worth wasting white-energy on."
Wham. Kecleon appeared in midair, swatted the Nidoking's cheek with a forceful fist, then vanished just as quickly.
"And you want to know why?" He goaded, straightening his cape. "Heh heh… because… after today, all of Ambera will know that I, Lord Cepheus of Centauri's lineage, have defeated the great and renowned Kecleon brothers… with naught but one claw."
The Nidoking swiped at the empty air. A moment later, a strangled, struggling Kecleon appeared in his grasp.
Ray and Char both gasped.
"Tisk, tisk," said Cepheus. "So very predictable. Your threats are worthless and full of empty promises, just as the wares you peddle."
Kecleon clawed at his throat and tried to open his windpipe, but |
is silver and bleeds into the sky.
Circles of green agriculture roll into view on the ground. The irrigation arms reach out from the centers of the circles, like drought clocks counting-down. Tiny human outposts appear in the smooth valleys in the Sierra mountains. Lego warehouse barracks keep out the wilds. Planned housing communities like circled wagons with red roofs.
L.A. nears.
The 737-700 banks west over the ocean; blue nothingness again. A lonely pleasure craft makes a temporary white slice. Sapphire water—serene—our planet's biggest puddle.
Wham! Los Angeles arrives violently: A knife-edge beach, blood-gutter L.A. River, and a saw-toothed Marina Del Rey. A grid work of gray and white. A pearl highway, like a spinal cord, dangles from a downtown brain. Cars—nerve impulses, up and down.
Final Approach. Can read signs: "The Home Depot," "Martin Oslem is a Lie," "Office Depot."
Tires on the runway. Hard bang. Reverse thrust. I am pulled forward against the lap belt. The aircraft intercom crackles: "Welcome back to Los Angeles you [expletive deleted]!"
The baby in front is crying again. Good. Welcome to L.A. you little snot. Taste the concrete!
Music: The Kinks "All Day and All of the Night."
Night in LA.
Malibu, down from Mulholland and Stunt Road. 2003 Mazda Protege 5, hot-air intake gulping the rapidly cooling Pacific air. The roads are better here than in Pennsylvania, no tar snakes. I am not driving. Corbin Goodwin, he of Zero Fucks Given RX-7 fame, is driving. He knows these roads well. Some don't have guard rails.
Traffic still moves fast, even though it is 10:00pm. I see glorious homes standing on rocky outcroppings above me. A better-than-you Mercedes SUV matches us for speed southbound on The Pacific Coast Highway. An unconcerned ocean is on my right and violent individuality is on my left.
Porsche 911: the Corvette C5 of L.A.
A Wayfarer-wearing Beardman rides a bicycle and vapes.
The Chili Peppers were right. SoCal is the edge of the world in all of western civilization. L.A.: This is as far west as you can go. The PCH rides this edge, the edge of modern culture. All the cars on this road, and us too in a Mazda Protege 5, are riding the parapet of western culture. We are on the sword which stabs the future. Corbin is going full-throttle past a Subaru Legacy Outback filled with trendy youths bouncing up and down and taking Instagram pictures of each other.
These homes. This edge of the west coast—all the dwellers of Malibu and their dusty Escalades know that they've reached the terminus of success. There is no greater pride than to look out from the cliffs and see how far popular culture has advanced the world. But they aren't satisfied. Neither are we. It is the grand arousal that drives us all, that drives Corbin, that drives the accelerator pedal for faster and faster canyon times—to push the houses past The Edge.
It is not just The West, it is the language we use to describe The West. We say "out west" and "back east." Out...the word out. Moving away. Moving beyond. Freedom, from what? Name your cause. Back...a retreat. A parry to the old ways. The obsolete beginnings. The west is always better. But the idea of better is always attainable with effort.
"No!" thinks the Malibu homeowner, "no, I am not done yet. I will build my house long enough to sail over the edge. My house will ride, skyjacked, over the waves. This can't be the end to my success. I will go farther, out out out!"
The Good Doctor talked about The Edge, and here it is: Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. It took leaving L.A. and returning to find it. Look at the houses if you can. Look at the speeding cars, jousting with each other. Look up Google pictures. This is the the world's finish line.
Mr. Regular is the anonymous voice behind Regular Car Reviews and writes this column that you can find right here every week.When the end finally came, it could have been mistaken for the resolution of a council committee over some trifling town centre planning dispute.
When the end finally came, it could have been mistaken for the resolution of a council committee over some trifling town centre planning dispute.
But as the legal registrar of the General Synod, dramatically attired in wig and flowing white collar, completed the formalities in dry sonorous tones, it was the moment the Established Church entered the 21st Century.
It is the last great institution of British life to open its upper reaches to people of both genders. For the first time since Christianity arrived in that part of the world, the church in England can now be led by a woman.
Century
It has taken a century of campaigning and 40 years of often bitter legal wrangling. Perhaps because of this, Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, had instructed members of the General Synod, sitting in York, that the results of the historic vote must be heard in silence.
He had politely turned down a request for normal rules to be suspended, insisting that the procedures must be respected until all formalities had been completed.
Nonetheless, a handful of supporters in the public gallery briefly whooped with joy. They were quickly shushed, finding themselves on the receiving end of some fierce clerical stares from the Archbishop of Canterbury himself, Justin Welby, and Dr Sentamu. "The Africans always say, let's keep the best dish to the end," he told them.
And so it was on this occasion. When the time came for the celebration to begin, Dr Sentamu led the way. He stood on the platform and began singing the African hymn 'We Are Marching in the Light of God', leading hundreds in song. While most sang and clapped along with typical Anglican reserve, a handful seized the opportunity to dance in their rows, including a brief, awkward turn from Justin Welby.
When Dr Sentamu ended the meeting with the words, "Thank you Father, Son and Holy Spirit," the chamber erupted into raucous applause.
The vote, passed by an overwhelming majority, came less than two years after the shock defeat of legislation to allow women bishops sent the church spiralling into its biggest crisis in modern times.
Yesterday's decision now clears the way for the first female bishops to be appointed as early as Christmas and raises the very real possibility that the next Archbishop of Canterbury or York will be a woman.
Outside the concrete conference hall where the vote took place champagne corks were popping as members rushed out to celebrate.
Among those was the Rev Kat Campion-Spall (35), a curate in Merton, south-west London, who been at the previous vote with her baby daughter Astrid in her arms to bear witness to what she had hoped would be history being made.
This time her children were at home with their father and she was celebrating with gusto.
"This is everything that we hoped for then and more," she said.
"It is just wonderful that at last we can move on."
Sally Barnes, whose late husband the Rev Prebendary Donald Barnes was one of the pioneers of the campaign for women's ordination, broke into tears as the results of the vote were read out.
"I just thought how he would have rejoiced – I wish he could have been physically here, I know people say he will be rejoicing in Heaven."
The Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev John Pritchard, was among the crowds sipping champagne from plastic cups outside.
"This means at least we have now got a fully functioning church where every human being is capable of answering God's call," he said.
"At last we can achieve a fully healthy church with all the gifts of humankind available to our leadership to enrich the church and our message to the world."
Joining in among the hugs and tears were some who had voted against the legislation.
Opposed
Father David Houlding, an Anglo-Catholic who once staunchly opposed the ordination of women bishops, said he had voted against on grounds of conscience but wished the legislation well.
"I'm relieved it has just gone through with such good arrangements in place, because it could once have gone through without those arrangements and then it would have been really serious," he said.
The Rev Preb Rod Thomas, leader of the traditionalist Reform evangelical group, said he took reassurance from the public pledge of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, that he would personally ensure arrangements promised to enable traditionalists to "flourish" in the Church of England after women bishops would be stuck to.
"If I did not think that was likely I could not support this legislation," the archbishop insisted.
"You don't chuck out family or even make it difficult for them to be at home, you love them and seek their well-being even when you disagree." (© Daily Telegraph, London)
Irish IndependentStory highlights William Jonathan Orders was granted bail
He was with Lenami Godinez-Avila when she fell from the glider to her death
Police say Orders of swallowed a memory card possibly containing video of the fall
The recording has since passed and is now in police custody
A Canadian hang-gliding instructor who police say swallowed a memory card possibly containing video of a fatal accident was granted bail Friday, a court spokesman said.
William Jonathan Orders, 50, who was arrested and charged with obstructing justice, appeared in provincial court in Chilliwack, British Columbia. His bail was set at $5,750 (Canadian), said Neil MacKenzie, communications counsel with the province's criminal justice branch.
Orders was instructed to turn over his passport and to not operate a hang glider or paraglider, he said.
Lenami Godinez-Avila had just started a tandem hang-gliding flight with the instructor, when she fell from the glider, plunging hundreds of feet to her death Saturday in a heavily wooded part of western Canada, authorities say.
Investigators say the instructor tried to hide what might be a key piece of evidence about what went wrong -- a possible onboard video recording of the flight -- in his digestive tract.
The recording has since passed and is now in police custody, MacKenzie said. He declined comment on whether anything retrievable could be taken from the card.
Calls on Thursday and Friday seeking comment from Orders' attorney, Laird Cruickshank, were not immediately returned.
The fall happened near Mount Woodside, from which Orders and the 27-year-old Godinez-Avila took off, more than 50 miles east of Vancouver.
A witness, Nicole McLearn, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. that when the glider was in the air, Godinez-Avila appeared to be wearing her harness, but it wasn't attached to the glider. The passenger clung to Orders before she fell, McLearn said.
"He was horizontal but she was now hanging vertically, and it looked like in essence she had him in a bear hug around the chest area," McLearn told the CBC.
"I could see her starting to slip down his body... past the waist, down the legs. Finally she got to the feet and tried to hang on and obviously couldn't hang on for that much longer and let go, tearing off the tandem pilot's shoes in the process," McLearn said.
Jason Warner, safety director for the Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association of Canada, told the CBC on Sunday that he talked to Orders shortly after the incident on Saturday afternoon.
"He tried to grab her -- he tried to grab her harness, everything he could, wrapped his legs around her -- and she slipped down his legs and then fell," Warner told the CBC.
Orders told police he had swallowed the memory card of the onboard camera, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Constable Tracy Wolbeck said. When asked whether Orders explained why he had done so, Wolbeck said she couldn't comment further on conversations he'd had with investigators.
The RCMP said it and the Coroners Service of British Columbia are investigating the incident.
"She became detached from the hang glider and fell, but how she came to be detached is what we're still working on," said Barb McLintock, coroner with the Coroners Service of British Columbia.Today is the day that the U.S. military begins offering partner benefits to troops with same-sex spouses, but not all agencies are complying with the orders which were delivered in a memo on August 13.
The Texas Military Forces are withholding the benefits based on Texas' law banning same-sex marriage, the Washington Blade reports:
Alicia Butler, an Austin, Texas, attorney, said she was rejected when she tried to register with the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, or DEERS, the military’s health benefits system, when she applied on Tuesday at Camp Mabry, where her spouse, Judith Chedville, a nurse and Iraq war veteran, is stationed as a member of the National Guard.
“We were told that Texas would not register us into the system and would not issue an ID card for me,” Butler said. “We were told that if she was active duty they would do that for me, but not for a National Guard member because she’s part of the Texas National Guard.”
The benefits include military IDs, health, pension, and housing, but according to reports guidance has been issued and gays and their spouses are being told they must seek out a federal facility:
Butler said she was denied benefits as the American Military Partners Association, an LGBT military group, says it was leaked apparent guidance indicating that Texas Military Forces, or the Texas National Guard, wouldn’t honor the U.S. armed forces’ plan to begin offering partner benefits to gay troops because the Texas Constitution prohibits same-sex marriage.
“The TXMF is a state agency under the authority and direction of the Texas state government,” the apparent guidance states. “Therefore, the TXMF must consider that the Texas Constitution and Texas Family Code 6.204 conflicts with the DoD policy extending benefits to same-sex spouses. Due to this potential conflict, we are unable to enroll same-sex families into DEERs at our state supported facilities until we receive legal clarification.”Scott Chandler often looked the part against the Patriots. Now, the former Buffalo Bills tight end will have to find a part with them.
The 6-foot-7, 260-pound tight end signed a two-year, $5.3 million contract with New England in March, after amassing 28 receptions for 384 yards and four touchdowns over nine games against the AFC East rival.
Those were some of Chandler’s best games as a pro. One of his three multi-touchdown games arrived against the Patriots. And his only 100-yard game did as well.
But the 2007 San Diego Chargers fourth-round pick was a member of two practice squads and four teams before he caught his first NFL pass in 2010. Whether he’ll catch his next one as a member of the Patriots in 2015 is not a given.
Though after accruing 182 receptions for 2,120 yards and 17 scores over five seasons with the Bills, there is reason to think Chandler can be of service to the Patriots, even if it’s in a lesser capacity than when he went against them.
The Iowa Hawkeye, once coached by Bill Belichick’s former offensive line coach, Kirk Ferentz, will have to prove viable as a blocker. And with 6-foot-6, 265-pound three-time All-Pro Rob Gronkowski ahead of him on the depth chart, he’ll have to prove he can bring something else to the passing game.
Those demands aren’t all that different than what they’ve been for Chandler. What you see is what you’ll get. However, there are two sides to his coin.
Height is something Chandler has to battle at the line, where the lowest man wins out. Edge-rushers will chip him out of his pass routes and sway him into rush lanes. Yet it’s also something he’s made defenses battle, whether it be over the middle, up the seams or down in the red zone.
It may be both a disadvantage and an advantage. But for the 29-year-old, it’s also been a way for him to carve a starting role. Over his 769 snaps with the Bills last season, Chandler ran 474 routes and totaled 105 from the slot, according to Pro Football Focus. He was thrown at 67 times in all and caught 47. He also dropped into pass protection 39 times and blocked for the run 235 times.
Even so, it's what he's done down the field that makes him a personnel mismatch.
Chandler’s been an inline target and outside one. He's been an above-the-rim player and a horizontal one. He’s been a tall tree in stacked formations and isolated ones. The tight end could be all those same things in New England, even if he’s accompanied by a fellow “Y” option in Gronkowski, a utility blocker in Michael Hoomanawanui and a converted wideout in Tim Wright.
Chandler could be implemented into two-tight end sets, with he and Gronkowski working vertically to test safety coverage. He could be implemented into three-tight end sets, with he and Wright working underneath to test linebacker coverage. He could be implemented into goal-line sets, with his motioning out wide testing cornerback coverage.
All of that remains to be seen. Perhaps some of it won’t be seen.
But in Chandler, the Patriots saw something. And while he won't be a Pro Bowler for New England, he won't be a problem any more for them either.The NFL released the preseason schedule on Monday. Dates and times haven’t been announced, but here’s a first look at the opponents for the New York Jets:
Week 1 (Aug. 10-14) vs. Tennessee Titans
The Jets' quarterback competition, which will dominate the headlines this summer, will commence on their home turf. This could be Josh McCown's Jets debut or perhaps second-year quarterback Christian Hackenberg will get the first crack at claiming the starting job, which is up for grabs, according to coach Todd Bowles. Don't rule out a mystery man in the competition -- i.e. a draft pick. While the Jets scramble to find a starter, they can see what might have been. The Titans' Marcus Mariota was drafted second overall in 2015, four spots ahead of the Jets' choice. They could've change the course of history by losing to the Titans in a late-season game in 2014.
Week 2 (Aug. 17-21) at Detroit Lions
This figures to be a good test for the Jets' revamped secondary. Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, coming off a playoff season, can sling it with the best of them. The Jets probably will have at least two new starters in the secondary, cornerback Morris Claiborne and a still-to-be-acquired free safety. Marcus Gilchrist, recovering from major knee surgery, probably won't be ready. There could be another new starter at cornerback, depending on how the draft and training camp shake out.
Week 3 (Aug. 24-28) at New York Giants
The annual battle between the co-inhabitants of MetLife Stadium will have extra juice because of two defections. Brandon Marshall, one of the Jets' best players over the last two years, requested his release and signed with the Giants, accepting a $2 million pay cut in the process. Geno Smith signed a modest free-agent deal after an ill-fated, four-year run with the Jets. Can the two friends find Big Blue happiness after big blue disappointment with the Jets?
Week 4 (Aug. 31) vs. Philadelphia Eagles
If Hackenberg doesn't win the starting job, he'll probably see significant action in the annual Backup Bowl -- a good way to gauge his progress from last year. In last year's preseason finale, against the Eagles, he was dreadful -- 31 attempts, 54 passing yards. He can only get better.Growing up next to an amusement park may have inspired Carl Pisaturo’s life-long fascination with light and motion – but the Mission District is where the “lumino-kinetic” sculptor found an affordable space to transform scientific concepts into art.
After seeing rents triple and arts organizations drop one by one in a gentrifying- Boston in the 80s, Pisaturo said he moved to the Mission in the early 90s and found a refuge.
“There was a freedom to experiment and ideas kind of cross pollinated,” he said. “It was cheap enough that if you wanted to work part-time in a cafe you could live in [an artist] collective and have two-thirds of your time available for your own projects.”
Pisaturo created Area 2881 Gallery, his workspace and gallery of almost two decades at 2881 23rd St. that has become a mechanical micro-museum of sorts. But this Saturday will be the last opportunity for his community to admire his work – come May 1, Pisaturo will close the doors to his studio for good.
Eight months ago, Pisaturo, a part-time engineer at a biology lab at Stanford, became a full-time father – and the extra tenant is a violation of his lease agreement.
“My relationship with the landlord was terminated by the landlord on account of my harboring a baby,” said Pisaturo, cradling his son, Luca, in his arms. “[Area 2881] was considered by them to be a subsidized art space and [a baby] wasn’t part of the deal. “
Pisaturo said that his displacement, though unfortunate, wasn’t entirely unexpected in San Francisco’s overheated rental climate. “I felt for many years that the ice was getting thiner and thiner and that any kind of disturbance would be the end of this kind of life.”
Pisaturo isn’t blaming the landlord, with whom he says he’s had a “productive relationship” for the better part of 17 years. Pisaturo never had a lease and paid well below-market-rate rent for the 400 square-foot workspace that also became his home.
Over the years, Pisaturo with much care turned Area 2881 into a wonderland that he would showcase to community members on select occasions.
“It was never a commercial venture –I guess that makes it a hobby if I’m not making money off it,” said Pisaturo. “It became my main occupation in a sense in terms of timing and putting all my resources into it for the last 15 years.”
Hung against one wall, a series of stagnant objects attached to a rotating disk appear to melt into each other – an illusion caused by motion, he said.
“I call it a transmutascope – it’s basically like a physical version of a movie,” said Pisaturo. The trick is strobe lights built-in underneath the disk that fire in sync with the object positions, feigning transformation.
Pisaturo’s projects stack up along the walls and hang from the ceilings, leaving only a sliver of an aisle as a walking space. When asked which of his creations is most dear to his heart, he is torn.
“They are all special in their own way,” he said, but then moved towards two three-foot statues anchored to a shelf in a corner of his studio. His first sculptures, the humanoid robots are dubbed “slaves” and rotate at their waists.
“My work is art mixed with technology and generally involves movement and light in an interesting way,” he said.
Though his projects often take months to build and are carefully engineered based on trial and error, Pisaturo hopes that visitors to his studio will find beauty in their motion. “The science shouldn’t be on the surface,” he said, referring to his design process. Learning something scientific from his sculptures is “incidental to the process.”
“It should be at first just a magical thing,” said Pisaturo. “Some people are of a more logical mind and want to figure it out. Some people just like it visually. You can take it however you want.”
Since 2007, Pisaturo has opened Area 2881 to the community through his participation with the Mission Arts Performance Project, a bi-monthly, multi-disciplinary event in which artists and creatives throughout the Mission open their studio spaces to community members in an effort to connect and inspire one another.
Area 2881 has drawn hundreds of people at these events, said Pisaturo.
“I just loved what I was doing it and sharing it was nice too,” he said, adding that most of his materials and building plans are uploaded to his website – free to be replicated by anyone who is interested enough and has the time.
Pisaturo said he couldn’t keep or reproduce Area 2881 even if his income tripled. Once his projects are stored away, he and his family will relocate to Rhode Island, where he has family connections.
“Its sad to see [San Francisco] get so expensive that unusual uses cannot happen anymore,” said Pisaturo. “The city is losing something important when you can’t have the example of people living different kinds of lives and doing different kinds of things. It’s a subtle but to me important part of life, to see experimentation. And that’s being lost, little by little.”
Carl Pisaturo will open his studio, located at 2881 23rd St., to the public for the last time on Saturday, February 25, from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.
The Robots of Carl Pisaturo from Mission Local on Vimeo.It's a good time to be a Tottenham Hotspur fan. Half a season ago, the team was considered at best an outside contender for the top four and a Champions League berth. Twenty games later, it's not Champions League qualification for which Spurs are a dark horse candidate; it's the title. They sit comfortably in fourth place, only six points behind first-place Arsenal and three ahead of fifth-place Manchester United.
A quick look at the table sure makes it seem like Tottenham has taken a major leap forward this season, but at the same time they've only accumulated 36 points, a total in line with their recent history. In fact, since their Champions League qualifying season of 2009-10, the only time Spurs have failed to take this many points from their first 20 games was last year, when they took 34.
The question is, have Spurs really improved? Or is the excitement around them merely the case of Spurs staying the same and benefiting from the implosions of Chelsea and Manchester United?
Given their points total, the case for a new and improved Spurs rests not in their results but in their performances. The glaringly obvious indicator is a plus-18 goal difference, tied with Manchester City for the best in the league. Last year at this time they might have had 34 points, but their goal difference was a very unimpressive plus-2.
But Spurs are somewhat flattered by their goal difference so far this season. The combination of clinical finishing from Harry Kane and Dele Alli, among others, combined with the shot-stopping of Hugo Lloris has Spurs well outpacing their expected goal difference of plus-8. As advanced analytics tell us, eight is greater than two and last year, after 20 games, Spurs' expected goal difference was significantly worse than their actual goal difference, clocking in at minus-4.
So, Spurs are a little weird. They have fewer points than their goal difference might suggest they should, but a higher goal difference than their performances indicate they might deserve. Regardless, it's still a significant improvement over last season, where Spurs acquired points by consistently nabbing goals against the balance of their performances.
The case for Spurs improvement isn't that their performances this year should have netted them more points (though you can make that argument), but rather that it's quite clear their performances last year should have netted them less.
A press defense proves problematic
Last season, Tottenham were a bad defensive team. Not bad as in "mildly disappointing" or bad for Champions League-contender bad, but near-the-bottom-of-the-Premier-League-table bad. They conceded 53 goals, fifth-worst total in the league despite Hugo Lloris having an extremely impressive season between the posts. Spurs' expected goal total against was 61.74; only QPR and West Ham conceded more expected goals.
What made their defensive woes particularly confounding is how frequently they gave up high-quality shots to their opponents. Many of the other poorest defensive teams in the league struggled primarily because of the sheer volume of shots and shots on target they conceded to their opponents. Spurs were average in that respect (490 shots/170 on target were 11th and eighth-worst in the league, respectively) but their Achilles' heel was their inability to prevent the very best shots.
Teams shot from an average of 17.2 yards away against Spurs, the closest conceded distance of any team. They simply couldn't keep opposing teams at arm's length, letting them tee off on Lloris from inside the penalty area over and over and over again. When it came to the most dangerous kinds of shots (nonheaders inside the penalty area) Spurs gave up the fourth-most in the league, the third-most shots on target and the second-most expected goals at just under 35.
Toby Alderweireld has been a shrewd purchase and instrumental in shoring up Tottenham's defense this season.
Last season's Spurs squad were the definition of what trying and failing to play a press-based defense looks like. They successfully kept teams from stringing together passes -- opponents had the second-lowest completion percentage in the league at 73.6 percent -- and forced them to launch long balls rather than build attacks.
A full 20.1 percent teams' passes against Tottenham were over 35 yards, the highest total in the league. But the price they paid was being horribly exposed when opponents were able to break through, which occurred far too often. It meant that the Spurs' defense was out of position and unable to either prevent or block shots in the most dangerous areas. Mauricio Pochettino's side blocked only 25.3 percent of opponents' shots last season, the third-lowest total in the league.
No more cheap shots
All of that has changed this season. Acquiring Toby Alderweireld to play in central defense alongside his Belgian countryman Jan Vertonghen and revamping the central midfield has worked wonders. Last year's preferred pairing (Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason) has been relegated to the bench through a combination of injuries and shifting priorities, while Eric Dier, who struggled last year while shuffling between right-back and center-back, has become Spurs' linchpin in a defensive midfield role.
The result is a unit whose performance this year is virtually unrecognizable from last year. All of a sudden, after a year of leaking like a sieve, Spurs can stop other teams from shooting. Last year they were average; this year they've given up the fifth-fewest total shots and are the best in the league at conceding shots on target, with Lloris only getting tested 64 times. As for those nonheaded shots in the box that Spurs were guilty of gifting to teams last year, they're almost completely gone. They've conceded the fourth-fewest of them in the league (68) and the fewest on goal (24) while overall, Spurs are conceding fewer shots.
Here are the shots Lloris faced over the first 20 games of the 2014-15 season:
An abundance of close-range shots was a major problem for Spurs last year.
Now, the shots he has faced over the same span this season:
Fewer shots from 10 yards out and closer is something they've worked hard on under Pochettino.
Everything is pushed out from the center. Those shots are easier for a keeper to stop and easier for defenders to block -- Spurs are now blocking 32.9 percent of opponents' shots, fourth-best in the league and another area of marked improvement.
Better yet, the back half of their defense has improved without conceding their aggressiveness over the rest of the field. They still force opponents into the second-lowest pass completion percentage. They still make teams play a higher percentage of long balls than any other team, and they still use that aggressiveness as a platform for creating chances.
Spurs have the fourth-most shots in the league despite having only the ninth-most passing attempts in the final third. Usually with a profile like that, you'd expect the team to rely on long balls from the back to begin direct attacks. But that's not how Spurs do it; instead, they rely on their defense in the middle of the field to win back possession for Christian Eriksen, Erik Lamela and Harry Kane, who combine with the young phenom Alli to create quick scoring chances before their opponent has arrested their forward momentum.
When most teams improve in one area, it comes at the expense of another. It's not only that more attacking usually means less defending and vice versa, but trade-offs might even occur within the individual phases. More wing play means less central creativity, more pressing leads to being more open at the back; it's a series of tradeoffs. That's what makes this defensive change in Spurs particularly noteworthy. Whether it's the change in personnel, tweaks in the system or simply another year of training under Pochettino, Spurs have improved part of their defense without suffering any drawbacks in other areas. That's the sign of an improving team.
This time last year, Tottenham sat in fifth place with 34 points. The fact that they're currently in fourth with 36 doesn't seem like that big a deal, especially in the context of a season that has several perennial favorites busy being unable to get out of their own way. But that's where the similarities between last season and this one end for Spurs. Last year, they struggled to keep their heads above water, and it took a whole bunch of unlikely late goals and great Lloris saves to keep them even close to contention. This year, they're still getting the heroics, but they've added a backbone to their performances.
Ultimately, goal difference might flatter Tottenham, but unlike last season, their position in the table and their point total doesn't. This team isn't good enough to challenge for the title yet, but a top-four finish is a probability. Spurs aren't simply contenders for a Champions League position; they're favorites for one. And that might be the biggest change of all.
Mike L. Goodman is a Washington, D.C.-based soccer writer and analyst covering European soccer, the U.S. Men's National Team and more. Follow him on Twitter @TheM_L_G.Williams to make 'quite substantial changes' to 2018 car, says Paddy Lowe
Williams will be making "quite substantial changes" to their 2018 car following a disappointing 2017 campaign, according to chief technical officer Paddy Lowe.
Williams currently occupy fifth place in the Constructors' Championship with 59 points, but are 65 points behind Force India in fourth and only 22 ahead of Haas in eighth.
Lowe, who re-joined the Grove-based team from Mercedes in March, says Williams will be embracing a new philosophy with their car for next season.
"We will be making some quite substantial changes," Lowe said.
"There are lots of different things that we will be doing and we are well into that at the moment.
"We've got some great engineers, some of whom have also come from other teams in recent years, so there are a lot of great ideas there. We have a lot of people who know what it takes to win and we will put the best of that together and make the best car we can.
"There will be quite a few areas where we will be changing philosophy."
Williams are 65 points behind Force India in the Constructors' Championship
Williams finished third in the constructors' standings in both 2014 and 2015 but have slipped further back into the midfield battle, which also includes Toro Rosso and Renault, this season.
Despite possessing the Mercedes engine, the strongest on the grid, Williams have had both cars go out in Q1 in four of the last six Grands Prix.
It prompted Felipe Massa to say at the Belgian GP that the team were "going backwards" in the development race and Lowe conceded Williams' rivals may have out-developed them.
"That's always possible," he said. "You can't conclude anything from single races as it varies circuit to circuit but we have to look at the trends.
"We are fighting hard in the midfield and we haven't created any distance ahead of it and if anything we have slipped well into it over the last couple of months.
"We need to understand if something is going wrong or if we have been out-developed."
Lowe added that Williams would be bringing fewer updates to the FW40 over the remaining grands prix as they move their focus to next year's car.
Williams are thought to have the sixth-biggest budget of the 10 teams but Lowe believes they need to be more efficient with their available resources in order to improve results.
The Formula 1 Gossip column
Lowe said: "We need to improve in all sorts of areas, that's the nature of the competition. It's about out-competing the other teams in the most important areas.
"That needs talent, time and money. The problem is no team has enough of those teams, they always want more.
"We have a set of resources and it is our job to do the very best we can with those resources. It's about efficiency. I think we can be a lot more efficient than we have been at the moment.
"As we build more success, that will attract to us more resources to improve ourselves further. That's the formula of grand prix development."An iconic symbol of the 1980 Winter Olympics was decommissioned this morning in Lake Placid.
The scoreboard in the Herb Brooks Arena, where the U.S. beat the Soviet Union in the Miracle on Ice hockey game, was lowered from the rafters to be replaced.
Al Michaels: “11 seconds. You got 10 seconds. The countdown going on right now. Five seconds left in the game. Do you believe in miracles? Yes!”
The nearly 37-year-old scoreboard lit with the 1980 Olympic Miracle on Ice final score of 4-3 was lowered to the rink floor in a low-key ceremony. Among those gathered to watch its sendoff was Town of North Elba Supervisor Robi Politi. As a video of the final minutes of the game played, he remembered being in the arena as the U.S. won the game. “This building was shaking at that moment. I’ll never forget leaving this arena and going out onto the street and seeing thousands and thousands of people jumping for joy. The excitement, you just can’t imagine.”
While the scoreboard is a reminder of that event, Politi says it’s time for change. “In some ways it’s sad to see it go but in other ways it’s part of changing times and this scoreboard probably represents one of the most famous scoreboards in sports history.”
The scoreboard was designed and built by Brookings, South Dakota-based Daktronics, which will also provide its modern replacement. Jim Morgan |
of Political and Administrative Studies at the University of Malawi and Afrobarometer’s operations manager for fieldwork in southern and francophone Africa.After signing Alexander Radulov and Al Montoya, Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin spoke to the media and gave some interesting thoughts on free agency.
#Habs Bergevin: "Lots of teams took bigger gambles on term. We don't want to box our kids out." — Chantal (@pucksnlife) July 1, 2016
Bergevin: In my opinion, Radulov has the highest skill level outside the NHL. #Habs — Jared Book (@jaredbook) July 1, 2016
Marc Bergevin says Vadim Shipachyov is a player who intrigues him. — Eric Engels (@EricEngels) July 1, 2016
#Habs Bergevin on aggressive pursuit in free agency: "Sometimes players will flat out tell me 'I won't play in Montreal.'" — John Lu (@JohnLuTSNMtl) July 1, 2016
"We had a spot for him among our top lines and that intrigued him a lot" - Bergevin on Radulov. — Аrpon Basu (@ArponBasu) July 1, 2016
"He's an experienced goaltender. He brings more internal competition." - Marc Bergevin on Al Montoya — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) July 1, 2016
#Habs Bergevin says he stuck to his guns in offering 1-year deal to Radulov, even though player was seeking a longer term. — John Lu (@JohnLuTSNMtl) July 1, 2016
"When Radulov was playing in Nashville, the problem wasn't related to character. It was about maturity." - Bergevin on Radulov's past — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) July 1, 2016
#Habs Bergevin says he met w/Radulov, spoke to Shea Weber & Sergei Federov as references. "I believe (Alex) has matured but time will tell." — John Lu (@JohnLuTSNMtl) July 1, 2016THE White House has denied claims US President Donald Trump has taken an extraordinary step to recoup the “vast sums of money” he believes other countries owe the United States.
According to The Sunday Times, the President handed German Chancellor Angela Merkel a bill for more than $490 billion which he believes his country has been short-changed over military alliance NATO.
The invoice was reportedly presented at the leaders’ meeting last week, in which the President apparently refused to shake Ms Merkel’s hand during a stage photo opportunity.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer said on Monday the Times story was “not true”.
After that meeting, Mr Trump singled out a number of countries in the NATO alliance, including Germany, over their defence contributions claiming the US had been forced to bear the brunt and pick up the tab.
On Twitter, he declared Germany owed “vast sums of money to NATO” and said the US “must be paid more for the powerful, and very expensive defence it provides to Germany”.
Despite what you have heard from the FAKE NEWS, I had a GREAT meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Nevertheless, Germany owes..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2017
...vast sums of money to NATO & the United States must be paid more for the powerful, and very expensive, defense it provides to Germany! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2017
According to a statement from one German minister, the country won’t be playing along with Mr Trump’s plan, describing reported efforts to claw back the cash as “outrageous”.
“The concept behind putting out such demands is to intimidate the other side, but the chancellor took it calmly and will not respond to such provocations,” the unnamed minister told The Times.
The country’s defence minister Ursula von der Leyen went even further, saying definitively there was “no debt account at NATO”.
“Defence spending also goes into UN peacekeeping missions, into our European missions and into our contribution to the fight against ISIS terrorism” she said in a statement.
Mr Trump is pushing the country and others to invest 2 per cent of their GDP in defence.
He reportedly counted the invoiced amount by adding the amount by which German defence spending had fallen short of the 2 per cent target, plus interest, for each year since 2002 when the previous Chancellor committed to higher defence spending.
The abrupt billing strategy has been dismissed by experts, including the US’s former NATO representative Ivo Daalder.
1/ Sorry, Mr. President, that’s not how NATO works. The US decides for itself how much it contributes to defending NATO. pic.twitter.com/8svkzRBEQb — Ivo Daalder (@IvoHDaalder) March 18, 2017
Also, I think we now know his "plan" to get Mexico to pay for the wall. — Josh Barro (@jbarro) March 26, 2017
“Sorry Mr President, that’s not how NATO works. The US decides for itself how much it contributes to defending NATO,” he said in a tweet, followed by a handy explanation of NATO funding for the president.
Business journalist Josh Barro wrote: “I think we know his ‘plan’ to get Mexico to pay for the wall.”ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Before San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem in Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills, a loud chant of "USA, USA" rang out at New Era Field.
Some interpreted the chants as questioning Kaepernick's patriotism for his protest of racial inequality and oppression in the United States. It was an implication Kaepernick vehemently disagreed with after San Francisco's 45-16 loss.
"I don't understand what's un-American about fighting for liberty and justice for everybody, for the equality this country says it stands for," Kaepernick said. "To me, I see it as very patriotic and American to uphold the United States to the standards that it says it lives by."
In continuing his protest, Kaepernick on Sunday knelt during the anthem for the first time as a starting quarterback before a regular-season game. He was again joined by safety Eric Reid and linebacker Eli Harold in supporting the cause.
Safeties Antoine Bethea and Jaquiski Tartt, cornerbacks Keith Reaser and Rashard Robinson, and running back Mike Davis continued their tradition of raising their right fists during "The Star-Spangled Banner."
As Kaepernick, who made his first start since Week 8 of last season, led the offense onto the field, he was greeted by a loud chorus of boos from Bills fans. Those boos continued for the first couple of snaps before dissipating into cheers of encouragement for Buffalo's defense.
"I don't understand what's un-American about fighting for liberty and justice for everybody, for the equality this country says it stands for."
During the game, a fan at the stadium tweeted that someone had thrown a bottle at Kaepernick, but if it happened, Kaepernick didn't notice.
"If they did, they didn't have very good aim," Kaepernick said. "But I had some Bills fans before the game come up and say they are supporting me, so I think it all depends on who the person is. At the end of the day, I'm going to continue to fight for what I'm fighting for."
Meanwhile, just off the stadium property, TheMMQB.com reported that outside vendors were selling anti-Kaepernick shirts, including one depicting Kaepernick in the crosshairs of a rifle scope with the words "Wanted: Notorious Disgrace to America."
Last month, Kaepernick said he had received death threats over his protest, but he said Sunday those aren't as frequent anymore.
"Those are rare occurrences now," Kaepernick said. "I think for the most part people are realizing the impact and what's going on, and like I said from the beginning, I knew the consequences of what could come with this, and I was prepared for that."
The fan reaction wasn't all negative, however. A group of Bills fans participated in a "kneel in" outside the stadium to support Kaepernick and his cause.
Buffalo Bills fans chanted "USA, USA" before the national anthem of Sunday's game against the visiting 49ers. San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick again knelt to protest racial inequality in America. Brett Carlsen/Getty Images
"That's huge," Kaepernick said. "I think it's something that, once again, people are realizing that these are real issues that affect many people. It's something that has to be addressed. Until us as people recognize and address that some of us have privilege, some of us don't, and some of us are able to do certain things without consequences and others of us can't. Those are all things that need to be addressed.
"Me as a black man that plays football and is considered a celebrity, I'm treated differently than a black man that's working 9 to 5 in the 'hood. That's just the reality of it. It shouldn't be that I'm treated differently than that person or he's treated differently than me. We're human beings, and it should be something that everybody is treated that way."
At the end of the game, Kaepernick exchanged jerseys with Bills wide receiver Marquise Goodwin before changing back into his Muhammad Ali T-shirt. Kaepernick said he wanted to "pay homage" to Ali on Sunday.
"He was someone that he fought a very similar fight and was trying to do what's right for the people," Kaepernick said. "And for me to be able to have someone like that come before me is huge. He is someone that helped pave the way for this to happen with what he did and what he stood for. People remember him more for that than they do as a boxer, and I can't let him die in vain. I have to be able to try to carry that on and try to fight that same fight until we accomplish our goal."
Kaepernick finished 13-of-29 for 187 yards and one touchdown; he also rushed for 66 yards on eight carries. When coach Chip Kelly was asked after the game whether Kaepernick would remain the 49ers' starting quarterback, Kelly said, "Yeah, we'll see," and complimented Kaepernick's play.
"I thought physically he looked good," Kelly said. "I thought he did some good things out there. Again, for his first time back, I thought he did an OK job. We have to be better overall on offense. It's not just the quarterback. It's everybody on the offensive side of the ball."Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”—a hymn to souls too carnal to grow old, too secular to give praise, and too baffled to mock faith—recently turned thirty. Cohen himself, now eighty, came of age in Jewish Montreal during the twenty years after the Second World War, and those of us who followed him, a half-generation later, can’t hear the song without also thinking about that time and place, which qualifies as an era. The devotional—and deftly sacrilegious—quality of “Hallelujah” and other songs and poems by Cohen reflects a city of clashing and bonding religious communities, especially first-generation Jews and French Catholics. Montreal’s politics in the early sixties were energized by what came to be called Quebec’s Quiet Revolution, which emancipated the city’s bicultural intelligentsia from Church and Anglostocracy. The pace of transformation could make the place half crazy; that’s why you wanted to be there. Religious thoughts seemed to be the gravest ones in Montreal then, insinuated, even inculcated, by its architecture, seasonal festivals, and colloquialisms. Cohen grew up in affluent Westmount, the best part of Mount Royal, about a mile from my family home in Snowdon—a neighborhood on a lower Western slope, where “the English” (as my mother called them) had no choice but to make room for Jewish factory owners, lawyers, and doctors. Towering over both our neighborhoods, impressing itself on our senses, was the dome of St. Joseph’s Oratory, Quebec’s great basilica, the dream palace of (the now canonized) Brother André Bessette, who healed the body and spirit of pilgrims—the place we simply called the Shrine. A. M. Klein, the first of the Montreal Jewish poets, wrote, “How rich, how plumped with blessing is that dome! / The gourd of Brother André! His sweet days / rounded! Fulfilled! Honeyed to honeycomb!” Its neon-illuminated cross was visible from my bedroom window, an imposing rival for the whispered Shma Yisroel_ _of bedtime. The city’s ironwork staircases, its streets tangled around Mount Royal, carried the names of uncountable saints (St. Denis, St. Eustache, St. Laurent); the fall air was scented by rotting leaves and, on Rosh Hashana, polished synagogues. Fresh snow sharpened Christmas lights. Our curses, borrowed from Québécois proles, were affectionately sacrilegious mocks of the Mass: “calice,” “tabarnak,” “osti”—chalice, tabernacle, host. For Jews, a sense of rivalry was palpable, triangular, and almost Old Country in character. French public schools were run by the Catholic Church, English schools by the Protestant School Board, and some fifty per cent of Jewish students went to Anglo-Jewish day schools that embraced (and effaced) Old World movements: Orthodox, Zionist, folkish Yiddishist. Montreal’s Jews numbered well over a hundred and twenty thousand in those years. A great many men and women behind the counters of our bakeries, delis, and bookstores spoke (as did my father) the Yiddish-inflected English of immigrants who had come in the twenties. The Soviet revolution had changed the boundaries of Russia’s borderlands, closing Russian markets that had previously been open to Jewish merchants and textile manufacturers in Lithuania and White Russia (now Eastern Belarus), forcing them West—just when the Johnson-Reed Act of 1924 closed America to more Jewish immigration. My father and his widowed mother and siblings were trying, in 1928, to get from Bialystok to Chicago, where an uncle lived. The port of Montreal was supposed to be their starting point, before heading down to the Great Lakes. It was where they stayed. (If the accents were heavier, you knew the new arrivals had come mainly from Romania or Hungary after the Nazi defeat, and had witnessed horrors that we did not speak about.) Jewish community life after the war was imbued with a sense of intensely felt tragedy, but so was traditional Judaism as a culture. The world of Yiddishkeit_,_ three generations back for New York intellectuals, was just one generation back for us. Compared with “Dick and Jane” in our English readers, the characters of the Hebrew bible—their violence, jealousies, and treacheries—seemed like family. On a streetcar ride up Queen Mary Road, where the Shrine stood, a nun once told me that I had “the look of Abraham” on my face. Another, apparently reading my mind, asked me if I knew what it meant to have sinful thoughts. (She also kindly shared an amusing word game, so her Inquisition ended with grace.) The largest English talk-radio station had a call-in show on Sunday evenings on which the vexingly courteous Pentecostal Pastor Johnson explained why Jews, in rejecting Jesus, were sadly damned. Most of his callers were Jews who debated and denounced him. Unlike in the United States, Jews in Quebec did not have a neutral civil space to melt into. We had nothing as stipulated as the American Constitution; our liberties derived organically, within the tradition of British Common Law. Canada’s money had a Queen on it, not the founding fathers. The institutions of Jewish Montreal created places in which we fell back on ourselves. The heads of our welfare services and of the Y.M.H.A., the public library, the free-loan society, and political congresses were local celebrities. The family of the liquor baron Sam Bronfman, who supported these institutions, were our nobility. The progressives among us didn’t go to Reform synagogues; we just went to Orthodox and Conservative synagogues, and irregularly. If we got sick, we went to the Jewish General Hospital. My father, a Zionist leader who travelled to Israel in 1954 as if on the hajj, often admonished me with the famous aphorism of Moses Mendelssohn, the eighteenth-century liberal philosopher, that I should be a Jew at home and a human in the street. I understood Mendelssohn more readily than, say, Leonard Bernstein, who, teaching us sonata form on television, seemed human pretty much everywhere. Tolerance meant dialogue and reciprocal recognition, not assimilation.
A few years ago, I walked through Bialystok with a historical map of the now destroyed Jewish city—before the First World War, Jews comprised about half the population—and found my father’s house. I was struck by how familiar Montreal’s large immigrant Jewish neighborhoods might have seemed, at least on the surface, to my father in 1928, when he arrived at the age of fourteen: the same hard winter and the same thick-walled constructions, the same forested hills, the same churches, the same easy insular Yiddish dominating commerce in textiles and clothing—the shmate (“rag”) business. The same farmers who had, a couple of generations back, been peasants, speaking a strange national language, working in our factories, speaking against us from hearths and pulpits yet greeting us warmly and with a practiced humility. The same sense that, by contrast, the propertied classes, our local nobility, would tolerate Jews so long as we helped them get richer but did not cross some invisible boundary—the presumably unavailable daughters. In his iconic Canadian novel, “Two Solitudes,” Hugh MacLennan describes Quebec as being defined by two competing cultures, nested in two little nations that were also classes, French and English. The gruff, brilliant, promiscuous Irving Layton—who had been an acolyte of Klein, and who became Cohen’s mentor and advocate—observed many years later that Montreal actually had three solitudes—a Jewish one, too, sitting somewhere between the others. Commercial life was English, so Jews as a community were drawn to the Anglophone world, narrow only in Quebec. Yet immigrant Jews engaged more poignantly, pushing and pulling, with French religious culture, which was locally engulfing. Catholic priests and nuns were ubiquitous public servants, tending to the French population, largely subsidized by provincial taxes and dominating Quebec’s French universities, hospitals, and social agencies, as well as the public schools. Cardinal Paul-Émile Léger, installed in 1953, was a kindly man, concerned for the poor, who ended his days as an African missionary (“a mensch,” my father called him), and the equal of any mayor; he kept anyone under sixteen from entering a movie theatre, except when Walt Disney films made the rounds. In the thirties and forties, the Church in Quebec had been ultramontane, and the not silent partner of the reactionary National Union Party of Premier Maurice Duplessis, who ruled, with a five year interruption, from 1936 until his death, in 1959. He had been xenophobic, populist, ambivalent about the war against Hitler, and classically (if discreetly) anti-Semitic. Behind the scenes, this political establishment instructed French voters, many of whom lived in far-flung farming villages where parish schooling was limited. They were barely literate and easily swayed. Duplessis presided over an apparently impregnable majority, rallied against sinful Montreal—Cardinal Léger sought to ban bingo—and used the provincial police thuggishly, turning it into a personal force. But the war and its aftermath gradually put the Catholic Church on the defensive. The exposure of Québécois soldiers to the triumph over Fascism, the penetration into the countryside of radio and television, the inescapable guilt that Catholic intellectuals felt about the death camps, the Second Vatican Council in 1962—all of these unleashed dissent. The Church’s chief critics were dazzling, cosmopolitan French Canadian intellectuals: Jean Marchand, the charismatic, leftist union leader; Gérard Pelletier and Pierre Elliott Trudeau, the editors of Cité Libre magazine (Trudeau would eventually lead the federal Liberals to victory in 1968); and René Lévesque, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s most famous French-language host. When, in the 1960* election, the Liberal Party came to power (Lévesque joined the Liberal’s cabinet as the resources minister), the priests and nuns began losing their grip on the city’s schools and social services, and Quebec entered the humanist insurgency of the Quiet Revolution. The arts began to flourish: the Comédie-Canadienne blossomed, and the filmmaker Denys Arcand joined the National Film Board, producing award-winning French-language documentaries. The University of Montreal and community colleges were infused with provincial funds, and their graduates took social-service jobs in a new, fiercely secular Quebec bureaucracy. Public schools, still divided by language, were taken over more firmly, and funded more lavishly, by the regional government (though the formally “confessional” nomenclature—Catholic and Protestant—was not finally abandoned until 1998). By the spring of 1963, the Quebec government had nationalized old English-owned power companies, disturbing the peace of the residual Anglostocracy. In this loosened political atmosphere, Jews—who voted “Liberal” as faithfully as we conducted Seders—emerged into the culture. We grew infatuated with Trudeau’s federalist idealism. He was elected from a largely Jewish Montreal constituency and remained there throughout his years as Prime Minister.
The Quiet Revolution transformed Montreal, at least for a while, into a kind of Andalusia: contesting religious-linguistic cultures rubbing each other the right way. Jews shared professional and literary ties with les Anglais, but we shared an affinity with French Catholics, for religious traditions that were thickly esthetic and that we, each in our own way, both loved and loved to distance ourselves from. We also intuitively understood congregational routine, authoritative interpretation of sacred literature, the prestige of historical continuity—we understood that messiahs matter in this world, that the divine emerged within the precincts of a discipline, commandments, and the mass, all of which produced decorum before they produced grace. As Cohen writes in “Hallelujah,” you cannot feel so you learn to touch: works, not just faith alone. Our rivalry with Catholics at times seemed fuelled by an unacknowledged tenderness, theirs for our historical struggles, professional erudition, and exegetical trenchancy, ours for their majestic spaces, genuflecting hockey champions, and forgiving, suffering servant—a Jew, after all. “I love Jesus,” Cohen told his biographer, Sylvie Simmons. “Always did.” But, he said, “I didn’t stand up in shul and say, ‘I love Jesus.’ ” My mother—the amiably innocent scion of another Bialystoker family—took me, overdressed (oisgeputzt), to Eaton’s department store to see the Christmas pageantry; and then, more reverentially (and to my father’s dismay), she took me to the Shrine’s wax museum, to see depictions of the passions of the saints. When I first heard a recording of Judy Collins’s iconic rendition of Cohen’s “Suzanne,” at McGill in the fall of 1967, a year after my mother’s sudden death—heard about the lonely wooden tower and its occupant searching out the drowning—it occurred to me that I had never expected much empathy from the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It also occurred to me that Cohen, whose father had died when he was nine, knew loss, and that the distance from mama’s boy to ladies’ man could be short. Which brings me, finally, to McGill. If our emancipation was not in civil society, it was on that campus. The university had been chartered in 1821 to provide English and Scottish Protestants a colonial piece of the Enlightenment, above the atavism of habitant manors and parishes; the student population at the Arts and Sciences Faculty, in the mid-sixties, was something like forty-per-cent Jewish. Cohen was a legend by the time I got there. He had graduated in 1955, and had published three books of poetry and two novels; the National Film Board had made a fawning documentary about him. It was at McGill that Cohen found Irving Layton (he said of Layton, “I taught him how to dress, he taught me how to live forever”). Klein, Layton’s teacher, had been there in the thirties, studied law, and went on to simultaneously write “The Rocking Chair_,_” a poetic tribute to French Canada, and edit The Canadian Jewish Chronicle. (Secretly, he also wrote speeches for Sam Bronfman). By the time Cohen got to McGill, Klein had fallen silent, spiralling into, among other sources of melancholy, a never-completed exegesis of Joyce’s “Ulysses.” For our part, we found at McGill a kind of finishing school to make ourselves more sovereign, like Cohen was. There was no need for young Jews to offer Quebec some new model of political insurrection—no American-style howl. The restrained, verbose liberalism of John Stuart Mill seemed insurgent enough, even for Trudeau and Levesque. So was the tolerance—the scientific doubt—of the Scottish enlightenment and the lyricism of English and Irish poets, from Wordsworth to Yeats. Hemmed in by Jewish and Catholic sexual norms—and also by Victorian prissiness—the first right that we thought to exercise was the right to Eros. Cohen told Sylvie Simmons that he was first inspired to write poetry when, in his teens, he read, in English translation, the work of the Spaniard Federico García Lorca. But, like many other Jewish youths at McGill, he shuttled between the debating union and the traditions of the English, immersing himself in the study of liberty and literature as in a yeshiva. This open-spirited time of cross-fertilization did not last. The Quiet Revolution, which prompted Trudeau’s federalism, in time gave rise to a more stridently nationalist idea, encouraged by Charles de Gaulle on his trip to the 1967 World’s Fair, and soon championed by Lévesque, too: that Quebec would be better off as an independent country, maîtres chez nous (masters of our own). Spooked by the vitality of English culture in Montreal, and by the fact that many more French were learning English than the other way around, separatists began agitating for an end to English-language education for new immigrants and English signs in the city. Socialists among the separatists, recalling Lévesque’s nationalization of the power companies, began calling for the nationalization of banks and large businesses. At the beginning of the sixties, radical separatists—impatient with the Liberals’ nonviolent democratic methods—had formed the Front de Libération du Québec, or F.L.Q., and gone underground. By the end of the sixties, they had placed bombs in the stock exchange and in mailboxes in English neighborhoods. In 1970, after a spate of F.L.Q. kidnappings (a Quebec minister, Pierre Laporte, was murdered), Trudeau imposed martial law. The city was roiled by arrests; a friend at McGill known for his New Left sympathies saw his flat raided; the police confiscated books, including, he laughed nervously, one entitled “Cubism”. Lévesque despised the violence of the underground, but was undeterred in his commitment to pursue national sovereignty democratically, ultimately through a referendum. In 1968, he had founded Le Parti Québécois. Jews, like most English-speaking residents of Quebec, were shocked when Lévesque was unexpectedly elected Premier in 1976. This proved the cue. Tens of thousands moved to Toronto. Some Jewish intellectuals, professionals, and artists stayed, but most left, and the amity of the sixties dimmed.The environmental advocacy group Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) on June 15 released a study about dietary lead exposure, with a focus on food intended for babies and young children.
Using a Federal Drug Administration (FDA) database of food samples, EDF reported some pretty worrying numbers, most remarkably in fruit juice samples intended for children. For example, 89 percent of the baby food grape juice samples had detectable levels of lead in them.
As researchers who served as independent reviewers on the EDF report, we think it raises important concerns about the safety of our food supply. Since EDF primarily focused on exposure (whether lead was detectable or not), we were interested to see if we could get a better sense of the magnitude of risk. Specifically, we examined potential IQ loss and the percentage of samples with high lead concentrations.
Why is lead in our food and beverages?
Most of us are probably familiar with the dangers of chipping and peeling lead paint. And the Flint water crisis has brought lead pipes to the forefront of our minds.
But food is a source of lead exposure most of us probably aren’t thinking about. Soil contamination is a known source of lead in food, but the EDF report also raised the possibility of contamination occurring via the use of lead-containing materials during food processing.
Eating lead-contaminated food increases the level of lead in the blood. Chronic, low-level exposure to lead during childhood can harm mental and physical development. For each microgram (µg) per day of dietary lead intake, blood lead levels increase by about.16 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL), though there is individual variation in how much lead is absorbed through the gastroinestical tract. A microgram is one millionth of a gram – a very small unit of measure.
There is no known level of lead exposure that is considered safe. Even low blood lead levels can harm child development and behavior. In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reduced the definition of elevated blood levels in children from 10 to 5 μg/dL.
This revised definition reflects findings from a 2012 National Toxicology Program Report that concluded a wide range of adverse health effects are associated with blood lead levels less than 5 μg/dL. These included “decreased academic achievement, IQ, and specific cognitive measures; increased incidence of attention-related behaviors and problem behaviors.”
The FDA has set limits for lead in the form of maximum parts per billion (ppb) for certain foods. The FDA reports that these differences in limits are due to what is considered achievable after food processing. The American Academy of Pediatrics has the lowest recommended limit at 1 ppb for school drinking water.
How many of the samples had detectable levels of lead?
EDF analyzed more than 12,000 test results from the 2003-2013 FDA national composite food sample data (the Total Diet Study). The Total Diet Study is an FDA “market-basket” survey of typical foods eaten by U.S. consumers and is used to assess average nutrient intake and exposure to chemical contaminants.
EDF did an exposure analysis (detection/nondetection), and reported the percentage of samples within different food types that tested positive for lead. Twenty percent of the samples designated by the FDA as baby food had detectable levels of lead in them, compared to 14 percent for regular foods.
This type of analysis is similar to measuring accident rates in workplaces, or even visits by children to the medical staff in schools. As with the lead data, increases in these numbers alert organizations to potential problems, but they don’t give enough indication to pinpoint the exact nature of the problem.
Even without specifics on the magnitude of the risks involved, when a lead exposure issue is flagged, it’s good practice to reduce the exposure – as a way to guard against associated negative health impacts such as decreased intellectual function.
How might this be affecting our IQ?
These data alone aren’t enough to indicate what the likely health effects are. Ultimately, the risk depends on how much contaminated food a child will eat through his or her childhood, and how much neurological damage this ends up causing.
Based on EPA estimates of average childhood dietary lead exposure, we are roughly dealing with a less than 1-point decrease in IQ in the adult population than it might otherwise be.Cruz: Economic growth will come from private sector
US Senator Ted Cruz speaks Thursday at the Petroleum Museum about his time in the Senate so far. Tim Fischer\Reporter-Telegram US Senator Ted Cruz speaks Thursday at the Petroleum Museum about his time in the Senate so far. Tim Fischer\Reporter-Telegram Photo: Tim Fischer Photo: Tim Fischer Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Cruz: Economic growth will come from private sector 1 / 1 Back to Gallery
First-year U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, spoke in Midland on Thursday in front of Midland and Odessa residents and officials at the Petroleum Museum, saying his top priority in office is to restore economic growth.
"The last four years, our economy has grown 0.8 percent a year," Cruz said. "If we don't turn that around, we can't solve any other problems we got that's coming."
Cruz said he thinks economic growth should be a bipartisan issue, followed by detailing three subpriorities to regain economic growth.
He said his first subpriority is to restrain out-of-control spending and unsustainable debt in Washington.
"I think what we're doing is fundamentally immoral," Cruz said. "It is wrong that we are sticking our kids and grandkids with crushing debt that they'll spend their whole life working on and trying to get out of."
Cruz's second subpriority is fundamental tax reform, he said. Cruz compared the IRS code to the Bible, saying that the tax code has more words than the Bible.
"We need to dramatically simplify the code, lower the rates, flatten it out and make it fair." Cruz said. "I'd like for the average American family to fill out their taxes on a postcard and send it."
The senator's third subpriority on restoring economic growth is to lessen regulations for businesses, specifically small businesses. He said everyone working in the private sector has to deal with "one regulation after another," making it harder for small businesses to survive.
"Economic growth is not going to come from a bunch of blowhard politicians in Washington," Cruz said. "Its going to come from the private sector."
Cruz concluded his speech by talking about why the economy should grow, noting that it is the "key to opportunity." He talked about how people who are starting to climb the economic ladder are the ones hit the hardest by an unhealthy economy.
"The ones that are losing their jobs are the people who are just starting out," Cruz said.
After his speech, Cruz answered questions from the audience on topics such as gun control and energy. He said there are a lot of Democrats in Washington trying to take away guns after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut.
Regarding energy, Cruz said he signed a bipartisan letter to President Barack Obama that urges the approval of the Keystone pipeline, which the audience applauded. He also connected economic growth to energy sources such as oil and natural gas, saying it brings the potential for jobs.
"The only thing that can screw it up is the federal government," Cruz said.
After the question-and-answer session, Cruz spoke to the media to discuss immigration. He said he is both optimistic and pessimistic about immigration reform, which will have bills introduced into both the House of Representative and Senate next week.
On the optimistic side, Cruz said he thinks there is a lot of bipartisan agreement on some aspects of immigration reform, such as border security and the legal immigration system. He said he wants tighter border security and less red tape for legal immigrants to enter the country.
On the pessimistic side, Cruz said he thinks Obama does not want to pass immigration reform.
"I think, unfortunately, President Obama is looking for a political issue in 2014 rather than try to pass a bill," Cruz said. "And I think that's why the president is insisting upon a path to citizenship for those who are here illegally. And my view, as long as President Obama insists on a path to citizenship, any immigration reform bill is likely to fail."
As previously reported in May of 2012, Midlanders overwhelmingly raised more funds for Cruz compared to Senate candidate and Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. Despite the support Midlanders have for Cruz, the senator said he has not yet opened a West Texas office but will do so after assessing potential sites.
"He's making big headlines in Washington, and we're glad he's one of our senators," Mayor Wes Perry said. "I think he has a great, great future ahead of him."Researchers have shown a link between testosterone levels in men and their willingness to stick to a task.
Psychologists, Keith Welker (Wayne State University, Detroit, MI) and Justin Carré (Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario), showed that on average men with higher testosterone levels spent more time working on an unsolvable puzzle, a measure of persistence. This work is the first to suggest that testosterone levels may be linked to persistence behavior in men. Their report was published in April in the European Journal of Personality.
Testosterone is known to be associated with aggression and dominance, but in nonhuman animals (like chicks, rats, or mice), testosterone can also increase time spent searching for food or investigating social partners, which may be interpreted as persistence. In men, testosterone is known to fluctuate, most notably in the wake of a conflict, such that winners maintain high levels but losers typically show reduced levels of testosterone.
In this study, researchers compared the amount of time that 118 men spent trying to solve an unsolvable puzzle (tracing shapes on a computer screen), after they had either won, lost, or not competed in a prior number-tracing task. Changes in testosterone were measured using saliva samples. In contrast to their predictions, they observed no differences between “winners,” “losers,” and non-competing controls, but noted rather that regardless of previous conflict, baseline testosterone levels predicted how long an individual would spend working on the unsolvable puzzles.
The authors admit that their inability to document any differences in persistence between winners and losers may reflect flaws in their experimental competition, and they suggest that future research should still consider the fluctuations in testosterone known to occur following similar conflicts.
The authors point out that persistence can make the difference between success and failure, with more persistent individuals less likely to be deterred from their goals by failure or difficulties, but that it can also be unproductive and a stubborn waste of time and energy. The experimental results suggest that testosterone may be an important predictor of persistence, but that other personality and contextual effects may dictate where and when that persistence occurs.
Indeed high levels of testosterone have also been linked to a reduced willingness to cooperate |
:: ( Monad w, Monad m ) => Lens w m ( Test a ) String testString = Lens $ \ t -> return ( \ s -> return t { _testString = s }, _testString t ) -- lenses that can fail. For now, use Maybe. In the TH library, I'll probably -- generate lenses polymorphic in <http://hackage.haskell.org/package/failure> testA :: LensM Maybe ( Test a ) a testA = Lens f where f ( C1 s a ) = return ( return. C1 s, a ) f _ = Nothing testRec :: LensM Maybe ( Test a ) ( Test a ) testRec = Lens f where f ( C2 s i ) = return ( return. C2 s, i ) f _ = Nothing -- conposing a pure and partial lens: demo0 :: Maybe String demo0 = getM ( testString. testRec. testRec ) ( C2 "top" ( C1 "lens will fail" True ))
Now an example of a more creative use of monadic getter, allowing us to define a lens on the “Nth” element in a list, returning our results in the [] monad environment.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -- Here we have a lens with a getter in the list monad, defining a mutable view -- on the Nth element of the list: nth :: LensM [] [ a ] a nth = Lens $ foldr nthGS [] where nthGS n l = ( return. ( : map snd l ), n ) : map ( prepend n ) l prepend = first. fmap. liftM. ( : ) -- This composes nicely. Set the Nth element of our list to 0: demo1 :: [ [( Char, Int )] ] demo1 = setM ( sndL. nth ) 0 [( 'a', 1 ),( 'b', 2 ),( 'c', 3 )]
Finally here’s a bit of a silly example illustrating a lens with Monadic setter ( w ) that does IO, in this case persisting a serialized version of the data we’re operating on to a text file.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 -- persist modifications to a type to a given file. An effect-ful identity lens. persistL :: ( Monad m ) => FilePath -> Lens IO m String String persistL nm = Lens $ \ s -> return ( \ s' -> writeFile nm s' >> return s', s ) -- we'll use this one: tmpFile = "/tmp/yall-test" printFileContents = putStrLn. ( "file contents: " ++ ) =<< readFile tmpFile -- build a lens with some pre-defined Iso's that offers a [Int] view on a -- string that looks like, e.g. "1 2 3 4 5": unserializedL :: ( Monad w, Monad m ) => Lens w m String [ Int ] unserializedL = isoL $ ifmap ( inverseI showI ). wordsI -- now add "persistence" effects to the above lens so everytime we do a "set" -- we update the file "yall-test" to redlect the new type. unserializedLP :: ( Monad m ) => Lens IO m String [ Int ] unserializedLP = unserializedL. persistL tmpFile demo2 :: IO () demo2 = do -- apply the lens setter to `mempty` for some Monoid ([Char] in this case) str <- setEmptyW unserializedLP [ 1.. 5 ] -- LOGGING: the string we got above (by setting [Int]) was written to a file: print str printFileContents str' <- modifyW unserializedLP ( map ( * 2 ). ( 6 : ). reverse ) str -- LOGGING: now the file was modified to reflect the changed value: print str' printFileContents
Future
I still need to create TH deriving functionality for the package, and will announce when that happens. Been busy lately so I’m not sure when I’ll get to it, but let me know your questions/comments/concerns and I’ll try to address them promptly.36 people were killed and 47 more injured during a New Year’s event on the Bund in Shanghai, according to CCTV News:
Sina News has reported that masses of crowds in Chen Yi Square on the Bund led to the stampede. Authorities are working now to rescue and aid wounded. The cause of the accident is still under investigation. The city’s annual New Year’s eve 3D laser display on the Bund was cancelled this year, after taking place for the last three years, according to Shanghai Daily. One week before the New Year, Shanghai authorities cancelled the event which attracted nearly 300,000 people last year, reportedly due to crowd control issues. A toned down version of the celebration was held at several locations in the city instead.
According to posts on Weibo and Twitter, injured people are being taken to Shanghai No. 1 People’s Hospital.
We will update more as details come in.
My view: As a native of Shanghai, I believe this is the worst (very rare) stampede incident in Shanghai history in recent decades. Shock!! — George Chen (@george_chen) December 31, 2014
Local media: large number of injured people sent to Shanghai No.1 People's Hospital; SH Police try to maintain order pic.twitter.com/ctTwvGSibX — George Chen (@george_chen) December 31, 2014
UPDATE [7:42 a.m.]: According to posts on Weibo, people were seen throwing fake US dollars into the crowds from a nightclub at building No.18 on the Bund before the stampede, which occurred at 11:35 p.m. local time. The city government has not confirmed the reports and is still investigating the cause. SCMP reported that many students were among the dead and injured. Their nationalities are not yet known.
Image via iFeng:
UPDATE [Jan 2nd, 10:00 a.m.]: The Shanghai government has updated the death toll to 36 people and confirmed 47 more injured, 13 of them seriously. Xinhua reports that seven of the injured had checked out of the hospital as of late Thursday evening.
A statement posted on the city government’s Weibo site late on Thursday said that the stampede was not caused when fake US dollars were thrown into the crowd, contrary to earlier reports and some accounts from witnesses.
According to investigation by the police, the fake notes were supposedly cash coupons for a pub located at No. 18 on the Bund. Surveillance video footage shows that the notes were thrown from the pub’s location, which is 60 meters away from the site of the stampede. While some people were shown to pick up the notes, it did not cause a rush and, in fact, happened after the stampede incident.
Early Friday morning, the Shanghai government released the names of 32 identified people who were killed in the stampede. The average age of those killed is 22 years old. Four other have yet to be identified.
The youngest of the 32 victims identified so far was a 12-year-old boy. The oldest victim was 37. All but four were aged 25 or under. 21 of the victims were female.
According to Xinhua, the majority of those injured were young people in their twenties, most of them women, including college students and children.
Xinhua has also reported that one Taiwan native, Jou Yi’an, 23 years old, from Taichung City, died in the stampede. Another person from Taiwan was injured and is receiving treatment.
The Malaysian foreign ministry has also confirmed that a Malaysian student studying at a Chinese university was among the dead.
The cause of the stampede is still under investigation, but police admit that they were not prepared for the huge number of people that flocked to the Bund for the mostly cancelled New Year’s show. On Thursday afternoon three police officers who were on patrol on Wednesday night attended a press conference to explain the police response. Xinhua reports:
Deputy commander of the branch Cai Lixin said the road became increasingly packed after 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday night.
The police expressed regret over their failure to effectively intervene when the tourist flow “increased irregularly” at 11:30 p.m.
Around 500 police were mobilized after a surveillance camera showed that a passageway near Chen Yi Square became congested with people after 11:30 p.m., Cai said.
Given the overwhelmingly large crowd, the police cut through forcibly to enter the heart of the crowd and found some people had “physical discomfort,” he said.
A dozen police officers helped evacuate the injured from the crowd after the stampede and cleared a passage for ambulances to get through, said Wang Qiang, another policeman.
A video, shot by a Chinese journalist and posted to Weibo, gives a glimpse of the chaos that caused so many deaths.
This morning, People’s Daily published some accounts of the tragedy from survivors. Journalist Guo Xianzhong was at the scene when the stampede happened. He said that the steps near Bund 19 that lead to a viewing platform were massively over-crowded. Sensing danger, Guo climbed on top of a wall and helped haul a few people to safety. As the time approached midnight, though, the situation only got more out of control.
“At 11:34 pm, someone at the foot of the steps suddenly fell down. People nearby tried to lift them up and told the people at the top of the steps not to push and squeeze. But their shouts were drowned by the noise of the people coming down. More and more people were pushed down. It started to get out of control,” he said.
“At 11:40 pm, some young people on the wall called on people to shout ‘Back off! Back off!’ and make some gestures. The people at the top of the steps finally understood the situation and stopped moving down.”
Guo recalled that an ever-increasing number of police officers rushed to the scene around 11:50 pm, and tried to drag out people who were pinned under the crowds.
It wasn’t until 11:55 pm that people who had fallen but weren’t badly hurt could stand up. “However, those lying on the ground seemed to be dead,” Guo said.
“There was a hail of cries, screams, and shouts for ambulances. The corner by the Huangpu River was like hell on Earth.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping requested an immediate investigation into the cause of the stampede and asked the Shanghai government to “go all out” to rescue and treat the injured and properly handle the aftermath.
Xi said that a profound lesson should be learned from the incident.the science behind our bread
THE BASICS
What is sourdough? Mother Nature's recipe
Sourdough, or natural leaven, is a "starter" in which flour and water are fermented over several days with regular addition of flour and water to allow the growth of naturally present wild yeast and bacteria. This starter is then added to the baker's dough to begin the rising process. Moreover, sourdough also breaks down starches and gluten and unlocks the nutrient rich grains into healthy, more easily digestible food. Finally, sourdough is also the secret behind delicious bread full of holes, with a firm springy crust and a tangy flavor.
What is artisan bread? Well it depends on who you ask
Maggie Glezer, the author of “Artisan Baking” asked a few well-respected bakers about their definition of artisan bread. Although she got a variety of answers, they all agreed on one thing: at least one part of the production must be performed by hand for a bread to be considered “artisan”.
At Prager Brothers' we do everything by hand, except for the first mixing. The whole process starts the day before baking, with preparing the leaven which ferments for a day. This natural sourdough is then mixed with the dough and allowed to sit for a long fermentation. The next step is to scale and shape the loaves and let them proof, while fermentation continues, the dough starts rising. The loaves are then ready to bake on the stone surface of our European made oven. Lastly, the golden brown loaves cool down on our racks. Baking artisan bread is a long and labor intensive process which demands extensive knowledge and attention to detail. You can taste the difference!
Why we use mainly organic ingredients
We believe in the benefits of organic farming - for the environment, animals, and humans - and use mainly organic ingredients in our bakery. Organic agriculture uses methods that preserve natural resources and biodiversity, support animal health and welfare and uses only approved materials. Irradiation, sewage sludge, synthetic fertilizers, prohibited pesticides, and genetically modified organisms are not used.
Our breads and your health
We are sometimes asked which of our bread is "more healthy" or "easy to digest". Well, that's a hard one to answer. First everyone is different, and the digestibility of a certain food can vary from person to person. Those looking for breads that contain whole grains–which have less negative effect on blood sugar and contain a lot of healthy fibers–would most likely prefer any member of our whole grain family, such as: farm bread, walnut whole grain, spelt and rye breads.
From a nutritionist point of view "easy to digest" means it is more convenient for your body; from this point of view white breads such as the baguette, classic country sourdough or flat breads are easier to digest for some people because the body doesn't have to break down long chains of complex carbohydrates. However these breads don't offer as many nutritional benefits as wholegrain breads. In the end your body will tell you what's best for you!
CARBOHYDRATES, dietary fibers and sugars
What are carbohydrates: fuel for mankind
Carbohydrates represent the main energy source for humans and should make up 45 to 65 percent of our energy (caloric) intake. Glucose, a simple carbohydrate, is essential for the brain function, as it is the only energy source the human brain can metabolize.
The good and the bad: length matters
Carbohydrates are chains of saccharides; from simple carbohydrates such as sugar to complex, long-chained carbohydrates such as starch. The longer the chain, the more complex the carbohydrate. In the human diet, a more complex carbohydrate takes longer to digest and subsequently, one feels satisfied for a longer period of time, and the blood sugar is not rising out of control. The darker the bread, the more complex carbohydrates it contains.
Dietary fibers: sometimes, not digestible means healthy
For human indigestible, complex carbohydrates are called dietary fibers. Although they are not digested, they have a profound impact on health: they heighten the feeling of satiety, lower the cholesterol level, keep your intestine working smooth and feed the friendly bacteria in your gut. The recommendations suggest a minimum of 30 grams per day, but with 12-18 grams, the average intake in the US is far from that. Our whole grain breads are full of healthy fibers!
Glycemic index: sugar rush
The glycemic index (GI) represents the rise of your blood insulin level following the consumption of food. Pure glucose is the standard and has a GI of 100, all other foods are being compared to that. The GI is affected by many factors, such as food composition, processing, or the testing method. As a general rule, it can be said the darker the bread, the lower the GI. Although a low GI diet is a healthier option for everyone, diabetic patients especially benefit from a lower insulin response in the body.
The big picture: carbohydrates and our planet
Our food choices have a profound impact not only on our health, but also on the environment. Switching to a more plant based diet is the single most important move you can make to help the environment. The production of animal based food consumes huge amounts of natural resources such as farming land, water or fossil fuels. By-products of animal food production include high greenhouse gas emission, toxic manure lagoons, deforestation and pollution of groundwater, rivers and oceans. A carbohydrate focused diet rather than a protein based diet helps keep our planet healthy. And yourself!
GLUTEN
What is gluten? A naturally occurring protein
Gluten is the main storage protein in flowering plants to nourish the seeds during development and germination. It became part of the human diet about 10’000 years ago, when the transition from hunting and gathering to settled agriculture took place. As a natural compound of wheat, spelt, barley or rye, gluten gives elasticity to bread dough, and helps it to rise and keep its shape.
Gluten sensitivity
We often get feedback from our customers, that even though they consider themselves “gluten sensitive” they do well when eating our breads. In the sourdough fermentation process gluten is broken down by enzymes and rendered virtually harmless, which is why many people digest sourdough leavened breads much more easily. Also, since we only use organic grains, the absence of any herbicides, pesticides or other leftovers from conventional farming, makes our bread more healthy and digestible.
Gluten-free diet, celiac
Nutritional scientists do not recommend a gluten-free diet, unless you are a celiac patient or have a gluten intolerance.Gluten free products are often highly processed, industrially produced foods. They tend to have a low nutritional value, are high in sugar, low in fibers, and are often expensive. On a gluten free diet, you miss all of the healthy minerals, vitamins and fibers present in our breads, and of course their unique taste and texture.
GRAINS AND PLANTS
The grains and seeds used in Prager Brothers’ breads are grown in the U.S.A. including ancient grains like spelt, rye, buckwheat, teff, and millet. In using these specialty grains a variety of flavors, textures, and nutritional benefits are available. By supporting farmers who grow a diversity of grains, we are able to help lessen our demand on the earth's soil.
Spelt, in the good old days
Spelt is an ancient subspecies of modern bread wheat. Until the beginning of the 20th century, spelt was the predominant grain for bread production in large parts of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Compared to wheat, spelt is more resistant to disease, and does better under harsh growing conditions, such as wet, cold soils and high altitudes. Eating spelt helps create more biodiversity in our fields and adds more variety to our tables!
Rye
Rye is another member of the wheat family and is primarily grown in Eastern, Central and Northern Europe. It is often planted in the fall to provide a ground cover for the winter. Compared to wheat, rye has a much lower gluten content, which leads to the typical, dense, German-style bread, also called pumpernickel. At the bakery, we mix rye with wheat and spelt flour for our wholegrain breads, to add taste. And of course, we also bake our famous 100% rye bread with sunflower seeds.
Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds are loaded with vitamins, minerals, healthy oils, fibers and proteins. They boost your healthy fat intake because they contain a lot of omega-3 fatty acid, which helps maintain healthy brain function, protects against cardiovascular diseases, and fights excess inflammation. Studies have shown that people who regularly consume nuts tend to weigh less and even have a lower risk for weight gain in the future. Our walnut wholegrain and multigrain loaves, as well as our housemade granola are full of these healthy tasty bits.The political fiasco that unfolded last week as President Donald Trump and the Republican House leadership failed to pass legislation repealing the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare, is attributable as much to the failure of politics as it is to the failure of politicians to understand the constitutional role of the federal government.
Republicans could not muster a majority in the House, which they control, because a determined small group of them want to remove the federal government from the regulation of health care and believe that the replacement for Obamacare that House leaders have offered would keep too much of it in place. The president and his allies have argued that their bill would invalidate enough of Obamacare to return free choices to health care and to fulfill their campaign promises. Neither side has prevailed.
Here is the back story.
When Congress passed Obamacare in 2010, it did so without a single Republican vote. The premise underlying the highly partisan 2,700-page legislation is that health care is a right belonging to everyone in America and the federal government has a constitutional duty to provide it.
The political structure of Obamacare mandates that every person in America obtain health insurance, that every employer of more than 50 people in America pay for the health insurance of all employees who work more than 30 hours per week, that every policy of health insurance cover a large dimension of potential medical needs and that those earning under a certain annual income level receive health care at the expense of the rest of us. The failure to obtain and maintain health insurance triggers a tax burden -- equivalent to the annual premium on a health insurance policy -- for every year one goes without coverage.
The economic structure of Obamacare requires 100 percent participation of everyone in America so as to ensure a large pool of insurance premiums -- whether paid by individuals, employers or taxpayers -- from which to pay health care providers. Still, premiums don't cover costs, which is why President Trump says Obamacare is collapsing.
The regulatory structure of Obamacare orders every primary care physician to keep all medical records on personal computers, to which the Department of Health and Human Services has access. Thus, the long-revered and uniquely American value of the patient-physician privilege -- the certain knowledge that your doctor will not reveal what you tell her or him -- has been obliterated. The statute also has given the secretary of HHS unreviewable powers to regulate intricacies of the delivery of health care in America.
Along with this expensive and bitter medicine -- which has caused hundreds of thousands of folks to downgrade to part-time work, reduced the wages of millions more and driven thousands of health care providers into retirement or new occupations -- Obamacare also has provided some sugar. The statute orders insurance carriers to cover pre-existing conditions, children on their parents' policies up to the age of 26 and expensive elective procedures, such as abortions and sex reassignment.
After the Republicans acquired full control of Congress in 2015, they delivered numerous repeals of Obamacare to President Barack Obama, knowing that he'd veto them, which he did. These were complete repeals -- essentially removing the federal government from the regulation of health insurance and the delivery of health care.
Now that Republicans control Congress and the White House, you'd expect that they would do the same, as they have promised. No such thing has happened. The legislation that Republican House leaders offered last week retained the basic premise of Obamacare -- that health care is a right and the federal government has a duty to provide it -- and just nibbled a bit at the edges.
Under the House proposal, the obligation to have health insurance would remain, but you couldn't expect it from your employer; you might have to pay for it yourself. And the penalty for the failure to have coverage would not be a tax from the IRS; it would be a $3,000 annual surcharge from your insurance carrier when you sign up. You could buy insurance tailored to your needs, but nearly all remaining federal regulations would stay in place -- including a new Orwellian one that would permit your employer to require you to undergo genetic screening.
This Obamacare lite has been resisted by about 30 House Republicans who reject the premise that health care is a right. Without their votes, it would not have passed last week, so the House leadership declined to hold a vote.
Is health care a right in America?
In a word, no. Rights are either natural immunities -- existing in areas of human behavior that, because of our nature, must be free from government regulation, such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, as well as speech, the press, religion, travel, self-defense and what remains of privacy -- or legal claims that we qualify or bargain for, such as the right to vote, which the Constitution presumes, and the right to use your property to the exclusion of all others and the right to purchase a good that you can afford.
But the federal government cannot create a right that the Constitution does not authorize. It can't constitutionally transfer wealth from taxpayers or employers to others and then claim that the others have a right to the continued receipt of the transfers. The Supreme Court has ruled that even Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are government largesse that Congress could terminate because no one has a right to them.
Of course, the federal government has been creating expectations that it calls rights for centuries. To stay in office, members of Congress bribe the rich with bailouts, the middle class with tax cuts and the poor with made-up rights to all sorts of things.
Yet under the Constitution, health care is not a right; it is a good -- like an education or a gym membership. You work hard, you decide what goods to purchase. If government gives you the good, that does not magically transform it into a right. Bravo to the courageous House Republicans who recognize this.Share the News
And now, Library & Company?
After restoring the upper level of the former Hampden Presbyterian Church on Falls Road as a venue for weddings and other events, Church & Company directors Alexander Fox and Joey Rubolotta are launching a new project in Federal Hill.
“I’m thrilled to announce Church & Company is expanding with a new second location, the 1886 former Enoch Pratt Branch Library No. 3,” Fox wrote on Facebook. “Opens November 15…Very excited to re-create an 1880s library.”
The brick and stone building at 1401 Light Street is one of four original structures of the Enoch Pratt Free Library System, all designed in a Richardsonian Romanesque style by the noted architect Charles Carson.
The library opened on Feb. 27, 1886, and closed on Sept. 1, 1971, when a new library opened at 1251 Light Street. It was sold by the city as surplus property and has been a private residence, a gallery and other uses. As an events space, it will be called The Library.
Fox, an Ohio native who moved to Baltimore to study at the Maryland Institute College of Art and never left, calls Church & Company a “design project” that is funded through space rentals. He is constantly modifying and embellishing the space.
The stone church at 3647 Falls Road was designed by George Frederick, the architect of Baltimore’s City Hall, and opened in 1875. Part of the Doors Open Baltimore tour in October, it has been used as a setting for weddings, plays, birthday celebrations, photo shoots, concerts, pop-up shopping parties, meetings and even religious services.
The library is actually the third restoration project that Fox and Rubolotta have taken on in Baltimore. They also restored a small cottage and garden near Falls Road and 37th Street as an events venue called the Little House Garden, offering an outdoor counterpart to the renovated church across the street.MIAMI, Jan. 2 -- Thousands of work boots, bath slippers, tennis sneakers, beach sandals and even roller skates all inexplicably materialized Friday morning on the Palmetto Expressway, disrupting traffic for hours, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
Lt. Pat Santangelo said he was not sure where the shoes came from. There were no signs of a crash, and no one claimed them.
A private contractor was hired to pick up the sea of soles and deposit them at an empty field, where a Nashville-based nonprofit group, Soles4Souls, is planning to pick them up Monday. Soles4Souls, which has distributed millions of pairs of shoes around the world, will ship the massive batch of shoes by truck to a processing facility in Alabama. There the organization will decide where to distribute them.
"We throw nothing away. Right now, they'll probably go to Haiti," founder Wayne Elsey said.
News of the discarded shoes in Miami traveled fast over the Internet as Web sites all over the world got wind of the story.
Santangelo said that no witnesses had come forward but that those responsible would pay the cost of cleaning up the mess. "It's not cheap," he said.The Stanley Cup returns to Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island, this summer and the only question is which NHL team Brad Richards will be affiliated with when brings the most famous trophy in sports back home.
The 35-year-old center, who had a solid second half in Chicago this past season, particularly raising his game in the playoffs with 14 points (three goals-11 assists) and some clutch moments, joins the fray of unrestricted free agents who can sign with any team in the league as of Wednesday at noon ET.
The Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks remain an option, although given the team’s salary-cap crunch, not the most likely one.
"They’ve talked to [agent] Pat [Morris] and obviously I want to continue talking to them, but I also know their situation," Richards told ESPN.com on Monday. "Personally, I don’t know how long I can wait to see what the landscape is."
The fact he's still celebrating his Cup win makes it easier for Brad Richards to be patient with the free-agent market. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
Having said that, Richards, a sharp dude who has always shown an interest in the business side and the machinations of the game CBA-wise, also realizes this is a different offseason for the NHL and many cap-strapped teams will need time to make trades before they can sign players. In other words, maybe Richards signs with a team on July 1, but maybe he has to wait longer.
"I’m very patient with the whole process and looking to gather as much information and options as I can and weighing them all," Richards said.
"The situation I’m in, I mean I’m still enjoying what just happened two weeks ago, so being patient this time around whereas maybe other years you’re kind of antsy. I know the right thing will come along at some point and I’ll know when that is. But with the salary cap, all the restricted free agents, teams trying to clear cap space, nobody really knows the landscape perfectly yet and that might not happen July 1. It might take longer than that. There are more things you have to weigh. There’s a lot of different ways to look at it right now."
Richards looked quicker this past season than he has in three or four years; there’s lots of hockey left in this guy. Just where exactly he fits will be interesting. Another chance with a Cup contender is always appealing, but perhaps helping out a young team with his leadership could also be an option. Given how his Blackhawks teammates spoke of him during the playoffs and the same from his old New York Rangers teammates, you know you’re getting a great team guy.
"Winning is No. 1, of course it is, but there could be a fit elsewhere where a team surprises you and I look at their roster and maybe think it’s better than other people think," said Richards, who has played 78 playoff games the past four seasons alone.
"I still feel like I can contribute and I proved that to myself this year. I understand there are roles I have to accept at this point in my career but I also think I can play an important role. I’ll weigh all that stuff and see what kind of role a team will have for me."
AROUND THE LEAGUE:The company featured a second full-page in the New York Times on Sunday after the initial launch this week.
Plaintiff and pet owner Frank Lucido, who claims one of his dogs died and two others became ill after eating Beneful, initiated the original lawsuit against Purina in early February of this year.
Jeffrey B. Cereghino, the lawyer spearheading the case against Purina, said he and the law firms participating in the suit have been contacted by thousands of people who believe Beneful may have poisoned their dogs.
“The immediacy of folks willing to participate was really quite extraordinary,” he said.
The amended suit includes 26 additional plaintiffs with similar stories and claims that Purina failed to disclose that the brand contains substances toxic to animals — including Industrial Grade Glycols (IGG), lead, arsenic and mycotoxins. The suit is seeking class-action status and $5,000,000 in damages.
Purina has continued to deny the allegations in the suit, publishing an extensive statement on its website on June 9 in response to the amended complaint.
“We’re really disturbed by the ongoing false and unsubstantiated allegations,” Schopp told NBC News.
The company said in the statement that Beneful is not formulated with IGG, but rather “high-quality human food-grade levels” of propylene glycol.
While Industrial Grade Glycols are not approved for use in food by the FDA, food-grade propylene glycol is approved as safe for use in human and dog food. The original lawsuit listed propylene glycol in its complaint, instead of IGG.
The Purina statement also says the company tests “for well over 150 substances,” including mycotoxins, lead and arsenic as part of its food safety and ingredient surveillance programs.
Dr. Kurt Venator, director of veterinary strategy and programs at Purina, said the strict testing standards extend to their ingredient suppliers as well.
Purina products “meet or exceed food quality and safety standards,” he said.
The pets listed in the lawsuit vary in age and in length of time consuming Beneful before becoming ill, but the consistent symptoms, according to the suit, include: vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, liver or kidney malfunction and failure, seizures, and even death.
Plaintiff Rob Benham, of Versailles, Indiana, told NBC News he and his family believe Beneful is responsible for the death of Sadie, a 7-year-old Miniature Fox terrier, and the ailing health of their 5-year-old Shih Tzu Willie.People buying fuel via digital payment modes will get a discount of 0.75% starting Monday midnight.
The discount would be by way of cash-back which will be credited to the buyer’s account in three days from the transaction, said Indian oil Corp, the nation’s largest fuel retailer.
The 0.75% discount on payments made using either credit/debit cards, e-wallets or mobile wallets will translate into a rebate of 49 paisa a litre on petrol and 41 paisa on diesel.
Petrol is currently sold at Rs 66.10 per litre in Delhi while a litre of diesel costs Rs 54.57.
The “discount will be credited to customer’s account by way of cash back within maximum three working days of the transaction,” IOC said in a statement.
Finance minister Arun Jaitley had last week announced a raft of measures including discounts on online payments for insurance policies, rail tickets and highway toll charges as the government looked to promote digital cash post demonetisation.
“As a part of these initiatives, to promote cashless transactions Government of India has announced to incentivise petrol/diesel customers transacting at PSU petrol pumps by way of 0.75% discount when a customer uses debit/credit cards, mobile wallets and prepaid loyalty cards,” the statement said.
First Published: Dec 13, 2016 01:53 IST山田 ：「あ、おはようございます！部長！」
部長 ：『ああ、山田君、おはよう。』
山田 ：「昨日はありがとうございました！」
部長 ：『･･･ああ、いやいや。幹部連中も誉めてたよ。若手らしいフレッシュな プレゼンだって･･･。』
山田 ：「マジっすか？よかった～！実は結構自信あったんですよー(笑)」
部長 ：『･･･まあ、これからだな。君は。』
山田 ：「はい！がんばります！」
部長 ：『･･･。』
山田 ：「あ、部長あのポスター知ってます？最近流行ってる『ベイビーメタル』。」
部長 ：『･･･ベイビー？』
山田 ：「はい！ベビメタって言って、なんか凄いらしいんですよ。海外とかで
ＣＤがすごい売れてて･･･。アメリカのビルボードチャートにも入ったんですよ！
坂本九以来って、知りません？
YOUTUBEで外人に人気が出て、逆輸入メタルアイドル？的な感じで売れて！最近テレビとかよく出てますよ！
どんどん新しいのが出てきますよねー！
次はこうきたか！みたいな！(笑)でも外人狙いってのはいいとこ突いてますよね ！」
部長 ：『･･･。』
山田 ：｢今は動画も海外に簡単に発信できるし！KAWAIIカルチャーって絶対に外人が食いつくじゃないですか！きゃりーぱみゅぱみゅも人気なんすよね！国内のAKBとかも人気が落ちてるし次は外人狙いってのは正解ですよね！
なんか、そういうロジックってビジネスでも大事だなって思ったんですよ！日本のマーケ ットだけじゃどこの業界も潰し合いになるだけですからね！｣
部長 ：『･･･山田君。』
山田 ：「はい？」
部長 ：『･･･君は音楽に詳しいのかね？』
山田 ：「あ、全然ですよ！セカオワとかワンオクとかは押さえてますけどね！ でも海外で人気！ってなれば日本でも絶対売れるじゃないですか！YOUTUBEは広告費タダだし、どんだけ儲かってんですかねー！こいつら！」
部長 ：『山田君･･･。』
山田 ：「あ、はい？」
部長 ：『･･･今日、仕事が終わったらちょっと時間あるかね？』
山田 ：「え？まあちょっとなら･･･。」
部長 ：『･･･ちょっと話そうか。』
山田 ：「あ、飲みに行くんですか？いいですよ。」
部長 ：『･･･じゃあ、営業日報を出したらら声を掛けてくれ。』
山田 ：「はい！了解です！(笑)」
部長 ：『あ･･･それとね、山田君。』
山田 ：「はい！」
部長 ：『･･･。』
山田 ：「･･･はい |
meat and ate it himself, resulting in one of the most detailed culinary descriptions of human flesh ever penned. When cooked, he wrote, the meat turned grayish in a manner not unlike lamb, and while it smelled like cooked beef, the taste, contrary to popular opinion, was not like pork, but "good, fully developed veal, not young, but not yet beef." It was a similarity he described colorfully and repeatedly:
It was so nearly like good, fully developed veal that I think no person with a palate of ordinary, normal sensitiveness could distinguish it from veal. It was mild, good meat with no other sharply defined or highly characteristic taste such as for instance, goat, high game, and pork have. The steak was slightly tougher than prime veal, a little stringy, but not too tough or stringy to be agreeably edible. The roast, from which I cut and ate a central slice, was tender, and in color, texture, smell as well as taste, strengthened my certainty that of all the meats we habitually know, veal is the one meat to which this meat is accurately comparable.
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Human meat, being rich in myoglobin, is red. What meat it most resembles in taste, however, remains up for spirited debate.The Nexus 6 looks to be Google's most widely-released phone ever, at least in the context of United States carriers. While the company has taken an "unlocked first" approach to carrier partnerships since the ill-fated Verizon Galaxy Nexus, it has offered at least some of the traditional phone sales on the Nexus 5. For the new Motorola Nexus 6, every major American carrier will have a phone option, though whether that means there's one phone that will work with all or there will be multiple versions, we can't say at the moment.
Google's promotional page lists greyed-out pre-orders for Google Play, Best Buy, and the five biggest United States cellular carriers. That would be AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, US Cellular, and yes indeed, Verizon Wireless. Regular readers will know that Verizon hasn't carried a Nexus phone since the original Galaxy Nexus (which came with quite a lot of problems and issues vis a vis support and updates), though the LTE version of the Nexus 7 tablet does support Verizon bands.
Right now, the Nexus 6 is slated for a pre-order release "in late October," starting at a hefty $649.99 for the 32GB version. We can confirm that sales through carrier partners will start in late November, though which ones will get the phone when hasn't been specified. You can read all about the hardware in our announcement post.
Update: It looks like there may be a single Nexus 6 device that can, indeed, support all of the major American carriers. Here is the band support from the official specification list:
Americas SKU: GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz CDMA: Band Class: 0/1/10 WCDMA: Bands: 1/2/4/5/8 LTE: Bands: 2/3/4/5/7/12/13/17/25/26/29/41 CA DL: Bands: B2-B13, B2-B17, B2-29, B4-B5, B4-B13, B4-B17, B4-B29 Rest of World SKU: GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz CDMA: not supported WCDMA: Bands: 1/2/4/5/6/8/9/19 LTE: Bands: 1/3/5/7/8/9/19/20/28/41 CA DL: B3-B5, B3-B8
The American version of the phone includes both GSM and CDMA bands, and all the necessary LTE bands for tricky carrier support like Sprint's Spark system and T-Mobile's band 12. Impressive.
Source: GoogleMany parents find themselves struggling during the summer. The children may be enjoying a summer break, but chances are you do not have the same privilege. If you are wondering how to occupy your child this summer, take a look at the following summer school benefits.
Avoiding the autumn slump
You spend time and effort making sure your child has the best education possible. Throughout the school year they accumulate a mass of knowledge, develop vital skills and grow used to a daily routine. Then come the summer holidays.
After up to six weeks away from the classroom, returning to school can be an ordeal. It may take weeks for students to ease back into education, losing valuable time and hindering their development. There is no need for a gruelling routine over the summer (like the rest of us, children need time to unwind), but something to bridge the summer gap is a good idea. Keeping their young minds active will pay off in the autumn.
Better than babysitting
It’s great to spend quality time with your kids, but keeping a full time job and finding childcare is a stressful juggling act. Whereas babysitting provides a short term fix, summer schools offer continuity for the child. They are also run by experienced staff who know how to make the programme fun while keeping learners occupied.
Pursuing a specific interest
If your child is drawn to science or has a penchant for painting, the summer is their chance to explore their interests. Many subjects are not covered in detail throughout the school year, so the summer offers a chance to pursue subjects in more detail. Following hobbies and interests means your child will take control of their learning and have fun in the process.
Getting ahead
Most children struggle in at least some subjects. The holidays are an opportunity to catch up on basic skills ready for the following school year. Many summer schools offer one to one tuition, which is often not available in mainstream schools.
Outdoor exercise
The British summer is brief, so make the most of the fleeting fine weather. Choosing a summer school with a varied sports program will keep your child healthy and active, prising them away from the TV or computer screen.
Social development
At summer school your child will interact with children of different cultures and backgrounds. Team work is a major part of most programmes, aiming to improve tolerance and social skills. Group bonding and team exercises will provide your child with a strong network of friends and a sense of group identity.
Learning languages
Children have an amazing aptitude for language learning, so a language summer school will capitalise on this potential. Skola English schools help learners improve their language skills, unlocking better futures for their students.
Travel and culture
Some schools include excursions in their summer programmes. Safety is the top priority, but with skilled and experienced staff your child could travel overseas to experience different cultures and attractions. This may go alongside a specific interest or learning a foreign language. Children absorb their surroundings. In an international summer school UK students can put skills from the classroom into practice.
Alternative teaching styles
Each student learns differently. If your child learns best from a hands-on approach, practical skills in a summer school could boost their performance in the classroom. Since summer schools are more flexible in their approach, students can try new ways of learning. Smaller class sizes mean courses are tailored to whatever works best for the learner.
Boosting confidence
The first day of summer school can be daunting. Your child will meet new people in an unfamiliar environment. However, summer school employees know how to make students feel at home and ease this transition. The long term benefit of what at first seems scary is a big boost to your child’s confidence.
Image Sources: 1, 2, 3Who needs supermodels when you have William Shatner?
After the Russian delegation was led into the Sochi Games opening ceremony by high-profile homegrown beauty Irina Shayk, we asked readers to help pick which sizzling Canadian they’d like to see lead our athletes.
And Shatner, the 82-year-old actor best known for playing Captain Kirk on Star Trek, is leading with 24% of the thousands of votes cast online.
He may not look like Shayk, but at least he’s got personality.
Shatner is edging out movie star Rachel McAdams (18%) and actress Elisha Cuthbert (16%).
Cuthbert actually sits tied with troubled teen pop star Justin Bieber.
Wonder what her husband, Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Dion Phaneuf, would say about that.
Don’t see your nominee above?
Tell us in the comment section below who you would have lead Canada’s delegation.After a lengthy search, Steven Spielberg has found his male lead for his adaptation of “Ready Player One.”
Sources tell Variety that “Mud” star Tye Sheridan will star in Spielberg’s next pic, which will be distributed by Warner Bros.
“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” star Olivia Cooke has already been cast in the female lead, and Ben Mendelsohn is also on board for a role.
The Warner Bros., Village Roadshow and DreamWorks release is based on the buzzy Ernest Cline book of the same name. Spielberg, Donald De Line, Dan Farah and Kristie Macosko Krieger will produce, with Bruce Berman serving as exec producer. Warner Bros. had no comment.
Cline’s novel, published in 2011, follows the rise of virtual-reality universe the Oasis, which humans living in the not-too-distant future begin to value above the real world. Zak Penn adapted the story for the screen.
Sheridan will play Wade Watts, a poor orphan from the “stacks” surrounding metropolitan Oklahoma who joins the Oasis.
Pic is slated to bow on March 30, 2018.
Sheridan broke out in Jeff Nichols’ “Mud,” holding his own opposite Matthew McConaughey, and has followed up that performance with roles in adult dramas including David Gordon Green’s “Joe” and Gillian Flynn’s “Dark Places.” He is set to play Cyclops in “X-Men: Apocalypse” this May.
He is repped by WME and Mosaic. The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.In an extensive, must-read report published on Monday by Deutsche Bank's Jim Reid, the credit strategist unveiled an extensive analysis of the "Next Financial Crisis", and specifically what may cause it, when it may happen, and how the world could respond assuming it still has means to counteract the next economic and financial crash. In our first take on the report yesterday, we showed one key aspect of the "crash" calculus: between bonds and stocks, global asset prices are the most elevated they have ever been.
With that baseline in mind, what happens next should be obvious: unless one assumes that the laws of economics and finance are irreparably broken, a deep recession and a market crash are inevitable, especially after the third biggest and second longest central bank-sponsored bull market in history.
But what will cause it, and when will it happen?
Needless to say, these are the questions that everyone in capital markets today wants answered. And while nobody can claim to know the right answer, here are some excerpts from what DB's Jim Reid, one of the best strategists on Wall Street, thinks will take place.
Below we present the key excerpts from his must read report;
* * *
We think that the post Bretton Woods (1971-) global financial system remains vulnerable to financial crises. A simple internet search of financial crises through history (Figure 1, LHS chart) confirms that the frequency has increased over this period. Examples include the UK secondary banking crisis (1975), the two Oil shocks (1970s), numerous EM defaults (mid-1980s), US Savings and Loans mass failures (late 80s/early 90s), various Nordic financial crises (late 80s), Japanese stock bubble bursting (1990-), various ERM shocks/devaluations (1992), the Mexican Tequila crisis (1994), the Asian crisis (1997), the Russian & LTCM crisis (1998), the Dot.com crash (2000), the various accounting scandals (02/03), the GFC (08/09) and the Euro Sovereign crisis (10-12).
A more quantitative search backs this up (Figure 1, RH chart). We show the number of DM countries (%) in our sample back to 1800 experiencing one of the following on a YoY basis; -15% Equities, -10% FX, -10% Bond move, a sovereign default, or +10% inflation. This is our crisis/shock indicator. 0% equals no country with one of these conditions met, 100% equals all in our sample with one being met.
It would therefore take a huge leap of faith to say that crises won’t continue to be a regular feature of the current financial system that has been in place since the early 1970s. The near exponential growth of finance and its liberalisation since this point has encouraged this trend.
Indeed as we’ll show in this report there are a number of areas of the global financial system that look at extreme levels. This includes valuations in many asset classes, the incredibly unique size of central bank balance sheets, debt levels, multi-century all-time lows in interest rates and even the level of potentially game changing populist political support around the globe. If there is a crisis relatively soon (within the next 2-3 years), it would be hard to look at these variables and say that there was no way of spotting them.
Having said that, crises tend to have a large element of unpredictability. If they didn’t then surely more would predict their imminent arrival. So while we highlight a lot of the main global vulnerabilities in this report, history would tell us that there is still a chance that when the next crisis comes its origin will take us by surprise to a certain degree. As will its timing. In the remainder of this executive summary we highlight the conditions that have encouraged crises through history and the main areas of worry as to why we may be vulnerable for another financial crisis relatively soon.
Periods with a higher number of crises/shocks coincide with higher levels of debt….
…and with it higher budget deficits. G7 Government Debt was only previously higher with impact of WWII and before the early 1970s, persistent budget deficits only really existed in war time. Now a permanent feature.
We think the final break with precious metal currency systems from the early 1970s (after centuries of adhering to such regimes) and to a fiat currency world has encouraged budget deficits, rising debts, huge credit creation, ultra loose monetary policy, global build-up of imbalances, financial deregulation and more unstable markets.
The various breaks with gold based currencies over the last century or so has correlated well with our financial shocks/crises indicator. It shows that you are more likely to see crises/shocks when we break from hard currency systems. Some of the devaluation to Gold has been mindboggling over the last 100 years.
Perversely, the current post Bretton Woods system also allows for huge operations/stimulus to overcome any crisis/shock. We also shouldn’t underestimate the positive impact that this can have on nominal asset prices. Cash is arguably a far more dangerous asset in a fiat currency but unstable regime than it is in a more stable less crisis prone one. However, by continually using stimulus to deal with crises and not letting creative destruction take over, you make a subsequent crisis more likely by passing the problem along to some other part of the global financial system, and usually in bigger size. In a fiat currency world, intervention and money creation is the path of least resistance. In a Gold standard world, mining new gold was the only stable way of increasing the money supply.
We think this leaves the current global economy particularly prone to a cycle of booms, busts, heavy intervention, recovery and the cycle starting again. There is no natural point where a purge of the excesses is forced by a restriction on credit creation.
So we’re quite confident that there will likely be another financial crisis/shock pretty soon with their frequency continuing to be high until we create a more stable global financial framework.
* * *
So where will the next crisis come from?
An obvious issue is how we resolve the combination of the unwinding of unparalleled central bank balance sheet sizes at a time of record peacetime government debt and multi-century record low yields (Figure 5).
We also still have extreme levels of global imbalances (Figure 6) which pose a risk as international capital flows are necessary to support the status quo. These are harder to control by authorities or predict.
All this is occurring at a time of extremely high global asset prices and still low economic growth relative to the past. Could we be vulnerable to a major asset price correction that creates the conditions for a crisis?
Global central banks have facilitated these elevated asset prices. A long series of global financial problems have now been passed through all parts of the financial system with most of these problems stacked up and now resting with central banks and Governments. The buildup of debt that this has created has forced central banks to keep yields at ultra-low levels, thus raising the prices of a variety of other global assets.
Italy and Japan have seemingly unsustainable debt burdens and are likely vulnerable to a crisis outcome. However both have had this for some time which mitigates short-term risks. Italy is perhaps more vulnerable because of precarious and fragile politics, elevated levels of populism and a central bank that is regional and not domestically controlled. Japan shows how long a crisis can be avoided but that doesn’t automatically mean we should be complacent, especially as the BoJ now owns over 40% of the JGB market (from under 10% in 2012).
On populism, our index (Figure 9) tracking its rise across key DM countries shows that we are close to the 1930s highs. Is this a precursor to a big crisis? Does it make for more unpredictable politics, economics and markets?
We see China’s credit growth post GFC as also an area of great concern. As an example, in a recent IMF report they analysed 43 global cases of credit booms in which the credit to GDP ratio increased by more than 30 percentage points over a 5-year period. Only 5 cases ended without a major growth slowdown or financial crisis immediately afterwards.
The IMF also caveated that these 5 cases, considering country specific factors, provided little comfort. If that wasn’t enough, the fund also points out that all credit booms that began when the ratios were above 100% ended badly.
These are perhaps the main observable risks out there but we go through a list of other potential catalysts in the piece. As we discuss at the top, by their very nature, financial crises or shocks are generally unpredictable.
While we can’t be confident of where and when the next crisis will occur we can be pretty confident that the conditions remain in place for a world of frequent crises.Mexican businessman Jorge Vergara, who assumed full control of Chivas USA on Wednesday night, apparently didn't wait long to make his first move. Sources close to the team and Major League Soccer say General Manager Jose Domene was dismissed Thursday.
And that's not likely to be Vergara's only move. Although Coach Robin Fraser is said to be safe for the moment, Vergara isn't known to be patient with his managers, having gone through 16 in 10 seasons with Chivas of Guadalajara, the Mexican league club he owns.
A number of other front-office personnel are also expected to lose their jobs this week.
Among the candidates to fill one of those openings is former Chivas of Guadalajara Coach Jose Luis Real, who once supervised the team's youth academies. Vergara has reportedly been talking with Real, who would be a good fit in Los Angeles as either a coach or general manager.
Vergara also has some decisions to make about the team's future off the field. Chivas USA is said to have reached an agreement to leave the Home Depot Center, the only home it has known, for a new soccer-specific stadium in Exposition Park. But that move has been slowed by the ethics scandal that has engulfed the Coliseum Commission.
Vergara could also decide that move won't be enough to get his team out from under the large shadow of the deep-pocketed Galaxy -- Chivas USA's roommate at the Home Depot Center -- and may try to move the team out of state instead, with Arizona heading a list of potential sites.As I step off the train in Roquefort, southern France, I sniff the air appreciatively. It's so good to be out of the Paris bubble, meeting some authentic French people to answer the biggest question in European politics: why did so many people vote for Emmanuel Macron? Was it a lack of economic anxiety, or a lack of racism?
Either way, their concerns deserve to be heard. Some might find them unpalatable, but history has taught us that repressing such views only makes them more virulent. It might not be pleasant to hear them, it might offend our sensibilities, but we have to share our towns and cities with pragmatic centrists, so we must strive to understand them. Too often, during this French presidential cycle, an out-of-touch media elite has failed to understand these people, connected to the political process, broadly trusting of the mainstream media, and what has driven them to vote for a liberal, globalising ex-banker who wants to deregulate the economy.
Arriving at the nearest patisserie, I ask the owner, Claude, if she knows where I might find some Macron voters to talk to. "They are probably at work right now," she says. "Or picking up their kids. Are you sure that it's not Le Pen voters you want to meet? That's what the journalists usually say."
Just down the street I run into Joséphine. "Are you angry?" I ask.
"Yes, I am fuming!"
"I suppose you are deeply resentful of immigrants and their effects on wages - or perhaps seized by an intense yet vague sense of national decline?"
She stares at me.
"No. My bicycle has been stolen."
I try a local bar. Three older men sit around a table outside, smoking and drinking that horrible French spirit which goes cloudy when you add water, like TCP does.
"Excuse me, gentlemen," I say. "I'm here from a British magazine to discover why this populist surge has swept France."
One of them, Jean-Luc, pauses for a long moment. "I would say that perhaps France has some experience of what happens when a country elects a right-wing authoritarian who likes to blame everything on people from a religious minority." He leans in. "My father was in the maquis."
On his left, Antoine takes up the tale. "The thing is, the political class don't listen to people like us. People call us extremists, but we just want someone who will make sure that the lights stay on and not do something stupid, like take us out of the European union. Beyond that -", he shrugs, "I am relatively happy. This is a great time to be alive, isn't it? I still have all my teeth. There is no war."
The final man, François, chips in. "I remember the "good old days". Merde! Did you know our service stations only gave up those toilets where it's two footplates and a hole about 15 years ago?" He shakes his head. "I would like a little more globalisation, frankly."
The waiter brings over more drinks. Tahar is in his 20s and a Muslim. He has a simple explanation for Macron's triumph. "These Le Pen voters are trapped in a exurban nativist bubble. They are out of touch with the needs and values of real French people, like me." He is right. There are deep forces at work here, which have caused the triumph of innumerable centrists around the western world over the past few decades. Only a blinkered fool would try to deny this uncomfortable truth. Perhaps, I begin to wonder with prickling unease, it is just as legitimate an electoral strategy to appeal to young people, ethnic minorities and social liberals as it is to go for the votes of nativist whites? I shake my head to clear it. No. Saying that would be like saying that there is no hierarchy of citizenhood, and that every voter is of equal value.
Finally, in the bookshop, I do find someone who is angry. "We are tired of our traditional culture being mocked and derided," says Pierre, angrily setting aside his Proust omnibus. "Does Marine Le Pen not understand that being French is all about being insouciant, not shouting endlessly about how terrible it is when women wear veils? The only article of clothing a Frenchman should be against is the sock with the sandal." He shudders. "We are not... Germans."
However, walking around town, I also notice a disturbing phenomenon. A lot of people simply don't want to talk to me about their political views. These are the Shy Macronists, living proof that our media climate is hostile to those with a pragmatic, centrist outlook. They know their opinions are unfashionable, and the casual insults thrown at them are exactly what drove so many to vote for the 39-year-old. "Do not use my name," says one young man, looking nervously down the street. "Here in France you cannot speak openly about your love of the European Union. Politicians are scared of tackling the subject, even though we know this is what many people in the country think. It is - how you say? - political correctness gone mad."
Outside, I run into a rare Le Pen voter, stepping out of his battered Renault. Why did his candidate lose, I ask him. "I blame the mainstream media. All the way through this campaign they have reported fairly, exposing Fillon's strange financial dealings, giving due weight to the charges against Le Pen and, finally, refusing to go stark raving insane over an extremely mundane dump of Macron's emails on the eve of polling day." He jabs his finger in my direction, nearly dislodging the bottle of Panaché I bought at the Monoprix. "And also I blame the other candidates! What kind of rightwing politicians are these, who throw their weight behind a centrist in the final round? They should have pandered to her more, in order to prop up their own bases. And I blame the system! Why do we not have something like the electoral college, where the votes of a thousand angry white people in a few towns have a wildly disproportionate effect on the result. It is abominable."
Walking back to the train, I reflect how strange it is that I should run into a series of broad French stereotypes who confirmed my pre-existing views. Still, I shrug, pulling out a Gauloise, putting on my beret and adjusting the string of onions around my neck, you just have to go where the story takes you.
*with thanks to Jessica Elgot and @CatalinMUCheck out Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe (Remix) [CDQ], the latest from Kendrick Lamar which features a guest appearance from Jay-Z on the assist. The track was released on Monday, March 18th, 2013. Kendrick Lamar's chances in this game are improving with each new release, and Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe (Remix) [CDQ] is no exception - quite the opposite, in fact. It's a nice addition to the impressive catalogue Kendrick Lamar has been building over the years. We're definitely anticipating the next move.
Hear more of Kendrick Lamar on Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe (Remix) [CDQ/Dirty], featuring Jay-Z. Check out Kendrick Lamar's profile page for the most recent info, news, songs, and mixtapes.
Who else would you like to have seen on the track? What do y'all think of this joint?InternetNZ has made its submission towards the TPP Amendment Bill, saying the legislation will make the country's copyright laws less fair and will stifle innovation.
Under the TPP agreement, New Zealand's copyright laws will change as all country member must share regulations on intellectual property issues.
"This legislation makes some use of the exceptions allowed in the TPP, but it can and should go much further. The TPP will make New Zealand's copyright laws less fair - but Parliament can amend this draft legislation to minimise the damage," says Jordan Carter, InternetNZ CEO.
InternetNZ is particularly concerned about 'technological protection measures' that will prevent New Zealanders accessing certain content. The company says that the internet is a vast place where technology is used in a wide range of ways, and with new ways still to be invented. Digital locks and protection measures could have a damaging effect on product usage.
InternetNZ says that overseas examples are filled with litigation threats. The threats go right down to the point where people must ask permission to repair a vehicle because its software is copyrighted.
The implications for New Zealanders include restrictions on both digital and physical content people have bought, and may stifle innovation.
"We are pleased that this Bill allows for exceptions to the newly restrictive rules, which go some way to restoring the fairer balance in today's copyright law that the TPP damages. However, we are concerned that the threat of lawsuits or criminal liability will stop people using content and technology in legitimate ways. This law may scare people away from innovating, which is not good for our creative industry or anyone else," Carter says.
The TPP is written with a rights balance in mind, that it suggests exceptions to copyright law so it doesn't unfairly stop innovation. However it also suggests extension of copyright terms. InternetNZ says this goes against the TPP's supposed balance of rights.
"It is vital for the most expansive possible set of exceptions to be put in place. Regardless of what happens with the TPP, InternetNZ supports a review of copyright law, to ensure our balance is fair and up to date," Carter says.
InternetNZ believes the contradictory balance should be addressed in the copyright review, and has addressed these issues in its submission. The company says it hopes the Select Committee will carefully consider its feedback.
"It is important that this law is finalised with careful consideration so that, as a country, we minimise the very real risks of unfairly restricting New Zealanders' access to content," Carter concludes.
Read InternetNZ's submission here.TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill into law Thursday night, that authorizes the grandparent of a minor child to petition a court for visitation under certain circumstances.
Some of those circumstances include when a parent has been killed, is in a vegetative state, or is missing. It also includes when the other parent has been convicted of a felony or an offense of violence evincing behavior that poses a substantial threat of harm to the minor child's health or welfare.
The bill states, "Upon the filing of a petition by a grandparent for visitation, the court shall hold a preliminary hearing... the court may award reasonable visitation to the grandparent... if the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that a parent is unfit or that there is significant harm to the child, that visitation is in the best interest of the minor child, and that the visitation will not materially harm the parent-child relationship."
The signing of the law was good news for Michelle Parker's parents, who have fought for the bill since their daughter disappeared three years ago.
Parker was reported missing after the airing of a pre-recorded episode of the TV show "The People's Court," that featured the her and her ex-fiance, Dale Smith, in a dispute over her engagement ring. She dropped off their two kids at Smith's house and hasn't been seen since.
Parker's mom, Yvonne Stewart, said that since then, Smith has not her and her husband see their grandkids.
Stewart filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Smith, who remains a prime suspect in the disappearance, in early 2013, but that case was dismissed in 2014.
Parker's body has never been found. In February, Orlando police were still conducting searches for something vital to the investigation.
The new law will take effect July 1.
Stay with Local 6 News and ClickOrlando.com for updates on this story.
Copyright 2015 by ClickOrlando.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Giant retailer Walmart will open its sixth 24-hour store in Orange County at 8 a.m. Wednesday.
The retailer will open its second Anaheim store at 88 E. Orangethorpe Ave., a location previously occupied by Food 4 Less and across from Orangefair Marketplace. There are 11 other Walmart stores in Orange County. Five of those are open 24 hours: Santa Ana, Westminster, Orange, La Habra and Anaheim at 440 N. Euclid St., which is less than three miles away from the new Anaheim location.
View slide show to get sneak peek of the new Anaheim store and find out what departments and services it offers.
“With the current customer demand at our existing store in Anaheim, this new store will help us better meet the needs of our customers in the areas where they live,” according to a statement previously provided by Walmart.
More O.C. retail news:
The new Anaheim Walmart will be a supercenter and span 101,000 square feet.
“In recent months, Walmart has taken major steps to refresh its stores, merchandising and customer experience,” according to a Tuesday statement from Walmart. “The improvements have all come together in the company’s newest stores, such as the Anaheim Walmart, with fast service, a friendly shopping experience and clean stores.”
The new Walmart features wide aisles and lower shelving that creates an improved sightline. It also aligned the departments that customers shop most frequently. The pharmacy, for example, is adjacent to food, making it easier for customers to pick up their prescriptions while shopping for their groceries. Walmart also combined the customer service desk, Site-to-Store pick-up location and photo lab in one area near the entrance.
The Anaheim location, like all new Walmart stores, includes energy-efficient technology and environmentally friendly features. The store’s skylights harvest daylight and reduce the amount of energy required to light the store by up to 75 percent daily. LED lighting in the store operates 70 percent more efficiently than traditional fluorescent lighting. Low-flow toilets and faucets reduce the water used in the bathrooms. The new store also operates a recycling program.
Follow OC Retail blog on Facebook to get other retail news and events.
More O.C. retail news:I just recently traded in my 2010 Toyota Tundra Crew Max 4×4 for a new 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road 4×4. This truck has the Premium Technology Package and not only looks cool on the outside, but its like a space shuttle on the inside. But after driving it for almost a week I kept staring at this ECT PWR button on the dash with not a clue in the world what it does. I finally decided to figure it out.
NOTE: If you are having problems with your Toyota Tacoma transmission not shifting smoothly, check out my article on the Delayed-Engagement transmission problem.
What is the Toyota ECT PWR button?
If you look at the dash of your 3rd Generation Toyota Tacoma, you’ll see an ECT PWR button right under the navigation system and between the Blind Spot Monitor (BSM button) and the Parking Assist Sensors (P button).
The ECT PWR button stands for Electronically Controlled Transmission Power. If you did the same thing I did, you just said “WTF does that even mean?” Remember what I said earlier Toyota needed a user experience person to help them with the design of their controls? Yeah. You got it. What the acronyms stand for is just as confusing as what it actually means written out!
And it gets worse. Digging out the Toyota Manual doesn’t help much more that just guessing at what it actually does.
ECT PWR in the Toyota Manual
I opened my 2016 Tacoma’s manual and flipped through it until I landed on this page:
Selecting Power Mode
Use when high levels of response and feeling are desirable, such as when driving in mountainous regions or when pulling a trailer.
Press the “ECT PWR” button to select power mode.
The “ECT PWR” indicator comes on.
Press the button again to cancel power mode.
I thought for sure the manual would make it clear, but alas, it was vague and less than helpful.
What the ECT PWR Button ACTUALLY Does
The ECT PWR button is not a turbo boost button. In fact, it doesn’t actually increase the power of your vehicle at all. It’s nothing more than a tow-haul mode button that can be used when pulling a trailer, carrying a heavy load, or when traveling over hilly areas of land like in the mountains. What that actually means is that it raises slightly the shift points of the transmission so that the engine will rev to a slightly higher RPM before shifting to the next gear. This ensures that when under stress the truck will not lug as the next gear engages.
I called my dealership and Toyota looking to get the actual RPM values, but alas they could not give them to me at the time of this writing. The customer service person at Toyota did say that some people use the ECT PWR button when they need to accelerate quickly, such as when entering the highway from the frontage road ramps, or when legally racing the vehicle. However, I timed my 2016 Tacoma (TRD Off-Road 4×4) using my iPhone stop-watch from 0 to 60, with and without ECT PWR turned on. The difference was actually slower by 1/2 second.
One thing we can be sure of is that this ECT PWR mode will reduce your gas mileage. How much is unknown, but I suspect a couple of miles per gallon wouldn’t be too far off. So I wouldn’t recommend running it in ECT PWR mode all the time.
If you have anymore insight into the under the hood operations of ECT PWR mode, please leave it in the comments below!After one of the game’s greatest competitors cried uncle to Father Time, Dwyane Wade spoke wistfully about how Kobe Bryant had always been “the bar” for him, someone who pushed him, someone against whom he wanted to compete “eye-to-eye.”
“So, for me,” Wade said, “it’s like reality sets in, that, man, it does end, even for the greatest.”
Yes, it does, and rarely well, with Bryant, at age 37, shooting 30.5 percent. Wade, a month from 34, has been much, much better than Bryant so far this season, even as his own percentage (42.1) slumps at a career low. And he showed again Monday, even in defeat, he is still capable of the sort of furious flurry Bryant once was, scoring 20 of his 30 points in the second half, with all eight field goals inside the paint.
It is a testament to Wade’s work and will that he can still be that in his 13th season, that he can still catalyze a surge from 11 to three down during a four-minute stretch, before he and the Heat fizzled. It is also one of the trickiest things about this particular season, something that Wade, his coach and his teammates will need to |
in the past and who taught us how much fun and rich Ireland and Irish culture is just by being himself,” Stefano said.
After travelling here, they decided to start their business after having an epiphany-like experience in Galway.
“After a few trips to this beautiful country,” Stefano explained, “it didn’t take much for us to decide that Galway is just a magical place and our favourite part of Ireland.
“It’s where we made the decision that we wanted to pursue this ice cream business, while having a cone and looking at the beautiful water in front of us with this awesome town right behind us.”
As the city has become known worldwide recently for being randomly chosen for a title of a song, it’s nice to know that on a street corner in Costa Rica’s capital, the city’s name was chosen for a special reason.
Like Galway Daily on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and download our free app!Star Wars Has Something Big Planned This Spring By William Fanelli Random Article Blend Star Wars-related mayhem and hysteria, beginning with the upcoming Star Wars Celebration event planned for this April, which promises big things.
The semi-regular event, set to all but take over the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, April 16, will most certainly be one for the books. The celebratory occasion will feature appearances by Abrams as well as Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, both who will reportedly "kick off the show in a big way." What that means exactly, is anybody's guess but, according to
This will be a day long remembered.
Details for the four-day event are largely being kept under wraps, which leads us to believe there's the distinct possibility that more footage may be revealed over the course of the long weekend. By the time the event is upon us, a second trailer would absolutely be appropriate. Other feasible happenings to help make the event one to remember: show reels, sizzle reels, cast member appearances? Maybe a first looks at an in-costume Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill? A Q&A directed at revealing more details about the plot of the film or its first spin-off? Opportunities at a hands-on test drive of the Star Wars creator George Lucas led by the new Episode VII director? Roastmaster J.J. Abrams kind of has a ring to it, no? Alright, maybe I got a little off track there toward the end... but really anything can happen.
What we do know is this event, the ninth of its kind, will certainly deliver fans a weekend to remember. Past events have included behind the scenes footage, access to film props, actor/actress appearances and autograph sessions, actor panels, costume contests, appearances by the above-mentioned Hamill, Fisher and Anthony Daniels, and Q&A's with Lucas, among other things. So, yeah, it should be pretty insane!
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, co-starring John Boyega, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley and Oscar Isaac (unfortunately not Star Wars installment will certainly still be something to see. Word on the street says it will also A New Dawn, of the novel series Disney created after its purchase of Lucasfilm. Writer/director J.J. Abrams' highly-anticipated Star Wars: The Force Awakens is still about ten months out of reach... a tough pill to swallow for any fan of the long-running saga. The good news is, like with the release the franchise's previous films, the months leading up to the predictably insane theater release are sure to be packed with-related mayhem and hysteria, beginning with the upcomingCelebration event planned for this April, which promises big things.The semi-regular event, set to all but take over the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, April 16, will most certainly be one for the books. The celebratory occasion will feature appearances by Abrams as well as Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, both who will reportedly "kick off the show in a big way." What that means exactly, is anybody's guess but, according to StarWars.com, the event has promised:Details for the four-day event are largely being kept under wraps, which leads us to believe there's the distinct possibility that more footage may be revealed over the course of the long weekend. By the time the event is upon us, a second trailer would absolutely be appropriate. Other feasible happenings to help make the event one to remember: show reels, sizzle reels, cast member appearances? Maybe a first looks at an in-costume Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill? A Q&A directed at revealing more details about the plot of the film or its first spin-off? Opportunities at a hands-on test drive of the controversial crossguard lightsaber? A roast ofcreator George Lucas led by the newdirector? Roastmaster J.J. Abrams kind of has a ring to it, no? Alright, maybe I got a little off track there toward the end... but really anything can happen.What we do know is this event, the ninth of its kind, will certainly deliver fans a weekend to remember. Past events have included behind the scenes footage, access to film props, actor/actress appearances and autograph sessions, actor panels, costume contests, appearances by the above-mentioned Hamill, Fisher and Anthony Daniels, and Q&A's with Lucas, among other things. So, yeah, it should be pretty insane!, co-starring John Boyega, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley and Oscar Isaac (unfortunately not Billy Dee Williams ), hits theaters Dec. 18, 2015. Although it looks like we won't see as much as we hoped of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, the upcoming seventhinstallment will certainly still be something to see. Word on the street says it will also tie in closely with book one,, of the novel series Disney created after its purchase of Lucasfilm. Everything Coming to Disney's Streaming Service in 2019 Blended From Around The Web Facebook
Back to topSex, drugs, and rock & roll is a classic formula for disaffected youth, but Danny Perez’s debut feature spins the cliche like some sort of infinitely outrageous horror-show centrifuge. Think Gregg Araki’s The Doom Generation if it had instead been penned by body horror master David Cronenberg circa Videodrome and then psychedelically art directed by the gang behind 1987’s gross-out classic Street Trash, and you’re in the gory ball trailer park. Once seen, it’s a tough one to unsee, but a sickly-sweet Halloween treat nevertheless.
”I can’t be pregnant. It’s not my style,” says perpetually bong, blow, and booze-loaded antiheroine Lou (Lyonne) to her presumed best pal Sadie (Sevigny) after a blotto night out at an abandoned Detroit warehouse bacchanal. Turns out, she may be more right than she realizes after trenchcoated X-Files extras (led by a menacing Edwards) begin creeping around her trash-strewn back door. Is that swollen belly of hers apoptotic, alien, or just a hallucinatory product of her drug-addled and emotionally damaged mindset? And does it matter in the context of the larger nightmare at hand?
Yeah, it does. Antibirth’s crazy vibe initially comes across as a post-millennial splatterpunk barrage of guts, guns, and girls gone wild – sorry, no God here. But Perez, who also scripted, includes enough sly social subtext about the blasted American dream, the grasping claws of regional poverty, and the man vs. woman dynamic amidst what feels for all the world like the End Times, that audiences in the mood can root out a deeper darkness beneath the film’s multiple strata of good ol' weirdness.
It’s a scrappy debut with a standout performance from Lyonne, who manages to be sympathetic even while she drinks her way into further circles of hell, and a terrific return to form for Meg Tilly as well. Perez is a director to keep an eye on, for sure.A feared Chinese drill sergeant who flew into a rage, threatening fire and brimstone because cadets did not clean their bathrooms and dormitories to his satisfaction, got the shock of his entire military career when an eager-to-please cadet got down on all fours and licked the toilet to prove to the sergeant they had done the job thoroughly.
Sergeant Cai Peng, at the Sichuan Vocational and Technical College of Communications in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, ordered students undergoing military training to clean their dormitories and bathrooms.
Each bathroom included a pit toilet with a porcelain seat.
Sergeant Peng warned the students to ensure that their dormitories and bathrooms were spotlessly clean. But when he returned to inspect, he was furious because he thought the cadets had done a shoddy job. He began shouting at them, threatening harsh punishments.
But one of the students, Ho Liao, summoned up courage and stepped forward to address the feared instructor, saying he was confident they had done the job thoroughly and that he could prove it if the instructor gave him the permission to proceed.
“Excuse me sir, but I don’t agree and with your permission I would like to prove it.”
Surprised that a lowly cadet would dare speak up while he was rebuking them over a job poorly done, the instructor permitted him to provide proof.
Ho promptly got down on all fours in front of the pit toilet and began licking the porcelain seat. The dutiful cadet likewise licked around the bathroom floor and finally the dormitory floor. After going through the bizarre canine-like motions he rose to his feet, snapped to attention and saluted smartly.
“He told us he had wanted the floor good enough to eat off. We felt we delivered that, and I just wanted to prove the point.”
Sergeant Peng could only look on with open-mouthed amazement while Ho demonstrated conclusively that the students had cleaned the dormitories and toilet thoroughly.
Without any further comments or threats of punishment, he dismissed them.
Chinese high school students in their first year and college freshmen are required to undergo “military training” as part of the patriotic education program launched by the former Communist Party Chairman Deng Xiaoping. The training was made compulsory for all high school and college students in 2001.
Enforcement of military training in schools is unpopular among students and their parents. It has been criticized due to the perception that the drills are unduly harsh. The Los Angeles Times reports that last year, a boy collapsed and died during strenuous drills and a girl committed suicide after being harshly treated by an instructor.
The training program has also been criticized on the ground that rather than training students for direct military combat roles, it involves mostly political indoctrination and orientation to instill a sense of patriotism and loyalty to the state.
But this is not surprising: The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is maintained and organized as the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party rather than as a professional fighting force. Thus, training tends to focus inordinately on political indoctrination and ideological orientation.
Sometimes discipline breaks down when students are unable to bear the rigor of the drills: A fight broke out between students and instructors at a school in Hunan province last year, in which several people were injured.
[Image: Wikimedia Commons]Follow John
Slide showing Tesla Motors gigafactory statistics, from Feb 2014 presentation
Many among the Detroit auto media were skeptical of Tesla Motors for years, correctly noting just how hard it is to start a car company and build a genuinely appealing product--electric car or not.
But as Tesla continues to sell Model S electric luxury sedans, expanding into Europe and China as well as North America, some of those skeptics seem to be coming around.
MORE: Tesla Gigafactory Faces Skepticism From Panasonic, Analysts
Most recently, John McElroy, a strong proponent of natural-gas vehicles, suggests that Tesla is not in fact only a car company, but an energy-storage enterprise.
Tesla Motors - Model S lithium-ion battery pack
Tesla too pricey to buy?
McElroy's recent article in Ward's Auto, Who Does Tesla Want To Buy?, suggests that the company's soaring stock price has made it too pricey for either Daimler or Toyota to buy outright. Each company now owns a small stake in Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA].
Instead, he says, while Tesla's proposed gigafactory would allow it to "make and sell batteries for its own electric cars...it also plans to sell battery packs to electric utilities and others."
We suspect that the gigafactory may end up as a joint effort among not only Tesla and its cell partner Panasonic, plus raw-material suppliers for batteries, but also Musk's Solar City or another entity that's closer to the static energy-storage field.
DON'T MISS: Tesla's Lithium-Ion Battery Gigafactory: What You Need To Know
(The gigafactory could even conceivably be its own separate company, jointly owned by these partners--perhaps with the opportunity for a stock offering down the road. But that's a different story.)
Solar Panels by Flickr user Chandra Marsono
Batteries to store renewable energy
Still, McElroy correctly identifies the fundamental synergy between the interests of electric-car makers and electric utilities.
Under pressure to reduce the carbon footprint of their generating grids, utilities are experimenting with what's called "grid storage": construction of ways to store and buffer irregular and unpredictable generation of renewable energy source, largely wind (which comes mostly during the low-demand nighttime) and solar (often interrupted by clouds).
MORE: Electric Utilities Now Fighting Home Solar As Threat To Their Business
One of the most promising storage methods is simply a climate-controlled bunker filled with racks of the same large-format lithium-ion cells in the modules used in most plug-in electric cars today.
Tesla uses thousands of smaller format cells, but the modules inside its pack could serve the same purpose.
2014 Nissan Leaf
Nissan, A123 cells too
Tesla is far from the only company likely to enter this business. Already, batteries from both the cell supplier for the Nissan Leaf--the world's highest-volume electric car--and the cell company A123 Systems are being used for grid storage too.
NEC, the Japanese computer giant that partnered with Nissan to form Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (AESC), which supplies Leaf cells, recently bought the grid-storage portion of A123, known as A123 Energy Solutions.
The unit has now been renamed NEC Energy Solutions.
NEC is developing both a utility-scale system that will be tested in Italy and residential systems targeting Japanese households. Other cell makers have similar efforts underway to target utility storage markets.
No more power plants?
Back in Detroit, McElroy's new enthusiasm for batteries leads him to suggest that battery-based grid storage "would mean the U. S. would almost never have to build a new electric generating station again."
We think it may be a while before that scenario comes to pass.
But the future of electric cars and renewable energy seem likely to be far more closely linked than many people appreciate today.
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Follow GreenCarReports on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.The Desire for “More” is Killing Us: Lessons From Plato’s Republic
“All things are poisons, for there is nothing without poisonous qualities. It is only the dose which makes a thing poison.”
― Paracelsus
If Plato were alive today, he might be a hipster. He’d have the beard, for sure; he’d challenge ideas coming from institutions and people in authority; and he’d likely embrace a life of minimalism.
Minimalism[1] is the recent movement that encourages people to declutter their homes, simplify their lives, and reject consumerism. Popular blogs like that of Joshua Fields Millburn and Joshua Becker exemplify the movement, offering simple insights and instructions on living a stripped-down yet richer life.
But minimalism is not new; the term may be, but the practice is ancient. And Plato, being one of those old dudes from ancient Greece, knew a thing or two about the dangers of over-consumption.
Although Plato was from a wealthy family, as a young man he was smitten by Socrates, and Socrates was poor—a true street prophet—unkempt, homely, and shoeless. But despite Socrates’ grubbiness, Plato declared: “[Socrates] was the wisest, and justest, and best of all men whom I have ever known.”[2]
It was Socrates who most influenced Plato’s thinking. And Plato’s adulation of Socrates led him to cast the stout philosopher as the central character of his literary ensemble. Perhaps that is why the Republic, Plato’s most renowned work, reads like a prophetic warning against ‘wanting more.’
Let’s Talk About Justice
Republic is essentially a conversation, a dialogue, spearheaded by the ever-inquisitive Socrates. The topic of discussion is the ‘true nature of justice,’ and Socrates is inclined to believe that justice is good in and of itself. On the other hand, Thrasymachus, a politically savvy and silver-tongued sophist, believes that justice is good only if personally advantageous. The disagreement launches Socrates on a quest for the truth.
Because justice is not directly observable, Socrates suggests that something concrete be examined, something large, like a city. If a just city can be identified, then perhaps the principles that make it just can be illumined, and then something smaller can be examined against those principles, like a person. Through this process, perhaps the true nature of justice will be revealed. So with help from his interlocutors, Socrates embarks on a journey to construct an imaginary city—a city that is just.
Right away it becomes clear that the city, in its most simple form, is composed of parts that work in cooperation. People fulfill certain roles and collaborate through trade and communication for mutual benefit. The farmer specializes in farming and trades his wares for other goods. The clothier does the same, as does the builder, the baker, and so on. It is through specialization and cooperation that the city is greater than the sum of its total parts (citizens); the functioning city provides more for each citizen than they could ever achieve individually.
If you want to digest books rapidly, I recommend Blinkist. They distill non-fiction books down to potent 15-minute insight-blasts. Try it free.
But Socrates’ imaginary city is very basic, and Glaucon, a young Greek who has been listening to Socrates’ verbal ruminations, detects this and interrupts.
“[Socrates,] it seems that you make your people feast without any delicacies.”
“True enough,” Socrates replies. “They’ll obviously need salt, olives, cheese, boiled roots and vegetables.”
“If you were founding a city for pigs, Socrates, wouldn’t you fatten them on the same diet?” Glaucon quips.
“Then how should I feed these people, Glaucon?” asks Socrates.
“In the conventional way. If they aren’t to suffer hardship, they should recline on proper couches, dine at a table, and have the delicacies and desserts that people have nowadays.”
“All right,” says Socrates. “I understand. It isn’t merely the origin of a city that we’re considering, it seems, but the origin of a luxurious city. And that may not be a bad idea, for by examining it, we might very well see how justice and injustice grow up in cities. Yet the true city, in my opinion, is the one we’ve described, the healthy one, as it were. But let’s study a city with a fever, if that’s what you want. There’s nothing to stop us. The things I mentioned earlier and the way of life I described won’t satisfy some people, it seems, but couches, tables, and other furniture will have to be added, and, of course, all sorts of delicacies, perfumed oils, incense, prostitutes, and pastries. We mustn’t provide them only with the necessities we mentioned at first, such as houses, clothes, and shoes, but painting and embroidery must be begun, and gold, ivory, and the like acquired. Isn’t that so?”
“Yes,” Glaucon answers.
“Then we must enlarge our city, for the healthy one is no longer adequate. We must increase it in size and fill it with a multitude of things that go beyond what is necessary for a city.”[3]
And so it begins—expansionism and consumption. Following prompts from his audience, Socrates continually adds to the imaginary city. And as the city grows, the need for warfare becomes apparent. For how can a city expand and satiate all its desires without invading other lands? If there was any doubt before, the luxurious city, now a warmongering one, hardly seems just.
Realizing the constructed city (which looks much like any contemporary city) is a sick one, Socrates and friends seek to purify it. So they go back to the ideas that made the simple city healthy—specialization and cooperation—and begin anew by examining the soul.
Plato believes that, much like a city, the soul is composed of parts, and that a healthy or just soul will maintain a harmonious relationship between its parts, namely, the appetite, spirit, and reason. Plato also argues that every soul has a dominant disposition—an essential nature—and that justice is, in large part, staying true to this nature. It’s all a delicate balance, and desiring too much of one thing or veering from one’s nature will upset it. And, as to be expected from a philosopher, Plato suggests that reason is the faculty capable of governing this balance. In Book IV, Socrates states:
And we’ll call him wise because of that small part of himself that rules in him and makes those declarations and has within it the knowledge of what is advantageous for each part and for the whole soul, which is the community of all three parts…and he [is] moderate because of the friendly and harmonious relationship between these parts, namely, when the rational part rules and doesn’t engage in civil war against [itself].
Philosophers Know Everything? Hah!
And thus it seems justice has been identified: the harmonious balance of parts, guided by reason. To be sure, Socrates attempts to reconstruct the ideal city, so as to test the uniformity of this discovery. It should be simple: if each member of society sticks to what they are good at, which is their true nature, and the most rational rule, which are philosophers, the city will be just. If the theory holds up, the ‘true nature of justice’ will have been found.
For a moment, we get a sense that justice might be capable of being realized if everyone just performs the functions they were ‘meant to,’ guided by reason, and under the rule of wise philosophers. This is the ideal city; this is justice.
But then everything becomes murky when these wise philosopher kings begin to practice eugenics, polyandry, and questionable methods of population control—for the sake of preserving justice, of course. When Socrates lays everything out and sees it to the end, the kallipolis (Greek for ‘beautiful city’) doesn’t seem so beautiful or just. And even if one finds eugenics and polyandry to be rational, and believes that reason can permanently set us right, Socrates quietly acknowledges the fallibility of human reason with a single sentence, offering a disclaimer on its supremacy, as if to escape through a back door. Just prior to describing the fall of the kallipolis, he states: “All things that come into being must decay.”
So What Does This Have to Do With Minimalism?
Many see the Republic as Plato’s effort to philosophically construct the ideal state; I disagree. I think Plato was more concerned with demonstrating that the ideal state is not achievable—in order to encourage self-reflection and ongoing dialogue. This is up for debate. But one message in the Republic is clear: if there is anything capable of diseasing a society or soul, it is the desire for more and more; maybe you can’t have too much of a good thing, but wanting too much of it can destroy you.
In the footnotes of Grube’s translation of Republic, he writes of this desire for more and more, what the Greeks call pleonexia:
[Pleonexia] is what one succumbs to when one always wants to outdo everyone else by getting and having more and more. Pleonexia is, or is the cause of, injustice, since always wanting to outdo others leads one to try to get what belongs to them, what isn’t one’s own. It is contrasted with doing or having one’s own, which is, or is the cause of, justice.
This ‘getting and having more’ isn’t just about ‘stuff.’ Although minimalism primarily combats materialism, Plato demonstrates that it’s not just the desire for possessions that causes our decay, but also the desire for more recognition (what the Greeks meant by ‘honor’), more success, more status, more power, more comfort and pleasure. From my own view, Plato also demonstrates, although subtly, that one can even want justice to a detriment.
In contrast, ‘doing or having one’s own’ might also be called ‘sticking to the essentials.’ It is a philosophy of minimalism. It’s not only about identifying and balancing what we need, it’s about learning to be who we are, for when we are content with ourselves, our appetites become much more manageable, our desires pacified through self-understanding and self-acceptance.
The minimalist movement today is similarly about self-awareness and the recognition that peace isn’t found in consumerism, something Socrates and Plato were onto a long time ago. But that doesn’t mean you can’t go shopping. Socrates himself visited the markets frequently, as this old story tells:
Socrates believed that the wise person would instinctively lead a frugal life. He himself would not even wear shoes; yet he fell under the spell of the marketplace and would go there often to look at all the wares on display. When one of his friends asked why, Socrates said: “I love to go there and discover how many things I am perfectly happy without.”
[1] Minimalism in this sense has nothing to do with minimalism in art or design. Minimalism as design is often marked by high prices and made to seem desirable through advertising, both of which a ‘minimalist’ would reject.
[2] From Phaedo
[3] From 372d-373, Republic.
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Author Bio: Ryan Trimble is a copywriter and blogger. He writes about people and ideas that encourage deeper thinking and higher living. He also enjoys getting lost—in the wilderness, in cityscapes, in the world of ideas. You can see more of his work at This Is Imperfect.
If this was cool, follow Refine The Mind on Twitter or subscribe via email/RSS.TV in the 2000s: The Decade in Whedonism – 10 Small Screen Masterpieces from Joss Whedon
Like an awful lot of film and TV geeks, and just plain geeks, I’m a pretty big Joss Whedon fan. In fact, my devotion to his unique blend of fantasy and science fiction melodrama, sometimes arch old-school movie-style witty dialogue blended with Marvel comics repartee, strong characterization, and often somewhat silly plots has at times gotten almost embarrassing. A few years back some of my very adult friends were suggesting in concerned tones that I should really marry the man if I love him so much.
More recently, I thought my fandom was under relative control. But now, I’ve been asked my opinion on the ten best examples of small-screen work in this decade from the creator and guiding force of “Angel,” “Firefly,” the already canceled “Dollhouse,” and, of course, “Buffy, the Vampire Slayer.” I only have to be thankful for the fact that first four seasons of “Buffy,” which contain most of that show’s greatest episodes, are disqualified because they appeared on TV sets before 2000. We take our mercies where we find them. (And, yes, if you’re about to catch up with these on DVD, there are a fair number of spoilers below for the various series, though I’ve tried to keep a few secrets.) One word of warning: my relative ranking of these shows is a matter of mood and borders on the random. In other words — don’t hold me to these choices!
Out of competition:
“The Body” (“Buffy, the Vampire Slayer”) – This episode usually ranks extremely high when people make these kind of lists. Entertainment Weekly named it as pretty much the best thing Joss Whedon has ever done and maybe the best TV thing ever. The truth of the matter is that, yes, the episode where Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Geller) discovers the already cold body of her mother, Joyce (Kristine Sutherland, a wonderful asset to the show for the five previous years), dead from an entirely natural brain tumor, was probably one of the most remarkable episodes of television ever shown, and probably the only thing I’ve seen that comes close to capturing the essence of what it feels like when someone dies unexpectedly. The problem was, I didn’t find it depressing; I found it real. I didn’t feel any more like repeating the experience than I would the death of an actual loved one.
Whedon – who wrote and directed the episode himself – deserves all the credit in the world for the brave choices he made, including shooting the episode in close to “real time” and not using any music. If I have one complaint with Whedon, it’s his tendency to close emotional episodes with, dare I say it, somewhat drippy montages. His choice to eliminate music from the kind of “very special” show where other creators would lay in with three or four montages of Joyce frolicking in the woods or what have you, shows Whedon is, at heart, an outstanding filmmaker. I’ve never had a problem with his much-noted tendency to kill off sympathetic and/or popular characters. It might anger some fans, but especially if you’re dealing with inherently violent material, there’s something morally wrong about not dealing with the fact that good people are just as mortal as bad people. Still, I don’t enjoy watching this episode. If this were a movie, maybe I’d be more in awe or eager for profundity. However, if I’m going to be honest, I can’t call “The Body” a favorite and I can’t be sure it’s one of the “best.”
#10, Shiny Happy People (“Angel”) – Fans of the spin-off about Buffy’s ex, the vampire-with-a-soul detective (David Boreanaz), and various assembled demon-hunters and occasionally friendly demons, will be scratching their heads at this choice. It’s an unpopular episode from a widely and justly derided storyline involving a very weird affair between Angel’s unbalanced super-powered teenage son from another dimension, Connor (Vincent Kartheiser, now of “Mad Men“), and a suddenly evil Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter), a former high school mean girl turned lovably complex grown-up foil for her vampire boss. And, yeah, it was a little freaky for Cordy to give birth to a fully grown creature called Jasmine.
However, as played by the wondrous Gina Torres of the then recently-canceled “Firefly,” Jasmine was freaky in a good way. A being whose god-like ability to create an instant sense of peace, happiness, and complete obedience, is somewhat set off by the fact that she’s actually a deformed and decaying, if not entirely evil, monster who must consume people to live, she was every charismatic leader and every great screen beauty rolled into one monstrous ball. More than anything else, “Shiny Happy People” reminded me of Don Siegel’s 1956 film verson of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” It was another believable demonstration of how we humans are only too willing to surrender our our humanity to the first apparently completely beauteous and 100% wise being who comes along. You know, like Oprah, only less powerful.
#9. “Epitaph One”/“The Left Hand” (“Dollhouse”) — A tie for the two best episodes so far of Whedon’s most recent, most highly problematic, and most freshly canceled, series. Without going into what I think went awry with the show, about an immoral corporation providing semi-slave designer human beings for a very high price, these two very different episodes take creative risks that pay off in big ways. The DVD-only, lower-budget, “Epitaph One” is set ten years after the events of the series and makes use of its somewhat low-fi aesthetic to create an exciting post-apocalyptic science-fiction drama that plays like a more thoughtful version of certain aspects of “The Terminator” (which Whedon is famously trying to buy). The episode features some especially good acting, both from guest stars like Felicia Day and series regulars like the always superb Olivia Williams and Harry Lennix.
The more glossy “The Left Hand,” which aired just before I started writing this, benefits from a breakneck pace, lots of prime Whedon tragicomic humor, as well as a scene-stealing guest appearance by “Firefly” and “Terminator”-alum Summer Glau as a truly messed-up techie on a soul-crushing vendetta against Eliza Dushku‘s self-aware “doll,” Echo, but with a definite crush on her enemy’s programmer. Most of that humor I was talking comes from strong work by Fran Kranz, whose really grown into his role as seemingly 100% amoral nerdy brain-designer-genius Topher Brink, and the amazing Enver Gkojaj as, yes, seemingly 100% amoral nerdy brain-designer-genius Topher Brink. (He’s duplicated himself so he can literally be in two places at once.) The previously unknown Gjokaj may be one reason why – canceled or not, mixed reviews and controversy or not – “Dollhouse” may go down in TV history. Over the years, Whedon has shown an increasing flair for picking out shockingly good actors to populate his work in supporting roles, and Gjokaj may be one of the very best. His chameleon-like ability to inhabit a number of highly disparate characters with complete believability and – as seen on this episode – his Alec Baldwin-like gift of mimicry, pretty much guarantees that we’ll be hearing from this extremely accomplished young actor again very soon.
#8. “Serenity” (“Firefly”) — High on the list of reasons why Whedon’s combination of horse opera and space opera never really had a chance to hit with audiences, the choice to air its original pilot — not to be confused with the later movie of the same name — as the final episode, and only after the show had already been canceled, is certainly among them. Just a hair darker in its outlook than the rest of the show, this “Serenity” is very much in the tradition of classic movie westerns and does a marvelous job of introducing a rich cast of characters. In particular, Captain Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) is a combination of the swaggering Han Solo and the tragic, embittered Ethan Edwards of “The Searchers” but with a far sharper sense of humor than either and one of the best lead characters on any show, ever. Deemed too slow and not funny enough by the network and even some fans, the episode that introduced the mostly well-intentioned thieves-for-hire of the Firefly class ship named Serenity, is perfectly calibrated, comedy-laced, action film-making of the very best kind.
#7. “War Stories” (“Firefly”) — A brutally funny combination of violence and character-driven comedy, this episode focuses on a kind of triangle we don’t often see in movies and TV. Space-freighter pilot Wash (Alan Tudyk, “Dodgeball,” “3:10 to Yuma“) is happily married to beautiful, ex-military, bad-ass Zoe (Gina Torres), but he finds himself jealous of her old combat buddy and current companion in danger, Captain Mal. Even if he can be convinced that there was never anything romantic between the two of them, he is desperate to somehow become a part of their unique relationship when it comes to dealing with life or death matters. Maneuvering himself into a situation where a real danger ensues, he not surprisingly gets more than he asked for.
This episode is notable for easily the funniest believably painful torture sequence ever filmed – a bit of inspired ultra-black comedy that Whedon might not dare to have tried in the post-Dick Cheney/post “24” world. The brilliance of the scene is accounted for not only by a great script credited to Cheryl Cain, but the top grade chemistry between Alan Tudyk and Nathan Fillion. To this day, they are darn funny appearing together as themselves in public, but they’ve never been better than when they were allowed to work out their issues while being electrocuted by an interplanetary criminal mastermind.
#6. “Chosen” (“Buffy, the Vampire Slayer”) – Longtime fans know that Joss Whedon has a spotty record when it comes to season openers and pilots. However, he always seems to pull things out at the other end and delivers solid finales that leave you both satisfied and wanting more. Happily, so far, this seems to go double for series finales. The conclusion to Whedon’s most popular and long-lived show is pretty much everything fans could have wanted, providing a certain amount of closure to long-standing conflicts in thrilling and kind of beautiful ways.
As Buffy and her long-time friends, who are getting a bit old to be called “Scoobies,” face one more battle against the original evil and witness the destruction of their hometown, not everything goes so well. In typical Whedon fashion, a couple of beloved characters die (though one recovered from his nasty case of being burned to a crisp quickly enough to return as a regular on the next season of “Angel”), but the overall tone is wistfully hopeful, and fully in line with the show’s emphasis on friendship, female empowerment, and the need to tough out this thing we call human life.
#5 – “Not Fade Away” (“Angel”) — “Angel” was always the darker, meaner cousin of “Buffy.” So, naturally its conclusion is suitably more down-and-dirty and, remarkably, even better than the acclaimed wrap-up of its sister show the year prior. Largely a fantasy-noir variation on one of Whedon’s favorite movies, “The Wild Bunch,” this episode is about what happens when battle-hardened folks face an unbeatable enemy. Sure, the staff of Angel Investigations are more morally upright than Sam Peckinpah’s mangy hardcases, but this is still a tale about settling old scores in blood and a final battle that may be as ultimately pointless as it is noble. Again, not everyone survives…I think. The show’s ending is, rather brilliantly, far from completely resolved, though the tone is much more “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” than “The Sopranos” finale. In any case, Whedon’s theme of life as perpetual struggle couldn’t be |
and Steven Robbins in 1954. Around 1951, the Robbins family moved to Oceanside, New York, where they became members of the Reform Jewish congregation of Temple Avodah.
In 1955 Temple Avodah was without a cantor for the High Holidays. After much consultation with their rabbi, Charles Ozer, and other eminent Jewish authorities, the Board of Trustees in August unanimously appointed Betty Robbins the new cantor of this congregation.
A front-page article in the New York Times on August 3, 1955, states, “A spokesman for the School of Sacred Music of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion said she might well be the first woman cantor in 5,000 years of Jewish history.” The article continues, “The spokesman for the School of Sacred Music, founded in 1947 as the first training school for cantors in this country, said today there was no religious law, merely a tradition, against women becoming cantors.”
Robbins taught religious school for eighteen years at Sinai Reform Temple in Bay Shore, Long Island, and earned a teaching certificate from Hebrew Union College in 1962. She tutored bar and bat mitzvah students, taught Israeli dancing and formed and directed adult and children’s choirs. As a teacher for the Association for Retarded Children, Robbins used music therapy long before it was recognized as a specialty.
After Sheldon Robbins retired in 1979, he and Betty Robbins moved to Lake Worth, Florida. In Palm Beach County, Betty Robbins served as cantor, tutored bar and bat mitzvah students, taught religious school, organized choirs and created a yearly zimriah (songfest) for schoolchildren. As a member of the clergy, she conducted religious services on dozens of worldwide Jewish holiday cruises.
The little girl from Greece who went all alone in her new homeland, Poland, to hear the cantor sing melodies she loved, was a rebel with a heart and mind of her own. The innate sense of equality and independence that existed inside this eight-year-old became the pioneering spirit of the female cantor Betty Robbins.
On February 19, 2004, Robbins died peacefully at her home in Ashland, Oregon.CHELSEA, MASS. (WHDH) - Two women were injured in a shooting in Chelsea after police said they were followed from Everett.
Police said the women were leaving the Chuck-E-Cheese when they were followed from the parking lot. Shots were fired at their minivan on Fourth Street in Chelsea.
Police said the women drove to a firehouse in Orient Heights for help and were taken to the hospital. At least one of the women was treated for injuries to her face after she was hit by shattered glass.
The suspect got away in a silver Honda and possibly took off over the Tobin Bridge.
Police do not have a motive in the shooting.
(Copyright (c) 2019 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)I’ve done a few premieres for Noisia during my time as a writer for Your EDM, but I’m not sure I’ve been as excited for a premiere as I am for this one. “Mantra” remains one of the most intense tracks from their most recent album, Outer Edges. How you do you improve upon something that doesn’t need any improvement?
You get Mat Zo to remix it.
Mat Zo, seemingly without effort, transformed this drum & bass, neurofunk roller into a sort of mind-melting, indescribable remix that blends various bass genres and an almost ethnic vibe to carry it. It’s one of the more unique remixes from Mat Zo or anyone that we’ve heard, and the pairing of Noisia and Mat Zo together is nearly enough to cause spontaneous arousal.
It’s not hard to think of producers who could have done this remix justice – Joe Ford, Memtrix or The Upbeats all come to mind. But what Mat Zo has done goes beyond just “doing it justice,” rather he’s reinvented the wheel of sorts, and we’re digging this design a lot, too.
Listen to Mat Zo’s remix of “Mantra” by Noisia below. The Outer Edges Remixes album is out April 7 – pre-order here.The hardest part of my business failing was not the loss of the business. It was the loss of the identity that came with being a successful entrepreneur.
I had become so attached to this identity that when others asked how the non-existent business was doing, I said, “Great!” The chasm between the image of being financially set for life and owning a failed business was painful. I felt like a fraud.
When I finally got up the courage to start telling the truth, I could feel a weight lift off my shoulders. I had no idea how much stress I had been causing myself. To my huge surprise, instead of shunning me, people actually treated me with more respect and confided in me with their challenges. I wondered how had I been so wrong in judging other people’s reactions.
In his highly cited research, University of Georgia social psychology professor Abraham Tesser found that when someone close to us outperforms us in a task relevant to us, it often threatens our self-esteem. The more relevant the task is, the greater the threat we feel.
My personal experience matches the research. As much as I would like to be purely happy for my closest friends when they achieve something amazing, sometimes part of me feels diminished. I wonder why I haven’t been able to duplicate their successes, attributing it to advantages they had over me or their superior abilities.
In talking with Dr. Tesser, I learned that what I thought of as insecurity is actually part of being human: “In our studies, when we gave people information about someone else’s success who is close to them in an area they’re also trying to be good at, they say they feel proud and behave that way, but, in fact, they weren’t. When we surreptitiously video-recorded them you could see disappointment and negative affect in their face. Their behaviors did not reflect how they said they felt.”
While I had always looked at this mechanism as a negative force in society, Dr. Tesser’s belief is that people reconstructing their worldviews to constantly think about what they’re best at actually helps the divisions of labor in society. And yet I wondered if it was really necessary for us to try and hide our disappointment, as his study participants did. What if we shared our mixed feelings with others?
In 1997, Arthur Aron, a social psychologist and director of the Interpersonal Relationships Lab at Stony Brook University, performed a groundbreaking study that answers this question.
He and his research team paired students who were strangers. The students were given 45 minutes to ask each other a series of questions. Half the pairs were given questions that were factual and shallow (e.g., a favorite holiday or TV show). The other half were given questions that started off as factual but gradually became deeper (e.g., the role of love in their lives, the last time they cried in front of someone else). The final question was, “Of all the people in your family, whose death would you find the most disturbing?”
After the 45 minutes, Aron’s team asked the participants to rate how close they felt to their partner. Pairs from the second group formed much deeper bonds. In fact, many of these participants started lasting friendships. In one longer version of the experiment, two participants even got engaged a few months after the study.
Aron’s team also surveyed a broad selection of students not involved with the experiment and asked them to rate how close they felt to the closest person in their life. Aron then compared these scores with the ratings of the study participants who had asked each other the deeper questions. Amazingly, the intensity of their bonds at the end of the experiment rated closer than the closest relationships in the lives of 30% of similar students. A 45-minute conversation created a connection that was perceived as closer than the closest connection with someone people known for years.
Only presenting an idealized version of ourselves separates us from others.
The mistaken assumption is that if people find out who we really are underneath, they’d remove themselves from our lives. The reality is that if we share the ups and downs of our human experience in the right way in the right context, we build deeper connections. In so doing, we can break down the roles we play (e.g., client/customer, boss/employee, fundraiser/philanthropist) and connect with each other as humans.
In a world where people compare their behind-the-scenes with others’ highlight reels, we can surprise ourselves, and put others at ease, by sharing our full humanity.To Build an Atlas
Civil Maps Blocked Unblock Follow Following Mar 7, 2017
By Sravan Puttagunta, CEO of Civil Maps
At Civil Maps, we’ve developed technology that allows analog and autonomous test vehicles to navigate roads using crowdsourced, HD, 3D maps rather than current, high-latency and high-compute methods. We are excited to share with you one key part of this solution, designed for those working on self-driving cars. 2016 was a pivotal year for our company with regard to software development. We made tremendous progress, but quickly realized we needed a hardware system to prove out those achievements. We couldn’t find anything that would outperform traditional methods in cost, safety, and mass-market adoption readiness. So, we set out to architect a solution that we are sharing with you today, called Atlas DevKit. It is a car-mounted hardware unit and companion software suite, built for enabling developers to affordably create and utilize high definition, machine readable maps that can be crowdsourced.
Over the past few months, we’ve worked with some of the most innovative automotive companies in the world. Setting their sights on full vehicle autonomy, they are working with our Atlas DevKit to convert sensor data into 3D semantic map data in real-time. The platform is a cost-effective, scalable software and hardware combination that enables localization in six dimensions, map creation, and crowdsourcing — all essential to ensuring the safe navigation and operation of a self-driving car.
While it would have been ideal to utilize existing hardware solutions to demonstrate the capabilities of our software, the current methods employed for surveying and outdoor 3D map creation boast price tags and technical complexities that drive the cost of acquisition and operation far higher than is acceptable to test or deploy at scale. Running expensive survey equipment, uploading data after completing a survey, and building maps offline maximizes latency and removes the potential for real-time updates. To enable truly precise crowdsourced maps, the system must be able to localize the vehicle and ingest and analyze data in real time. Our solution required much heavier constraints on cost (sensors, compute, and data transfer) in order to accomplish our goals.
By utilizing an affordable ARM processor and simple off-the-shelf components, we were able to drastically reduce both the cost and the size of the system. This means that it can be mounted to a standard roof rack on any vehicle to increase the potential number of vehicles contributing to the map. Through testing and validation, we were able to determine optimal mounting configurations for the unit to ensure that the sensors are able to capture sufficient data to properly localize the vehicle and identify features on and around the roadway.
Because the Atlas DevKit is sensor agnostic, our partners are able to customize it to fit their testing needs. With Atlas Lite DevKit, “they can bring their own sensor” and still use our software solutions. With significant cost-savings and ease of use, our partners can immediately begin testing and development with both the Atlas DevKit and the Atlas Lite DevKit. This means that user feedback on the dev kits is almost immediate, allowing us to make changes and adjustments that reflect the real-world use of our products in a meaningful way.
While we are very happy with the performance offered by our Atlas DevKit, this is just the beginning. We are currently testing with new designs that further reduce cost, improve functionality, and ensure ease-of-operation for users. Our team has set aggressive goals and KPIs surrounding both the performance of our software, the cost of our hardware, and customer experience. We intend to meet them and enable customer testing and map aggregation that will allow for safe autonomous vehicles to become a reality sooner than you might think.
Highlights of the Atlas DevKit for Developers
● Advanced Localization: In 6 dimensions (x, y, z, roll, pitch, yaw) within 10 cm accuracy
● Affordable: Enables R&D at scale
● Minimal Compute: Runs on an ARM processor with low power consumption
● Low Data Footprint: (+/- 120 kb per km)
● Multi-Sensor Compatible: Integrates with a variety of sensors, allowing for interchangeable configurations
● Connected: 4G allows for remote provisioning
● Flexible: Atlas DevKit, Atlas Lite DevKit (for integration with vehicle’s existing sensors, Atlas DevKit SDK (for integration in hardware ready vehicles)
Want to help build future versions? Check out our jobs page and get in touch!Ten years after the finale of Showtime’s Queer as Folk, the cast will reunite this summer to reflect on the show’s legacy.
The ATX Television Festival will bring together many members of the original cast, with Gale Harold, Peter Paige, Robert Gant, Scott Lowell, Michelle Clunie, and Thea Gill confirmed to appear.
“We’re extremely proud to bring Queer as Folk to the Festival this year,” said the festival’s co-executive directors and co-founders Caitlin McFarland and Emily Gipson in a statement.
“We strive for diverse and revolutionary programming, and this groundbreaking series changed the game for cable television in 2000, marking a high point not only for the LGBT community, but for socially important storytelling.”
The Queer as Folk reunion joins a panel lineup that includes the previously announced Gilmore Girls reunion and Dawson’s Creek writers’ room panel.
Queer as Folk originally debuted on Showtime in 2000, and the show will mark its 15th premiere anniversary in December. The Showtime drama originally centered on the lives of five gay men and some of their family members, as well as a lesbian couple, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
“Writing and producing a groundbreaking, and often controversial, show like QAF was challenging, but also a rewarding and transformative experience for all of us,” said the show’s creators Daniel Lipman and Ron Cowen in a statement. “We look forward to sharing to our stories and memories.”
The ATX Television Festival will run from June 4-7 in Austin, Texas. More information about the festival and tickets can be found here.Nival, the publisher and developers behind the Blitkrieg series and King’s Bounty: Legions, have got in touch with us this evening to let us know that they are “anti-SOPA” – the bill currently going through the US Congress that could irreparably harm the internet. They have given us a statement explaining their position, which is below.
“Nival does not support SOPA, despite a deep understanding of the struggle against piracy in the games industry. Unfortunately, SOPA could do more harm to Internet freedom than good to fight piracy. We recognize the issues our partners in the online press have with this legislation. We will continue to be anti-piracy but are also anti-SOPA.”
Clearly many developers and indie publishers are also against SOPA, but we are specifically tracking those who are members of the ESA, because the representative organisation has said it is in favour of the bill. We, and others, are asking the companies represented to explain their individual positions.
Keep up to date with which members of the Entertainment Software Association are for or against the bill here.Even 10 years ago, the idea of reversing ageing and conquering human mortality was still fringe science, seen as snake-oil research by most scientists, large pharmaceutical companies, and the public. What a difference a decade makes. Anti-ageing science is poised to become a major industry in the biotech world.
To prove its promise, the first million-dollar bet on who can live the longest (for company stock — a signed deal likely made public later this week) was recently struck. It was made last month by two leading longevity advocates at the biggest annual healthcare investing event of the year, the JPMorgan Health Care Conference.
Dmitry Kaminskiy, senior partner of Hong Kong-based technology venture fund, Deep Knowledge Ventures, and Dr. Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, CEO of bioinformatics company Insilico Medicine Inc. which specialises in drug discovery and drug repurposing for ageing and age-related diseases, signed a wager to indicate exactly how sure they are that science is turning the tide against the eternal problem of human ageing.
The terms go like this:
- If one of the parties passes away before the other, $US1 million dollars in Insilico Medicine stock will be passed to the surviving party - The agreement will vest once both parties reach 100 years - Parties agree not to accelerate each other's demise (i.e. try to kill each other)
"Longevity competitions may be a great way to combat both psychological and biological ageing," Dr Zhavoronkov emailed me. "I hope that we will start a trend." He sees longevity bets catching on around the world, and thinks if people will embrace competition to live longer, they may leave behind a global culture that largely accepts ageing and human death as a given.
Kaminskiy agrees. "I would really like to make similar bets with Bill Gates, Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg so they could live longer lives and create great products, but I don't think they will be worthy competitors on longevity," he wrote me in an email. "But I would like to challenge Sergey Brin and Larry Page to a similar competition due to their seemingly high interest in the sphere and Calico project."
There's been a plethora of activity recently in the longevity field, also known as life extension science, the practice of trying to find ways to stop ageing and disease. Its supporters are often called life extensionists, transhumanists and immortalists, and they aim to use medical discoveries in regenerative medicine, stem cells, tissue rejuvenation, molecular repair, pharmaceuticals and organ replacement as means to live longer.
Reuters reported that Dr Aubrey de Grey, a leading biomedical gerontologist and chief scientist at SENS Research Foundation, thinks scientists may be able to control ageing in the near future, "I'd say we have a 50/50 chance of bringing ageing under what I'd call a decisive level of medical control within the next 25 years or so."
The last two years have seen the creation of major anti-ageing companies, such as Google's Calico and J. Craig Venture's new San Diego-based genome sequencing startup Human Longevity, (co-founded with Peter Diamandis of the X-Prize Foundation and stem cell pioneer Robert Hariri) which already has 70 million dollars in financing. Billionaires like Larry Ellison and Peter Thiel are also funding research into longevity science.
There's a growing stream of anti-ageing studies, discoveries and projects appearing in science journals and major media — the US political Transhumanist Party has made dedicating national resources to life extension science its top priority for Americans.
"Seems like a new investment boom is coming, resembling the Dot Com boom," Kaminskiy told me.
So is this kind of longevity wager just a gimmick, or can it actually help anti-ageing science out? Andrew Garazha, an analyst at England-based biotechnology and regenerative medicine company Ageing Analytics, who witnessed the bet and first told me about the story, explained the significance in an email:
The bet signifies: 1. We are very confident that lifespans will be extended dramatically 2. Competing for longevity provides extra incentives to take care of our health today and try various approaches to extend lifespans 3. Competing for longevity provides extra motivation to live
Garazha has a point about competition. Historically speaking, other competitions and bets have been made to further science and humanity's ambitions. Napolean Bonaparte offered 12,000 Franks for anyone who could learn to preserve food, something that would greatly help his far-off military campaigns. The winner was Nicolas François Appert, whose method of boiling and sealing food in bottles in 1809 led to canned food.
Of course other bets, competitions and races are more well-known: The X Prize competition, the Soviet and American race to the moon during the Cold War, and even IBM's Deep Blue beating Gary Kasparov in chess. This match-up was originally spurred by a competition, in which the IBM team won the $US100,000 prize.
Longevity competitions themselves may seem new and futuristic, but they have some historical precedence. A moderately popular investment annuity plan in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries called tontines encouraged competition to live longer by giving investment funds of deceased participants to living participants.
A more well-known longevity bet was made by 90-year-old Jeanne Calment and attorney Andre-Francois Raffray. The agreement was that Raffray would pay her a monthly amount of $US500 while she was living — but he would inherit her apartment after she died. Given her old age, it seemed like a prudent business move. But Calment went on to become a supercentenarian, dying at 122.5 years, which is now the longest confirmed lifespan of any human being on record. Ironically, Raffray died before Calment, but not before paying double what the apartment was worth.
If the bet between Kaminsky and Zharvorokov seems a like a way to generate publicity hype for longevity science, that's because it is. But like many other longevity leaders, they are not in this to for money or fame. They are doing this for a singular and extremely human reason: They don't want to die. And they want others to know that — in the 21st Century, an age spilling over with new radical science, medicine, and technology — they might not have to either.
"Technology is evolving so fast," Kaminskiy said, "that I have no doubt that we will be able to live centuries instead of decades."
Picture: Shutterstock
Zoltan Istvan is the author of The Transhumanist Wager and founder of the Transhumanist Party.Seat results — SPD in red, Greens in green, SSW in blue, FDP in yellow, CDU in black
The Schleswig-Holstein state election, 2005, was conducted on 20 February 2005, to elect members to the Landtag (state legislature) of Schleswig-Holstein.
Issues and campaign [ edit ]
Surveys before the election indicated that most voters considered high unemployment in Germany and Schleswig-Holstein to be the key issue of the campaign. Pre-election polls indicated that the personal popularity of Heide Simonis was still high, though, and that the SPD-Green coalition would continue to have the support of a plurality of voters. However, the unpopularity of the national SPD and the Hartz IV reforms appear to have taken a toll.
Results [ edit ]
The announced results are as follows.[1] Note that there is a considerable reduction in the number of Landtag seats.
After the election, the SPD-Green coalition no longer commanded a majority of the Landtag. The SSW announced that although it would not enter a coalition, it saw more common ground with the SPD than the CDU. Premier Heide Simonis proceeded to form an SPD-Green coalition based on an agreement with the SSW backing it.
On March 17, 2005, Simonis failed to win a Landtag vote for the premiership, with the secret ballot tying 34-34. It is not known who the abstainer was, though it is widely believed to have been a representative of her own party. Since the SPD-Green coalition had fallen with her leadership, the SPD was forced to negotiate a grand coalition with the CDU, acceding to the CDU's demand that CDU leader Peter Harry Carstensen replace Simonis as Minister-president.Privateer is showing new Cygnar and Cryx platoons for thier new narrative league kicking off this year. Get ready for non-Warcaster action!
Take it away Will Hungerford:
In just a few short months, the Company of Iron narrative league for WARMACHINE and HORDES will begin. So, what’s Company of Iron, you ask? Let me give you the quick recap from one of my previous Insiders.
With our next full narrative league not beginning until after Lock & Load 2016, we wanted to fill the gap this spring with a shorter standalone league, which meant it would last a single season instead of four. Company of Iron begins March 2016, lasts six weeks, and can be run at any time up until the new narrative league begins.
“This new league focuses on famous platoons of soldiers—specific groups of models—that you take control of to play in various asymmetrical Attacker/Defender scenarios. Each faction gets its own unique platoon, and over the next few weeks, we’ll take an in-depth look at each of them. One of the coolest features of the platoon mechanic is that you can include these platoons in your normal-sized games of WARMACHINE or HORDES, or you can play the platoon skirmish scenarios in cases where you don’t play a full-sized army. Instead, you and your opponent play only with your platoon models. No warcasters, no warlocks, just a small-scale skirmish battle where every single activation counts more than ever.”
Now then, let’s start our review of some of the platoons you’ll be able to play in this upcoming league.
Cygnar: The Saints of Corvis
The ruined streets and dilapidated buildings of a war-torn city hold sights that can break even the hardest soldiers. The Saints of Corvis survived such horrors during the Invasion of Sul and still fight on, standing resolutely against Cygnar’s enemies. Deployed deep into urban combat zones, these warriors strike seemingly from nowhere, clearing enemy positions before disappearing without a trace.
The Saints of Corvis are composed of a unit of Arcane Tempest Gun Mages and a minimum unit of Trencher Commandos, and they are led by a Gun Mage Captain Adept. This platoon starts off with all models gaining the Gunfighter ability, and over the course of the league gains plenty of useful upgrades called promotions. For example, one of the promotions available to the platoon grants the Gun Mage Captain Adept a new ability called Light ’Em Up, which reads:When a friendly model with Light ’Em Up directly hits an enemy model with a ranged attack during its activation, friendly platoon models gain +2 to ranged attack damage rolls against the model hit for one round.
The Saints of Corvis are all about getting the job done quickly, quietly, and from as far away as possible. In platoon skirmish games, the Trencher Commandos can be a real nightmare for your opponent and must be dealt with as quickly as possible before they carve up enemy soldiers, regardless of their ARM stats.
Cryx: The Black Heart Raiders
There are those who would write off the Black Heart Raiders as nothing more than phantoms invoked to frighten unruly children, but the glazed eyes and trembling hands of mariners from the coastal villages between Ingrane and Highgate tell another story. Tales of proud men slain by horned witches or innocent babes ripped screaming from their mothers’ side are tame compared to the horrible truth. Any soul unfortunate enough to survive one of their midnight raids can only look forward to an agonizing death as part of Satyxis blood rituals under the scrutinizing eye of the Raiders’ vicious captain.
The Black Heart Raiders are composed of a maximum unit of Black Ogrun Boarding Party and a minimum unit of Satyxis Blood Witches with the Blood Hag unit attachment, and they are led by a Satyxis Raider Captain. The whole platoon starts off gaining Pathfinder, and like all platoons, they get some really nasty upgrades throughout the league. One of my favorites is a new ability for the Black Ogrun called Blood Haze, which reads: When an enemy model is boxed by an attack made by a model with Blood Haze, center a 3˝ AOE on it and remove it from play. While within the AOE, friendly platoon models gain +3 ARM. The AOE remains in play for one round.
This platoon is all about getting their hands dirty…well, bloody, actually. Almost all of their promotion upgrades involve providing some benefit to the rest of the platoon for killing or wounding enemy models. The more damage you do to your foe, the more your platoon buffs will snowball… er, bloodball.
That’s all for today, but check back next week when we’ll take a sneak peek at the platoons available for Trollbloods and Skorne.
~What do you think about a new formal league play structure that is set around small “regular soldiers” with no warcasters around?KAPOW! That's nearly as awesome as adding a baseball field to OpenStreetMap!
The big baseball project 2011 is all over!
This was a project to add baseball fields to OpenStreetMap while the play-offs and the World Series were playing.
Check out the above link to see a full list of all the OpenStreetMap baseball champions, that's anyone who took part in adding baseball diamonds during the two week period while the project was running.
This used to show the edits rolling in, but the edit tracker has now been stopped. It was just a temporary mapping sprint, but that doesn't mean you can't add more baseball fields to OpenStreetMap!
The aim of this project was always more about attracting new users to give this a try, so all the participants are champions! We had 188 people taking part, and between us we mapped 14,062 baseball diamonds!
But the prize for most baseball diamonds mapped goes to User:fx99 from Germany. Congratulations!
How to map
watch the tutorial video
If you're new to OpenStreetMap, welcome! You'll need to sign up before you can get access to the 'edit' tab. See also Beginners' guide.
To represent a baseball diamond on the map, draw a way around the visible green area of it. Make sure it's closed to form an area, and then set these two tags:
If you're using the 'edit' tab (AKA Potlatch 2) you can set these tags by selecting the way, and then on the left choose 'unknown'->'Sport and leisure'->'Sports Pitch'. Then set the sport dropdown to say 'baseball'
Mapping baseball fields with Potlatch 2
Got stuck? Need help? There are several Contact channels where you can ask questions and get help from other OpenStreetMap enthusiasts. For a quick question, why not hop onto IRC chat? You're also welcome to contact Harry with questions
How to find baseball diamonds
Start by mapping baseball diamonds you know about, near where you live. The ones in your school. The ones in your local park.
Once you've done that, spread out! There are bazillions of them all over the U.S. You can spot them in the bing imagery. In particular any school will tend to have at least three or four of them (and you can spot schools fairly easily since they've been imported)
There is also a dynamic baseball data map, provided by ITO World as part of their ITO Map offering. Zoom in to see where baseball pitches have already been mapped. Some cities don't have any baseball data yet!
What else can I map?
There's all sorts of data you can add to OpenStreetMap. See Map Features for a big list of features we can map. In relation to baseball...
Roads looking wonky? Straighten them out. See TIGER fixup for some details of that. An access road leading to a baseball field may well be missing. These small roads can be added. They would be tagged with highway = service
There's always lots of baseball fields as part of schools. Why not map some more details of the school while you're there? Most schools in the U.S. are already on the map with just a single node ( amenity = school ). A good thing to do, is to convert this to be an area looping around the perimeter of the school grounds. If you're doing this, you should copy the tags from the existing node, onto the new perimeter way, and then delete the old node. You can also map school buildings ( building =* ) and small roads around school grounds ( highway = service
Likewise for baseball diamonds as part of public parks, you can map these with a leisure = park way looping around the full area of the park.
Do's and dont's
Do map lots of baseball diamonds. As many as possible!
Do map individual diamonds as separate ways, even if they're neighbouring each other.
Don't use 100 nodes to represent the exact curve of the edge of the field. Usually about 10 nodes would plenty even for a large one.
Do map other stuff too while you're about it. (schools & parks, see previous section)
Do have fun and get competitive, in a friendly way, with the rankings!
Don't try to game the system to score more edits. Yes we know there's lots of ways you could do this, but there's also lots of real mapping to be doing. No cheating! :-)
mapping to be doing. No cheating! :-) Do get your friends involved! Know any baseball fans? Time to tell them about OpenStreetMap.
Promotion
This was a short sharp mapping sprint which finished on October 27th.
/press release
See Also
Harry Wood posted a diary entry about the results.
short link to this page: http://bit.ly/OSMbaseballEpaulette
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Theatrical masks - Before prison and after prison. - Before prison and after prison.
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Bear
Medvezhatnik
- Mark of distinction for some merit.- Wearer has been a thief/criminal from their early days or protection from some misfortune.have 2 meanings:1..Who not working for administration of prison and does not comply with their laws.2.symbolize a pickpocket. The acronym ZhUK (literally “beetle”) stands for Zhelayu Udachnykh Krazh (“May your theft be a success”). Tattooed on hands, as well as other parts of the body.- The number of dome towers (cupolas) indicates either number of prison terms or number of years of the sentence.- Aggression towards police officers.- Guest-thief.- Can indicate a drug addiction. It can also mean that the wearer is a thief. If the spider is shown moving upwards it means the wearer is still an active criminal, if the spider is moving downwards it means that the wearer is intending to leave the thief’s way of life.- This tattoo is usually accompanied by birds flying over the horizon. It represents freedom.symbolizes luck and caution, and the acronym KOT-Korennoy Obitatel Turmi(literally “cat”) stands for Native Prison Inhabitant. The cat is also the symbol of a pickpocket. At one time, a bow tie was forcibly added to the picture of the cat’s head on pickpockets who had broken the thieves’ code and sided with the cops or prison authorities. Now, however, cats with bow ties have become common, and there is no stigma attached to the bow tie.- Thief home.- Criminal avtoritet.torso they literally mean that the wearer is keeping their eyes open.- That is to show that the prisoner is used for sexual gratification.Considered sacred, so inmates would tattoo the faces over their hearts and vital organs so guards would not hit or shoot them in that spot of the body. Nowadays these tattoos are rarely used.Lenin is symbol of vor. Lenin is The leader of the October Revolution -ozhdktiabrskoyevolucii - vor.- It means you bow to no authority.- Literally signifies that the wearer will serve his full given sentence, from “bell call to bell call”.- are a sign of rebellion against Russian prison authority. Doesn’t literally mean that the wearer is a nazi sympathiser.- One who does not confess, also tattooed as sign of rebellion to authority, again not usually associated with the Nazi symbol.- Sohranil Sovest' - Preserved the conscience.- Svoboda Eto Ray - Freedom Is Paradise.SER in english is Sir.- Knife, woman, drugs, alcohol etc. This is what is killing us.- Night thief.- Means cruelty and rage. Prisioners with this tattoo are bulls and fighters (who make the physical execution on the orders of the vor v zakone).- In russian is peace or world but here MIR mean Menia Ispravit Rasstrel - Execution will reform me.- Bey Aktiv Rezh Suk - Beat Active Cut Bitchs.- Committed a crime in places of deprivation of liberty.- Ruined youth.is a “scribe,” a criminal who is dexterous with a razor, knife, or a sharpened coin. Often, a pickpocket who is extremely skillful at surreptitiously slitting open pockets, handbags, etc.In russian argot quill is knife,write is cut.- Owner of tattoo someone cutted.- Player of gambling games.- VOLK - Voru Otdishka Legavomu Krishka.I had many problems with the translation.VOLK is Thief's Break Heat's Done for or something like that.- One manacle 5 years of prison.- Robbery.- Blood for treason.- Shoot chekist, but dont miss.On the right breast abbreviation(Gold) -apomni,dnazhdiiudistaviatebiadnogo - Remember, one day people will leave you alone.The meaning of thetattoo was unknown till just recently, when a few meanings came to light in the comments section of the Russian blog. I decided to put them all together so |
on the larger scales in our universe.
And yet these structures remain strangely unfamiliar. Given an unlabelled three-dimensional model of this large-scale structure of the universe, who could point to the place we call home?
All that should begin to change in the next few years with the increasingly accurate maps that cosmologists are compiling of the three-dimensional distribution of galaxies within the universe.
Today, Helene Courtois at the University of Lyon in France and a few buddies show off this newfound knowledge in a movie (and accompanying paper) that they’ve created to explore the rich structure of our galactic neighbourhood.
You can view the movie here.
One of the key questions that this data can help to answer is whether the distribution of visible mass in the universe is an accurate reflection of the distribution of dark matter. Courtois and co say the data shows that this is indeed the case.
The film does a fine job of showing the three-dimensional structure of this space. It also reveals the limitations of human language in describing this complex tapestry. That’s not really surprising given that our vocabulary has evolved to describe a geography that is essentially two-dimensional.
Just how to describe our position within the three-dimensional filamentary structure of the universe is a challenge that astronomers will have to wrestle with in the coming years.
And since this presents a rather different challenge than ordinary geography, researchers have coined a new term to describe this kind of intergalactic mapping–cosmography.
We can expect to see more of these kinds of 3D maps of the universe as the data becomes better and more easily accessible. And as cosmography grows into a science in its own right. Perhaps one day they will appear as familiar to us as the shape of the continents on this pale blue dot.
Ref: arxiv.org/abs/1306.0091: Cosmography Of The Local UniverseAfter six straight weekends of a government imposed ban on imported films that helped reignite the local film industry thanks to the singular box office performance of Wolf Warrior II, foreign films were once again permitted into theaters this Friday, yet all three new wide releases — Valerian, Cars 3, and Baby Driver — failed to cash in with Chinese moviegoers.
Luc Besson’s VFX-driven sci-fi adventure Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (星际特工：千星之城) was the warmest-received of the new imported releases, and its RMB 178 million* ($26.8 million) debut was good enough to unseat four-time reigning champ Wolf Warrior II for the top spot this weekend.
But despite outpacing its $17 million North American opening last month, Valerian‘s eventual $50-$55 million haul from China will do little to assuage Besson’s multiple investors — including China’s own Fundamental Films, which owns a minority stake in Besson’s production company EuropaCorp and threw in an additional $50 to $60 million of its own capital — who were banking on a robust box office take from China to offset Valerian‘s poor showing elsewhere.
Recommended Reading By Fergus Ryan ‘Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets’ Passes China Censorship By Fergus Ryan
In its fifth weekend in theaters, Wolf Warrior II (战狼II) secured a strong second place finish with RMB 99 million* ($14.9 million). Wolf also had the highest per-screening average attendance of any film in wide release this weekend, illustrating just how poorly the new imports were received.
Wolf is currently the third highest-grossing film ever from a single territory with RMB 5.037 billion* ($757.8 million). It will pass Avatar ($760.5 million) early this week to grab second place behind only Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($936.7 million).
Recommended Reading By Jonathan Landreth Film Review: ‘Wolf Warriors II’ By Jonathan Landreth
Disney/Pixar’s Cars 3 (赛车总动员3：极速挑战) continued the animation studio’s surprising struggles in China, debuting with just RMB 67 million* ($10.0 million).
The highest-grossing Pixar film in the territory is and will remain last year’s Finding Dory ($38.5 million).
Pixar’s per title box office revenue from China regularly accounts for just 1 to 2 percent of a film’s worldwide gross, which pales in comparison to many other Hollywood animation studios, including Universal’s Illumination Entertainment, which has found unparalleled success with the Despicable Me franchise in China.
Recommended Reading By Jonathan Papish China Box Office: Illumination Lights up China With Record ‘Despicable Me 3’ Bow By Jonathan Papish
Lagging behind in fourth place, Sony’s Baby Driver (极盗车神) sputtered off the start line this weekend, debuting with just RMB 59* million ($8.9 million). Western critics and audiences had hailed the Edgar Wright-directed film for its kinetic, musically-infused action set-pieces, but these same elements left younger Chinese moviegoers unimpressed and many likened their moviegoing experience more to sitting through a lengthy music video than an actual action film.
Hollywood tries to get back on track next Friday with the release of Chinese favorite Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk.
*All listed grosses in this article are adjusted to remove online ticketing fees. For a primer on why CFI reports this way, see here.After hours of debate on Tuesday, city councillors voted 27-15 in favour of new rules for taxis and ride-hailing services such as UberX, which allows regular drivers to pick up passengers without a taxi licence.
The debate over new regulations that will govern the city's taxi industry lasted much of the day and was extended past the 8 p.m. deadline after Mayor John Tory tabled more than 100 amendments to the staff recommendations.
Here's a look at some of the key recommendations and how they might affect consumers and ride-for-hire industries.
New ride-hailing licence
The city will create a new class of licence — called a "private transportation company" licence — that Uber and other ride-hailing firms would have to apply for. The new licence appears to be constructed around phone apps, which are currently used to hail Uber and other new services, and increasingly used to hail taxis.
The new regulations would also scrap 2014 reforms to make all cabs fully accessible by 2024. The new rules also roll back 2014 reforms on the two types of taxis currently in operation, Standard and Ambassador.
Standard, which can be leased or sold, are preferred for drivers and companies to Ambassador licences, which are required to have higher standards and accessibility and must be strictly owner-operated.
The 2014 reforms would have phased out ownership of Standard plates as a commodity. As of 2014, more than a quarter of all taxis were Ambassador licenses, at 1,313 out of 4,849. For now, the Standard licenses will stay.
Have app, will travel
Big news Toronto... City council welcomed ridesharing today! Thank you Toronto and Mayor Tory. Excited for the road ahead. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TO4Uber?src=hash">#TO4Uber</a> —@Uber_Canada
Uber claims city council has voted to "embrace ride sharing," but the regulations are differentiated mainly in the way taxis are hailed.
For instance, the city will allow Uber and other Uber-like companies like Lyft to operate in Toronto, but as long as rides are booked only through a smartphone app.
Many of these regulations follow those instituted in Edmonton, which was the first Canadian city to allow for Uber and companies like it.
Taxi rides that are hailed on the street, at a cab stand or ordered over the phone still face regulated rates set by the city. Uber cars are not allowed to be hailed on the street.
But apps on phones are only the current method of hailing an Uber or like vehicle. As the technology evolves, more grey areas may emerge.
Insurance required for all
Council voted that Uber and other ride-hailing companies should have insurance of at least $2 million on all drivers for bodily injury, death and damage to people or property. That's the same insurance burden as taxi companies face today.
"We believe insurance is an important component of ridesharing regulations, and support the inclusion of this provision in the Toronto bylaw," said a spokeswoman for Uber Canada.
The city will eliminate its requirements for drivers to take training programs in order to get a licence — and taxi and limousine drivers will no longer have to take CPR and first-aid training.
Uber to add new 'city fee'
In all, the regulations will make riding a taxi or private transportation more expensive for consumers.
Uber must add $0.30 per trip to each fare as a "city fee," to be remitted to the city.
Taxis can now charge more during their peak hours as a result of the new regulations. Uber and other private transportation companies must maintain a $3.25 minimum fare but can allow for "surge pricing" when the service is busy. Taxis can also use "surge pricing," but, again, only for rides booked via an app.
While the current base fare is $2.50 the minimum fare for UberX is actually $5.00.
The changes won't mean a lot for drivers, said Coun. Gord Perks, but it will increase bottom lines for owners of the taxi and ride-hailing companies.
"Who doesn't win in the taxi industry? The people who do the work," he said at the debate in council this week.
"There's a more level playing field between the millionaires and the billionaires, but for the consumer, the level playing field goes down. The drivers lose, the public lose, the billionaires and the millionaires win. That's how this city has decided to apportion the benefits of new technology."
More competition?
Amid the debate in council, there was an appeal from another American ride-hailing company, Lyft. Its representative, Michael Masserman, wrote that council should look to the 30 states south of the border that have developed regulations that are friendly to new entrants to the ground transportation industry.
Masserman emailed councillors Monday saying Lyft had no "immediate plans" to come to Toronto, but did advise the city on regulation.
He said any rules should recognize "the unique part-time nature of the ride-sharing industry," he said.
"In fact, 80 per cent of Lyft drivers are only doing this 10-15 hours a week, which means that burdensome requirements would impede the ability of ride-sharing, and the benefits associated with it, to be successful in Toronto."It is interesting how sometimes the smallest of events can bring about big changes. Just a week ago, we were living our day-to-day lives, still enjoying the buzz from a wonderful trip to Quito and the Cotacachi area. We spent part of an afternoon talking to a friend who brought us some info on applying for our Ecuadorian citizenship at the end of the year, and within just two days, we suddenly find ourselves making a year-long commitment to train for visiting Machu Picchu via the Inca Trail.
For those of you who have never looked into visiting the famous site in Peru, there are many options for how to get there, but the most popular options boil down to two choices; you can fly to Cusco, take a train to Aguas Calientes, and a bus to the ruins, or you can fly to Cusco, take a bus to “Kilometer 82” on the highway about three hours out of town, and walk the 26 miles of the Inca Trail.
We’ve decided to try the latter.
A few things came together for us to make this life-altering decision. First, like I said, we have just returned from the northern Andes where we saw some stunning scenery, and enjoyed activities that took us to a lake in a crater at 10,000 feet, and to the top of Mount Pichincha at 13,000 feet. It made us appreciate how much beauty is around us, and left us hungry for more. Driving around and exploring by ourselves also made us more confident of our Spanish skills.
Then our friend Chris stops by, and casually mentions he is training to do the Camino de Santiago in Spain, once he gets his Ecuadorian citizenship. This is a pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago, where it is thought the body of James was interred. Depending on the starting point you choose, this can be from 400 to 500 miles.
We thought that was wonderful, and I guess it was percolating in the back of our heads for a few days. All I know for sure, is that this past Saturday morning, for some reason we thought instead of our usual 2 mile walk, we would have breakfast first and then walk out to La Loberia and back. If you have never been to Salinas, let me explain. We sit on a peninsula that juts out into the Pacific ocean. At the western end, there is a military base, and a National Park called “La Puntilla” (The Point) which includes an area know as Chocolatera and another called La Loberia. La Chocolatra gets its name from the color of the stones at the end of the point, which are chewed up by the heavy surf that hits that section. The waves, spray, and the shades of blue and turquoise in the water there are really something to see. La Loberia is about a mile down the beach, and gets its name from the “lobos de la mar”, or sea wolves (huge sea lions, pictured above) that like to lounge on a rock there. There is a viewing platform for los lobos, and surfing is very popular there as well – in fact there is a reviewing stand for competitions that are sometimes held there.
To get there, you can either enter via the Army entrance (the base has a navy, army, and air force entrance) and follow roads for cars, bikes, and foot traffic – or you can enter via the Air Force gate to walk to La Loberia. There are roads and trails connecting the two points, as well as a new lookout on a hill that gives you spectacular views of the whole peninsula.
Looking at Google Earth and using their path-distance tool, it looked like if we took the most direct route, La Loberia would be about a 2.14 mile walk. The route to Chocolatera looked to be about 3.25 miles, so we decided the shorter one would be good to try. What the heck, it would just be a 4.5 mile round trip at most, and we could take money for a cab or a bus if we were too tired to walk back.
Still not appreciating the trouble we would be getting into, we grabbed a small backpack, three bottles of water, and set out.
And got lost.
Hard to get lost when you can see our condo from just about anywhere around here, but I hadn’t paid a lot of attention to the map. I knew I had passed the Air Force entrance before, but it wasn’t where I thought it was. We did our imitation of Moses in the desert, and managed to wander around enough to add over a mile to the walk out.
It was still great fun. We are in winter now, so it is usually a little cloudy, and daytime temperatures in the 70’s – perfect walking weather! We also got a kick out of the complex security at the entrance to the base. We had copies of our cedulas (identity card) ready, but when I greeted the guard and told him we were walking to La Loberia, he shrugged and said “OK”. I asked if he needed our cedulas, he said simply “No”. So nice to be in a civilized country! Can you imagine walking onto a US military base like that?
The road passes some display stands with old air vehicles on view, then curves between the airstrip and the Air Force school to reach our destination. We sat on the reviewing stand and enjoyed the sea breeze, the surfers, and even saw a few whales playing around offshore. Feeling refreshed, we walked back home, marveling at how short a walk it seemed when you actually took the right roads.
The next morning, we were pleasantly surprised that we were not lame. We actually felt pretty darn good. It seemed like a good idea to go ahead and do the same walk. This time, since we knew the way, we seemed to get to La Loberia quickly and easily. After a few minutes of enjoying the breeze and the views, we thought we might as well try the brick path that led along the beach to the Chocolatera. That part of the walk is fantastic. They’ve done a great job on the trail, building three “Hydration Stations” along the walkway.
Once we were at the Chocolatera, we saw how great the new road looked – it even had a cycling path. Once again, seemed like a good idea at the time to go ahead and follow it back to the Army exit, and then home, completing a 7.5 mile circuit this time.
I think it was on that part of the walk that our minds snapped from the endorphins, and we started to talk about walking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. It didn’t help that we also ran into Chris while we were walking this section, out training for his Spain trip, and we all started talking about how great it was being outside and enjoying ourselves. At any rate, by the time we got home, we had talked ourselves into trying to get in shape to walk the Inca Trail in late August or early September 2017.
We will need every day of that year and two weeks to get ready. Let me tell you a bit more about the Inca Trail, and the hike we plan to sign up for. It starts at Kilometer 82, which is at an altitude of about 8900 feet. The first day, we will walk just short of 9 miles in 6.5 hours, where we will camp at almost 11,000 feet. The next day is tough. A four hour walk up to the highest pass at 13,779 feet, then a two hour walk down to lunch at 11,700 feet. After lunch, back up hill to a pass at a mere 13,123 feet, and back down to 11,800 feet for our second night sleeping on the ground, after walking about 10 miles up and down two mountains.
The third day is relatively easy, mostly downhill and just over 6 miles. The fourth day is only about 3 miles walking to get to Machu Picchu, plus of course walking around the site itself. But by late afternoon the 4th day, we will be on a train back to Cusco and what will probably be a desperately needed bath.
The major obstacles for us to overcome, and the reason for the year head start, is mostly my weight. Currently checking in at 265 pounds, I’m going to need to lose at least 50 pounds (70 would be better) to be able to do this and live to talk about it. We also both need the conditioning to get our legs and lungs into shape, and we will need to practice some at altitude and carrying packs as well. Probably doesn’t help that at the time of our planned hike, I will be 59 and Rita 66.
In spite of that, we are almost giddily excited about this.
There are several reasons for our excitement, one personal one I’ll go into in more detail later, but mostly it is just a few simple things.
We like walking outdoors, and we love the beauty we have already seen in Ecuador. Seeing more of South America, especially the incredible things we will see on the trail, is very exciting. We (me especially) need to get into better shape. We now have a wonderful excuse to work towards better health and fitness. Having this long term goal, planning it together, and working towards it together has already made us feel more connected as a couple. Don’t get me wrong, we were in love before, but just these few days of walking and planning together has felt like a second honeymoon. The peace and serenity of these quiet walks together (we’ve gone twice more, racking up 35 miles in 5 days) has made us feel closer than ever.
Finally, I think it is also important for everyone to have something to look forward to. Having a goal like this, even if we chicken out and switch to the train/bus route, makes us feel more alive and happier with ourselves, our relationship, and our lives.
Surely that’s worth a few blisters?Peter Dutton says ASIO, AFP excited about super-ministry despite earlier concerns
Posted
The heads of Australia's domestic spy agency and federal police are "excited" about the new security super-ministry, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says, despite them previously raising concerns.
Mr Dutton, a powerful conservative in the Turnbull Government, will be promoted to the new portfolio, adding ASIO and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to his existing cabinet responsibilities.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Mr Dutton said the restructure was necessary, but would not reveal advice from security agencies showing they supported the change.
A review of the intelligence community by former diplomat Michael L'Estrange did not recommend the Home Affairs Office, despite being asked to consider whether it was "structured appropriately".
Peter Jennings, the executive director at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said the Government must provide more detail on the need for change.
But Mr Dutton said the new ministry would never have been announced if there was contrary advice.
"I had my first conversation with Duncan Lewis, the head of ASIO, and with Andrew Colvin, the commissioner of the Australian Federal Police in the last 24 hours or so," he told Sky News.
"I can tell you that both of them are excited about what the Government has announced [and] they are looking forward very much to the new arrangement."
Turnbull says change 'absolutely consistent' with advice
Earlier today, Mr Turnbull said the announcement was "absolutely consistent" with advice he received from his department more than a year ago.
He also dismissed comments by his predecessor, Tony Abbott, who said he was told there was no need to create a home affairs office when he was in government.
Sorry, this video has expired Video: Tony Abbott said he was advised against super ministry (ABC News)
Mr Abbott said the announcement was a "massive bureaucratic change", despite indicating support for the proposal just last month.
"I can only assume that the advice has changed since then, and no doubt the Prime Minister will give us more information in due course," Mr Abbot said.
In response, Mr Turnbull said the "logical" announcement had been worked on for more than a year and would improve cooperation between agencies.
"The arguments that have been made against it in the past have been pretty much in line of, 'it's a bit hard, too much trouble'," he said.
AFP and ASIO happy without change
Without any evidence of formal advice from ASIO or the federal police, the comments indicated Mr Lewis and Mr Colvin had set aside some of their previous concerns.
Earlier this year, Mr Lewis said cooperation between ASIO and agencies was already "at an all-time high".
In 2008, he said creating something akin to a US Department of Homeland Security would be "a very large and quote ponderous level of administration".
The Federal Government maintained the new ministry be based on the UK Home Office with separate agencies under one minister, rather than a single integrated department.
In May, Mr Colvin said the current security arrangements were working well and were "quite successful".
John Blaxland from the Australian National University raised concerns about unnecessary change, saying Australia's existing intelligence system was "arguably the envy of the world".
Topics: defence-and-national-security, defence-forces, security-intelligence, government-and-politics, federal-government, turnbull-malcolm, police, australiaANALYSIS/OPINION:
The Supreme Court decided Tuesday to hear the case of a Virginia man who bought a gun for his uncle and was then convicted of committing a “straw purchase.” The high court will determine whether it is a crime to buy a gun with the intent to resell to another lawful person.
Arguments for Abramski v. United States will take place in January. Bruce Abramski, a retired police officer, bought a handgun for his elderly uncle because he could get it at discount as former law enforcement. Mr. Abramski checked the box on the federal background check form that said he was the “actual buyer.”
Under federal law, handgun sales across state lines have to go through a federal firearms licensee. So, after buying the firearm in Virginia, Mr. Abramski drove to gun store in his uncle’s hometown in Pennsylvania. His uncle filled out the federal background check forms, paid fees and the transfer was approved.
However, ATF pursued the case against Mr. Abramski for saying he was the “actual buyer” in the original sale.
The federal law on “straw purchases” is intended to stop a criminal from having someone who is not a felon, drug user or other miscreant that would get blocked on an FBI background check to buy a gun for him. The buyer, or “straw man,” could then be charged with perjury for lying about the identity of the of the actual purchaser.
The issue in the Abramski case is whether this should apply when a lawful person buys a gun for someone who is legally allowed to own a firearm.
The case could affect future rulings on so-called universal background checks, which requires government approval for private exchanges of firearms. President Obama has pushed to make this a federal law, but he was unable to get enough votes in the Senate to pass it this year. Several states like Colorado and New York are being sued for this same requirement.
Second Amendment groups warn that “universal background checks” are really intended to create a national gun registry so the government knows who owns every gun in the U.S.
The high court has not taken up a major Second Amendment case since McDonald v. Chicago in 2010 which overturned Chicago’s gun ban and established the individual right to keep arms in the states.
It ought to rule in the Abramski case that it is fully lawful to buy a gun for another legal individual.
Ostensibly, gun-control laws are intended to make us safer. There is no reason to waste law enforcement resources to go after law-abiding people exchanging firearms.
Emily Miller is a senior editor of opinion for The Washington Times and author of “Emily Gets Her Gun” (Regnery, 2013).
Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.Dan Mullen at one time made the Egg Bowl his number 1 priority. For the second straight year, the Bulldogs looked completely unprepared.
What happened to the coach who used to make sure his team was prepared to take on the team form the School Up North? For the second straight year, it looked like Mississippi State didn’t care at all about winning the game that was supposed to be the most important game to the coach.
After the Alabama game, I wrote the offensive line needed to apologize to Dak Prescott. I was wrong. The two worst performances of the season fall squarely on the shoulders of Dan Mullen.
Dan Mullen is the one responsible for coaching these players and getting them ready for the game. And the reason Mississippi State was embarrassed against Alabama and Ole Miss, and the reason they lost to LSU and Texas A&M was because the offensive line was terrible.
And this isn’t on the players. There were a lot of ways in which the national talking heads told us we would be bad this year, and they were wrong in many of the points they rattled off. But the one they weren’t wrong about was how bad our offensive line was going to be. These players weren’t capable of blocking big time pass rushes or NFL caliber front sevens. They just don’t have the skills. Mullen and his staff put the players in a position to get manhandled and they did in the biggest games of the season.
And in the big scheme of things, Mississippi State fans should probably be happy. The Bulldogs won 8 games when most people said the team would struggle to win 6. We were supposed to be a lock for 7th in the SEC West. But losing to the best teams on your schedule and not even being competitive against Alabama and Ole Miss in front of your home crowd isn’t exactly a cause for celebration.
There were lots of people speculating Mullen was ready to move on from Starkville. I thought they were crazy. Who else is going to pay Mullen $4 million to $5 million to coach their school? And there might not be a school willing to do it, but why would Mullen want to leave? Well, this game changed my thinking.
Mullen seemed ticked off to the one hundredth degree after the loss to Ole Miss a year ago. This year, he seemed completely indifferent. He was talking mostly about being better than what people picked the Bulldogs to be. Dan Mullen appeared to be ready to go do something else.
Do Mississippi State fans put too much on the Egg Bowl? Yes, but there are reasons for it. Here are some of them.
So I've laid back all week and watched MSU twitter trash up my TL. Now I say fuck all y'all and HOTTY DAMN TODDY!! CHAD KELLY WON!! — christy (@GoRebels1213) November 29, 2015
Dak Prescott, earlier this week: I came back for this. Dak Prescott, tonight: I came back for this? — Five-Seconds Rule. (@VegasRebs) November 29, 2015
@Jakewim y'all can start that crying now! No more Dak, 2 in a row gonna be 3!!!!!! — Josh Lee (@Joshlee4Rebs) November 29, 2015
I love my MSU fans. I have tried to tell yall what was going to happen all year. But yall don't listen — Acey Roberts (@aceyrob) November 29, 2015
This is why DAK came back!!!! — jeremy wright (@GlassFacedScum) November 29, 2015
C.J. Johnson wasn't interested in leaving that trophy in Starkville pic.twitter.com/PVTJJPQZh2 — Collin Brister (@CollinBrister) November 29, 2015
Mississippi State fans give it out just as much when we win, but at least we admit that winning this game is extremely important to us when we do. Bulldog fans have to endure this and be told that the game isn’t all that important to Ole Miss fan. It sucks, and Dan Mullen used to make it seem he thought it sucked as well. I don’t think he cares any more.
I could handle losing this game. If the team looked like it was ready to play and left everything out on the field. But this is the second straight year the team seemed disinterested. And for that, Dan Mullen should apologize to Mississippi State fans.Dear God of the Homos,
With your great and everlasting love that blessed the covenants of Achilles and Petroclus, Gilgamesh and Enkidu, and of Jonathon and David, bless then the soul of Joseph Smith of Sharon, Vermont with your divine penis. Let it pierce the anus of his soul, and let you be forever joined to him, since on this oppressive earth, he was denied the pleasure of the male sex.
Forever and ever, our brother Joseph Smith has now joined our family (We Sing the Hymn to Praise God of the Homos!).
Blessed be God of the Homos,
Amen
Update Woot! I made the rec list! Thanks to everyone who rec'ed this diary.
Update Part Two: Wow, I am extremely flattered with all the rec sent my way! That's awesome. I originally wrote a version of this at a couple of message boards I frequent where this topic came up before I joined over here. I greatly appreciate the tips and rec.
Update Part Three: I am overwhelmed at the response to this diary. I am appreciative of those who saw my humor and got my point (which seems to be most of you). I apologize to those who took offense. Humor is inevitably offensive, and never universally humorous.
Tomorrow I will publish a diary called The Genesis of Homophobia, which is my take on the whole "God made Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve!" bit. It lacks the humor of this entry, so I know I won't get the same response, but I hope to get your attention tomorrow as well.
Thanks for reading.The Global Intelligence Files
On Monday February 27th, 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing The Global Intelligence Files, over five million e-mails from the Texas headquartered "global intelligence" company Stratfor. The e-mails date between July 2004 and late December 2011. They reveal the inner workings of a company that fronts as an intelligence publisher, but provides confidential intelligence services to large corporations, such as Bhopal's Dow Chemical Co., Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and government agencies, including the US Department of Homeland Security, the US Marines and the US Defence Intelligence Agency. The emails show Stratfor's web of informers, pay-off structure, payment laundering techniques and psychological methods.
[IT #ASR-280811]: Need Eloqua tracking scripts on campaign pages
Released on 2013-11-15 00:00 GMT
Email-ID 1306711 Date 2011-12-14 19:20:10 From [email protected] To [email protected]
[IT #ASR-280811]: Need Eloqua tracking scripts on campaign pages
Confirmed. Tracking scripts have now been added to the appropriate to
support "pizza".
Steve Elkins
Sr. Web Developer
STRATFOR
Ticket History Megan Headley (Client) Posted On: 14 Dec 2011 10:09 AM
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A ha! The tracking scripts are there when I am logged in as an employee
and viewing the campaign pages in stratfor plain... they are indeed NOT
there when I am logged out and looking at pizza.
So the Eloqua guy is right. The tracking scripts are indeed not there.
On 12/12/11 3:47 PM, STRATFOR IT wrote:
> No, that shouldn't be related.
>
> The only other thing I can think of might be the location of the
> tracking code on the page, header vs. footer. Currently, it's in the
> footer. Megan, can you ask your contact at Eloqua if that might be a
> factor?
> Steve Elkins
> Sr. Web Developer
> STRATFOR
>
> Ticket History *Kevin Garry* (Staff) Posted On: 12 Dec 2011 3:40 PM
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> Is this part of the email_track.php issue nick found earlier today?
>
>
>
> Sent from my HTC on the Now Network from Sprint!
>
>
>
> ----- Reply message -----
> From: "Megan Headley"
> Date: Mon, Dec 12, 2011 1:31 pm
> Subject: New Client Reply - [IT!ASR-280811]: Need Eloqua tracking
> scripts on campaign pages
> To:
>
> New Client Reply: Need Eloqua tracking scripts on campaign pages
>
> Spoke with Steve on Friday. Have you guys figured out whether it's a DNS
> issue on our side? Let me know and I'll follow up with EQ tech support.
>
> Thanks
> Megan
>
> On 12/9/11 12:17 PM, STRATFOR IT wrote:
> > steve,
> >
> > im assigning this to you but feel free to clue me in on it and
> > reassign to me.
> >
> > Ticket History *Megan Headley* (Client) Posted On: 08 Dec 2011 2:12 PM
> >
------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > At some point Eloqua tracking scripts got stripped from our campaign
> > pages. Can you address this? Our click throughs from Eloqua aren't
being
> > tracked at all.
> >
> > Thanks
> > Megan
> >
> >
> > Ticket Details
> > Ticket ID: ASR-280811
> > Department: Development
> > Priority: Medium
> > Status: Open
> >
>
>
>
> Ticket Details
> ===================
> Ticket ID: ASR-280811
> Department: Development
> Priority: Medium
> Status: Open
> Link:
>
https://it.stratfor.com/staff/index.php?_m=tickets&_a=viewticket&ticketid=7566
>
>
>
> *Megan Headley* (Client) Posted On: 12 Dec 2011 1:33 PM
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Spoke with Steve on Friday. Have you guys figured out whether it's a DNS
> issue on our side? Let me know and I'll follow up with EQ tech support.
>
> Thanks
> Megan
>
> On 12/9/11 12:17 PM, STRATFOR IT wrote:
> > steve,
> >
> > im assigning this to you but feel free to clue me in on it and
> > reassign to me.
> >
> > Ticket History *Megan Headley* (Client) Posted On: 08 Dec 2011 2:12 PM
> >
------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > At some point Eloqua tracking scripts got stripped from our campaign
> > pages. Can you address this? Our click throughs from Eloqua aren't
being
> > tracked at all.
> >
> > Thanks
> > Megan
> >
> >
> > Ticket Details
> > Ticket ID: ASR-280811
> > Department: Development
> > Priority: Medium
> > Status: Open
> >
>
>
>
> *Megan Headley* (Client) Posted On: 09 Dec 2011 4:46 PM
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> FYI, this is what the scripts look like:
>
> *
>
>
> *
>
> Older campaign pages, like
> https://www.stratfor.com/campaign/special_offer do have them.
>
> screenshot in case you can't see the html i copied above:
>
>
>
> On 12/9/11 12:17 PM, STRATFOR IT wrote:
> > steve,
> >
> > im assigning this to you but feel free to clue me in on it and
> > reassign to me.
> >
> > Ticket History *Megan Headley* (Client) Posted On: 08 Dec 2011 2:12 PM
> >
------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > At some point Eloqua tracking scripts got stripped from our campaign
> > pages. Can you address this? Our click throughs from Eloqua aren't
being |
there, and that need for legislation so that measures can be taken to ensure the spread is arrested, if at all possible,” says Pat Daly, the GAA’s Director of Games, and representing their interests on the matter.
“This has come out of the blue, really. So it’s difficult to say what the full impact will be, at this stage. The scare might pass over, everything contained. Or alternatively, in six months time, it could be even more pronounced. It’s just hard to say. What I can say is that every conceivable action is being taken to ensure it is contained.
“But of course it raises huge concerns about the supply of ash, and problems emerging from that could have huge implications for hurling. If the extreme happens then yes, a lot of people could be out of business in 12 months time.”
Indeed it comes as a sort of double-whammy to the GAA’s concerns about ash supply: around 350,000 hurleys are manufactured in this country every year, about 65 per cent of which are made from imported ash. The GAA had initiated a plan to be entirely self-sufficient in ash by 2017, although ash dieback might have a considerable impact on that.
“We’re still operating on that premise,” says Daly, “that there would be adequate supply in this country by 2017. We’ve been working with the Department all along, and with Coillte, to ensure there was that element of self sufficiency, and we’re happy we’re moving in that direction.”
Serious problem
Should the disease spread, however, the GAA could have a serious problem on its hands: of all the challenges facing hurling in the modern era – balancing the physicality, spreading the competitiveness, etc – this one runs straight to the roots.
“Hurley manufacture in Ireland is a big enough industry, no doubt about that, with a lot of people involved. Maybe 60-70 guild members, but twice as many again, operating on their own. Members of the hurling guild are already saying they’re finding it harder to get a supply, that it’s getting scarce, and that’s an evitable side effect to what’s happening.
“Prices are already rising, too. If the bark has to be removed, the wood dried, that’s an additional cost, and if there’s any scarcity then obviously prices will increase.”
Daly has been present at weekly meetings with the Department of Agriculture on the matter, and is so far satisfied with their recognition of the problem – including that of Shane McEntee, Minister of State at the Department.
“It’s being monitored on a daily basis, really, with ‘no stone being be left unturned’, as McEntee said,” says Daly.
“He’s coming from a strong GAA background, another reason why it’s one of his foremost concerns. We’ve had hurley makers represented at the meetings too, and we’d have ongoing dialogue, because there’s no doubt it’s a serious cause of concern for them,” he adds.
Truth is no one is entirely sure of the exact extent of the problem, or how long fears about ash supply might last. The GAA has already approved the manufacture of a synthetic hurley, the Cúltec, made from a mix of materials including nylon and graphite (with Dublin hurler Ryan O’Dwyer one of the few confessed users). Although only marginally more expensive, Daly believes players will always have a greater preference for the traditional ash hurl.
“We wouldn’t necessarily encourage the use of one over the other, but for most players the preference is still very much for ash,” he says.
If any good does come out the problem, however, it will be focusing the GAA’s efforts in becoming self-sufficient in ash supply. “If we can get four or five acres of ash planted in every county, every year, ensure they’re properly maintained, then we could reach that high level of sustainability,” he adds.Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas pauses while speaking about his time as a student at College of the Holy Cross after receiving an honorary degree from the college, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012, in Worcester, Mass. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court came down unanimously against a group of temporary workers in Amazon warehouses. The workers were required to undergo mandatory, unpaid theft screenings once their shifts ended, and their case, Integrity Staffing Solutions v. Busk, focused on whether they should be compensated for that time.
In the end, even the court's liberal justices didn't believe the workers deserved pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the federal statute that sets minimum wage and overtime law. The theft screenings, the justices concluded, were not "integral and indispensable" to the work the employees performed (i.e., running around fetching Amazon items for shipment) and therefore were not compensable under the law -- even if the workers had no choice in the matter.
The ruling is a huge disappointment for workers such as Jesse Busk, a lead plaintiff in the case who told HuffPost last year that he regularly waited up to 25 minutes for his screening before he could go home. Busk earned around $12 per hour.
Addressing the workers' arguments, the court's opinion, delivered by conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, included this curious line:
"These arguments are properly presented to the employer at the bargaining table … not to a court in an FLSA claim."
It's not clear whether the irony was intended. Amazon's U.S. warehouses, of course, are entirely non-union. Workers, therefore, have no bargaining table at which to sit, a fact noted Tuesday by the National Employment Law Project, an advocacy group for low-wage workers.
Amazon, notably, was not named in the Busk lawsuit, even though the case was all about the online retailer's warehouse policies. That's because the workers in question were technically employed by a labor supply firm, Integrity, which staffs Amazon warehouses with a seemingly endless procession of temps. Nevermind bargaining over conditions -- these workers don't even know if they'll still have jobs next week.Close to 300 people packed into a room at the former St. Joseph Hospital on Tuesday to hear developer Joseph R. Paolino Jr. present his plans to convert part of the building into apartments for the homeless.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Close to 300 people packed into a room at the former St. Joseph Hospital on Tuesday to hear developer Joseph R. Paolino Jr. present his plans to convert part of the building into apartments for the homeless.
Among them were Elmwood residents who loudly opposed the plan, saying it would only further strain their economically distressed neighborhood.
The former city mayor, who recently purchased the five-story building, said he wants to convert part of it to 140 units of long-term housing for about 300 homeless people to alleviate the problems of people "sleeping in vestibules" around Kennedy Plaza. He said he envisioned a place where people could get free clothes, earn their high-school equivalency degrees and grow their own food year-round at hydroponic community garden.
The opponents frequently interrupted Paolino’s presentation, expressing distrust of his intentions and accusing him of trying to move the city’s homeless problem into their neighborhood.
"To be clear, this is not a fight against the homeless," Doug Victor, a resident, said from the podium. "Our fight is against the institutional and outside forces whose actions ultimately continue to keep our neighborhood down."
Mayor Jorge Elorza fought to be heard over the booing and shouts as he took the podium. "The reason I am here,'' he said, "is because I believe that this project can bring the community together.''
The crowd erupted in jeers and shouts.
"I think everyone has to understand that if the residents aren’t behind this project,'' the mayor continued, "this project is not going to happen."
Governor Gina Raimondo attended the event but did not speak.
State Rep. Grace Diaz, D-Providence, urged the crowd to listen to the speakers, saying Mayor Elorza had "prove(d) by his action that he cares" about the homeless. (Diaz's said later in a statement released by her legislative office: “While this may be a good project in some respects, my community has expressed many concerns, I cannot support it at this time...")
Sen. Ana B. Quezada, echoed the local residents' concerns. "We understand that we have a homeless problem in Rhode Island," she said. "We just want it shared … we don’t want everybody dumping on our neighborhood. Enough is enough."
Tammi Wheeler, a South Side resident who had been homeless for about a year four years ago, spoke in favor of the project. But boos from the crowd drowned her out.
Interviewed afterward, Wheeler said the reaction made her sad.
"I don't think they understand homelessness. I don't think these people ever experienced homelessness,'' she said.
"If [Paolino] wants to help people, I think that's a good idea."
The architectural renderings Paolino showed the news media during a briefing on Monday included a fitness center, job training offices, a business center, laundry and kitchen facilities. St. Joseph Health Center, an out-patient clinic, would remain in the building, he said.
Paolino purchased a property at 21 Peace St. from Prospect CharterCare SJHSRI, LLC in late December for $99,000, city records show.
The property is assessed for tax purposes at $49 million and the 2-acre parcel is worth $3.5 million.
Paolino said the price on the deed "doesn't fully describe what the financial acquisition was.'' He declined to be more specific, saying the sale is covered by a confidentiality agreement.
Providence City Councilwoman Mary Kay Harris, whose ward includes St. Joseph’s, said she was against Paolino’s plan.
“Although I want the St. Joseph’s campus to become more fully utilized, I am not in agreement with or in support of the proposal that has been presented today because it lacks input from the residents of this community,” she said.
Harris said the Southside and Elmwood neighborhoods had already become home to various social service operations and it was time that other parts of the city take up their share of that obligation.
She noted that Travelers’ Aid, now known as Crossroads, was downtown before it was moved to the southern side of the highway.
“If it’s a hindrance to downtown development, it gets moved south,” she said. “ … We aren’t being asked to take on more of it; we’re being told that we don’t have a choice.
“I will work with my colleagues within city government and community members to create a process that involves real community input,” she said. “Then, and only then, will I be in support of a new use for St. Joseph’s Hospital.”
— with reports by John Hill and Paul Edward Parker
—[email protected]
(401)277-7335
On Twitter: @LynnArditiThe first time I got a press credential, in the mid-1970s, my boss made sure I knew having it was a privilege, not a right. “Don’t do anything that will make me ashamed of you,” he warned. I’ve kept those words in mind over the past 40 years, though I might not always have lived up to the standard he set. It’s something the current crop of young journalists might want to ponder.
Since then I have covered wars, riots, trials and crime scenes, always reminding myself that I was a spectator, not a participant. In Poland, I was chased down by riot police who didn’t care that I was a reporter. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and paid for it.
In El Salvador, I came upon the bodies of six Jesuit priests, two of whom I knew well, who had been murdered hours before. I wrote the story, and kept my personal feelings out of it.
So when I read that as many as six journalists had been detained and charged with felonies during riots in Washington D.C., on the day Donald Trump became president, the first question I had was: were they taking pictures or taking part?
Two of those detained were described in news stories as “journalist and activist.” I don’t know if that is accurate, but I do know that it’s not possible to be both at the same time. A journalist who uses his or her credentials to gain access to an event -- whether it’s a speech, a battlefield or a protest march – gives up the right to be part of the action. You can’t riot while you’re working and expect your press pass to protect you.
Steven Nelson of U.S. News was covering the protests near 12th and L Street, where windows were being smashed and at least one vehicle set ablaze, when he realized the group he was in had been hemmed in by the DC police.
“I was not allowed to leave the group that had been detained,” Nelson told me. “After an hour, two local NBC reporters were allowed to leave after their boss called a lieutenant, and I was too. I think I just lucked out.” Nelson told me he was wearing his press credential and tried to identify himself as a reporter. Many of the rioters were dressed in black. Nelson was wearing a button down blue shirt and a pea-coat.
I wasn’t there, so I don’t know what happened. It sounds like Nelson was carrying out his job, not his right to protest. I do know you can’t do both at the same time. Nelson says he was hit with pepper spray fired into the crowd. Well, a reporter who puts himself in a dangerous situation may pay a price. A press badge won’t ward off pepper gas. That’s not a violation of the First Amendment. It’s bad luck, and maybe a lesson learned.
Carlos Lauría, the senior Americas program coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists, knows that reporters take risks. “When they cover this stuff, they accept the fact that some of these protests will turn ugly. But it’s a different thing for them to face these excessive charges.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C. says it’s looking over each charge individually, and will decide how to proceed on a case-by-case basis.
Journalists aren’t very popular these days. President Trump says he has a “running war” with the Fourth Estate. And news organizations have returned the favor, with almost unremittingly negative coverage and comments.
How’s that working out for everyone? A Gallup poll late last year showed fewer than a third of the country has a great deal or fair amount of trust in the news media.
Those who are fortunate enough to make their living in this profession cannot simultaneously exercise their First Amendment rights with abandon, and expect to be considered objective. Most pilots know better than to drink before they climb into the cockpit though liquor is legal. Journalists have the same right to free speech as the rest of the country. Just not while they're working.By Tom Bevan - November 27, 2013
The botched rollout of Barack Obama's signature health care law continues to take a political toll on the president. The latest evidence is a Quinnipiac University survey released Wednesday morning showing the president's approval rating hitting a record low of 34 percent in Ohio. Obama's disapproval rating has jumped to an all-time high of 61 percent. This represents a significant decline from Quinnipiac's last poll in Ohio on June 26, when Obama recorded a 40 percent approval rating and a 57 percent disapproval rating.
The president's personal credibility has also taken a serious hit, thanks to his broken pledge that Americans would be able to keep their health care plans. Only 39 percent of Ohioans now believe the president is "honest and trustworthy," a new low, while 57 percent believe he is not "honest and trustworthy," a new high.
The law itself has also suffered in the eyes of the public. Only 35 percent of Ohioans currently support Obamacare, while 59 percent are opposed.
And the bumpy rollout of Obamacare appears to have shaken the public's faith in the government's ability to manage and deliver health care services. Only 16 percent of those surveyed expressed the belief that the quality of health care they would receive one year from now would be better because of Obamacare. Nearly three times that many people (45 percent) said the quality of health care would be worse a year from now. Thirty-five percent said the law would make no difference in health care quality.
The Quinnipiac University survey was conducted from Nov. 19-24 among 1,361 registered voters in Ohio with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.In the recent news of LSU live mascot Mike VI being diagnosed with a rare type of cancer with a spindle cell sarcoma. I wanted to look back on last five Mike the Tigers and the history that came with it.
MIKE I (1936-1956)
mike the tiger/getty images
The idea that changed campus life around Baton Rouge, LA was thought of by four people around Louisiana State University.the Athletic Director trainer Mike Chambers, Athletic Director T.P. Heard, swimming pool manager and intramural swimming coach William G. Higginbottom, and law student Ed Laborde. These four men had the idea get every student to donate 25 cents and raised $750 to buy a one year old tiger named Sheik from the Little Rock Zoo.
Sheik had his name changed to Mike in honor of the man,Mike Chambers, who made it possible for him to come live in Baton Rouge. On October 21,1936 Mike began his role almost immediately after getting settled in his new home. Mike would travel and serve as the new LSU mascot for nearly 20 years. Mike I passed away June 29,1956 with a complication with kidney disease.
MIKE II (1956-1958)
SSPL via Getty Images
Just a couple days after the death of Mike I, state representatives from around the state of Louisiana pushed to make legislation to purchase another tiger to be named "Mike II'. Student fundraising and support from the leadership of LSU eventually purchased Mike II.
On February 28,1956 Mike II was born and was selected because his paws were much larger than any other cub. He arrived on LSU September 29th, which was on opening day of college football season.
However, there was a lot of mystery that came along with Mike II. People say that Mike II died at the age of eight months due to pneumonia, which happened to be during a six game losing streak by the Tigers, then they go on to say that he was buried under a tree along the Mississippi river. The school recorded issuing a statement saying Mike II was having trouble adjusting to captivity and he was staying inside until he was comfortable enough to go outside into his habitat. Anyway if Mike II was replaced by another tiger or not, he died on May 15,1958 with several broken bones in his back leg.
MIKE III (1958-1976)
The LIFE Picture Collection/Gett
Mike III was born on November 26,1957 and was introduced on opening day of the 1958 season. He traveled to most away game, like the other former feline representatives, he was the mascot who had a "trigger word" to make him to give out a deafening roar. The phrase was simply "Get em' Mike" and is the only known tiger to have a verbal cue to roar on command.
During Mike III eighteen years at LSU he witnessed Billy Cannon run his way to a Heisman Trophy in 1959 and for LSU to win the National Championship (1958) in his first year in Baton Rouge. LSU won three SEC championships in 1958,1961,and 1970. After LSU had their only losing season during Mike III reign on campus he died of Pneumonia on AUgust 12,1976.
MIKE IV (1976-1990)
Sports Illustrated/Getty Images
Mike IV was donated to LSU from August A. Busch III from Busch Gardens in Florida. When Mike IV got to LSU he was 450 pounds at the age of two. Mike IV was so much bigger than the past three tigers to live behind Tiger Stadium that LSU had to expand his four hundred square feet caged home to eleven hundred square feet habitat including a pool for the massive cat.
Mike IV is the only tiger to escape and be set free on the LSU campus by some kids who thought they should cut the locks of the outter and inner doors to release the 450 pound tiger. He was finally tranquilized inside the Bernie Moore Track Stadium and returned back into his home.
Mike IV was the king of campus for fourteen years and then was put into the local zoo in 1990 and then passed away on March 3, 1995.
MIKE V
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Mike V was born on October 19,1989 and given to LSU by the Animal House Zoological park in Alabama. Mikes first appearance was at a basketball game against Alabama in 1990.
With Mike V arriving at LSU new equipment came along with it. His trailer which he traveled in was so broken down from 40 years, a new trailer was donated and the design of the trailer is still used to day. Also, thanks to the "I like MIke" campaign a new and improved habitat was built and Mike was finally moved in August 2005. Mike V lived his last two years in the beautiful new habitat and had such great care from the Vet students at LSU. Mike was around for twenty-three track and field championships,five baseball championships, and one football championships before he died on May 18,2007.
MIKE VI (2007-Current)
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Mike VI was born July 23, 2005 but came to LSU to be the mascot when he was two years old. He was donated to LSU by a non profit sanctuary and rescue facility from Indiana. His first football appearance was LSU vs Florida on October 6, 2007 when Jacob Hester ran in the game winning touchdown. Mike is known as the best mascot yet with his manner of life and his personality.
Mike VI was just as big or even some what bigger than Mike IV weighing in at a massive 500 pounds. Mike consumes 25 pounds of meat a day and close to 200 pounds a week. Every game day Mike eats his meals in the shape of his opponents. Mike has been known to have great relationships with his caretakers. Its a sad day to find out about his diagnosis for this big ole ball of fur. GEAUX TIGERS!Alabama Senate President Pro-Tem Del Marsh has a lot of concerns about the thumbprint Washington, DC has left on the race to fill Alabama’s U.S. Senate formerly held by Jeff Sessions.
In an interview with Breitbart News, Marsh, one of the Yellowhammer State’s highest-ranking Republicans, explained how he and other candidates were discouraged from running for the seat. He said that “Washington” was set on Sen. Luther Strange (R-AL), who was appointed to the open seat earlier this year by then-Gov. Robert Bentley (R-AL), being the GOP candidate and ultimately retaining that U.S. Senate seat.
“Washington had determined that Luther was their incumbent,” Marsh said. “I argued that the fact he was appointed by the governor — I did not think the people had voted. And I thought they would be wise to stay out of the race, let people run for the seat and see where it went.”
Marsh went to Washington, DC back in May to explore his options as a candidate. After that visit, he told the Montgomery Advertiser’s Brian Lyman that his conversation with the National Republican Senate Committee did not go well and they said they would “protect” their incumbents.
Marsh told Breitbart that he warned them against forcing Strange’s candidacy on Alabama voters and said things have gone as he had expected with their involvement in this contest.
“They were very honest,” Marsh explained. “They stated they would put whatever money they thought was necessary to make sure Luther won the race. I was very honest and told them I did not think the people of Alabama, regardless of the money they spent, would elect Luther Strange. They chose to go with what they believed instead of what I was trying to tell them.”
“And it played out pretty much exactly as I thought it would,” he continued. “Some people who may have gotten in the race such as myself were threatened with millions of dollars spent to attack them, and it wasn’t worth getting in the race. I think had they stayed out – I questioned quite honestly that Moore would be the nominee today.”
On the attacks Moore is facing now, Marsh said he thought in the end, this controversy would solidify Moore’s base and people would not vote for Moore’s opponent Doug Jones, who he described as a “liberal Democrat.”
“They attack Judge Moore from Washington, the establishment – all that is doing, in my opinion, is solidifying his base,” Marsh said. “And quite honestly, as things settle down, I think you’ll see people who perhaps were on the fence also gravitate to Judge Moore versus what they perceive as a liberal Democrat.”
Marsh said he did not foresee Roy Moore’s controversy. According to multiple reports, it has been alleged that Moore engaged in inappropriate behavior and sexual misconduct in the late 1970s and early 1980s while serving as a prosecutor and a judge in Etowah County, AL.
The Alabama Senate president said there were questions about the timing of the allegations coming to light and that the question of a “Washington conspiracy” couldn’t be ignored.
“I’m not at all surprised about what we’re seeing,” he said. “Now what we didn’t expect was these allegations from several women about the inappropriate advances of Judge Moore. But what I’m hearing on the street on that – and I mean not from guys, but from women – the general statement that I hear from women that talk about is where were these women 40 years ago, or over the last 40 years? So, I think there are question marks as to is this part of a, I hate to say, Washington conspiracy, or is it the truth? And as long as there’s doubt, I believe people on Election Day who have doubt are going to probably go to support Judge Moore.”
On the Alabama Republican Party’s decision to stick with Moore, Marsh said he believed it made the right decision and that a write-in campaign would wind up electing Jones. He added that there should be a lesson learned about Washington’s involvement in local races, and that extended all the way up to President Donald Trump.
“I would hope a lesson would be learned,” he said. “You know, the people of Alabama – they don’t like others telling them what to do. People are smart enough to listen to all the facts and make an educated decision about the facts. I think the more Washington pushed – including President Trump – I mean, President Trump is really popular here in Alabama, but people do not like even the president telling them who to vote for. And that showed. It showed in the election in which Moore won the Republican primary. And I think if Washington keeps up with what it’s doing and if the press keeps up what it’s doing – that will do nothing but solidify Moore’s base and ultimately I think keeps Republicans voting Republican.”
Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poorParis (AFP) - Far-right leader Marine Le Pen could win the forthcoming presidential election in France, President Francois Hollande warned on Monday, vowing to "do everything" in his power to stop it happening.
Polls suggest that Le Pen, leader of the National Front (FN), is likely to win the first round of France's election on April 23.
However, surveys also show she would then lose in the deciding second-round run-off on May 7 either to the centrist and pro-business Emmanuel Macron or conservative candidate Francois Fillon.
But with Fillon's campaign in turmoil over accusations he paid his wife for a fake parliamentary job from public funds, analysts have warned that the election is extremely difficult to predict.
"There is a threat" of Le Pen winning the election, Hollande acknowledged in comments to French daily Le Monde -- part of an interview with six European papers.
"The far-right has not been so high (in the polls) for more than 30 years but France will not give in," vowed the president.
France "is aware that the vote on April 23 and May 7 will determine not only the fate of our country but also the future of the European project itself," he added.
Le Pen has vowed to ditch the euro as France's currency if elected and hold a referendum on the country's membership of the European Union.
Hollande, who has battled stubbornly high unemployment throughout his five-year term and has suffered low poll ratings, decided last year not to run for a second term.
He said it was his "last duty... to do everything to ensure that France is not convinced by such a plan" of taking the country out of the EU.Parkinson’s disease researchers at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo have developed a way to ramp up the conversion of skin cells into neurons that can produce dopamine.
For decades, the elusive holy grail in Parkinson’s disease research has been finding a way to repair faulty dopamine neurons and put them back into patients, where they will start producing dopamine again. Researchers have tried fetal material, which is difficult to obtain and of variable quality, and embryonic stem cells (a long process with a low yield), and more recently, skin cells (difficult to obtain sufficient quantities of neurons).
Bypassing the cellular “gatekeeper”
The new UB research, published Dec. 7 in an open-access article in Nature Communications, is based on their discovery that p53, a transcription factor protein, acts as a gatekeeper protein.
“We found that p53 tries to maintain the status quo in a cell; it guards against changes from one cell type to another,” explained Jian Feng, PhD, senior author and professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB.
This is, p53 acts as a kind of gatekeeper protein to prevent conversion into another type of cell. “Once we lowered the expression of p53, then things got interesting: We were able to reprogram the [skin cell] fibroblasts into neurons much more easily.”
The advance may also be important for basic cell biology, Feng said. “This is a generic way for us to change cells from one type to another,” he said. “It proves that we can treat the cell as a software system when we remove the barriers to change. If we can identify transcription factor combinations that control which genes are turned on and off, we can change how the genome is being read. We might be able to play with the system more quickly and we might be able to generate tissues similar to those in the body, even brain tissue.
“People like to think that things proceed in a hierarchical way, that we start from a single cell and develop into an adult with about 40 trillion cells, but our results prove that there is no hierarchy,” he continued. “All our cells have the same source code as our first cell; this code is read differently to generate all types of cells that make up the body.”
Generating new dopamine neurons via cellular conversion
Timing was key to their success. “We found that the point in the cell cycle just before the cell tries to sense its environment to ensure that all is ready for duplicating the genome is the prime time when the cell is receptive to change,” said Feng.
By lowering the genomic gatekeeper p53 at the right time of cell cycle, they could easily turn the skin cells into dopamine neurons, using transcription-factor combinations discovered in previous studies. These manipulations turn on the expression of Tet1, a DNA modification enzyme that changes how the genome is read.
“Our method is faster and much more efficient than previously developed ones,” said Feng. “The best previous method could take two weeks to produce 5 percent dopamine neurons. With ours, we got 60 percent dopamine neurons in ten days.”
The researchers have done multiple experiments to prove that these neurons are functional mid-brain dopaminergic neurons, the type lost in Parkinson’s disease.
The finding may enable researchers to generate patient-specific neurons in a dish that could then be transplanted into the brain to repair the faulty neurons, or used to efficiently screen new treatments for Parkinson’s disease.
Abstract of Cell cycle and p53 gate the direct conversion of human fibroblasts to dopaminergic neurons
The direct conversion of fibroblasts to induced dopaminergic (iDA) neurons and other cell types demonstrates the plasticity of cell fate. The low efficiency of these relatively fast conversions suggests that kinetic barriers exist to safeguard cell-type identity. Here we show that suppression of p53, in conjunction with cell cycle arrest at G1 and appropriate extracellular environment, markedly increase the efficiency in the transdifferentiation of human fibroblasts to iDA neurons by Ascl1, Nurr1, Lmx1a and miR124. The conversion is dependent on Tet1, as G1 arrest, p53 knockdown or expression of the reprogramming factors induces Tet1 synergistically. Tet1 knockdown abolishes the transdifferentiation while its overexpression enhances the conversion. The iDA neurons express markers for midbrain DA neurons and have active dopaminergic transmission. Our results suggest that overcoming these kinetic barriers may enable highly efficient epigenetic reprogramming in general and will generate patient-specific midbrain DA neurons for Parkinson’s disease research and therapy.Eugene Podkletnov was, and still is, an enigma. As far as one can tell today, he never worked as a physicist in any official capacity; if anything, the Russian inventor was an engineer by trade — albeit a good one — whose most controversial discovery would be uncovered by mere happenstance.
Regardless of how it happened, in 1992 the the materials science laboratories at Tampere University of Technology in Hervanta, Finland, would become home to a discovery of great intrigue — and great controversy. It remains one that, according to some, may yet shed light on the propulsion technologies behind many reports of UFOs.
Evgeny “Eugene” Podkletnov was born in Russia, and before immigrating temporarily to Finland, had worked to receive his master’s degree at the University of Chemical Technology at Russia’s prestigious 130-year-old Mendeleev Institute in Moscow, before spending more than a decade at the Institute for High Temperatures with the Russian Academy of Sciences. His professional work with Tampere University would begin with the attainment of his doctorate in materials science, a path which led him into studies and testing with various superconductors.
While observing one particular superconductor experiment in 1992, Podkletnoy began to notice something strange; at the time, he felt it might even be a clue to unraveling the secrets of learning to defy gravity altogether. More specifically, while observing a rotating ceramic superconducting disc, Podkletnov noticed that when positioned in close proximity to electromagnets below the disc, the effect of gravity on objects being suspended above it seemed to lessen.
Journalist Charles Platt wrote of the incident in a Wired feature back in 1996, saying that:
“Small objects above the disc seemed to lose weight, as if they were being shielded from the pull of Planet Earth. The weight reduction was small–around 2 percent–but nothing like this had ever been observed before.”
The above statement is correct, at least for the most part. While nothing known to science had proven capable of so much as appearing to lessen the effects of gravity prior to Podkletnov’s experiment, the French physicist Francois Dominique Arago had discovered as far back as 1824 that “a magnet placed near a rotating metallic disc experiences a force tending to make it follow the motion of the disc,” and that furthermore, a needle placed in a fixed position above a spinning copper disc, rather than being allowed to pivot freely, would actually hinder movement of the disc.
In short, something about the movement of a spinning disc, particularly in relation to magnets in close proximity to it, tends to warrant strange observable effects; indeed, Arago had previously recorded that the effects of Earth’s magnetic pull were lessened on small objects when a metallic disc began to spin from beneath in such a way.
Much like those of Arago, Podkletnov’s observations had been fascinating, though resulting from chance. Recalling the circumstances in his phone conversation with Platt, he described that his curiosity began while noting the strange behavior of pipe smoke, as it began to collect above the spinning superconductor:
“Someone in the laboratory was smoking a pipe, and the pipe smoke rose in a column above the superconducting disc. So we placed a ball-shaped magnet above the disc, attached to a balance. The balance behaved strangely. We substituted a nonmagnetic material, silicon, and still the balance was very strange. We found that any object above the disc lost some of its weight, and we found that if we rotated the disc, the effect was increased.”
In a scientific paper that would follow, Podkletnov would claim that the superconductor was actually managing to serve as nothing less than a physical shield against the Earth’s gravitational field, lessening the apparent weight of the object by as much as 2%. The idea, in theory, could be applied to a wide array of different technologies, although in terms of helping achieve greater lifting efficiency for aerial vehicles (and thus saving energy), the discovery, if valid, could have pointed to an all new field of avionics.
Interesting enough to the researcher of anomalous aerial phenomenon is the curious persistence of the metallic disc, especially in relation to the presence of odd physical effects levied against magnetism and gravity. Could it be that a disc–or as some might call it, a saucer–might really be the most efficient shape to be afforded an aircraft capable propelling itself against the forces of gravity?
In a rather revealing statement made by Podkletnov in 1997, the engineer, now claiming to be working with a chemical laboratory based out of Moscow, gave the resolute Mr. Platt an intriguing update to this story; he claimed that in building a new device based on the earlier observations at Tampere, he had now developed a variation on the new technology that could reflect gravitational waves… and in such a way that might eventually become conducive to new kinds of flight which are akin to that of UFO craft:
“Under specific conditions, applying resonating fields and composite superconducting coatings, we can organize the energy discharge in such a way that it goes through the center of the electrode, accompanied by gravitation phenomena–reflecting gravitational waves that spread through the walls and hit objects on the floors below, knocking them over…The second generation of flying machines will reflect gravity waves and will be small, light, and fast, like UFOs.”
Of course, extraordinary claims require facts and justification in equal measure, and the bold announcement that true “anti-gravity” had been attained drew sharp criticism for Podkletnov’s claims. The same year as his second Wired interview, the engineer withdrew a second paper he had submitted for peer review, claiming that the biased attitudes of a so-called “gravity establishment” had effectively thwarted his credibility, both in the scientific community, as well as at his alma mater; Tampere had allegedly banned him from his |
I’d consider it.Photo: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
The actor who plays Mickey on Twin Peaks: The Return is facing attempted-murder charges after he beat his girlfriend with a baseball bat in Spokane, Washington. Jeremy Lindholm, 41, was upset that his girlfriend would not go to a store to get him a Kool-Aid before going to work at a lingerie boutique. According to court documents obtained by The Spokesman-Review, the surveillance video shows that he beat her a dozen times in the head with a bat, choked her, and jumped on her, landing his knees in her chest. When police arrived, Lindholm fled the scene but surrendered shortly after. Lindholm was arrested on Wednesday after cops cornered him in an alley. The woman was transported to the hospital, but police told The Spokesman-Review that her injuries did not appear to be life-threatening. Lindholm is facing charges of attempted second-degree murder, second-degree assault, and unlawful imprisonment–domestic violence; he is being held on a $100,000 bond.Feedback loops are quite interesting and complex. From my understanding, there are positive feedback loops which accelerate temperature rise and makes the climate warmer; the negative feedback loops decelerate temperatures, and create a cooler climate. There are various amounts of climate change feedback loops. One example is the melting of ice. Ice is light colored and reflective. When the sun hits the ice, the sunlight is bounced off. However, the less ice on earth, the less sunlight is reflected, therefore, the more our planet heats up, the more heat, the less ice, and it continues in this cycle. This is called the Ice-Albedo Feedback. Another example is how higher temperatures within the next decade, mixed with a growing human population, will increase energy demands as the world gets hotter, which will increase emissions that cause climate change, continuing the cycle. A NASA computer modeling effort from 2010 found that additional growth of plants and trees may be able to reduce global warming by creating a negative feedback, or cooling effect.
There is most likely a vast amount of feedback loops that we have yet to discover but what I find most curious is the idea of using negative feedbacks to help decelerate climate change perpetually. Of course, the consequences of such actions may or may not have negative effects on the planet or life on earth, but I believe it is worth considering.Crytek is now holding a massive Steam sale for the entire Crysis franchise. If you've yet to play the game, now might be a very good chance to start.
First off, you can buy each Crysis game piecemeal for a fraction of the price. Crysis 1 and Crysis Warhead are priced at $4.99 each, or you can do the sensible thing and buy the entire collection (including Crysis 2) for only $19.99! Keep in mind that Crysis 2 can also be bought separately but will cost you $9.99.
While the early Crysis games were mostly known for pushing PCs to their technical limits, the franchise is also known to offer a different take on the "military FPS" sub-genre. Yes, you're a solider, but you're not some Joe Schmoe who's given a gun! No, you're a war machine that's given a Nanosuit to do amazing feats and even be like the Predator and turn invisible!
Also, playing Crysis 2's multiplayer and seeing the "perks" as Nanosuit modules gives the game more traction on why its soldiers can do what they do. Heck, I just love hearing that "Maximum Armor" line over and over when I was playing it.
For those interested in the sale, you can check it out here. Be fast, though, as the sale will only last until September 10!
Crysis 3, the next entry in the franchise, is set to be released early next year for the PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.A woman who lured two 16-year-old girls on a night out to be raped by three men has been today sent to a young offenders institute for seven years.
Stephanie Knight, who was 17 at the time, lied to her victims that they were going out to a nightclub.
Instead they were driven around and plied with alcohol and drugs before they were sexually assaulted by brothers Amjad Hussain, 34, and Shahid Hussain, 38, and their cousin Tanveer Butt, 39.
All three male defendants were jailed indefinitely at Preston Crown Court and ordered to serve at least seven-and-a-half years before they can be considered for parole.
The girls, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were taken from Blackburn to a derelict terrace house in Accrington with no electricity as one of the girls was subjected to a "terrifying ordeal".
Knight, now 19, and Butt then stopped her going to the assistance of her friend, who was crying out while being raped, as she told her "she is chilling with my boys".
Knight's former boyfriend, Amjad Hussain, then raped both girls as he drove them home in December 2009.
The prosecution said both victims had known Knight for only up to a week and had not previously met any of the other defendants.
After she lured them out for the evening, Knight was heard to say "got them" in a mobile phone conversation and named the girls.
Knight, who has been in local authority care since the age of 11, said she first met Amjad Hussain six months earlier when he pulled up beside her in the street in his car and asked for her mobile phone number.
They went on to have a sexual relationship and she said she later fell in love with him.
Knight, formerly of Queen Street, Rawtenstall, Amjad Hussain, of Sharples Street, Accrington, and married father-of-four Butt, of St Albans Street, Rochdale, were all convicted of conspiracy to rape.
Knight and Butt were also found guilty of aiding and abetting rape while Amjad Hussein, Shahid Hussain, of Drake Street, Rochdale, and Butt were all convicted of rape.
Comments unavailable on this story for legal reasons.The impacts of the US Congress’ impasse on passing legislation to fund government activities has stretched to the White House’s APIs and to APIs provided by US Federal Government agencies. US Government managed APIs are currently offline. It is a blow to the Federal Government's emerging open data infrastructure.
A panel scheduled for Data Week in San Francisco on October 3 was to include James Sanders and Vidya Spandana from the White House and Sean Herron from the US Government were due to present as part of a panel entitled “Join forces with the White House: Open Data and Government as a Platform”. Joining forces just wasn’t possible, as the Federal Government shutdown meant the speakers couldn’t participate.
While a cancelled panel is one thing, the shutdown of government services may also impact on businesses that are relying on streaming Government agency data via APIs. White House API sites aimed at citizen participation – such as the We The People API that provides access to Federal petitions – currently displays a notice stating that the service is temporarily disabled.
Similar messages are displayed on the developer page for the US Census Data API.
Some APIs that have a business imperative may still be functioning. For example, in a recent discussion with John Dietz about the forthcoming Concur Perfect Trip DevCon, he raised the idea of designing a simple app built on the US TSA API data which could help business travellers estimate what time they should leave for the airport based on how long they would have to wait at Homeland Security checkpoints. It appears that if a commercial solution based on this API was available, the app creators would now be having difficulties with their paid customers. It appears some data is still accessible via the MyTSA API, although the website warns that the site (and potentially the datasets powering the API) “will not be actively managed”.
The shutdown causing APIs to be offline demonstrates yet again the risks for startups and enterprises seeking to use government open data APIs, or any third party API, as part of their business models.Things really couldn’t be better for Apple right now. Its phone and music businesses are soaring, Mac market share is growing at a voracious rate, and Leopard is another critical and commercial success in the midst of Vista’s flop. Oh, and the stock is so high that a share from 199 6 7 that cost $8 then is now worth more than $43,000 A lot of money (misremembered the number of AAPL splits. The stock did drop down to $8 in 1997, though).
But things were not always so rosy. Travel back to the spring of 1997, a land of rap-rock and bridges to the 21st century. A time before Lewinski. Apple was a shambles. Gil Amelio ruled as CEO. Steve Jobs was half-in, half-out of the fold. Apple owned NeXT, but the company was three years from a shipping version of Mac OS X. The iMac hadn’t even been announced, for crying out loud.
Ever-vigilant, Wired put out 101 theories for how Apple could be saved in the June 1997 issue. Looking back, some of them are eerily prescient (15. Dump or outsource the Newton and other sidelights, 34. Port the OS to Intel) and some are hilariously off the mark (1. Get out of the hardware game, 35. Clone the Powerbook).
As a nostalgia-fest, I’ve decided to highlight the ten best and ten worst of the list. That all follows after the jump, as is a link to the full story.
Rent space in a computer store, flood it with Apple products (especially software), staff it with Apple salespeople, and display everything like you’re a living, breathing company and not a remote, dusty concept.
18. Stop being buttoned-down corporate and appeal to the fanatic feeling that still exists for the Mac. Power Computing’s “I’ll give up my Mac when they pry it from my stiff, dying fingers” campaign hits the right note. In the tech world, it’s still a crusade. Support the Mac community, and the Mac community will support you.
25. Portables, portables, portables. Pick the best-of-breed Wintel in each of the portable categories and then better it. Wintel has a fantastic range.
26. If you sell it, make it! Stop releasing new products if you can’t fulfill the orders. Angering the few loyal customers you still have isno way to do business.
37. Take advantage of NeXT’s easy and powerful OpenStep programming tools to entice a new generation of Mac software developers.
50. Give Steve Jobs as much authority as he wants in new product development. Let Gil Amelio stick to operations. There’s no excitement at the top, and Apple’s customers want to feel like they’ve joined a computer revolution. Even if Jobs fails, he’ll do it with guns a-blazin’, and we’ll be spared this slow water torture that Amelio has subjected us to.
62. Build a computer that doesn’t crash.
70. Simplify your PC product line. Reduce the number of Apple motherboards and the number of distinct Apple system models.
87. Price the CPUs to sell. Offer novice users the ability to enter the Mac market at a competitive price point and move up the power curve as their level of sophistication increases. The initial price keeps new buyers away.
98. Testimonials. Create commercials featuring real-life people in situations where buying a Mac (or switching to a Mac) saved the day.
Worst Recommendations
2. License the Apple name/technology to appliance manufacturers and build GUIs for every possible device – from washing machines to telephones to WebTV. Have them all use the same communications protocol. Result: you monopolize the market for smart devices/homes.
20. Tap the move toward push media by creating a network computer with state of-the-art technologies, e.g., videogame support for Nintendo 64, top notch graphics such as QuickDraw 3D, and the best possible bandwidth.
21. Sell yourself to IBM or Motorola, the PowerPC makers. You can become the computer division that Motorola wants or the alternative within IBM. This would give the company volume for its PowerPC devices and leverage for other PowerPC offerings.
22. Create a new kids’ computer, an upgradable Wintel-compatible machine, in bright rugged colors that can take stickers and duct tape, and that a young user can call his/her own. This machine has two killer apps: autograding of homework for the teachers; passing notes via wireless for the kids. Price: US$350 before upgrades.
24. Pay cartoonist Scott Adams $10 million to have Dilbert fall in love with a Performa repairwoman.
59. Invest heavily in Newton technology, which is one area where Microsoft can’t touch you. Build voice recognition and better gesture recognition into Newton, making a new environment for desktop, laptop, and palmtop Macs. Newton can also be the basis of a new generation of embedded systems, from cash registers to kiosks.
60. Abandon the Mach operating system you just acquired and run Windows NT kernel instead. This would let Mac run existing PC programs. (Microsoft actually has Windows NT working on Mac hardware. It also has emulation of Mac programs with NT running on both Power PC and x86.)
82. Give the first Apple made exclusively for Windows a cheeky name (like The Big Apple) and an irresistible industrial design like the 20th-anniversary Macintosh. Introduce it with a mammoth ad campaign that shows the makers of other Windows PCs running for cover, as if they’ve been fearing Apple’s monstrous entry into their market for decades.
85. Quit making each Mac in a platform-specific case, with platform-specific parts. Make one case for desktop systems and another for laptops. The case, chassis, and all that stuff needs to be as upgradable as the system software used to be.
99. Reincorporate as a nonprofit research foundation. Instead of buying computers, customers would buy memberships, just as they do in the National Geographic Society. They’d receive an Apple computer as part of their membership perks. Dues would be tax-deductible. Your (eventual) profits would also be tax-exempt, and the foundation could continue its noble battle to keep Microsoft on its toes.
Read the rest of the excellent list here.
Via Sam of UM. Thanks for the tip, Andrew!A few hours after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, a photograph circulated of Melania Trump sitting next to husband at a luncheon, eyes down and face unsmiling. The photograph went viral, often accompanied on social media with the expression, “I feel sorry for Melania Trump.”
It was just one of many pieces of evidence that Melania Trump deserves sympathy; that she is unhappy, that her husband treats her poorly or, more hopefully, that she hates her husband. In addition to the photograph, other evidence was offered: a video of the couple dancing at the inaugural ball and a side-by-side comparison of former President Obama accompanying Michelle during the 2009 White House transition. Obama is thoughtful, he waits for Michelle before he walks up the steps of their new home to greet then-President George W. Bush. In contrast, Donald Trump greets the Obamas without his wife and she hurries to make her way up the stairs alone, accompanied into the house by the Obamas who are more considerate—more respectful—than her own husband.
The images, particularly the comparison to President Obama, reinforce a narrative that is easy enough to believe (likely because it’s true): that Obama is a better man than Trump and thus treats women accordingly. The Obamas, in turn, express their sympathy for Melania, a poor woman married to a tyrant, by showing their graciousness, a hallmark of the Obama White House, actions that speak volumes about their humanity and morality. Here, Melania is a victim of her husband’s brutishness; she is passive and silent, has no political opinions but instead is a sort of tabula rasa for America’s women, on which her treatment is proof of President Trump’s innate misogyny. President Trump’s casual misuse of his wife is a domestic tragedy with national implications. But that narrative only works if, in fact, you believe that Melania is a blank slate or, at least, a woman simply acted on rather than a woman actively collaborating with her husband’s ideologies.
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If the past is any indication, Melania is no passive victim. Recently a 2011 interview with Melania on the Joy Behar Show went viral on Twitter. In the interview, Melania defends her husband’s adamant commitment to the birther conspiracy born of the Tea Party—his belief that President Obama is not an American citizen, that he was born in Kenya and that his Hawaii-issued birth certificate was, in fact, a forgery. “Do you want to see President Obama’s birth certificate or not?” Melania asks Behar. “I’ve seen it,” Behar responds. “It’s not a birth certificate,” Melania says as she shakes her head. Here, Melania recites her husband’s conspiratorial and fictitious claims, ones Donald Trump repeated for five years until, in September 2016, he “conceded” that they were untrue. Melania has never indicated whether or not she agrees with that concession.
But Melania has always been willing to defend her husband and to employ tactics that typify the Trump approach to the world. After journalist Julia Ioffe published a profile of Melania in GQ, Melania denounced the piece, calling it “yet another example of the dishonest media and their disingenuous reporting.” When Ioffe received a barrage of anti-Semitic messages and threats, Melania said, that Ioffe “provoked them.” Later, Melania almost trollishly announced that, as First Lady, she would launch a campaign to prevent bullying on the internet, denouncing social media’s “mean and rough” culture.
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Social media aside, she’s proven that she’s a willing scribe of the Trump hagiography. In October, Melania sat down with CNN to defend her husband after a leaked tape caught her husband bragging about sexually assaulting women. She called his language “boy talk” and blamed the tape’s release on the conspiratorial “left-wing media.” When asked about the sizable number of women who have accused her husband of sexual assault, she demonstrated that she was no listless vessel, but in full possession of autonomy: “I know he respects women but he is defending himself because they are all lies,” she told CNN.
Like Ivanka Trump, whose brand and subsequent media narratives have worked to distance her from her father’s repugnant ideologies from racist birtherism to sexual assault, Melania is no innocent. She’s willing to vocally defend her husband—not only to stand next to him for the sake of political spectacle or personal gain, but to do the obligatory media tours and, like her step-daughter, insist that he respects women.
Melania Trump is hardly a stand-in for American women, she is neither a victim nor is she lacking agency. Rather she’s an active participant working to construct Donald Trump’s narrative, readily available to put a gauzy domestic veil on his racism and misogyny. Melania Trump doesn’t deserve your sympathy.A recent email exchange between producer/guitarist Steve Albini and electronic music producer Oscar Powell has been plastered all over a billboard in Shoreditch, London.
XL Recordings artist Powell has used an anti-EDM tirade by Albini as a form of promotion for his latest single Insomniac, which happens to sample a Steve Albini vocal from a Big Black show.
After seeking clearance to use the sample, Albini ended a withering takedown of modern dance music and club culture with: "you're welcome to do whatever you like with whatever of mine you've gotten your hands on. Don't care. Enjoy yourself."
Presumably this may deter other producers from asking for sample clearance from Albini for fear of receiving a similar tongue-lashing, but at least he's consented to its use.
We're not sure we entirely agree with his stance on EDM culture as a whole, but the internet will certainly let its views be heard. The question is, does Shoreditch have enough billboards for all of them?
Here's the email in full:
"I am absolutely the wrong audience for this kind of music. I've always detested mechanised dance music, its stupid simplicity, the clubs where it was played, the people who went to those clubs, the drugs they took, the shit they liked to talk about, the clothes they wore, the battles they fought amongst each other.
Basically all of it, 100 per cent hated every scrap.
The electronic music I liked was radical and different, shit like the White Noise, Xenakis, Suicide, Kraftwerk, and the earliest stuff form Cabaret Voltaire, SPK and DAF. When that scene and those people got co-opted by dance/club music I felt like we'd lost a war. I detest club culture as deeply as I detest anything on earth.
So I am against what you're into, and an enemy of where you come from. I haven't bothered listening to the links, mainly because I'm in a hotel with crappy internet at the moment but also because it probably wouldn't be to my taste and that wouldn't help either of us. In other words, you're welcome to do whatever you like with whatever of mine you've gotten your hands on. Don't care. Enjoy yourself."
After Powell's warning to Albini of his intent to put up the email on a billboard, the In Utero producer is reported to have replied with "Still don't care."Jamie Farr (born Jameel Joseph Farah; July 1, 1934)[1] is an American television, film, comedian and theatre actor. He is of Lebanese descent. He is known for playing a cross-dressing corporal (later sergeant) from Toledo, Ohio, bucking for a Section 8 discharge, in the role of Maxwell Q. Klinger in the CBS television sitcom M*A*S*H. As of December 31, 2016, following the death of William Christopher, Farr is the oldest surviving cast member of M*A*S*H.
Early life [ edit ]
Farr was born in Toledo, Ohio, to Lebanese-American parents Jamelia M. (née Abodeely), a seamstress, and Samuel N. Farah, a grocer.[2][3] He and his family attended Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Toledo.[4]
Farr's first acting success occurred at age 11, when he won two dollars in a local acting contest. After Woodward High School, where he was one of the standouts among his class, Farr attended the Pasadena Playhouse, where a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer talent scout discovered him, offering him a screen test for Blackboard Jungle. He won the role of the mentally challenged student, Santini. With the encouragement of his Toledo mentor, Danny Thomas, he decided to become an actor.[5]
Career [ edit ]
Farr’s first film roles were in 1955 in Blackboard Jungle (credited as Jameel Farah) and as a fruit vendor in Kismet (uncredited). After this, he was drafted by the United States Selective Service into the United States Army, undergoing his basic training with the 6th Infantry Division, Fort Ord, California, he served for two years, with service in Japan and Korea, making him one of the only two members of the M*A*S*H cast to have served in the United States Armed Forces in Korea (Alan Alda).
Although Farr was off to a promising start, roles were infrequent for the young actor, and he was cast as a delivery person, a post office clerk, an army store clerk, an airlines reservations agent, and as an employee at a chinchilla ranch, all small roles or bit parts. In 1958, Warner Brothers cast him as the co-pilot of a TB-25 in the Andy Griffith military comedy No Time for Sergeants, which also brought the young TV comic Don Knotts to motion pictures. Farr appeared as Thaddaeus in the 1965 film The Greatest Story Ever Told, along with minor roles in Who’s Minding the Mint? and With Six You Get Eggroll.
Farr got a new acting role on television when, in the late 1950s, he became a regular on The Red Skelton Show before becoming a second banana with Harvey Korman on The Danny Kaye Show. Farr also appeared on The Dick Van Dyke Show and was a regular on the gangster-comedy series The Chicago Teddy Bears (featuring Huntz Hall). In 1964 he appeared in an episode of Hazel as a soon-to-be father, who was an Italian restaurant owner. Farr also worked in TV commercials, including a memorable spot for Wonder Bread (as a vendor who says, "If it isn’t fresh, I’m outa business!").
In October 1972, he was hired for one day’s work as Corporal Maxwell Klinger on the M*A*S*H episode "Chief Surgeon Who?" His character wore dresses to try to convince the army that he was crazy and deserved a Section 8 discharge. Comedy writer and playwright Larry Gelbart has said that comedian Lenny Bruce’s attempt to be released from military service in World War II by dressing in a WAVES uniform was the original inspiration for the character of Klinger on the sitcom. He was asked back for a dozen episodes in the second season and he became a regular in the fourth. Eventually, his character gave up wearing women’s clothing after taking over the Company Clerk's position after the discharge of Radar O'Reilly. Like most of the characters on M*A*S*H, Corporal Klinger matured as the years passed. He gradually progressed from being a cross-dressing visual joke, and became a more sensitive and resourceful character. Klinger's colorful side emerged in new ways, as he used the Toledo wheeler-dealer skills he learned on the streets, to circumvent Army bureaucracy on the 4077's behalf.
Stumpers!, 1976 On the game show, 1976
His favorite episodes are "Officer of the Day" and "Big Mac".[6]
Farr and co-stars Harry Morgan and William Christopher spent two years starring in AfterMASH, the sequel that explored how civilian life treated their characters. While working on M*A*S*H, Farr also appeared in The Cannonball Run, Cannonball Run II and Speed Zone, making him the only actor to have appeared in all three Cannonball Run films.
Farr was a regular judge on The Gong Show in the late 1970s. He also appeared as a panelist on several other game shows including: The $25,000 Pyramid, Super Password, Body Language, Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour, Wordplay, The $1.98 Beauty Show, The Magnificent Marble Machine, Tattletales and others.
He appeared in several made-for-TV movies such as Murder Can Hurt You, Return of the Rebels, and Combat Academy; he also guest-starred in Kolchak: The Night Stalker as a teacher, Mr. Burton, as well as a second-season episode of Emergency!.
Farr endorsed the U.S. Mars bar in commercials during the 1980s and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1985.
In the 1990s, Farr (and Nathan Lane) played the role of Nathan Detroit in a Broadway revival of Guys and Dolls. Farr is still active in regional theater and guest-stars occasionally on television.
Since 1984, he has hosted an annual women's professional golf tournament on the LPGA tour, the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic, presented by Kroger, Owens Corning and O-I in Sylvania, Ohio. The tournament has raised over $6.5 million for local children's charities.
In 1996–97 Farr went on a national tour with The Odd Couple, playing Oscar Madison, playing opposite his old friend William Christopher in the role of Felix Ungar. The two had appeared in several movies before they were eventually cast together in M*A*S*H.
Farr in September 2007
On Memorial Day 2007, Farr hosted a multi-episode presentation of M*A*S*H on the Hallmark Channel. The featured episodes showcased Farr's performances on the show, with Farr providing commentary during commercial intermissions.
In 2007, Farr played Adam Johnson in Hallmark original movie A Grandpa for Christmas. The TV movie starred Ernest Borgnine in the role of Bert O'Riley.
Farr, Chuck Woolery, and Bob Eubanks were rotating hosts of the $250,000 Game Show Spectacular at the Las Vegas Hilton until the show ended in April 2008.[7]
On July 17, 2008, Farr and Anita Gillette opened Flamingo Court, a three-act play at the New World Theaters in New York City.
Farr hosts a daily radio travel feature called "Travelin' Farr."[8]
Between late 2016 and 2018, Farr was seen promoting the M*A*S*H television series and other classic television series on the MeTV television network.
Farr has a recurring role on Fox’s The Cool Kids.
Personal life [ edit ]
Farr's autobiography is titled Just Farr Fun.
After his role in the 1955 film Blackboard Jungle, he entered the United States Army for two years, serving overseas in Japan and Korea. His service in Korea was after the hostilities had ended.[9] In his M*A*S*H role as Max Klinger, he can be seen wearing his actual U.S. Army-issued dog tags.
The park in Toledo where Farr used to hang out when he was younger was renamed "Jamie Farr Park" in his honor on July 5, 1998. About the park, he said, "I wanted to be an actor, a famous actor, and I wanted my hometown of Toledo, Ohio, to be proud of me." Farr spoke to about four hundred admirers and was quoted in the New York Post: "Jamie Farr Park is certainly a highlight of my life and career."[10]
Further exemplifying Farr's love of Toledo was his frequent mention of Tony Packo's hot dogs, a Toledo staple, on M*A*S*H. He also was shown in many episodes as a Toledo Mud Hens fan.
Since 2000, Farr has frequently donated to the Republican National Committee.[11]
Farr has been married to Joy Ann Richards since 1963 and has two children, Jonas and Yvonne. He has a grandson named Dorian.[12]
Since the early 1990s, Farr has battled severe rheumatoid arthritis.
In 2003, Farr and his wife wrote a children's story called "Hababy's Christmas Eve",[13] which retells the First Christmas from the point of view of the animals.
Other roles [ edit ]A plurality of Florida voters say they are less inclined to support a Republican presidential candidate in 2012 because of the way their freshman GOP governor has acted since taking office, according to a PPP poll to be released Friday morning.
In the survey, 40% of registered voters said Gov. Rick Scott’s actions have made them less inclined to back the GOP presidential nominee next year, versus 26% who said his actions had made it more likely they’d vote Republican in 2012. An additional 34% said Scott has had no impact on whether or not they’ll support a Republican candidate.
A key finding within those results is that almost one in five (18%) of respondents who said they disapproved of President Obama’s job performance said they were still shying away from supporting a Republican alternative because of their dissatisfaction with Scott. Further, 45% of all independent voters said they were less inclined to vote for the GOP nominee after seeing Scott’s policies in action, versus only 18% who said Scott had made them more keen to vote against Obama next year.As TPM reported in May, previous polls had shown a correlation between plummeting approval ratings for Scott and other first-term Republican governors, and simultaneous boosts to President Obama’s standing in tests of hypothetical 2012 matches. This is the first poll to fill in that gap and show a direct link between Scott’s deep unpopularity and voters’ hesitancy to get behind the Republican presidential aspirants.
“In a state that’s always decided by two or three points, Scott’s unpopularity could really make the difference in tipping the state to Obama,” Director of Public Policy Polling Tom Jensen wrote to TPM.
“That’s why these new Republican Governors have been so good for Obama — they’re reminding swing state voters why they put the GOP out of power in 2006 and 2008,” he added.
Scott’s approval rating tanked shortly after he took office and imposed sweeping changes to teachers’ benefits, including a backdoor pay cut that prompted the state’s largest teachers union to file suit, alleging the changes were an unconstitutional infringement on existing contracts. And last month, Scott signed a budget that slashes around $4 billion, including $1.35 billion from education spending, and $1 billion from Medicaid.
As a result, one poll showed Scott — who won the election last year by just a 1% margin — losing a do-over contest by a massive 20 point gap.
In the latest PPP survey, 59% of registered voters said they disapprove of Scott’s job performance, versus just 33% who said they approved. According to the TPM Poll Average, 59.4% of Floridians disapprove of sCott’s job performance, compared to 32.4% who approve of it.
Florida, a perennial swing state in presidential elections, is a huge prize given its hefty haul of electoral votes. As a result of the 2010 census, Florida will gain two House seats come 2012, giving it a total of 29 electoral votes for the next election cycle.
The PPP poll was conducted June 16-19 among 848 registered voters. It has a 3.4% margin of error.Sirotkin, 21, will partner IndyCar driver Mikhail Aleshin and former WEC GTE Am champion Viktor Shaytar in SMP's #27 Dallara P217–Gibson.
The Russian, a race winner in GP2 and Formula Renault 3.5, has been on Renault's books since early 2016, running in several Formula 1 grand prix free practice sessions and official tests with the outfit.
He is also known to be involved in the development of SMP and Dallara's WEC LMP1 project that is currently being prepared for a 2018 race debut.
SMP, which will field one of three Dallara P217s in the LMP2 Le Mans contest this year, was already on the class podium in the 24-hour race in 2016, finishing third with its BR01 prototype and a crew of Shaytar, ex-F1 driver Vitaly Petrov and Kirill Ladygin.
“While we are already focused on the development of our LMP1 prototype for the 2018 FIA WEC season, we could not miss out on participating in the most prestigious race in the world,” said SMP Racing founder Boris Rotenberg.
“Last year, for the first time in this race's more than 90-year history, our fully-Russian SMP Racing crew stood on the podium. And this time, I am certain, our drivers will again do their best and do everything possible to emerge victorious.”
The three drivers that make up the #27 crew won't be the only SMP representatives in the LMP2 fight, with Petrov contesting the race as part of his full campaign in CEFC Manor TRS Racing's Oreca.Coldplay give away the best seats at their gigs to passionate fans.
The 'Viva La Vida' hitmakers don't sell tickets for The Front rows of the venues they play but instead send staff to look for excitable audience members sitting far away from the stage as they think their energy makes for a better show than the prestigious seats being taken by ''the highest bidders''.
Discussing correspondence with some fans, the group's roadie wrote on their blog: ''After a bit of email back and forth, it turns out that they were in the front row after being 'upgraded' from seats way up the back. The band have done this for ages now.
''It came about after struggling with shows where the seats closest to the stage were often full of just 'the highest bidders' and not necessarily the most enthusiastic fans.
''In European standing shows, the front rows are the kids who've been outside the venue since daybreak and who've sprinted in to get the Pole Position. Usually by the time the opening acts have finished they're at fever pitch with excitement.
''In contrast, folks who'd paid astronomical sums for the tickets could often just sit with an arms folded sense of entitlement, emoting 'come on then, entertain me, have you any idea how much I paid for this?'.
''So the band don't sell the tickets to the front few rows any more. Instead, various crew members are sent out to scan the highest, furthest seats to find folks who look genuinely excited and giddy to be seeing the band. They're then given tickets to the front row.''
The group believe the gesture ''genuinely'' makes for a better gig.
The blog continued: ''For them, it's a Willy Wonka golden ticket. For the band, it's guaranteed energy from the folks closest to them. It genuinely does make the shows better. We've all said it many times. How good a show is, is largely to do with how good the audience are. It's what fuels the whole thing.''WATERVILLE — A woman and her teenage daughter were arrested Friday night after assaulting police officers who were trying to serve a summons at their Gold Street apartment for underage drinking, according to the Waterville Police Department.
Sherrie A. Martins, 37, and her 16-year-old daughter were arrested and charged with assault, refusing to submit to arrest or detention and obstructing government administration after an altercation with Waterville police officers, according to Sgt. Lincoln Ryder.
Sherrie Martins
Police went to the apartment in response to a report at 10:25 p.m. Friday about three intoxicated juveniles on Grove Street, in Waterville’s South End neighborhood, Ryder said. The three teenagers, two 16-year-olds and a 14-year old, were issued summons for underage drinking and released to their parents, he said.
Part of the juvenile summons process is having a parent or guardian sign the court summons, Ryder said. Martins was “intoxicated and uncooperative” when officers Ryan Dinsmore and Kyle MacDonald tried to serve the summons at Martins’ nearby 18 Gold St. apartment, Ryder said.
According to Ryder, Martins tried to block MacDonald from leaving the residence and refused to get out of the way. When MacDonald was able to move by her, she hit him on the back of the head with her hand; and when Dinsmore went upstairs to help, Martins grabbed him by the throat and kicked him. As officers were trying to arrest Martins, her daughter interceded and punched MacDonald in |
.S. Agency for International Development, which contributes millions to Ebola response in West Africa -- $95.3 million in fiscal 2014 alone.
Moreover, Paul's proposed fiscal 2012 budget would have dramatically reduced funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the agency tasked with responding to the threat of Ebola within the U.S., by 20 percent from fiscal 2008 levels. Paul's fiscal 2014 budget proposal called for the same reduction in funding.
The CDC's current budget is already almost $600 million lower than it was in 2010.A teen was shot to death on the back porch of a Tarrant house Friday afternoon, and the shooter is undergoing questioning at police headquarters.
Authorities identified the shooting victim as 17-year-old Ralph "Li Ralph" Woodfin who lived in Tarrant and is the nephew of Birmingham mayoral candidate Randall Woodfin.
"My heart is heavy with the loss of my nephew Ralph Woodfin, III," Woodfin said in a prepared statement sent to AL.com on Saturday. "My family would greatly appreciate your thoughts and prayers, and respectfully ask for privacy during this difficult time."
The victim posted a Facebook Live video shortly before the deadly shooting that showed him holding a weapon, one of many videos and photos of the teen brandishing a weapon that he posted on social media.
Police Chief Dennis Reno said the shooting happened around 2:30 p.m. at 1434 Thomason Avenue, an address well-known to law enforcement. When they arrived on the scene, the teen was dead on the back porch of the home. A weapon was found next to his body, the chief said. The teen was not currently enrolled in school.
The resident of the home told police the teen was trying to rob him at gunpoint and that's when he fired on him through the closed back door. Initial information is that Woodfin was trying to rob the man of his Draco firearm, but that weapon is in the custody of Tarrant police from a previous case involving the shooter.
The weapon used by the resident was on the front porch of the house, marked as evidence while police investigated. Reno said the victim arrived at the scene in a Jeep reported stolen out of Mountain Brook, and said the keys to the stolen Jeep were still in Woodfin's pocket.
The suspect was taken in for questioning. Police said the two knew each other well.
"It's going to take us a while to sort all of this out,'' the police chief said.
Dozens of friends and family members were on the scene, including the victim's mother. Several family members were asked to identify the victim via a photograph taken at the scene.
Already on Facebook, multiple people were posting "RIP" on the victim's video that he had posted earlier today. Family members on the scene - including Randall Woodfin - declined to comment.
Randall Woodfin's brother, also named Ralph Woodfin, was shot to death five years ago at the age of 39. He died of multiple gunshot wounds at the scene of the 12:50 a.m. incident in the 2300 block of 9th Avenue South in May 2012. He reportedly was the father of the young man killed in Tarrant Friday.
Randall Woodfin has often talked publicly about his brother's death. In an article he wrote earlier this year, the mayoral candidate recounted the May 27, 2012 death of his brother and wrote this: "I go back to that painful night every time I hear about another homicide in Birmingham. I think about families that have to stand behind yellow tape as a loved one's body lies lifeless on pavement...No family should have to endure this pain, but unfortunately in Birmingham, this scene has become all too common."
Reno said Tarrant officers have been called to the home where Friday's shooting happened multiple times on reports of gunfire, and pointed out old bullet holes in the siding from previous incidents. In fact, he said, they just recently sent a letter of abatement to the owner of the home because of all of the problems police have experienced there.
Friday's slaying is Tarrant's second homicide this year. In all of Jefferson County, there have been 97 homicides as of Friday afternoon. The latest came when a man was found shot to death in a Birmingham home shortly after the deadly shooting in Tarrant.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.For all the talk about character issues, locker room divides and a lack of mental fortitude causing the Sharks' historic playoff collapse against the Los Angeles Kings last spring, one tangible issue that doesn't get talked about nearly enough is the fact that San Jose lost its number one defenseman, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, minutes into Game 5. After suffering an ugly hit from behind courtesy Jarret Stoll, Vlasic didn't skate another shift in the series and the Sharks went on to drop three straight. The injury to Vlasic certainly wasn't the only reason for those losses but lacking the services of one of the league's top possession defensemen and San Jose's best blueliner by a mile was a significant factor.
After an offseason that was long on speculation but short on actual roster moves of significance, the Sharks are no better equipped to deal with a potential injury to Vlasic now than they were in April. Scott Hannan is currently penciled into the top four and while that will probably change as training camp progresses and the regular season begins, it's not like there's a plethora of great options on left defense for the coaching staff to choose from. It's Vlasic followed by a massive void that needs to be filled.
Enter Nick Leddy. The 23-year-old defenseman is one of the league's most promising young blueliners and, apart from the likes of Erik Karlsson and P.K. Subban, one of its most electrifying puck-rushers. He drives play from the back end, manufactures offense at even-strength and isn't a liability in his own zone. He's also a left-handed shot and, most importantly, available on the trade market:
McKenzie "I know [Stan] Bowman was trying all summer to trade Leddy." — Hope_Smoke (@Hope_Smoke) September 19, 2014
While it might usually be a red flag when a smart organization like Chicago tries to move a talented, cost-controlled young defenseman, there are a few reasons why this makes sense for the Blackhawks. Most notably, they're $2.2 million over the salary cap ceiling and don't want to trade Johnny Oduya, one-half of their effective shutdown tandem, in order to become cap compliant. Leddy is also a restricted free agent at the end of the season, at which point his qualifying offer will be $3.4 million at a time when the Hawks' mega-extensions for Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane kick in. Chicago also has a slew of young defensemen knocking on the door like David Rundblad, Stephen Johns and Adam Clendening so dealing Leddy seems like one of the more reasonable solutions to their cap crunch.
Acquiring him, or at least trying to, seems like one of the more reasonable solutions to the Sharks' blueline issues as well. As mentioned, he's a lefty, so he's capable of slotting in right behind Vlasic on the depth chart for a coaching staff that prefers (like most) to pair opposing-handed defensemen. He's also just 23, so giving up futures to get him wouldn't compromise Doug Wilson's stated plan of a youth movement. Most of all, he's great at hockey and the Sharks could always use another player in their organization who fits that description.
Since he became a regular NHLer at the start of the 2011-12 season, Leddy ranks 14th among qualifying defensemen in 5-on-5 possession and 20th in 5-on-5 points per 60 minutes. Thanks to Corey Sznajder's tracking project, we also know he successfully exited the defensive zone on 30% of his attempts to last season, 14th among defensemen who had at least 450 defensive-zone puck touches. He's also a one-man neutral zone trap-buster, as evidenced by his near-50% controlled offensive zone entry rate in the 2014 playoffs, unheard of for a defenseman especially against teams as stingy in middle ice as St. Louis, Minnesota and Los Angeles. Courtesy Jen of The Committed Indian, here's how the Blackhawks have performed with and without Leddy on the ice at even-strength over the course of his career:
Chicago has done a better job suppressing shot attempts against with Leddy on the ice compared to without him every season of his career, and they generated shot attempts at a better clip with Leddy than without him last season as well. There are certainly important contextual factors to take into consideration here as Leddy has the benefit of easier minutes and zone starts on the Hawks' third pairing but there's no denying his talent with the puck in all three zones. His lack of primo minutes on a stacked blueline has also prevented him from hitting the 40-point mark, meaning he probably isn't in for a huge payday as a RFA next summer.
Leddy would instantly inject speed and offense into the Sharks blueline and potentially even allow them to move Brent Burns back to forward at some point without having to ice a sub-par top four. He'd be pretty close to a perfect fit in San Jose but the bigger question is whether they have any realistic shot at acquiring him. For one, Stan Bowman might be reticent to trade a promising young defenseman to the man who targeted Niklas Hjalmarsson with an offer sheet four years ago. Even if that incident is water under the bridge, presumably the Blackhawks would rather trade Leddy out of conference or at the very least to a Western team they don't stand a decent chance of facing in the Conference Final.
But if the Hawks are willing to work out a deal with the Sharks, it goes without saying that the team should pounce on the opportunity. The entire point of the trade would be to free up cap space for Chicago meaning San Jose would not have to part with anyone on their roster. So it'll take some combination of picks and prospects and while it might hurt to give up a 1st rounder in the deep 2015 draft, the odds of the Sharks selecting someone as good as Leddy are slim and, again, Leddy is still young enough that it's reasonable to expect him to be a top-four staple for the next decade and possibly even a legitimate first-pairing defenseman in his prime.
It isn't often that you have a chance to acquire an established 23-year-old puck-moving defenseman who meets your franchise's biggest need without having to give up a single roster player but the Sharks could have the opportunity to do just that here. One of the advantages of operating significantly below the cap for the first time in years is that the Sharks can now take advantage of other teams having cap trouble rather than be under the cap crunch themselves.The thorny issue of whether Muslim students should be allowed to pray in Canadian secular schools aroused a storm of protests this year in a large school district in Toronto.
But Muslim students have for years quietly been provided space to pray in private in Metro Vancouver public high schools, particularly in Burnaby and Surrey.
Metro Vancouver Muslim leader Aasim Rashid said it’s essential that Muslim students be given a space to fulfil their “obligation” to pray five times each day — plus join a religious service every Friday afternoon.
“It’s a religious obligation that is placed upon every Muslim from the time they reach puberty,” said Rashid, a former mufti with the B.C. Muslim Association who heads an independent school in Surrey called the Al-Ihsan Educational Foundation.
Controversy over Muslim prayers triggered bursts of opposition this year in Toronto, where eight per cent of the population is Muslim.
The religious accommodation issue also appears to divide British Columbians, according to a Mainstreet Research poll, though it did not directly address the issue of private, voluntary prayers in schools. (See sidebar below)
In the large Peel school district of east Toronto, petitioners demanded the Muslim students’ 20 minutes of Friday congregational prayers, called Jummah, be banned.
Critics argued at heated meetings that schools should be strictly secular and students should not segregate by religion. One demonstrator burned a copy of the Qur’an, the Muslim holy book.
But Surrey and Burnaby school district officials said this week that they have long accommodated the religious expectations of Muslim students and those of other faiths.
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“These things are handled in a quiet way. We usually find a quiet room for the Muslims, and other students, to hold their prayers,” said Surrey school board spokesman Douglas Strachan.
The Surrey school board has also for more than a decade allowed orthodox Sikh students to wear kirpans, or ceremonial daggers, in public schools “as long as they’re hidden from view and kept sheathed,” Strachan said.
“We believe in doing all we can to accommodate religious practices so that all students feel welcome.”
When Burnaby school board officials were asked whether their district accommodates Muslim students who want to pray or hold Friday services, they initially said the issue had not arisen.
But after Burnaby communications manager Jodie Wilson contacted all eight of the district’s high schools, she confirmed each had been doing so for years.
Metro Vancouver has about 90,000 Muslims, accounting for 3.5 per cent of the population, with many in Burnaby and Surrey.
When Rashid was asked if he believed Christian and First Nations students should, like Muslims, be allowed to hold their ceremonies and prayers in public schools, he said, “I would ask them whether it is religiously required.”
Rashid wouldn’t want to see students of non-Muslims faiths or cultures asking for empty rooms to pray in at lunch or after school just to prove they have the same religious rights as Muslim students. “To me, the obligation is the big thing.”
Mandatory Christian prayers or ceremonies were banned decades ago in B.C. secular schools, after the courts clarified public educational officials cannot promote one religion over another.
John Stackhouse, a Canadian professor of culture and theology, says public school teachers should never expect students to take part in the spiritual practices of any religion or culture.
But religious students should have a right to voluntarily take part in their own practices on school property, he said.
Liberal Christians, Jews, Sikhs and Muslims, Stackhouse said, are generally prepared to let secular public schools be secular and not demand they provide a space even for voluntary prayers.
“But traditional Muslims, like traditional Jews and Christians, see prayer as properly practised both individually and corporately. Indeed, all three religions require corporate prayer,” says Stackhouse, a Christian.
“Unlike Jews and Christians, the Canadian school calendar does not already accommodate Muslims’ weekly day of prayer. Jews have Saturdays and Christians have Sundays, but Friday is the Muslim day. And the Jummah, the main Friday prayer, happens just after noon, which is smack in the middle of the school day.”
Based on the value of “reasonable accommodation,” Stackhouse believes the Peel, Surrey and Burnaby school districts and some others have struck “a sensible balance” that is least disruptive to classroom teaching.
“The basic principle is clear,” he said. “If we’re going to invite people from around the world to live here, and particularly refugees from Muslim societies, we must accommodate their cultural traditions as far as we reasonably can.”
Canadian school boards must not favour one religion over another, Stackhouse said. But they must not favour anti-religion either.
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Twitter.com/douglastodd
Blog: www.vancouversun.com/douglastodd
Almost all B.C. Muslims want their prayers in public schools: Poll
The vast majority of B.C. Muslims expect their ceremonies and prayers to be permitted in public schools, according to a poll.
But most British Columbians appear to oppose the idea.
A Mainstreet Research poll found 89 per cent of B.C. Muslims answered yes to the question: “Do you believe Muslim ceremonies or prayers should be allowed in public schools?”
However, only 20 per cent of B.C. residents said they believed Muslim ceremonies or prayers should be allowed in public schools, while 62 per cent opposed it.
The Mainstreet poll of 5,500 British Columbians simply asked respondents the general question of whether they believed Muslim or other religious ceremonies or prayers should be allowed in public schools.
The poll did not ask respondents to air their views on more specific questions, such as whether it would be acceptable to expose all students to Muslim prayers or other religious behaviour — or whether just those students who wanted such prayers would be accommodated.
But the result of the Mainstreet poll, conducted in April, remains significant.
It shows that British Columbians have widely diverging views about which different religious practices should be permitted on public-school grounds.
The poll question, for instance, revealed Catholics and non-religious people appear somewhat more open to Muslim prayers in schools than the typical British Columbian.
But fewer than 10 per cent of B.C. Sikhs and Buddhists endorse the concept.
In a separate question, Mainstreet pollsters discovered that four out of 10 Muslims, the same proportion of all British Columbians, believed Christian prayers should be permitted in public schools.
Only three of 10 British Columbians were in favour of First Nations’ smudging ceremonies or prayers in schools.
The issue of mandatory prayers or ceremonies came to a head earlier this year in B.C. when a Port Alberni mother went to B.C. Supreme Court to stop her children’s public school teachers from expecting students to join in “smudging” ceremonies led by aboriginal elders.
Poll results:
Percentage of B.C. residents who believe Muslim ceremonies or prayers should be allowed in public schools
All B.C. residents 20
Muslims 89
Catholics 29
Sikhs 8
Buddhists 9
Not religious 34
Percentage of B.C. residents who believe Christian ceremonies or prayers should be allowed in public schools?
All B.C. residents 39
Muslims 41
Catholics 58
Sikhs 41
Buddhists 74
Not religious 42
Percentage British Columbians who believe First Nations ‘smudging’ ceremonies and prayers should be allowed in public schools?
All B.C. residents 29
Muslims 33
Catholics 35
Sikhs 21
Buddhists 82
Not religious 34
Percentage B.C. residents who believe mindfulness meditation should be allowed in public schools?
All B.C. residents 42
Muslims 31
Catholics 41
Sikhs 41
Buddhists 85
Not religious 45
Source: Mainstreet Research poll, April 2017My Two Cents: An Open Letter To NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman by The King Shark
Thank you NHL for another glorious lockout in within a 10 year span.
On the last day before the lockout, a deal had to be made in order to prevent a lockout. So instead of getting together and talking it out, the NHL and the NHLPA decided to play chicken with each other. Now, it is what it is, a lockout is here, the season hangs in the balance, and the players get restless.
Sources have confirmed that Logan Couture is going to be heading to Genève-Servette HC (Geneva, Switzerland), while captain Joe Thornton is going back to HC Davos (Davos, Switzerland) where he played during the past lockout. Both teams are a part of the National League A (NDA).
Jason Demers is on his way to Finland to play for Oulun Kärpät, while forward Michal Handzus heads to Slovakia and lace up with HC ’05 Banská Bystrica.
It’s only going to be a matter of time before the rest of the team spreads out around the world and play in other countries.
It is definitely not a surprise to see players on the move. If the Lockout is anything like the 04-05 season, they will have to travel to get in some competitive hockey game play so that they don’t get rusty. There have also been reports from other teams too that people will start heading out to play for other teams in the KHL, NDA, Slovak Extraliga, SM-liiga, etc.
– @BMHo
Be sure to follow all of your BoT staff on twitter!!! @BladesofTeal @bladesofteal17 @Puckguy14 @KingShark49 @_StephLee_ @gordonronco @BMHo @BleedingTeal @bluelineboomer
Blades of Teal: The Final Word On San Jose Sharks HockeyOpponents of the deal were sharply critical of the Saudi role in Yemen’s war and said Riyadh had not shown enough concern about rising civilian casualties there.
“Today I stand up for the thousands of civilians who are being killed in Yemen,” Mr. Paul said on the Senate floor before the vote. “Today I stand for the millions of voiceless children in Yemen who will be killed by the Saudi blockade. Today I stand up for saying we, the United States, should no longer be fueling the arms race in the Middle East. It’s come to no good.”
Trump administration officials spent the hours before the vote frantically making phone calls and holding briefings with lawmakers to stave off a defeat, which would have been the first time in decades that a congressional body summarily rejected a weapons sale to Saudi Arabia. Last year, the Senate rejected a proposal to block a similar arms sale to Saudi Arabia, valued at $1.15 billion, by a much larger margin, 71 to 26.
Administration officials warned beforehand that the outlook was bleak; Mr. Schumer’s announcement, in particular, had them worried that he had given political cover to Democrats who wanted to send a signal to Mr. Trump.
“Nearly half of the U.S. Senate sent an overwhelmingly clear message to Riyadh that if it wants to return to a time of unequivocal U.S. support, it needs to stop killing civilians in Yemen,” said Andrea Prasow, the deputy Washington director at Human Rights Watch. “The Trump administration should take notice and use this statement as an opportunity to press the Saudis to change their behavior in Yemen — to focus on protecting civilians, and to be transparent about its conduct in this devastating war.”Title page of the 1508 edition
The compiler, Erasmus
Adagia (singular adagium) is the title of an annotated collection of Greek and Latin proverbs, compiled during the Renaissance by Dutch humanist Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus. Erasmus' collection of proverbs is "one of the most monumental... ever assembled" (Speroni, 1964, p. 1).
The first edition, titled Collectanea Adagiorum, was published in Paris in 1500, in a slim quarto of around eight hundred entries. By 1508, after his stay in Italy, Erasmus had expanded the collection (now called Adagiorum chiliades or "Thousands of proverbs") to over 3,000 items, many accompanied by richly annotated commentaries, some of which were brief essays on political and moral topics. The work continued to expand right up to the author's death in 1536 (to a final total of 4,151 entries), confirming the fruit of Erasmus' vast reading in ancient literature.
Commonplace examples from Adagia [ edit ]
Many of the adages have become commonplace in many European languages, and we owe our use of them to Erasmus. Equivalents in English include:
Context [ edit ]
The work reflects a typical Renaissance attitude toward classical texts: to wit, that they were fit for appropriation and amplification, as expressions of a timeless wisdom first uncovered by the classical authors. It is also an expression of the contemporary Humanism: the Adagia could only have happened via the developing intellectual environment in which careful attention to a broader range of classical texts produced a much fuller picture of the literature of antiquity than had been possible, or desired[citation needed], in medieval Europe. In a period in which sententiæ were often marked by special fonts and footnotes in printed texts, and in which the ability to use classical wisdom to bolster modern arguments was a critical part of scholarly and even political discourse, it is not surprising that Erasmus' Adagia was among the most popular volumes of the century.
Source: Erasmus, Desiderius. Adages in Collected Works of Erasmus. Trans. R.A.B Mynors et al. Volumes 31–36. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1982–2006. (A complete annotated translation into English. There is a one-volume selection: Erasmus, Desiderius. Adages. Ed. William Barker. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2001.)
References [ edit ]AUSTIN, Tex. — More than 100,000 people who signed an online petition calling on the Obama administration to allow Texas to secede from the United States and create an independent government received an official 476-word response from the White House last week.
The short answer was no.
But the response — in which a White House official said the founding fathers established the United States as a “perpetual union” — hardly discouraged the Texas secession movement, which has been simmering for decades but gained momentum after the re-election of President Obama.
On the opening day of the Legislature here last Tuesday, supporters of the Texas Nationalist Movement — a group that wants Texas to sever its federal ties and become an independent nation — met with Republican leaders, including Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. It was another sign that ideas once regarded as radical and even unpatriotic have found a measure of support, or at least sympathy, among some conservatives.
The movement also scored a mention in one legislator’s opening-day speech, though it was not a reference that pleased supporters of the cause. “Our economy is so vast and diverse that if Texas were its own country — and no, don’t worry, that isn’t something we’re going to do this session — but if we were, we’d be the 14th-largest economy in the world,” the speaker of the House, Joe Straus III, a San Antonio Republican, told lawmakers.These are the 40 most eye-popping plays of the 2016-17 NHL season.
Researchers and producers from NHL Network chose their 40 most improbable plays from the 2016-17 season for a special program to be broadcast during the summer. These are the ones they chose.
Players prevented goals and scored them into their own net; goalies made incredible saves, then allowed more improbable goals.
The 2016-17 NHL season was full of wacky plays that many fans had never seen before.
1. Nikita Kucherov scores slick shootout goal
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Buffalo Sabres, March 4, 2017
Kucherov scored one of the most creative and unique shootout goals you'll ever see when he deked Robin Lehner but allowed the momentum of the puck to squeeze between the pads of the Sabres goalie.
Video: Kucherov pulls off epic shootout fake
2. Ryan Miller dives to rob Henrik Zetterberg
Vancouver Canucks vs. Detroit Red Wings, Nov. 10, 2016
With the Canucks trailing 3-1 late in the third period, Miller left the ice for an extra attacker but quickly reversed his course and lunged like a baseball infielder to rob Zetterberg of a goal.
Video: VAN@DET: Miller dives to stop shot going to empty net
3. Jiri Hudler scores own goal
Dallas Stars vs. Ottawa Senators, Feb. 9, 2017
The Stars were up a man because of a delayed penalty, and Hudler thought he was making a back-pass to his defenseman. Instead, his pass ended up in the net for an Ottawa goal.
Video: DAL@OTT: Stars score own goal on delayed penalty
4. Ryan Ellis makes goal-line save in last seconds
Nashville Predators vs. Edmonton Oilers, Feb. 26, 2017
Connor McDavid thought he had the game-tying goal, but Ellis knocked away the puck to save the Predators' 6-5 win.
Video: EDM@NSH: Ellis makes outstanding block with his stick
5. Connor McDavid makes kick pass to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for goal
Edmonton Oilers vs. New York Rangers, Nov. 3, 2016
Making his first trip to New York, McDavid made his presence felt with this slick kick-pass to set up an Oilers goal by Nugent-Hopkins.
Video: EDM@NYR: Nugent-Hopkins buries McDavid's nifty feed
6. Alexander Barkov dangles, but Carey Price makes the save
Florida Panthers vs. Montreal Canadiens, Nov. 15, 2016
Barkov's slick moves work on most goalies, but most goalies aren't Price, who robbed the Panthers forward of the game-winning goal.
7. Matt Duchene flipped by Dmitry Orlov
Colorado Avalanche vs. Washington Capitals, Oct. 18, 2017
Duchene was striding to receive a pass from Carl Soderberg and never saw Orlov, who flipped the Avalanche forward with an old-school hip check.
8. Martin Jones makes save with his jersey
San Jose Sharks vs. Minnesota Wild, March 5, 2017
Everyone at Xcel Energy Center thought Chris Stewart had scored for the Wild except Jones, who had the puck lodged into the collar of his jersey for an impressive save.
9. Jared Spurgeon bats puck into net
New Jersey Devils vs. Minnesota Wild, Jan. 17, 2017
Spurgeon somehow caught the puck, dropped it to his stick and managed to beat Cory Schneider for a Wild goal.
10. Blake Comeau passes puck on a breakaway
Colorado Avalanche vs. Winnipeg Jets, March 4, 2017
Comeau had a shorthanded breakaway yet passed the puck toward Nathan MacKinnon, and the pass was intercepted by Jets forward Patrik Laine.
Watch: Blake Comeau pass puck on breakaway on Youtube
11. Danny DeKeyser scores strange goal from center ice
Detroit Red Wings vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, Oct. 13, 2016
Off a faceoff, the Red Wings defenseman shot the puck into the offensive zone, where it hit the boards and went in off the skate of goalie Ben Bishop.
12. Pekka Rinne's incredible diving save
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Nashville Predators, April 17, 2017
Rinne was nearly unstoppable for the Predators during the Western Conference First Round. He somehow dove to steal a goal from Johnny Oduya.
13. Tom Wilson dives to make save, scores on other end
Washington Capitals vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, April 18, 2017
Wilson stole what would have been the tying goal by Morgan Rielly by sweeping the puck off the Capitals goal line. Moments later, he redirected teammate Lars Eller's shot past Frederik Andersen.
14. Craig Anderson passes it right to Jordan Weal for a goal
Ottawa Senators vs. Philadelphia Flyers, March 28, 2017
Weal baited the Senators goaltender into passing him the puck, and the Flyers forward slid it into an open net.
15. Patrik Laine scores into his own net
Winnipeg Jets vs. Edmonton Oilers, Dec. 11, 2016
Laine scored 36 goals for the Jets in his rookie season; unfortunately he also scored one against Winnipeg during its 3-2 loss in Edmonton.
Video: WPG@EDM: Letestu scores second goal on Laine's miscue
16. Steven Stamkos scores tying goal from weird angle with 5.5 seconds left
Florida Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, Oct. 18, 2016
The Lightning center snapped a perfectly timed one-timer past James Reimer to force overtime in Tampa Bay's 4-3 shootout win.
17. Jonathan Quick's snazzy leg save
Arizona Coyotes vs. Los Angeles Kings, April 2, 2017
Coyotes center Peter Holland thought he had a sure goal, but Quick nonchalantly kicked his leg to deny it.
18. Mike Smith's turnover leads to Josh Archibald's easy goal
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Arizona Coyotes, Feb. 11, 2017
Smith couldn't play the puck outside of the trapezoid, and Archibald swooped in to steal it for a Penguins goal.
19. Nazem Kadri scores off Ryan Dzingel's face
Ottawa Senators vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, Feb. 18, 2017
Dzingel made a diving play to keep the puck out of the Senators net, but Kadri took the puck from behind the goal and shot it in off Dzingel's face.
20. Patrik Laine scores in OT after Auston Matthews is stopped
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Winnipeg Jets, Oct. 19, 2016
In the much-anticipated Matthews vs. Laine meeting, the Jets forward capped a hat trick with a wrist shot against Toronto goalie Frederik Andersen seconds after Matthews was stopped on a breakaway by Winnipeg goalie Michael Hutchinson.
Video: TOR@WPG: Laine nets hat trick with GWG in overtime
21. Loui Eriksson scores own goal
Calgary Flames vs. Vancouver Canucks, Oct. 15, 2016
Eriksson scored in his Canucks debut, it just happened to be for the wrong team.
22. Alex Galchenyuk gets stick stuck in Matthew Tkachuk's visor
Montreal Canadiens vs. Calgary Flames, March 9, 2017
Galchenyuk and Tkachuk came together along the boards, but the Canadiens forward's stick wound up between Tkachuk's face and visor. Fortunately, all parties were OK.
23. Nikolaj Ehlers scores into own goal in OT
Winnipeg Jets vs. Colorado Avalanche, Nov. 11, 2016
Ehlers thought he was clearing the puck behind his net but instead shot it past Winnipeg goaltender Michael Hutchinson and gave Colorado a 3-2 overtime victory.
24. Jeff Skinner steals goal from Elias Lindholm
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, April 2, 2017
With perhaps the easiest goal of his career, Skinner redirected Elias Lindholm's shot on the goal line, essentially stealing the goal.
25. Mark Borowiecki loses skate blade
New Jersey Devils vs. Ottawa Senators, Dec. 17, 2016
The Ottawa defenseman lost his blade midshift but managed to usefully defend, to the delight of Senators captain Erik Karlsson.
Video: NJD@OTT: Borowiecki stumbles after losing blade
26. Alex Killorn scores while falling down
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Washington Capitals, March 18, 2017
Killorn proved adept at scoring even while flying through the air after being tripped by Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen.
27. Colton Sceviour scores when Nikita Zaitsev falls down
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Florida Panthers, March 14, 2017
Zaitsev tripped over himself then fell trying to chase down Sceviour, and the Panthers forward scored shorthanded.
28. Shea Weber's shot snaps Brayden Schenn's stick for goal
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Montreal Canadiens, Oct. 24, 2016
This point shot by Weber was accurate enough for a Canadiens goal and lethal enough to blow up Schenn's stick.
29. Stars can't score on a 3-on-0 in overtime
Minnesota Wild vs. Dallas Stars, Jan. 24, 2017
After Wild forward Charlie Coyle fell down, the Stars were gifted a 3-on-0 against Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen yet somehow failed to come away with even a shot on goal.
30. T.J. Oshie breaks water bottle with goal
Los Angeles Kings vs. Washington Capitals, Feb. 5, 2017
Oshie's fluttering shot put the Capitals ahead 4-0 but also destroyed the water bottle behind goalie Peter Budaj.
Video: LAK@WSH: Oshie roofs feed and pops water bottle off
31. Paul Byron scores on bouncing puck for game-winner
Montreal Canadiens vs. Vancouver Canucks, March 7, 2017
Paul Byron's redirection of Alex Galchenyuk's point shot made a right turn and bounced in for the game-winner for the Canadiens.
32. Sidney Crosby scores off Antti Niemi's back
Dallas Stars vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, Dec. 1, 2016
Crosby showed off his hand-eye coordination by batting the puck out of midair and off Niemi.
33. Darnell Nurse scores off Connor McDavid feed
Edmonton Oilers vs. Winnipeg Jets, Oct. 23, 2016
After Nurse was done serving a cross-checking penalty, he left the penalty box, took a perfect pass from McDavid, and scored against the Jets.
34. Cory Schneider's misplay gives Connor Brown an easy goal
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. New Jersey Devils, Jan. 6, 2017
Schneider's stickhandling cost him; the Devils goaltender bobbled the puck just as Brown was moving in to give the Maple Leafs an easy goal.
35. Jayson Megna slams on brakes for goal
Vancouver Canucks vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, Feb. 9, 2017
Megna flew in with speed but stopped and roofed the puck past Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.
Video: VAN@CBJ: Megna dekes, beats Bobrovsky
36. Ondrej Palat misses wide-open net
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, March 1, 2017
Kucherov put the puck on a tee for Palat, who shot the puck past Hurricanes goaltender Eddie Lack.
37. Ryan McDonagh's kick save for Metropolitan vs. Pacific
NHL All-Star Game, Jan. 29, 2017
McDonagh stuck out his right leg to deny Ryan Kesler the game-tying goal and help the Metropolitan Division earn a 4-3 win against the Pacific Division in the final.
38. Tyler Graovac, Francois Beauchemin shoot puck through camera holes in glass
Florida Panthers vs. Minnesota Wild, Dec. 14, 2016
Colorado Avalanche vs. Detroit Red Wings, March 18, 2017
Two plays you wouldn't expect to see in a lifetime somehow happened twice in the same season when Graovac of the Wild and Beauchemin of the Avalanche each shot the puck through a camera hole in the glass.
39. Brian Gionta heads puck into zone
Ottawa Senators vs. Buffalo Sabres, Feb. 4, 2017
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. It is not merely Gurmukhi that is endangered here. Shahmukhi is fast disappearing too. Kalyan is home these days because Eid is approaching and the campus is shut for the festival. He can get along fine in Pashto, but he is mostly a Punjabi speaker it seems. He is equally at ease in Urdu.
All three men, of different generations, are refugees in a certain sense of the word. Kalyan is 32 years old. His parents moved to Nankana Sahib after the 1971 Indo-Pak war in which India aided the formation of Bangladesh and the Sikhs of Wadiye-Terah in Khyber Agency bore the brunt of West Pakistani ire. It was Pashtuns who pushed Kalyan’s family and several others out. Those who stayed back were killed, he says. Terah valley was in the news in February 2010, when Taliban fighters abducted three Sikhs from there and beheaded one, Jaspal Singh, for refusing to convert to Islam. His head was sent to Peshawar’s Gurdwara Joga Singh, which had re-opened in the 1980s after staying shut for a long time. The incident led many Sikhs to flee Peshawar and seek refuge in Nankana Sahib. That is when Amir came here with his wife and three sons.
The children, the youngest of them a teenager, did not attend school. In fact, Kalyan is among the few young men here with an education. The local Government Guru Nanakji High School was an Urdu medium school till 2009. Local Sikh children who finish school rarely venture further. The circumstances that brought these refugees to Nankana have been different, but their exodus pattern and the monotony of their lives here are strikingly similar. If Hukam Singh came here after the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US, about 50 families had arrived here from different parts of Pakistan after the 6 December 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, India. Refugees account for more than half the Sikh population of roughly 3,000 in Nankana district.
Hazmat Singh arrived eight years ago after the murder of the Baloch tribal leader Akbar Bugti during General Musharraf’s regime. The killing sparked ethnic violence and led to a wave of Sikhs and Hindus fleeing the area. Hazmat, who speaks broken Punjabi, earns Rs 5,000 a month at the Gurdwara and has a family of seven to support. The children get to eat at the Langar (community kitchen), but they do not go to school. “It costs Rs 4,000 per year to send one child to school,” he says, and informs me about a pilgrim who came here last year from Canada and gave him enough money to send his youngest son to school for two years. Hazmat did not. Instead, he says, he used the funds to raise the children. He is not sure if he will come across another donor among the Sikh pilgrims who converge on this revered shrine.
Most of the men here work at the Gurdwara as sevadars (helpers) and earn a few thousand rupees each every month, which is never enough to make ends meet. Some are employed in the shops of earlier settlers who run small businesses. Kalyan’s father, who runs a store in the market outside the shrine premises, is a member of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC), the country’s Sikh shrine-managing body.
It took him decades in Nankana to attain such a stature and the wherewithal to send his son to college. But then, compared to the cash-rich and politically powerful SGPC in India, the Pakistani equivalent is a poor cousin. Even the state of the shrine here presents a sharp contrast with the Golden Temple in Amritsar, or for that matter any other prominent Gurdwara across the border. The SGPC in India, more so in Punjab, runs not just Gurdwaras but also Sikh religious affairs. The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab has never let the SGPC out of its sight because that would mean losing influence over a lot of Sikh votes. In Pakistan, the government exercises control over the few Sikhs there are, an estimated 50,000 or so scattered across the country, largely through the Evacuee Property Trust Board (EPTB), which manages the shrine. Among local journalists—since I am part of a delegation of journalists from India hosted by Lahore journalists, there is plenty of information being exchanged—it is common knowledge that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence keeps a close tab on the EPTB’s operations. The PSGPC’s term is over and elections have been due for months now, but are yet to be held.
Malik Anwar, district in-charge of the EPTB, clad in a sparkling white salwaar-kameez as he plays host to the visiting delegation, talks of taking “Sikhs along”. He sounds like a politician. “It is important to keep Sikhs involved in the management of the shrine so that we do not make mistakes out of ignorance [of their practices],” he tells delegates, “Sikhs have businesses in town, they live like Muslims here.” Clearly, the PSGPC reports to the EPTB, and Anwar lords over its affairs. His men, clad likewise in white, keep a close watch on who’s talking to which visitor and about what.
At the Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore, a similarly clad official comes and stands next to me while I have a conversation with 17-year-old Mahinder Pal Singh, a first year pre-medical student of Lahore’s Government College. He has got this far because he opted out of the local Urdu medium school and joined the English-medium Al Muarif Higher Secondary School. He secured admission through a 5 per cent quota in colleges for minorities. He has been provided free accommodation by the Gurdwara; it has over 30 rooms for Sikh students who need a place to stay in Lahore to pursue higher education. Only three are occupied. He has barely begun talking about the difficulties of his friends in seeking admission under the quota when the man in white appears. “It is Allah’s grace that Sikhs and Hindus are treated so well in Pakistan,” says Mahinder Pal suddenly, alerting me to the intruder’s presence.
I move into the kitchen, where I meet Pritam Singh, a cook who was a cloth merchant in Dadu district, Sindh, and moved to Lahore five years ago. He does not make a merchant’s money as he once did, he says, but his family feels safe.
By official statistics, Muslims are 96 per cent of Pakistan’s population; Hindus and Christians together form about 3.2 per cent, and Sikhs, Parsis, Jews and others the rest. Before setting out for Lahore in late October, I had contacted a minority rights lawyer there to help me meet Sikhs and Christians in the city. There had already been a flurry of reports on Hindus crossing over to India from Pakistan with valid visas but refusing to go back, and I wanted the stories of non-Hindu Pakistani minorities.
The lawyer put me in touch with an activist who has worked with Christians. She has come over to my hotel in Gulberg, a leafy locality of Lahore, to meet the other visiting journalists, but is reluctant to let me meet Christians in her office. She promises to arrange visits to some Christian homes instead.
“I just want to know how they live in Pakistan,” I tell her. “The way Muslims live in India,” she says, advising caution, “These are sensitive matters. A report can give an opportunity to communal forces to derail the peace initiative.” Those are her exact words. ‘Derail’, ‘peace’, ‘initiative’. The promised meeting never happens.
So I begin searching for Christians on my own. A journalist at the local press club tells me to search among the sweepers in my hotel. On the second day of my search, I meet Sham Masih. He has been around all along. Only, the other housekeeping boys, his colleagues, do not know that Sham is Christian. “I never let anyone feel I am not Muslim,” says Sham, “I keep myself clean and I dress well, by Allah’s grace.”
Sham has never been to school. Nor have his siblings. But he earns well, Rs 9,000 a month, of which he gives Rs 500 to St Paul’s Church in Green Town, nearly an hour’s drive from Gulberg. There is a bigger cluster of Muslim homes in Raiwind further away from the city towards Kasoor. Sham says he mingles with people of his community on Sundays, but his friends are mostly Muslims, “by Allah’s grace”, he repeats. He faces trouble for not being Muslim, he says, only when he is found out. “Then they say I should convert, they don’t want to break bread with a non-Muslim. But I usually never let anyone know I am not Muslim,” he says and leaves.
The brief meeting has left me and my roommate Rahul Puri silent. The door is still open. Sham has returned. He asks if I can spare him a few cigarettes. I offer him an open packet. He takes four sticks and says, “Allah hafiz” with a big smile as he shuts the door behind him.Update: It seems that the final version of Windows 10 is also affected by the issue. The start menu fails to open after upgrading from a previous version of Windows.
Making the Windows 10 Start Menu Work Again
Windows 10 is currently available as Technical Preview which means that there are still a lot of issues and bugs which need fixing before the Operating System gets ready for use by consumers. Some users using the Windows 10 Technical Preview (build 9926) are facing an odd issue where the Start Menu (and Cortana/Search) would not work/open anymore, no matter if they click on the Start Button, Press the Windows key on the keyboard or press Ctrl + Esc. System Restore seems to be the cause of this error, but there can be more. Anyways, here’s how to sort it out.
There can be multiple reasons for the broken Start Menu and as usual, one solution cannot fit everywhere. Still, you should definitely give the following a try and who knows, the Start Menu starts working again, saving you from a full reset or reinstalling Windows 10 again.
Do backup any data you’ve saved in the Modern Apps as all of them will be re-installed. Desktop software and apps won’t be affected though.
Open Windows PowerShell as Administrator Right click Start button Choose Command prompt (Admin) Key in Powershell in the black window and hit Enter Paste the following command in the Administrator: Windows PowerShell window and press Enter key: Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"} Wait for PowerShell to execute and complete the command. Ignore the few errors (in red color) that may pop up. When it finishes, try hitting Start and hopefully it’ll start working. If not, this solution won’t apply to you, unfortunately.
Are you able to solve it for you by following the procedure mentioned above or it fails? If it it fails, do make sure that you ran Powershell as Administrator (window will be called Administrator: Windows PowerShell ) and gave the command enough time to execute.
Other Fixes Suggested by Visitors
Uninstall Dropbox and then Disable Autostart – Robert Gavick suggested in comments that uninstalling dropbox fixed the issue for him. So if you have dropbox installed on your Windows 10 PC, just uninstall it. You can then re-install it, but set it to not to autostart at boot.
Boot into Safe Mode – Debbie W. mentioned in comments that booting the PC into safe mode and then normally fixed this problem on multiple PCs. Others have also confirmed it to be working for them. So do give it a shot if you’ve exhausted all other options. Read more in her comment.
Uninstall CCleaner or Avast AntiVirus – CCleaner and Avast AntiVirus are two known softwares culprit of causing this error. So if you have any of these installed, just get rid of them soon.
Still no luck? You can get everything to work fine by creating a new user account and working under it. You will lose some of your user data, but most of the files and documents can be transferred over by copying the data from Desktop, Documents, Pictures and other libraries.Things got ugly between the NWHL’s New York Riveters and Connecticut Whale on Sunday night, and both teams will be feeling the consequences in their next game.
In the third period of Sunday’s contest, a chippy affair the Whale led 5-0, Connecticut Danielle Ward bumped into Riveters goalie Jenny Scrivens. New York defenceman Ashley Johnston took exception and cross-checked Ward. The Whale’s Micaela Long then took down Johnston well after the whistle, sparking a line brawl.
Connecticut went on to win 6-1.
Long was handed a two-minute minor for roughing, a five-minute major for fighting and a game misconduct. Johnston was given two minutes for roughing.
As many as eight Riveters players appeared to be on the ice for the fracas.
“I think Micaela stuck up for her own teammate and at the end of the day (New York) took a lot of kids off the bench and they just joined the brawl and we didn’t,” Whale captain Jessica Koizumi said. “We held back because we are trying to be smart on suspensions and those kind of things.”
In the end, neither team avoided supplemental discipline. The NWHL announced on Friday that it was suspending Long and Riveters defenceman Elena Orlando for one game apiece and issuing warnings to New York’s Morgan Fritz-Ward and Bray Ketchum.
The league explained the decisions in a pair of videos.
The Player Safety Committee determined that Orlando, who immediately joined the fight after a legal line change, “chose to enter the illegal post-whistle play and became an active participant.”
Fritz-Ward and Ketchum also left the Riveters bench. The league determined that their actions, while illegal, were “without significant impact” and did not warrant suspension. Fritz-Ward was given two warning strikes, Ketchum one.
Long was suspended for a late, high hit causing injury. The league said she blindsided Johnston well after the whistle (approximately six seconds).
The two teams don’t have much time to cool off after the heated affair. The Riveters and Whale are set to face each other again Saturday night.It's always a pleasure when anything patent-related enters the mainstream. Recently, Stephen Colbert took on the absurd inventions that companies attempt to patent.
In this case, the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report lampoons Amazon's new patent on a method of photography in front of a white background.
The patent, like many patents issued today, uses seemingly complex language to describe a fairly simple idea. While the patent gives examples in its claims of a specific set up, down to particular F-stop settings and ISO values, the patent features typical boilerplate language: "variations and modifications may be made [...] without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure."
Even if Amazon's claims are narrow, the studio set-up it describes is mundane. Will we have patents now on every arrangement of lights and ISO value? Just last year, we puzzled over the fact that the Patent Office gave YogaGlo a patent on, well, a technique for filming a yoga class. How did these patents pass the system's obviousness or novelty standards? Your guess is as good as ours, though in light of the sheer number of low quality patents we've seen asserted these last few years, we're not totally surprised.
Colbert even references how trolls can make money off lawsuits alone:
Best of all, even if your invention never makes a penny, accusing someone of stealing it can. Because in 2011 alone, unused patents alone generated $29 billion in lawsuits, legal fees, and settlements worth tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. So if you have an idea, and you work hard, someday you can get sued by someone who had a similar idea.
Colbert then brilliantly attempts to file a patent on filing patents. (Remember IBM's and Halliburton's attempts to file a patent on... patent trolling?) While he may run across a few (millions of) pieces of prior art, such a patent might just be the key to tempering the insane number of applications the patent office receives each year."Inversion: Plus Minus" (photo by Rich Rano)
BY RICH RANO
The Central Eastside resides as one of Portland’s industrial sanctuaries with an established goal to evolve its uses while maintaining the close-in manufacturing core for the many makers, producers, and creators who make up much of the city’s identity. But while the zoning hasn't changed, the Central Eastside always has continued to do so. Now, with a new streetcar line at the district's eastern edge on Grand Avenue and MLK Boulevard, the Central Eastside is changing again. And in a public art project constructed as part of the new streetcar line, that slow transformation can be palpably felt.
"Inversion: Plus Minus" by Seattle's Lead Pencil Studio, located at the east end of the Hawthorne Bridge ramp (with an companion installation set to be constructed a few blocks north at the Morrison bridgehead) has been called a "ghost building" for how it evokes a long-gone warehouse on the site. But just as compelling as this large-scale artwork is the process Lead Pencil Studio used to design and construct it, which combined state-of-the-art digital means with traditional fabrication techniques. "Inversion: Plus Minus" is a conversation piece between industrial authenticity and the vision of a growing urban core through a contemporary lens.
Recently Lead Pencil Studio's Annie Han and Daniel Mihalyo answered a series of questions about how they put it together, and what they think the impact of the artwork has been thus far.
Portland Architecture: The piece's welded Cor-Ten steel members are of a traditional analog process, yet "Inversion" yields a quite digital-age aesthetic. Were there any special tools or technologies in the design or assembly of the piece?
Lead Pencil Studio: We looked at several techniques for developing a fabrication method including one version that involved digitally tracking every stick of steel with Revit and using bolted connections that would have required an absurd level of accuracy. In the end however, we opted for a manually performed assembly methods. The only use of the digital methods were for ordinary drafting, rendering tests and material estimation.
"Inversion: Plus Minus" (photo by Rich Rano)
It seems that no matter the method of drawing or modeling during conceptualization, there is always an uncertainty on whether or not the project will successfully scale-up during the interpretive process of fabrication. On this point, this project was a larger challenge than most because we were not able to see the final assembly until it was craned onto the site. The digital renderings that we worked on were never really able to accurately predict the appearance and density of material and inevitably there is a good amount of finesse performed on site.
In all that finesse, were there strict rules to the placement of each member to maintain your desired aesthetic?
We definitely had a system of techniques that we've developed over the years to keep things from getting away from us. More than half of the individual members had a structural role to play which dictated their connection points, welds and precise placement. The remainder of the material had an aesthetic role and therefore had to be generally located to maintain consistent density and gradation across the overall piece. There were daily checks with all involved to discuss consistency in the layout. The most vexing problem was to avoid the development of recognizable geometric patterns that tend to naturally occur anytime you have highly repetitive work.
"Inversion: Plus Minus" (photos by Rich Rano)
Ghosted images of the former buildings aside, how do you think the assembly methods and design choices relate to and spawn a dialogue with the industrial and manufacturing roots of the site?
From a material point of view, Cor-Ten steel has a leathery brown appearance that is nearly indistinguishable from the cast iron that was produced on the site. The utilitarian nature of industrial methods and materials figured large in our choices as we were looking to lend the project a good fit to the history of the neighborhood. Above everything though, we were challenged to create to a visually compelling piece that could compete on equal terms with the scale, velocity and deafening volume of cars and semi-trucks along Grand Avenue. When we look at it now, the work seems to be at peace within the violence of the context, rising above the crush of traffic and resilient in the face of change. In the end the work is a direct response to the 1950's planning decisions that shaped the site during the intervening 60 years since the demolition of the nascent urban fabric in favor of vehicle throughput.
On the theme of planning and zoned use revision, how have you witnessed the visual impact of Inversion informing the evolution of the area’s experience?
Most of Portland Oregon passes through this neighborhood on route to somewhere else. While many work there during the day, the evening is largely a ghost town - but the seeds of change are clearly in the works. As real estate pressures continues to rise, there will undoubtedly be increasing economic and political leverage applied to loosen the zoning protection of the Industrial Sanctuary. As those demolitions occur, the history of the activities that took place evaporate as well. Do this enough and a neighborhood and the people are forgotten. Our project is a response to this deleterious effect.
For those who are just passing through, we hope that they are able to discern our dialogue with the neighborhood forms, textures and materials and read our project as sketches of buildings that once existed or perhaps ones that might rise again.
Screen capture from "Inversion: Plus Minus" design (courtesy Lead Pencil Studio)
So your project aims to maintain the industrial identity of the area?
Our artwork operates less definitively, but on a personal level we do appreciate authenticity of place and are generally skeptical of developments that alter the built/natural environment one opportunistic project at a time. In the case of the Industrial Sanctuary, we're under no illusion that the area should be reborn with gritty belching shipyard smokestacks. We also feel that it is vital for a city that prides itself on making, such as Portland, that there be affordable, near-in places to get everything you need - hardware, materials, process expertise, basic industrial methods and equipment. Few cities have been able to maintain this and it would be a shame to see it quietly displaced by a completely different identity.
AdvertisementsDetectives in Fairbanks witnessed an attempted murder Tuesday afternoon while conducting an investigation at a building where a man is accused of killing his stepfather two weeks ago, Fairbanks police reported Wednesday.
Around 3:30 p.m., detectives watched as a pickup pulled up to the residence at 1215 Bunnell St. and a man got out, according to an account from Fairbanks Police Department spokesperson Yumi McCulloch.
The man "confronted the victim" and threatened him with a handgun that "ultimately discharged," the statement said, though no one was hurt in the shooting. Then the man got back in the truck and sped off, police said.
Police and Alaska State Troopers chased the truck but lost sight of it near Chena Hot Springs Road between the Steese Highway and Bias Drive, the statement said.
When they caught up to it a short time later, the suspect seen with the gun was gone. Police arrested Shae-Lyn Nichole Probert, 21 — who they say had taken over driving the car — on charges of hindering prosecution. Another person in the vehicle was released.
About five hours later, at 8:20 p.m., the suspect, 38-year-old Vincent Nelson, was spotted in woods around Birch Hill Road and Shenandoah Drive but ran again, police said.Popular game engine Unity is one of the greatest boons the videogame industry has ever sent. By creating a game in Unity, developers can easily port it to a variety of platforms. Just look at how much the Windows Phone gaming scene has improved since Unity titles started showing up in March of last year. Unity also has strong Xbox One support. First announced back in November, all members of Microsoft's ID@Xbox program receive a free limited Unity Pro license with Xbox One deployment add-on. It's not unlike today's separate announcement that ID@Xbox users will get free GameMaker: Studio support. The GameMaker offer hasn't started just yet, but the public preview of Unity for Xbox One officially kicked off this week. That's cool and all, but the games are the really exciting part. Read on to find out about some of the most promising Unity games coming to Xbox One.
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
Xbox One development made easy Some core Xbox One development features are included directly inside of Unity. But a great many of the Xbox One-specific functions that developers will need are distributed within an independent package of plugins (the Xbox One deployment add-on). One of the challenges of Xbox One development is the console's high number of asynchronous APIs. Unity's native plugins make the integration of Microsoft APIs with Unity as much more painless process. Constructs like the EventQueue assist with calling into Unity systems from asynchronous callbacks. For the folks at home, Wikipedia defines a callback as "a piece of executable code that is passed as an argument to other code, which is expected to call back (execute) the argument at some convenient time." A callback that occurs at a later time instead of immediately is asynchronous. There you go, you're ready to head out and get your computer science degree! The current version of Unity for Xbox One is based on Unity 4.3. The Unity company does not plan to update the Xbox One release to Unity 4.5 (which debuted in May). Instead, Xbox One support will skip to Unity 5.0 at the appropriate time. Unity plans to continue supporting Unity 4.3 (including XDK upgrades) into 2015. Developers who start working with 4.3 won't be left in the dust. Upcoming ID@Xbox titles made with Unity
Cuphead from Studio MDHR One of the games everybody frothed over at E3, Cuphead is strikingly beautiful. The hand-drawn art style emulates that of 1930s cartoons, with large-eyed and expressive characters. Cuphead will be a one- or two-player action platformer – always a fun genre. The cupheaded protagonists must battle huge and interesting monsters by jumping, dodging, and firing blasts from their fingers. We'll have to wait until 2015 to play Cuphead, but it looks to be more than worth the wait.
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime from Asteroid Base The Unity title I'm most looking forward to as a game is Lovers. One or two local players will man a spherical pink spaceship as it flies through procedurally generated star systems. The randomized gameplay means you'll have a different experience every time you play, not unlike popular space sim FTL. If you're not playing in co-op, an AI space dog will take over as your partner. Lovers looks very cute and very different.
Ori and the Blind Forest from Moon Studios Another E3 highlight, Ori and the Blind Forest also looks rather stunning. Players take on the role of a forest spirit who must discover his purpose within a heavily atmospheric world. Ori and the Blind Forest is a 2D Metroidvania-style game, much like the phenomenal Guacamelee. If Moon Studios can get anywhere near that level of quality (and the inspiration they claim from Zelda: a Link to the Past and Super Metroid certainly can't hurt), then we could be looking at a new genre classic. Ori will launch later this fall.
Roundabout from No Goblin And now for something completely different! Roundabout has been making the rounds at shows like PAX, where its humorous premise impressed critics and players alike. In this game, you play as a constantly rotating limousine. The goal is to navigate through levels without crashing into too many obstacles while delivering passengers to their destinations. Watch the trailer and you'll see the game's undeniably offbeat potential.(Reuters) - Burkina Faso’s government confirmed on Wednesday that an outbreak of H5N1 avian flu was responsible for the deaths of large numbers of chickens in two regions of the country in recent weeks.
Jean Paul Rouamba, minister for livestock, said tests had been carried out by the UnitedNations experts after a wave of deaths in traditional and modern poultry farms in February and March.
Rouamba said that strict measures had been put in place by the authorities to control further infections though he gave no details. The deaths occurred in Kadiogo province in Centre region and Sanguie in Centre-West region, Rouamba said on state radio.
Burkina Faso last battled an outbreak of avian flu in 2006, when the disease was detected in a string of other countries in the region, including Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon and Ghana.
Earlier this year, Nigeria confirmed an outbreak of H5N1 bird flu on poultry farms that has now reached 11 states nationwide. Four people have died in Egypt from bird flu this year.
The World Health Organization says that whenever bird flu viruses are circulating in poultry, there is a risk of sporadic infections or small clusters of human cases.Even if you’re not religious, there’s no denying the enormous - and sometimes devastating - influence that the Bible as an historic text has had on the world over the past 3,000 years. And yet, when it comes to the most widely distributed book on the planet, we still can’t agree on who wrote it, and when.
So a bunch of mathematicians teamed up with archaeologists to shed a bit of light on the origins of the Bible, by using artificial intelligence to come up with an estimate of how many people could read and write during certain periods in ancient history.
Led by mathematician Shira Faigenbaum-Golovin from Tel Aviv University in Israel, the team came up with new image processing techniques and a handwriting recognition tool to investigate 16 inscriptions found in the desert fortress of Arad, just west of the Dead Sea.
Dated to around 600 BCE (so about 2,600 years ago) these ink inscriptions detail fairly mundane military commands and supply orders, and were written on ceramic pottery shards called ostraca during the late First Temple Period - 24 years before the Kingdom of Jerusalem was overthrown by the Babylonian king.
This is when most scholars agree that the earliest Biblical texts - including the Book of Joshua, Judges, the two Books of Kings, and parts of Genesis and Deuteronomy - were pieced together, so you’d expect that reading and writing were only common among the elite few at this time… Or were they?
To figure this out, the researchers first had to restore the inscriptions using their new image processing tools, and then used their handwriting recognition tool to determine how many people actually wrote them.
Maddie Stone explains over at Gizmodo:
"They … developed machine learning algorithms that could compare and contrast the shape of the ancient Hebrew characters in order to identify statistically distinct handwritings. In principle, this is similar to the algorithms tech companies use for digital signature detection. All in all, their analysis revealed at least six different authors behind the 16 ostraca. Examining the contents of the text itself, the researchers concluded that these authors spanned the entire military chain of command."
"The commander down to the lowest water master could all communicate in writing," one of the team, mathematician Arie Shaus, told her. "This was an extremely surprising result."
So if the Biblical water boys were reading and writing at around 600 BCE, it suggests that a "proliferation of literacy" had already occurred much earlier, the researchers suggested, and that has implications for when the first books of Bible were likely penned.
Since the earliest biblical texts represent the political and theological ideologies of their authors, one of the team, archaeologist Israel Finkelstein, told Jennifer Viegas at Discovery News, "it makes sense that at least the literati could read them. If a large number of people could read the text, it could have been easier to distribute the ideas of the authors among the Judahite population of the time".
This could push the origin of the earliest Biblical texts back at least 200 years, archaeologist Christopher Rollston from George Washington University, who wasn’t involved in this study, told Gizmodo, adding that we have good amount of archaeological evidence that suggests that parts of the Bible were written as early as 800 BCE.
The researchers are now working on developing even more tools to glean what they can from ancient texts, and it’s hoped that with more evidence, we can piece together the beginnings of the best-selling book on Earth.
"We’re bringing new evidence to the game," says Shaus. "Now, we’ll see what else comes out."
The results have been published in Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences.The Europa Report UI was a challenge in designing for realism. According to Perception, the studio behind the UI and screen design, director Sebastian Cordero's emphasis was to portray a scientifically accurate vision of the future. Therefore the UI designs had to be rooted in a believable reality.
From the looks of the finished designs, they've achieved this in a style that looks almost like an 80s/early 90's vision of the future with a polished twist.
What seems key in the design is the efficient use of space, there's no overcrowding and attempt to replicate complexity. Instead the design is fairly stripped back and with minimalist style elements and chunky icons.
It's quite nice to see retro elements being brought into the UI, there's quite of lot of nostalgic devices and measurement tools that have been introduced, with some given a modern twist.
What's also interesting is the multicolor approach and the use of many different fonts, often a big taboo in design, but this actually helps create a retro, old system feel. It's probably because the rules for typography were less strict a decade or two ago.
Overall, Perception has created quite a unique style of it's own for Europa Report. I'm actually quite looking forward to seeing the movie too.
Big thanks to Perception for putting up the concept designs for us to see the stages it took to get to the finished design! It gives a good insight into the thought and method behind creating a UI. Also there seems to be some very nice ideas in the concept stage that were scrapped.
Check out the Europa Report UI breakdown
PS. Thanks Matthew Burrow for the heads up on this one!About the shoe – The Hoka One One Clayton is a lightweight, responsive road shoe as a part of their new PRO2LITE collection. What Hoka failed to recognize is that they just created a monster of a shoe that can go up and over nearly anything in its path, road or trail. Coming in at 7.3 ounces in a men’s size 9, these shoes are LIGHT. With a stack height of 20mm in the forefoot and 24mm in the heel, this shoe is in a category by itself in regards to how much you get underfoot for how much it weighs.
The Upper of the Clayton is a simple, yet effective design. The entire upper is a single layer of mesh with a no-sew lattice of thin, TPU overlay across the midfoot and forefoot. The overlay is heat welded onto the mesh and very pliable. It doesn’t feel stiff or thick at all, but at the same time feels secure and necessary. There is an extra layer around the front of the toe that adds some protection. I wouldn’t go punting boulders with this toe cap though, as it does still have a fair amount of give.
There is no dedicated plastic heel cup to the shoe, but instead is made up of the TPU overlay material. This material surrounds the entire heel of the shoe and adds some extra stiffness and rigidity. The midsole foam also wraps up around the heel about a centimeter and aids greatly in keeping my heels centered over the shoe. The combination of TPU overlay and midsole wrap around the ankle just about eliminate the need for a plastic heel cup. There is just a sliver of foam right at the Achilles which is just enough to keep my heel locked down.
I did have one big problem though. The ankle collar simply came up too high and hit the bottom of my ankle bone. It was tolerable on runs that were on even surfaces under 10 miles, but any undulating surfaces or long runs would leave quite a sore spot for the next few days on my ankle bone. My fix for this problem was to wear an orange Superfeet insole which raised my heel just enough so the it didn’t irritate me. If you have low ankle bones like me, this ankle collar might be problematic.
The Fit of the Clayton is spacious. Having narrower feet, I actually liked the way the Hoka Clifton 2 felt (which a lot of wearers had problems with being too narrow). This Clayton is definitely wider and higher volume in the forefoot. Having worn the first generation Clifton and Huaka, the Clayton is the widest by a small margin. The only time the extra width gave me problems was when I was going fast on technical single-track. My foot had a tendency to slide around a lot inside the shoe which forced me to slow down so I wouldn’t roll an ankle. At anything marathon pace or slower, the width wasn’t an issue. Having raced the Lake Sonoma 50 mile in these shoes, I was loving the extra space in the toes the last few hours of racing as my feet were wet and getting a little swollen. Length-wise, the Clayton runs very similar to the Clifton 2. A men’s 9.5 was just right, whereas a lot of older Hokas I would wear a 9. I had about a centimeter of space in the front which is what I prefer for trail use. If this shoe was strictly for road running/racing, a 9 would have been a little more exact.
Below my feet is a new midsole from Hoka called PRO2LITE. For me, this was the single biggest draw to the Clayton. PRO2LITE is a single piece of foam that transitions from soft in the heel to firm in the forefoot. How Hoka produces this, I don’t know, but I like it! I’ve always disliked climbing in Hokas as I felt I was losing a little energy return with the pillow-soft forefoot feel. This new midsole foam completely fixes the climbing problem, as this Clayton is firm and responsive. The soft heel still makes for a classic Hoka descending feel. This new midsole really is the best of both worlds and it’s very apparent that the Hoka designers put a lot of thought into this new technology.
Since the shoe’s release |
області | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |2А13 (ЗУ-23) учбова | - " - | 1 | 1980 | 31 | - " - | 102,4282 | 38,9227 | 38,9227 | - " - | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |2А13 (ЗУ-23) | - " - | - " - | 1982 | 29 | II | 114,8406 | 62,0139 | 62,0139 |85 військове | | | | | | | | | | |представництво | | | | | | | | | | |Міноборони, | | | | | | | | | | |м. Харків | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |37 мм зенітна | - " - | 3 |1964 - 1968 | 43 - 47 | - " - | 51,034 | 27,5584 | 82,6752 |в/ч А4558, м. Ніжин | |гармата АЗГ зразка | | | | | | | | |Чернігівської | |1939 року | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 98 |1939 - 1960 | 51 - 72 | IV | 51,034 | 19,3929 | 1900,5042 |державне | | | | | | | | | | |підприємство | | | | | | | | | | |"Балаклійський | | | | | | | | | | |ремонтний завод" | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |57 мм зенітна | штук | 70 |1950 - 1965 | 46 - 61 | IV | 126,1676 | 47,9437 | 3356,059 |державне | |гармата АЗГ С-60 | | | | | | | | |підприємство | | | | | | | | | | |"Балаклійський | | | | | | | | | | |ремонтний завод" | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 2 | 1953 | 58 | II | 126,1676 | 68,1305 | 136,261 | - " - | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |57 мм зенітна | - " - | 24 |1952 - 1960 | 51 - 59 | IV | 126,1676 | 47,9437 | 1150,6488 |в/ч А1912, | |гармата АЗГ С-60 | | | | | | | | |с. Новоівницьке | | | | | | | | | | |Житомирської | | | | | | | | | | |області | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |100 мм зенітна | | | | | | | | | | |гармата: | | | | | | | | | | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |КС-19 | - " - | 173 |1950 - 1957 | 54 - 61 | - " - | 126,1676 | 47,9437 | 8294,2601 |державне | | | | | | | | | | |підприємство | | | | | | | | | | |"Балаклійський | | | | | | | | | | |ремонтний завод" | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |КС-19М2 | - " - | 10 |1950 - 1953 | 58 - 61 | - " - | 126,1676 | 47,9437 | 479,437 | - " - | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |14,5 мм зенітно- | | | | | | | | | | |кулеметна | | | | | | | | | | |установка: | | | | | | | | | | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |ЗПУ-1 | - " - | 27 |1952 - 1954 | 57 - 59 | II | 23,1903 | 12,5228 | 338,1156 |в/ч А2365, | | | | | | | | | | |смт Вакуленчук | | | | | | | | | | |Житомирської | | | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 8 | - | - | IV | 23,1903 | 8,8123 | 70,4984 | - " - | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 10 | - | - | V | 23,1903 | 8,8123 | 88,123 | - " - | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |ЗПУ-1 | штук | 26 |1949 - 1979 | 32 - 62 | IV | 23,1903 | 8,8123 | 229,1198 |державне | | | | | | | | | | |підприємство | | | | | | | | | | |"Балаклійський | | | | | | | | | | |ремонтний завод" | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |ЗПУ-2 | - " - | 1 | 1954 | 57 | - " - | 34,1751 | 12,9865 | 12,9865 |в/ч А4559, смт Оржів| | | | | | | | | | |Рівненської області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 16 |1952 - 1954 | 57 - 59 | - " - | 34,1751 | 12,9865 | 207,784 |державне | | | | | | | | | | |підприємство | | | | | | | | | | |"Балаклійський | | | | | | | | | | |ремонтний завод" | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |ЗПУ-2 |комплектів | 1 | 1954 | 57 | - " - | 34,1751 | 12,9865 | 12,9865 |в/ч А2007, | | | | | | | | | | |м. Шепетівка | | | | | | | | | | |Хмельницької | | | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 2 |1952 - 1960 | 51 - 59 | - " - | 34,1751 | 12,9865 | 25,973 |в/ч А4558, м. Ніжин | | | | | | | | | | |Чернігівської | | | | | | | | | | |області | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |ЗПУ-4 | штук | 1 | 1973 | 38 | - " - | 55,9811 | 21,2728 | 21,2728 |в/ч А2365, | | | | | | | | | | |смт Вакуленчук | | | | | | | | | | |Житомирської | | | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | |комплектів | - " - | 1972 | 39 | II | 55,9811 | 30,2298 | 30,2298 |в/ч А4558, м. Ніжин | | | | | | | | | | |Чернігівської | | | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 4 | 1975 | 36 | - " - | 55,9811 | 30,2298 | 120,9192 | - " - | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |23 мм зенітна | | | | | | | | | | |установка: | | | | | | | | | | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |ЗУ-23-2 | штук | 47 |1969 - 1991 | 20 - 42 | - " - | 162,1279 | 87,5491 | 4114,8077 |в/ч А2365, | | | | | | | | | | |смт Вакуленчук | | | | | | | | | | |Житомирської | | | | | | | | | | |області | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |ЗУ-23-2 | штук | 12 |1970 - 1982 | 29 - 41 | IV | 162,1279 | 61,6086 | 739,3032 |в/ч А2365, | | | | | | | | | | |смт Вакуленчук | | | | | | | | | | |Житомирської | | | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | одиниць | 92 |1971 - 1991 | 20 - 40 | - " - | 162,1279 | 61,6086 | 5667,9912 |державне | | | | | | | | | | |підприємство | | | | | | | | | | |"Шепетівський | | | | | | | | | | |ремонтний завод" | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | штук | 22 |1970 - 1981 | 30 - 41 | II | 162,1279 | 87,5491 | 1926,0802 | - " - | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 79 |1969 - 1989 | 22 - 42 | IV | 162,1279 | 61,6086 | 4867,0794 | - " - | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 2 | 1983 | 28 | II | 162,1279 | 87,5491 | 175,0982 |в/ч А4559, смт Оржів| | | | | | | | | | |Рівненської області | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |ЗУ-23-2 | штук | 4 |1976 - 1978 | 33 - 35 | III | 162,1279 | 71,3363 | 285,3452 |в/ч А4559, смт Оржів| | | | | | | | | | |Рівненської області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | - " - |1974 - 1975 | 36 - 37 | IV | 162,1279 | 61,6086 | 246,4344 | - " - | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | |комплектів | 2 | 1982 | 29 | II | 162,1279 | 87,5491 | 175,0982 |Донецький | | | | | | | | | | |національний | | | | | | | | | | |технічний | | | | | | | | | | |університет, | | | | | | | | | | |м. Донецьк | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |ЗУ-2 | - " - | 2 | 1986 | 25 | - " - | 36,701 | 19,8185 | 39,637 | - " - | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |23 мм зенітна | | | | | | | | | | |самохідна установка | | | | | | | | | | |"Шилка": | | | | | | | | | | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |ЗСУ-23-4 |комплектів | 20 |1971 - 1978 | 33 - 40 | IV | 2149,6047 | 816,8498 | 16336,996 |в/ч А2920, | | | | | | | | | | |м. Вознесенськ | | | | | | | | | | |Миколаївської | | | | | | | | | | |області | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |ЗСУ-23-4М | - " - | 7 |1976 - 1978 | 33 - 35 | - " - | 2149,6047 | 816,8498 | 5717,9486 |в/ч А4558, м. Ніжин | | | | | | | | | | |Чернігівської | | | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 10 |1976 - 1977 | 34 - 35 | - " - | 2149,6047 | 816,8498 | 8168,498 |в/ч А2007, | | | | | | | | | | |м. Шепетівка | | | | | | | | | | |Хмельницької | | | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 3 | 1977 | 32 - 34 | II | 2149,6047 | 1160,786 | 3482,3595 |в/ч А0665, смт Десна| | | | | | | | | | |Чернігівської | | | | | | | | | | |області | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |ЗСУ-23-4М3 | - " - | 1 | 1979 | 32 | - " - | 2149,6047 | 1160,786 | 1160,7865 | - " - | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |ЗСУ-23-4В1 | - " - | 5 |1974 - 1978 | 33 - 37 | IV | 2149,6047 | 816,8498 | 4084,249 |в/ч А4558, м. Ніжин | | | | | | | | | | |Чернігівської | | | | | | | | | | |області | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |2А6В | штук | 1 | 1971 | 40 | - " - | 2149,6047 | 816,8498 | 816,8498 |державне | | | | | | | | | | |підприємство | | | | | | | | | | |"Балаклійський | | | | | | | | | | |ремонтний завод" | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |2А6М | - " - | 34 |1973 - 1980 | 31 - 38 | - " - | 2149,6047 | 816,8498 | 27772,893 | - " - | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |2А6М3 | - " - | 19 |1975 - 1981 | 30 - 36 | - " - | 2149,6047 | 816,8498 | 15520,146 | - " - | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |2А6В1 | - " - | 1 | 1975 | 36 | - " - | 2149,6047 | 816,8498 | 816,8498 | - " - | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |Пускові механізми | | | | | | | | | | |переносних зенітних | | | | | | | | | | |ракетних | | | | | | | | | | |комплексів: | | | | | | | | | | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |9П58 до комплексів |комплектів | 76 |1970 - 1980 | 31 - 41 | II | 139,949 | 75,5725 | 5743,51 |в/ч А4558, м. Ніжин | |"Стрела-2М" | | | | | | | | |Чернігівської | | | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | штук | 114 |1971 - 1980 | 31 - 40 | - " - | 139,949 | 75,5725 | 8615,265 |в/ч А1352, | | | | | | | | | | |м. Балаклія | | | | | | | | | | |Харківської області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 12 | - | - | III | 139,949 | 61,5776 | 738,9312 | - " - | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |9П58М до комплексів |комплектів | 5 |1978 - 1980 | 31 - 33 | IV | 146,9418 | 55,8379 | 279,1895 |в/ч А4558, м. Ніжин | |"Стріла-3" | | | | | | | | |Чернігівської | | | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | штук | 130 |1974 - 1983 | 28 - 37 | II | 146,9418 | 79,3486 | 10315,318 |в/ч А1352, | | | | | | | | | | |м. Балаклія | | | | | | | | | | |Харківської області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 5 | - | - | III | 146,9418 | 64,6544 | 323,272 | - " - | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | |комплектів | 9 |1976 - 1980 | 31 - 35 | II | 146,9418 | 79,3486 | 714,1374 |в/ч А0665, смт Десна| | | | | | | | | | |Чернігівської | | | | | | | | | | |області | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |9П516 до комплексів | - " - | 6 |1983 - 1990 | 21 - 28 | IV | 148,6173 | 56,4746 | 338,8476 |в/ч А4558, м. Ніжин | |"Ігла" | | | | | | | | |Чернігівської | | | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | штук | 39 | 1990 | 21 | II | 148,6173 | 80,2533 | 3129,8787 |в/ч А1352, | | | | | | | | | | |м. Балаклія | | | | | | | | | | |Харківської області | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |9П516-1 до | одиниць | 4 |1980 - 1981 | 30 - 31 | IV | 148,6173 | 56,4746 | 225,8984 |в/ч А2365, смт | |комплексів "Ігла" | | | | | | | | |Вакуленчук | | | | | | | | | | |Житомирської | | | | | | | | | | |області | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |9П519 до комплексів |комплектів | 14 |1981 - 1985 | 26 - 30 | IV | 148,6173 | 56,4746 | 790,6444 |в/ч А4558, м. Ніжин | |"Ігла" | | | | | | | | |Чернігівської | | | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | штук | 62 |1980 - 1985 | 26 - 31 | II | 148,6173 | 80,2533 | 4975,7046 |в/ч А1352, | | | | | | | | | | |м. Балаклія | | | | | | | | | | |Харківської області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 10 | 1985 | 26 | III | 148,6173 | 65,3916 | 653,916 | - " - | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |Ракетні пускові | | | | | | | | | | |установки: | | | | | | | | | | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |9П129 до комплексу |комплектів | 1 | 1980 | 31 | IV | 2938,5686 | 1116,656 | 1116,6561 |в/ч А2365, | |"Точка" | | | | | | | | |смт Вакуленчук | | | | | | | | | | |Житомирської | | | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | одиниць | - " - | - " - | - " - | - " - | 2938,5686 | 1116,656 | 1116,6561 | - " - | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | |комплектів | - " - | 1978 | 33 | - " - | 2938,5686 | 1116,656 | 1116,6561 |в/ч А2007, | | | | | | | | | | |м. Шепетівка | | | | | | | | | | |Хмельницької | | | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | штук | 10 |1981 - 1982 | 29 - 30 | - " - | 2938,5686 | 1116,656 | 11166,561 |в/ч А4559, смт Оржів| | | | | | | | | | |Рівненської області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | |комплектів | 2 | 1979 | 32 | - " - | 2938,5686 | 1116,656 | 2233,3122 |в/ч А1877, | | | | | | | | | | |смт Ярмолинці | | | | | | | | | | |Хмельницької | | | | | | | | | | |області | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |9П129М до комплексу | одиниць | - " - | 1985 | 26 | - " - | 2972,3452 | 1129,491 | 2258,9824 |державне | |"Точка" | | | | | | | | |підприємство | | | | | | | | | | |"Шепетівський | | | | | | | | | | |ремонтний завод" | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |9П129 до комплексу | штук | 7 |1979 - 1987 | 24 - 32 | - " - | 2938,5686 | 1116,656 | 7816,5927 |в/ч А0981, станція | |"Точка" | | | | | | | | |Цибулеве | | | | | | | | | | |Кіровоградської | | | | | | | | | | |області | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |9П129М до комплексу | штук | 20 |1979 - 1987 | 24 - 32 | IV | 2972,3452 | 1129,491 | 22589,824 |в/ч А0981, станція | |"Точка" | | | | | | | | |Цибулеве | | | | | | | | | | |Кіровоградської | | | | | | | | | | |області | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |9П129-1М до | - " - | 1 | 1990 | 21 | - " - | 3039,8985 | 1155,161 | 1155,1614 | - " - | |комплексу | | | | | | | | | | |"Точка-У" | | | | | | | | | | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |машина командирська | - " - | - " - | 1988 | 23 | - " - | 1261,6313 | 479,4199 | 479,4199 | - " - | |МКМ | | | | | | | | | | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |Переносні | | | | | | | | | | |протитанкові | | | | | | | | | | |комплекси та пускова| | | | | | | | | | |апаратура: | | | | | | | | | | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |9П135 "ФАГОТ" |комплектів | 19 |1974 - 1978 | 33 - 37 | II | 84,4863 | 45,6226 | 866,8294 |в/ч А4558, м. Ніжин | | | | | | | | | | |Чернігівської | | | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 6 |1973 - 1977 | 34 - 38 | IV | 84,4863 | 32,1048 | 192,6288 | - " - | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |9П135 "ФАГОТ" | - " - | 29 |1974 - 1978 | 33 - 37 | II | 84,4863 | 45,6226 | 1323,0554 |в/ч А2007, | | | | | | | | | | |м. Шепетівка | | | | | | | | | | |Хмельницької | | | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 36 | - | - | IV | 84,4863 | 32,1048 | 1155,7728 | - " - | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 1 | 1973 | 38 | - " - | 84,4863 | 32,1048 | 32,1048 |в/ч А2365, | | | | | | | | | | |смт Вакуленчук | | | | | | | | | | |Житомирської | | | | | | | | | | |області | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |9П135М "ФАГОТ" | - " - | 4 |1978 - 1982 | 29 - 33 | - " - | 100,1168 | 38,0444 | 152,1776 |в/ч А4558, м. Ніжин | | | | | | | | | | |Чернігівської | | | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | штук | 5 | 1978 | 33 | - " - | 112,823 | 42,8727 | 214,3635 |в/ч А4559, смт Оржів| | | | | | | | | | |Рівненської області | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |9П135М "ФАГОТ" |комплектів | 54 |1870 - 1982 | 29 - 41 | IV | 112,823 | 42,8727 | 2315,1258 |в/ч А2007, | | | | | | | | | | |м. Шепетівка | | | | | | | | | | |Хмельницької | | | | | | | | | | |області | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |9П135М1 "ФАГОТ" | - " - | 3 |1985 - 1986 | 25 - 26 | III | 112,823 | 49,6421 | 148,9263 |в/ч А4558, м. Ніжин | | | | | | | | | | |Чернігівської | | | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 86 |1983 - 1984 | 27 - 28 | IV | 112,823 | 42,8727 | 3687,0522 | - " - | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 400 |1980 - 1991 | 20 - 31 | II | 112,823 | 60,9244 | 24369,76 |в/ч А2007, | | | | | | | | | | |м. Шепетівка | | | | | | | | | | |Хмельницької | | | | | | | | | | |області | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | - " - | 57 |1982 - 1991 | 20 - 29 | IV | 112,823 | 42,8727 | 2443,7439 | - " - | | |-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| | | штук | 27 |1974 - 1986 | 25 - 37 | II | 112,823 | 60,9244 | 1644,9588 |в/ч А2365, | | | | | | | | | | |смт Вакуленчук | | | | | | | | | | |Житомирської | | | | | | | | | | |області | |--------------------+-----------+----------+-------------+-------------+------------+------------+-----------+------------+--------------------| |9П135М, М1 "ФАГОТ" | - " - | 15 |1978 - 1981 | 30 - 33 | - " - | 112,823 | 60,9244 | 913,866 |державне | | | | | | |
US Coast Guard
A hulking rig is engulfed in flame. It's sinking, spitting out a giant plume of smoke in the process. A firing squad of rescue ships are dousing it with ocean spray. Eleven men are already dead.
Even today, the Coast Guard's photos of the BP spill—you know the ones—look like they were snapped on the set of a Michael Bay film. The scene, then and now the de facto visual signifier for the catastrophe, had one thing working in BP's favor, at least: It looks isolated, set on a backdrop of a vast, expanse of ocean. The action movie mise en scéne leaves the viewer at home feeling detached, like the whole thing is unfolding a million miles away.
Detachment plays a key part in how it came to be that the biggest oil spill in US history, despite incurring the largest environmental fine on the books—$18.7 billion, handed down last week—has done almost nothing to change the nation's relationship to oil. Five years after the spill, and, by BP's count, $54 billion in projected total expenses, there have been no serious legislative efforts to improve the oversight or regulation of the United States' still-expanding offshore oil operations. Public opinion of deepwater drilling barely budged during the ordeal; today, a majority of Americans favor doing even more of it.
Call it the BP spill paradox: massive in size and cost, all but invisible in its impact beyond the Gulf. It ruined lives, destroyed ecosystems, and cost a fortune, but no new laws were enacted to prevent the same thing from happening again. The White House recently approved further offshore oil exploration in waters far more treacherous than the Gulf. As you read this, Shell's drill ships are heading to the Arctic, despite the fact that its 2012 trial run in was an accident-riddled disaster. Offshore drilling remains just as risky as before the Deepwater Horizon blew, even at ground zero.
The damage was under the surface. For most non-shrimping Americans, the disruption was both literally and figuratively far away
"The BP spill should have inspired Congress and the Obama administration to more rapidly enact the strictest offshore drilling regulations in the world, and to freeze new exploration until new technologies came online," Stuart Smith, a New Orleans-based environmental lawyer recently wrote in an op-ed for the LA Times. "Instead, five years later, the Gulf of Mexico is as vulnerable to accident as ever."
So why isn't the public more interested in protecting it? Why has so little changed?
After covering the spill in its early stages, reporting on its fallout over the years, and conducting a series of interviews with legal experts who've followed it closely, I've managed at least three responses that, together, may help answer that question. First, the BP spill never resonated as deeply or emotionally with the public as did other major oil disasters, and there was less nationwide outrage and subsequent civic engagement. More importantly, and most influentially, a gridlocked, pro-drilling Congress is largely unwilling to consider any serious environmental reforms. Finally, there's the notion that those massive financial penalties will be deterrent enough—though there's a lot of disagreement over whether even some of the biggest fines ever levied against a corporation are enough to stop the oil industry from playing fast and loose with our offshore environs again.
***
In 1969, an oil rig blew out off the coast of Santa Barbara, releasing 3 million gallons of oil onto the coast. That event (combined with the percolating anger at the widespread use of the pesticide DDT documented by Rachel Carson in Silent Spring and the severely polluted Cuyahoga river catching fire, again) prompted the birth of the modern environmental movement. Millions took to the street in outrage, the first Earth Day was christened, and the Republican president Richard Nixon was moved to enact the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, two of the most powerful environmental laws ever put to the books, and to launch the Environmental Protection Agency.
in 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker crashed on the rocky shores of Alaska. The highest estimates of the subsequent spill placed the amount of escaped oil at 32 million gallons. It spurred a host of reforms, including the passage of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, which made oil companies the responsible parties in the event of a spill, and mandated that they have a detailed containment plan on hand, as well as cover all cleanup costs—up to $75 million in liabilities.
By way of comparison, the BP spill loosed 5 million barrels—over 205 million gallons, more than six times both of the nation's last major spills combined—of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. And besides a few hearings and a short-lived effort to raise the liability cap that promptly died in the Senate, Congress's response was muted.
"After Exxon Valdez, we passed sweeping legislation—better oversight, using better science, stricter penalties. There was a pretty robust response to the tanker spill in Alaska," Rick Steiner, oil expert and former University of Alaska professor, tells me. "We didn't have anything near that, with a much larger spill in the Gulf. What disturbs me is that because there was no response, we've slipped backwards—the industry has become even stronger in Washington."
Steiner's not the only one who's frustrated. While the Obama administration may have reshuffled the regulatory commissions in charge of overseeing offshore drilling—the corrupt Minerals Management Service was dissolved and split into separate agencies—the attorneys and oil experts I spoke to were hard pressed to think of a single significant law passed over the last five years that would help prevent another deepwater blowout.
A "shockingly large" amount of oil fell to the seafloor—an area the size of the state of Connecticut, congealing together into massive "tar mats" that weigh up to 25,000 pounds
"Congress has done bupkis," says David Pettit, an environmental attorney with the Natural Resource Defense Council. "I think there's still a lot of vulnerability. There will be another oil spill, that's inevitable." And yet no laws have been made or changed to reflect the new realities of offshore drilling. The reason BP was exploring such deep waters in the first place is that heavy demand for oil, and its lack of availability in conventional, easy-to-extract locations, had forced the oil companies to drill in increasingly risky places.
That, of course, is why Shell is headed to Alaska, again risking serious financial and public relations disaster to explore for oil in the frigid, unforgiving Chukchi Sea.
"A spill would be catastrophic," Steiner says. "The worst-case discharge is two million barrels over 60 days. If anything like that were to come out, it's game over for the Chukchi Sea ecosystem, which is already on the edge from climate change."
Catastrophic is right. But we're still underestimating how deeply destructive offshore oil disasters can be.
***
I was on the far southern tip of Louisiana, in the bayou beach town of Venice (nickname: "the end of the world"), when BP's oil first started washing ashore. Along with a German TV crew, a couple Greenpeace activists, and Steiner—we first met aboard a sloshing outboard in search of errant oil—I took a motorboat out to the barrier islands, where we waded through reedy marshland, our eyes plastered on the ground. Soon enough, we found—well, something.
It hit most of us early on that the spill was going to have what the pundits would call an "optics" problem: The crude wasn't going to drench the coastline in thick striking black like it did in when the Exxon Valdez crashed off the Alaskan shoreline, and it wasn't going to viscerally intrude on a clearly pristine environ, as it did in the Arctic.
"Ordinary people were more affected emotionally by what happened in Alaska," Pettit says. "The birds, the mammals, guys trying to steam-clean oil off the rocks. In the Gulf there wasn't so much of that."
The BP oil was brown, diluted, meted out in small clumps. On its journey to the shore, it had coalesced with decades' worth of other maritime pollutants that had slowly leached out from who knows how many other extraction operations and outboard motors and waste streams, then lurched ashore in the form of tarballs. Its virtual invisibility was partly due to the fact that the oil was immediately blasted with a chemical dispersant called Corexit, later deemed to be toxic, upon gushing out of the ruptured Macondo wellhead 5,000 feet below the surface.
One of the reasons BP used so much Corexit—1.8 billion gallons in all—was that it literally seemed to make its problem disappear; who could get outraged at a massive oil disaster if there wasn't much oil in sight? It seemed a conscious choice from BP, which, from the beginning, worked to goad the public into underestimating the extent of the spill, coaxing perception to align with the imagery available. (Along with the Coast Guard battle scene, there were the NASA satellite photos of the greying curl and the plumage of the underwater spill cam; again, the net effect was to render the disaster even more alien; big, but somehow remote.)
Just days after the Deepwater Horizon exploded on April 20th, 2010, BP claimed that the flow rate was a seemingly manageable loss of 5,000 barrels of oil per day (the company would later face criminal charges for lying about that rate; it turned out that BP knew the oil was flowing out up to 10 times as fast from the beginning; the Macondo was spewing 52-65,000 barrels per day, and perhaps even more). But at the time, swaths of the media bought the line. The New York Times told its readers to relax: "the Deepwater Horizon blowout is not unprecedented, nor is it yet among the worst oil accidents in history."
The accident turned out to be entirely unprecedented in many ways, of course—a few months later, the Times would write that the "BP spill is by far the world's largest accidental release of oil into marine waters, according to the most precise estimates yet of the well's flow rate." It eclipsed the Ixtoc-I disaster, an offshore well that blew in 1979 and leaked for nine months before it could be contained. History's only bigger oil disaster occurred when a tyrannical dictator had his retreating army intentionally ignite hundreds of oil wells in Kuwait.
The attitude that oil spills are to be treated as rare, unavoidable events has thus been institutionalized into our political culture, it seems
Unlike the Valdez, I noted at the time, the worst impacts of the Gulf spill were hard to see with the naked eye. It was true then, and it's true now. There were, eventually, a few photo spreads of oiled pelicans, but the 5 million barrels of oil that would eventually escape from the deepwater well mostly stayed out of sight. The damage was done under the surface; to deep water ecosystems, to coastal economies dependent on seafood and tourism. For most non-shrimping Americans who weren't well versed in the breeding cycle of endangered Bluefin Tuna (which were put seriously at risk by the spill), the disruption was both literally and figuratively far away.
Here's what we mostly didn't see, in terms of environmental damage done to the Gulf, as tallied by an exhaustive 2015 NRDC study on the impacts on marine and coastal life: One thousand sea turtles, many of them endangered, died off in the wake of the spill. Hundreds of dolphins died too, probably from inhaling oil fumes. In total, up to to 5,000 marine mammals perished in the putrid, Gulf-wide petrol bath.
Over 1,100 miles of Gulf coastline were contaminated, as were 68,000 square miles of surface water. A "shockingly large" amount of oil fell to the seafloor, scientists say, where much of it remains today—1,200 square miles worth, an area the size of the state of Connecticut, and as much as two million gallons of oil. There's so much oil on the seafloor that it congeals together into massive "tar mats," some of which are so large they weigh 25,000 pounds.
An estimated one million birds died as a result of the spill, according to the Audubon Society. Seaweed habitats in the region, home to crabs, lobster, and shrimp, saw a massive die-off: In total, their biodiversity was reduced by an estimated 85 percent. Some 12 percent of all bluefin tuna larva were contaminated during its 2010 spawning cycle, with an unknown impact on the great population of the highly endangered fish. Meanwhile, other fish caught in the aftermath of the spill were found to be suffering from lesions likely caused by exposure to the oil. And three major, hundred-year-old deep sea coral communities were found to be "extensively damaged" by the spill.
Then, of course, there's the human toll; the economic damage. In the early days of the spill, I spoke with fishermen put out of work, resort owners who fretted that the spill was scaring off vacationers, and restaurateurs who couldn't sell the regional specialties. Of course, it only got worse as the spill and its fallout unfolded. Economists estimate that, through 2013, the Gulf coast lost $22.7 billion in tourism revenues. The total toll to the commercial fishing industry, through 2020, is expected to be $8.7 billion, and up to 20,000 lost jobs.
Worse, many oil cleanup workers, some of whom were not initially properly equipped with safety gear by BP, began to suffer a peculiar spate of health issues in the days following the blowout. It turned out that Corexit, the chemical BP had used in massive quantities in an effort to break up and disperse the oil, was also breaking up the lung tissue of the humans and mammals exposed to it.
A study from University of Alabama at Birmingham scientists found that the dispersant attacked the epithelial cells found in lungs, and may have sickened hundreds, even thousands of cleanup workers who breathed in the agent. Over the last five years, a number of those workers have complained of respiratory illness and other health woes.
All told, BP's response was disjointed and unprepared. It was the first time that the oil industry had to deal with an accident at a well that deep, as then-CEO Tony Hayward himself said in one of the memorably haphazard press conferences held in the disaster's wake. "There's lot of real-time learning going on," he said, as BP scrambled to cope with a spill that was literally out of its depth.
Thanks in part to its lies and omissions, in 2012, BP was forced to pay $4.5 billion to settle a criminal lawsuit for its "gross negligence" while operating the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. At the time, it was the largest criminal settlement in US history—it was eclipsed only by the $13 billion JP Morgan Chase agreed to shell out for its role in collapsing the global economy.
Throughout it all, Congress yawned.
"There just seems to have been no interest in Congress in doing anything about this," David Pettit tells me.
In 2010, both houses of Congress were held by the Democrats, and it was just the dawning of the era of sustained gridlock that would marked American politics for the next five years. Republicans were already leaning heavily on the filibuster, which they used to shoot down, before it was even marked up, the first and perhaps only major bill Democrats advanced in response to the Gulf spill—a law that would have expanded the amount oil companies were liable for in the event of an accident from $75 million to $10 billion. (Under current law, oil companies are only on the hook for the paltry latter sum, unless they are proven to have been "grossly negligent" in the court of law, as BP was.)
But even without the filibuster, Congressional sentiment often skewed pro-drilling, even amongst Democrats. The highest-profile Democrat in the Gulf, Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu, has actually consistently fought to allow BP to continue to drill in the region. It's also worth remembering that so staunch was Republican support for drilling, even in the face of disaster, that Representative Joe Barton, then the ranking Republican on the House energy committee, actually apologized to BP for its troubles.
"Crazily enough we were able to watch the oil spilling into the water for weeks," Pettit says. "And there was no action from Congress to do anything."
A handful of Democrats lobbied for stricter measures, but their voices were drowned out. The doomed climate bill was still in consideration in Congress, but support was tanking fast; even at the time, few expected any kind of significant reform to emerge from the disaster. Congress was already divided, and Republicans were already exhibiting their anti-environmental regulation streak that has continued into the present.
"Let's put it this way: tell me another major legislative reform that has passed Congress in the last five years," David Logan, a professor of law at the Roger Williams University, and an attorney who's closely followed the BP spill case, told me. "You're not going to get major reforms in environmental laws with this Congress. What you might see is a loosening of environmental laws."
Indeed, it's telling that the lone bill Congress managed to pass in response to the spill was the Restore Act, which allocates 80 percent of the Clean Water Act fines BP is forced to pay into a fund that redirects the money to the Gulf states. It introduced no new penalties, regulations, or preventative measures. Congress has thus far failed to pass the laws recommended by federal Oil Spill Commision, that would enforce stricter offshore drilling safety standards.
As Stuart Smith notes, "Congress has also failed to make money available for an oil-spill research fund. A proposed'safety institute' hasn't materialized. Neither has the new training center for federal regulators, meant to help them carry out more rigorous inspections of offshore rigs." Pettit is right; Congress has done bupkis.
"Some efforts were made to move the boxes around on the regulatory side," Logan says. "But we didn't see anything in terms of amending the Clean Water Act, and it's not that there isn't a basis for legislative tweaks, it's because we have a Congress that isn't inclined to legislate more, and is in fact inclined to legislate less."
Whereas momentous events have spurred reform in the past, Logan said, "that's not this era, and this wasn't such an event. There wasn't much of constituency for change on the legislative front."
But it isn't just Congress.
"At an administrative level, there were some positive steps," Pettit said, like the strengthening of the bodies that oversee offshore drilling, "but the folks in the Department of the Interior and in other departments were just not interested in doing an environmental review." The Obama administration imposed a temporary moratorium on offshore drilling, but it was lifted the same year it was instated.
From the beginning of their investigation, he says, the federal government adopted a blinkered attitude towards the disaster. "In the wake of the BP spill, when the feds were doing their environmental review, they'd pretend like nothing had happened. They'd say it was very rare, an almost unforeseeable potentiality." The NRDC thought the attitude was crazy. "Did they not see what had just happened?" Pettit said. "We brought it to court and lost, every time."
The attitude that oil spills are to be treated as rare, unavoidable events has thus been institutionalized into our political culture, it seems.
"There are no new legislative tools," Pettit says, as Shell heads north. "The kind of penalties we saw in the Gulf, that's it. There's nothing new you'd see if there was a spill in the Arctic."
***
Except for the looming prospect of a massive fine putting your outfit dozens of billions of dollars in the red.
"I think the amount the money BP has had to pay is commensurate with the amount of damage it's done," Steiner says. Whether it's enough, he says, depends on two things: If it's able to amply fund a proper restoration program, and whether it will effectively deter oil companies from taking the kind of risk that result in deepwater spills.
"Is that $50 or 60 billion price tag for BP—is that enough to deter negligent behavior? It sure as hell should be."
Logan concurs.
"Social psychologists call it an 'anchor'," he says. "Say you and I are having a conversation, and we're trying to put a value on something, and I can say, well, someone paid X for it, and that's very different when that number is worse than we've seen before." Like, for instance, an $18 billion fine.
"It has a lot of 0s after the number. That is the kind of message corporate America understands," he says. "It's what lawyers call a general deterrent effect, that extra layers of care are more likely to be applied than before."
"It's a big chunk of change, there's no question about that," Steiner says. "Whether it's enough, you'd have to ask the people down there," who are still living with the aftermath in the Gulf.
There are, of course, criticisms of the BP settlement, as massive and record-setting as it is. For one, some tax scholars are pointing out that unless the ruling attorney specifies otherwise, BP may be able to write off the penalty as an expense—and shift the bulk of the burden directly onto the taxpayers it's supposed to be compensating.
Beyond that, the payment structure is actually considered lenient. As the New York Times explains, "With this deal, BP gets valuable certainty, especially as it does not include any clause that could reopen litigation. The extended payment schedule also allows it to absorb the pain in manageable doses."
BP will be allowed to pay off the $18 billion in yearly installments, which is partly why the oil giant's stock actually rose when news of the settlement broke.
"I wasn't surprised at the amount," NRDC's David Pettit says. "I was surprised at the length of time they were given to pay. That decreases the dollar value."
The biggest, most expensive oil accident in history has passed with a whimper—those explosion-addled scenes of tragedy remain stuck in limbo, b-roll for the occasional news update
Pettit takes another issue with the settlement—that it was constructed in private, and there's no breakdown of how the natural resource allotments were awarded. There's no real sense of why the fines have been awarded, and where they're being allocated to—and that those impacted will therefore have little say over whether the breakdown is ultimately fair.
"It was done in a settlement room," Pettit says. "You weren't there. No one besides the party knows how that number was reached, and it's supposed to be public. So locals can have opinions on how to fix them. Now they may not ever get the chance."
"People call me up and ask about the settlement, and ask me what's in it, and I say, 'I don't know!'" he says.
And the big question is whether the fine really will deter future drilling. Shell's in the Arctic right now, after all, looking to expand its offshore drilling empire.
"I think Shell feels they're big enough," Steiner says, "that they have sufficient size and capital to cover the financial cost of a disaster."
"They're still rolling the dice," he adds. "And they know it. The smaller companies are getting squeezed out because they could not survive the financial hit of a blowout." The majors can—Exxon's quarterly profits, for example, were as high as $8 billion last year. BP's quarterly profits now range from $2-3 billion. Shell's first quarterly earnings of 2015 were $4.8 billion. Oil companies are now among the largest, most profitable corporations on the planet—as crazy it as it sounds, they are arguably able to fold a billion or two dollars a year into their operating costs.
Logan, who notes that "it would be reckless to be overly punitive," also concedes that it's up in the air whether or not the fine is large enough to help prevent another offshore blowout.
"You may be right that this number wasn't big enough to change behavior," he says when I ask him if the amount is high enough, "but it provides context and signals." Offshore drilling, he says, "is not a venture for thinly capitalized companies. On balance, my takeaway is that BP got whacked with a number of big sticks and the companies that ignore that are engaging in reckless dangerous behavior."
Pettit thinks that's exactly what Shell is doing, that the industry is still marked by the same hubris BP exhibited before the spill.
"These folks are top-grade engineers who have faith in their abilities," he says. "They think, 'It won't happen to us.'"
***
But it will, inevitably. Shell has already discovered a breach in the hull of one of its drilling vessels, just days into its latest Arctic expedition. Deepwater oil extraction is a marvel of modern engineering, extraordinarily complicated, and difficult to do safely even in placid waters. There are thousands of offshore oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, and a great many more around the world—drilling is common off the shores of Brazil, Russia, and Norway and elsewhere. And it's slated to grow.
The offshore drilling rig market is expected to grow from a $66 billion industry today to a $102 billion sector over the next four years, according to a market research report from Markets & Markets. The US is still speeding towards a 45-year production high, even as the global price of oil remains low. Much of that output has been fed by the rise of fracking and oil shale extraction, but as the price of oil regains composure, expect to see more energy companies push for more offshore drilling. Everyone in the industry is watching Shell—if the company manages to succeed in the Arctic, even temporarily, expect others to follow, risk of another colossal spill firmly in tow.
"The long and short of it is, the government-industry hierarchy is willing to take the risk," Steiner says. "And they're not the ones who are going to be suffering the consequences of a failure."
But without any new laws, there's little assurance that said hierarchy is doing everything it can to prevent another disaster. Most of the experts I spoke with thought at the very least, the $75 million liability cap should be expanded (one called it "ridiculously small") to penalize oil companies that spill even when they're not ruled to have acted in "gross negligence." Offshore drilling standards could be strengthened and standardized. Other proposals, like Stuart Smith's, are more aggressive; ban deepwater drilling until the technology is fully proven to be up for the task. The surging Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, meanwhile, would end offshore drilling, period.
None of those ideas are even on the table. Instead, the biggest, most expensive oil accident in history has passed with a whimper—those explosion-addled scenes of tragedy remain stuck in limbo, b-roll for the occasional news update. Congress, oil companies, and the public remain, generally, detached from the reality of the enormous toll the spill has taken in the Gulf. And without any new laws that might protect our shores from another spill.
"If it doesn't happen in a the wake of a tragedy," Logan says, "it's not going to happen five years later."Every Tuesday, Heave features editor Dominick Mayer brings you On The Apron, a closer analysis of the latest goings-on in WWE.
Last week I tried to take a more positive approach to WWE, and will do so again in the future, but that’s getting laid to rest for today. The combination of Extreme Rules and last night’s Raw dredged up something rather unpleasant, something that both runs counter to the whole idea of professional wrestling and draws the viewer’s attention away from the show and into the worst possible flashbacks.
I’m talking about what’s known in Internet parlance as the “Owen voice.”
On May 23, 1999, at the Over the Edge PPV (the name really was ironic in the most awful way possible), all-time great Owen Hart was being lowered to the ring from the rafters of Kemper Arena in Kansas City, when his cable snapped. Hart fell from the top of the arena to the ring, where he broke his neck. Despite being rushed to the hospital, most in attendance have said that Hart was clearly dead the minute he hit the ring. It was then up to Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross to make the call, and notify the home audience of what had happened; a pre-taped promo was airing on TV while this happened in front of the live audience.
Ross’ call, courtesy of Bleacher Report:
“Ladies and gentlemen, earlier tonight here in Kansas City, tragedy befell the World Wrestling Federation and all of us. Owen Hart was set to make an entrance from the ceiling, and he fell from the ceiling. I have the unfortunate responsibility to let everyone know that Owen Hart has died. Owen Hart has tragically died from that accident here tonight.”
Everybody was in shock. I was 10 years old at the time, and because I was born to young parents, I’d not yet encountered the concept of death. All of my relatives were still alive, and I hadn’t been to a wake since my great grandmother’s, which happened when I was so young that I can barely recall it now. I remember my mother getting cross with me when I tried to wrap my head around how sad it was that the Blue Blazer (Hart’s character at the time) wouldn’t be able to challenge The Godfather for the Intercontinental Championship as previously planned. She then had to explain death to me, about how eventually something happens to all people and they go away and never come back.
Fast forward eight years. It’s June 2007, and Vince McMahon has decided to write himself into a limo explosion storyline, in which he would “die” as an on-camera character. A week after that, tragedy again beset WWE when Chris Benoit was found dead in his Georgia home. As became custom after Owen’s death, a clip package was aired chronicling the best moments from his career. A day later, when the full story came out and Benoit had killed his wife and son before himself, WWE rescinded both the death story and any ownership of Benoit’s career, for good.
Guess what voice was used by many of the talking heads during the Benoit special? You guessed it. The Owen voice.
A year later came the first moment when I realized what WWE was about to do with the Owen voice, the voice used by the announcing team when God’s-honest tragedy had struck. To conclude the “Million Dollar Mania” storyline, McMahon had a giant wheel of prizes collapse on him. For the sake of authenticity, he referred to Triple H by his real name (“Paul! I can’t feel my legs, Paul!”) while the announcers solemnly wondered if McMahon was in fact paralyzed. So, to recap: A company that had a star die in the middle of the ring, another be paralyzed during an episode of Smackdown! (remember Darren Drozdov?) and only a year earlier had a current star stage a double homicide/suicide because of head injuries sustained during his years as a wrestler decided that it was prudent to treat a prop wheel-induced fake calamity with the same gravity as a very real fatality.
This past week, WWE used Owen voice twice in roughly 24 hours. On Sunday, at Extreme Rules, Ryback and John Cena went flying through what looked like a gigantic Lite Brite set, ending their Last Man Standing match under dubious circumstances. In order to sell what was clearly a storyline development, Cena was loaded into an ambulance under the care of EMTs as Lawler and Michael Cole spoke in the solemnest possible tones to sell the moment. Don’t get me wrong, the ambulance bit is fine. Wrestling’s all about suspension of disbelief, and to say otherwise is imposing standards onto it that it neither courts nor needs. But again, to treat a John Cena storyline with the gravity usually reserved for the deceased is just disingenuous, and for a certain sect of the viewing public it might even trigger recall of some of wrestling’s darkest hours.
Then, last night on Raw, Owen voice was again employed for when Triple H developed a “concussion” that led to the match being stopped, as he tried mightily to return to the ring and finish the match. The show ended with him flopping around ringside as Lawler assessed his injuries. Here is a brief list of reasons this is super fucked up:
-Right now, World Heavyweight Champion Dolph Ziggler is out hurt with an actual concussion.
-For all WWE’s steps taken to lower the risk of such things happening (which is a good thing, misguided purists be damned), having one of your longest-running active wrestlers attempt to refuse medical attention for the sake of valor as part of a storyline is pretty reckless.
-Triple H actually knocked out Brock Lesnar at this year’s WrestleMania, mid-match. Where was the legion of EMTs and mass panic then?
-Long-term injuries have become a huge problem for ex-wrestlers beyond just the Benoit tragedy. The amount of former WWE employees who died before 50 is genuinely unsettling.
-Not that this really matters given I’m trying to make a serious point this week, but Triple H just can’t retire without The Most Elaborate Farewell of All Time, can he?
It’s not like wrestling hasn’t harnessed real-life events as storylines on a regular basis throughout history. It’s just that it’s rarely this tasteless. There’s a seedy underbelly to wrestling, one which WWE would do well to avoid invoking by way of using an announcing style once meant for genuine gravitas in times of necessity to drum up sympathy for a bad retirement storyline. All it does is make sure that the next time something bad truly does happen, viewers will be left to wonder if it’s all just part of the show. And that’s not a show anybody wants to watch.Lumber Liquidators Liquidates Formaldehyde-Laced CHINESE Laminate Flooring from Inventories According to Forbes, Lumber Liquidators sources almost half of its laminates from China. It also saw these laminates make up 13% of its sales in 2014. A test of 3,400 laminate floors from the company showed that 97% contained levels of formaldehyde that were considered safe.
ISIS Destroys Tons of "Made-in-USA" Chicken Destined for Refugee Camps Justifying its action, Isis said it did so because the chicken was "Made in USA". The jihadist group further revealed that the chicken were "slaughtered unlawfully", hence, the boxes containing the meat were set on fire.
Joe Piscopo Sounds Off; "We Need Candidates Who Support American Manufacturing" Let’s get back to basics. Made in USA products, fair trade and buying American. Not only will our economy recover, but so will our sense of patriotism.
Crayons, Barb Wire, Phillips Head Screws and More; Products You Can Thank AMERICANS for Inventing Things you may take for granted, but it was AMERICAN ingenuity that gave the world a better place to live.
West Coast Port Strike Has Retailers Taking a Hard Look at Domestic Suppliers According to a new study by consulting firm BDO, although the cost of manufacturing remains lower in overseas regions such as Asia, 43 percent of retail chief financial officers said that North America provides the most attractive sourcing opportunities for 2015.
Good News: Clothing Made-in-USA Again? Bad News: No Jobs, Made by Robots? The manufacturing of sewn products has been slow to automate because, unlike metal or wood, fabric is flexible. But researchers have developed software that can locate individual threads inside the fabric and track their positions like a grid pattern. “That’s how we know where the fabric is,” said SoftWear CEO K.P. Reddy. "It might flex. It might bend. It might fold. We still know where those intersections of those threads are and are able to track it.”
In Search of the Made-in-USA Knock-Offs “Manufacturing as a word is diluted, “ said Rainville. “We have competition that say they have a couple products that say made in America and they use that to make people believe that perhaps all of their product is”. However, their products are made everywhere but. “Online is a little more sketchy because online retailers don't really pay much attention to the rules”.
Demand for Locally Grown Food on the Rise or Has it Peaked? There could be some stagnation in the number of new people buying local food. Or as the USDA puts it, "a plateau in consumer demand for local food." Rising demand in the last several years has lead to the opening of many new markets. There were 8,268 farmers' markets operating in 2014, up 180 percent since 2006.
Chinese Companies Building Factories in the U.S. so They Can Claim "Made-in-USA" Later this year along the banks of the James River outside Richmond, Virginia, a paper products maker based in northeastern China will begin construction on a new U.S. manufacturing plant. The factory will churn the region's straw and corn stalks into household products including napkins, tissue and organic fertilizer—all marked "Made in the USA."Senior White House officials believe that resolution of the issue would represent an important symbolic moment in the thaw between the two nations, highlighting the potential for Americans and Cubans to bond over a common cultural obsession even as their governments remain divided over politics and policy.
President Obama will travel to Havana on March 21, becoming the first sitting United States president to visit in 88 years. The Tampa Bay Rays will play the Cuban national baseball team in an exhibition game on March 22, and Mr. Obama is expected to attend.
Cuban officials have also expressed interest in finding a safer path to the major leagues for their players.
“To play in that type of baseball — in the United States — where the majority of the greatest players in the world want to be, you need to give up something big here, your dignity of being Cuban,” Higinio Velez, the president of the Cuban Baseball Federation, said in December. “We hope that, in the future, Cuban players can go anywhere in the world and play, representing their federation, and that there are not intermediaries that take advantage of them.”
While the decision on drafting players from Cuba is pending, there is urgency for such an accord.
Waves of Cuban ballplayers are leaving the island: According to OnCuba, a Miami-based magazine, 150 players left Cuba last year. Many are still seeking contracts with big league organizations. Often they travel in the hands of smugglers and under other dangerous circumstances.
Bart Hernandez, a sports agent, was indicted last month on charges of human trafficking related to bringing Cuban players to the United States. Another agent recently cut ties with a player who defected; the agent said he had received a death threat from |
GC work. The GC thread performs a depth-first traversal of the heap. If it finds an Unmarked object, it changes its colour to Marked and pushes the object into a domain-local mark-stack. On the other hand, if it finds a Garbage object, it marks it as Free and adds it to the free list. Since multiple GC threads operate on the heap simultaneously, marking is racy but idempotent. In particular, there is no synchronization for marking the objects. The major heap objects are in one of the 4 states:and. The domains alternate between running the mutator and performing GC work. The GC thread performs a depth-first traversal of the heap. If it finds anobject, it changes its colour toand pushes the object into a domain-local mark-stack. On the other hand, if it finds aobject, it marks it asand adds it to the free list. Since multiple GC threads operate on the heap simultaneously, marking is racy but idempotent. In particular, there is no synchronization for marking the objects.
If any domain thinks that all the work in the current major GC cycle is done (in practice, close to being done), it calls for a global synchronization where all the domains synchronize on the barrier. Once stopped, all the domains work to actually finish marking, as some work may be left over at other domains. Once that is done, the cores agree to flip the meaning of the colours. Anything that is Unmarked is considered Garbage. Anything that is Marked becomes Unmarked for the next cycle. Garbage objects are considered Marked, but at the end of the major GC, all Garbage objects have been marked Free. Hence, no objects fall into this category. Anything that is marked Free still remains Free. This concludes the discussion on parallelism. If any domain thinks that all the work in the current major GC cycle is done (in practice, close to being done), it calls for a global synchronization where all the domains synchronize on the barrier. Once stopped, all the domains work to actually finish marking, as some work may be left over at other domains. Once that is done, the cores agree to flip the meaning of the colours. Anything that isis considered. Anything that isbecomesfor the next cycle.objects are considered, but at the end of the major GC, allobjects have been marked. Hence, no objects fall into this category. Anything that is markedstill remains. This concludes the discussion on parallelism.
We introduce concurrency into the mix next. Concurrency in Multicore OCaml is expressed through fibers, which are language-level lightweight threads. Fibers are implemented as heap allocated, dynamically resized stack segments. Just like mutating a regular heap object, fibers can also be mutated by pushing and popping values. However, unlike regular objects, fiber mutations are not protected by a write barrier. This poses challenges to maintaining the heap invariants. We introduce concurrency into the mix next. Concurrency in Multicore OCaml is expressed through fibers, which are language-level lightweight threads. Fibers are implemented as heap allocated, dynamically resized stack segments. Just like mutating a regular heap object, fibers can also be mutated by pushing and popping values. However, unlike regular objects, fiber mutations are not protected by a write barrier. This poses challenges to maintaining the heap invariants.
The main thread in Multicore OCaml is also a fiber. Hence, the GC root current stack is just a pointer to the current fiber. Since we don't have write barrier on pushing to a fiber, we need to approximate the pointers that may arise from a fiber in the major heap which points to the minor heap. We do this with the help of remembered fiber set. The main thread in Multicore OCaml is also a fiber. Hence, the GC root current stack is just a pointer to the current fiber. Since we don't have write barrier on pushing to a fiber, we need to approximate the pointers that may arise from a fiber in the major heap which points to the minor heap. We do this with the help of remembered fiber set.
This represents the set of fibers in the major heap that ran in the current minor cycle on some domain. Similar to remembered set, the remembered fiber set is also a domain local data structure. The remembered fiber set is a root for minor GCs. The remembered fiber set is cleared along with the remembered set at the end of minor GC. This represents the set of fibers in the major heap that ran in the current minor cycle on some domain. Similar to remembered set, the remembered fiber set is also a domain local data structure. The remembered fiber set is a root for minor GCs. The remembered fiber set is cleared along with the remembered set at the end of minor GC.
We also treat fibers specially during promotions on read faults. Fibers transitively reachable are not promoted automatically in order to avoid prematurely promoting the entire world. We envision work stealing schedulers where the fiber only needs to be promoted when a different domain explicitly demands it. In this example, when assigning x to r, instead of promoting fiber f, In this example, when assigningto, instead of promoting fiber
we leave it on the minor heap. We record x in the remembered set. we leave it on the minor heap. We recordin the remembered set.
And when a different domain demands it i.e., tries to context switch to the fiber f, And when a different domain demands it i.e., tries to context switch to the fiber
then we promote the fiber and its transitive closure. then we promote the fiber and its transitive closure.
Since we've added the domain-local remembered fiber set, at every instance the fast path is taken on a read fault, we are obligated to scan this set just after the promotion is done. But the remembered fiber set may be large, and the fiber stacks themselves can be large. Hence, scanning the stack for most promotions would introduce large pause times. Since we've added the domain-local remembered fiber set, at every instance the fast path is taken on a read fault, we are obligated to scan this set just after the promotion is done. But the remembered fiber set may be large, and the fiber stacks themselves can be large. Hence, scanning the stack for most promotions would introduce large pause times.
We would like to break up the large pause time if possible. We can do this by lazily scanning the fibers just before a context switch. We only need to scan a fiber once per promotion. We also expect the rate of context switches to be much smaller than the rate of promotions. Hence, in practice, the fiber only gets scanned once per batch of promotions. We would like to break up the large pause time if possible. We can do this by lazily scanning the fibers just before a context switch. We only need to scan a fiber once per promotion. We also expect the rate of context switches to be much smaller than the rate of promotions. Hence, in practice, the fiber only gets scanned once per batch of promotions.
How does concurrency affect the major GC? Recall that Multicore OCaml uses a deletion barrier. In a deletion barrier, whenever a major heap object loses a reference to another major heap object, we have to mark the target object. However, fiber stack pops are not protected by a write barrier. Instead, we conservatively mark all of the objects on the fiber before switching to it. This is not to dissimilar to the current stock OCaml compiler scanning the current stack (as part of the roots) at the beginning of the major GC cycle. How does concurrency affect the major GC? Recall that Multicore OCaml uses a deletion barrier. In a deletion barrier, whenever a major heap object loses a reference to another major heap object, we have to mark the target object. However, fiber stack pops are not protected by a write barrier. Instead, we conservatively mark all of the objects on the fiber before switching to it. This is not to dissimilar to the current stock OCaml compiler scanning the current stack (as part of the roots) at the beginning of the major GC cycle.
In VCGC, marking is racy but idempotent. Hence, the mutators can freely read and write the object while it is concurrently marked. In particular, no synchronization such as compare-and-swap or locks are required to mediate access between the mutator and the GC thread. However, this invariant does not hold for fibers. Assume that a mutator is about to context switch to a thread while a GC thread on another domain attempts to scan and mark the objects on the fiber. Since the mutator may push and pop the fiber stack, the GC thread concurrently scanning the stack may observe inconsistent state. In VCGC, marking is racy but idempotent. Hence, the mutators can freely read and write the object while it is concurrently marked. In particular, no synchronization such as compare-and-swap or locks are required to mediate access between the mutator and the GC thread. However, this invariant does not hold for fibers. Assume that a mutator is about to context switch to a thread while a GC thread on another domain attempts to scan and mark the objects on the fiber. Since the mutator may push and pop the fiber stack, the GC thread concurrently scanning the stack may observe inconsistent state.
In order to prevent this inconsistency, before switching to a unmarked fiber, the fiber is marked and all the objects on the fiber are also marked -- fiber is made Black. And in order to prevent racy access, the fiber is locked while marking. If the GC thread holds the lock on a fiber and a mutator tries to context switch to it, the mutator blocks until the fiber is marked. If the GC thread loses the race, it can safely skip marking the fiber. In order to prevent this inconsistency, before switching to a unmarked fiber, the fiber is marked and all the objects on the fiber are also marked -- fiber is made. And in order to prevent racy access, the fiber is locked while marking. If the GC thread holds the lock on a fiber and a mutator tries to context switch to it, the mutator blocks until the fiber is marked. If the GC thread loses the race, it can safely skip marking the fiber.
In summary, the Multicore OCaml GC optimizes for latency and minimizes the maximum pause time through independent minor GCs and a mostly concurrent mark-and-sweep collector for major GCs. The challenge is to consider the interactions between mutations, concurrency and parallelism and the various GC techniques in order to come up with a design that preserves safety and optimizes our performance goals. I will have to save the performance analysis of the GC to a different talk. In summary, the Multicore OCaml GC optimizes for latency and minimizes the maximum pause time through independent minor GCs and a mostly concurrent mark-and-sweep collector for major GCs. The challenge is to consider the interactions between mutations, concurrency and parallelism and the various GC techniques in order to come up with a design that preserves safety and optimizes our performance goals. I will have to save the performance analysis of the GC to a different talk.
Further ReadingMichigan man, 93, freezes to death after city cuts off electricity
By Tom Eley and Jerry White
28 January 2009
Bay City home where Marvin E. Schur froze to death
On January 17, the frozen body of 93-year-old Marvin E. Schur was found by neighbors at his home in Bay City, Michigan, several days after the municipal power company had restricted his access to electricity due to outstanding bills. The death has provoked outrage among residents in this working class city of 36,000, located where the Saginaw River flows into Lake Huron, about 100 miles north of Detroit.
On January 13, the city ordered the installation of a device known as a “limiter” that restricts the amount of electricity a household can use. Between the time the limiter was placed and January 17, a bitter Arctic cold front settled over Michigan, with overnight temperatures in the Bay City area reaching minus 10 degrees below zero (Fahrenheit). It is not clear when Schur died, but an obituary from the local newspaper placed the death on January 15.
Robert Belleman, Bay City’s city manager, said that Schur had accrued over $1,000 in unpaid electricity bills over the preceding months. No effort was made to visit Schur prior to the suspension.
Neighbors became alarmed when they noticed that Schur’s windows had become covered with ice. When neighbors found Schur’s body, temperatures in his house were below freezing, and water in his sink was frozen. The oven door was propped open, which suggests that Schur made a futile attempt to heat his home using the appliance.
Kanu Virani, a medical examiner who performed the autopsy, said that Schur died of hypothermia, which she described as a “slow, painful death.” “He was wearing a double layer of clothes, trying to stay warm,” Virani said.
Schur had no children and was a widower, but a neighbor named Jim, a retired city worker, told the World Socialist Web Site that he was well liked, frequently waving to passersby from his picture window that faces east onto Chilson Street, the working class residential lane where he had lived for years.
Marvin Schur, or “Mutts” as he was known, was a retired worker, having labored as a pattern cutter for years at Baker-Perkins, a Saginaw factory that makes specialized machinery for the food industry. He was born April 30, 1915, and was a life-long resident of the area, serving as a medic with the US Army during WW II.
The "limiter" placed on Shur's electric meter
The “limiter” is a punitive device designed to compel homeowners to pay their bills. It is equipped with a switch-like circuit breaker that completely shuts off the power supply should the household surpass the established voltage level. This is what happened to Schur.
City officials say homeowners can go outside and reset the devices to allow limited electricity to flow again. But they acknowledged that there was no personal contact with Schur to instruct him how to reset the device. Neighbors also noted that Schur was hard of hearing and suffered from some form of dementia.
Nevertheless, if after 10 days a household has still not paid its electricity bills, Bay City cuts off the electric supply completely.
The city’s electric department director, Phil Newston, told the Bay City Times that the city currently has 60 to 70 limiters installed across the city, about three times the number in use last year, and that the city sends out about 50 shutoff notices per week. He attributed the increase to the economic crisis.
“It’s been terrible. We’ve seen it for over a year now,” he said. “We actually have almost two full-time people just dedicated to going around and turning people on and off and putting on limiters. It’s just really bad.”
The municipal power company has been steadily raising rates due to the increasing cost of procuring electricity from the major suppliers in Michigan. Last summer, electricity rates were raised by 9 percent. These rate increases present serious challenges to low-income families, families with children, the unemployed and retired workers such as Schur, who live on a fixed income.
On Monday evening, the Bay City Commission met, just as news of the freezing death of Schur had made national news, for a previously scheduled meeting to vote on another electricity rate increase, this one of 3 percent. “But what voters wanted to talk about was how a 93-year-old man froze to death in his home after the city limited his electric use,” the Bay City Times reported. The new increase was nonetheless approved, by a vote of five to three.
“We’ve gotten very creative in the ways we purchase power, but it’s a very complicated market and it’s an expensive market,” Mayor Charles Brunner said. “We have to pass the costs on.”
The costs are passed on to a population that can ill afford them. Like much of Michigan, the economy of Bay City is tied to the auto industry. At its peak General Motors’ Bay City Powertrain employed 4,500 people. As late as 2006 it had 1,000 workers. It now employs 300-400 workers. GM’s nearby Saginaw Metal Castings plant had 1,700 hourly workers as recently as 2004. It employs around 800 workers today.
Local residents expressed outrage over the death. Michelle, a local worker who lives several blocks north of Schur’s residence on Chilson Street, said that everyone she knew was angry over the death. She became tearful as she described residents’ reaction. “Everyone is outraged. Everyone is calling each other. I thought there was some sort of law against power shutoffs in the winter,” she said. “I guess I was wrong. It makes me think of my 87-year-old grandmother, and what would happen to her.”
“Our heating bill is outrageous. I have small children, and we spend between $400 and $500 to heat our home.”
The town has declined, she said. “My Dad worked for Dow Chemical,” which is located in nearby Midland. “We weren’t rich, but weren’t concerned about losing our utilities either. It’s a tight-knit community.”
Those visiting web articles covering the death have left comments, including hundreds of messages on a discussion thread after a Bay City Times article. One reader wrote, “I can’t believe people and businesses these days. To let a 93-year-old freeze to death because of a bill. I don’t care how big the bill is. A man is dead because of money…”
A former resident of Bay City wrote, “I am so happy I no longer live there. At my age, I would fear for my life… Remember, folks, you may be old some day—if your city fathers don’t kill you first.”
Dee Mitrowski, of Moriarty, New Mexico wrote, “Bay City’s old motto: ‘A beautiful view... of life.’ Bay City’s new motto: ‘We value every life... according to your utility bill.’
Local officials have reacted with callousness. The electricity commissioner and the mayor attempted to pin the blame on Schur. “I’m certain if there had been some communication we could have solved this without the tragedy that occurred,” Newston said.
“It’s just unfortunate that this gentleman didn’t reach out,” Mayor Charles Brunner said. “We would have been there. We would have pointed him in the right direction or put him on some sort of payment plan.” Brunner is among the Michigan mayors who lobbied Congress for a bailout of the auto industry, and was recently in attendance at the inauguration of President Barack Obama, who in his inaugural address said American people were to blame for the economic crisis because they had failed “to make hard choices.”
For his part, City Manager Robert Belleman has provoked particular outrage among residents by suggesting that Schur’s neighbors bear responsibility for failing to look after the elderly man.
Rick Luszek, retired utility worker
Rick Luszek, a retired utility worker who lives in the neighborhood said, “This is absurd. Shutting somebody’s electricity off in the dead of winter is criminal. These politicians sit at their desks pushing pencils and say we’re going to cut off electricity today. How can the city manager claim that the neighbors had a civic responsibility to look after this man? What about the city’s civic responsibility to look after him? I say damn Belleman for blaming the neighbors for this man’s death.”
Local residents are right to be outraged by the political leadership of their city and state, which is dominated from the local level up by the Democratic Party. Politicians of both parties have overseen the ruination of Michigan. In moments like the freezing death of Schur, they can scarcely conceal their contempt for the working class people they nominally represent.
But the freezing death of Schur is not strictly a local issue. What killed Schur is not just the indifference of local officials, but the form of social organization—capitalism—that places the profit drive of the financial aristocracy above basic human needs.While you should never buy any low-quality components for a computer build, I can't stress enough how important it is to never get a cheap no-name power supply unit. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with saving money, but a chintzy PSU has the potential to not only cause instability, but it could even fry your other components. Heck, it could even cause a fire. Please stick with well-known PSU brands, folks.
One such company that offers quality power supply units is Thermaltake. Today, that manufacturer unveils an absolutely beautiful such offering. Called "Toughpower iRGB PLUS 1250W Titanium TT Premium Edition," it features Japanese capacitors, and as the name indicates, it offers an impressive 1,250 watts of power. The 80 PLUS Titanium certified PSU is fully modular, meaning you only need to connect the cables you need -- good for both appearance and cooling. Its RGB fan has 16.8 million colors, which Thermaltake claims is the first ever on a PSU. It even has a mobile app that can alert you to fan failure -- very cool.
"The Toughpower iRGB PLUS 1250W Titanium Power Supply Unit - TT Premium Edition uses a high amperage single +12V rails. It adopts Smart Zero Fan to optimize the thermal performance and minimize the audible noise, and high quality Japanese brand capacitors to deliver excellent reliability and stability. With a coverage of 10-year warranty, the Toughpower iRGB PLUS 1250W Titanium Power Supply Unit - TT Premium Edition permits a captivating way to make users systems match their intended color scheme and gives best-in-class, mute operation for all kinds of chassis," says Thermaltake.
The company further says, "Coming with high-quality components, this fully modular member is equipped with the patented ultra-silent, 16.8 million colors Riing 14 RGB fan and 12 controllable single LEDs, featuring seven lighting modes (Full lighted, Flow, RGB Spectrum, Ripple, Blink, Pulse and Wave), and each lighting mode features three color modes (RGB, Single and Off mode) and four light speed options (Slow, Normal, Fast and So Fast)."
Thermaltake further explains the RGB lighting options in detail below.
Flow: Directional RGB colored flow across the individual LED of the ring.
Directional RGB colored flow across the individual LED of the ring. RGB Spectrum: A seamless transition through the entire 16.8 million RGB color spectrum.
A seamless transition through the entire 16.8 million RGB color spectrum. Ripple: Lights ripple out across the entire fan with your choice of 16.8 million colors.
Lights ripple out across the entire fan with your choice of 16.8 million colors. Blink: Lights keep flashing on and off with single color or RGB colors.
Lights keep flashing on and off with single color or RGB colors. Pulse: A slow fade in and fade out with your color choice.
A slow fade in and fade out with your color choice. Wave: A RGB wave flows across the entire fan.
A RGB wave flows across the entire fan. Full Lighted: A static lighting with your color choice, including RGB colors and single color.
A static lighting with your color choice, including RGB colors and single color. Music: Lights the fan in real-time based on the sound volume.
You can see the full specification below.
P/N PS-TPI-1250DPCTXX-T Short P/N TPI-1250D-T Model TPG-1250DH3FCT Type Intel ATX 12V 2.31 & SSI EPS 12V 2.92 Max. Output Capacity 1250W Peak Output Capacity 1500W Color Black Dimension （ W / H / D ） 150mm(W) x 86mm(H) x 200mm(D) PFC （Power Factor Correction） Active PFC Power Good Signal 100-500 msec Hold Up Time > 16msec at 100% of full load (115Vac/ 230Vac input) Input current 15A Input Frequency Range 47Hz – 63Hz Input Voltage 100V – 240V Operating Temperature 0 ℃ to +50℃ Operating Humidity 20% to 90%,non-condensing Storage Temperature -20 ℃ to +70 ℃ Storage Humidity 5% to 95%, non-condensing Cooling System 14cm Riing PLUS Fan Efficiency MEET 80 Plus Titanium at 115Vac input. MTBF 120,000 hrs minimum Safety Approval CE/FCC/UL/ TUV/EAC Protection OPP, OVP, UVP, OCP, OTP, SCP PCI-E 6+2pin/ 8pin 8
Having such a beautiful and powerful power supply unit will not come at a low price -- be prepared to open your wallet very widely. How much? The Thermaltake Toughpower iRGB PLUS 1250W Titanium TT Premium Edition PSU costs $399.99, which is more than some consumers spend on an entire PC! It does come with a 10-year warranty, at least.
Keep in mind, this is not for everyone, obviously. Most people do not need 1,250 watts. If you do have such a need, say, for running multiple high-end graphics cards, you can buy immediately from Thermaltake directly here. It should soon be available at many popular retailers as well.BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union is on track to renew economic sanctions on Russia over the crisis in Ukraine when they expire in July, though an extension could be contested and only short-term, diplomats and officials said.
European Union Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini speaks during the seventh U.S.–E.U. Energy Security Council in Washington, U.S., May 4, 2016. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
The 28-strong EU needs unanimity to keep the sanctions in place and the bloc’s unity has been increasingly tested on that.
While some states stress the resurgent Russia has not delivered on commitments in the so-called Minsk peace process for east Ukraine, others want to restore trade ties with Moscow.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told German newspaper Die Welt on Thursday she expected the energy, financial and defense sanctions to be renewed.
“EU heads of state or government had tied the lifting of the sanctions to a full implementation of the Minsk Agreements. So far, this has not been reached,” Mogherini said in an interview.
“There have always been different opinions on some elements of our sanction policy. It will probably stay that way...What is important is that we keep this unity and decide all together.”
The EU slapped sanctions on Russia after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014. It stepped them up later that year as the Kremlin backed rebels fighting Ukrainian troops in east Ukraine, where more than 9,000 people have been killed.
The EU says it will ease sanctions only upon Russia’s full implementation of the Minsk agreements, but progress on applying the peace accords - negotiated by Berlin and Paris - has stalled for months.
Moscow and Kiev blame each other for failing to stick to the deal, which includes organizing local elections in east Ukraine, restoring Kiev’s control over the whole border with Russia, and the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the conflict zone.
Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Hungary and Bulgaria are among EU states skeptical that sanctions should be extended, diplomats say, facing off against Britain, Sweden, Poland and the Baltic states.
“I don’t see how we could not extend them in July. The conditions, including Minsk, are not met,” said one EU official.
Another official said the most likely scenario was a six-month extension, adding that G7 leaders would discuss the matter at their next summit in Japan on May 26-27 as the EU and the United States aim to keep a joint stance on Russia.
Last year, G7 leaders meeting in Germany vowed to keep sanctions in place until Russia fully implements the terms of the peace deal. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi later briefly opposed extending the restrictive measures at the end of 2015, but eventually fell into line.
A RETHINK TOWARD YEAR-END
Sources said Renzi sounded more critical of Moscow and signaled no opposition to extending sanctions this time around at a meeting last month between the leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Italy with U.S. President Barack Obama.
“If Ukraine does its homework and Russia continues to be an obstacle, then an extension of the sanctions shouldn’t be a problem,” a senior German official said. “Renzi may not be the big hurdle in the sanctions debate that he has been.”
Opposition - but not a full-on veto - could come from Slovakia, Hungary and Greece, according to EU sources.
“They all want to say something loud to help their business relationships with Moscow. But I would not expect them to block an extension,” a senior EU official said.
However, even though the EU makes easing sanctions conditional on the full implementation of the Minsk accords, there are growing doubts about whether the troubled peace process has much of a future left.
While it helped to sharply decrease violence in east Ukraine, it has failed to resolve the conflict. The questions is what should follow if Minsk sponsors declare it dead.
In saying the EU policy would not change yet, Mogherini signaled a broader review of policy later this year: “In the second half of the year,” she told Die Welt, “EU governments should make a substantive political evaluation on the degree of implementation of the Minsk Agreement, and on how the way forward toward solving the conflict in Ukraine looks like.”
Other types of EU sanctions on Moscow, namely the restrictions on economic relations with Russia-annexed Crimea and travel blacklists on Russian officials and individuals, expire in late June and mid-September, respectively.
That means that even if the economic measures are renewed now, there are likely to be more heated discussions on the EU’s stance on Russia in the second half of the year.
“There may be some problems this time around but I expect no drama,” said another EU official. “The real drama we see coming in December.”A University of Michigan professor is in custody after authorities say he traveled to Florida to have sex with a 14-year-old boy and was arrested in a sting operation. (Photo: Broward County Sheriff’s Department)
A University of Michigan professor is in custody after authorities say he traveled to Florida to have sex with a 14-year-old boy and was arrested in a sting operation.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement reports that 51-year-old James Daniel Cavalcoli was arrested in Weston, near Ft. Lauderdale, on Friday. U-M spokeswoman Mary Masson said Cavalcoli has been a professor at the university for 13 years. He is an assistant professor of computational medicine and bioinformatics.
"We are currently reviewing the matter and will cooperate fully with law enforcement investigators," Masson said in an email to the Free Press.
Cavalcoli's profile has been removed from the university's Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics website.
Authorities say Cavalcoli had made arrangements with an undercover FDLE agent who is assigned to the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. Cavalcoli believed the agent was the boy's father, according to a federal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court's Southern District of Florida.
On Nov. 22, 2013, the agent conducted an undercover session on the Internet posing as a 55-year-old father with a son who was 13 in the southern Florida area.
The profile was posted on a social networking website that catered to men, a portion of which that provided an area to discuss sexual fetishes, including child pornography and sexual activity with young boys.
The agent received a message on the site from a user named "Jim," who advised that he was a "fellow boy lover" who wanted to chat and share stories and experiences. The term boy lover is frequently used to identify those interested in young boys, according to the federal complaint. Cavalcoli then forwarded his email address to the agent which was followed by a series of emails discussing his "real time'' sexual experiences. Cavalcoli told the agent that he frequently travels to Florida in early August of each year for work purposes.
The email communications continued for the next 18 to 19 months and at one point, the agent sent a picture of himself and his son "Donnie" to Cavalcoli. The males depicted in the photo were actually both adult males who were sworn law enforcement officers in the state of Florida and who consented for the picture to be used, according to the federal complaint.
On July 19, Cavalcoli posted a message on the site that stated he would be visiting Florida in the coming weeks and wanted to meet up with any sons or dads in area. He then sent a series of messages to the agent, who was still posing as the father of a teen who was now 14, and asked to meet up.
"I'm excited and nervous," Cavalcoli wrote. "Can you do me a favor and reassure me you aren't police or FBI affiliated. lt would also be good to meet you before going to your room OK? I know this sounds strange, this is my first time meeting. So just nervous and cautious, OK??"
They agreed to meet at a hotel in Florida and when Cavalcoli arrived, he was met by law enforcement. He was provided his Miranda Rights but he waived them, according to the records, and admitted that he was the user "Jim" on the site and that he had been communicating with the agent.
He told the agents that his trip was in part for his work and in part for the sexual encounter with the minor son, Donnie.
"Cavalcoli stated that he knew he should not have traveled and regretted his decision," the complaint stated.
He was arrested and later booked into the Broward County Jail.
He was awaiting an appearance in federal court in Ft. Lauderdale, where authorities say he will be officially charged with traveling across state lines to engage in illegal sexual activity with a minor. According to the federal complaint, he is being represented by attorney David Rothman. He's scheduled to be arraigned at 11 a.m. on Aug. 24 in Fort Lauderdale, according to court records.
Read or Share this story: http://bcene.ws/1Nnzx6vStanford professor traces roots of the psychedelic '60s to postwar America
New research by cultural history expert Fred Turner reveals how changing ideals about American democracy in the 1940s and '50s planted the seeds of rebellion that flowered in the counterculture of the 1960s.
Video by Kurt Hickman New research explores the surprising historical origins of the psychedelic counterculture.
Fred Turner, associate professor of communication, has one overriding humanistic desire in his work: "My deepest ambition is to create ways in which people can peer in and see the historical conditions in which they are living their lives."
A scholar of media, technology and American cultural history, Turner has shown how technology interacts with existing cultural and social practices to shape what we do in our daily lives.
That passion led him to investigate the roots of the 1960s counterculture, which is generally understood as a spontaneous rebellion against the stiff conservatism of the postwar period.
Not so, says Turner, whose latest book, The Democratic Surround: Multimedia and American Liberalism from World War II to the Psychedelic Sixties, investigates the surprising historical origins of the psychedelic counterculture.
"What I found is that the counterculture owes many of its ideals, and particularly its understanding of how media shapes people, to a generation earlier that really came to life during World War II. This is a unique and astonishing find."
By studying materials in more than a dozen archives, including the National Archives in Maryland and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Turner learned that 1940s and 1950s American liberalism offered a far more radical social vision than we now remember.
"During the early Cold War period, there was an extraordinary turn toward explicitly democratic, open and inclusive ideas of communication and with them new, flexible models of social order," Turner said.
In government policy statements, correspondence between artists and politicians, and even in course syllabi by influential Bauhaus artists, Turner found that 1960s thought was deeply influenced by these earlier ideas.
He shows that the earlier cultural shift, in the 1940s and 1950s, provided the basis for the revolutionary and wild-eyed individualism of the 1960s counterculture.
Whereas 1950s America has typically been remembered for McCarthy and the Korean War, Turner's findings completely redefine our view of this period and its indelible impact on the American psyche.
"In the '60s psychedelic counterculture boomed. People surrounded themselves with psychedelic media – videos, art, installations – thinking that it would turn them into a different kind of person, perhaps make them more personally satisfied and psychologically fulfilled," Turner said.
Culturally and ideologically, he says, much of this came from the previous decades and was not a spontaneous countercultural emergence.
"I was always told that the 1960s were a rebellion against the 1940s and 1950s, but that turns out to be far from the truth," Turner said.
'The Democratic Surround'
Turner, whose previous works have explored American cultural memory and cyberculture, found himself immersed in the works of German psychoanalyst Erich Fromm, American anthropologist Margaret Mead, English anthropologist Gregory Bateson and American mathematician Norbert Wiener as he delved into his investigation.
These figures, it turns out, were among the founders of an eclectic group of 60 of America's leading social and psychological scientists who theorized two things: the "democratic personality," and the development of media environments.
"In the 1940s, a group under the rubric of the Committee for National Morale convened in New York, led by Arthur Upham Pope, an art historian, and they became incredibly influential," Turner said.
He says that the democratic personality they promoted – opposed to fascism and, later, communism – was defined as being open, flexible, and able to integrate diverse experiences and to collaborate and coordinate with others.
In the same period, Bauhaus artists, commissioned by the Museum of Modern Art in New York, helped create American propaganda exhibits that could convey the Committee's idea of a democratic personality in American society.
At the Museum of Modern Art, for example, the Bauhaus artists created propaganda exhibitions that surrounded viewers with images, from above and below, and asked them to make sense of them in their own individual ways, as free, democratic individuals.
These multiscreen and multimedia environments would become a hallmark of psychedelic culture a decade later.
"The postwar foundation for democracy was built on Bauhaus aesthetics combined with social and psychological theorists working on the democratic personality," Turner said.
These two streams, he says, flowed together for 30 years and went in two directions.
"On the one hand, there is the propaganda throughout the Cold War," Turner said. "On the other, the movement developed culturally through the artists to Black Mountain College, John Cage and the counterculture of the 1960s.
"The children of the 1960s not only overthrew their parents' expectations but they also fulfilled them. They used multimedia environments to become the free individuals that Margaret Mead and the Committee for National Morale were calling for decades earlier."
From counterculture to cyberculture
Although Turner sees the democratic vision and the desire for integration and community of the 1960s underlying digital media |
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Also read: HSBC sheltered murky cash linked to dictators, arms dealers
http://www.publicintegrity.org/node/16702/syndication/trackingThe day she nervously told her boss that they needed to talk in the summer of 2012, the young intelligence analyst was mindful of the ordeal of the transgender woman at the Central Intelligence Agency who came before her. The story had become C.I.A. lore. In the late 1980s, a standout senior analyst who became the butt of jokes when she came out resigned after enduring months of cruel glances and crude remarks.
Jenny, the young officer, who is a Middle East expert, hadn’t heard yet about Diane Schroer, the former Army officer who set an important legal precedent for transgender federal employees by suing the Library of Congress in 2005. She didn’t know what, if any, legal protections and benefits transgender employees at the C.I.A. were entitled to.
All she knew with certainty was that going through life as a man had become unbearable.
“I was terrified,” she said in an interview, which the C.I.A. arranged on condition that she be identified as Jenny, an alias for the undercover officer. “I wasn’t sure if I transitioned, whether I would have a career. Maybe I would be here, but marginalized, and no one would take me seriously again.”Since June 2002, Lady de Rothschild has been the Chief Executive of E.L. Rothschild LLC, a private investment company with investments in media, asset management, information technology, agriculture and real estate worldwide. Holdings include The Economist Group (UK), Bronfman/E.L.Rothschild, real estate and financial instruments. Lady de Rothschild has been a director of The Estee Lauder Companies since December 2000 and The Economist Newspaper Limited (member of the Audit Committee) since October 2002.
From 2004-2007, she was also co-chair of FieldFresh Pvt. Ltd, a 50-50 joint venture with Bharti Enterprises, established to develop the Indian agricultural sector in India. From 1989 to 2002, she was president and chief executive officer of FirstMark Holdings, Inc., which owned various telecommunications companies worldwide. She was executive vice president for development at Metromedia Telecommunications, Inc. from 1984 to 1989. She began her career in 1980 as an associate at the law firm of Simpson, Thacher and Bartlett LLP in New York City where she practiced corporate law until 1984.
She is co-host of the Conference on Inclusive Capitalism and Founder of the Coalition for Inclusive Capitalism. She is a member of the Board and the Executive Committee of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, and a board member of the Alfred Herrhausen Society of International Dialogue of Deutsche Bank, the Elumelu Foundation (Africa),the International Advisory Board of Columbia University School of Law, FAI (Fondo per L’Ambiente Italiano) and the ERANDA Foundation (de Rothschild family foundation).
In addition to being a keynote speaker at various launch events (CNBC, Bloomberg) for the Henry Jackson Initiative on Inclusive Capitalism, Lady de Rothschild has been a featured speaker for the Economist World In 2013 conference, St. Antony’s College, Oxford, Tsinghua and Peking University, Royal Society of the United Services, London and the OECD Workshop on Inclusive Growth. Her opinion pieces have been published in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Huffington Post, the Guardian, the Mail on Sunday and the Daily Beast.
Lady de Rothschild is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations (USA), Chatham House (UK), the International Advisory Council of Asia House (UK), the International Institute of Strategic Studies (UK) and the Foreign Policy Association (USA). In 2000, she was ranked number four on the European Fortune Most Powerful Woman in Business. In October 2007, Lady de Rothschild was awarded the Commendatore Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana.
Previously, she served as a member of the National Information Infrastructure Advisory Committee and the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board under President Clinton, as a member of the United Nations Advisory Committee on Inclusive Financial Services and as an Advisor to the Deutsche Bank Microfinance Consortium. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Pomona College in Claremont, California (1976) with a Juris Doctor with honors from Columbia University in New York City (1980).Today is the Teddy Bear Toss at BMC as the Barrie Colts host the Windsor Spitfires for the final of two meetings this regular season. The first game saw Windsor take a 6-3 win in Windsor. Though they scored a few goals, the team should have had more success on the score sheet. 0 for 6 on the power play and only managed to generate 27 shots. Windsor managed to get a goal on 3 man advantages. Nizhnikov and Finoro scored for the Colts. Carbonara had a strong game getting 5 shots on net and ending the night with a +2. Christian Propp got the start for the Colts but was pulled at the end of the 1st period after allowing 3 goals on 11 shots faced. David Ovsjannikov made 22 saves on 25 shots faced in his relief. Former Colt, Julius Nattinen put up a goal against his former team. Windsor is coming off a 3-2 OT win Saturday night over the Saginaw Spirit. Evan Cormier kept the Spirit in the game making 40 saves on 43 shots faced. Special teams helped Windsor find success in this game scoring 2 goals on 3 man advantages. Julius Nattinen had a huge game for the Spits getting 3 assists and winning 15 face-offs which was about half the total wins for the team in the game. Sean Day was outstanding and put up 3 goals on the night. He got 9 shots on goal. The win was the second straight for a team who hasn't been playing as strong as they would hope to. 6-1-3-0 over the last 10 games which isn't terrible but isn't as strong as they would like to be playing this season. At least 3 of those losses were in OT so that is at least a few extra points for the team. They sit in 2nd place in the West Division with 40 points and will look to add to their 2 game win streak against a struggling Colts team.Barrie is coming off of a 3-0 loss against the Sudbury Wolves. The only thing more gross than the Colts game was the green 3rd jerseys the Wolves wore for the game. Barrie managed to generate 44 shots on goal but couldn't solve Jake McGrath. Once again, power play struggles continue to haunt Barrie who were not able to score on 5 PP opportunities. Kade Landry had a good night and filled in for Brassard who was out of the lineup. He managed to get 7 shots on goal. This season the majority of the Colts shots have come from the back end. Propp started for the Colts and saved 29 shots on 32 shots faced. Overall, the Colts didn't have a terrible game. It was just one of those days where they ran into a hot goalie.The team has really had injury struggles this season. Radke being out for so long has been tough and Brassard being out makes matters worse. That being said, the team really needs to find a way to be more effective with the man advantage. They have done a great job of drawing penalties but they need to find a way to capitalize on the advantage. It is clear that the strategy is to generate shots from the point and if this continues they need to work on getting in front of the goaltender in an attempt to screen him, or get a possible redirect goal. Lucas Chiodo is in 2nd on the team for points. In the last 12 games he has matched his total point production from last season. He is skating hard and fast and really has been a great energy guy for the team. I would look for him to have a big game having been held off the score sheet the last two games.Puck Drop is set for 7:30 tonight and DON'T FORGET TO BRING YOUR TEDDY BEARS!Via Michael Krieger of Liberty Blitzkrieg blog,
The anti-surveillance state movement is gaining traction and following Charlottesville, Virginia becoming the first city to pass anti-drone legislation, the engaged citizenry of Seattle have now succeeded in killing their city’s own drone program earlier this month. On the state level, while legislation has been introduced in several places, it appears Florida is closest to enacting domestic surveillance drone regulations into law. The title of the bill is the “Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act.” From Forbes:
After a Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee hearing in Seattle (held the night of Feb 7), where residents raised concern over the Seattle Police Departments attempt to use surveillance drones, the program was successfully killed.
In a written response, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn wrote: “Today I spoke with Seattle Police Chief John Diaz and we agreed that it was time to end the unmanned aerial vehicle program so that SPD can focus its resources on public safety and the community building work that is the department’s priority. The vehicles will be returned to the vendor.”
On the legislative side of things, multiple states are already moving to enact laws to strongly regulate the use of surveillance drones. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Maine has a bill introduced to regulate drones, as do Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Texas. In Virginia a hearing has already been held on a bill, while Montana has three bills, and hearings have already been held there as well.
Of all states, however, Florida is the closest to enacting domestic surveillance drone regulations into law.
The Florida bill was introduced by state Senator Joe Negron—a very powerful Republican who chairs the budget committee. The actual title of the bill is the “Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act,” and according to the ACLU it has strong bipartisan support, along with support from public defenders, the Florida Sheriff’s Association, and Florida Police Chiefs.Australia is fucking weird, man. They’ve got Christmas in the summertime, shitloads of poisonous animals, and multiple national ultimate frisbee teams. But maybe the weirdest thing about Australia is its sense of humor, which is the only logical explanation for the fact that the cantina song from Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope is reportedly the country’s No. 1 sex jam.
That comes according to the Australian version of Gizmodo, which swells with national pride (among other things) when it reports that ”Cantina Band” beat more traditional bump ‘n’ grind anthems like Ginuwine’s “Pony” and Jeremih’s “Birthday Sex” “by a landslide” as the most popular song for Aussies to add to their Spotify sex playlists, making John Williams the Barry White of Australia by association. That data was collected by mining playlists created by Australian users that contain the words “Valentine’s Day”, “Valentine’s”, “love,” or “sex,” meaning that either a lot of Australians ended their Valentine’s Day sleeping on the couch, or that fucking to Figrin D’an And The Modal Nodes is vastly underrated. They also like Marmite down there, though, so take this advice with a grain of salt.
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You can see the full list of Australian sex jams below.
Cantina Band (from the “Star Wars: A New Hope” Soundtrack) - John Williams
Birthday Sex - Jeremih
Sex (Cheat Codes X Kris Kross Amsterdam) - Cheat Codes
Sex With Me - Bonus Track - Rihanna
Pony - Ginuwine
Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon
Often - The Weeknd
Earned It (from the “Fifty Shades Of Grey” Soundtrack) - The Weeknd
Thinkin Bout You - Frank Ocean
Slow Motion - Trey Songz
[Note: Gizmodo, like The A.V. Club, is owned by Univision Communications.]Buy Photo State Rep. Cesar Blanco (Photo: El Paso Times file photo)Buy Photo
AUSTIN - State Rep. Cesar Blanco, D-El Paso, is getting an early start in the battle to prevent cuts to a state program that pays millions in college tuition for veterans and, in some cases, their families.
Blanco held a session in San Antonio Friday with Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, to raise awareness that the Hazlewood Act was almost cut during the 2015 legislative session.
“I heard that (Lt. Gov.) Dan Patrick has said (cuts in the program) are going to be a priority in the next session,” Blanco said.
Patrick’s office did not respond last week to a request for comment.
The Hazlewood program began in 2009 and has grown rapidly since.
Nine students at the University of Texas at El Paso participated during the 2009-2010 school year in the program. That number rose to 449 in the 2013-2014 year. Costs rose from $18,000 to $2.3 million during the same time frame.
The cost of the program is likely to grow further. A federal court in 2015 ruled unconstitutional a requirement that beneficiaries must have been Texas residents when the service member entered the military.
The state only covers part of the cost and some lawmakers are concerned that the program places an unsupportable burden on colleges and universities. In the 2015 legislative session, they proposed to only allow veterans who have served at least six years in the military to transfer their benefits to family members. They also wanted that ability to expire after 15 years.
But Blanco and Rep. Joe Farias, D-San Antonio, both veterans, were able to kill the limitations as time ran out on the session at the end of May. Blanco criticized colleagues for proposing the cuts in a session in which the House found money to pay for tax cuts on yachts, firearms and businesses.
Now he’s he’s looking for colleagues who will invite them to their districts for town halls to explain the Hazlewood Act and why he thinks it’s important to preserve it in its current form.
“I want to hit every major market in Texas,” Blanco said, adding, “I’m hoping I can get some Republican colleagues to agree with me.”
He said he wants to end his effort with a session in El Paso.
Marty Schladen can be reached at 512-479-6696; [email protected]; @martyschladen on Twitter.
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The “Ask the Readers” feature has always been popular at Get Rich Slowly. It's a great way for people like you to ask questions about money, and, best of all, it's a chance to help others solve their problems. But there's no doubt that the “how much do you spend?” questions get the most responses.
Maybe that's why Kate wrote recently to ask a question that hadn't ever occurred to me. She wants to know how much you spend on kids. Here's her e-mail:
We're thinking about starting a family soon. I realize there are a lot of costs when it comes to having and raising a child, from clothes to diapers to child care to toys to car seats. I also know that these costs can vary greatly, but having never been a parent before, I have no idea what the range can be. I'd like to hear from readers about how much they spend per month on their children. Are we talking an extra $100 a month — or an extra thousand? Under what circumstances? Do the costs go up or down as the child grows?
This is one of those discussions where I'll have to bow out. I spend zero dollars per month on children because, so far, I've elected not to have any. (But isn't that “so far” kind of interesting? I think so.)
So, I leave Kate's question entirely in your hands, readers. How much do you spend on your children? Are kids more expensive as newborns or as teenagers? How would you advise prospective parents to prepare financially?
Author: J.D. Roth In 2006, J.D. founded Get Rich Slowly to document his quest to get out of debt. Over time, he learned how to save and how to invest. Today, he's managed to reach early retirement! He wants to help you master your money — and your life. No scams. No gimmicks. Just smart money advice to help you reach your goals. Twitter FacebookThis guy, up there… he is confident. Open body language, great suit – and I have got to imagine he is smiling
Being Confident in Public – The language of your body
To start off – being confident may be different in your culture, and this post is specifically for the Western culture. Being confident in public starts with understanding exactly what makes you confident, and how to look confident. Two very important factors that all of the difference. Without being too repetitive, look at these:
Understanding what is confidence
Looking confident
The first bullet point stems from the idea that – if you know what confidence is, then you can emulate it and do what makes you a confident person (just like knowing what nutrition is can help you achieve your body building goals).
I want to point out that the second bullet point is not “fake it till you make it” exactly, since I am not a fan of that and I don’t think it works in most situations. However, there is a direct link between body language/self image and mental feelings/emotions. If you hold your body in a confident position, then you will feel more confident. Sounds cool, huh? Better yet, it is backed by science. A whole lot of science (I’ll wait, give yourself a quick google search and come back when you see all of the nice, juicy evidence. Since the second bullet point is the one I really want to focus on first, we are going to start with it!
Being confident in Public – Look Confident
Now, tell me if this person below is confident.
This man is not confident, at least in this photo. The man’s hands are in his pockets – which is a big no no for open body language. One of the first areas to focus on in appearing confident in public is confident body language. While confident body language may sound a tad too vague, just remember these two words to mentally scan your body while you are in public “open posture”. Open posture is when you aren’t hiding any body parts (hands in pockets), have your chest open (no hands/objects blocking the view of your chest), feet apart (not in a squatting position), and your teeth exposed (smiling, not hiding anything). While this may sounds strange or alien, open posture is your body saying “I don’t have to hid anything and I know I can trust you around me”. Part of the reason why you look trust worthy dates back to ancient body language and how people perceived strangers. If a stranger had his hands in his pockets they could have a weapon. If someone put objects blocking their chest then they are afraid you may harm them, thus causing the other part to be cautious. Makes sense, doesn’t it?
Check out the main image of this post, posted below:
His hands are not hidden, his chest is open, his shoulders are broad – this guy is confident! This image looks like an action shot, and I am sure this man would have his hands by his hips as he approached a stranger and stretched out his hand to shake the stranger’s hand. Sounds confident, doesn’t it? Lets look at another image.
Is this guy confident?
No, his body language is closed. See how his arms are crossed? Crossed arms close up the body and protect the chest. While this guy may be trying to look cool, his body language is screaming “I am not confident”, or “I am closed off from conversations”. If you have ever been in a meeting and someone crosses their arms, then you should know that they may have mentally checked out of the conversation, and this type of body language proves it.
When you want to look confident, and then set your body up to be confident (open posture), you will start to feel confident! When you have your body held high, chest out, standing up straight, you will feel more confident in the situation. If you have an urge to cross your arms, keep them open and see how confident you become!
Being confident in Public – Knowing what confidence is
Confidence is the ability to be yourself in any situation, being calm and collected, and being comfortable. If you are in a situation and you are afraid to talk to someone, perhaps at a mixer or at a bar, you are not confident in yourself (at least in your ability to talk to someone) because you aren’t comfortable with the act of talking to someone. Being confident doesn’t mean not giving a F&$%, it just means you are comfortable in your situation. You don’t have to be the best looking person there, the most entertaining, or the most friendly, you just have to be comfortable and act that way.
Next time you enter a new situation where confidence is on the line, do what you would do in a situation where you are very confident. For an example, next time you are at a meet up, act like you would act when you are around a bunch of your friends (so, you are talkative, you are friendly, you are open). Boom – you are now confident in this new area. Taking this a step further, once you establish yourself in this new area, you will feel an overwhelming sense of confidence.
Breaking it all down into two easy steps – Public Confidence
Next time you are out in public, make sure you have open posture, and act like you are among friends. This “two punch” combo will help you start to feel confident, which will then make you confident.
Have a great day!* Kaduna state hit by church attack last month
* Islamists Boko Haram targeted churches, military before
* Kaduna sits on Christian-Muslim dividing line
By Garba Mohammed and Isaac Abrak
KADUNA, Nigeria, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Two suicide bombs killed at least 11 people on Sunday at a church in a barracks in northern Nigeria, where the Islamist sect Boko Haram is waging a campaign of violence, the military said.
Army spokesman Bola Koleoso said a bus drove into the side of the St. Andrew Military Protestant Church at the Jaji barracks in Kaduna state and exploded at around 1105 GMT, five minutes after a service had started.
Explosives inside a Toyota Camry were detonated outside the church ten minutes later, he said. The military said at least 30 were injured.
A military source who witnessed the attack said the second bomb was the most deadly, killing people who went to help the injured from the first blast. Witnesses said the barracks was cordoned off and ambulances carried the wounded to hospital.
There was no claim of responsibility but Islamist sect Boko Haram has frequently attacked the security forces and Christian churches in its fight to create an Islamic state in Nigeria, where the 160 million population is evenly split between Christians and Muslims.
A suicide bomber killed eight people and injured more than 100 last month at a church in another part of Kaduna state, which has a mixed Muslim and Christian population and often suffers from sectarian tensions.
CHURCH ATTACKS
A bomb attack in a church in Kaduna state in June triggered a week of tit-for-tat violence that killed at least 90 people.
Gunmen killed six people in a village in northern Kaduna state earlier this month. The area was at the heart of post-election violence in April last year that left hundreds dead and thousands displaced.
Boko Haram’s purported spokesman Abu Qaqa, who used to confirm the sect’s attacks in phone calls to journalists, was killed by the military in September, the army said. Since then there has been little public communication by the group.
Nigeria’s army on Saturday offered 290 million naira ($1.8 million) for information leading to the capture of 19 leading members of Boko Haram, including 50 million naira for the sect’s self-proclaimed leader Abubakar Shekau.
At least 2,800 people have died in fighting since Boko Haram’s insurrection began in 2009, according to Human Rights Watch. Most in the northeast of the country, where the sect usually attacks politicians and security forces.
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair visited Nigeria with the Archbishop of Canterbury-designate Justin Welby last week to launch a programme by Blair’s foundation to reconcile religious differences in Africa’s most populous nation.
The foundation said it was at consultancy stage and gave no details on how much would be spent or who would benefit.A few of weeks ago, a friend tagged me in an article about how Saturday Night Live cast member and comedienne Leslie Jones hadn’t found a designer to dress her for the red carpet premiere of Ghostbusters yet. Though I’m usually relentlessly vocal about such discrimination against Black women, I was unmoved to speak on the matter at all. Over the past two years, Jones’ seeming willingness to do whatever necessary to further her career (most notable is a skit she performed on SNL where she made light of forced breeding of Black women during slavery), including furthering and endorsing racist stereotypes of Black women, had caused me to write her off. I had decided that her performance of Blackness was tailored for the white gaze. For me, that was an unforgivable offense.
Still, earlier this week when Jones announced her exit from Twitter after being the target of hundreds of brutal tweets since the release of Ghostbusters, I was furious. Regardless of the politics she engages in to survive in Hollywood, Jones didn’t deserve to be bombarded with sexually charged, racist tweets in a campaign to humiliate and silence her. Jones’ three white Ghostbusters costars have been notably silent. Mainstream white feminists, predictably, have been too.
I’m unsurprised by white feminists’ deafening silence on the matter, though. Black women have always known that white feminism is more about ensuring white women have the same rights and opportunities as their male counterparts than it is about fighting for the liberation of all women. So I’m completely disinterested in Tina Fey or Lena Dunham feigning solidarity with 140-character messages of support. And while I’m relieved that notorious Twitter troll, Milo Yiannopoulos, was permanently banned from Twitter for inciting the campaign that drove Jones to her breaking point, I’d rather this incident spark an honest conversation in the Black community about misogynoir’s vicious cousin, colorism.
While Black women of all shades can attest to the ruthless harassment that the anonymity of the Internet invites from racists, we have to be honest enough to admit that the brand of harassment Jones received is reserved for Black women who look like her. At 6-feet tall with dark skin, a wide nose, and full lips, Jones wasn’t just targeted because she is a Black woman. She was targeted because she’s fits a particular Black phenotype.
I won’t argue that if producers had opted to cast Maya Rudolph in Ghostbusters instead of Jones that she would have been protected from racist pushback, but I’m willing to bet that the biracial actress wouldn’t have been tweeted pictures of gorillas. The vitriol directed at Jones was strategic. Jones was a safe target because colorism is a phenomenon with the same oppressive value inside and outside the Black community.
This is particularly important in show business. Dark skinned Black women are reserved for comedic value in Hollywood, masculinized, dehumanized and degraded for laughs. Audiences howled for five seasons at Redd Foxx calling Lawanda Page’s Aunt Esther character a gorilla. Martin Lawrence spent just as long calling Tichina Arnold’s character a horse. On Living Single, Erika Alexander’s character Maxine’s perceived masculinity was constant fodder. The character of Dijonay in Disney’s The Proud Family proves that even when animated, the dark skin girl is designated as the ghetto one.
Any critique or confrontation we lob at Jones for always playing the loud, strong, masculine one, must be preceded by indictments of our own community’s embrace of the stereotypes which continue to pigeonhole women like Jones. If we demand Jones remain cognizant of how she represents us at all times, then we need to first interrogate our own bias against her. We do not protect women like Leslie Jones. Too many of us sipped tea and watched Jones endure the punishment we decided she deserved. We were all too ready to sit back and watch as white men decimate her spirit.
We can tell ourselves that the absence of the abundant think pieces, tweets and clapback that follow any critique of Beyoncé from white feminists or threatening tweets to Zendaya are because Jones represents her Blackness in a way which harms the rest of us, but that’s the easy route. Our community must admit that we have been complicit in propping dark skinned women up on the chopping block. We mock and abuse and demean women who like Leslie Jones. We left her unprotected because dark skinned women like her are as expendable to us as they are to white America.
So, I’m not prepared to continue to hold Leslie Jones responsible for embracing stereotypical roles when she’s faced with a world that refuses to allow dark skinned Black women femininity, desirability and vulnerability. I’m unwilling to ignore the fact that our community held the paint while white America drew the target on her back. Until we’re ready to unpack the box of racism, which contains the box of misogynoir which houses our colorism, the conversation is futile.At one of the busiest intersections in Kathmandu, business is good for 64-year-old Nucche Khadka. He says he’s been working this spot for 40 years, selling crackers, candy and cigarettes. A steady stream of customers buy cigarette boxes decorated with grotesque pictures of cancerous lungs, meant to warn customers of the danger of their contents.
But the air they are breathing may not be much better than the cigarette smoke.
Air quality monitors installed in August are revealing what residents have long suspected: Kathmandu has some of the most toxic air on Earth. In the dead of winter, pollution was at its peak, with the Air Quality Index daily soaring above 200.
To make matters worse, most of the streets have been torn up to lay pipe for a water expansion project, sending dust into the air. Like many of the city’s residents, Khadka wears a black cloth mask, but it doesn’t stop the most harmful particles, which are smaller than 2.5 microns (pm) wide.
He complains he has a cough and sore throat that keeps returning.
“It’s too expensive to go to the doctor, I take medicine from the pharmacy,” he says.
Nepal’s air quality is the fourth-worst in the world, according to Yale’s 2016 Environmental Performance Index. The nation’s capital Kathmandu is also one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in South Asia and contains a burgeoning middle class, who’ve funded a boom in construction and auto sales. Until the government recently slowed the rate of lending, residents could get an auto loan with only a 10 percent down payment.
But people here are becoming increasingly aware and concerned with the air pollution. Student protests and a constant stream of articles in local newspapers are pressuring the government to clean up the air. In March, the police began enforcing a law made two years ago that outlaws public transportation vehicles more than 20 years old.
Sabin Pradhan, the deputy superintendent for the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, said last month they issued tickets to 1,000 overage vehicles in just 10 days.
Langtang valley, north of Kathmandu, Nepal. Glaciers there have been receding. Credit: Stephen Groves/PRI
“In Nepal, if we want to implement something that is forward-thinking, then there is a lot of resistance. But once we catch the vehicles, they’ve been cooperative,” he said.
The pollution comes from many sources besides vehicles, though. Some of the worst air in Nepal is not in Kathmandu, but in the southern plains, where brush fires, brick kilns and cooking stoves produce a haze of smoke.
The pollution could have far-reaching consequences as it floats north into the Himalayas. Smoke from fires and emissions from vehicles produce soot containing black carbon. Black carbon absorbs lots of solar energy. It settles on glaciers and snow, and its dark color causes the snow and ice to absorb more of the sun’s radiation. It also warms up the air, changing rainfall patterns.
For the mountains that are called the “water towers of Asia,” this could have serious impacts. Over a billion people depend on the monsoon rains and snow melt of the Himalayas for their source of water.
Last week, an Indian court granted “living entity” status to the Gangotri and Yamunotri glaciers, which feed the Hindu holy rivers Ganga and Yamuna. The judges said the glaciers are shrinking at an alarming rate. The Ganga river is also fed by glaciers in the Nepali part of the Himalayas.
Researchers are still studying how much black carbon itself causes glacier melt, and how much is caused by rising global temperatures. So far, scientists haven’t been able to pinpoint to what extent the glaciers have melted since there’s a lack of historical data and the glaciers themselves can be difficult and expensive to reach. However, a recent paper in The Cryosphere suggested that glaciers in the Everest region could lose 70 to 99 percent of their mass by 2100 due to climate change.
Greenhouse gases are the leading cause of the warming atmosphere, but black carbon is also a major contributor to shrinking glaciers, especially when the sources of the soot are so close to them.
“The closer you are to a glacier, of course, the greater the impact on that glacier,” said Dr. Arnico Panday, a researcher at Nepal’s International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development.
Kathmandu is only 43 miles away from the closest glaciers, and its black carbon is within striking distance of thousands more.
Stephen Groves reported from Kathmandu, Nepal.ADVENTURE TIME Hey Ice King! Why’d you steal our garbage?!! TastyWhale
ATHIK!W’dYSOG?!!
Holy shmowza that doesn’t even work as an acronym.
Console Played: Nintendo 3DS (also available on the DS). The 3d made it look a bit like a pop-up book, with parallax scrolling of the background layers. It was enjoyable with or without this feature. Luckily, I believe the DS and 3DS versions are priced the same.
Completion Time: less than 8 hours.
Difficulty: Low.
Demographic: the 7 to 13 years range OR anyone who is an Adventure Time fan (so, anyone in their early-twenties).
First, here is the unboxing video I forgot to post:
Woo! Wasn’t that rad?
I’m a big biased fan of the TV series. When I heard there was going to be a Nintendo DS game coming out I was elated. I pre-ordered it ASAP, then waited for it to arrive. Woo hoo it came! Then I shot that video above. Then I got really sick and had to do holiday crap with the family so I wasn’t able to play it immediately.
Anyways, game review!!!!
The game starts in a dream sequence that does nothing other than set you up for the tutorial. Most of the game is played in a side view platformer. You can punch (later use a sword), kick, and long punch with Jake who has taken up residence in your backpack. The world map is a top down view similar to Pokémon or the original Dragon Quest games. You can get into battles on the world map if you run into a dark shadow thing that appears. These can largely be avoided though.
Inside cities you can talk to the populace to either get quests or tips on what to do next. I made sure to read as many of these as possible because I like the humor and writing.
The average dungeon (many are just tunnels from one part of Ooo to another) has bottomless pits, various enemies, and very basic puzzles. Use an ability on this one thing, wall opens up. Find a key, locked door is no longer a problem. Basic videogame flow with minimal backtracking.
You collect items from treasure chests, fallen enemies, or just find them floating in bubbles. All of these are either food or temporary power-ups. The food you can combine with a condiment such as syrup or salt for an even greater effect (sometimes a negative, I think!). The items range from a temporary alternate weapon, power boost, or to be used outside of battle to avoid enemies.
Nothing is horrifyingly difficult, and the player isn’t punished for making mistakes. This is why I’ve described the game difficulty as low. But honestly, it isn’t aimed at hardened gamers; it is meant to be played by younger kids who may need an introduction to videogame basics.
You do need reading comprehension in order to progress in the game without blindly stumbling around. The game capitalizes item names in the speech bubbles so that young readers can pick it up. If my nephew gets a Nintendo DS this Xmas I’ll probably buy him this game as he needs to practice reading.
If you aren’t judgmental of some “sit back and relax” gameplay, then you’ll be able to enjoy the quirky humor throughout this game. Pantyhose, chainsaw-bear, and Finn’s confused adolescent speech were my favorites.
Oh, and while I’m trying not to spoil anything with this review I should tell you that the timeframe and characters are up to date with the latest episodes. I didn’t expect to see several of the characters, and they even sneak in the gender-bender fan-fiction characters for a small appearance.
This wasn’t just a cash-in by the creator Pendleton Ward nor Cartoon Network. I’ve played crappy kids’ games that are made poorly and rushed out to make a quick buck off of kids who only want it because their favorite character is on it. The gameplay, art, music, and writing were all enjoyable. Getting a New Game + mode should make this game last longer for younger players.Bleach is filled with interesting characters that have unique designs. In this article, we're featuring the Shin |
and then a writer. Whenever he is asked his occupation, he replies, somewhat truculently, "I'm an unmarried mother—at four cents a word. I write confession stories." He becomes a regular at the bar where the narrator, the Bartender, works, but does not interact with him significantly for six years.
On November 7, 1970, the Bartender meets the Unmarried Mother, yells at the customer playing "I'm My Own Grandpa", conducts the Unmarried Mother into the back office, and takes him back to 1963 to "find" (and, ostensibly, get revenge upon) the man who got him pregnant (see second bullet point). He returns to the bar, seconds after going into the back room, and allows the customer to play the song. From his own point of view, he has carried out his mission of ensuring his own existence.
On August 12, 1985, the Bartender travels to 1963 and retrieves the Unmarried Mother -- whom he had left there (then?) during the events of the fifth (and second) bullet point(s) -- to the Rockies base and enlists him (actually a younger version of himself) in the Temporal Bureau.
On January 12, 1993, the Bartender, who is also Jane/mother/father/Unmarried Mother, arrives back at his base from 1970 to think about his life.
Reception [ edit ]
Philosopher David Lewis considered " '—All You Zombies—' " and "By His Bootstraps" to be examples of "perfectly consistent" time travel stories.[3] Stating that it and other Heinlein time-travel stories "force the reader into contemplations of the nature of causality and the arrow of time", Carl Sagan listed "All You Zombies" as an example of how science fiction "can convey bits and pieces, hints and phrases, of knowledge unknown or inaccessible to the reader".[4]
Film adaptation [ edit ]
The Spierig brothers directed the Australian science fiction film Predestination (2014) based on the story. The film starred Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook.[5]
See also [ edit ]
Other stories about being descended from oneself
In television
Notes [ edit ]Since ethical journalists disclose their biases, I'll tell you mine straight out: I love honey. I even put it in my morning coffee, making an ordinary cup of Joe ambrosial.
I like honey for the taste, sure, but I also love the fact that, unlike refined sugar, honey -- provided it hasn't been subjected to high temperatures during processing -- is infused with all sorts of good things like vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and living enzymes. Honey also has a lower glycemic index, hence it has a more gradual and healthier release into the bloodstream than sugar. Moreover, it has antimicrobial properties, and has even been used to treat diabetic ulcers and certain antibiotic resistant infections.
Finally, I love honey because I am a great fan of the industrious and beneficent bees that make it. Or do they?
That is the question raised in an eye-opening new study published by Food Safety News. The group's food scientists say that over three quarters of the honey sold in American supermarkets and drug stores may not be what the bees created, but a watered down, reconstituted hodge-podge of the real deal mixed with other cheaper, less savory, and often less safe, ingredients.
The problem, according to the Food Safety News report, is that there is no way to tell if honey is really honey except by looking through a microscope at the pollen grains imbedded in it. And these highly nutritious grains are frequently filtered out of the final product leaving no way to determine whether it is really honey, or a highly processed syrup which bears that name.
It is for this reason that U.S. Food and Drug Administration rules state that any product that contains no pollen cannot be called honey. But the understaffed FDA isn't checking. So the Food Safety News sent 60 jars, jugs and plastic bears of store-bought honey to Vaughn Bryant, a professor at Texas A&M University, the director of the schools Palynology Research Laboratory.
Bryant's results were astonishing: virtually all drug store honey and small individually packaged honey served up in fast food outlets does not contain pollen, and 76 percent of the amber stuff sold in America's leading supermarket chains is likewise devoid of this telltale evidence of its origins, and therefore does not qualify as honey by the FDA's own standards. On the other hand, all of the samples bought at farmers markets, coops and health food stores were infused with the traces of pollen that proved it was real.
Commercial honey manufactures say that they ultra-filter it because shoppers want honey that is crystal clear and devoid of impurities. But there are other reasons the pollen gets removed, including the desire to conceal where it comes from, and lace it with cheap additives. Since pollen's source is local blossoms, the type of pollens found in honey tells botanists where the honey originated, and whether it is authentic.
"It's no secret to anyone in the business that the only reason all the pollen is filtered out is to hide where it initially came from and the fact is that in almost all cases, that is China," says Richard Adee, the Washington Legislative Chairman of the American Honey Producers Association, and one of America's largest independent honey producers.
Not only is low cost Chinese honey forcing many American bee-keepers out of business, but the unregulated liquid is often heavily adulterated with high fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners, as well as being tainted with chloramphenicol, heavy-metal toxins and a witches brew of agro-chemicals, including some illegal animal antibiotics, which are fatal to a small percentage of the population.
In 2001, the U.S. imposed high tariffs on Chinese honey to prevent the dubious syrup from flooding our market. Chinese producers responded by illegally transshipping their product to other countries, such as India, where the laundered "honey" is then sent to the U.S. Few American distributors put their product through the costly lab tests which could determine if it is contaminated.
In 2010 the European Union effectively banned much of the transshipped Chinese honey from their market. But U.S. official have not yet followed suit. More than half of the honey consumed in the U.S. is from unknown foreign sources. In an effort unveiled at the 2011 North American Beekeeping Conference in Galveston in January, a group called True Source Honey announced a voluntary certification program for producers and distributors who are able to prove that their honey comes from legal and legitimate sources. They are also lobbying the FDA to take more effective measures in strictly defining honey and regulating its sale.
Until that happens, better to stick with certified organic and raw honey, which is likely to be closer to what the bees have so generously provided us.Facebook is experimenting with adding a Follow button on Pages. The company confirmed this is a feature it is currently trying out after it showed up for some users. “This is something we are currently testing,” a Facebook spokesperson told TNW.
The Follow button appears directly to the left of the Like button. The new button was first spotted by Wimdu‘s Matteo Gamba, who sent a screenshot to AllFacebook showing it before and after it was clicked:
When most Facebook users navigate to Wimdu’s Facebook Page, they don’t see the new button. This is thus a limited test in which the company is seeing how a fraction of users react to a change on the site.
What’s interesting here is that the Follow button would apparently be kept alongside the Like button, as opposed to replacing it. If this was indeed how it were to be implemented, assuming the test goes well, this would mean Liking may no longer subscribe users to updates from a given Page (notice that in the screenshots, the Like button has already been clicked).
In that case, Liking would go back to meaning “I’m showing I like this” as opposed to “I’m showing I like this and want to get updates in my News Feed.” On the other hand, that may just be wishful thinking; Facebook is likely experimenting with multiple variations of the feature.
Last year, Facebook changed the name of for the button on profiles from “Subscribe” to “Follow.” Now it might be looking to bring the same name to Pages.
Facebook and Twitter regularly snatch features from each other, trying out different ideas to see how they will work on their respective social networks.
Update on October 16: A review button has also shown up on Wimdu’s Page. The screenshot below is again courtesy of AllFacebook.
See also – Facebook copies Twitter yet again, launches hashtags to let users add context and discover shared interests and Twitter co-founder Biz Stone gives Facebook some advice: Offer a $10 premium subscription without ads
Top Image Credit: AFP / Getty Images
Read next: This $2,000 Tornado BodyDryer exists so you can tell your bathroom to blow youThe government is hours away from its first shutdown since 1996. Here's why it would be awful:
1. HUGE NUMBER OF FURLOUGHS: As many as 800,000 of the country's 2.1 million federal workers could be furloughed as the result of a shutdown.
2. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ON HOLD: The head of the Environmental Protection Agency says that the regulator would "effectively shut down" without a deal to fund the government. The EPA wouldn't be able to pay its employees and most of its regulatory functions would be put on hold until a deal is reached.
3. DISEASE MONITORING: In the event of a shutdown, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would have to halt a critical seasonal influenza program that monitors the spread of the flu.
4. NUTRITION SUPPORT SLASHED: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, a program to provide healthy food for low-income pregnant women and new moms, would have its federal funding cut in the face of a shutdown.
5. MAKING THE BUDGET DEFICIT WORSE: Despite the Republican party's insistence on fiscal responsibility, a government shutdown would "likely add to the budget deficit," according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch economist Ethan Harris.
6. FOOD SAFETY: Most routine FDA food safety inspections would be suspended in the case of a shutdown.
7. NO BACK PAY: Employees of one U.S. attorney have been warned that there is a "real possibility" they may not receive back pay if the government shuts down.
8. WORKPLACE SAFETY: Most Labor Department investigations into workplace safety and discrimination would cease if a deal is not reached to avert a shutdown.
9. NATIONAL PARKS, MUSEUMS (AND PANDAS!): The country's national parks would be forced to close without a government funding deal, as would Smithsonian Museums, disappointing countless potential visitors. But humans wouldn't be the only victims of a shutdown. The National Zoo would close and turn off its panda cams, which means no more livestreaming of adorable pandas.
10. STOCK MARKET PANIC: The stock market reacted negatively on Monday amidst worries about a shutdown and an upcoming fight to raise the country's debt ceiling. The lack of a resolution could mean more market madness to come.
11. DOJ DISRUPTION: Attorney General Eric Holder on Monday warned that a shutdown would have a "disruptive impact" on operations at the Justice Department. He pointed fingers at the House of Representatives and stated that there are "good, hard-working Americans who are going to suffer because of this dysfunction."
Click here for a broader picture of the effects of a government shutdown.Hey there! I just read your recipe for sourdough and I'm absolutely dying to try it!! I was just wondering.. How long can you use the sourdough for? I mean.. After you've used some you add more flour and water again,right? How often can you do that? Does it have an expiration date or something like that?
There’s no expiration date on sourdough 🙂 Many bakeries use the same starters for decades, or even centuries. I read somewhere once that in the olden days, when a woman got married, she would be gifted a starter from her mom or Grandma’s starter. There are places online you can even BUY an heirloom starter! (I’m a bit nerdy about sourdough lol. Did you know that instead of yeast, you can use apple peels or yogurt to kick-start the sourdough process?)
However, if neglected or improperly cared for or on an unlucky day, a starter can go bad. A pinkish or green flim or mold is usually an indicator.
If you need a break from sourdough, you can freeze your starter until you’re ready to start back up again. I personally have never done that, but Google is a great resource 😉A team of University of Pennsylvania physicists has shown how to disrupt the "coffee ring effect" -- the ring-shaped stain of particles leftover after coffee drops evaporate -- by changing the particle shape. The discovery provides new tools for engineers to deposit uniform coatings.
The research was conducted by professor Arjun Yodh, director of the Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter; doctoral candidates Peter Yunker and Matthew Lohr; and postdoctoral fellow Tim Still, all of the department of Physics and Astronomy in Penn's School of Arts and Sciences.
Their research will be published in the journal Nature on August 18.
"The coffee ring effect is very common in everyday experience," Yunker said. "To avoid it, scientists have gone to great lengths designing paints and inks that produce an even coating upon evaporation. We found that the effect can be eliminated simply by changing the shape of the particle."
The edges of a water drop sitting on a table or a piece of paper, for example, are often "pinned" to the surface. This means that when the water evaporates, the drop can't shrink in circumference but instead flattens out. That flattening motion pushes water and anything suspended in it, such as coffee particles, to its edges. By the time the drop fully evaporates, most of the particles have reached the edge and are deposited on the surface, making a dark ring.
University of Chicago physicists Sidney Nagel, Thomas Witten and their colleagues wrote an influential paper about this process in 1997, which focused mainly on suspended spherical particles, but it was not until the Yodh team's recent experiments that the surprising role played by suspended particle shape was discovered.
Yodh's team used uniformly sized plastic particles in their experiments. These particles were initially spherical but could be stretched into varying degrees of eccentricity, to ensure the experiments only tested the effect of the particle's shape on the drying pattern.
The researchers were surprised at how big an effect particle shape had on the drying phenomenon.
"Different particle geometries change the nature of the membrane at the air-water interface," Yodh said. "And that has big consequences."
Spherical particles easily detach from the interface, and they flow past one another easily because the spheres do not substantially deform the air-water interface. Ellipsoid particles, however, cause substantial undulation of the air-water interface that in turn induces very strong attractions between the ellipsoids. Thus the ellipsoids tend to get stuck on the surface, and, while the stuck particles can continue to flow towards the drop's edges during evaporation, they increasingly block each other, creating a traffic jam of particles that eventually covers the drop's surface.
"Once you stretch the spherical particles by about 20 percent," Yunker said, "the particles deposit uniformly."
After experimenting with suspended particle shape, the researchers added a surfactant, essentially soap, into the drops to show that interactions on the drop's surface were responsible for the effect. With the surfactant lowering the drop's surface tension, ellipsoid particles did not get stuck at the interface and flowed freely to the edge.
They also tested drops that had mixtures of both spherical and oblong particles. When the spheres were much smaller than the ellipsoids, the spheres flowed to the edge, but, at a certain size, they became similarly trapped.
"We were thinking it would be useful if you could just sprinkle in a few of these ellipsoid particles to remove the coffee ring effect," Yodh said, "and we found that sometimes this idea works and sometimes it doesn't."
Understanding the impact of particle shape on drop drying could have applications in printing and painting. The principles could also be relevant in biological and medical contexts.
"In many cases, the way we make coatings involves hazardous chemicals," Yunker said. "If you need something that's bio-compatible, it's more difficult."
"There are a lot of situations where you want uniform coatings," he said. "This work will stimulate people to think about new ways of doing it."
This research was supported by the National Science Foundation, including its Materials Research Science and Engineering Center; NASA; and the CNRS-Rhodia-UPenn Complex Assemblies of Soft Matter collaboration.In the buildup to Midnight Madness, ESPN Insider and our college hoops team are collaborating on a preview of one high-profile college hoops team per day -- based on Joe Lunardi’s top 20 teams in his offseason Bracketology. We're calling it "Countdown To Madness." I'll be tracing three key things you should know about each team we preview. We're calling that Three Big Things. (Hey, that's snappy!) Today: UNLV.
1. Are the Runnin' Rebels officially back? Yes, I'd say so -- and I mean that literally.
After all, for all the solid success of the Lon Kruger era, his teams were more about defense, and keeping turnovers low, and substance over style. His squads didn't get up and down; they worked best in the half court. Which is all well and good. No judgments here, man. But UNLV fans, those raised on the high-flying Jerry Tarkanian glory days (when amazing posters like this were not only en vogue but truthful) grew up with higher expectations. They want a little style, too.
That's what first-year coach Dave Rice -- a product of the Tarkanian era -- brought in 2011-12. Or tried to, anyway. Last season's UNLV team was good, not great, with an offense that ranked No. 71 in the country in adjusted efficiency, per KenPom.com. The defense was better (No. 33), and the Rebels had a pretty solid season. They finished the regular season 26-9, went 9-5 in conference play, and bowed out of the NCAA tournament after a Round of 64 loss to a hot Colorado team.
What was most interesting about last year's Rebels is how much Rice sped them up. This was a promise he made at his introduction last spring, and he kept it. In 2011, UNLV's adjusted tempo was 67.8 possessions per game. In 2012, Vegas averaged 70 possessions exactly. That was the difference between being ranked No. 110 in the country (which was actually somewhat high for the Kruger era) and No. 29.
And when the Rebels ran, they ran well. According to Synergy Sports scouting data, 20.3 percent of the team's possessions came in transition. (The only plays more frequent were those that ended in spot-up shots.) When the Rebels did run, they scored 1.147 points per possession. It was the only category in which they ranked as "excellent." So, yes, even if it wasn't always pretty, Rice laid the foundation for a new, uptempo era in Sin City. As far as the Runnin' goes, I'd say the Rebels are back.
How Mike Moser adjusts to being a pure small forward will be a big thing indeed for UNLV. Zuma Press/Icon SMI
2. The question is where they go from here, particularly in 2012-13, particularly because the strength of this team isn't going to be an array of lightning-quick guards stretching the floor from basket to basket. Instead, the strength of this team is going to be its frontcourt, which might just be the most talented in the country.
It will start with returning Mike Moser, a 6-foot-8 junior whose length, quickness and versatile array of skills basically make him the prototypical NBA small forward. It continues with Pittsburgh transfer Khem Birch, the No. 1-ranked center in the class of 2011 who never figured it out at Pitt, and never showed us what he was truly capable of, who will be available after Christmas. And then there's Anthony Bennett, the No. 1-ranked power forward in this year's class (and No. 7-ranked player overall), a supremely athletic and skilled 6-foot-8 big man with the ability to score inside and out. By all accounts, Bennett is an immediate impact player at the collegiate level. That would be a fearsome prospect even if he were not being sandwiched between two other supremely talented players. With Moser and Birch in the same frontcourt, the Rebels could outright dominate folks on the inside.
Bennett seems like a sure thing, but there are a couple of questions worth asking here. The first (which was raised rather incisively by the Sporting News' Mike DeCourcy all the way back in May) is whether Moser can adjust to being a pure small forward, and the matchup issues -- positive and negative -- that creates. The other is whether Birch can actually play. Or whether he wants to play. It's hard to trust a guy who so quickly and unceremoniously left a school he spent the better part of four years selecting. He has much to prove moving forward.
3. The same goes for UNLV's backcourt. Oscar Bellfield and Chace Stanback, 2011's key senior guards, are gone. In their place are Anthony Marshall and Justin Hawkins, now seniors in their own right -- along with USC transfer Bryce Dejean-Jones, who will have plenty of impact at the 2. Marshall may assume the primary ballhandling responsibilities, but he will have to push the pace without committing quite so many turnovers (he posted a 22.9 percent turnover rate) when he does.
Another talented recruit, No. 8-ranked shooting guard Katin Reinhardt, is a very intriguing player here. Reinhardt is known first and foremost for (A) a lights-out outside shot and (B) a flashy handle and a desire to express creativity on the court. I like the sound of all of that, even if leads to the occasional turnover, because it sounds like the kid is going to be very fun to watch.
He might also be key to whether the Rebels can stick to Rice's run-and-gun blueprint. Good shooting in transition and the secondary break will allow Vegas to spread the floor and keep things moving. But it'll be interesting to see if it makes more sense to Rice to slow his guys down a bit -- to use the superior size and athleticism to dominate opponents on the low block, rather than attempt to beat them up and down the floor.
In any case, this team is going to be loaded with talent up front. Few teams in the country -- never mind the Mountain West -- are going to be able to match up man for man. What Rice does with that talent, how he uses it to the Rebels' stylistic and substantive advantage, are going to be fascinating to see. Whatever the outcome, I bet the Rebels will be fun. Just a hunch.Obama knows that the political battlefield is stacked against Republicans on the all-important issue of entitlement reform. The mishandling of Ryan’s Medicare plan is proving to be bad political medicine for many reasons, and the White House is in no hurry to help save the patient from a mess of their own making. Embittered Democrats also remember GOP candidates demagoguing Medicare in 2010 — and they are ready to return the favor next year.
The president was smart to talk about putting Medicare and Social Security on the table last week because he gambled that most Republicans wouldn’t be shrewd enough to call his bluff.
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He was right.
4. Most Republicans have no interest in serious tax reform.
What conservative with any grasp on political reality really believes that lowering tax rates is realistic in 2011? With most public polls showing a majority of Americans supporting higher taxes for millionaires, there is no chance in hell that a Democratic president and a Democratic Senate will lower income tax rates, even if loopholes are closed.
If the Republicans want to reform a tax system that allows a billionaire like Warren Buffett to pay lower tax rates than his secretary, then the trade-off seems pretty obvious. Republicans should close $1 trillion in tax loopholes in exchange for spending cuts totaling $3 trillion.
If the GOP were willing to do that, it could take credit for shaving a cool $4 trillion off America’s debt without surrendering the Bush tax cuts. But Republicans are not interested in that kind of tax reform. So for the foreseeable future, it looks like some of America’s largest corporations will continue to pay absolutely nothing in taxes.
Good luck selling that to independent voters.
5. The Democratic president wants to keep Wall Street happy.
Be assured that a deal will be made to raise the debt ceiling in a way that will not cause heartburn on Wall Street. After all, Obama has raised more money from the financial community than any other politician in U.S. history. So even after all the whining and moaning, Wall Street will always get what it wants from Obama. If you don’t believe me, give Elizabeth Warren a call.
6. Republican leaders want to keep Wall Street happy.
Do I even have to explain? Didn’t think so.ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Vincent Fuller went to the tailor Friday night to pick up a special order -- one 20-plus years in the making.
Fuller has four children. They all play football. All played at Virginia Tech. Three of them now in the NFL. Yet this week could be a first for the family and a rarity in the NFL.
On Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, the Fullers hope they'll see two of their four boys on the field at the same time when Corey Fuller's Detroit Lions face Kyle Fuller's Chicago Bears. The extra hope is they would match up against each other since Corey is a receiver and Kyle is a cornerback. So Vincent Fuller and his wife, Nina, had two jerseys custom-made.
"We just wanted to represent both our kids," Vincent said from Maryland on Saturday. "Me and my wife are the only ones who have it. We're going to have a Chicago and a Detroit jersey mixed with No. 23 and No. 10 on the same jersey."
Whether or not Kyle and Corey actually line up against one another is in doubt. Kyle hurt his knee Sunday, leaving his status in doubt, although Chicago coach Marc Trestman said he was "hopeful" Kyle would play Thursday.
If it happens, it'll be the culmination of two brothers starting their sibling competitions in the basement of their home playing carpet football and baseball. Of the four Fuller brothers, Corey and Kyle are the closest in age, less than two years apart. The two competed in everything along with their younger brother, Kendall, who plays for Virginia Tech.
In that basement, the two groomed their future competitiveness with rug burns on their knees and tears in their eyes whenever one of them would lose an argument, usually with Kendall serving as de facto referee.
It also honed the start of their trash-talk, which Vincent said started about this game in September when Kyle intercepted two passes against San Francisco. He said Corey texted Kyle and typed he wouldn't do that against the Lions.
The Lions' Corey Fuller will play against his brother Kyle on Thanksgiving. Andrew Weber/USA TODAY Sports
"I'm like, ‘Man, it's September and you're already going to talk trash already,'" Vincent said. "But that's how they are. It's all in fun. They love each other. They help each other out. They got each others' back.
"But it's all in fun."
The fun would increase Thursday if Corey and Kyle line up opposite one another.
Thinking about the possibility last week, Corey broke out into a big grin and started laughing. He said they never discussed the possibility as kids or in college, either, especially when Corey first went to Kansas to run track before transferring to Virginia Tech to start playing football again.
"If I run out there and see Kyle, my first play, I might laugh," Corey said. "Not laugh at him, just laugh at the fact that this is real. I'm playing my brother in an NFL game.
"But then, from there, it's I got to do what I got to do to help the team, and he's got to do what he has got to do. It'll be like any other game competing. So we'll see."
Not quite like any other game. Corey said he and his brother would absolutely talk trash to each other on the field and might even throw in some extra nudges and shoves for brotherly measure. Just like in their basement.
"It's going to be pretty cool," Kyle said last week. "I'm definitely looking forward to it. It makes it even more fun with it being Thanksgiving because the whole family will be there."
Almost. Kendall will be at the site of the Fuller family's last four Thanksgiving dinners and Nina and Vincent's destination Friday morning -- Blacksburg, Virginia. Otherwise, everyone is expected in suburban Detroit on Wednesday night and Thursday for pregame and postgame Thanksgiving meals.
Vincent said Kyle received permission from the Bears to stay in Detroit on Thursday night to have dinner with the family. Depending on the outcome of the game, that dinner consisting of turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, turnips and Nina's famous sauerkraut dish might be even more interesting.
"I don't know what's going to happen Thursday, but I can imagine what dinner is going to be like," Vincent said. "Especially if they do go up against one another and Corey gets a pass on Kyle or let's say Corey's thrown the ball and Kyle deflects the ball or intercepts the ball.
"I can imagine what's going to go on."
Without a doubt, there will be trash talked. Laughs had among the 15 family members and friends expected to show. Because right now, the Fullers will potentially see two of their own play on Thanksgiving Day and for a family forever focused on football, not much can be better than that.
NFL Nation Chicago Bears reporter Michael C. Wright contributed to this report.Sardar Jan Mohammad Khilji, 46, says he believes it is his religious duty to have as many children as possible (AFP Photo/Banaras Khan )
A Pakistani father of 35 is now searching for a fourth wife as he romps towards his goal of 100 children, a dubious ambition in the conservative Muslim country where polygamy is rare but still practiced.
Sardar Jan Mohammad Khilji, 46, says he believes it is his religious duty to have as many children as possible.
Insisting it is "very rare" that he mixes up his children's names, the medical technician said he juggles their affections by taking turns to attend family events with them and their mothers, such as weddings.
His three current wives support his procreational and matrimonial goals, he said, adding that they all live in harmony together -- though he would not allow AFP to speak with them.
Rights activists warn it is women and children who suffer most in polygamous marriages.
Pakistani men are permitted to take up to four wives under Islam, though to do so they must seek permission from their first wife and an arbitration council.
It remains rare for men to take multiple wives in the country, but when polygamy does take place, studies have shown it can result in "depression and despair" among wives, while children often struggle to know their father, said Rafia Zakaria, a women's rights activist.
The Koran, she told AFP, dictates that multiple wives may be taken only when a husband can do "perfect justice" among them.
"Well, perfect justice is impossible, and for this reason polygamy is never a good situation," said Zakaria, who campaigns against the practice.
"Someone always suffers and almost always it is the women and children," she added.
Family lawyer Mohammed Bilal Kasi, who deals with polygamy cases in Quetta agreed.
"We lawyers are well aware of social problems surrounding polygamy," he said. "Women and children undergo mental agony due to these affairs."
The tension can lead to serious legal disputes over property and rights after the father's death, he said.
- A case of mangoes -
Denied his permission to speak, Jan's wives could not describe what life is like for his sprawling dynasty, who all live together in a five-bedroom mud hut in the outskirts of Quetta in restive Balochistan province.
At least two of his children appear to support his goals, however, including his eldest child Shagufta Nasreen.
"A large family is like Allah bestowing a case of mangoes," the 15-year-old explained, adding that she hopes to go into medicine like her father.
Jan's eldest son, 13-year-old Mohammed Esa, also wanted to emulate the patriarch -- but he has set his sights even higher, resolving that he will have more than 100 children.
Jan, who claims he is a qualified medical technician, runs an unregulated clinic where he treats people for minor ailments such as headaches, adding that as he is "serving humanity" he charges just 250 rupees ($2.30) per patient while providing his services to the poor for free.
He also runs a seminary funded by donations where nearly 400 students -- including four of his sons -- are studying the Koran, and says he pays for 20 of his 35 children to attend private school.
The household expenditures of his growing empire, however, can reach up to 120,000 rupees per month -- more than ten times Pakistan's average -- in a neighbourhood that lacks basic amenities such as tap water and sewage, he said.
He insisted he has never faced any financial problems trying to care for his brood, but did not explain how he could cover all the expenses with just pay for his medical work.
Jan conceded that his needs may increase as his children grow and so is calling on the government to allocate funds for the food, education, and healthcare of his family -- a request that is unlikely to be fulfilled.
But Jan has faith. If the government does not listen, he said, he trusts in God to provide.
- Facebook proposals -
Pakistan has the highest birth rate in South Asia -- around three children per woman according to World Bank and government figures -- though an accurate census has not been conducted in more than 30 years.
Jan put his fertility down to daily doses of fresh and dry fruits, milk and meat; as well as reciting the Holy Koran and praying five times a day.
While his eldest child is 15, his youngest is just a few weeks old. At the beginning of March he was still a father of merely 33, but that month two more daughters were born within six days of one another, he says.SCP-1187
Photo of SCP-1187 posted on merchant site.
███████ Hwy, adjacent to initial SCP-1187 incident location.
Item #: SCP-1187
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-1187 is to be stored in a remote, above-ground enclosure 5km from Site 19 with a staff of 2 armed guards and 1 Level 1 researcher. SCP-1187 should remain inverted upon its transportation trailer at all times when not being tested. The subject's ignition key, designated SCP-1187-1, is to be stored in the office of the Level 3 director at Site 19 overseeing SCP-1187, and is available upon written request.
Testing must be conducted no less than 10km from any Foundation facility or population center. SCP-1187 is to be removed from its trailer and operated by a Class D subject in the center of a 500m cleared circle. All security and research personnel should remain at the edge of the perimeter, directing and observing the test remotely.
Description: SCP-1187 is a blue 2006 Kazuma 150cc All Terrain Vehicle. It was sold and delivered to ██████ ████ of ████████, South Carolina via an anonymous online merchant site. The seller has yet to be located. The owner's initial test ride resulted in an anomalous incident which was suppressed in public media as a powerful but isolated earthquake.
When the accelerator is engaged SCP-1187 remains stationary while the surface beneath its wheels shifts horizontally towards the rear of the vehicle at an increasing rate of speed. SCP-1187 is capable of dragging a 3m wide by 15cm deep strip of terrain at speeds of up to 40kph. This effect extends to approximately 250m in front of the vehicle and 50m behind. Continued operation will shear an increasing amount of material from below the top layer, eventually excavating a furrow and depositing it to the rear of SCP-1187.
Manipulating the steering column will rotate SCP-1187 and shift the area of influence. Applying the brakes will slow and eventually cease the effect. Operating SCP-1187 in the vicinity of buildings or other above ground structures and objects is exceedingly dangerous, as mass above the driving plane is not arrested by braking.Looking for news you can trust?
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As Christmas is celebrated in Incarceration Nation, it’s worth remembering certain things about the two figures who dominate this holiday.
As more than 3,000 Americans sit on death row, we revere the birth of a godly man who was arrested, “tried,” sentenced, and put to death by the state. The Passion is the story of an execution, and the Stations of the Cross trace the path of a Dead Man Walking.
Less well known is the fact that Saint Nicholas, the early Christian saint who inspired Santa Claus, was once a prisoner, like one in every 100 Americans today. Though he was beloved for his kindness and generosity, Nicholas acquired sainthood not by giving alms, but in part by performing a miracle that more or less amounted to a prison break.
As we described in one of our earliest posts on Solitary Watch, Nicholas was the 4th-century Greek Bishop of Myra (in present-day Turkey). Under the Roman emperor Diocletian, who persecuted Christians, Nicholas spent some five years in prison–and according to some accounts, in solitary confinement.
Under Constantine, the first Christian emperor, Nicholas fared better until the Council of Nicaea, in 325 A.D. There, after having a serious theological argument with another powerful bishop, Nicholas became so enraged that he walked across the room and slapped the man.
It was illegal for one bishop to strike another. According to an account provided by the St. Nicholas Center: “The bishops stripped Nicholas of his bishop’s garments, chained him, and threw him into jail. That would keep Nicholas away from the meeting. When the Council ended a final decision would be made about his future.”
Nicholas spent the night praying for guidance, and was visited by Jesus and Mary. “When the jailer came in the morning, |
by the fire department resulted in a state investigation on the authorities responsible for supervising the nightclub, including the city hall and the fire department itself. It was also reported that the fire extinguishers in the club may have been artificial or were disabled at the time.[25]
On 30 January, the nightclub's owner deflected blame to "the whole country", as well as to architects and inspectors who were commissioned with ensuring the building's safety, according to his lawyer. By that time, the death toll was at least 235.[26] The next day, officials inspected and closed more than 58 nightlife spots around the country as part of a crackdown on unsafe public spaces.[27]
On 2 April, two nightclub owners and two band members were charged with manslaughter.[28]
Reactions [ edit ]
Domestic [ edit ]
Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff stated, "I want to tell the Brazilians and the population of Santa Maria that we stand together in this sad moment," before departing early[29] from a summit of the EU and the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean in Santiago, Chile to visit grieving relatives of the victims.[30] Rousseff declared three days of official mourning. Santa Maria's city government established thirty days of official mourning.[31][32]
Organisers postponed a ceremony on 28 January in Brasília that marked 500 days to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[12]
The incident resulted in the inspection of safety features of thousands of nightclubs all over the country. In São Paulo alone 60% of the nightclubs inspected were found to be operating against safety regulations.[33]
International [ edit ]
Argentine Health Minister, Juan Luis Manzur, arranged the delivery of skin transplants for the injured, commenting: "We will make available to our Brazilian counterparts the amount of skin we can provide, according to the existence of it in our skin bank which operates in the Garrahan Hospital." [34]
Argentine Health Minister, Juan Luis Manzur, arranged the delivery of skin transplants for the injured, commenting: "We will make available to our Brazilian counterparts the amount of skin we can provide, according to the existence of it in our skin bank which operates in the Garrahan Hospital." England and Brazil (2–1) at Wembley, London, players of both teams wore black armbands to commemorate the 55th anniversary of the Munich air disaster and to remember those who died in the Kiss nightclub fire.
England and Brazil (2–1) at Wembley, London, players of both teams wore black armbands to commemorate the 55th anniversary of the Munich air disaster and to remember those who died in the Kiss nightclub fire. Russia Vladimir Putin sent his profound condolences to President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff following a nightclub fire in Santa Maria that has caused much loss of life.[35]
Gallery [ edit ]
See also [ edit ]
Media related to Kiss nightclub fire at Wikimedia Commons
References [ edit ]
Lyons, John; Murphy, Tom; Chao, Loretta (2013-01-27). "Brazil Nightclub Blaze Kills More Than 200". The Wall Street Journal.
Coordinates:With a year of experience under their belts, the Orlando coaching staff and players believe they now know what it takes to get to the playoffs in Major League Soccer.
It wouldn't be an understatement to say that Orlando City had an abnormal expansion season in MLS.
While most debut campaigns are heavy in the loss column, Orlando's 2015 season had nearly as many wins as it did defeats. The team's competitive nature right out of the gates was seen a surprise by many around the league, but for coach Adrian Heath the fact that his team came so close to making the postseason without actually getting in was much more of a disappointment.
SPOTLIGHT: CYLE LARIN After shattering the MLS rookie scoring record in 2015, Cyle Larin looks to bring similar success into the upcoming season with Orlando City. READ MORE
"Obviously the playoffs are always the Holy Grail in this league and we were certainly disappointed that we didn't do it last year," Heath told Goal Canada, noting that he expected his team to be competitive in its inaugural year. "When we were good last year we were very, very good, and when we were bad we were really poor at times."
The Englishman pointed to consistency as Orlando's missing component in 2015, and he said that it's the biggest priority for his team in its second year as an active MLS franchise.
"We had a really horrendous July and August, and had we just taken a couple of [additional] points in that time... if we had taken even a couple of draws along the way there, we'd have probably got [to the playoffs]," Heath said of a summer slump in which Orlando claimed only six points from 11 games, effectively eliminating the side from postseason contention despite a subsequent five-game winning streak in the fall.
"When I look at the sort of finish that we had — at least six or seven of the last games that we won — had we gotten into the playoffs I think we would have been a really difficult proposition," Heath said.
Heath admitted that he may have leaned on a small core of players too much, as expansion sides low on depth tend to do, which may have contributed to the summer swoon. With a bigger pool of talent at his disposal — attacker Kevin Molino is set to return after an ACL injury ended his debut MLS campaign prematurely, and incoming Italian midfielder Antonio Nocerino will bring the Lions a wealth of experience to the middle of the park — and a better understanding of the unique trials and tribulations that go into a North American season, the 55-year-old believes that he and his squad are better equipped to challenge for trophies in 2016.
"One of the things that I think that we have addressed is we have got a little bit more set with depth, certainly in the middle of the park, which will be important," Heath said. "If we're to have any cup run with the Open Cup, you know the games do come thick and fast, and with the weather conditions down here you could be playing in 100 degree heat, 90 degree heat with all the humidity, then maybe we can afford to sort of hold back a little bit and use the squad a little bit more.
"These are certain things we'll have to look at during the year."
The main goal, as Heath stated several times, is the MLS playoffs. The coach stressed the importance of the playing side of Orlando City keeping up with the business side, as the team shattered the first-year attendance record for an MLS club and only trailed the Seattle Sounders in overall attendance in 2015.
As the club keeps growing in stature off the field, it needs to "keep pace" on the field as well, Heath said.
"One of the areas that we have to do [well] is to make the postseason and keep the season alive, and hopefully get ourselves two or three more home games," he said. "I know the crowd we would get down here would be incredible. That's got to be the end [goal].
"All or nothing for us would be making the playoffs."
ORLANDO CITY SEASON PREVIEW
2015 FINISH: Seventh in Eastern Conference (12-14-8), missed playoffs
NOTABLE ADDITIONS: GK Joe Bendik, M Richie Laryea, D Kevin Alston, M Antonio Nocerino
NOTABLE LOSSES: GK Tally Hall, D Corey Ashe, M Eric Avila, M Lewis Neal, F Danny Mwanga
TOP NEWCOMER: Antonio Nocerino. Mired in controversy, the former Juventus and Milan midfielder's move to MLS resulted in a public tug-of-war between D.C. United and Orlando. The 30-year-old's transfer was eventually settled and the Florida-based side can look forward to his calming influence in the middle of the park. Head coach Adrian Heath is expected to slot the Italian directly into the starting XI, so any MLS learning curve will need to be dealt with quickly.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Kevin Molino. Orlando's first-ever MLS signing only managed a handful of games last year before his season ended due to a knee injury. The Trinidad and Tobago international is back to health and looking as dangerous in the preseason as he did during the few games in which he did feature in 2015. Molino's creativity in attack and willingness to push forward will be solid additions for a team that was firmly middle-of-the-pack in goal-scoring last year.
"It's strange that you sometimes forget until you've seen him actually back on the grass how much he does give the team," said Heath about Molino, adding that the 25-year-old's return to fitness is "like a new signing" for Orlando.
2016 OUTLOOK
The Lions should be able to hold on to the ball more in 2016 thanks to the addition of Nocerino and the return of Molino, which should aid in cutting down a lot of the chances given up on the defensive end. With a new goalkeeper in Joe Bendik and a fullback upgrade in Kevin Alston, things should should be better defensively for the club.
Orlando's biggest question mark is in team depth, as the squad was severely depleted for stretches last season through injuries and suspensions. Should Orlando be able to remain relatively healthy throughout the year, a place in the postseason is not out of the question as the team has the talent to compete with most MLS sides on any given day.The Sacramento City Council voted Tuesday to increase water and wastewater utility rates by nearly 45 percent by July 2019.
There will be a 10 percent hike in water rates and a 9 percent increase for wastewater annually for the next four fiscal years, starting July 1, 2016. The rates passed 7-1, with Councilman Allen Warren voting no and Councilwoman Angelique Ashby abstaining.
City Manager John Shirey joined Department of Utilities Director Bill Busath and Financial Services Manager Susan Goodison to present the rate increases to the council.
“I know that these rate increases are not easy for you to vote on, but they are nonetheless necessary if we are going to continue our investments, continue to upgrade our infrastructure,” Shirey said.
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Busath said the water rate hike is needed to pay for the state-mandated installation of water meters across the city. The wastewater rate increase will pay for infrastructure upgrades. The Department of Utilities estimates that 40 percent of the wastewater pipelines are at least 70 years old.
Councilman Jeff Harris said he thinks it will be more expensive in the long run to put off the repairs and replacement funded by the increases.
“I’m not happy about these increases, but from where I sit, it’s absolutely necessary to make the city function properly,” he said.
Ashby said she’s concerned about the people pinched in the middle – residents who don’t qualify for assistance but don’t have enough savings to bear the burden of the increases. In addition, there is about 40 percent of the city that is not part of the city wastewater system, meaning that a smaller part of the city is carrying the increase.
“I am having a hard time supporting this much this fast. It feels unequal across the city,” she said.
A number of residents came out to support and denounce the rate increases, including a group from Eye on Sacramento, which brought along a skeleton in a wheelchair wearing a “Sacramento taxpayer” sign.
The rate proposal was backed by the Utility Rates Advisory Commission, which voted in February to support the increase after two public hearings where residents voiced their concerns.
At the first hearing in January, the commission asked the department to explore slowing down the water meter program, which is due to be completed in 2020, four years ahead of the state deadline. The Department of Utilities told the commission in February that delaying the installation would only reduce the increase by 1 percent and cause higher increases in the future.
One of the main concerns commission members had was the low participation in the Utility Rate Assistance Program, which offsets utility costs for customers living at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The plan approved by the council Tuesday directs the department to expand the scope of the program to include nonprofit organizations that provide housing to low-income residents.
Council member Larry Carr said he thinks it’s important to continue outreach on assistance to communities that don’t speak English or don’t read mainstream news. However, he said he thinks the rate increases are needed.
“You have to pay the bills that come due,” he said
URAP began enrolling customers in January 2013 and about 1,700 customers are signed up at this point. The Department of Utilities believes there are many more customers who qualify and is using SMUD’s list of customers who need assistance to find those households.Not surprisingly, those who could hid their Germanic roots; some switched their names; many others canceled their subscriptions to German newspapers, which virtually disappeared. Whatever vestige of German America remained after the 1910s was wiped out by similar pressures during World War II, not to mention the shame that came with German identity after it.
My grandfather Joseph Kirschbaum lived through this disruption. Born in New York to German immigrant parents in 1891, he didn’t start learning English until he went to school, and continued to speak German at home, with friends and in the shops and restaurants he would frequent with his parents. And yet, later in life, he claimed he couldn’t remember any of it.
In some parts of the United States, there might be appeals by politicians to win over the Hispanic-American vote, the Italian-American vote, the Jewish-American vote, the African-American vote or the Irish-American vote. But you will be hard-pressed to hear anyone — not even the speaker of the House, John A. Boehner, who has never tried to make any hay out of his German roots — canvassing for the support of the German-American vote.
Still, while German-American culture might be extinct, German-Americans have continued to make a mark on the country, from Neil Armstrong, the astronaut, to Robert B. Zoellick, a former president of the World Bank. Steinway pianos were first made by a German immigrant named Heinrich Steinweg (who became Henry Steinway). Chrysler was established by Walter P. Chrysler, whose family was of German descent, and Boeing was founded by William E. Boeing, the son of a German immigrant.
Yet as the centennial of World War I passes and the 25th anniversary of German unification nears, there are some tender shoots of a renascent German-American identity. A German-American congressional caucus was created in 2010 and now has 93 members. The popularity of craft beer has led to a resurgence in German-style Biergartens, while sports figures like the soccer coach Jürgen Klinsmann and the N.B.A. all-star Dirk Nowitzki celebrate their German identity.
It may be that an identity lost can never be regained. But why not try? It would be good for everyone, reminding millions of Americans that they too are the products of an immigrant culture, which not long ago was forced into silence by fear and intolerance.Monsanto faked data for approvals claims ex-MD India is leading the way to exposing Monsanto for what it is corrupt to the core. The debate on genetically modified (GM) brinjal eggplants continues to generate heat. According to a September 2, 2009 report from the Institute of Science in Society (UK), Release of Bt brinjal into the environment for food, feed and cultivation may present a serious risk for human and animal health; the GM aubergine is unfit for consumption. Thats the verdict of French scientist Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini of the Committee for Independent Research and Information on Genetic Engineering, who carried out the first ever independent assessment of Monsanto-Mahycos dossier on toxicity tests submitted to the Indian regulatory authorities. Then on October 16, 2009, Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh decided to hold a series of public consultations before finalizing his decision on the release of Bt-brinjal, the first food crop to come up for consideration before the Indian government. Tehelka journalist Shoma Chaudhury interviewed former managing director of Monsanto India, Tiruvadi Jagadisan at his home in Bangalore. Jagadisan, who worked with Monsanto for nearly two decades, is the latest to join the critics of Bt brinjal, perhaps the first industry insider to do so. The Independent Weekly News Magazine aired the interview, Go Aheads Came on Monsantos Data, on Feb 20, 2010. Jagadisan said the company used to fake scientific data submitted to government regulatory agencies to get commercial approvals for its products in India, adding that government regulatory agencies with which the company dealt with in the 1980s depended on data supplied by the company while giving approvals to herbicides. The Central Insecticide Board was supposed to give these approvals based on the location and crop-specific data from India. But it simply accepted foreign data supplied by Monsanto. They did not even have a test tube to validate the data and, at times, the data itself was faked, Jagadisan said. I retired from the company as I felt the management of Monsanto, USA, was exploiting our country. At that time, Monsanto was getting into the seed business and I had information that a terminator gene was to be incorporated in the seeds being supplied by the firm. This meant that the farmer had to buy fresh seeds from Monsanto at heavy cost every time he planted the crop. Jagadisan said the parent company also retracted from the assurance given to the minister for chemicals and fertilizers on setting up a manufacturing unit in collaboration with Hindustan Insecticides for the herbicide butachlor. The negotiations went on for over a year and, in the meantime, Monsanto imported and sold large quantities of the product and made huge profits, he said. Here are some excerpts from the interview: SC: How long were you with Monsanto and what position did you hold there? J: I was with the company for 18 years. I joined as a marketing and development manager and was promoted to general manager. In my last eight years with them, I was the managing director for India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan. I retired about 20 years ago. SC: At Minister Jairam Rameshs public consultation over Bt brinjal, you expressed serious concerns about the way government regulatory bodies give clearances. Can you elaborate? In your time as MD, Monsanto India, what products were cleared? J: I was responsible for introducing several herbicides in India: Butachlor, which is a rice herbicide (brand name Machete); Alachlor (brand name, Lasso); Triallate (brand name Avadex BW). For all these we had to submit data to the Central Insecticides Board for approval. None of these government regulatory agencies have the facilities, time or resources to do the testing themselves, so they routinely rely on company data. This was true not just for Monsanto but all companies. When regulatory bodies rely on company data to give clearances, naturally companies like the data to appear favourable to themselves. With something like Bt brinjal, this becomes very disturbing. Unless long term tests are held independently by bodies like the ICAR and IARA, there should be no hurry to introduce it. In my opinion, in fact, theres no need for Bt brinjal. India cultivates brinjal in about half a million hectares and produces over eight million tons every year, so theres no problem of low production. Yes, there is pest incidence, the fruit and shoot borer no doubt does cause damage, but there are other methods for controlling that. Simple home remedies like neem oil emulsion can control this pest. There is absolutely no need to move towards Bt brinjal. SC: These industries are very opaque. What was the internal culture of Monsanto like? Did you really conduct any internal tests at all? J: Yes, as far as herbicides are concerned, we did do some internal tests, but sometimes we used to just produce foreign data not location specific Indian data and the Insecticides Board just accepted it. They had no means of verifying what we gave them. We did some demonstrations, but we never had any controlled plots for research or anything elaborate like that. SC: Bt cotton must have been developed during your time. Did you have doubts about that as well? J: It was being developed in St Louis while I was there but it was introduced in India after I left, so I dont know that much about it. But its public knowledge, that its not all roses. Some farmers say their yields have doubled; others have committed suicide because it failed. There have certainly been failures after its commercial release. Particularly in 2002, the crop failed, the pest incidence increased. They said the wrong variety of cotton had been chosen for Bt technology and, later on, they improved it. But you see nature will take its own course. If you try to control something, something else will proliferate. Bt cotton was engineered to control the bollworm, but mite incidence went up. Other pests proliferated. Even bollworm has developed a resistance. So pesticide use came down in the beginning but has started going up again. SC: There is concern about farmers having to buy new Bt seeds every season. J: Exactly. The terminator gene. This is supposed to be a gene that allows seeds to grow only once, and seeds coming out of the crop cannot be resown and will not germinate. I dont know if Monsanto really put that into Bt cotton or which crop it was introduced into, but its public knowledge that with Bt cotton, farmers have to buy seeds every season at a very heavy cost. Thats against Indian culture. In Indian agriculture, farmers generate their own seeds for the next season. With Bt, he cant do that he has to go back to the company to buy new seeds. SC: As MD, werent you privy to these things? J: When I talked to colleagues, they spoke of this terminator gene. But I cant say for a fact. What one does hear now is that Bt cotton seeds are much more expensive and I hear Monsanto has got 63 companies which produce Bt cotton seeds and it collects royalty from them. That is published information. SC: Monsanto creates herbicides and pesticides; Bt seeds are supposed to resist them. Isnt that a conflict of commercial interest? J: Monsanto developed a herbicide called glyphosate to kill weeds in crops but found that it destroys soyabean also. So they created a genetically altered soyabean that can resist glyphosate. So you make an herbicide to kill the weeds, then you make a seed to resist that herbicide so its making money on both sides! (Laughs) Later I heard even that soyabean is not so successful. Yields are coming down. Thats what published information says. SC: Apart from dangerously inadequate government clearances, what are your other concerns about Bt brinjal? J: A whole lot of concerns. For one, Indias biodiversity will be gravely tampered with. For example, we have more than 2,400 varieties of brinjal in the country. Brinjal is a highly cross-pollinated crop. So if you have Bt brinjal growing in some field, its pollen can easily get transferred by wind or insects to other fields. Monsanto has itself filed suits against many people in Canada for growing Bt cotton without license, but for no fault of theirs. Its the wind and insects that had carried pollen and created Bt cotton in their fields! Monsanto vs Schmeiser is just one famous case in Canada. The court judgment went in favour of Schmeiser. [ed. Note Schmeiser grew canola] The same thing will happen here in India. They say 30 meters is sufficient to separate Bt and non-Bt brinjal. I dont believe that. Theres no way anyone can control the gene flow because you cannot control wind and where insects will fly. And once that cross-contamination takes place, our entire biodiversity will be at stake. Our native brinjal has a wonderful property it can control Type II diabetes. We dont even know what properties Bt brinjal will have once its genetically transformed. SC: So we are back to inadequate testing and malafide government clearances? J: Yes, we need independent long-term trials, thorough research and peer reviews to get a clearer idea of harm and good. In this case, its the first time such technology is being introduced into a regular food crop. Yet there have been no trials for birth defects in successive generations. Lab rats fed on GM soyabean have apparently developed ulcers and tumours in their kidneys and liver. Thats what published research says. Approving Bt brinjal for commercial release the way the GEAC [Genetic Engineering Approval Committee] was set to was like letting a genie out of a bottle. SC: In your opinion, is there any need for Bt brinjal at all? J: No, Bt brinjals entry point is itself suspect. The Knowledge Initiative Commission set up under the PM has got three companies as permanent members, among them Monsanto and Dow Chemicals. So naturally they push their point of view. Bt brinjal was just the entry point. There is talk of Bt rice, wheat, potato and what not. If this had gone through, very soon the whole country would have been Bt-ed! When Hillary Clinton came recently, she made no bones about the fact that she was here with the sole purpose of bending Indias agriculture policy to American interests. Defenders of Bt crops say its necessary for our food security. Two decades ago we were applauding the Green Revolution. For a while, with increased pesticide use, crop production went up. But then the land degenerated and we now think of it as a mixed experiment if not complete failure. So its not good to think of all this only in terms of short term gain. You remember the thalidomide case? Foreign companies would like to introduce a product as quickly as possible, make money as quickly as possible and get out as quickly as possible. It is our government that has to be more cautious and protect our interests. Thats where our government and regulatory bodies fail to do their duty. SC: Why are you speaking up now? Why not earlier? J: There was no occasion for me to talk until Jairam Ramesh held his public consultations. I have not spoken against Monsanto per se, but against Bt technology. I have a lot of doubts about it. I am expressing this as an Indian citizen. Asked to comment on Jagadisans allegations, a Monsanto spokesperson responded that the regulatory process was stringent and no biotech crops are allowed on the market until they undergo extensive and rigid crop safety assessments, following strict scientific protocols. Corrupt to the core, and expanding its market base rapidly, this pariah of a corporation is not only stealing our future but our childrens as well. We should all take the lead from India and expose Monsanto and its premeditated adulteration of our food supply with biotech crops before it completely takes over any chance of our being able to produce clean food for future generations. Monsanto must be stopped beofre it's too late. Sources: Monsanto faked data for approvals claims its ex-chief By Dinesh C. Sharma, India Today New Delhi, (2/9/10) farmwars.info/?p=2407 Timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Bt-brinjal-debate-goes-to-people/articleshow/5128675.cmsMar 10, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Rodney Stuckey (2) reacts to making a play during a game against the Orlando Magic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeats Orlando 118-86. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Rodney Stuckey was in town this weekend to serve as the “celebrity putter” at a charity mini-golf tournament. And the free agent told Tricia Whitaker of Indy Sports Central that he hopes to return to the Indiana Pacers next season and expects that he will.
“Obviously, I hope to be back here and I think we’ll figure something out. I’m not really worried about that,” Stuckey revealed. “I love the Pacers organization and I love my teammates. Next year, we will be a lot healthier and we’ll make the playoffs, so I’m excited.”
This aligns with what Larry Bird said after the season.
In his year-end press conference, the Pacers president called Rodney Stuckey “a major plus” and said that “I think we can get Rodney done,” insinuating that both sides were hoping to re-sign this summer despite the likely limitations of the salary cap.
Here is what I wrote about those salary cap realities at the time:
Presuming Roy stays then the Pacers will most likely try to re-sign Stuckey with part (or all) of the mid-level exception … If the Pacers want to keep Stuckey they can offer him around $5 million per year (for up to four years) to stay. Bird would certainly like that number to be lower so he that he could also divide the mid-level exception between two players (like he did last year, giving most to C.J. Miles and using the rest to take a, seemingly successful, flier on Damjan Rudez with the rest).
I can’t see Stuckey passing up $5 million per year to stay in a place he wants to stay, and I don’t know that he could make much more than that anywhere else. Maybe a bit more. But especially presuming Bird could get him to sign for $16 million over four years (or $12 million over three), I expect Rodney will be back next year.
Not surprisingly, if Rodney Stuckey does return (and we may as well say “when” really since it’s probably that much in the bag), he will continue to come off the bench.
Presume Rodney Stuckey will be back for 2015-16.Take a moment and try to imagine being a piece of coral. How does it feel to be sitting there, below the ocean's surface, swinging gently in a soft warm current, in a colorful and vivid environment (let's pretend everything's still fine down there). You have fish passing by, a boat crosses over your head, maybe a diver drops down and starts to explore your underwater hood.
Now, let's get a little bit more realistic. From the boat, and maybe from the diver, pieces of plastic garbage tumble down into your neighborhood. Over time this happens more often, more frequently. Slowly the plastic starts to break down into smaller, later very tiny pieces. What would you do?
Because you are a coral you would probably start to swallow some of those tiny pieces of plastic, just like the species around you do. But now something really strange happens. You actually start to like the taste of those plastic bits. Not of all of them, but some.
Boy, that's yummy — but why?
Surprisingly, that's exactly what scientists at Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment found out. I mean, scientists have known for a long time that marine animals mistakenly eat plastic debris. They thought it was mainly because the tiny bits might look like prey. But a new study suggests there may be an additional reason for the potentially harmful behavior: The plastic just plain tastes good.
"Corals in our experiments ate all types of plastics but preferred unfouled microplastics by a threefold difference over microplastics covered in bacteria," said Austin S. Allen, a PhD student at Duke.
So, the scientists figured that the plastic itself would contain something that makes it tasty.
"When plastic comes from the factory, it has hundreds of chemical additives on it. Any one of these chemicals or a combination of them could be acting as a stimulant that makes plastic appealing to corals," said Alexander C. Seymour, who co-led the study with Allen.
More research is needed. But these first, and indeed surprising results were published October 23 in the online edition of the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin.
Time running out to save the world's coral reefs:Toby Alderweireld reckons nothing less than our A game will suffice at Aston Villa on Sunday.
We travel to Birmingham to take on a Villa side struggling at the foot of the Premier League.
But Toby says our group of players will take nothing for granted at Villa Park - not least as we lick our collective wounds after losing 3-0 against Borussia Dortmund in the Europa League on Thursday night.
"Everyone is disappointed after Dortmund and it will take a couple of days, but then the focus is on Sunday," said the defender who came in for a busy night alongside Kevin Wimmer at Signal Iduna Park.
Below: Toby speaks to Spurs TV in Dortmund
"It’s good to have a game so quickly. Everyone will expect us to win but this will be a difficult game and we have to be tough to beat them.
"We will need to concentrate and play at a high level otherwise it will be difficult. We have to be focused and as I said, we have to be at the top of our game because if we lack a little, it will end up being a very difficult game for us."
Meanwhile, like his team-mates, Toby left Dortmund with regrets after the 3-0 reverse against the Bundesliga title contenders in the Round of 16, first leg.
"We started okay but they then took control of the game and it was difficult for us," reasoned Toby after Dortmund rained in 20 efforts at goal to our three.
"If you have a tough night like this you still want a result where you can change it at home but now it’s very difficult, 3-0 is tough to get back now. We have to focus on Sunday first and then we’ll see about the second leg."It’s finally happening. After several weeks of waiting, badge registration season for San Diego Comic-Con 2014 has begun!
We’re just as excited for attendees to finally get their hands on badges for this year’s convention as anyone, and to share that excitement we’ll be officially kicking off what will be a fantastic year for geeks everywhere with our first live SDConCast of 2014!
The Live SDConCast will be broadcast via Google+ Hangouts, starting Saturday February 8 at 11:30AM ET / 8:30AM PT. Join Jeremy, Kerry, James and others as we provide live updates on the preregistration process and chat with those will start their quest to return to SDCC this year by participating in Saturday’s big event.
We’ll update this post with the live stream when we go live on Saturday, but until then be sure to bookmark this link to the Hangout. We’ll also update everyone with the link to the Hangout via Twitter, Facebook and Google+.
[UPDATE] Here is the entire broadcast for those who missed the fun.
Thanks everyone for stopping by and chatting with us!Finch C.E. Evolution of the human lifespan, past, present, and future: phases in the evolution of human life expectancy in relation to the inflammatory load. Proc. Am. Philos. Soc. 156 : 9 View in Article PubMed
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rendan Barber, the TUC's general secretary, which backs False Economy, said: "False Economy's new research on NHS job cuts gives the lie to government claims that the NHS was safe in their hands. Not only are they reorganising the NHS in a way that strips out many of its founding principles, but also insisting on immediate cuts that will certainly harm frontline services."
However, a source close to the health secretary dismissed the criticism saying that under the coalition – but before the cutbacks – doctor numbers rose by more than 2,000. "The unions are scaremongering. In reality, the government promised to reduce NHS bureaucracy and plough this money straight back into patient care, and that is exactly what we are delivering."You may not have found a job or you got lucky and graduated with a career, but business school is always a possibility in your future. BusinessWeek rates the top 50 business schools for undergrads, and to make things easier, we’ve done it here at GoCollege too.
50. Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ), $10,949/year, 780 students. Accounting and finance is best (marketing and management, not so much)
49. University of Miami (Coral Gables, FL), $34,720/year, 2,089 students. Small classes but not great recruitment.
48. University of Minnesota-Carlson (Minneapolis), $10,498/year, 1,863 students. Limited program offerings and easy classes, but good recruitment within the Twin Cities area.
47. University of San Diego (San Diego, CA), $32,564/year, 1,077 students. Great personable professors, but the jobs are not so great.
46. University of Florida-Warrington (Gainesville, FL), $3,372/year, 2,177 students. Big classes that are mostly taught by TAs are disappointing.
45. Loyola College-Sellinger (Baltimore, MD), $42,730/year, 926 students. Small classes and one-on-one attention gets high marks.
44. University of Georgia-Terry (Athens, GA), $5,622/year, 2,388 students. Academically rigorous courses, and it’s hard to get into top level classes.
43. University of Maryland-Smith (College Park, MD), $7,968/year, 2,877 students. Wall Street hasn’t seen many student representation.
42. Boston University (Boston, MA), $34,930/year, 1,979 students. Good curriculum but tough grading system and not-so-good recruiting disappoint.
41. Case Western Reserve University-Weatherhead (Cleveland, OH), $33,538/year, 405 students. Small classes are great, but there’s a lot of work.
40. Binghamton University (Binghamton, NY), $6,012/year, 870 students. Close-knit administration is a bonus.
39. Michigan State University-Broad (East Lansing, MI), $10,090/year, 2,065 students. Good classes, not as good teachers/administration.
38. Pennsylvania State University-Smeal (University Park, PA), $14,343/year, 5,492 students. Good supply of recruiters, but the cost is high for some.
37. University of Wisconsin-Madison (Madison, WI), $7,460/year, 1,312 students. Too many classes are taught by TAs and not professors, but recruitment is high.
36. Baylor University-Hankamer (Waco, TX), $25,340/year, 2,565 students. Strong focus on ethics, but not strong in recruitment.
35. Santa Clara University (Santa Clara, CA), $33,000/year, 1,860 students. Great recruiting within the Silicon Valley area but not much elsewhere.
34. Northeastern University (Boston, MA), $31,899/year, 2,921 students. Co-op opportunities are aplenty.
33. University of Washington (Seattle, WA), $6,385/year, 1,750 students. Small community and close-knit professors, but hard to find jobs on the east coast.
32. Texas Christian University-Neeley (Fort Worth, TX), $24,865/year, 1,727 students. Solid leadership program coupled with tough marks and difficult recruiting makes finding jobs hard.
31. Texas A & M-Mays (College Station, TX), $7,266/year, 3,856 students. Honors classes perform better than other classes, which aren’t as challenging.
30. Bentley College (Waltham, MA), $32,896/year, 3,810 students. Small classes shine, and finance and accounting majors get the best jobs.
29. The College of William & Mary-Mason (Williamsburg, VA), $9,164/year, 453 students. Broad curriculum and intimate environment with great professors.
28. Babson College (Babson Park, MA), $34,112/year, 1,799 students. Students need to run a business for the entrepreneurship program. Work and grading is difficult.
27. Fordham University (New York), $32,720/year, 1,866 students. Strong focus on ethics and integrity but jobs aren’t easy to find.
26. Rensselaer Polytech Institute-Lally (Troy, NY), $35,885/year, 374 students. Big focus on technology and personal professors win points.
25. Lehigh University (Bethlehem, PA), $35,610/year, 1,434 students. Faculty is well-liked, but recruiting is more difficult (accounting majors do better than marketing)
24. Miami University-Farmer (Oxford, OH), $11,875/year, 2,025 students. Accounting and finance programs get the jobs, but advising program isn’t recommended.
23. Southern Methodist University-Cox (Dallas, TX), $33,170/year, 917 students. Professors are accessible and recruiting occurs within the Dallas area.
22. Carnegie Mellon University-Tepper (Pittsburgh, PA), $37,544/year, 450 students. Intense work but school is small and quantitative skill focus is a plus.
21. Wake Forest University-Calloway (Winston-Salem, NC), $34,330/year, 415 students. A great workload that helps prepare students but also hurts them in the job hunt.
20. University of Richmond-Robins (Richmond, VA), $38,850/year, 670 students. Classes are small and students have a good relationship with professors.
19. Georgetown University-McDonough (Washington DC), $35,740/year, 1,297 students. Good DC location gives political focus.
18. University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign, IL), $12,232/year, 2,649 students. New building under construction with good staff and faculty.
17. University of Southern California-Marshall (Los Angeles, CA), $35,810/year, 3,497 students. Extensive alumni helps students find jobs.
16. Indiana University-Kelley (Bloomington, IN), $7,958/year, 4,069 students. Curriculum combines finance, marketing, strategy, and operations.
15. Washington University-Olin (St. Louis, MO), $35,524/year, 758 students. Good professors and administration, but recruiting falters.
14. Boston College-Carroll (Boston, MA), $35,674/year, 1,970 students. Lessons can be applied to real world and the career-services staff is accommodating.
13. Villanova University (Villanova, PA), $34,900/year, 1,804 students. Accounting program is top-notch, but marketing majors again feel out in the dark.
12. University of North Carolina-Kenan-Flagler (Chapel Hill, NC), $5,340/year, 658 students. Outstanding global focus and emphasis on technology makes the school shine.
11. University of California Berkeley-Haas (Berkeley, CA), $8,384/year, 700 students. Harsh grading with high-caliber faculty.
10. University of Texas-McCombs (Austin, TX), $8,908/year, 3,969 students. Good recruiting and accounting program.
9. Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Sloan (Cambridge, MA), $34,986/year, 246 students. Quantitative skills taught well and undergrads are challenged with MBA courses if desired.
8. New York University-Stern (New York, NY), $36,524/year, 2,335 students. Focuses on finance and is perfectly situated by Wall Street for great job opps.
7. Brigham Young University-Marriott (Provo, UT), $3,840/year, 1,616 students. Emphasis on ethical business leaders of the future.
6. University of Michigan-Ross (Ann Arbor, MI), $12,585/year, 1,069 students. Strict grading upsets students, but curriculum and teamwork win brownie points.
5. Emory University-Goizueta (Atlanta, GA), $34,336/year, 622 students. Hard-working professors and career service advisers.
4. Cornell University (Ithaca, NY), $19,291/year, 708 students. Challenging coursework prepares students well for business work.
3. University of Notre Dame-Mendoza (South Bend, IN), $35,187/year, 1,626 students. Powerful program with “die-hard alums.”
2. University of Virginia-McIntire (Carlottesville, VA), $8,690/year, 652 students. Excellent faculty and good starting salaries.
1. University of Pennsylvania-Wharton (Philadelphia, PA), $35,916/year, 2,519 students. Highly-esteemed students, faculty, and alumni.
Is business school in your future?"Admirers of Philip Pullman's 1995 His Dark Materials trilogy think the film guts the backbone of the book. Me, I just think it blows," is how Rolling Stone's Peter Travers eloquently summed up his feelings about the The Golden Compass, the adaptation of the lauded young adult fantasy novel by Philip Pullman. But His Dark Materials (the name of the trilogy) is getting a second chance to be reimagined, this time as a series on the BBC. And it isn't the only fantasy series looking for TV redemption.Less than a couple years after The Mortal Instruments film was panned and slunk out of theaters — after disappointing fans of the immensely popular Cassandra Clare YA series — the books are getting a TV show, Shadowhunters, on ABC Family. Could a serialized format be what these fantasy worlds need to tell their stories?A big screen version of the His Dark Materials series made perfect sense when it was released at the end of 2007. It became part of a film landscape where six Harry Potter films dominated the box office and the first Chronicles of Narnia film earned over 290 million domestically. Audiences obviously wanted to see kids wrapped up in magical landscapes, and a New York Times best seller as source material must have seemed like a guaranteed recipe for success. The film tanked, earning a 42% on Rotten Tomatoes and a rep online as a destroyer of childhood lit dreams, referenced among fan communities on Tumblr as a prime example of a beloved book adaptation gone wrong.After the final HP book was split into two movies a Hollywood law seemed to be created saying the final book in an adaptation franchise must spawns two films; the conventional wisdom in fantasy adaptations seems to me more is better. Sure, the story of The Hobbit could be easily contained in a single film, but by stretching it into three they could fit in some cool Tolkien karaoke. But giving a fantasy series a serialized platform rather than a contained blockbuster is giving it more than literal time, it's giving it the space to explore relationships and characters without the pressure to constantly dazzle the audience with special effects.Game of Thrones has been criticized recently for its efforts to pack in as much heartbreak and misery as possible into each hour-long episode, but they were still able to make the decision to put a major character, and storyline, on the sidelines for an entire season so they could give more screen time to develop other players. Every extra minute exploring Daenerys' moral dilemmas or Arya's descent into single-minded revenge was a minute freed up by the lack of Bran, something that couldn't be done in a film. Likewise with the recent adaptation of the '90s time-traveling romance Outlander, entire episodes could be dedicated to the development of the protagonist's love, rather than stuffing a film with a simple mix of war and sex (which would still make for compelling entertainment, but less satisfying).We'll have to wait until January to see if Shadowhunters brings Cassandra Clare's story to life more effectively than the 2013 film (and the His Dark Materials show doesn't have a release date yet) but that fact that producers are willing to revisit the material proves fans are still eager to see their favorite characters on screen. Let's hope this time they're not disappointed.Image copyright PA Image caption Jeremy Corbyn told a rally in Milton Keynes Labour's new members could sweep the party to power
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called for the party to consider its rules and ensure all members can vote in future leadership contests.
He described Friday's Court of Appeal ruling - which excluded 130,000 new members from voting in the party's leadership contest - as "very sad".
He also told critics to "get on board" and "take the fight to the Tories".
But rival leadership contender Owen Smith said Labour was in crisis and warned it could "disappear overnight".
Incumbent Mr Corbyn and challenger Mr Smith are competing to become the next Labour leader - a contest sparked after Mr Corbyn lost a vote of no confidence by his MPs and faced mass resignations from his top team.
On Friday, the Court of Appeal ruled the party was within its rights to stop new members voting in the contest.
The ruling backed up the decision in July of the National Executive Committee - the body that governs the Labour Party - that full members could only vote if they had at least six months' continuous membership.
That was later successfully challenged by some new members in the High Court, before the recent reverse ruling by the Court of Appeal.
The Court of Appeal decision effectively reintroduced a voting ban on nearly 130,000 members.
Mr Corbyn told the BBC the court had "denied those members a vote in this election, which I think is very sad".
He said he believed there was no prospect of a fresh legal challenge, adding: "After all this is over we have got to look at those rules to make sure everyone gets a right to a democratic vote."
'Energy and ideas'
He told a rally in Milton Keynes that the power of Labour's 500,000-strong membership can sweep the party to victory at the next general election.
He said the leadership election was about "how we enthuse, excite and mobilise people to win things in their community and ultimately win things for all communities".
BBC political correspondent Carole Walker said Mr Corbyn had made an "appeal for unity" in his speech, urging those who disagreed with him to "take the fight to the Tories".
With 300,000 members having joined in the last year, Mr Corbyn said Labour was a "strong party" and could win a general election, our correspondent added.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Owen Smith warned Labour could "disappear overnight"
Meanwhile, Mr Smith told supporters that political parties took "a long, long time to rise, but history tells us they can disappear very, very quickly - they can disappear overnight".
"And right now it feels to me as though we are needed as never before."
He said the party had "a duty" to fight to keep the UK within the European Union (EU) and "to see what is the reality of the Brexit negotiations", adding: "Because it will not be as was promised.
"It will not be a simple set of trade deals, it will not be an end to immigration, it will not be more money for public services - none of those things will come to pass.
"And at the end of this we should have the courage to say to the British people, if it isn't what you wanted then we would put it back to you - either as a second referendum or at a general election."
Mr Smith added that Friday's Court of Appeal ruling "doesn't change my approach to this contest", saying he would continue to make his case as to why he should become Labour's new leader.HackMIT is the annual hackathon event organized by students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. HackMIT 2016 took place on September 17th and 18th, 2016. This year, the Fedora Project partnered with Red Hat as sponsors for the hackathon. Fedora Ambassadors Charles Profitt and Justin W. Flory attended to represent the project and help mentor top students from around the country in a weekend of learning and competitive hacking. Fedora engaged with a new audience of students from various universities across America and even the globe.
Arriving at HackMIT
The Fedora team arrived in Massachusetts a day early on Friday to ensure prompt arrival at the event the following morning. Fedora was one of the first sponsors to arrive on MIT’s campus Saturday morning, and scouted one of the best positions on the floor. Fedora was given a choice of anywhere in the bleachers surrounding the floor. As a result, the team set up Fedora’s banners close to many of the tables where hackers would spend the weekend.
On the morning of the first day, over a thousand students arrived on the MIT campus. Around 10:00am, the kickoff ceremony began in the main auditorium. The event staff introduced themselves and the structure of the event. After covering the basics, every sponsor was given a 30 second “elevator pitch” to explain their company or project, and share anything important with the hackers. Justin represented Fedora and Red Hat on stage to introduce Fedora and what Fedora wanted to help students with. He introduced Fedora as a distribution targeted towards developers, briefly introduced the three editions of Fedora, and offered help for anyone wanting to open source their hack or seek support with open source tooling.
May the hacking begin!
After the sponsor introductions, hackers relocated to the main floor to start seeking teams and begin working on projects. While HackMIT was getting into full swing, many people visited the Fedora area before jumping into a project. Many of the students who talked with Charles and Justin were either surprised to see Fedora at an event like HackMIT or were curious to know what was going on in Fedora. For the most part, many students were familiar with Linux through classes or lectures. The ones familiar with Linux knew about it from hands-on experience or from guided instruction in classes. A smaller number of people were running Linux environments or using them in servers or other ways.
Overall, the demographic of people attending the hackathon were generally familiar with Linux, but not at an advanced level. This group was ideal for promoting Fedora as a developer environment. The ease of setting up a development workspace or installing dependencies for projects intrigued many students. HackMIT was an ideal opportunity to present Fedora to a new group of budding technological enthusiasts. HackMIT participants had an organic interest in Fedora and wanted to know how Fedora made development easier or what made it different from other distributions.
Personal engagement
During the event, Charles walked around the various tables to talk with students while Justin manned the Fedora area. Charles introduced himself to the hackers and asked to know what they were working on or what their plans were. For many teams, he provided advice on how to get over hurdles with first planning and project direction. He checked back in with these groups across the weekend to see how they progressed.
At the Fedora space, Justin fielded questions from students about Linux, what Fedora offers, and about open source software. Some people were familiar with Fedora, and a small handful of students were running Fedora as a primary operating system. However, most students were only familiar with Linux and were curious to know more. As a student, Justin offered specific advice about contributing to open source software and how helpful it is to gain real-world experience. Some students expressed interest in contributing but were unsure about where to start. Justin coached students through key steps to start with on beginning their open source adventure. He identified the process of choosing a project to contribute to, matching something genuinely interesting with technical skills, and getting involved with the community.
Additionally, there were two students organizing other hackathons in the country with a specific focus towards open source software development. The Ambassadors engaged with these students and joined in a dialogue about making open source a critical part of hackathons. More information about these events will become available in the coming future.
Evaluating impact
To help gauge our impact with the event, there was a limited edition HackMIT 2016 Attendee badge that attendees could claim during the event. The team leveraged Fedora Badges as a tool to help tell the story of our impact at the event. Through Badges, you can see a list of FAS accounts that claimed the badge from the event and their account activity in the long run. Bee Padalkar‘s FOSDEM event evaluation demonstrates how this data can be used. Ten people claimed the badge during the weekend. One of the benefits of using badges as a tool for measuring impact and engagement is the follow-up it allows us to make with what badge claimers do in the Fedora community.
However, there were more ways to measure engagement with the students and hackers than only with badges. Many of the most valuable insight into our impact was follow-up on the second morning. Charles went around to most of the tables he visited on the first day leading up to the final deadline. With one team, he helped do some live testing in the last 30 minutes before the deadline since her team was asleep from the previous night. Engagements like these left a positive impression of Fedora, and by extension, the community.
What was our engagement?
The type of interactions and conversations Fedora held with students and other attendees was productive and motivating, not only to the students but also to the Ambassador team. People were genuinely interested in Fedora and it was easier to shape their interest into an insightful discussion about what Fedora enables students to create and develop. A powerful message about open source software development was also delivered during the event. This stands in contrast to some other hackathons in the United States which are sometimes set up more like unofficial career fairs. HackMIT clearly held a strong focus on community. Events with that kind of management and direction are where Fedora succeeds and has a more valuable impact.
Leaving the event, the Fedora team was confident that we had a powerful impact on students during the event. For many, Fedora was not only introduced as an operating system, but as a tool for accomplishing and doing. Fedora provides the tools and utilities students need to build their projects and drive them forward. Open source as a development practice was also introduced to many for the first time, or deeper explained for those with a mild interest. These messages and the team’s other engagements were warmly received.
Looking ahead
The Fedora Ambassadors of North America would like to make a special thanks to Red Hat and Tom Callaway for partnering to sponsor this event. Without Red Hat’s help, attending this event would not have been possible. Our engagement and impact after HackMIT excites the Ambassador team. We hope many students from the event turn to Fedora not only as an operating system, but as a tool for their expanding technological toolbox. A congratulations also goes to the organizers of HackMIT for putting together a thoroughly planned and carefully executed event that placed a strong focus on community, which fits within one of Fedora’s four key foundations, Friends.
We hope to return to Cambridge again next year!
You can read Charles Profitt’s event report on his blog.
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"This is what we call a moist evening," Pence said. "Tonight we're showing the media and we're showing the world, this is a movement that is going to elect Donald Trump."
Ronald and Ella Weiss drove from Olde Towne, Portsmouth, for Tuesday's event. They've been Trump backers from the start.
Ella Weiss said they like what Trump stands for, including the economy, security and education … "because we were educators."
Tommy Ascher, of Virginia Beach, stood by the barricade to the rally, directing attendees and answering questions.
"I think Trump's what America needs to rebuild. A businessman who knows about infrastructure, building and the economy," said Ascher. "He knows how to lead."
GOP vice presidential pick Mike Pence was in Williamsburg on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016. (Aileen Devin) (Aileen Devin)
Not all of Trump's supporters were as enthusiastic.
Sarah King, member of the Gloucester County Republican Committee, said she "wouldn't pick Trump, but he's all we got."
During his rain-soaked speech, Pence drew comparisons to himself and Trump, saying both had been raised on the forefront of the American dream as the grandsons of immigrants.
"Other than a whole lot of zeroes, Donald Trump and I have a whole lot in common," said Pence, referring to Trump's wealth. "Donald Trump just gets it. He's the genuine article. Where else would an individual voice like his find a following like this, other than in the land of the free and the home of the brave?"
Small groups of protesters milled about outside the cordoned-off section in front of the Colonial Capitol. One group of students had duct-taped their mouths shut. A written statement from the group said the sealed mouths were symbolic of the way women and minorities would be silenced if Trump were elected president.
Looking on at the protesters from a porch, Trump supporter Kirk Lubbes of Williamsburg shook his head.
"We have noticed there is a huge propensity of young people here for Hillary," Lubbes said. "And we just wonder how many of them have ever worked a day in their life."
Earlier Tuesday, Pence promised to clean up issues with the Department of Veterans Affairs during a meeting with two dozen veterans gathered in a wardroom of the USS Wisconsin in Norfolk.
With 47 days until the Nov. 8 election, Trump and Pence have ramped up their visits to Virginia in recent weeks. The GOP candidates have visited the state nine times since Clinton introduced Sen. Tim Kaine as her vice presidential pick in late July.
A University of Mary Washington statewide survey released Sept. 15 shows Trump and Clinton are locked in a tight race. Forty percent of respondents favored Clinton while 37 percent chose Trump. That split falls within the poll's margin of error.
"Mary Washington's latest survey demonstrates that Virginia remains one of the nation's most purple states," said Stephen J. Farnsworth, professor of political science at UMW and director of the University's Center for Leadership and Media Studies that sponsored the poll. "This survey demonstrates that the Trump campaign is wise to focus its resources on Virginia, and that the Clinton campaign is making a mistake by directing its attention elsewhere."
Pence visited Williamsburg after speaking Monday evening in Iowa where he touted Trump as a president who will make the country a safer place to live.
Pence and Trump have used campaign appearances to spread their message that the GOP nominees will improve law enforcement and strengthen the military while enforcing immigration laws.
Pence is planning an event Thursday at a community center in Colorado Springs, Colo. On Saturday, Trump plans to visit Roanoke. As of late Tuesday, tickets were still available for the latter event.
Tuesday evening, the least-enthused may have been the patrons in the Shields Tavern, just up the street from the Colonial Capitol building.
The Tavern's hose Scott Lucas said some of the diners were complaining about the constant loop of music playing from the speakers at the rally.
"If you drove two hours for a Colonial meal and you are hearing 'Rocketman' over and over, you're probably not too happy," Lucas said.
Pence's Williamsburg stop took place outside the recreated Capitol building at Colonial Williamsburg.
While the building is a recreation, the site is steeped in history. It's where Patrick Henry delivered his speech in May 1765 against the Stamp Act, and where the House of Burgesses met after the Capitol was moved from Jamestown.
Daily Press reporter David Ress, as well as Gazette reporters Sarah Fearing and Heather Bridges contributed to this report.
McKinnon can be reached by phone at 757-298-5835.GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Carson Palmer made his history look pretty Monday night. Editor's Picks Carson Palmer-Larry Fitzgerald connection not enough for Cardinals in loss to Cowboys The Cardinals offense clicks when Carson Palmer finds Larry Fitzgerald, but as Monday showed, it's not always enough.
The quarterback threw his 100th touchdown with the Arizona Cardinals on a perfectly thrown 15-yard pass to receiver Larry Fitzgerald in the third quarter against the Dallas Cowboys, making him one of four players to throw at least 100 touchdowns with two different teams.
The other three were Kurt Warner (Rams and Cardinals), Fran Tarkenton (Giants and Vikings) and Peyton Manning (Colts and Broncos).
Palmer threw his 99th touchdown with the Cardinals in the first quarter on a 25-yard pass to Jaron Brown.
Palmer threw 154 touchdowns in eight seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals.10 Industry Influencers Every Product Manager Should Follow
Mark Silver Blocked Unblock Follow Following Mar 21, 2017
It’s that time again! Lately, I’ve come across so much fantastic content via social media which was shared by various influencers in the product industry. From management advice, to feature onboarding tips and suggestions, this list of CEO’s, product directors, and writers has it all. These individuals enjoy sharing their unique insight gained from their notable positions, and well, I enjoy learning from it!
I hope you take advantage of what these talented and well-educated individuals have to share, I know I always do.
Talk to me about product! CEO/Co-founder of @ProdPad (product management software) and Co-founder of @MindTheProduct (community and events for product managers)
Founder of @ProductHunt. Real likes, no gimmicks.
Director of Product at @Airbnb, co-lead of Airbnb’s Seattle office, and #superhost. Former @Amazon and founder of @AmazonSmile. @ChooseSPUN’s lesser half.
Product design VP @ Facebook. Lover of food, games, and words.
Author of http://leanproductplaybook.com, Lean Startup & Product Management Consultant, interim VP of Product, entrepreneur, speaker,
Partner, @GreylockVC: @Medium, @MusicallyApp, @Houseparty, @Operator, @DiscordApp @Nextdoor. Past: Twitter, FB Connect, LinkedIn. Seeking crazy new ideas
Product Management Consultant + Investor/Advisor. 1st PM at Slack / Co-founder of YesGraph / PM + M&A lead from Adobe. Head in the city, heart in the mountains.
Father of twins. VP of Product @Intercom. Ex Facebook, Google. Like building things.Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.
May 17, 2017, 10:00 PM GMT / Updated May 18, 2017, 8:41 AM GMT By Pete Williams and Ken Dilanian
Bowing to public and Congressional pressure, Deputy U.S. Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed former FBI Director Bob Mueller on Wednesday to be a special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 campaign, Justice Department officials said.
Mueller will take command of the prosecutors and FBI agents who are working on the far reaching Russia investigation, which spans multiple FBI field offices on both coasts.
"In my capacity as acting Attorney General, I determined that it is in the public interest for me to exercise my authority and appoint a Special Counsel to assume responsibility for this matter," Rosenstein said in a statement. "My decision is not a finding that crimes have been committed or that any prosecution is warranted. I have made no such determination. What I have determined is that based upon the unique circumstances, the public interest requires me to place this investigation under the authority of a person who exercises a degree of independence from the normal chain of command."
Mueller led the FBI for 12 years under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. He is second only to J. Edgar Hoover for longest tenure for an FBI chief.
Mueller has agreed to resign from his private law firm in order to avoid any conflicts of interest, the AG's office said.
Related: Manafort, Flynn Are Key Figures in Probe Mueller Will Lead
"I accept this responsibility and will discharge it to the best of my best," Mueller said in a statement.
President Donald Trump, who did not mention Mueller by name, said in a statement Wednesday evening that he looked forward "to this matter concluding quickly."
"As I have stated many times, a thorough investigation will confirm what we already know — there was no collusion between my campaign and any foreign entity," he said in the statement. "I look forward to this matter concluding quickly. In the meantime, I will never stop fighting for the people and the issues that matter most to the future of our country."
A spokesperson for the Department of Justice told NBC News the White House’s Counsel’s Office was informed of the appointment of a special counsel after the order was signed this afternoon, but did not provide a specific time.
The FBI, with the help of the Treasury Department, the CIA and other agencies, has been examining evidence of possible contacts, money transfers and business relationships between a variety of Trump’s associates and Russian officials, sources say.
FBI Director Robert Mueller in 2013 Jonathan Ernst / Reuters file
The investigation goes well beyond a possible American connection, to include how Russian intelligence services carried out the campaign of fake news and leaking hacked emails that intelligence officials say was meant to hurt Hillary Clinton and benefit Trump.
But the question of whether Trump associates colluded with Russia is consuming public interest. No evidence has surfaced publicly linking Trump himself to the Russian interference effort.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-K.Y., said Mueller's appointment "confirms that the investigation into Russian intervention into our election will continue, as stated last week by Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe.
"The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence will also continue its investigation into this matter," he said in a statement.
Related: Here Are Three Ways to Have an Independent Russia Inquiry
House Speaker Paul Ryan said, "My priority has been to ensure thorough and independent investigations are allowed to follow the facts wherever they may lead.
"The addition of Robert Mueller as special counsel is consistent with this goal, and I welcome his role at the Department of Justice. The important ongoing bipartisan investigation in the House will also continue," he added in a statement.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah and the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, called Mueller a "great selection."
Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Richard Burr, R-N.C., and Vice Chairman Sen. Mark Warner, D-V.A., said in a joint statement that the appointment was "a positive development and will provide some certainty for the American people that the investigation will proceed fairly and free of political influence."
The committee is conducting its own investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election,and Burr and Warner said in their statement that it "will continue its own investigation."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said a special counsel had been "very much needed" and that Rosenstein had "done the right thing."
"Former Director Mueller is exactly the right kind of individual for this job," Schumer said in a statement. "I now have significantly greater confidence that the investigation will follow the facts wherever they lead."
And House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Mueller was "a respected public servant of the highest integrity," but said more still needed to be done.
"The Trump administration must make clear that Director Mueller will have the resources and independence he needs to execute this critical investigation," she said in a statement.
“A special prosecutor is the first step, but it cannot be the last. Director Mueller will still be in the chain of command under the Trump-appointed leadership of the Justice Department," she said. "He cannot take the place of a truly independent, outside commission that is completely free from the Trump Administration’s meddling. "
Former Attorney General Eric Holder said, "As long as his character is appropriately defined and he is properly resourced, this is a good move."
"There is much that warrants investigation involving people at the highest levels of the executive branch," Holder said in a statement. "I’m confident he can and will do that. The country is owed that."
The last special counsel was Patrick Fitzgerald, who was tapped in 2003 to investigate the leaking of a CIA operative's name.
Under Justice Department regulations issued in 1999, a special counsel is not fully independent of the Justice Department.
According to a Congressional Research Service report, the attorney general — or in this case, Rosenstein, since Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself — must be notified of any specific actions the special counsel intends to take, and has the ability to countermand those proposed actions.
Modern special counsels have less independence than the special prosecutors employed during the Watergate investigations of the 1970s, who were appointed under a law that has now expired.Today I'm glad to mention to the F# community an important feature of the Try F# web app. www.tryfsharp.org has the ability to take a query parameter specifying a web accessible script.
To see what this can do for you, I encourage you to take a look at the latest on the F# snippet site. In particular, look for the "tryfsharp.org" button on each snippet page:
This links to a URL which instructs tryfsharp.org to load the raw text of the snippet into the browser application. A typical URL is like this:
http://www.tryfsharp.org/Tutorials.aspx?view=1&example=http://fssnip.net/raw/2Y
Try F# will then ask you if you want to load this script, and then you can press the "Run" button in Try F# to execute the script. You can also evaluate individual parts of the script yourself - you will often have to do this for snippets from the F# snippet site.
Here is an example of this integration: http://fssnip.net/2Y. Once on the F# snippet site, click the tryfsharp.org button to load the code in Try F#, and then "run" to run the snippet. Be aware that not every snippet will be appropriate for the browser. Some snippets may not run in Try F# if they rely on features not available in the Silverlight environment.
One technical detail: Besides modifying the web page layout on his site, Tomas Petricek also had to include a policy to allow cross-site access from the Try F# Silverlight application - you can see a sample of this file here: http://www.fssnip.net/clientaccesspolicy.xml. You will also have to do this for sites containing new static content that you want loaded into Try F#.
Enjoy!
don |
new challenge. To be honest, I enjoy getting into these issues and learning how they work.
“But, to come back to the question, yes there are some ideas that I had in the past and we are applying now, and others that we’ll see if we can use. I want to use my experience and ideas together with those of my team and we want to see where we are in three years time.”China Seeks Soft Power Influence in U.S. Through CCTV
Enlarge this image toggle caption CCTV America CCTV America
At a time when so many major American news organizations are cutting back, foreign news agencies are beefing up their presence abroad and in the U.S. One of the biggest new players arrives from China and, more likely than not, can be found on a television set near you.
CCTV, or China Central Television, is owned by the Chinese government. With more than 40 channels in China and an offshoot in the U.S., the broadcaster has been highly profitable for the country's ruling Communist Party, which is liking profits a lot these days.
Navigating Two Media Traditions
CCTV America Business News Anchor Phillip T.K. Yin was born and raised in the U.S. by parents who emigrated from mainland China. Yin used to work in investment and for CNBC and Bloomberg. He says he is mindful of the tension between the American tradition of an independent press and Chinese expectations that the media serve the state. And yet, he says, CCTV America has broadcast interviews involving allegations of major computer hacking incidents originating in China — hardly a flattering story.
"It's changing very quickly," Yin says. "I can tell you even from the time that we came onboard here to where we are today, we've changed a lot. We're covering stories from sometimes very controversial angles."
CCTV America has its home in a new building just two blocks from the White House, in the heart of Washington, and it's carried by cable providers in New York, Washington and Los Angeles, among other big cities.
At one point, CCTV America had a larger reach in the U.S. than Al-Jazeera America did, at least until the Qatari channel acquired Current TV earlier this year.
Joining A Larger Media 'Dynamic'
So what are the Chinese doing in the U.S.? Jim Laurie, a former foreign correspondent for ABC News and NBC News, is now a lead consultant for CCTV America. (Executives in China declined to speak to NPR for this story.)
"We see what the British have done; what CNN has done for years. We need to be part of that," Laurie says Chinese executives told him. "China is a big power; the state broadcaster is a big company. We want to be part of that dynamic."
Laurie also knows about another dynamic — one familiar to reporters who have worked in China over the years. In 1989, he witnessed China's bloody crackdown on the student protest movement.
"I've been arrested in China. I've covered demonstrations in which film was confiscated," he says. "On June 4, [1989,] I was there for the Tiananmen massacre. So yeah, it was a pretty heavy time."
Laurie acknowledges CCTV America is unlikely to air an interview with the Dalai Lama's criticisms of the Chinese regime. And yet more than two decades after Tiananmen, he says a new generation of government and media officials is out to increase international commerce as well as the free flow of information back and forth, especially about business.
Still On The Party's 'Short Leash'
Orville Schell, a veteran journalist and founder of the website ChinaFile, sees a somewhat different dynamic at work: the Chinese state seeking to exercise soft power, a way to project influence through ideas and culture rather than the display of military might.
"This fixation on soft power arises from their deep and abiding insecurity and sense of not being respected and of being hectored and bullied by the world over the last century and a half," he says.
According to Ying Zhu, a professor of media culture at City University of New York's College of Staten Island, the network has sought to incorporate Western journalism standards by sheer force of numbers, hiring dozens of staffers from ABC, Bloomberg, CNN, the BBC and similar outlets. But, she says, there's one catch.
"What's missing conspicuously from these programmings are actually any real political news about China itself. CCTV America unfortunately can't really reveal anything that's beyond [the] scripted version of what happened in China. CCTV America is very much on the party's short leash."
But at CCTV, journalists like Yin argue the channel is helping redefine what acceptable coverage is in China, at least on the English-language channel.
"I invite any of the viewers to watch us and listen to the interviews and listen to some of the perspectives that we have, because it's certainly not one-sided. It's very two-sided. Sometimes, it's even three-sided," he says.
It's hard to gauge the size of CCTV's audience in the U.S., but the size of its ambitions is unmistakably global.Stressed-out students and young professionals in Hong Kong are looking for an escape — literally — and are relying on their wits to find it.
They are walking into dark rooms, locking themselves inside and solving puzzles and clues to get out while creepy music plays in the background. This is the latest, and hottest, form of entertainment in Hong Kong.
Freeing Hong Kong opened its doors in November, and already about 7,000 customers have walked through them. One of its owners, Wan Instant, said in an interview that it’s a place where people can come to escape from the pressures and monotony of everyday life in Hong Kong.
"We want to create a place [where] they can escape from real life to a world we create, and they can have fun and have a different experience," he said.
The concept allows for participants to feel like they are characters in a video game or movie. Each tiny room at Freeing Hong Kong has a different story, a plotline, and they are changed periodically so that repeat customers have fresh experiences.
Freeing Hong Kong is like the room escape games people play online, but it’s experienced live instead of on a screen. In the Lost Chamber room, people are told they were abducted while walking through a park and rendered unconscious. Now they're waking up in this room, handcuffed, and have to scour their surroundings to detect clues, then solve them, all while racing against the clock that is counting down in the corner.
If they're stumped, they can press a button, and a staff person will come and give them a hint, then lock the group of friends inside again.
CBC in Hong Kong Meagan Fitzpatrick has been posted to Hong Kong to bolster CBC's coverage of a dynamic region of the world. Hong Kong is known as an international financial centre, but there is much more to it than that, and it has close connections to Canada. The city of seven million hosts nearly 300,000 Canadians, and about 500,000 people of Hong Kong descent make their home in Canada. Meagan is a senior online writer who covers national news and federal politics in CBC's Ottawa bureau. Follow her on Twitter @fitzpatrick_m
In the Prison Break room, escape-seekers are told they are in the underground prison of the evil Dr. Alpha, and they have to help free a group of scientists he’s kidnapped for psychotic experiments. There are prison bars dividing the small, dark room in half, a small wooden chest, a safe, and numbers scrawled on the wall.
In one case, the participants failed to escape in time, but a group of hyper and giggling teenagers spilled out of one room with huge smiles on their faces. "Wow," is how Phoenix Law described his experience. "It's really exciting."
Another group of people heading into one of the other rooms had heard about Freeing Hong Kong through a friend, and after checking out the website, they decided they had to come try it.
"Hong Kong is a really small place with stress and pressure," said 18-year-old Mia Chan. "I think this place can provide a good environment to us to release our stress."
Freeing Hong Kong is doing so well after only a few months of operation that it has two new rooms under construction that almost look like mini-movie sets. It also plans to offer English versions of the game to attract a wider audience. Instant says the target demographic is between 15 and 35 years old.
At about $16 per game, it's an affordable form of entertainment and is something unique compared with the usual karaoke or movie outing for friends, he said.
Since life can be so routine and predictable, he thinks people like that the unknown is offered at Freeing Hong Kong — people don't really know what they're getting into until they're locked in the little dark room and told the scenario.
If they can't figure their way out in time, they pose for a photo afterwards holding up a sign that says "We Failed" and that can go up on Freeing Hong Kong's Facebook page. Win or lose, it's all part of the fun, said Instant.Kim Suozzi, 23, has terminal brain cancer. The cancer is highly aggressive and growing rapidly in a location that makes surgery impossible. Her final wish is to be cryopreserved.
Alcor Life Extension Foundation has offered to cryopreserve Kim at a reduced cost, with the staff donating their time for her cryopreservation.
“I learned about cryonics several years ago, while doing reading for a science class, says Kim. “I had always planned on establishing cryopreservation arrangements through life insurance, but I was caught off guard when I was suddenly diagnosed during my last month and a half of college. The only thing that I can think of that might let me live out my full life and make me feel a little more at ease with my death is to secure cryopreservation plans in the belief that they figure out how to revive people in the future.”
Ms. Suozzi of Columbia, Missouri wants to relocate to Scottsdale – as soon as possible – which will further reduce the $80,000 cost of cryopreservation. However, she lacks the funds. Hundreds of donors have reached out to help Kim, but time is short. Donations of any amount are welcome. Send your tax deductible donation to the Alcor Life Extension Foundation, 7895 E. Acoma Drive, Suite 110, Scottsdale, AZ 85260, or call 480.905.1906 x114. With help, it is hoped that Kim can someday resume a full life.
Although walking with a leg brace, Ms. Suozzi plans to attend the Alcor 40th Anniversary conference at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort (7200 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale) from October 19 – 21. She will share her story briefly during the conference and is available for interviews until the morning of Tuesday October 23.Cosplayer Of The Week: The Dapper Muffin
Morning, folks! Normally when I do Cosplayer of the Week, I hunt for cosplayers I find interesting and beg them for interviews. Imagine my surprise when a cosplayer actually came to me! This is The Dapper Muffin and she requested an interview and after check out all of her content, I was genuinely surprised I had never heard about her prior to this! She is an adorable woman who nails Madoka and so many other incredible characters! I highly recommend checking her out!
But first, let’s get to the interview!
The Geek Lyfe: Would you be alright introducing yourself?
Blaze Chan: My name is Blaze, also known as Blazey Chan. I am 18 from the Columbia area!
TGL: How long have you been into cosplay and what led you down this path?
BC: I’ve been in cosplay for two years. I got into it from an ex, but fell in love with it and couldn’t give it up.
TGL: What has been your favorite moment?
BC: When someone came up to me at a con and actually knew who I was. They were saying they were a fan and loved my work.
TGL: What was the worst day for you in your cosplay career, what happened, and how did you deal with it.
BC: After a day at a out of state con, I wasn’t feeling well. So when I came back to the room, I nearly passed out. I was apparently having problems with head exhaustion. Thankfully I had a good friend to help me out.
TGL: When you aren’t doing this, what do you do in your spare time?
BC: In my spare time I like to draw, watch anime, or play video games. My favorite console is my Nintendo 3DS!
TGL: What geek medium(Video Games, Comic Books, Novels, Movies etc.) made the biggest impact on your life and why?
BC: Probably video games. When I was growing up my brothers raised me. Since they played games like WoW and Tribes: Ascend, I watched them when I was a kid.
TGL: You can bring one fictional character from any universe to our world and they are your best friend for life. Which character is this and why?
BC: I would pick Hinata Shoyo from Haikyuu. He always made me giggle and makes me feel normal. He acts a lot like I do and his determination drives me to be the best I can be.
TGL: Do you have any projects in the near future we should be excited to see?
BC: I am going to be working on a Punk Madoka Kaname as well as D.va. from Overwatch.
TGL: What advice do you have for any aspiring cosplayers out there?
BC: Don’t let the community define you! You can do whatever you want and rock it. Want to be a black Princess Peach? Go for it. Want to be a skinny Rose Quartz? You do it! Wanna to dress as the opposite sex? You can! Don’t let the negativity kill you. Do whatever makes you happy. In the end, it’s your happiness with it that matters.
TGL: What costume would you say is your favorite so far?
BC: Probably Lucy Heartfilia or Godoka. With Lucy I can embrace my body more. Godoka touches the part of me that wants to be helpful. I want to be someone who can help end suffering, especially in the cosplay community.
I want to give a huge thank you to Blaze Chan for reaching out to us! It was a great find and I seriously enjoy her work! 😀 Be sure to follow her on Facebook at The Dapper Muffin! She also wanted to give a shout out to her photographer: Fox Dreams Photography and Commissions!Savers would see deposits of up to £1m protected if a lender collapses under new proposals to prevent runs on banks.
The Bank of England said on Monday that if someone has a large amount of money in their account for reasons such as buying a house, they will be protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
Currently, £85,000 worth of savings are protected in the event of a bank failure, but the Bank said this should be extended. The increased protection, which would apply from six months after the money is transferred, applies to:
• Funds in an account because someone is buying a house • Pay-outs from life insurance, divorce settlements and retirement or dismissal pay. • Compensation for criminal injuries or wrongful conviction
Additionally, the Bank outlined proposals for savers' money to be authomatically moved to a new bank if their bank collapses. For example, a customer of Bank A would see his savings moved to Bank B if Bank A collapses.
Andrew Bailey, the Bank of England’s Deputy Governor, said the proposals would minimise shocks to consumers and the economy.
The plans come as part of wide-ranging reforms of the sector that will see banks’ retail businesses formally separated from their supposedly-riskier trading arms.
On Monday, the Bank of England gave further detail of these plans that it said would ensure that the “ring-fenced” retail businesses are independent from the rest of a bank. A ring-fenced bank will need a separate board, chief executive and chairman.
The Bank is consulting on the plans ahead of a January 6 deadline for banks to submit their ring-fencing plans, which must be implemented by 2019. The plans are intended to protect customers and prevent a repeat of the bank bail-outs of 2008.
The Bank also unveiled new proposals for customers to receive 100pc compensation for certain forms of insurance in the event of an insurer collapsing. Previously, customers were only covered up to 90pc for annuities and life or incapacity insurance.
Under European rules, savers’ deposits up to £85,000 are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). However, this usually takes seven days. Under the Bank's proposals, customers would still be able to withdraw cash and send money, but these transactions would come from their new bank.
Going beyond the level of protection outlined by the EU, the Bank said large deposits up to £1m would be protected in the extended circumstances. It said this would cover 99pc of housing transactions in the UK, and 92pc in London.
This process of moving deposits would apply to smaller, non-ringfenced banks that fail. Larger institutions such as Lloyds, RBS and Barclays would be rescued by a “bail-in” process that would see investors’ money put into the bank.
The new bank would be chosen by a process in which banks would bid for the customers.
It estimated that implementing these changes would mean a one-off cost to the industry of up to £390m, which it said was less than 1pc of the affected firms’ operating costs, and up to £50m a year from then on.
It is hoped that the proposals will prevent a run on banks as seen in the event of Northern Rock’s collapse in 2007.
“These proposals will allow customers to have continuous access to the money in their bank account – or receive payment from the FSCS if this is not possible,” Mr Bailey said.
“Additionally, the increase in FSCS limits for certain types of insurance will mean policyholders who may find it difficult to obtain alternative cover, or who are locked into a product, have greater protection if their insurer fails.”Digital Marketing Agency
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Our digital marketing services help you take your business to the top using the power of PPC (pay-per-click), social media marketing, local search marketing, content marketing, email marketing, online reputation, and Amazon Seller Consulting.Coming Soon
Space Force
A comedy series about the people tasked with creating Space Force, a new branch of the U.S. military. From Greg Daniels and star Steve Carell.
Locke & Key
After their father's gruesome murder, three siblings move into a house with magical keys that grant them powers. Adapted from the comics by Joe Hill.
Pacific Rim
As monsters emerge from the sea to attack Earth, humanity fights back using giant robot warriors in this anime adaptation of the blockbuster film.
River's Edge
High schooler Haruna befriends loner Yamada, then is drawn into the tangled relationship between him, a model and the girl who loves him unreasonably.
Raise the Bar
In this animated series, a high school girl attempts to overcome the odds and become a champion weightlifter in the Olympics.
Triple Frontier
Loyalties are tested when five former special forces operatives reunite to steal a drug lord's fortune, unleashing a chain of unintended consequences.
ReMastered: Devil at the Crossroads
Robert Johnson was one of the most influential blues guitarists ever. Even before his early death, fans wondered if he'd made a pact with the Devil.
Quicksand
After a tragedy at a Stockholm prep school, high school student Maja finds herself on trial for murder. Based on the best-selling novel.“You can argue that it’s not good for democracy when we have things done this way,” he added, “but if you really want to be honest with yourself, the greatest form of government to accomplish things is a dictatorship. Democracy is a pain.”
The tax agreement came about so abruptly that some lawmakers had to scramble to get to Albany — or, out of protest, refused to. Several legislators had been on a trip to Israel sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League ; at least one had been in Puerto Rico for a conference of public employee unions. And one lawmaker, Assemblyman Joel M. Miller, a Republican from Poughkeepsie, frustrated with having no say on the deal, decided to stay in Florida on vacation.
But those in Albany did not fare much better. At a pub near the Capitol on Tuesday night, a Republican state senator asked a reporter for details about the business tax credits that would be provided by the tax package. “We don’t know anything,” he said.
“I think it’s as bad as you can get in terms of reneging on a promise to be more open, more transparent,” said Assemblyman James N. Tedisco, a Republican from Schenectady. “Pretty soon they’ll just say, ‘Stay home, and just send in your votes when we bring the bills out.’ ”
Until lawmakers started voting on the measure, the governor did not hold a news conference to field questions about it. Instead, he offered two op-ed articles to newspapers (almost all of which declined to publish them), released a statement summarizing his proposal and posted a video explaining his rationale for the changes on his Web site.
Mr. Cuomo has throughout the year defended his governing practices, arguing that state government is now functioning far more smoothly and productively than in recent years. After eliminating public meetings between the governor and legislative leaders, he called the practice a “silly, rehearsed staged show” and insisted that Albany’s methods should bear results.
Photo
In an interview on Wednesday, Mr. Cuomo said that the current tax issue had been fully aired before the legislation was unveiled. His bill creates a higher tax bracket for the highest-income residents while reducing the tax rate for millions of middle-class residents, and it allows the state's so-called millionaires' tax to expire as scheduled at the end of this month.
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“If you have not heard discussion on the millionaires’ tax, you have been living under a rock for the past three years,” he said. “This is probably the most discussed and debated topic that this government has dealt with in 30 years.”
He added: “We didn’t do this in three days. It took us three years to do this. And government very often acts when it must act, because we’re a couple of weeks from a deadline, because the tax expires.”
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Mr. Cuomo’s approach to overhauling the income tax in New York contrasts markedly with that of his counterpart in Connecticut, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, a fellow Democrat.
Mr. Malloy proposed higher tax brackets this year. He proceeded to collect input from the public on his proposed changes at more than a dozen town-hall-style meetings — then tweaked the brackets he was proposing.
“The governor found the feedback enormously helpful,” said Roy Occhiogrosso, a senior adviser to Mr. Malloy. “To hear from literally hundreds of people, night after night, standing up and telling you how this is going to impact them — he found that to be an invaluable experience.”
Of course, power has long been concentrated in Albany — a phenomenon often characterized by the phrase “three men in a room,” referring to the governor, the Assembly speaker and the Senate majority leader.
“There’s a general sense that any time you do a deal in Albany, sunlight will put the deal at risk — somebody will have a change of heart, somebody will insert themselves and scream no,” said State Senator Liz Krueger, a Manhattan Democrat.
Mr. Cuomo, who vowed during his campaign that his administration would be the most transparent in the state’s history, has concentrated power even further.
He has been secretive about his daily whereabouts: the daily schedule he releases to the news media often contains not a single event, but simply the name of the county — or, occasionally, just the state — he expects to be in.
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On several occasions, his office has alerted the news media to appearances by the governor just hours, or even minutes, before they were to begin. He agreed to post his past schedules online, but the schedules are months old.
The tactics he has employed to win passage of his agenda have attracted increasing criticism in recent weeks. Last month, a state judge considering a challenge to the same-sex marriage law accused Mr. Cuomo of “arm-twisting” as he described how the governor allowed the Legislature to waive its usual requirement for a three-day waiting period between the time a bill is introduced and the time it is voted on. The waiting period is supposed to allow lawmakers, and the public, time to review the language of proposed legislation.The US Navy and West Australian police are investigating after a US sailor broke both of his legs after jumping from the 10th level of an inner-city Perth hotel and landing in the pool, eight levels below.
Police were called to the Parmelia Hilton, on Mill Street, about 1am after the 22-year-old man leapt from the 10th floor and landed in the hotel’s pool on the second level.
A police spokeswoman said the sailor, off the USS Carl Vinson, had been involved in a loud and possibly drunken argument with a woman in a tenth floor room before jumping.
A witness staying on the eighth floor told 9NEWS they heard a loud splash followed by repeated loud screams about 10 seconds apart.
"One of the hotel staff came out, tried to help the guy, the guy was very abusive towards the hotel staff member," he said.
"He kept swearing at him, telling him not to touch him, keep his hands off him."
The witness said the abuse continued once paramedics arrived.
A Western Australian Ambulance Service spokesman said the man suffered "injuries to both legs... and was in a stable condition".
The man was driven to Royal Perth Hospital for further treatment.
The US Navy is now leading the investigation.
© Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2019There are plenty of questionable apps available on iTunes – from the plethora of fart clones to belly jam – but here are some that Apple approved then removed because they were offensive.
What Apple approves, keeps or pulls in iTunes was on my mind over the weekend as I watched the number of signers to the online petition to remove a “gay-cure” app from Christian group Exodus International boom.
When we first wrote about the app, there were 6,700 signatures – about as many that got the much milder Manhattan Declaration pulled – there are now nearly 90,000.
Apple still hasn’t responded, the group behind the petition Truth Wins Out, has said it will stage a protest at Cupertino headquarters. While we wait to see what Apple will say, here are some apps that were OK’d then pulled over protests.
Baby Shaker only lasted a few hours before outrage over this game – where you silenced the kid by shaking the iPhone — got it whisked out of the iTunes store. Apple never made any comment as to how it got approved in the first place.
Beauty Meter sounded innocuous enough: a user-generated beauty contest, where people rated the contestants. Too bad there were underaged girls on it and plenty of nudity.
iSlam Muhammad offered to let downloaders “Enjoy violent and hateful passages from The Qur’an that support and encourage Muslims to attack and behead anyone who does not agree with them. See how Allah directs his followers to treat men and women.” Who is approving this stuff?
Hottest Girls was another quasi-porn app that played peek-a-boo on iTunes – the naked women featured here were available for just a day.
What do you think Apple will do in the Exodus app case, given the precedents?The Minnesota Wild have placed defenseman Cam Barker on waivers, an NHL source told Sporting News.
Barker, the third overall pick in the 2004 NHL Entry draft, is entering the final year of his contract that will pay him $3.25 million next season.
It's possible, if Barker clears waivers by noon ET Wednesday, that the Wild will buy out the final year of his deal.
A clause in the collective bargaining agreement would allow the Wild to buy Barker out for one-third of his 2011-12 salary before June 30, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. That would cut Barker's cap hit to $375,000.
If he is bought out, Barker would become an unrestricted free agent.
Barker, a 6-3 Manitoba native, played in 52 games last season, posting just five points for the Wild. He scored two goals in Minnesota after being acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in February of 2010 for Kim Johnsson and Nick Leddy in a deal that is tilted heavily in Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman's favor.
Barker missed 21 of the Wild's final 22 games last season with a sore back.I figured I would take some time to write about a nifty feature that I'm not sure many developers know about, or have had an opportunity to use yet: the reversible method in Active Record migrations.
Introduced in Rails 4.0, reversible makes it possible to tell a migration using change (instead of up and down ) how to reverse migrations that Active Record doesn't know how to reverse by default, so that you can specify code to be executed whether migrating forward or rolling back, even inside a migration implemented within a change method.
But first, let's make sure we understand change in migrations.
The change method
The change method is the new (as of Rails 3.1) and preferred way of writing migrations, replacing the up and down methods (although you can still use them if you want to). Using change, Active Record can automatically figure out how to reverse your migration, negating the need for you to implement both the up and down methods. For example, if you have a simple migration to add a new field, like:
def change change_table :products do | t | t.string :color end end
Active Record knows that to reverse the migration, all it has to do is the equivalent of:
def down change_table :products do | t | t.remove :color end end
Or even:
remove_column :products, :color
If you have multiple instructions in the migration, Active Record will also run the inverse instructions in reverse (i.e. with the last instructions being reversed first), just as they would have been written in a down method.
However, Active Record isn't magic. It can only automatically reverse migrations with a limited set of instructions. For example, add_column, add_index, create_table, and so on can all be easily reversed, as all Active Record has to do is drop the column, index or table. It is pretty easy for Active Record to figure out the inverse of these instructions. To see how this happens, you can peruse ActiveRecord::Migration::CommandRecorder, which also documents the limitations of Active Record's automatic reversing of migrations (it isn't as complicated as it sounds).
We can see this in action. If we have a migration with the following:
def change add_column :products, :size, :string end
Then we can see Rails reversing it on rake db:rollback :
glen@~/rails_app > rake db:migrate == 20140411040853 AddSizeToProducts: migrating ================================ -- add_column(:products, :size, :string) -> 0.0005s == 20140411040853 AddSizeToProducts: migrated (0.0006s) ======================= glen@~/rails_app > rake db:rollback == 20140411040853 AddSizeToProducts: reverting ================================ -- remove_column(:products, :size, :string) -> 0.0074s == 20140411040853 AddSizeToProducts: reverted (0.0180s) =======================
However, what happens if you want to do something that Active Record can't automatically figure out how to reverse? For example, you might want to remove a column, say, a not-null decimal column (with precision and scale) called gst, as in the following:
def change change_table :products do | t | t.remove :gst end end
The inverse of that is to create the column again, adding a column called gst to the products table. But there's more than that. The gst column had other properties: the decimal type, the not-null constraint, and the precision and scale. Thus, Active Record doesn't know everything that it needs to know to automatically add the gst column again and reverse the migration. So you will be greeted with an ActiveRecord::IrreversibleMigration exception when you run rake db:rollback. This would have been the same as if you had written:
remove_column :products, :gst
Another example would be changing the precision and scale of a decimal field. Consider the following migration to change a column that is currently a not-null decimal with a precision and scale of 7 and 2, respectively:
def change change_table :products do | t | t.change :price, :decimal, :precision => 10, :scale => 5 end end
Active Record can't automatically reverse this migration either, as it doesn't know what the previous precision and scale values were. Once again, rake db:rollback will fail with an ActiveRecord::IrreversibleMigration exception.
To handle this case, you would previously have been forced to split your migration into both up and down methods, and implement both. But now, with reversible, we no longer need to do that.
Using the reversible method
The reversible method lets you specify a block of code to be run in each direction, when migrating forward, or rolling back. The reversible method yields an instance of ActiveRecord::Migration::ReversibleBlockHelper. This class has only two very basic methods: up and down. Check out the source of this class:
class ReversibleBlockHelper < Struct.new ( :reverting ) # :nodoc: def up yield unless reverting end def down yield if reverting end end
This means that you can use reversible to define code to be executed when migrating or reverting, like so:
reversible do | dir | dir.up do # Run on rake db:migrate. end dir.down do # Run on rake db:rollback. end end
So we can now write a migration with change that Active Record knows how to reverse, meaning we don't need to implement both the up and down methods. This can be done like so:
def change reversible do | dir | change_table :products do | t | dir.up { t.change :price, :decimal, :precision => 10, :scale => 5 } dir.down { t.change :price, :decimal, :precision => 7, :scale => 2 } end end end
And in the case of our previously-irreversible migration to remove the gst field from the products table, we can now implement it like this, so that it is fully reversible:
def change reversible do | dir | change_table :products do | t | dir.up { t.remove :gst } dir.down { t.decimal :gst, :precision => 7, :scale => 2 } end end end
Now that we're back at using up and down again, you might be wondering why you should use up / down blocks when you could just use up / down methods, like you used to. For starters, it can save you a bit of repetition; if you had two separate methods you would need to write out the change_table :products do...end lines twice. But more importantly, you will often find that your migrations are more complex than the ones in these examples, with more instructions. If all of the instructions in a migration were reversible except for one, it would be a pain to have to split it into two methods and write out the down method by hand. With reversible, you only need to define the inverse of the instructions that need it, while still enjoying the benefits of Active Record automatically taking care of the rest of them.
One more thing: reversible remove_column
As of Rails 4.0, remove_column can now be reversed, with just a little bit more effort. You can pass in the column's type and options (default, limit, etc.) into remove_column. It may seem a bit redundant to do so, but when used inside a migration within a change method, those options will be converted into an add_column call, and the instruction becomes reversible.
ConclusionA man was taken into custody by Lane County Sheriff�s Department on Saturday night in Jasper for multiple charges of menacing and reckless endangering as well as charges of unlawful use of a weapon and criminal trespassing after he sporadically shot a 12-gauge shotgun while sitting in his car in the parking lot of Natron Wood Products on Jasper Lowell Road.
Sheriff deputies responded to a 911 call at 9:46 p.m. from an employee at Natron, also commonly known as Jasper Mill, reporting there was an armed man shooting in the parking lot.
Deputies arrived on scene to find Mathew Scott Gray, 27, firing additional rounds in an unknown direction. Oregon State Police and Eugene police assisted sheriff deputies in establishing a perimeter around the suspect, who had gotten out of his 1999 maroon Subaru.
Gray, still armed with the shotgun, got back in his car and left the parking lot, pulling onto Jasper Lowell Road.
Around 10:25 p.m., law enforcement then pulled over and confronted the armed suspect. Gray dropped the shotgun outside his car, complied with directions from the deputies and was detained without further incident.
No one was injured during the incident.
During the incident, portions of Jasper Lowell Road were closed and the area was put on lock down. Additional area fire and emergency medical services, including Pleasant Hill Fire District, were called to the scene to assist.
Gray is in Lane County Jail on 12 counts of reckless endangering, seven counts of menacing, criminal trespass with a firearm, second-degree disorderly conduct, unlawful use of a weapon and coercion.Much has been said about the role social media has come to play in the global landscape over the last few years. Whether one sees it as the tool of revolutions or not, there is no denying its utility |
100 km (62 mi) with heavy losses. In the first six weeks of the war the Russians had lost more than 310,000 men.[24] Eight hundred thousand refugees were able to return to their East Prussian homes, thanks to victories that strikingly contrasted with the bloody deadlock that characterized the Western Front following the failure of the Schlieffen Plan.
Ludendorff [ edit ]
Hindenburg saw his job clearly: "The commander in the field should only lay down the broad lines, leaving the details to his subordinates."[25] He and Ludendorff would discuss what to do and then their staff would issue precise instructions. Despite their strikingly dissimilar temperaments, Ludendorff was a perfect fit; as Hindenburg wrote to the Kaiser a few months later: "He has become my faithful adviser and a friend who has my complete confidence and cannot be replaced by anyone."[26] Ludendorff's weakness was nerves; twice during Tannenberg, fearful that they were about to be attacked in their rear, he proposed to shift troops from the left pincer to face the Vilnius Army; both times Hindenburg talked to him privately and they did not waver.[27]
Defending Silesia [ edit ]
On the east bank of the Vistula in Poland the Russians were mobilizing new armies which were shielded from attack by the river; once assembled they would cross the river to march west into German Silesia. To counter this threat, the supreme commander and Prussian War Minister Erich von Falkenhayn, who had superseded Moltke, formed a new Ninth Army, which joined Hindenburg's command. He set up headquarters at Posen in West Prussia, accompanied by Ludendorff and Hoffmann. Although his 16 divisions faced 60 Russian, he advanced into Poland to occupy the west bank of the Vistula.[28] The Austro-Hungarians guarded the river shore on the German right flank. When the Russians attempted to cross the Vistula, the Germans held firm, but the Russians were able to cross in the Austro-Hungarian sector. Hindenburg retreated, destroying all railways and bridges, sure that the pursuing Russians must stop when they were 120 km (75 mi) west of their railheads — well short of the German frontier.[29] The Russians celebrated a victory, but the retreat gained the Germans vital weeks. Hindenburg faced adversity with "God be with us, I can do no more!".[30] On 1 November 1914 he was appointed Ober Ost (commander in the east) and was promoted to field marshal. Once the Russians repaired the railways they would be in position to push into Silesia, so Hindenburg re-positioned to strike their flank by moving Ninth Army by rail north to Thorn and reinforcing it with two corps from Eighth Army. On 11 November, in a raging snowstorm, they surprised the Russian flank in the fierce Battle of Łódź, which ended the immediate Russian threat to Silesia and also captured Poland's second largest city.
Postcard of the wooden statue of Hindenburg erected in Berlin for the first anniversary of Tannenberg
Public Image [ edit ]
The most celebrated tribute to Hindenburg during the war was a 12m tall wooden likeness erected in Berlin. What admirers paid to drive in nails — ultimately 30 tons of them —went to war widows. Smaller versions were erected throughout Germany.[31] The wooden images and his photographs, which invariably show the resolute, indomitable warrior, give a deceptively stern likeness. He reportedly had a good sense of humor and often made jokes at his own expense.”[32] Visitors found that his headquarters seemed like a family.[33] He had a prodigious memory for names and faces, asking colleagues about their sons in the army, even recalling their ranks and units.[34] Despite this bonhomie, he kept his own counsel. According to the Kaiser, "Hindenburg never said more than half of what he really thought".[35] When Professor Hugo Vogel, commissioned to immortalize the victorious Tannenberg commanders in paint, arrived at headquarters most of his subjects begrudged posing,[36][37] Hindenburg visited most days, often staying for hours, which his staff attributed to ego, having no inkling that he and his wife collected paintings of the Virgin[38] nor that he was an amateur artist nor that he liked to discuss books — Schiller was his favorite author. After a painting was completed Hindenburg would periodically check on how many printed reproductions had been sold. Vogel was with him throughout the war and did his last portrait in 1934. Protecting his warrior image, Hindenburg wrote in his memoir that "the artists were a distraction [with which] we would have preferred to dispense".[39]
1915 [ edit ]
East or West? [ edit ]
Hindenburg argued that the still miserably equipped Russians — some only carried spears — in the huge Polish salient were in a trap in which they could be snared in a cauldron by a southward pincer from East Prussia and a northward pincer from Galicia, using motor vehicles for speed,[40] even though the Russians outnumbered the Germans by three to one. From Hindenburg's point of view, such an overwhelming triumph could end the war in the Eastern Front.[41] Falkenhayn rejected his plan as a pipe dream. Nevertheless, urged on by Ludendorff and Hoffman, Hindenburg spent the winter fighting for his strategy by badgering the Kaiser while his press officer recruited notables like the Kaiserin and the Crown Prince to “stab the kaiser in the back”.[42] The kaiser compromised by keeping Falkenhayn in supreme command, but replacing him as Prussian war minister. In retaliation, Falkenhayn reassigned some of Hindenburg's forces to a new army group under Prince Leopold of Bavaria and transferring Ludendorff to a new joint German and Austro-Hungarian Southern Army. Hindenburg and Ludendorff reacted by threatening to resign thereby resulting in Ludendorff's reinstatement under Hindenburg's command.
Counterattacks in East Prussia & Poland [ edit ]
Following his return, Ludendorff provided Hindenburg with a depressing evaluation of their allies’ army, which already had lost many of their professional officers[43] and had been driven out of much of Galicia, their part of what once had been Poland. Meanwhile, the Russians were inexorably pushing from Galicia toward Hungary through the Carpathian passes. Under orders from Falkenhayn to contain the resurgent Russians, Hindenburg mounted an unsuccessful attack in Poland with his Ninth Army as well as an offensive by his newly formed Tenth Army which made only local gains. Following these setbacks, he set up temporary headquarters at Insterburg, and made plans to eliminate the Russians' remaining toehold in East Prussia. In the ensuing assault, the Germans would ensnare the Russians in a pincer movement between the Tenth Army in the north and Eighth Army in the south between his Tenth Army in the north and Eighth Army in the south. The attack was launched on 7 February, they encircled an entire corps and captured more than 100,000 men in the Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes, afterwards pulling back to strong defensible positions, against which still more Russians were sacrificed.
The Austro-Hungarian fortress city of Przemyśl in Galicia, which had been besieged for months, surrendered on 23 March with the loss of 117,000 men. To drive the Russians out of the Carpathian passes the Austro-Hungarians proposed a joint strike on the Russian right flank. Falkenhayn agreed, so he moved OHL east to the castle of Pless and formed Army Group von Mackensen from a new German Eleventh Army and the Austro-Hungarian Fourth Army. German heavy artillery was brought east: Mackensen had more than 200 heavy guns, while his foes had 4 —the Russian's heavy guns were immobilized in fortresses.[44] In April Mackensen broke through the Russian front between Gorlice and Tarnów. For weeks he continued to steamroller forward, his entire front stepping forward shoulder to shoulder eastward across Galicia, his guns smashing through hastily constructed Russian lines. Hindenburg was to pressure the Russians in the north. He moved headquarters to Lötzen, near the eastern boundary of East Prussia. Three cavalry divisions swept east into Courland, the barren, sandy region near the Baltic coast, in one of the war's most successful cavalry actions. The cavalry's gains were held by Hindenburg's new Nieman army, named after the river.
In June OHL ordered Hindenburg to attack frontally in Poland north of Warsaw, steamrollering toward the Narew River. Ludendorff, furious with dictated tactics and because they were prohibited from pressing on in Courland, sat on his hands.[45] Hindenburg created Army Group Gallwitz—named after its commander—which when Berlin approved became Twelfth Army (Von Gallwitz is one of many able commanders selected by Hindenburg), who stayed at the new army's headquarters to be available if needed. They broke through the Russian lines after a brief, but intense bombardment directed by Lieutenant Colonel Georg Bruchmüller, an artillery genius recalled from medical retirement. One-third of the opposing Russian First Army were casualties in the first five hours.[46] From then on Hindenburg often called on Bruchmüller. The Russians withdrew until they sheltered behind the Narev River. However, steamroller frontal attacks cost dearly: by 20 August Gallwitz had lost 60,000 men.
Evacuation of Poland [ edit ]
After the Russians abandoned Warsaw, it was occupied on 5 August by a new OHL Army Group under Prince Leopold of Bavaria. Eighty thousand Russians remained in the great fortress that guarded the city, Novogeorgievsk, expecting to hold out for months, but Falkenhayn brought up heavy artillery and they capitulated in days, losing 700 guns. Step by step the Russians withdrew from the Polish salient: scorching the earth and herding out a million inhabitants — Jews were treated especially harshly. Falkenhayn insisted on a head-on pursuit of the retreating Russians into Lithuania, according to Hindenburg “a pursuit in which the pursuer gets more exhausted than the pursued”.[47] He wanted to do more than push them back. On 1 July both the Nieman and Tenth Armies thrust spear heads into Courland, attempting to pocket the defenders, but they were foiled by the prudent commander of the Fifth Russian Army who defied orders by pulling back into defensible positions shielding Riga.[48] The German Tenth Army besieged Kovno, a Lithuanian city on the Nieman River defended by a circle of forts. It fell on 17 August, along with 1,300 guns and almost 1 million shells. On 5 August his forces were consolidated into Army Group Hindenburg, which took the city of Grodno after bitter street fighting, but the retreating defenders could not be trapped because the wretched rail lines lacked the capacity to bring up the needed men. They occupied Vilnus on 18 September, then halted on ground favorable for a defensive line.
On 7 October Austro-Hungarian and German troops in Army Group Mackensen invaded Serbia, capturing Belgrade, and then eastern Serbia was invaded by the Bulgarians, who were promised substantial territorial gains; they had fine men but had lost many officers in the Balkan Wars. Falkenhayn had rejected advice that the Bulgarians should attack further south, to try to encircle the Serbs. By 4 December the remaining Serbian troops had escaped into Albania.
In October Hindenburg moved headquarters to Kovno. They were responsible for 108,800 km2 (42,000 mi2) of conquered Russian territory, which was home to three million people and became known as Ober Ost. The troops built fortifications on the eastern border while Ludendorff “with his ruthless energy”[49] headed the civil government, using forced labor to repair the war damages and to dispatch useful products, like hogs, to Germany. A Hindenburg son-in-law, who was a reserve officer and a legal expert, joined the staff to write a new legal code.[citation needed] Baltic Germans who owned vast estates feted Hindenburg and he hunted their game preserves.
Hindenburg judged their operations in 1915 as “unsatisfactory”, “The Russian bear had escaped our clutches”[50] and abandoning the Polish salient had shortened their lines substantially. Contrariwise victorious Falkenhayn believed that “The Russian Army has been so weakened by the blows it has suffered that Russia need not be seriously considered a danger in the foreseeable future”.[51] The Russians replaced their experienced supreme commander, Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich, who Hindenburg regarded as skillful,[52] with the amateurish Tsar. During 1915, 264,000 Germans were killed in the east, 169,000 in the west.
1916 [ edit ]
Hindenburg in 1916
Russians resurgent [ edit ]
Russia rebounded by adding two million men to their army. They were equipped with three million rifles, 6,000 machine guns, and 6,356 pieces of field artillery.[53] Now 66 German battalions faced 400 Russian, who attacked on 18 March near Lake Naroch, bombarding with 982 guns each stocked with 1,000 shells. Their infantry advanced despite heavy snow on the date promised to their allies, day after day failing to breach the defenses, while the battlefield thawed into a marsh in which they lost nearly 100,000 soldiers.
The next Russian onslaughts were along 480 km (300 mi) of the southwestern front in present-day western Ukraine. Four armies commanded by General Aleksei Brusilov on 4 June attacked entrenchments that the Austro-Hungarians regarded as impregnable.[54] Probing assault troops located three weak spots which then were struck in force. In nine days they captured more than 200,000 men and 200 guns, and pushed into open country. Austro-Hungarian troops were rushed back from the Italian Front. Every man was needed in the west, so German troops on the Eastern Front had to be shifted south to plug the gap. Then on 19 June the Russians struck further north near Kovel on a front of 7 km (4.3 mi) defended by Austro-Hungarian and German troops, beginning with a bombardment from 1,000 guns. Ober Ost desperately shored up weak points with defenders stripped from less threatened positions. Ludendorff was so distraught on the phone to OHL that General Wilhelm Groener (who directed the army's railroads and had been a competitor with Ludendorff on the General Staff) was sent to evaluate his nerves, which were judged satisfactory.[55] For a week the Russians kept attacking: they lost 80,000 men; the defenders 16,000. On 16 July the Russians attacked the German lines west of Riga, where again they were thwarted by a stout defense.
Commander of the Eastern Front [ edit ]
On 27 July the Austro-Hungarians accepted Hindenburg as the commander of the Eastern Front (except for the Archdukes Karl's Army Group in southeast Galicia, in which the German Hans von Seeckt was chief of staff). General von Eichhorn took over Army Group Hindenburg, while Hindenburg and Ludendorff, on a staff train equipped with the most advanced communication apparatus, visited their new forces. At threatened points they formed mixed German and Austro-Hungarian units and other Austro-Hungarian formations were bolstered by a sprinkling of German officers. The derelict citadel of the Brest Fortress was refurbished as their headquarters. Their front was almost 1,000 km (620 mi) and their only reserves were a cavalry brigade plus some artillery and machine gunners.[56] The Ottomans sent a corps to reinforce the German Southern Army, which had to hold Galicia because it was a major source of petroleum. The Russians then struck on Brusilov's right with their best troops, the Guards Army, and the heaviest artillery concentration yet seen on the Eastern Front. Their military maps were sketchy, because they had never planned to fight so deep in their own territory, so the Guards were sent to advance through a swamp; in a week they lost 80 percent of their men. Further south Brusilov did better, penetrating a few kilometers into Hungary, but when the front stabilized the Russians faced new fortifications dug and wired on the German pattern. Officers were exchanged between the German and Austro-Hungarian armies for training.
Supreme commander [ edit ]
Hindenburg drawn by his friend Hugo Vogel
In the west, the Germans were hemorrhaging in the battles of Verdun and the Somme. Influential OHL officers, led by the artillery expert Lieutenant Colonel Max Bauer, a friend of Ludendorff's, lobbied against Falkenhayn, deploring his futile steamroller at Verdun and his inflexible defense along the Somme, where he packed troops into the front-line to be battered by the hail of shells and sacked commanders who lost their front-line trench. German leaders contrasted Falkenhayn's bludgeon with Hindenburg's deft parrying.[57] The tipping point came after Falkenhayn ordered a Bulgarian spoiling attack on the Entente lines in Macedonia, which failed with heavy losses. Thus emboldened, Romania declared war against Austro-Hungary on 27 August, adding 650,000 trained enemies who invaded Hungarian Transylvania. Falkenhayn had been adamant that Romania would remain neutral. During the kaiser's deliberations about who should command Falkenhayn said “Well, if the Herr Field Marshall has the desire and the courage to take the post”. Hindenburg replied “The desire, no, but the courage—yes”.[58] Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg favored Hindenburg, supposing him amenable to moderate peace terms,[59] mistaking his amiability as tractability and unaware that he was intent on enlarging Prussia.
Hindenburg was summoned to Pless on 29 August where he was named Chief of the General Staff. Ludendorff demanded joint responsibility for all decisions”;[60] Hindenburg did not demur. Henceforth, Ludendorff became the public face of OHL: signing most orders, directives and the daily press reports. The eastern front was commanded by Leopold of Bavaria, with Hoffmann as his chief of staff. Hindenburg was also appointed as Supreme War Commander of the armies of the Central Powers, with nominal control of six million men. The British were unimpressed: General Charteris, Haig's intelligence chief, wrote to his wife “poor old Hindenburg is sixty-four years of age, and will not do very much.”[61] Contrary-wise, the German War Cabinet was impressed by his swift decisions. "Old man Hindenburg” ended the “Verdun folly“ and set in motion the "brilliant campaign" in Romania.[62]
Hindenburg and Ludendorff visited the Western Front in September, meeting the Army commanders and their staffs as well as their leaders: Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria, Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg and Crown Prince Wilhelm of Prussia. Both crown princes, with Prussian chiefs of staff, commanded Army Groups. Rupprecht and Albrecht were presented with field marshal's batons. Hindenburg told them that they must stand on the defensive until Romania was dealt with, meanwhile defensive tactics must be improved — ideas were welcome.[63] A backup defensive line, which the Entente called the Hindenburg Line, would be constructed immediately. Ludendorff promised more arms. Rupprecht was delighted that two such competent men had “replaced the dilettante ′Falkenhayn.”[64] Bauer was impressed that Hindenburg “saw everything only with the eye of the soldier.”[65]
Romania [ edit ]
Northern Bulgaria was defended by Germans, Austro-Hungarians, Bulgarians, and Ottomans formed as Army Group Mackensen,[66] German heavy artillery from Verdun was sent east. The Entente supported Romania by attacking from Macedonia, but were repelled. Mackensen seized the Romanian forts on the right bank of the Danube, while infantry and cavalry from the Western Front reinforced the Ninth Army in Hungarian Transylvania, which now was commanded by Falkenhayn (another of Hindenburg's prudent selections). In a month, he defeated the Romanian invaders at Hermannstadt and then in November thrust into Romania through passes in the Carpathian Mountains, while Mackensen crossed the Danube to cut off their retreat, but the Romanians moved swiftly, they and their Russian reinforcements formed a defensive line in Moldova after Bucharest fell on 6 December 1916. British saboteurs had time enough to burn the oil stores and to plug most of the wells. During the last months of the year the Russians continued vain assaults in Ukraine. In 1916 there were three Russian casualties on the Eastern Front for every two from the Central Powers and Russian morale was crumbling: “More than a dozen Russian regiments mutinied in the last weeks of 1916.”[67] About 12% of the German casualties that year were on the Eastern Front. In the autumn, the Entente began to push the Bulgarians back in Macedonia. On 11 October Army Group Otto von Below was formed there from the Bulgarians, twenty German battalions and an Ottoman corps; their new line held.
Bolstering defense [ edit ]
OHL issued a Textbook of Defensive Warfare that recommended fewer defenders in the front line relying on light machine guns, if pushed too hard they were permitted to pull back. Attackers who penetrated the front line entered a battle zone, in which they were machine gunned from scattered emplacements and shelled by the German artillery, who knew the ranges and location of their own strong points. Then infantry counterattacked, while the attacker's artillery was blind because they were unsure where their own men were. A reserve division was positioned immediately behind the line, if it entered the battle it was commanded by the division whose position had been penetrated. (Mobile defense was also used in World War II.) Responsibilities were reassigned to implement the new tactics: front-line commanders took over reserves ordered into the battle and for flexibility infantry platoons were subdivided into eight man units under a noncom.
Field officers who visited headquarters often were invited to speak with Hindenburg, who inquired about their problems and recommendations. At this time he was especially curious about the eight man units,[68] which he regarded as " the greatest evidence of the confidence which we placed in the moral and mental powers of our army, down to its smallest unit."[69] Revised Infantry Field Regulations were published and taught to all ranks, including at a school for division commanders, where they maneuvered a practice division. A monthly periodical informed artillery officers about new developments. In the last months of 1916 the British battering along the Somme produced fewer German casualties. Overall, “In a fierce and obstinate conflict on the Somme, which lasted five months, the enemy pressed us back to a depth of about six miles on a stretch of nearly twenty-five miles”[70] Thirteen new divisions were created by reducing the number of men in infantry battalions, and divisions now had an artillery commander. Every regiment on the western front created an assault unit of storm troopers selected from their fittest and most aggressive men.[71] An air arm under Lieutenant General Ernst von Höppner was responsible for both aerial and antiaircraft forces; the army's vulnerable zeppelins went to the navy. Most cavalry regiments were dismounted and the artillery received their badly needed horses.[72]
In October General Philippe Pétain began a series of limited attacks at Verdun, each starting with an intense bombardment coordinated by his artillery commander General Robert Nivelle. Then a double creeping barrage led the infantry into the shattered first German lines, where the attackers stopped to repel counterattacks.[73] With repeated nibbles by mid-December 1916 the French retook all the ground the Germans had paid for so dearly. Nivelle was given command of the French Army.
Headquarters routine [ edit ]
Hindenburg's day at OHL began at 09:00 when he and Ludendorff discussed the reports — usually quickly agreeing on what was to be done.[74] Ludendorff would give their staff of about 40 officers their assignments, while Hindenburg walked for an hour or so, thinking or chatting with guests. After conferring again with Ludendorff, he heard reports from his departmental heads, met with visitors and worked on correspondence. At noon Ludendorff gave the situation report to the kaiser, unless an important decision was required when Hindenburg took over. He lunched with his personal staff, which included a son-in-law who was an Army officer.[citation needed] Dinner at 20:00 was with the general staff officers of all ranks and guests — crowned heads, allied leaders, politicians, industrialists and scientists. They left the table to subdivide into informal chatting groups.[75] At 21:30 Ludendorff announced that time was up and they returned to work. After a junior officer summarized the daily reports, he might confer with Ludendorff again before retiring.
The Hindenburg program [ edit ]
Ludendorff and Bauer, who knew all the industrialists, set ambitious goals for arms production, in what was called the Hindenburg Programme, which was directed from the War Office by General Groener. Major goals included a new light machine gun, updated artillery, and motor transport, but no tanks because they considered them too vulnerable to artillery. To increase output they needed skilled workers. The army released a million men.[76] For total war, OHL wanted all German men and women from 15 to 60 enrolled for national service. Hindenburg also wanted the universities closed, except for medical training, so that empty places would not be filled by women. To swell the next generation of soldiers he wanted contraceptives banned and bachelors taxed.[77] When a Polish army was being formed he wanted Jews excluded.[78] Few of these ideas were adopted, because their political maneuvering was vigorous but inept, as Admiral Müller of the Military Cabinet observed “Old Hindenburg, like Ludendorff, is no politician, and the latter is at the same time a hothead.”[79] For example, women were not included in the service law that ultimately passed, because in fact more women were already seeking employment than there were openings.
The extent of his command [ edit ]
The Austro-Hungarian emperor Franz Joseph died on 21 November. At the funeral Hindenburg met his successor Charles, who was frank about hoping to stop fighting. Hindenburg's Eastern Front ran south from the Baltic to the Black Sea through what now are the Baltic States, Ukraine, and Romania. In Italy, the line ran from the Swiss border on the west to the Adriatic east of Venice. The Macedonian front extended along the Greek border from the Adriatic to the Aegean. The line contested by the Russians and Ottomans between the Black and Caspian Sea ran along the heights of the Caucasus mountains. He urged the Ottomans to pull their men off the heights before winter, but they did not, he believed this was because of their "policy of massacre of the Armenians"[80] and many froze. The front in Palestine ran from the Mediterranean to the southern end of the Dead Sea, and the defenders of Baghdad had a flank on the Tigris River. The Western Front ran southward from Belgium until near Laon, where it turned east to pass Verdun before again turning south to end at the Swiss Border. The remaining German enclaves in Africa were beyond his reach; an attempt to resupply them by dirigible failed. The Central Powers were surrounded and outnumbered.
1917 [ edit ]
Hindenburg and Ludendorff
Submarine warfare [ edit ]
Strengthening their army would take time: by the second quarter of 1917 the field army would have 680,000 more men in 53 new divisions[81] and the supply of the new light machine guns would be adequate. Field guns would have increased from 5,300 to 6,700 and heavies from 3,700 to 4,340. They tried to foster fighting spirit by 'patriotic instruction’ with lectures and films[82] to “ensure that a fight is kept up against all agitators, croakers and weaklings”.[83] Meanwhile, they were sure to be attacked before their buildup was complete. In the interim the pressure might be reduced if the Navy waged unrestricted submarine warfare, which they claimed would defeat the British in six months. The chancellor and his camp were opposed, not wanting to bring the United States and other neutrals into the war. After securing the Dutch and Danish borders, Hindenburg announced that unrestricted submarine warfare was imperative and Ludendorff added his voice. On 9 January the chancellor bowed to their unsound military judgments: underrating the United States and overrating their own navy.
OHL moved west to the pleasant spa town of Bad Kreuznach in southwest Germany, which was on a main rail line. The Kaiser's quarters were in the spa building, staff offices were in the orange court, and the others lived in the hotel buildings. In February a third Army Group was formed on the Western Front to cover the front in Alsace-Lorraine, it was commanded by Archduke Albrecht of Württemberg. Some effective divisions from the east were exchanged for less competent divisions from the west. Since their disasters of the previous year the Russian infantry had shown no fight and in March the revolution erupted in Russia. Shunning opportunity, the Central Powers stayed put — Hindenburg feared that invaders would resurrect the heroic resistance of 1812.
The great withdrawal and defending the Western Front [ edit ]
On the Western Front their huge salient between the valley of the Somme and Laon obviously was vulnerable to a pincer attack, which indeed the French were planning. The new Hindenburg line ran across its base. On 16 March they began Operation Alberich: moving out able-bodied inhabitants and portable possessions, destroying every building, all roads and bridges, cutting down every tree, fouling every well, and burning every combustible. In 39 days the Germans withdrew from a 1000 mi² (2,590 km²) area, more ground than they had lost to all Allied offensives since 1914.[84] The cautiously following Allies also had to cope with booby traps, some exploding a month later. The new front was 42 km (26 mi) shorter freeing-up 14 German divisions.
On 9 April the British attacked. At Arras led by tanks and a creeping barrage, they took the German first and second lines and occupied part of their third while the Canadians swept the Germans completely off the Vimy Ridge.. There was consternation at OHL, their new defense had failed. It was Ludendorff's birthday but he refused to come to the celebratory dinner. Hindenburg “pressed the hand of my First Quartermaster-General with the words, ‘We have lived through more critical times than to-day together’”[85] The British tried to exploit their opening with a futile cavalry charge but did not press further, because their attack was a diversion for coming French operations. In fact, their new defensive tactics had not been tested, because Sixth Army commander Ludwig von Falkenhausen had packed men in the front line and kept counterattack divisions too far back. He was replaced.
A week later the anticipated French offensive began, driving northward from the Aisne River, after six days of intensive shelling their infantry was led forward by 128 tanks, the first attack by massed tanks.[86] Nivelle knew that the Germans had captured his detailed plans several weeks before, but followed them nonetheless. The first two German lines were taken at heavy cost and the French slowly advanced 4 km (2.5 mi) as the defense fell back to their main line of resistance — it was far from Nivelle's promise of a first day's advance of 10 km (6.2 mi). The attacks ended in early May when many French regiments refused to attack. The Germans never learned the extent of their enemy's demoralization. Nivelle was replaced by Pétain.
The Ottoman and Eastern Fronts [ edit ]
The British captured Baghdad on 11 March. The Ottomans had been promised that their empire would be defended, so all their troops in Europe returned home and in May Falkenhayn was appointed to command Army group F comprising two Ottoman armies along with three German infantry battalions with some artillery; to impress the enemy it was called The Asiatic Corps. Falkenhayn realized it would be difficult to retake Baghdad, so he took over the defense of the Gaza line in Palestine, which the British broke through in November. To spare the city OHL ordered him not to defend Jerusalem, which was occupied in December.
The revolutionary Russian government led by Alexander Kerensky remained at war, attacking and pushing back the Austro-Hungarians in Galicia on 1 July. To counter this success, on 18 July after a hurricane bombardment by 136 batteries directed by Bruchmüller a Schwerpunkt of six German divisions from the west broke a gap in the Russian front, through which they sliced southward toward Tarnopol, thereby threatening to pocket the Russian attackers, who fled to save themselves; many of the demoralized Russian units elected committees to replaced their officers. At the end of August the advancing Central Powers stopped at the frontier of Moldavia. To keep up the pressure and to seize ground he intended to keep, Hindenburg shifted north to the heavily fortified city of Riga (today in Latvia) which has the broad Dvina River as a moat. On 1 September the Eighth Army, led by Oskar von Hutier, attacked; Bruchmüller's bombardment, which included gas and smoke shells, drove the defenders from the far bank east of the city, the Germans crossed in barges and then bridged the river, immediately pressing forward to the Baltic coast, pocketing the defenders of the Riga salient. Next a joint operation with the navy seized Oesel and two smaller islands in the Gulf of Riga. The Bolshevik revolution took Russia out of the war, an armistice was signed on 16 December.
The Reichstag peace resolution [ edit ]
Kaiser Wilhelm II and Hindenburg
Hindenburg detested Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg for dragging his feet about total and submarine warfare. Then in July the chancellor permitted the Reichstag to debate a resolution for peace without “annexations or indemnities”. Colonel Bauer and the Crown Prince rushed to Berlin to block this peril. The minister of war urged Hindenburg and Ludendorff to join them, but when they arrived the kaiser told them that “there could be no justification for their presence in Berlin”. They should “return in haste to Headquarters where they certainly would be much better occupied.”[87] They returned as ordered and then immediately telegraphed their resignations, which the kaiser declined. The crisis was resolved when the monarchist parties voted no confidence in Bethmann-Hollweg, who resigned. Ludendorff and Bauer wanted to replace both the kaiser and chancellor by a dictator, but Hindenburg would not agree.[88] Many historians believe that in fact Ludendorff assumed that role. The Reichstag passed a modified resolution calling for “conciliation” on 19 July, which the new chancellor Georg Michaelis agreed to "interpret".
The resolution became advantageous in August when the Pope called for peace. The German response cited the resolution to finesse specific questions like those about the future of Belgium. The industrialists opposed Groener's advocacy of an excess profits tax and insistence that workers take a part in company management.[89][90] Ludendorff relieved Groener by telegram and sent him off to command a division.
Hindenburg's 70th birthday was celebrated lavishly all over Germany, 2 October was a public holiday, an honor that until then had been reserved only for the Kaiser.[91] Hindenburg published a birthday manifesto, which ended with the words:
With God's help our German strength has withstood the tremendous attack of our enemies, because we were one, because each gave his all gladly. So it must stay to the end. ‘Now thank we all our God’ on the bloody battlefield! Take no thought for what is to be after the war! This only brings despondency into our ranks and strengthens the hopes of the enemy. Trust that Germany will achieve what she needs to stand there safe for all time, trust that the German oak will be given air and light for its free growth. Muscles tensed, nerves steeled, eyes front! We see before us the aim: Germany honored, free and great! God will be with us to the end!"[92]
Victory in Italy [ edit ]
Bavarian mountain warfare expert von Dellmensingen was sent to assess the Austro-Hungarian defenses in Italy, which he found poor. Then he scouted for a site from which an attack could be mounted against the Italians. Hindenburg created a new Fourteenth Army with ten Austro-Hungarian and seven German divisions and enough airplanes to control the air, commanded by Otto von Below. The attackers slipped undetected into the mountains opposite to the opening of the Soča valley. The attack began during the night when the defender's trenches in the valley were abruptly shrouded in a dense cloud of poison gas released from 894 canisters fired simultaneously from simple mortars. The defenders fled before their masks would fail. The artillery opened fire several hours later, hitting the Italian reinforcements hastening up to fill the gap. The attackers swept over the almost empty defenses and marched through the pass, while mountain troops cleared the heights on either side. The Italians fled west, too fast to be cut off. Entente divisions were rushed to Italy to stem the retreat by holding a line on the Piave River. Below's Army was dissolved and the German divisions returned to the Western Front, where in October Pétain had directed a successful limited objective attack in which six days of carefully planned bombardment left crater-free pathways for 68 tanks to lead the infantry forward on the Lassaux plateau south of Laon, which forced the Germans off of the entire ridge — the French Army had recovered.
The treaty with Russia [ edit ]
In the negotiations with the Soviet Government, Hindenburg wanted to retain control of all Russian territory that the Central Powers occupied, with German grand dukes ruling Courland and Lithuania, as well as a large slice of Poland. Their Polish plan was opposed by Foreign Minister Richard von Kühlmann, who encouraged the kaiser to listen to the views of Max Hoffmann, chief of staff on the Eastern Front. Hoffmann demurred but when ordered argued that |
might get torched by opposing players on the defensive end in his first year.
Power Forwards: A-
Welcome back, Kevin Love. You were maybe the biggest acquisition of the offseason.
Seriously, maybe the best offseason pickup was Love, who is the best power forward in the league when he's healthy. For the first time in a year, Love's body is feeling good and ready for basketball heading into the season. Wolves fans, you have the right to get excited once again.
Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports
Love is going to add stretch to an offense that lacked decent spacing for all of last year. When you have a point guard that doesn't shoot well, you better find a way to compensate for that on the offensive end. For the Wolves, Love is that way.
As for Love's backup, hasn't Derrick Williams become one of the more overly criticized players in the NBA? There is such a thing as being drafted by the wrong team. Maybe Williams is just one of those guys.
When Minnesota took Williams No. 2 overall a few years back, they figured he could eventually become a small forward, but that hasn't really happened. He's a 4 and he's staying a 4—and we all know he's not getting minutes over Kevin Love.
So that means Derrick Williams is stuck in Minneapolis purgatory. He can't get enough consistent minutes at power forward to get into any sort of groove. He can't develop any sort of comfort at a naturally uncomfortable small forward position. He's stuck.
Williams is still only 22 years old and pretty much all of his efficiency numbers got better last year. (Granted, he got to play a good amount of power forward with Love out for most of the season.) But aren't we being a little hard on Williams?
Just because he might not become an All-Star doesn't mean he can't be good. It can happen. Maybe this year.
Cunningham and Johnson round out the Wolves' power forwards. Cunningham, who is a fine third-string 4, can hit mid-range shots and is a capable defender.
Johnson, meanwhile, has athleticism on his side and while he probably won't see the floor much, he's someone who can play both the 4 and the 5 and could provide some depth and versatility if guys go down with injuries.
Centers: B-
Don't mess with Nikola Pekovic. Why would anyone ever mess with Nikola Pekovic?
If there were an NBA street fight, Anchorman style, isn't it supremely possible that the Wolves would win purely because Pek was on their side? Oh no, Ivan Johnson is scowling right at me. Next topic:
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Pek has never really played a full season and that's something to keep an eye out for. He's missed 56 games over his first three NBA seasons, and the injuries have happened consistently. He's missed between 17 and 20 games in each of those three years.
When Pek is healthy though, there aren't many other centers that can replicate what he does. He's arguably the best offensive rebounder in the NBA (no, no one has forgotten about Reggie Evans or Zach Randolph), and has turned into one of the league's best post scorers, as well.
The Wolves run into problems when you get to the backups. Ronny Turiaf is one of the best teammates in the league, but there's a reason that his personality is always the first thing any evaluator brings up when talking about his game.
Gorgui Dieng, meanwhile, is a rookie that has talent, but he's particularly raw offensively. He's a good athlete, but still hasn't figured out exactly how to use that athleticism.
Defensively, he's smart and knows where to be on the floor, but until he puts on some poundage, he might struggle guarding opposing centers in the post.
What to Watch For
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Breakout Player: Shabazz Muhammad
"Breakout" might be a little strong, but Muhammad is definitely someone who can exceed expectations in his first NBA season.
When Muhammad committed to UCLA as a high-school senior last year, he was the talk of the country, the No. 1 recruit in his class according to some reputable rankings. If he wasn't No. 1, he was No. 2 behind fellow incoming freshman Nerlens Noel. But last year's expectations should have nothing to do with this year's.
Muhammad was a disappointment at UCLA, but that doesn't mean he wasn't any good. He can still shoot, especially coming off screens, which is a skill that most Timberwolves lack. If the Wolves struggle as a shooting team again, Muhammad could be someone that gets 15 to 20 minutes a game off the bench and has some meaningful moments when he gets hot from beyond the arc.
Team MVP: Kevin Love
/Getty Images
Love is the best power forward in the NBA. When teams go to Minnesota, they have one major game plan in mind: Stop Kevin Love.
Even if Rubio makes "the leap" this year, point guard is the deepest position in the NBA and he still will need to improve as an efficient shooter. Pekovic is a major difference maker, but we're talking about Kevin Love here.
Last year, people forgot just how good of a player Love can be; this year is his chance to remind everyone.
Most Disappointing Player: Corey Brewer
Brewer can defend and he can contribute, but he's probably not someone you want playing more than 30 minutes a night in a conventional offense. The Nuggets were so quirky under George Karl last year that Brewer's performance may have been secretly inflated by playing in a system that catered perfectly to him.
Unless the Wolves run the floor more than expected and Brewer cuts down on the bad three-point shots, it might be hard for him to replicate last year's production in the upcoming year.
Player Most Likely to be Traded: Derrick Williams (honorable mention to Kevin Love)
Williams is out of place playing behind Love and he still has one more year on his deal after this season, a $6.3 million team option. That's a tradable contract if a team thinks that it sees something in the third-year forward that he hasn't superficially shown over his first two seasons.
Love, meanwhile, is the dark horse; granted, one of the darker horses out there. He's only under contract for one more season after this one (he has a player option for 2015-16) and if the Wolves get off to a bad start and know they won't be contending come playoff time, it might be wise to break it down and get a huge haul for a big-name player, who has been reportedly frustrated with the Timberwolves' organization for some time.
Biggest Rivalry: Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets
So you're telling me a rivalry with five other teams isn't really a rivalry at all. Well, conceptually, these are the teams that are most important when it comes to the Wolves making the playoffs.
The top six in the West is pretty set. The Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets will probably be the top seeds in some order come playoff time. That leaves six teams that have a chance to contend for the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds.
If the Wolves can win the majority of their games against the Lakers, Mavs, Pels, Blazers and Nuggets, they'll stand a good chance to grab one of those two seeds.
Best-Case, Worst-Case Scenarios with Predicted W-L Record
/Getty Images
Best-Case Scenario: 49-33, No. 7 seed in the Western Conference
If Rubio makes "the leap", Pekovic stays healthy, Love stays away from knuckle pushups and Martin maintains his efficiency from the perimeter, this is a realistic possibility—improbable, but realistic.
The West is so strong at the top, that it would be so incredibly unlikely for Minnesota to grab a seed of No. 6 of better, but the No. 7 seed isn't off limits. If Brewer and Budinger help a team that finished 12th in the NBA in defensive efficiency last season stay around that same number, the offense could improve enough to bump the Wolves to a near 50-win team.
Worst-Case Scenario: 36-46, miss the playoffs
If Pek's injury history holds up and he gets hurt again, the Wolves are in trouble. If Love isn't the same coming back from his injury, the Wolves are in trouble. If Rubio regresses simply by not progressing, the Wolves are in trouble.
If Brewer struggles to such a degree that he can't play major minutes, the Wolves are in trouble. If Budinger doesn't recover well from his meniscus injury, the Wolves are in trouble. If all of those things happen, the Wolves don't have a shot.
Predicted W-L Record: 45-37, No. 8 seed in the Western Conference
Ultimately, a healthy Timberwolves team is talented enough to make the playoffs, even with the losses of Luke Ridnour and Andrei Kirilenko. A few of the biggest flaws from last year will be improved, though they might not be all the way there just yet.
Even with Kirilenko gone, the defense will presumably get better with Brewer on the roster, and with Rubio and Budinger playing more games. Those guys can all make an impact on the defensive side of the ball and even if Minnesota struggles protecting the rim, the perimeter defenders could cut off a bunch of ball handlers before they even get to the paint.
As for three-point shooting, Martin can knock it down from long range. So can Budinger. So can Love. So can Muhammad.
Even if the Wolves aren't the best shooting team in the league, they can't get much worse than last in the league, and with those four guys now on the roster for the full season, they almost definitely will improve on that figure.
Rick Adelman is one of the better coaches in the NBA. He's just always had bad luck for some reason.
He could've had a good year last year, but the injury bug plagued the Wolves' entire roster. His teams in Houston were riddled with injuries. His 2001-02 Sacramento Kings' team came minutes away from getting to the NBA Finals.
Adelman has karma on his side. Minnesota has karma on its side. And maybe, just maybe, both of them can finally get a season they deserve.
Fred Katz averaged almost one point per game in fifth grade, but he maintains that his per-36 minutes numbers were astonishing. Find more of his work at RotoWire.com or on ESPN’s TrueHoop Network at ClipperBlog.com. Follow him on Twitter at @FredKatz.Sleep-deprived teenagers are more likely than their peers to develop drinking problems later in life, according to a study published Friday.
Researchers found that teenagers from the ages of 14 through 16 who had trouble falling asleep or staying asleep were nearly 50% more likely to binge-drink, NPR reports, and 14% more likely to drive drunk. Polls show that nearly half of adolescents don’t get the recommended eight-to-10 hours of sleep each night.
Sleeping patterns were also linked with alcohol issues later in life. Five years later, when the teens in the study reached college age, they were were 10% more likely to drive drunk.
“We’re not saying that sleep is the only risk factor for alcohol use,” says Maria Wong, a psychologist at Idaho State University. But “this study shows that sleep issues can actually precede and even predict alcohol use later on.”
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Each extra hour of sleep the teens got in the study corresponded with a 10 percent decrease in binge drinking, Wong said.
The findings are based on data collected from 6,500 adolescents and published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.
[NPR]
Contact us at [email protected] a move that serves as a capstone to Rep. Ron Paul’s colorful career, the House on Wednesday voted to have Congress‘ chief investigators conduct a full audit of the Federal Reserve’s shrouded decision-making process.
The overwhelming 327-98 vote sends the measure to the Senate, where Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, at one time expressed support for an audit — though he reportedly has changed his mind.
House passage already marks a high-water mark for those who for years have been pushing for an audit, led by Mr. Paul. The Texan rode the slogan “Audit the Fed” to prominence in two Republican presidential primary campaigns, and he said the bill is a chance for Congress to begin to reclaim the money and banking powers it is given in the Constitution, but had delegated to the Fed.
“It is up to us to reassert ourselves,” Mr. Paul said during floor debate Tuesday.
Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke doesn’t like the prospect of such a broad audit, calling it a “nightmare scenario” last week and saying it would lead to politicians second-guessing his decisions.
Opposition in Congress came chiefly from Democratic leaders, who said they doubt the bill ever becomes law — but worried about sending a signal to financial markets that lawmakers want to intervene in financial affairs.
“It seems to me what we’re talking about is taking some fake punches at the Federal Reserve but not doing anything serious,” said Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts, the ranking Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee.
Every top Democratic leader voted against the bill, including Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California and Whip Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, along with 95 other Democrats and one Republican, Rep. Robert L. Turner of New York.
“While I have serious concerns about the Fed’s actions during the financial crisis in 2008 and the monetary easing since then, Congress should not attempt to politicize what should be an independent institution,” said Mr. Turner.
He said the independent agency already publishes minutes from some meetings and releases its balance sheets to the public.
That wasn’t enough for 238 Republicans and 89 Democrats, who broke with their party leaders to create a powerful left-right coalition in favor of a full audit.
“The Fed wants to be spared a full audit,” said Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich, Ohio Democrat. “They want monetary deliberations private. They then use that privacy shield to keep irregularities from regulators and from congressional view, exposing investors and consumers to massive losses.”
The bill would grant the Government Accountability Office, which is Congress‘ chief investigative arm, the power to retroactively review the Fed’s decision-making — particularly on monetary policy.
Congress established the Federal Reserve nearly a century ago. The system, which consists of a board of governors and 12 regional banks, acts as lender of last resort to the country’s banking system, and it is charged with fighting inflation and with promoting economic growth and employment.
The interest rates it sets have a direct impact on the rates that banks charge consumers, but Congress shielded some of the board’s decision-making from view in order to give the agency independence.
Now, after the recent financial collapse, many lawmakers have begun to question the Fed’s decisions and want a closer look at why it has taken those steps.
Mr. Frank, though, said that giving the GAO powers to look at monetary policy is a precursor to Republicans trying to change the Fed’s mission overall to focus solely on monetary policy, not employment.
The bill marks a major win for Mr. Paul, who is retiring from Congress this year after 12 terms and three presidential runs — two as a Republican and one as the Libertarian Party nominee.
On the campaign trail in 2008 and again in 2012, his call to audit the Fed drew wild applause from his supporters, many of whom said they first discovered the maverick lawmaker because of his writings on monetary policy.
The House’s action will put pressure on Mr. Reid in the Senate, where a companion audit bill is sponsored by Mr. Paul’s son, Sen. Rand Paul, Kentucky Republican.
Senate Republicans have some methods that they could use to try to force a vote on the measure, too.
Mr. Reid’s office didn’t reply to a request for comment Wednesday.
Congress has approved more limited audits of the Fed in recent years. Following through on that, the GAO reported last year that the Fed repeatedly invoked emergency authority to expand its lending during the Wall Street crisis in 2008 and 2009, including major loans to prop up the housing market.
The audit also found that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, which had a major role in the lending, did not have sufficient controls to prevent conflicts of interest for its employees.
Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.Kepler, considered the highest-profile prospect to be signed out of Europe in baseball history, was signed as an amateur free agent in 2009 out of Berlin, Germany, for $800,000. At the time, the bonus was the highest in history to be signed by a free agent from Europe, although it was eclipsed by the $1.3 million bonus the Royals gave Marten Gasparini in 2013.
MINNEAPOLIS -- After helping Double-A Chattanooga win the Southern League championship on Monday night, Twins outfield prospect Max Kepler was rewarded by being called up to the big leagues for the first time in his career.
MINNEAPOLIS -- After helping Double-A Chattanooga win the Southern League championship on Monday night, Twins outfield prospect Max Kepler was rewarded by being called up to the big leagues for the first time in his career.
Kepler, considered the highest-profile prospect to be signed out of Europe in baseball history, was signed as an amateur free agent in 2009 out of Berlin, Germany, for $800,000. At the time, the bonus was the highest in history to be signed by a free agent from Europe, although it was eclipsed by the $1.3 million bonus the Royals gave Marten Gasparini in 2013.
Tweet from @Twins: #MNTwins call up Southern League Champion and Player of the Year, @Kepleroni, to join the Major League squad. pic.twitter.com/ClLefG9xhF
The 22-year-old hit his third postseason homer to help Chattanooga to the Southern League title with a 4-0 win over Biloxi on Monday and was told by Double-A manager Doug Mientkiewicz he was getting the call to the big leagues.
"I was speechless," said Kepler, who joined the Twins on Tuesday. "I was about to cry. I don't cry much but I was almost tearing up. I was able to celebrate with my team last night and it was amazing."
The left-handed-hitting Kepler ranks as the No. 6 prospect in the Twins' system and No. 99 in the game by MLBPipeline.com, thanks to a breakout season at Chattanooga in which he hit.322/.416/.531 with nine homers, 32 doubles, 13 triples and 18 stolen bases in 112 regular-season games.
The 6-foot-4 Kepler, who saw time in all three outfield spots and at first base, was named the Southern League's Most Valuable Player.
"It starts with confidence," Kepler said. "It made me see the ball better. Mechanically, I worked in a leg kick. Every day I just came out with the same mindset to stay positive even if I went 0-for-4 or 0-for-6."
Kepler is a career.281/.362/.445 hitter in 427 games in the Minors. He said he is active in trying to make baseball more popular in Germany such as holding baseball clinics in his hometown of Berlin.
"It's big," Kepler said. "Baseball is on the come up in Germany. It's growing. I'm just trying to do my best to have it evolve over there. I already heard everyone in Berlin was happy for me. They woke up and saw the news. So I'm trying to get more people to transfer from soccer to baseball overseas."
His mom, Kathy, made the trip from Berlin early on Tuesday to see him in the Majors, while his sister, Emma, flew in from Florida. His father, Marek, couldn't make the trip due to work commitments.
Kepler figures to see limited action in the outfield late this season, as he'll be mixed in with Aaron Hicks, Eddie Rosario, Torii Hunter and Byron Buxton.
"Given the circumstances with him coming here with 13 to go, I know a lot about him and talked to Doug and other people in our front office, but it's going to be tough to insert him in there into situations, especially in the short-term," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "But I know he can run and play defense and he can put together good at-bats vs. righties and lefties. So I'd like to get him exposed a little bit, but don't know how it'll play out."INTERVIEW | Intelligent Systems on building out the story, trying out new mechanics, and why marriage and kids didn't make it into the remake.
Kat Bailey By Kat BaileyEditor in Chief
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia was always meant to be a relatively quick project for Intelligent Systems and Nintendo.
As originally conceived, it was meant to fill the gap between Fire Emblem Fates and Fire Emblem for the Switch. Fire Emblem Gaiden was chosen because it would allow them to try some new things without being too tough to adapt.
But Intelligent Systems quickly realized that they had the opportunity to take the raw material of Gaiden and make it into something more. With that they dramatically expanded the story and refined the mechanics without sacrificing the map design and the difficulty. We were hard on them for some of their choices in our review of Fire Emblem Echoes, but there's no denying that they had a specific vision, and that they followed through on that vision.
The original Fire Emblem Gaiden was minimalist to say the least.
Read on for our interview with director Toshiyuki Kusakihara and Nintendo's Kenta Nakanishi on the challenges of remaking Fire Emblem Gaiden, what the new characters mean to the story, and how they plan to apply what they've learned to the future of the series.
USgamer: Why did you decide to remake Fire Emblem Gaiden?
Kenta Nakanishi: To be clear, we never thought of making a remake of Gaiden, but we wanted to make a remake. In 2015, after Fire Emblem Fates, people from [Intelligent Systems] came over and said that they wanted to produce a 3DS game with things they couldn't implement in Fire Emblem Fates. But at that time we were already considering perhaps making games for the Switch, so therefore we didn't have enough time. So it led us to think, "Okay, what can we make in this short amount of time?" And that's what led us to doing the remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden. One of the reasons we decided to remake Gaiden was that it wasn't made outside of Japan, and we wanted to feature that game. And we thought Fire Emblem Gaiden could introduce unique gameplay and also be very fresh and new for new players. So this will be the third game released on the 3DS, and I think we were able to provide something that was an evolving form of the two previous 3DS games. Also, because the new 2DS XL was coming out, it was perfect timing to release the game.
USG: What were some of the challenges of translating Fire Emblem Gaiden to the 3DS?
Nakanishi: When we were making the remake, we wanted both people who had played the original and people who had played Fire Emblem Fates to enjoy it. As a concept, we wanted to leave the unique features from the original game and the old systems that were implemented and be enjoyed by new players. One of the things that we definitely wanted to emphasize was the story and the scenario. This is because one of the things that was hardest to understand in the original was the story. The story in the game was explained in the manual, and therefore it was very hard for players to understand the story and the characters involved in the game. From Fire Emblem Fates and Awakening, we noticed that people really like the in-depth story and the characters, and players had great attachment to them. We thought in the remake that we could implement that as well.
Rinea: One of the new characters in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia.
USG: What were you trying to accomplish with new characters like Berkut and Rinea? I noticed that they very much play into a theme of 'royalty.'
Toshiyuki Kusakihara: We introduced the theme of royalty into the story because we wanted to deepen the world. By having this theme we thought it would be a good way to show how the difference in class affects how you think and how you act. Alm starts out as a commoner, and from that you can see how he challenges himself or how he sees the world.
USgamer: So in that context Berkut would be a natural foil for Alm.
Kusakihara: That is exactly correct. We made Berkut to be an opposite of Alm. Fire Emblem Echoes has many elements where there are two opposing views. One that comes to mind immediately is Alm and Celica: One of a girl, and one is a boy. One tries to resolve the war through power, the other through empathy and believing in others. As for Berkut, he was a force that was fighting against Alm when he was powering through his side of the story. This is just my personal thought, I was thinking perhaps that if Alm did grow up in the Rigelian Empire, he might turn into someone like Berkut.
USG: You changed a lot in Fire Emblem Echoes, but one thing that is kind of the same is the maps, which are quite a bit more open and maybe a bit simpler than they were in previous games. Why did you decide to keep the maps the way they were?
Nakanishi: As I mentioned before, I really wanted to focus on the unique features that were implemented in Gaiden. One of those things were the maps, and we didn't intend to change those maps. So to leave the unique features of Fire Emblem Gaiden, there were things like the bow user being able to shoot longer ranges and the magicians using HP to use magic. That kind of strategy is what I think makes Fire Emblem Gaiden very interesting. So this is definitely different from recent games like Fire Emblem Fates or Heroes, but we hope people will see this as unique or fresh.
Kusakihara: One thing when we were creating the maps... We noticed the maps in this game were very different in scale. Things like the bow as I mentioned were one of the things that changed. But in the original, castles and structures were expressed in one box, while in this game it was perhaps like... nine boxes. So I think, perhaps, people who developed this game wanted to focus more on the characters. Those features were what made Gaiden distinct, and we wanted to keep them in the game as well.
Shadows of Valentia puts more emphasis on grinding than most Fire Emblem games.
USgamer: Why did you decide to bring back Support conversations, but not marriage and children, which were in Fates and Awakening?
Nakanishi: We wanted to emphasize the scenario and focus on that. Fire Emblem Gaiden follows Alm and Celica, two very different heroes with different views. So let's say that you could have Alm and Celica marry. That would deter from the original story that was in Gaiden. On a sidenote, that was why we also didn't include avatars in this game--we wanted to focus on Alm and Celica's story. But we thought that the Support system was a good way to establish relationships, so that's why we decided to implement them for some of the characters.
USG: I've played a lot of Fire Emblem games, and this was probably the hardest one I've ever played. What are your thoughts on the difficulty?
Nakanishi: Fire Emblem Echoes is one of the games that is definitely very heavy in [roleplaying elements]. It has monsters and fantasy, but a big part of it is also raising your characters and your team. So if you go into dungeons and grind for XP, it will be much easier to face enemies later. And that's why I think this is very much an RPG. After the release in Japan, we heard both extremes-some people thought it was very easy, and some people thought it was very hard. So if you are getting a little frustrated, my suggestion would be to go raise your characters for experience. On the other hand, if you're a player that's looking for a challenge, I would advise that you don't grind and keep going. Also, there are some things that you can only get if you finish quickly, so I hope you can enjoy those elements in the game as well.
USgamer: You said the name Fire Emblem Echoes was chosen very carefully. Does that mean more remakes are coming in the future?
Nakanishi: Nothing that we can share right now, and nothing particular comes to mind. But as you probably already noticed, Echoes means'reflecting from the past.' So I do think that going on forward, if we were to make more remakes, 'Echoes' is a really good name to use.
Intelligent Systems wants to revisit growth rates for the future.
USG: In revisiting Fire Emblem Gaiden is there anything that you kind of learned from your experience that could see yourself applying to future games?
Kusakihara: Originally this game was for the Famicom, and since it was a small-sized game, we thought it would be easy. But as it turned out, there were a lot of maps, and the developers behind it had a lot of detailed thoughts behind the parameters of the game. So implementing things like that and trying to transition it over to the remake was a bit hard.
Nakanishi: We definitely wanted to make a game that people who have played the original game would enjoy, but also people who were new to the franchise. So it was definitely a learning experience evaluating what to leave in and what to take out. This is just based on the feedback in Japan, but it seems like Echoes is definitely resonating with both the original gamers who played the original but also new players as well. We definitely do notice that players who say, 'I wish that this were in here,' so we've taken those comments and we hope to reflect that in the games going forward.
USG: Can you give me an example of something you would leave because you thought it worked extremely well in Shadows of Valentia?
Nakanishi: One of the things we want to improve on in the future is the growth rate of the characters. We changed the growth rate by two times or three times from the original; but we've heard feedback that it wasn't enough, so that's something we will keep in mind for the future. In Fire Emblem Echoes the characters can become many different characters from villager to mercenary to archer, and we thought this was what we could do at the most. But perhaps there's more room to consider more options in the future.
USG: Would you consider bringing back Mila's Turnwheel for a future game?
Kusakihara: We introduced Mila's Turnwheel because we wanted to make the simulation part interesting. In a lot of the past titles there have been moments where you would get stuck or make mistakes and have to reset, but Mila's Turnwheel definitely alleviates that frustration, and I think it works well. But as for Mila's Turnwheel specifically, we would have to determine the theme of each game, so I think it would determine the theme of the game we would work on.
USgamer: What have the last three games meant for the series?
Nakanishi: We have been talking about how this game is a remake, but it is a 3DS title, and it is a third one, and it has definitely evolved from the previous ones. In North America, it's never been released, so to players it will be a completely different experience and we hope they will enjoy it. The last three games have been played by a lot of people, and we're very grateful for that. You may also know that [a new Fire Emblem] is also going to be released on the Switch, and that it's going to be looking beautiful with great graphics, so we hope you will look forward to that as well.Welcome to the Music Roundtable, a blatant rip-off of TV Club’s TV Roundtable feature. Here, music writers and fans discuss recent reissues, hot new releases, or just records we like. For this installment, we’re talking about Ride’s Nowhere, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in October.
Annie Zaleski: With a few notable exceptions, I’m pretty blasé about band reunions at this point, but the return of Ride has been a high point of my 2015. I don’t even remember how I became a massive fan—I imagine I heard the unimpeachable “Vapour Trail” at some point and then just kept going from there—but by the early 2000s, I was hunting down import box sets and writing features about band members Andy Bell and Mark Gardener. Thankfully, Ride’s reunion lived up to my admittedly high expectations: When I saw the band live in early October, they were not only incredibly loud, but also incredibly life-affirming.
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In a nice coincidence, 2015 also marks the 25th anniversary of Ride’s debut, Nowhere, which is being reissued and packaged as Nowhere25, with a DVD of the band’s March 1991 London concert. (For completists, this is the 15-track version of Nowhere that was originally reissued in 2001, with the Today Forever EP tacked on after the main album.) Listening to the record again in recent weeks, I noticed how timeless it sounds. Sure, the band’s influences are easy to spot: “Kaleidoscope” feels of a piece with late-’80s U.K. indie-pop; the title track has doom-filled post-punk underbelly; “Seagull” boasts a prominent ’60s psych-pop influence; and “Taste” has a jangly, ’80s-power-pop vibe.
But the members of Ride aren’t slavishly ripping off any of these genres or eras, just simply using them as source material or inspiration for their own songwriting. That’s why I’ve always bristled when Ride is solely considered a shoegaze band: Not only did the band sound quite different from others lumped into the same movement, but its music was always far more complex than this narrow label implied. On Nowhere, this variety felt completely unselfconscious, too—it’s not like the band deliberately set out to create this new musical template or reference past classics.
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I interviewed Gardener again recently, and asked him what he recalled about recording Nowhere. Among other things, he laughed and noted that he realized “looking back on it now, there’s quite a few references to dying.” He’s not wrong: When I listened closely, the record’s underlying melancholy and free-floating anxiety also stood out. There’s the obvious moments—I mean, “Decay” has the ominous lyric, “We die”—and more subtle things: “Dreams Burn Down,” from its skyscraping drum intro to its distortion cyclones, conveys a sense of crumbling optimism and acceptance of a bleak future.
Ken, what was your take on Nowhere when you gave it a listen again? What sorts of influences and references did you take from it? Does it sound like a debut album? And does Ride get misunderstood because they were given a shoegaze tag?
Kenneth Partridge: It does sound like a debut, but it’s that rare first album that’s fully realized and fairly different from anything that came before. For anyone who, like me, discovered Ride late (well after the band had broken up and a new generation of pedal-stomping American kids had helped to get its name back in circulation) it’s easy to take a lot of these sonic touchstones for granted. It’s classic shoegaze in the sense that it’s noisy as hell yet stunningly beautiful, but I think it’s important to remember the chronology. Most of the bands to which Ride gets compared (Slowdive, Swervedriver, Chapterhouse, etc.) released their debut albums after Nowhere. Putting aside American influences like Sonic Youth and some of the U.K. acts that skewed more dream-pop, you can say the only shoegazers that really preceded Ride were The Jesus And Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine, both of whom did the ugly-pretty thing in completely different ways.
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Bell and Gardener never affect that black-leather Ramones/Velvets cool the Mary Chain had, and even at its most abrasive and disorienting—the industrial-strength guitar shrieking in “Dreams Burn Down”—Nowhere is prettier, more straightforward, and to my ears, more vulnerable than My Bloody Valentine’s Isn’t Anything.
To that last point, Annie, you mentioned hearing ’80s-era U.K. indie in these songs, and I think that comes across in the words as well as in the music. Bell’s lyrics sound like the ramblings of a really confused, really sensitive teenage stoner, and that somehow fits with the all-or-nothing bigness of the music. A line like “She had dust on her hands from the sky / she said I touched a cloud,” which was inspired by a quote from a J.D. Salinger story, would sound silly if the band didn’t back up the melodrama with this dynamic guitar music from outer space.
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My only gripe with Nowhere is that you never really feel like you get to know Bell or Gardener. There are all these songs about birds and dreams and the sky, but there’s not a whole lot of personality—not like the Mary Chain, and certainly not like The Cure and The Smiths, who Bell has cited as major influences. Jason, do you think Ride does enough on Nowhere to make you want to come back for more? As it happens, 1992’s Going Blank Again is excellent, too, but you can make the case that Nowhere is the only Ride record you need, and that the band defined a genre without really defining its motivations or giving fans anything more than vague and angsty poetry set to epic guitar sounds. Then again, vague and angsty poetry set to epic guitar sounds might be enough, no? Even taking My Bloddy Valentine’s Loveless into account, did anyone really do shoegaze better than this?
Jason Heller: I was pretty obsessed with reading the NME and devouring import EPs from England when I was 18 or so—which would have |
to help relieve symptoms of a sinus infection (sinusitis) you should drink plenty of water, inhale steam and use a humidifier, take hot, steamy showers, use mentholated preparations such as Vicks Vapor Rub, and iIrrigate the sinuses once or twice a day using a Neti pot or Sterile Saline Mist Spray. Use only distilled water in your Neti-Pot. Do not use tap water in a Neti-Pot because it has caused serious infections.
Over-the-counter (OTC) expectorants, decongestants, cough suppressants, nasal steroid sprays, and pain relievers can help alleviate symptoms. Prescription medications used for the treatment of sinusitis include intranasal or oral steroids. Antibiotics may be prescribed to help prevent complications, relieve symptoms, and reduce the risk of chronic sinusitis. Sinus surgery is a last resort for those who do not respond to medications.
How to prevent a sinus infection
Prevention of a sinus infection depends upon its cause, but the prognosis for sinus infections is usually good when treated promptly. Those with chronic sinusitis may have recurring bouts if there are structural or allergic causes.Cleaning out my fridge after Hurricane Irma got me thinking about two things: generators, and how fridges are like coaching staffs.
You buy a new fridge. You stock it with groceries. That fridge works great and you eat what looks good. You replace the items you eat.
And sometimes, those groceries nobody in your family wanted or remembered to eat will spoil and go to waste. Maybe you had planned to eat them, or thought your spouse or kids would. Stuff happens.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that the idea was bad at the time of purchase. We’ve all thought about making cauliflower rice at some point in an effort to be healthier, only to let it sit for a few weeks and go bad.
So you toss it out. You wipe down the shelf where it left some juice behind.
But what happens if you don’t notice the items rotting in the fridge?
Or what if you overvalue loyalty and stability so much that you’re in month eight of fridge ownership, have never, ever thrown out an item gone bad, and the only way items leave your fridge is if they get eaten? What if all the stale, moldy, rotten items are allowed to stay?
After a while, you will run out of shelf space. The items who have outlasted their expiration date are still there, piling up.
And worse yet, the moldy groceries begin to infect the remaining good items in the fridge. The whole fridge is at risk of becoming contaminated.
That’s gross. And whomever you’re serving your food to is not going to want it. Especially if they were aware that the issue existed the last time you hosted dinner. And their butts won’t be in the seats at your dinner table again until they’re sure the issue is fixed.
So what do you do? You grab the two or three items you’re sure aren’t contaminated, put them in a cooler so they don’t spoil, throw out everything that is questionable, and give the fridge a good bleaching.12 shares
Saying Virat Kohli is going through a purple patch could be an understatement. After all, his teammate Yuvraj Singh exclaimed that Kohli was in the form of his life since ages when he was asked about his rich vein of form. Rightly so, there has hardly been a blip in his performance, never a moment when you felt he was out of sorts. On a day when runs were there for the taking, he would take them with both hands, and on days when they were tough to come by, he would grind it out, understand the situation, tweak his game accordingly and come out trumps at the end of it. A stronger, fitter, mature and mentally fresher Kohli was a result of an assessment and understanding of his own game that was only yielding him good results.
“I am happy I am contributing at the right times for the team,” Virat told BCCI.TV after helping India to a series win in the Asia Cup final. “There were a lot of speculations about me when I took rest for the tour against Sri Lanka. There were all sorts of articles and things written about me questioning whether it was a right move to rest at that point of time. There was a lot of negativity around that decision that was made, but I knew that mentally I needed a break and needed to refresh myself and comeback and do the same thing over and over again.
“Good habits are really hard to create and once you get them, you need to be in full flow and continue them day in and day out. I think that break really helped me focus again and continue what I did in Australia. I am really glad I could contribute in all the games here.”While batting, under that helmet, is a thinking brain that’s analyzing every move of the opposition on the field, calculating the field angles, the gaps and also the amount of power that needs to be thrust into each shot. Kohli delved into details of his assessment of field settings and the importance of the same while batting. “It is very important to assess the field,” he began to explain. “I have seen people mark fielders on the ground and I never understood why till I actually started paying attention to these minute details. As a batsman, you actually calculate how far you can hit the ball from the fielder. If you hit it really well, even 10 meters is good enough distance to beat the fielder even if the fielder moves sideways or has some kind of lateral movement on the field.“It is very important to judge where the fielders are so that you can pick your gaps and execute what you want to. You have a clearer plan when you know where the fielders are and you can hit the ball in the gaps rather than just taking a risk and trying to hit over the line. Hitting the ball over the line is a chance you take, but once you are hitting the gaps, it is very important to know where the fielder is standing.”The cricketing know-how believes that it is a very mature game that Kohli is playing at the moment. Even captain MS Dhoni was in awe of Kohli’s ability to read situations to perfection. Sunday night was one such example when Kohli, who would often take center stage, understood when to play second fiddle. “I knew that I am hitting the ball pretty well, so I just needed to stick in there. My job was to hang in there and let Shikhar Dhawan do what he does best which is to attack the bowlers. I think that is where a little bit of experience counts where you understand the situation. You realise that once a guy is going really good at the other end, you just rotate the strike and hit the odd boundary in between so that he doesn’t feel pressure.“I think Shikhar played himself in really nicely. My only aim was to keep going at the other end so that the run-rate doesn’t stop. I had to understand my role. Once Shikhar got towards the end of his innings, I hit two or three boundaries which released pressure for us. Then MS Dhoni came in and did what he does best. He is the best finisher in the world. All in all, it was a wonderful game.”Elaborating further on the importance of Dhawan’s match-winning innings, Kohli said, “Shikhar is someone who always strikes the ball really well and it is just a matter of one innings for him and you can see what he can do once he gets into form. We saw that in the World Cup last year where his run of form was unbelievable. He is a big match player.We are banking on him in the T20 World Cup. He has played really well in the IPL, he knows all the grounds and the angles, conditions and the pitches and he has played against all the bowlers from all the teams. I am really happy with his Man of the Match performance. It was absolutely wonderful batting from him and I am glad to see that he took the team to a situation from where we could not lose. Hats off to him for the way he played.”India are carrying with them some serious T20 form into the T20 World Cup. The batsmen are firing well and the bowlers with a mix of youth and experience, have put up notable performances of late. Virat believed the team was in good stead ahead of the ICC World T20.“It is important that everyone stays confident and everyone stays in form. Last few games we saw Yuvraj Singh playing crucial knocks. Suresh Raina is always a dangerous player in T20 cricket, Rohit Sharma has been magnificent and MS Dhoni knows his job more than anyone else. Hardik Pandya is a beautiful striker and now Shikhar is back in form. I am striking it decently as well. Everyone going into the T20 World cup is feeling good and confident and hopefully we can keep things simple and continue this winning momentum forward. The boys have played some really good cricket and it has been wonderful to be a part of such magnificent run of form for the whole team.”The Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov is most commonly used for carrying, deploying, recovering and arming groups of aircraft, but occasionally it can be used by the Russian Navy sailors aboard to play a pick-up game of hockey. During their free time, the Russian Navy enjoys playing a little hockey, and the Global Defense Journal recently put together a pretty awesome video showing the sailors playing roller hockey on the aircraft.
We know how much the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin loves the game of hockey, playing with Ovi, Malkin, Bure and Mogilny in the past, so we're not very surprised this type of activity is allowed on the Russian aircraft carriers. We recall a year Putin notched 8 goals in a game, which is not an easy feat.
(H/T Global Defense Journal)Mitt Romney outraged environmental activists on Sunday, telling NBC's David Gregory, "I'm not in this race to slow the rise of the oceans or to heal the planet," during an interview on "Meet the Press."
"The reason I'm in this race is to help people," Romney said. "I'm not in this race to slow the rise of the oceans or to heal the planet. I'm in this race to help the American people."
Romney made similar remarks during his speech at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., last month, where he declared to a cheering crowd, "President Obama promised to begin to slow the rise of the oceans and to heal the planet. My promise... is to help you and your family."
Romney's RNC remarks sparked outrage among many climate activists, although some supporters argued that Romney was taking a simple dig at President Barack Obama. In his 2008 speech at the Democratic National Convention, Obama said, "We will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment... when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal."
Environmental activists condemned Romney's remarks on "Meet the Press." Climate scientist Michael Mann, author of "The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars," wrote in an e-mail to The Huffington Post, "It is disconcerting that a major party presidential candidate would show such wanton disregard for the health of our environment. Mr. Romney says he wants to 'help the American people.' Yet he mocks concern over human-caused climate change, arguably the greatest threat humanity has ever faced."
Daniel Kessler, spokesperson for climate campaign 350.org, said it was ironic that Romney wants to help Americans, but not the planet Americans inhabit.
"Mr. Romney can crack all the jokes that he wants to, but his cynicism won't solve the problem," Kessler wrote to HuffPost. "Half of the country is in drought, and NASA and says it's linked to climate change. If Mr. Romney finds that funny, then I think it's appropriate for people to question his leadership and commitment to truly helping the American people."
Romney's stance on anthropogenic climate change has wavered over the years. He recently acknowledged that humans contribute to global warming, but added "there remains a lack of scientific consensus."
The 2012 Republican platform mentions "climate change" once, to downplay the issue's severity. The 2012 Democratic platform addresses climate change as "one of the biggest threats of this generation," although climate activists have criticized the platform as weaker on climate legislation than the party's 2008 platform.
Obama challenged the RNC and Romney at the Democratic National Convention with his declaration that "Climate change is not a hoax."
"More droughts and floods and wildfires are not a joke," Obama said in his speech. "They’re a threat to our children’s future."
Reports suggest that climate change will bring more droughts, wildfires and worsening storms.I was at the park with my daughter the other day and we started counting the people who were walking past while looking at their phones. The numbers skewed high because it was hipster Brooklyn and on a relatively empty street where pedestrians didn”t have to worry about collisions, but my God what a sight. Eight out of ten people were doing it. This includes a group of guys where several different members of the group were not engaged in the group’s conversation and were instead checking their phones while walking.
I hate these people and whenever I”m pushing a stroller I like to charge straight at them in a game of chicken they don”t know they”re playing. If I”m riding my bike, I like to go within a puppy hair of clipping them in a desperate attempt to scare them straight. If they”re crossing the street against the light and forcing me to slow my car, I can”t resist yelling, “Get off your fucking phone!” This is met with derision 100% of the time, though that might be a New York thing.
The most horrifying thing about this disturbing trend is I”m part of it. While my daughter and I were counting the phone walkers, I was trying to photograph them with my phone. I think I even tweeted about it. Sometimes, when my kids are doing something cute, I don”t notice because I”m looking at pictures of them on my phone.
I had some success with the #NoWanks movement and it’s time we applied the same logic to our addiction to social media. Here are ten ways you can attain #PhoneFreedom.
“Sometimes, when my kids are doing something cute, I don”t notice because I”m looking at pictures of them on my phone.”
(1) GET A SPONSOR
One of the reasons I”ve been so successful with #NoWanks is I can call the cofounder Dante Nero whenever I”m struggling or have passed a milestone. A brief “Don”t give up” response from an “It’s been almost two weeks” text is often all you need to keep your hands out of your pajamas.
It won”t be hard to find another phone zombie to join you on this quest, and he’s not just there for the bad times. When you accomplish something like drink three beers at a bar without checking your phone, let him know. You can do this the next time you”re at your computer catching up on your various tasks. As my colleague Scott Locklin says, “If there is something very important happening on the Internets, maybe you should stay home and use a real computer to find out about it.”
(2) TALK TO THE BARTENDER
Bar culture isn”t just about drinking alcohol. It’s a men’s club where we vent about the pressures of work and family. That’s why they have names such as Dad’s Change of Pace.
Today when I go to a bar, it’s not unusual for every single patron to be looking at his phone as the barmaid goes through hers. I do it too but I shamefully hide it under the bar. As Eric Garner said, “This ends today.” Ask the bartender how her love life is. Ask her why Fireballs are so popular and when that all started. Soon, another patron will chime in. Now we”re having a conversation. Now we”re getting our lives back. If nobody takes the bait, suck it up and stare. That’s what men have done in bars for centuries and it was a beautiful thing.
Also, if a friend keeps looking at his phone while you”re at the bar, discourage him with a gentle nudge like “Oh, we”re checking our phones now?” The next time he suggests you grab a beer say, “Not if you”re going to be checking your phone the whole time.” In AA, they discourage you from hanging around with “enablers.” We”re the same way.
Oh, and one more thing: If you”re on a date and she goes to the bathroom, do not pull out your phone. That says, “I”d rather be on social media,” and it’s insulting. We”re at the point where it’s unusual to see millennials on a date who are not checking their phones the whole time. Einstein warned us this would happen when he said, “I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.”
(3) TEXT
If you think of something hilarious and you absolutely must get it down before you forget, ask yourself if a friend would enjoy this joke. Why entertain strangers when you can be fostering relationships with people who like you? Friends used to help us move or provide a shoulder to cry on or give good advice tailored to our personalities. Now we ask strangers to do the same things. That’s retarded. From now on, you may not tweet, Instagram, or Facebook anything that would be better suited to someone you know personally.
Texting is still using your phone, but it’s using it in a finite universe. Narrowing 7 billion people down to around ten is a good stepping-stone to a phone-free life.
(4) DOES THIS MOMENT MEET THE CRITERIA?
If you could possibly benefit from not using your phone, you may not use your phone. However, there are some occasions where we will allow it. If you”re a production assistant on a shoot, for example, you work in short bursts and are expected to sit quietly for a lot of ten-minute spans. That’s too short to get into a book, so fine, we”ll allow a scroll through some random garbage from strangers.
Another time your phone is helpful is commuting to work in a disgusting and loud city like New York. Listening to a podcast makes this bearable because the only thing you”re missing out on is suffering. Reading news articles during your commute is also allowed, though no phone calls on the train are permitted, ever.
(5) STOP MAKING EXCUSES
When addicts are confronted with rehab on the show Intervention, they always have some lame excuse for not going, like “What about Robert?” or “Who is going to pay my gas bill?” Robert’s the junkie who got you hooked and you haven”t paid your gas bill in months.
I find myself making excuses to myself like “I need to promote projects” or “I need it to take pics of the kids” or “What if I”m getting sued?” One social-media post per project is sufficient, we all have way too many pictures of our kids, and no emergency changes in a 24-hour time span.
Pay to Play - Put your money where your mouth is and subscribe for an ad-free experience and to join the world famous Takimag comment board.Numerous men accused of egregious sexual misconduct all have something in common — and it’s not a shared crisis publicist or luxurious Arizona rehab center.
Powerful men forcing women to watch them masturbate is a recurring accusation made against disgraced Hollywood players like Louis C.K., Harvey Weinstein, producer Brett Ratner and director James Toback.
The obvious violation aside, the act begs larger questions about the conscious and unconscious motives behind it. Assault, as we’ve seen in recent weeks and heard over decades in casting couch scenarios, typically involves unwanted touching of the victim (in the best of circumstances).
Also Read: Louis CK Accused of Sexual Misconduct by 5 Women
The forced masturbation move may be widely reported of late, but it’s still bizarre and shocking to hear.
“To whip your penis out and masturbate, it’s highly problematic and inappropriate in every single realm you can imagine. But if you’re dealing with a personality that believes they’re above the rules, as so many of these cases seem to be, you start operating on a continuum where rape and assault is on one end,” Chris Donaghue, a PhD in human sexuality and author of “Sex Outside the Lines,” told TheWrap.
“The thinking is, ‘If I don’t actually touch this person, and put my penis in or on them, I haven’t done anything wrong.’ There’s a misconception that assault is physical, but it’s not just that. It’s emotional and psychological, and that can be worse, ” Donaghue said.
Licensed sex and family therapist Natalie Finegood Goldberg said the shock value of the act asserts a deep control over the victim, and subsequently brings a deeper demonstration of power.
Also Read: Brett Ratner Accused of Sexual Misconduct by 6 Women Including Olivia Munn, Natasha Henstridge
“It is a ‘passive’, yet very active [and] aggressive, way of asserting one’s dominance and sexuality over another person. The witness is caught in a moment of powerlessness — someone else’s sexuality is being forced on them,” Finegood Goldberg said.
Weinstein ejaculated into a potted plant in front of reporter Lauren Sivan, she said, while giving her a “tour” of a Manhattan restaurant a decade ago. Actress Olivia Munn recalled an instance with Ratner to the LA Times, when he masturbated in front of her with “shrimp cocktail in one hand.”
“And before I literally could even figure out where to escape or where to look, he ejaculated,” Munn said. She had been asked to drop some food off at the director’s trailer, and didn’t know he would be there.
“Black and White” director Toback has been accused of masturbating and ejaculating on several women, and just today C.K. joined their ranks accused of the same.
Also Read: Oscar-Nominated Filmmaker James Toback Accused of Sexual Harassment by 30-Plus Women
Comedy duo Dana Min Goodman and Julia Wolov told the New York Times that C.K. invited them to his hotel room, and immediately “proceeded to take all of his clothes off, and get completely naked, and started masturbating.”
Reinforcing Donaghue’s theory about assault being physical, Finegood Goldberg said that men who only expose their genitals think they’re volunteering their own sexuality and “anything that happens after that is beyond their culpability.”
Alexandra Katehakis, the clinical director of The Center For Healthy Sex, thinks the masturbation move serves to inspire fear in women.
“Typically we think of this kind of behavior as rageful behavior. It’s not necessarily about sex at all. It’s designed specifically to scare a female. Typically women don’t’ exhibit themselves to men, and if they do they’re not going to call the police,” Katehakis said.
Also Read: Is Rehab Center Linked to Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein the Real Deal?
“That male most likely has issues with women where he feels sexually inadequate,” she added.
Even the accused perpetrators of this behavior may not be immune to why they engage in it.
“He told me he had issues,” Corry said of C.K., after she admonished him in a dressing room after he asked to masturbate in front of her, she told the Times.
Motives may vary for the lewd act but the outcome is singular for the victim, said Dr. Jennifer A. Drobac of Indiana University’s Robert H. McKinney School of Law.
“It’s devastating to the victim, demeaning, shames the victim, may wonder if it’s something she did to attract this violent attention. She may feel shame and disgust,” Drobac said.
“She will probably be afraid because her space and her safety have been violated,” she said.THINKING AHEAD
A large, feisty group of conservatives are advising Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan to forego a lame duck session at the end of this year. The 75-member group warns that voters are wary of sly deals and last minute melodrama, advising in an open letter, “At a time when the American people’s trust in their government is near an all-time low, the Republican-led Congress should demonstrate exemplary behavior by completing its work before the November elections so that voters can judge all the legislators on the basis of the votes they have cast.”
The signers to the lengthy letter include Reagan stalwarts Ed Meese and Becky Norton Dunlop, media watchdog Brent Bozell, Citizens United president David Bossie, Less Government president Seton Motley and American Values president Gary Bauer, among many. They have anther point.
“The Republican-led Congress must not provide President Obama with an additional opportunity to enact his agenda of progressive social engineering programs and job-killing economic policies before he leaves office,” they write. “A lame duck session would be his swan song: he can be expected to leave no arm untwisted, no threat unmade, no quid un-quod, to get his dream-policies enacted, his liberal judges confirmed, and his international agreements approved.”
The missive was organized by the Conservative Action Project, founded in 2008 by the aforementioned Mr. Meese.
“By making it absolutely clear that there will not be a lame duck session, the Republican leaders in Congress will encourage all members of Congress to complete the people’s work in an orderly manner before the elections, putting an end to the unfortunate practice of recent years of governing by manufactured ‘cliffs and crises’ at the end of the year,” they reason.
Find the entire letter here.
SENDING THEM HOME
Welcome aboard? “American taxpayers are forking out more than $300,000 every day to deport illegal immigrants on commercial flights and even on private jets. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spent $116 million in 2015 to transport 235,413 people in the United States illegally back to their home countries,” reports Wills Robinson, a Daily Mail reporter who obtained the numbers through a Freedom of Information Act request. “More than 40 per cent of those who had violated visa restrictions were convicted criminals while more than 1,000 were identified as gang members,” he notes.
In addition, Mr. Robinson found the average cost of every immigrant in 2015 was $12,213, which includes apprehension, detention, court appearances and deportation. “To remove an illegal immigrant costs an average of $1,962,” he says. The cost includes both ground and air fares via commercial flights or private hired jets — including a fancy Gulfstream IV.
“This is insane,” David Williams, president of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, told the Mail.
TRUMPVILLE: MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA
Back-to-back Monmouth University polls released Thursday have voter news in two states.
“Donald Trump’s sizable lead in Maryland’s GOP primary puts him on track to claim all 38 delegates available,” predicts one poll, which found that 47 percent of likely Republican primary voters in the state support him, compared to 27 percent who favor Gov. John Kasich and 19 percent who intend to vote for Sen. Ted Cruz.
Meanwhile, a second Monmouth poll reveals that Mr. Kasich — who was born in Pennsylvania — still loses to Mr. Trump in the state. “Native son status amounts to zilch for Kasich,” the survey declares. It found that 44 percent of likely GOP primary voters in Pennsylvania support Mr. Trump, 28 percent back Mr. Cruz and 23 percent Mr. Kasich.
“It looks like Trump should be able to bank the 17 statewide delegates in Pennsylvania. The real question is how the directly elected district delegates will vote at the convention in July,” notes Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute.
CRUZ CONTROL
National Review columnist Jonah Goldberg believes that Sen. Ted Cruz “is the likely choice” at the GOP national convention in July.
“I wouldn’t say that the GOP is falling in love with Ted Cruz, but maybe it’s falling in like,” Mr. Goldberg writes, adding, “Like Perseus pulling Medusa’s head out of a sack to petrify his enemies, Cruz has been able to dangle the prospect of a President Trump to strike fear in the hearts of even his biggest detractors.”
WEEKEND CANDIDATE TRACKER
Our presidential candidates are mostly circulating in New York. The exception is Hillary Clinton, who will be in Los Angeles on Saturday for a public appearance and an afternoon fundraiser; this follows a star-studded fundraiser hosted by George Clooney on Friday night in San Francisco where ticket prices reached $353,400 a couple. Sen. Bernard Sanders will remain in the boroughs of New York City, where he has been for much of the week, campaigning through Monday with his own celebrity following, which includes Danny Glover, Danny DeVito, Spike Lee and Tim Robbins.
Sen. Ted Cruz is also in New York — way up in Binghamton, appearing at a forum hosted by Fox News host Sean Hannity, followed by appearances in Rochester, and Evansville, Indiana. Gov. John Kasich is in Watertown and Utica, Donald Trump in Plattsburgh, Syracuse and Hartford for a trio of his signature jumbo rallies.
THINKING AHEAD
A large, feisty group of conservatives are advising Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speak Paul Ryan to forego a lame duck session at the end of this year. The 75-member group warns that voters are wary of sly, last minute deals, advising in an open letter, “At a time when the American people’s trust in their government is near an all-time low, the Republican-led Congress should demonstrate exemplary behavior by completing its work before the November elections so that voters can judge all the legislators on the basis of the votes they have cast.”
The signers to the lengthy letter include Reagan stalwart Ed Meese, media watchdog Brent Bozell, Citizens United president David Bossie and American Values president Gary Bauer, among many. They have one other point.
“The Republican-led Congress must not provide President Obama with an additional opportunity to enact his agenda of progressive social engineering programs and job-killing economic policies before he leaves office,” they write. “A lame duck session would be his swan song: he can be expected to leave no arm untwisted, no threat unmade, no quid un-quod, to get his dream-policies enacted, his liberal judges confirmed, and his international agreements approved.”
WEEKEND REAL ESTATE
For sale: Six-story limestone mansion, built in 1903 on Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side of New York City. Five en suite bedrooms with baths and dressing rooms, formal dining and living rooms, library, elaborate mosaics and millwork, 17-foot ceilings, decorative windows and marble work, serpentine staircase, elevator, rooftop terrace, garden. Completely renovated to “Gilded Age Splendor”; sauna, gym, billiard room includes red Hermes leather walls; woman’s boudoir includes cosmetics refrigerator and handbag display area. Priced at $85.5 million through ModlinGroup.com; enter 20625TH in search function.
POLL DU JOUR
• 41 percent of U.S. workers do not think their company has an emergency plan if the workplace comes under attack of some form.
• 37 percent of the workers say their workplace has a security guard.
• 31 percent do no feel their workplace is well protected from physical threats; 31 percent say the company is not protected from cyber threats.
• 19 percent say their workplace is not well protected from a weather threat; 17 percent say their workplace is not protected from fire, flood or other disaster.
Source: A CareerBuilder/Harris Poll survey of 3,000 full time U.S. workers conducted Feb. 10-March 17 and released Thursday.
• Insight, churlish remarks to [email protected]
Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.Twitter groaned Monday when journalist Marin Cogan tweeted out her discovery that Shaw’s Tavern, a bar and restaurant on Florida Ave., Northwest, would be opening early this Thursday so it could screen former FBI Director James Comey‘s appearance before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. The responses in the first few minutes ranged from nerdy endorsement to burn-“This Town”-down cynicism.
This makes me miss living in DC. https://t.co/HLEfrloGDq — Sarah Lerner (@SarahLerner) June 5, 2017
Only in DC will a bar open early, tune all TV's to C-SPAN, and host a committee hearing party … https://t.co/YlnjqPgbP8 — Richard Madan (@RichardMadan) June 6, 2017
What makes this brilliant is that the bar can sell its sandwiches to the 37 journalists who come to cover the two people who show up: https://t.co/xdid0pxytu — Yoni Appelbaum (@YAppelbaum) June 5, 2017
But Shaw’s Tavern’s nod to DC’s eternal nerdiness is no one-off. At least two other bars plan to open their doors early Thursday for people who want to pound an IPA at 10:30 AM while crafting pithy tweets about congressional testimony they could just as easily monitor in a browser tab. Duffy’s, a pub off U Street known more for its wings and gatherings of Green Bay Packers fans, is also getting in on the action, showing the hearing on the 15 screens arrayed across its dining room and patio. There will even be a special “covfefe” cocktail, a nod to a week-old presidential typo.
The Partisan, in Penn Quarter, will open at 10 AM and flip its two televisions to the hearing while it serves breakfast sandwiches from the adjoining Red Apron Butchery and its own cocktail specials (neither of which are named after “covfefe”).
To be fair, this is a long-awaited hearing that will mark Comey’s first public statements since he was tossed by President Trump, reportedly because Comey refused to drop the bureaus’s ongoing investigation into the Russian government’s meddling in last year’s election. But for a bar to open up and flip on CNN or MSNBC or one of the broadcast networks and show a congressional hearing? Could DC parody itself anymore? Washington is reliably dorky enough that there are always bar specials organized around presidential debates and elections. But those are global events with four years of build-up (and drinking games!), not a midday Senate hearing full of legislative minutiae and wonky talk.
But restaurant specials built around the Comey hearing seem like a result of more than just a general sense of wonkiness. DC’s Trump-induced apoplexy could be playing a role, too. In a city where only 4 percent of voters actually wanted this guy, cashing in on the other 96 percent’s enduring anger is a safe bet. And why not? DC’s loathing for Trump is so palpable, any moment that presents a chance to thrash his dysfunctional presidency even more feels like cause for Washingtonians to pausing their workdays and anticipate the killing stroke that’ll take his administration down.
Except it doesn’t work like that. Investigations into shady presidential activities can take years. The special investigation led by former FBI Director (and Comey BFF) Robert Mueller is still gearing up. And a quintessential lawman like Comey might be more likely to demur to the investigative process than offer a smoking gun when he’s questioned by senators on Thursday.
So whether you watch at work or sneak off to the bar on Thursday, watch Comey with frustration toward Trump but caution that this is just one more station on a long slog that may or may not yield your desired result. But if you’re drinking, please be advised not to build a drinking game around every time Comey says he cannot comment on an ongoing investigation, or you’ll be passed out on the floor by 10:30.
Join the conversation!The NRL Grand Final pulled a massive 2.5m viewers last night as Cronulla Sharks beat Melbourne Storm.
There were 1.05m viewers watching in Sydney alone, 678,000 in Brisbane and 609,000 in Melbourne.
It was up on last year’s 2.32m win by North Queensland Cowboys. Nine advises the figure will be adjusted to 2.65m, making it the highest NRL Grand Final of all time. Together with regional viewers the figure climbs to 3.73 million viewers.
Nine dominated viewing with 1.61m watching the Presentation and 1.32m watching the Entertainment.
Nine network pulled out a huge 48.5% share then Seven 20.5%, ABC 12.8%, TEN 12.5% and SBS 5.8%.
Nine News drew 1.2m viewers and the Movie: 21 Jump Street drew 317,000 in 4 cities.
Seven News (984,000) led for Seven followed by The Big Music Quiz (527,000), Sunday Night (458,000). Movie: Forrest Gump was 335,000.
Movie: Night at the Museum was best for TEN with 340,000. TEN Eyewitness News drew 287,000, All Star Family Feud was 284,000 and Movie: The Other Woman was 239,000.
ABC News (693,000), Grand Designs (559,000), Poldark (453,000) and Compass (259,000) comprised ABC’s night.
On SBS it was Earth From Space (227,000), Treasures from Ancient Greece (189,000), The Trouble with Space Junk (153,000) and SBS World News (117,000).
It was actually Sesame Street on ABC2 that topped multichannels with 218,000.
Daniel Ricciardo’s win at FIA Formula One averaged 178,000 on ONE.
OzTAM Overnights: Sunday 2 October 2016.
RelatedA calculator developed by a 12-year-old girl and her Irish father has become the number one-rated app worldwide on Amazon’s Android App Store.
Calculator Plus, invented by Isabel Hughes and her father, Dublin native Aidan, has just become the highest-rated app in all categories out of a total of 83,981 apps on Amazon’s Android App Store
It is the best-selling calculator app for the Kindle Fire tablet in the US and Europe – and has been downloaded over 2.5 million times. It is also the most downloaded calculator on the Windows 8 platform.
And the father and daughter duo have a second reason to |
’s Minute Men United, a militant organization that endorses Christian theocracy. Two years ago, according to the Columbus Dispatch, Minutemen led protests at religious services of two local churches that embraced the gay community. Until the branding incident, Freshwater had been an active participant at Minutemen anti-abortion events. Daubenmire has characterized the Freshwater case as a war and has accused the district superintendent Steve Short of doing the devil‘s bidding.
Mr. Freshwater is playing the martyr and many of the townspeople believe he is being fired for keeping a bible on his desk. However, there was no mention in the original complaint of the bible on the desk. Many in the Christian community became hostile to the Dennis family, even though they are Christians too, forcing the Dennis family to move to another school district.
Tired of the comments made to their sons in school by students and being singled out by one teacher, the Dennis family put their house up for sale and moved to another district. Today, Zach is a sophomore and plays hockey. "I just have to have the attitude that it’s never going to end," Jenifer Dennis said. "Otherwise, it can drive you nuts." The lawsuit is an Establishment Clause case, arguing Freshwater violated Zachary’s First Amendment rights by proselytizing religion and teaching creationism in the classroom. But it also raises the separate issue of battery because of the cross burn, which, Mansfield notes, feeds back into the Establishment Clause issues. Freshwater has filed a counterclaim against the Dennis family, as well as a separate lawsuit against the district, alleging religious discrimination, defamation, conspiracy, and breach of contract.
Then, on February 2, the case got weirder.
A strange story is circulating in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. According to the story, John Freshwater, currently the subject of an administrative hearing on his termination as a middle school science teacher, received a call from an unnamed person on Thursday, Feb 4. The caller purportedly told Freshwater that the school had discarded some documents in a dumpster at the high school and that the documents contained information that would exonerate him. Sometime during the night of the 4th or morning of the 5th, Freshwater, his lawyer R. Kelly Hamilton, and his pastor Don Matolyak are said to have gone through one or more school dumpsters, removing some documents and taking them to Matolyak’s church, Trinity Assembly of God, to go through them.
Then the story turns even more bizarre. $45 in cash was found discarded with materials that had been in Mr. Freshwater's classroom. No one discards cash. It looks like an inside job by a church supporter.
From Panda's Thumb.
In picking up the materials Matolyak was accompanied by a man named Charles Fisher. According to Matolyak’s account, Fisher accompanied him at Freshwater’s suggestion: John asked me to get Charles Fisher and go check this out since he [Freshwater] was in Dover [Ohio]. Charles is very trustworthy and has his Conceal Carry (sic) permit so he would be armed in case of trouble. Now think about that last sentence for a moment. That’s an indication of the paranoia that is characteristic of the conspiracy theorists in this affair. And contrast it with another passage from the next paragraph of Matolyak’s statement: As I drove to the home of Charles Fisher I questioned whether we should contact the police. I wondered if we would be facing some kind of danger as the person who did this would be expecting John Freshwater to be the one to follow up on the voice mail message. But I decided it wouldn’t be necessary to contact the police because we were just on a factfinding mission. He takes an armed escort, but decides not to contact the cops. The materials were not in a dumpster at the high school, but were by a trash can in an area near it, in an "old black computer bag" inside a plastic bag. On top of the bag was a letter addressed to Freshwater. The police report does not contain the contents of that letter. The bag contained a 3"-4" stack of papers and a "large number of photographs of items from John’s room." It also contained three stopwatches, a whistle, and $45 in cash. Fisher and Matolyak took the bag and contents to Matolyak’s church, where they rummaged through the materials, describing them to Freshwater on the telephone and photographing them. "One letter was placed in a sealed envelope and left for Pastor Paula Powell to scan and E-fax to Kelly Hamilton when she got to the office Wednesday morning." Matolyak then locked the material in his office. One Wednesday evening, Matolyak, Hamilton, and Freshwater went through the materials. Freshwater identified all but about 300 photographs as having come from his room. Fisher came by and showed them the photographs he had taken at the original scene and later. Hamilton then informed the others that they might need to make a police report. Hamilton and said he’d instruct them later on what to do. The complaint/report was made by Matolyak at 1536 on Thursday, February 4, and notes that the PD took custody of the property and place it in evidence for safekeeping. I presume that means in the PD evidence room. Steve Short, Superintendent of Schools, was notified of the report number.
To be continued.
Update from the Comments
Mount Vernon is a lot like many towns in America.AMONG the many things I am thankful for are the wise and perceptive readers of this site. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
— Comments —
Anita from Toronto writes:
I know those flowers! At the moment I can’t quite remember which painter produced that delightful combination, but I do know that for years when I was working I had a reproduction of just this detail on my office wall.
I believe it came from the defunct Horizon magazine, which had such wonderful articles. Even now one can sometimes find old copies of it in Salvation Army or Goodwill bins! I especially love the little “potiquet” on the left, which looks a lot like the “pots de pharmacie” of my childhood in Belgium.
I tried to find one like that once when I went back to B. but by then all these types of “pots” were quite expensive even in flea markets, never mind antique shops….
Laura writes:
It’s a detail from Hugo Van der Goes Adoration of the Shepherds (1480). I can’t download the whole thing, but you can see the main part of it here. Here’s another detail; you can see the vase of irises and lilies next to the angels.
It’s a very pretty arrangement. Not very Thanksgiving-y, but it would like great on the table.Melvin Gordon to the Baltimore Ravens in the first round?
Three days from the start of the NFL draft, the running back from Wisconsin is the most popular pick for the Ravens by media draft analysts. Five of the 13 mock drafts have Gordon going to the Ravens at No. 26.
2015 NFL DRAFT Round 1: April 30, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Rds. 2-3: May 1, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Rds. 4-7: May 2, noon ET (ESPN)
Where: Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, Chicago NFL draft home page • 2015 NFL draft order
• Mel Kiper Jr.: Mock 5.0 • Todd McShay: Final mock • Todd McShay's Top 32 players • Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board • Top 10 prospects by position • NFL draft player rankings
Gordon is definitely an option for the Ravens in the first round, and Sports Illustrated's Peter King noted recently that Gordon wouldn't get past the Ravens at No. 26. That would be an unusual pick based on Baltimore's draft history. The Ravens have only selected one running back in the first round and that was Jamal Lewis in 2000.
Running back is a need for the Ravens in this draft. Baltimore re-signed Justin Forsett this offseason, but he's not considered a long-term answer at that position. The Ravens also have Lorenzo Taliaferro, a fourth-round pick from a year ago who projects to be a backup.
The other popular choice was wide receiver. Draft analysts linked four pass-catching targets to the Ravens in mock drafts: Central Florida's Breshad Perriman, Arizona State's Jaelen Strong, Ohio State's Devin Smith and USC's Nelson Agholor.
Here is a roundup of what media draft experts are predicting for the Ravens in the first round:
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN (April 9): Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
Todd McShay, ESPN (April 23): Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
Don Banks, SI.com (April 16): Marcus Peters
Will Brinson, CBS Sports (April 22): Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
Bucky Brooks, NFL Media (April 23): Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State
Dane Brugler, CBS Sports (April 25): Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida
Charles Davis, NFL Media (April 15): Melvin Gordon
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Media (April 20): Melvin Gordon
Peter King, SI.com (April 1): Melvin Gordon
Shaun King, Yahoo Sports (April 23): Nelson Agholor, WR, USC
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports (April 22): Melvin Gordon
Rob Rang, CBS Sports (April 21): Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida
Lance Zierlein, NFL Media (April 22): Todd Gurley, RB, GeorgiaMost of the Aleheads earned their diplomas within a quick strike of The Alchemist Pub & Brewery in Waterbury, VT. If it weren’t for one minor issue, chances are high that road trips to the brewpub would have been frequent and disastrous (Slouch Sixpack would most likely have been banned from the premises within 12 minutes of entering the front door). Alas, through a quirk of the time-space continuum, the exceedingly well-regarded ale factory did not come into existence until 2 years after the Aleheads left northern New England (sadly, it was right around the time yours truly departed his homeland and moved to ‘Bama by way of California and DC). So it is with much sadness that I report the death of The Alchemist at the hands of Hurricane Irene. The Aleheads never even got a chance to sample her wares.*
*Many of us celebrated our 10-year reunion earlier this summer and I had planned a trip to The Alchemist that Saturday. Unfortunately, getting to the brewery required the participation of at least one sober driver. Needless to say, we did NOT get to Waterbury.
Vermont, as most of you have been reading, was hit hard by Irene. The landlocked state, rife with picturesque mountains, valleys, and winding roads has always been vulnerable to flooding, but hurricanes rarely hit the Green Mountain State. Irene had different plans than most storms, however. And while the devastation that was expected in her wake did not occur in other parts of the country, Vermont and parts of upstate New York couldn’t escape her wrath.
The Alchemist, in lovely Waterbury (home of Ben & Jerry’s and adjacent to the excellent Stowe ski resort), has become a darling of the craft beer world recently thanks to their Heady Topper, a DIPA that has received almost universally rave reviews. As the legend of the Topper grew and as the Alchemist opened up a cannery to begin distributing the beer to an eager populace, the brewery’s reputation has skyrocketed. They were positioned to become the “next big thing” in the craft beer world and the timing of this disaster couldn’t have been worse for them.*
*Fine, I suppose it COULD have been worse if it had happened a week after they first opened their doors, but we’re big on hyperbole here at Aleheads.
Now, of course, there are more important things to consider than the destruction of a brewery. People’s homes and lives have been turned upside-down by Irene. Entire towns are cut off without access to basic medical services or emergency aid. Clearly the loss of the Alchemist is not the “big” story here. But there are far more reputable professional well-funded news organizations out there to talk about the bigger picture. We’re a craft brew site, so for us, the Alchemist is THE story here. When I heard what the floodwaters had done to the place, my regret at not frequenting their establishment earlier this summer became palpable.
Fortunately, the Alchemist WILL be back. John Kimmich, the brewmaster, Tweeted earlier this week that “like a phoenix from the flames, we shall be reborn…” The clean-up efforts will take time, but the Alchemist staff is committed to getting the brewpub back up and operational in the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, I’m asking our loyal Alehead Army to support the Alchemist in the only way we know how…
Today, the Alchemist’s cannery (which is located a few miles from the brewpub and was thankfully spared from Irene) will be releasing the Heady Topper in cans to the general public. You can get a four-pack of pounders for $12.00, a single for $3.75, or a taster for a buck. So for any Alehead within a reasonable driving distance to Waterbury, get thee to the cannery! I want the Alchemist to sell out of that beer so fast that they have to start transferring brews directly from the canning machine into your hot, little hands. Remember, the faster they sell their beer, the faster the Alchemist gets up and running again. Do it for you ol’ buddy, Barley. Because life is too short to be filled with regret, and the next time I’m in New England, I want to be able to enter the Alchemist 2.0, belly up to the bar, and order a glass of hoppy bliss.JRR Tolkien Biography
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973) was a scholar of the English language, specializing in old and middle English. He’s best known as the author of the classic fantasy books The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.
Tolkien was incredibly devoted to the world he created, and you can see his love for it in the attention he gives to every detail. He knew how the first beings got there, the hierarchy, the history, etc of Middle Earth intimately. All this before he even wrote the book. There were other fantasy stories before him, but in the way he created his world and his stories, he changed the game. He didn’t write books to build a world, he built the world and then wrote about it. Everything follows the rules he has laid out, regarding geography, location, and now history.
No other book compares because no other author has ever done so much preparatory work for a story.
One of the biggest observations about the story is the one about language. Tolkien was a philologist and a professor of both language and mythical texts. Whenever characters from the Lord of the Rings use language that seems archaic or outdated, Tolkien had a sense of how those sentences would be structured. A lot of his story elements come from older myths, so he’s putting himself in that narrative tradition, but at the same time subverting those elements in new ways, to reflect his own English heritage.
There is a lot to know about Tolkien and the world he created. The documentary below gives a complete JRR Tolkien biography and history of Tolkien and all his writings. Told by all his children, friends, scholars and Tolkien himself. If you like J.R.R. Tolkien, this will answer almost any question you could conceive of.
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.
Born: January 3, 1892, Bloemfontein, Free State
Died: September 2, 1973, Bournemouth
Movies: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return Of The King, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Children: Christopher Tolkien, John Tolkien, Priscilla Tolkien, Michael Tolkien
Education: Exeter College, Oxford, University of Oxford"If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, even their own life--such a person cannot be my disciple."If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison--your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple."If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters and yes, even his life, he is not able to be My disciple."If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.If anycome to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, and even his own life--he cannot be my disciple.You cannot be my disciple, unless you love me more than you love your father and mother, your wife and children, and your brothers and sisters. You cannot follow me unless you love me more than you love your own life."Those who come to me cannot be my disciples unless they love me more than they love father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and themselves as well."If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, and even his own life--he cannot be My disciple."If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as his own life, he can't be my disciple."If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple."If anyone comes to me, and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.“Whoever comes to me and does not hate his father and his mother and his brothers and his sisters and his wife and his children and even himself, he cannot be my disciple.”"If people come to me and are not ready to abandon their fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as their own lives, they cannot be my disciples.“If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, and even his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.If any man come to me, and shall not hate his own father and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yea, and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple;If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.If any man cometh to me, and hateth not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."If any one is coming to me who does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes and his own life also, he cannot be a disciple of mine."If anyone comes to me, and doesn't disregard his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can't be my disciple.'If any one doth come unto me, and doth not hate his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and yet even his own life, he is not able to be my disciple;The official One Piece website has come out with a post to explain the absence of One Piece in next week’s issue of Weekly Shônen Jump.
According to the website, One Piece will be absent from Weekly Shônen Jump Issue #2, officially on sale Monday, December 8th because the author Eiichirô Oda is conducting research and/or collecting information. The post also mentions that due to an oversight, chapter 769 didn’t include an announcement of next week’s break and the magazine apologizes to its readers for any possible trouble and/or concern this unannounced break might have caused.
As we previously mentioned, due to the changes in the manga schedule, this week on The One Piece Podcast, we have Greg on with us to go through what he’s been up to this year and what he has planned! We also go through a retrospective of his meteoric rise in Japan. Check that episode out on December 8th! If you haven’t already, make sure to watch The One Piece Podcast Goes to Japan to see more about Greg’s success.
The season finale of our podcast will be on December 15th to coincide with the release of One Piece, Chapter 770. We will also have special guests Joel McDonald and Ian Sinclair on the show and Bryan Newton from Rick and Morty is scheduled to return on the show! Hope to see you then!
SOURCE: https://one-piece.com/news/detail/20141205_1683Doctors without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF) is an international medical and humanitarian organisation which “provides assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of armed conflict.” (Activity Report 2013)
Introduction
Last month I considered switching my regular pledge donation to MSF. The ebola outbreak in West Africa has put medical volunteers in the spotlight and MSF seemed to be at the forefront of the response[1]. Reading accounts written by medical volunteers,[2] I was struck by just how awesome they are. MSF’s own cautionary notes about working overseas[3] demonstrate the high level of sacrifice involved, and incidents in the Central African Republic[4] and Somalia[5] remind us that the risk is very real.
MSF seems a bit like a global emergency response team. An ambulance service on a massive scale. If I was President of the World and choosing how to spend my budget I’d definitely have an ambulance service. So MSF is a good thing. But is it the best thing I could do with my donation? I felt compelled to donate, but first I did some research.
This article is meant to outline some of the factors I considered and hopefully provide some helpful information for others making a similar decision. It should not be taken as either a positive or negative rating of MSF.
How does it work?[6]
Size:
MSF is a large organisation, currently operating in around 60 countries worldwide
is a large organisation, currently operating in around 60 countries worldwide In 2013, the three largest country programmes were in Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Haiti
What they do:
MSF runs short term health programmes in response to armed conflicts, epidemics, famines and natural disasters
runs short term health programmes in response to armed conflicts, epidemics, famines and natural disasters It also runs longer term health programmes, targeted at ongoing health crises
crises MSF doctors treat a diverse range of problems, including malaria, HIV, mental health and cholera
Effectiveness of intervention type:
Disaster relief Much of MSF’s work is in response to natural or man-made disasters. A 2006 report by the Disease Control Priorities Project concluded that “the highly emotional and sensationalized climate of disaster response has long prevented the adoption of a cost-effectiveness approach in decision making.”[11] The effectiveness of disaster relief efforts is difficult to evaluate but it seems likely that it is less effective on objective measures than other modes of intervention. You can read an excellent blog post on disaster relief here.[12]
Working in effective areas MSF works in a number of areas which have been identified as particularly cost-effective and scalable. This includes mass vaccination programmes[7] and bednet distribution.[8] They were also instrumental in founding the Drugs for Neglected Tropical Diseases Initiative (DNDI) which has a very high potential upside[9].
Working in less effective areas MSF also works across a broader range of equally worthy but less well understood or less cost-effective interventions, including HIV treatment and mental health. For this reason, Givewell decided to deprioritise them as a ‘top charity’.[10]
Effectiveness of MSF :
Good at what they do As MSF undertakes such a variety of programmes it is difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of the charity as a whole. However, it seems safe to say that MSF enjoy a good reputation in their field. The British Medical Journal praised MSF for “leading the world’s response to Ebola” and chose MSF for their winter charity appeal in 2014.[13] Their global presence means they are often in a good position to respond to disasters quickly.[14] Both Givewell[15] and Giving What We Can[16] have recommended MSF as a top charity for disaster relief.
Independence 90% of MSF funding comes from private individuals[17]. Non-affiliation with governments allows MSF to work in politically sensitive conflict zones such as Afghanistan and DRC. It also insures independence from political goals, meaning programmes are prioritised based on need alone.
Transparency MSF undertakes regular critical evaluations of their programmes and have published a number of negative conclusions of their own programmes. These reports are freely available here[20]. Givewell concludes that while MSF is “more transparent than the vast majority of charities we have considered, it is not as transparent as the most transparent charities we have found.”[21]
Funding considerations:
Room for funding In 2013, MSF held slightly over €600m in cash and equivalents[18]. This should not necessarily be interpreted as no room for more funding as the nature of MSF’s work means the flexibility to start programmes without delay is crucial. MSF has a good track record of making sure funds are used in the most efficient way, closing their 2004 tsunami appeal after just 6 days as it was sufficiently funded.[19]
Conclusion
In the end, I concluded that the reason I found MSF particularly compelling was as much because of my admiration for the doctors and nurses, as the effectiveness of their work. While MSF didn’t seem to be as effective as the Giving What We Can recommended charities, they are doing good work in a way which I find personally inspiring and a donation seemed appropriate.
I therefore decided not to switch my regular pledge donation from the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI) but to make a small regular donation to MSF in addition to my pledge.
You can donate here.
References
Image taken from the MSF page on ebola.Apple today reported its earnings from its third fiscal quarter and reported earnings of $1.35 a share on revenue $8.34 billion. Last year during the same quarter, Apple reported earnings of $1.19 a share on revenue of $7.46 billion.
Apple’s solid earnings report utterly destroyed analyst estimates, which anticipated earnings of $1.17 a share on revenue of $8.16 billion.
In terms of specific products, Apple sold 2.6 million Macs for the quarter, 10.2 million iPods, and 5.2 million iPhones. While quarter to quarter growth for the iPod was down 7%, iPhone growth increased an astounding 626% over the same quarter a year-ago. Of course, last year at this time the iPhone 3G had only been around for 2 weeks, which helps explain the relatively low number of iPhones sold.
In regards to the Mac, 2.6 million in sales represents the highest number of Macs ever sold for the June quarter and almost eclipsed Apple’s all time record for Macs sold in a quarter which was set last September. Quarter to quarter growth came in at 4%, which is a remarkable figure considering that IDC and Gartner peg industry sales of PC’s declining 3 and 5 percent respectively. As noted later in the conference call, this means that Apple is running ahead of the market by 7-9%
Apple’s impressive earnings report also represents the company’s highest reported earnings and revenue for a non-holiday quarter in its history. Even more impressive was the fact that Apple’s gross margins for the quarter came in at 36.3%, up from 34.8% in the same quarter a year-ago.
In a press release issued by Apple earlier today, Steve Jobs noted,
We’re making our most innovative products ever and our customers are responding. We’re thrilled to have sold over 5.2 million iPhones during the quarter and users have downloaded more than 1.5 billion applications from our App Store in its first year
Looking forward to the next quarter, Apple COO Peter Oppenheimer projects Apple revenue to come in somewhere between $8.7 and $8.9 billion, with EPS to come in somewhere between $1.18 and $1.23 a share.
Apple is providing a live stream of its earnings conference call here, and we’ll keep you updated on any developing stories.
Okay, the conference call has begun… Peter Oppenheimer and Apple COO Tim Cook are in the house. Contrary to previously reported rumors, Steve Jobs isn’t in attendance.
– Net revenue was $1.23 billion.
– iPod decline due to reduction channel inventory
– Expects traditional iPod sales to decline over time as Apple cannibalizes the product with the iPod Touch and the iPhone
– Over 8 Billion songs downloaded from iTunes to date
– Apple Retail Stores raked in $1.25 billion in revenue over the quarter, down from $1.45 billion last quarter
– 492,000 Macs were sold at Apple Stores over the quarter. Impressively, half of them were sold to customers who never owned a Mac before
– 22% more visitors to Apple Retail Stores
– Opening first store in France during the holiday quarter
– Margins increased because component costs didn’t increase as much as expected, and relatively weak dollar
– Made a $500 million pre-payment to Toshiba for NAND Flash
Now it’s time for a little Q&A.
Question about AT&T: “We think it’s an excellent relationship and we’re very happy with it.”
Question about K-12 sales: Consumer spending is doing a lot better than educational spending.
Question about how $99 iPhone is doing: “Significant acceleration in total unit sales” but as expected, no breakdown for sales for specific models.
Question about the Enterprise: “Just the tip of the iceberg for what the iPhone can do for business customers”
Question about Snow Leopard and its low $29 price point: “Snow Leopard is an even a better Leopard.. includes powerful core technologies.. we priced it very aggressively so that all of our users can upgrade to it, and we hope that they do that.”
Question about if the $99 iPhone helped drive sales for the iPhone 3GS? “We’re happy with all iPhone sales.. I think it will take some amount of time… it’s only been a few weeks, I don’t want to make any statements about what’s going to happen in the longer term.”
Question about competing app stores: Tim Cook notes that the iTunes App Store now reaches an installed base of over 45 million users in 70 countries. “We feel extremely good about our competitive position, and continually believe that we’re years ahead of other people.” Cook also notes that Apple still looking to expand distribution in countries its already in, and expand into brand new countries is well.
Question about Netbooks: “Our goal isn’t to build the most computers, it’s to build the best.” Cook notes that they don’t see a way to build a computer you can categorize as the “best” for only $399 and $499. Also said that many customers who purchase these low priced computers often end up feeling disenchanted with the product and their purchase.
And now a follw-up about netbooks: Cook says that most people who buy a portable device want a full featured notebook. Netbooks, Cook says, have weak horsepower, small screens, cramped keyboards and don’t provide a “robust computing experience.”
Question about iPhone activations and International growth: “We don’t release definitive iPhone sales by geography” because it’s competitive information.
Question about when supply and demand will balance for the iPhone: Cook doesn’t want to make any predictions, but doesn’t envision it happening in the short term.
Question about the iPhone in China: “It continues to be a priority project, and we expect to be there within a year.”
Question about “race to the bottom” for iPhone apps: Apple has some ideas to help users differentiate quality apps from the crap. “It’s up to the developer what to charge…”
And that’s it folks. Q&A is ova!
In after hours trading, Apple Stock is up nearly 7 points and is trading at $158.29The idea for the IFC series "Documentary Now!" emerged, as good ideas so often do, over drinks late one Saturday night.
At the afterparty following a "Saturday Night Live" taping in April 2013, Bill Hader got to talking with Seth Meyers about a short film, "History of Punk," they'd created for the episode. A fake documentary written by Meyers and Fred Armisen, it starred Armisen as a Johnny Rotten-esque British punk rocker named Ian Rubbish who fell out with his bandmates, including one played by Bill Hader, over his love for Margaret Thatcher.
A tribute of sorts to the conservative prime minister, who'd died that week, the film worked so well in part because of its meticulous, period-authentic production values, down to simulated concert footage with the grimy look of late '70s 16mm. It dawned on Armisen, Hader and Meyers that the sketch could provide the template for a television series.
READ Robert Lloyd's review of 'Documentary Now!' >>
That concept comes to life when "Documentary Now!" — a series written, created and executive produced by the trio — premieres Thursday on IFC.
The idea, Meyers said in an interview over coffee with Hader and Armisen at Rockefeller Center, where "Late Night With Seth Meyers" is taped, was "to take very specific styles of documentary and tell stories within those frameworks."
The debut episode, "Sandy Passage," stars Hader and Armisen as an eccentric mother-daughter duo living in a derelict seaside mansion in a fastidious parody of "Grey Gardens," Albert and David Maysles' 1975 cinema verite classic.
Other installments take on "Nanook of the North," the silent-era documentary about an Inuk hunter in the Canadian Arctic, and "The Thin Blue Line," Errol Morris' influential true crime account of a man wrongfully convicted of killing a police officer.
For an extra dash of authenticity, Helen Mirren — yes, the Helen Mirren — introduces each episode, the conceit being that she's the host of a PBS-style documentary anthology series. The end result is a mockumentary with a unique appeal to movie buffs.
"I always felt there was this thing that comedy couldn't be cinematic and couldn't be beautiful," Hader said.
"I like watching things that are well shot and well-edited and you can tell a lot of attention went into the color timing and the sound design. I feel like you can't do that with comedy, but every once in a while you'll see something that really looks beautiful and is uproariously funny."
Apparently IFC, which has already renewed the series for two more seasons, is confident that "Documentary Now!" is both these things. Since repositioning itself as a niche comedy network several years ago, IFC has become the destination of choice for "Saturday Night Live" alum looking to get a little esoteric with their humor.
While still at "SNL," Armisen launched his acclaimed, hipster-satirizing sketch-comedy show, "Portlandia," on IFC in 2011. Last year, Kristen Wiig and Will Ferrell starred in "Spoils of Babylon," an absurdist spoof of the melodramatic miniseries of the 1970s and '80s.
With a combined 32 seasons on "SNL," Armisen, Hader and Meyers are launching "Documentary Now!" at a time when TV documentaries — most notably HBO's "The Jinx" and "Going Clear" — are having a cultural moment.
Not that the timing was planned. The project took more than two years to come to fruition, thanks to the packed schedules of its creators.
Armisen continues to write and star in "Portlandia," and is also the bandleader on "Late Night," which is hosted by Meyers. Meanwhile, Hader has been busy with roles in films, including the recent "Trainwreck."
There was also a fair amount of deliberation over which documentaries to spoof. "The Jinx" was tempting, but instead Hader, Armisen and Meyers looked to the film that clearly inspired it, "The Thin Blue Line." Ken Burns' oeuvre was an easy pass, since it had already been lampooned many times, at "SNL" and |
theory coverage. Now it’s coming back.Sony has long offered a feature on its phones called Stamina Mode. When activated, unauthorized apps can't run in the background or run sync jobs. The problem, however, is Stamina Mode interferes with Android 6.0 Doze Mode. Sony took it out of early Marshmallow builds, but the company has now confirmed it's coming back.
According to Sony, Stamina Mode will return to the Xperia Beta Program soon. It doesn't have a firm schedule, but Sony has apparently found a way for Doze and Stamina Mode to coexist. Google requires that OEMs not interfere with the way Doze mode operates, but many Sony fans prefer Stamina Mode as there are user-facing options and it works all the time, not just when the device is stationary. Although, Stamina Mode in Marshmallow might not work the same way.
The Xperia Beta Program has been running for a few months, and will probably last a few months more. It's only available on recent Z series devices, and limited to a few European countries. Everyone else will have to wait and see what Sony's doing with Stamina Mode.Todd Warnock/Thinkstock
As the Democratic Party continues to flail over what besides resistance to Donald Trump it stands for (what’s the health care plan, anyway?), they can look for inspiration to Oregon, where Democratic Gov. Kate Brown signed the country’s first statewide employee scheduling law on Tuesday.
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Starting in July 2018, Oregon will require big companies in retail, hospitality, and food service to give employees schedules at least a week ahead of time, and offer stress pay to workers who don’t get a 10-hour break between shifts. By 2020, employers covered by the law will have to hand out schedules two weeks in advance.
Oregon is the first state to pass such a law, which grows out of a vibrant municipal movement to humanize low-wage fast food and mall jobs that can no longer be thought of as stopgap positions, if they ever were. The median age of a retail employee, for example, is 39. According to a New York state study, most retail workers are breadwinners. It's hard to spend time with your family if you never know when you get off work.
San Francisco, Seattle, and New York City all have similar policies in place. The Oregon bill may be a sign that the movement is about to jump from cities to states. In December, the Illinois attorney general announced that a group of large retailers including Aeropostale and Disney would stop using on-call scheduling after an investigation. A handful of other blue-state AGs are also looking into it. In 2015, Elizabeth Warren introduced a fair scheduling bill in the Senate.
Conservative states have rallied against the movement, drafting pre-emption bills to prevent cities from passing their own ordinances. Georgia, Arkansas, Iowa, Michigan, and Tennessee have such laws on the books. But voters seem to generally approve of protections for low-wage workers: In November, deep-red Arizona voted by referendum to mandate paid sick days, in a rebuke to the Legislature's broad anti-worker pre-emption bill.
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The bigger pictures is that scheduling laws are the latest addition to a slate of state-level progressive policies, inspired by city-level reforms, to help the largely ignored 25 million Americans who work in retail and food service. Those include:
Paid sick leave laws
Bans on noncompete agreements (yes, even Jimmy John’s and Amazon warehouses have forced workers to relinquish their value on the labor market)
Minimum-wage hikes
It’s adding up to something like a platform. Want to be the party of workers? Go to where the jobs are.
In that sense, it could be a particularly salient counterpoint to Donald Trump’s inane quest to resuscitate the tiny, tiny coal-mining industry, with its immoral effects on both workers and the environment. Retail work is flagging in some sectors but remains an enormous section of the labor force (16 million workers), and warehouse employment is skyrocketing to keep pace with e-commerce demand. Restaurants have created more jobs since January than health care, construction, or manufacturing.
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That reflects a structural change in American life. In 2016, for the first time ever, Americans spent more money at restaurants and bars than on groceries. We’ve been eating out more since the ’70s, when female labor force participation was rising dramatically. But even as that rate has plateaued and slowed, the trend toward restaurant spending has increased as young people delay marriage and household formation. It also helps that the supermarket is cheaper than ever, meaning we can spend more money away from home. (It’s not just that Americans are trading TV dinners for Chipotle; it’s also that we are spending less on groceries—down from 8.3 percent of disposable income in 1982 to 5.7 percent in 2011.) By 2020, Derek Thompson writes at the Atlantic, restaurant work will surpass manufacturing.
In short, there is nothing niche about improving the quality of retail and restaurant work.
Why don’t we pay as much attention to retail and restaurant jobs? Demographics are partly to blame. The retail jobs that have been hardest hit by job loss tend to be held by females and an above-average share of minorities. The female employment share in restaurant work is two points above the BLS average; the black-American share is two points above, and the Hispanic share is nine points above. This translate to a perceived lack of value, Slate’s Jamelle Bouie wrote in April:
Work is gendered and it is racialized. What work matters is often tied to who performs it. It is no accident that those professions dominated by white men tend to bring the most prestige, respect, and pay, while those dominated by women—and especially women of color—are often ignored, disdained, and undercompensated.
But the problem is also that restaurant and retail jobs just aren’t that good. They pay, on average, just over half as much as manufacturing jobs. They don’t provide the routine shifts of punch-in, punch-out factory work.Kennedy School professor Timothy P. McCarthy ’93 discusses activism in the era of Trump at the first session of the Resistance School on Wednesday night.
Styling themselves as characters from "Harry Potter," a group of Harvard students has launched the "Resistance School," a four-session program designed to teach techniques for challenging President Donald Trump's administration.
Founded by former campaign staffers, organizers, and activists, the Resistance School aims to “sharpen the tools [necessary] to fight back at the federal, state, and local levels,” according to its website. The free sessions are open to the public and will be held throughout April at the Kennedy School as well as live-streamed from the Resistance School website. It is the latest in a series of efforts by Harvard students to resist Trump.
Likening itself to Dumbledore’s Army—the covert group from the Harry Potter series dedicated to battling Voldemort—the group has attracted widespread media attention, and all spots for its in-person sessions have already been filled.
Co-founder Joseph L. Breen, a student at the Kennedy School and the Law School, said the idea for the training program came after the election as students and professors discussed how they could best stand up to Trump.
“We thought about the resources that were available to us, and what we could add to the tremendous momentum of progressive activism. We felt like there were a lot of folks who wanted to get involved with political activism but didn't have the tools to do so,” Breen said.
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Timothy P. McCarthy ’93, a lecturer on History and Literature aand a lecturer on public policy at the Kennedy School, led the Resistance School’s first session Wednesday evening, delivering a lecture on “How to Communicate our Values in Political Advocacy.”
“Schools at their best are communities for critical thinking. Schools are places for intellectual exchange, for social transformation, and yes, when necessary, for political resistance,” McCarthy said at the session. “This is a movement moment.”
As of Wednesday night, over 35,000 people had viewed the live stream of McCarthy’s seminar on Facebook.
In the second session, Sara El-Amine, the former executive director of Obama’s advocacy arm, will teach “How to Mobilize and Organize our Communities.” Marshall L. Ganz, a senior Kennedy School lecturer, will teach the third: “How to Structure and Build Capacity for Action.” In the final session, recently-elected Democratic National Committee Vice Chair Michael A. Blake will speak on“How to Sustain the Resistance Long-Term.”
“I think that our democracy is experiencing a very serious threat at this moment with the Trump regime,” Ganz said. “For me it’s not just about resistance, it is about turning this into an opportunity to renew our politics. It’s for the future.”
—Staff writer Julia E. DeBenedictis can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @julia_debene.About a month ago, just after the Roy Moore scandal broke wide open, his wife Kayla posted on Facebook a letter of support signed by 50 Alabama pastors. It said, “We urge you to join us at the polls to cast your vote for Roy Moore.”
Pastor’s Letter
Dear friends and fellow Alabamians, For decades, Roy Moore has been an immovable rock in the culture wars — a bold defender of the “little guy,” a just judge to those who came before his court, a warrior for the unborn child, defender of the sanctity of marriage, and a champion for religious liberty. Judge Moore has stood in the gap for us, taken the brunt of the attack, and has done so with a rare, unconquerable resolve. As a consequence of his unwavering faith in God and his immovable convictions for Biblical principles, he was ousted as Chief Justice in 2003. As a result, he continued his life pursuit by starting the Foundation for Moral Law, which litigates religious liberty cases around our Nation. After being re-elected again to Chief Justice in 2012, by an overwhelming majority, he took another round of persecution for our faith as he stood up for the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman. You can know a man by his enemies, and he’s made plenty — from the radical organizations such as the Southern Poverty Law Center and the ACLU to the liberal media and a handful of establishment politicians from Washington. He has friends too, a lot of them. They live all across this great State, work hard all week, and fill our pews on Sunday. They know him as a father, a grandfather, a man who loves God’s Word and knows much of it by heart, a man who cares for the people, a man who understands our Constitution in the tradition of our Founding Fathers, and a man who deeply loves America. It’s no wonder the Washington establishment has declared all-out war on his campaign. We are ready to join the fight and send a bold message to Washington: dishonesty, fear of man, and immorality are an affront to our convictions and our Savior and we won’t put up with it any longer. We urge you to join us at the polls to cast your vote for Roy Moore. In your service, Dr. Tom Ford, III, Pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama
Pastor Stan Cooke, Kimberly Church of God, Kimberly, Alabama
Pastor Jonathan Rodgers, Dothan, Alabama
Pastor Joseph Smith, Pine Air Baptist Church, Grand Bay Alabama
Dr. David E. Gonnella, Pastor, Theodore, Alabama
Pastor Mike Allison, Madison, Alabama
Dr. Terry Batton, Christian Renewal and Development Ministries, Eufaula, Alabama
Pastors Tim and Elizabeth Hanson, Smiths Station, Alabama
Pastor Mark Liddle, Dominion Baptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama
Pastor Steve Sanders, Victory Baptist Church, Millbrook, Alabama
Dr. Richard Fox, retired Baptist pastor
Dr. Randy Cooper, Pastor, Warrior, Alabama
William Green, Minister, Fresh Anointing House of Worship, Montgomery, Alabama
Maurice McCaney, Victory Christian Fellowship Church, Florence, Alabama
Pastor Paul Elliott, Young’s Chapel, Piedmont, Alabama
Pastor Rodney Gilmore, Covenant Christian, Gadsden, Alabama
Pastor Mark Gidley, Faith Worship Center, Gadsden, Alabama
Pastor Bill Snow, Edgewood Church, Anniston, Alabama
Pastor Michael Yates, Webster’s Chapel, Gadsden, Alabama
Pastor Mark Holden, Webster’s Chapel, Gadsden, Alabama
Pastor Joshua Copeland, Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, Anniston, Alabama
Pastor Bruce Jenkins, Young’s Chapel, Piedmont, Alabama
Pastor Keith Bond, Young’s Chapel, Piedmont, Alabama
Pastor Jim Lester, Fannin Road Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama
Pastor Thad Endicott, Heritage Baptist Church, Opelika, Alabama
Bishop Fred and Tijuanna Adetunji, Fresh Anointing House of Worship, Montgomery, Alabama
Pastor David Floyd, Marvyn Parkway Baptist Church, Opelika, Alabama
Pastor Bruce Word, Freedom Church, Gadsden, Alabama
Pastor Paul Hubbard, Lakeview Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama
Rev. Carl Head, Lakeview Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama
Pastor Duwayne Bridges, Jr., Fairfax First Christian Church, Valley, Alabama
Rev. Edwin Roberts, Adams Street Church of Christ, Enterprise, Alabama
Pastor John McCrummen, Open Door Baptist Church, Enterprise, Alabama
Rev. Mickey Counts, Open Door Baptist Church, Enterprise, Alabama
Rev. Alex Pagen, Open Door Baptist Church, Enterprise, Alabama
Pastor Glenn Brock, Eufaula, Alabama
Rev. Tim Head, Montgomery, Alabama
Pastor/Elder Ted Phillips, Christ Church, Odenville, Alabama
Tim Yarbrough, Elder, Trinity Free Presbyterian, Trinity, Alabama
Pastor Myron Mooney, Trinity Free Presbyterian, Trinity, Alabama
Jerry Frank, Elder, Trinity Free Presbyterian, Trinity, Alabama
Pastor Jim Nelson, Church of the Living God, Moulton, Alabama
Pastor Earl Wise, Millbrook, Alabama
Rick and Beverly Simpson, Summit Holiness Church, Alabama
Pastor Lane Simmons and Margie Dale Simmons, First Assembly of God, Greenville Alabama
Rev. Charles Morris, Pastor Grace Way Fellowship, Evergreen Alabama
Dr. George Grant, Pastor, Parish Presbyterian Church
Pastor David Whitney, Cornerstone Church
Dr. Peter and Roseann Waldron, St. Francis Anglican Church
Pastor Franklin and Mrs. Pamela Raddish, Capitol Hill Independent Baptist Ministries
Dr. Michael Peroutka, Institute on the Constitution
Reverend Bill Owens, Coalition of African American Pastors
**Church names are listed for identification purposes only
While that letter made a splash in the media, there were a few problems with it.
For one, it wasn’t a new letter. It turned out Kayla Moore just copied and pasted a letter that first appeared on Moore’s website over the summer, long before the allegations of child molestation came out.
Several of the pastors on the list said they didn’t give permission for their names to be on the list and wanted them removed.
Now, the New Yorker‘s Benjamin Wallace-Wells has done the work of contacting (or attempting to contact) all the pastors on the list, and what he discovered was that Moore’s support from pastors is tepid at best.
A few days ago, I started calling around Alabama, trying to track down the rest of the pastors who had been listed on Kayla Moore’s letter. Some of them were easy to find, but others were elusive. I tried William Green, at the Fresh Anointing House of Worship, in Montgomery. A receptionist told me that she had never heard of Green. I tried Steve Sanders, at the Victory Baptist Church, in Millbrook. The current pastor told me that Sanders retired two years ago. I did not reach Earl Wise, also of Millbrook, but the Boston Globe did, and, though he still emphatically supported Moore, he had also left the pastoral life and was working as a real-estate agent.
Of the 36 largest churches in Alabama, not a single pastor appeared on the list. Nor did any Southern Baptist pastors. And some of the names were so obscure that they were unknown to other pastors in their own community.
Of the several dozen pastors on the original list, four were affiliated with a small Methodist church called Young’s Chapel, in Piedmont. Five of the pastors were from Moore’s home town, Gadsden, but when I called a pastor of a major conservative church in that city, and read him the list, he recognized only a few names out of fifty.
The point is that Moore’s supposed support from Christian leaders just wasn’t there in that letter. And it’s not exactly there now. That doesn’t mean they won’t vote for him. It’s possible they don’t openly support Moore because they don’t want to deal with the backlash and accusations of supporting an alleged child molester. And their congregations may very well support Moore on Tuesday. But it’s not like the conservative Christian leaders in the state are openly behind Moore’s candidacy. That’s why a recent press conference on behalf of Moore featured a motley crew of out-of-state fringe Christians who don’t run churches but love spreading conspiracy theories online when they’re not trashing LGBTQ people.
The sad thing is that, despite the open support of conservative Christians, Moore may end up winning on Tuesday. If and when that happens, it’ll be because those same Christian “leaders” did absolutely nothing to denounce Moore — or say they believed the women coming forward with charges against Moore — when the people of Alabama needed to hear it the most. I’m not saying they should have endorsed Doug Jones, either — I want the pastors out of politics — but they could’ve denounced a fellow Christian who does such horrible things in the name of their God.
Their silence is no better than the sham Christians who appeared on that list. And because of it, we may end up with a “family values” senator who loves hitting on underage girls in his spare time when he’s not groping a 14-year-old.
If these pastors really wanted people to respect their faith and take it seriously, they should take it back from the likes of Moore and the modern GOP who have done so much to tarnish their brand.Excerpt: "When money is cheap, that's a good time to invest. And both education and infrastructure are investments in America's future; we'll eventually pay a large and completely gratuitous price for the way they're being savaged."
Portrait, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, 06/15/09. (photo: Fred R. Conrad/NYT)
Money for Nothing
By Paul Krugman, The New York Times
For years, allegedly serious people have been issuing dire warnings about the consequences of large budget deficits — deficits that are overwhelmingly the result of our ongoing economic crisis. In May 2009, Niall Ferguson of Harvard declared that the “tidal wave of debt issuance” would cause U.S. interest rates to soar. In March 2011, Erskine Bowles, the co-chairman of President Obama’s ill-fated deficit commission, warned that unless action was taken on the deficit soon, “the markets will devastate us,” probably within two years. And so on.
Well, I guess Mr. Bowles has a few months left. But a funny thing happened on the way to the predicted fiscal crisis: instead of soaring, U.S. borrowing costs have fallen to their lowest level in the nation’s history. And it’s not just America. At this point, every advanced country that borrows in its own currency is able to borrow very cheaply.
The failure of deficits to produce the predicted rise in interest rates is telling us something important about the nature of our economic troubles (and the wisdom, or lack thereof, of the self-appointed guardians of our fiscal virtue). Before I get there, however, let’s talk about those low, low borrowing costs — so low that, in some cases, investors are actually paying governments to hold their money.A Jersey City firehouse was the target of a thief for the second time in one week yesterday, and police say the alleged perpetrator used the fire gear she stole to impersonate a firefighter and rob a nearby bodega.
The wild call led to police officers chasing the woman through residential yards while she stripped out of the firefighter gear she is accused of stealing, according to police reports. The 48-year-old woman is now in custody.
The firefighters appear to have been inside the firehouse when she stole the items from the fire truck. The captain told police they did not witness the alleged theft.
The captain told police a woman later identified as Sabrina Carter, 48, stole a jacket, pants, boots, helmet and flashlight from the rear of a firetruck parked outside the firehouse at 468 Ocean Ave. sometime before noon yesterday. That same firehouse was burglarized last week while firefighters were out responding to a two-alarm blaze.
Carter was then spotted about a mile away on Kennedy Boulevard and Grant Avenue, where the owner of a bodega at the intersection told police Carter entered his store in full firefighter gear at about 11:30 a.m. and told people to leave the building, according to a police report. A video obtained by The Jersey Journal shows what appears to be Carter telling people inside the bodge that she is investigating a gas leak.
UPDATE: Video shows what transpired inside bodega
The owner told police Carter had a "big knife" and stole "a bunch of lottery tickets" before fleeing on Grant Avenue, according to the police report.
Police said they next saw Carter on Orient Avenue, two blocks north of the bodega, and nabbed her in an alleyway there.
Carter was arrested and charged with burglary, robbery, theft, weapons charges and impersonating a public servant. Police reports indicates she is homeless. She is expected to make her first court appearance on the charges tomorrow.
A man behind the counter at the bodega this morning referred all questions to police.
A video posted on Facebook yesterday afternoon (and deleted this morning) appears to show Carter walking on Grant Avenue before she is accused of robbing the bodega. The video includes explicit language.
29-year-old Antwan Barfield was arrested early Saturday morning and accused of burglarizing the same firehouse last week. Police say he stole items from the firehouse, including firefighters' credit cards, while the crew was rescuing a 16-year-old boy from a building on Cator Avenue.
The installed a security camera next to the firehouse after that incident. As a result of yesterday's theft, all firefighters have been reminded not to leave any rigs unattended, according to Morrill.
Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.White badges informing commuters that a lady has a baby on board are being joined by blue badges to indicate a hidden disability.
The ‘Please Offer Me a Seat’ badge, and accompanying card, were trialled by some 1,200 people earlier this year to help those who need a seat, but have difficulty getting one.
The trial was in response to finding that people with hidden disabilities and conditions, or those undergoing treatments, can often find it difficult to get a seat when they need one.
During the trial, 72 percent of journeys were said to be easier as a result of the badge, in 86 percent of journeys participants reported feeling more confident when asking for a seat.
Members of the public have been developing their own solutions to the problem, such as a ‘cancer on board’ badge. Its creator, James McNaught took part in the TfL trial.
The new badge and card will be introduced on a permanent basis in spring 2017.Shepard Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 3,417
Re: Western Ave Residence | 530 Western Ave | Brighton A few quick observations
1) It actually fits in well with New Balance and WGBH. Charlesview and Continuum could also be lumped into that too. Bit of a localized architectural vernacular is starting to accrue in this area?
2) It's too bad that the neighborhood association will reflexively blow a gasket about this - hopefully won't be taken too seriously
3) Seeing the radius map, it's hard to believe that all the amenities of Arsenal Street are only a 10 minute walk away. It really goes to show how important it will be to invest in street calming, wider sidewalks, bike lanes, and all that other good stuff along Birmingham Parkway (or could we just make this Market Street again?), Arsenal and Western.
4) Someone please remind me - is there a Market St entrance/exit to Brighton Landing? Or will you need to walk over to Everett?POLITICO Pro Enron billionaire frets about public pensions' solvency
When former Enron trader and Texas billionaire John Arnold donated more than $1 million to a November 2014 initiative to reform the public pension system in Phoenix, pension activists took notice.
Arnold’s donation to Proposition 487, also known as the Phoenix Pension Reform Act, constituted close to 75 percent of total donations for the ballot measure, which failed. Had it passed, it would have moved new state employees from a defined benefit plan into a less generous (and less expensive) defined contribution plan such as a 401(k).
Story Continued Below
Despite his Arizona defeat, no one believes Arnold is done.
“In nearly every single battle over public pensions, we can follow the money trail back to John Arnold,” said Jordan Marks, executive director of the National Public Pension Coalition, a union-funded organization. “It’s a highly coordinated national effort that comes from [the] same dark-money, ideological source.” Arnold was not available for an interview.
The problem Arnold wants to fix is real. Public pension systems currently face a shortfall of more than a $1 trillion. They’ve helped put two cities — Stockton, California and Detroit — into bankruptcy. In October, a court-approved exit plan for Stockton’s bankruptcy eliminated nearly $550 million in retiree health care benefits for city workers but did not cut pensions. Detroit’s bankruptcy exit plan, approved in November, included public pension cuts.
At the state level, Illinois’ public pension fund is the most troublesome in the nation, with more than $100 billion in unfunded liabilities. A state plan to address the shortfall would reduce cost-of-living adjustments, raise the retirement age and lower employee contributions. But its fate remains uncertain after Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge John Belz declared the cuts unconstitutional. The Illinois State Supreme Court will hear the case in March.
Arnold’s critics argue that he exaggerates the insolvency of public pensions nationwide. They also question his fitness to evangelize for pension austerity, given that he made his fortune at a company that in its 2001 collapse wiped out $2 billion of its own employee pension funds and cost public employees whose pension funds invested in Enron an additional $1.5 billion. “We’re talking about a former Enron executive who profited off a bankruptcy that destroyed the retirement savings of millions of hard-working Americans,” says Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers.
Still, Arnold is undeterred, giving generously to politicians who support pension benefit cuts. In the 2014 cycle, Arnold and his wife donated $200,000 to a super PAC that supported Democrat Gina Raimondo’s successful gubernatorial campaign in Rhode Island. As Rhode Island’s state treasurer, Raimondo had enacted pension benefit cuts that cost her union support. Rahm Emanuel, who made similar changes to Chicago’s pension system, also received financial assistance from Arnold.
San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, another Democrat, tried, unsuccessfully, to place an initiative on California’s November 2014 state ballot that would have allowed public employers, under specific circumstances, to reduce employee benefits and to increase contributions to underfunded plans. Arnold bankrolled the entire effort, to the tune of $200,000.
According to data compiled by the NPPC, based on donations disclosed on the website of the Laura and John Arnold Foundation and on news articles, Arnold has since 2008 spent more than $53 million on pension policy reforms, not all of it in the political realm. (In an email interview with Reuters, Arnold disputed those numbers.)
Other beneficiaries listed include universities and think tanks such as Brookings and the Pew Charitable Trusts. Much of the money was spent to support pension reforms, but some was spent on education reform. Both efforts, unions point out, tend to favor benefit cuts to public employees.
Josh McGee, vice president of public accountability for the Arnold Foundation, says its research aims to make public pension systems more financially sustainable. “I’m not a [defined benefit] versus [defined contribution] guy,” McGee said. “I think that debate is false. I’m perfectly happy to see defined benefit plans maintained as long as they include all the elements that are important to retirement plan design.”
Arnold has previously emphasized that he has no self-interest in the debate other than philanthropic and public interest. In December 2013, Arnold told The Sacramento Bee the government “has a strong role to play funding the safety net.” He said “attempts to meet the obligations of a broken system” can lead to serious ramifications, including cuts to social programs, increases in violent crime and the closing of libraries and fire departments.
“The losers end up being taxpayers,” Arnold said.
As a star Enron trader, Arnold reportedly earned the company $750 million just in 2001 and received an $8 million bonus. He said he was not involved in the company’s division that led to its demise, and that he has cooperated with investigations. In 2002, Arnold founded Centaurus Advisors, a hedge fund that specialized in energy trading. In 2012, he retired from the hedge fund.
McGee says distrust of Arnold comes from general distrust of wealthy individuals and the need for advocacy organizations to produce a “compelling narrative” when they face political and financial pressure. “I think John’s bio makes people think he is … right-leaning [and] wants to cut benefits,” McGee said. “The truth of the matter is that we advocate for fully funded systems.”
The NPPC, the American Federation of Teachers and others predict the next battles over public pension funds will take place in Oklahoma, Colorado, Florida, Pennsylvania and Nevada. Arnold has already donated to Secure Oklahoma, which favors moving the state public pension plan from defined-benefit to defined-contribution.
The Arnold Foundation is also participating in the Colorado Pension Project, chaired by former Colorado Govs. Bill Owens, a Republican, and Richard Lamm, a Democrat. As governor, Lamm drew national headlines 30 years ago when he said that elderly people who were terminally ill had a “duty to die and get out of the way.” (Lamm will turn 80 next year.) The Colorado Pension Project’s website says that recent legislative reforms to the state pension system — which reduced cost of living adjustments, raised the retirement age for new employees and increased employee salary contributions — did not go far enough. McGee said Arnold’s foundation was drawn to the state’s history of “fruitful left ideological discussions.”
The political battle over the preservation of defined benefit public pension plans versus the creation of defined contribution plans stems largely from a debate about whether pension funds are underfunded because they’re structurally weak or because they have yet to recover fully from the 2007-2009 recession.
Those who favor preservation of defined contribution plans say 401(k)s and cash balance plans (technically defined-benefit plans, but practically equivalent to defined-contribution plans because the benefits are determined by the plans’ cash balance) are more transparent and more cost-effective. But those who favor defined benefit programs point out that the new systems inherently cut benefits by providing employees with a lump sum rather than guaranteeing benefits throughout their lifetime. The mere fact that governments favor them as cost-saving measures, they say, proves that they have smaller payouts.
According to McGee, state and local pension plans require fundamental restructuring. Many of the plans were well-funded in the early 2000s, but McGee says that’s largely because of the economic boom of the late 1990s. He said blaming the public pension shortfall solely on the recent recession places a “huge bet that things will certainly bounce back … Thinking we’re going back to the ’90s and betting people’s retirement security on that seems entirely inappropriate.”
A Pew study in collaboration with the Arnold Foundation attributed public-pension weaknesses to “a combination of investment return shortfalls, missed contributions and unfunded benefit increases.” The study indicated that only 15 states had consistently fulfilled 95 percent or more of their annually required contributions.
But Dean Baker, co-director of the liberal Center for Economic Policy Research, says that plans are in decent financial health so long as they’re about 70 percent funded. A recent study from Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research indicated that a healthier stock market has already helped improve funding for public pension plans, and that by 2017, assuming a healthy stock market, most public plans would most likely be funded at least 80 percent.
Baker added that while a $1 trillion shortfall might sound alarming, over a 30-year period it wasn’t particularly worrisome. “The idea that this is an impossible burden — that’s just nuts,” he said. “I think they have done a lot to exaggerate the size of that number. It sounds really big, it sounds really scary.” Arnold and others, Baker said, use that number “to force drastic changes in the structure of pensions.”
Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that John Arnold donated to the Pew Research Center. He donated to the Pew Charitable Trusts.
CORRECTION: Corrected by: Daniella Diaz @ 12/31/2014 01:39 PM Correction: An earlier version of this story stated, erroneously, that Arnold donated to the Pew Research Center. In fact, he donated to the Pew Charitable Trusts.
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EnronUPDATE: source code published on source code published on Github [2, 5]
Good news Everyone! I wrote an app that bypasses TaintDroid's [1] privacy monitoring features (Taint analysis) in more than a few ways. I will share the app on my GitHub [2] account very soon. Currently the app is capable of collecting private information such as Android device ID, Google account ID, network ID, IMEI etc. and send it to a pre-configured server (of course without raising any TaintDroid alert). If anyone is interested while I fine-tune my app (add support for reconfigurable server among other small things), please drop me a line in the comments. I would be happy to share how and what I have done.To know more about how TaintDroid and Taint analysis works, please read their publications here [2]. If you Google for TaintDroid, you will also find a fair amount of information on what it is and how it works. Thanks for reading my Blog. I will update this post as soon as the next bit is ready.[1] http://appanalysis.org/ [2] https://github.com/gsbabil [3] http://appanalysis.org/pubs.html [4] http://www.google.com.au/search?q=TaintDroid [5] http://gsbabil.github.io/AntiTaintDroid/What are you thoughts on this event? While it’s nice to get a proper version of Sideshow Bob added to the game, is the event surrounding the fanfare fun? The new characters and buildings are nice, and the story is certainly enjoyable. The problem is how you go about earning new content.
Some things need to be crafted. Sometimes you need to use crafting materials to upgrade a building, but you also need crafting materials to craft certain prizes. Plus you need to collect materials to unlock prizes that are different than the prize you can craft. Then you have things to tap in your town and your neighbors town, and that doesn’t even include the things you can send to your neighbors town, and also stop in your own town if you can manage to do so in a particular window of time. Plus you have a character giving our four daily tasks, which earns more crafting material. It’s all too much!
It’s sort-of my job to breakdown things to explain them to our readers, but even I’m getting spun about by all this craziness. I’m not sending characters on jobs because I’m afraid I’ll need them when Cecil has a new job for me. Then we I do send characters on material earning jobs, I don’t know what I should be trying to get more of, fertilizer or corn. Then tapping certain things seems to randomly generate these things as well as spades and mutant seedlings.
What am I even doing!?
Really, I just want to enjoy a simple storyline and earn some prizes. Oh, and this is only act one. There are some more acts to follow that are going to turn this event on its head and complicated things even further. Look EA, we know you need to stretch out events so they last a while and we don’t all get bored after the first week. This time though, you’ve got a bit too much going on and it’s making things a bit unpleasant.
Maybe it’s just me, but maybe it’s not. Let me know what you think about this event in the comments. Content aside, how do you feel about execution of the event and all the things players are being asked to do in order to earn new prizes.Share 0 SHARES
A MONSTER five-foot long rat has been found swimming in the Irish media for the past fortnight, and it’s looking for a good home.
The vermin, a Caucasian Christian bigot, was reported to be dwelling in West Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
It is believed to be the worst of its kind found in recent years.
Nicknamed ‘Susan’ by its minders, the rat is not believed to be physically dangerous but its spine-tingling screams have begun to upset locals.
“It just slithered out from underneath a rock somewhere,” constituent Gerry Kennedy told WWN today. “The vile yoke just sits there screaming nonsense all the time. I’ve called the local animal welfare group to see if we can get rid of it.
“Hopefully they can put it out of its misery.”
The animal is presumed to have escaped or been released by a a local Christian breeder.
Witnesses say the rodent is about the size of a dog, weighs in at 60kg, has |
in the Senate.
Kaine was also vetted by President Obama as a potential running mate in 2008, so he knows the process.
2. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.)
Warren’s speech electrifying the crowd on Monday raised her stock to an all-time high.
It wasn’t just Warren’s effect on the crowd that impressed observers. The vigor with which she praised Clinton was conspicuous, given that the two have had a complicated political relationship. “We’re here to fight side by side with Hillary Clinton,” she said.
But there are still reasons to believe that Warren won’t ultimately get the nod. Her more emphatic rhetoric against Wall Street excesses and the downsides of international trade deals sits uneasily with Clinton. Although the former secretary of State has moved left of late, the two women are cut from different ideological cloths.
Warren also has her own large and energized power base within the party. Even in the best-case scenario for Clinton, in which Warren joins her on the ticket and they win an easy victory in November, would the first female president spend the next four years looking over her shoulder at a vice president who might aspire to be the second?
3. Sen. Sherrod Brown Sherrod Campbell BrownWorse than nothing's been done since the massive Equifax hack Dems face internal battle over budget On The Money: Dems set Tuesday vote on Trump's emergency declaration | Most Republicans expected to back Trump | Senate plots to avoid fall shutdown drama | Powell heading before Congress MORE (Ohio)
Brown, the left-leaning Ohio senator, has been a high-profile surrogate for Clinton in recent weeks. On Tuesday, he participated in a conference call blasting presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump Donald John TrumpHouse committee believes it has evidence Trump requested putting ally in charge of Cohen probe: report Vietnamese airline takes steps to open flights to US on sidelines of Trump-Kim summit Manafort's attorneys say he should get less than 10 years in prison MORE’s economic policy. In a news release from the Clinton campaign, Brown was quoted portraying Trump as someone who “lines his pockets at the expense of American workers.”
To those who champion him as a VP pick, Brown has advantages similar to Warren’s in terms of revving up progressives but with the important bonus that he is from a swing state.
The doubters, however, suggest he would pull Clinton unnecessarily to the left and that he lacks Warren’s star power.
A Republican research document recently leaked to The Huffington Post also seemed to suggest the GOP fancied its chances of sullying Brown’s image.
He “has a number of extremely liberal votes from his political past that can be held against him. These include voting against pay raises for the military,” the document noted.
4. Secretary of Labor Tom Perez
Speculation has waxed and waned about whether Clinton might choose a Hispanic running mate in order to press home her advantage over Trump with that community.
If she decided to do so, Perez could be a real contender. His was among nine names on her VP shortlist, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal earlier this month.
Perez has a resume to impress the progressive base. He served as assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s civil rights division and, long before that, served as an aide to liberal icon Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.).
In a sense, however, Perez’s chances could be harmed by Trump. The GOP hopeful is doing so badly with minorities in polls that Clinton may simply feel no great need to choose a Hispanic running mate.
5. Sen. Cory Booker (N.J.)
Choosing Booker would provide Clinton with a youthful, charismatic and media-savvy running mate. The fact that Booker is African-American could also boost black turnout, though Clinton is already strong in that regard.
But Booker also has his critics. In the past, they have charged him with being more concerned about tending to his Twitter account than partaking in the more prosaic work of governance.
Much of the media attention Booker receives is favorable, bordering on fawning. It is not certain how he would stand up to the intense scrutiny of a presidential race.
6. Sen. Amy Klobuchar Amy Jean KlobucharMore than 60 former staffers defend Klobuchar as ‘a mentor and a friend’ Warren Buffett: I would support Bloomberg if he ran for president Warren vows to forgo 'fancy receptions or big money fundraisers' MORE (Minn.)
Klobuchar is, next to Warren, the most likely woman to be named Clinton’s running mate. The Minnesotan has been effusive about Clinton. “What this means to me and so many other women across the country is that anything and everything is possible,” she told NPR earlier this month, after Clinton became the presumptive nominee.
Klobuchar has significant political skills and no glaring deficiencies, but it would still be a surprise if Clinton picked her. She’s also from a very safe Democratic state that no Republican presidential candidate has carried since incumbent President Nixon in 1972.
7. Rep. Xavier Becerra Xavier BecerraOvernight Health Care: Drug execs set for grilling | Washington state to sue over Trump rule targeting Planned Parenthood | Wyoming moves closer to Medicaid work requirements Washington state to sue Trump administration over rule targeting Planned Parenthood NY, California and Washington threaten to sue over Trump rule to restrict abortion referrals MORE (Calif.)
The eagerness of Becerra to win the vice presidential slot has been the subject of some good-natured mockery from his colleagues.
Last week, the California congressman offered Clinton a glass of water when she visited Capitol Hill. “You’re really working it, huh, Xavier?” said Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.), drawing laughter from his colleagues.
Despite the jibes, House Democrats would be enthused if Becerra did become Clinton’s running mate.
Becerra, who is Hispanic and a vigorous supporter of immigration reform, could be an attractive pick. But it’s just not clear whether Clinton would go for a congressman who is relatively unknown on the national stage.
8. Sen. Mark Warner Mark Robert WarnerHillicon Valley: Senators urge Trump to bar Huawei products from electric grid | Ex-security officials condemn Trump emergency declaration | New malicious cyber tool found | Facebook faces questions on treatment of moderators Key senators say administration should ban Huawei tech in US electric grid Addressing repair backlog at national parks can give Congress a big win MORE (Va.)
Warner has cause to wonder why Kaine’s name is mentioned so often as a possible VP and his own is not. He has plenty of similarities with his fellow Virginian: They are both centrists and served as governor of the commonwealth before making it to the Senate.
Both, however, also lack charisma, and that seems to have hampered Warner’s political progress more. In 2014, he came within a whisker of losing his seat, which doesn’t auger well for his chances.
9. Sen. Al Franken Alan (Al) Stuart FrankenVirginia can be better than this Harris off to best start among Dems in race, say strategists, donors Virginia scandals pit Democrats against themselves and their message MORE (Minn.)
Franken stoked speculation when he told The Associated Press last week that he would take the vice presidential slot if Clinton requested that he do so.
But, in that same interview, he noted that he was not being vetted for the role, to the best of his knowledge.
Franken is a serious figure these days but he remains best known to the general public as a comic who’s been part of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” cast.
That makes him an unlikely choice, given that Clinton’s campaign is trying to portray Trump as unqualified and lacking gravitas. At the simplest level, attacking Trump as a reality TV star would be more difficult if a comic were on the Democratic ticket.Fighters attended 30-day training program in Turkey run by US and Gulf states, according to captured fighters
A group of terrorists recently captured in Aleppo have confessed to receiving military training in Turkey from US, Saudi Arabian and Qatari personnel.
In an interview broadcast by Syrian state television on Sunday, Ahmad Mastari confessed to fighting with a terrorist group for four months before attending a 45-day training course in Salqin, Idleb, later travelling to Turkey to receive military training from US, Saudi Arabian and Qatari instructors for 30 days before returning to Aleppo.
“I was among the force that attacked Jam’yat al-Zahraa in Aleppo, we were about 250 persons, but the operation failed and we were arrested by the army”, Mastari said.
The fighter added: “I had fought in al-Qarmid camp, Wadi al-Daif in Idleb, Kifr Nabouda in Hama and later we went to Saladin neighborhood in Aleppo where we were shelling the area, then putting the dead bodies inside the buildings".
Another captured terrorist, Zakaraya al-Zait, said planning for the latest attack on Aleppo began three weeks ago, adding that his 60-member group infiltrated some buildings, but the army besieged the area and caught all those who were still alive.
Detainee Mohammad Aqel Akk confirmed Mastari’s story, claiming US, Saudi Arabian and Qatari personnel trained fighters over 45 days in Salqin, later travelling to complete their training in Turkey where trainees were given USD $200.
"We then returned to Aleppo and commenced a huge attack on army posts in Aleppo, but our operation was a failure and we were caught”, he added.
Terrorist Qasem Abdullah said he spent five months training in Turkey, receiving SYP 15,000 per month.
Hassan Hassani confessed said his 60-member group attempted to attack al-Zahraa neighborhood in Aleppo, but failed and was caught.
Another captured fighter said around 600 gunmen from different militant groups were involved in the attack on al-Zahraa.DIstributed Firewall and Flow-shaper Using Statistical Evidence (DIFFUSE)
Overview
Architecture
Machine Learning
Papers and Interim Results
Downloads
Usage Examples
Other Links
Overview In recent years a body of research emerged around the identification and classification of traffic flows based on statistical properties (features) -- and in particular the application of Machine Learning (ML) techniques to generate such classifiers. Statistical properties, such as distributions of packet size or inter-packet arrival times, may be calculated without accessing packet payloads (packet inspection). Such techniques assist Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to work within any legal or technical limitations on direct payload inspection – potential new applications include characterising traffic for Lawful Interception, automated ‘market research’ or automated prioritisation of real-time traffic. For many of these new applications a de-coupling between flow classification and treatment (the actions performed on flows, such as blocking or shaping) is highly desirable. For example, a single high performance classifier near the core of an ISP network may control multiple low-power nodes near the network edge (perhaps embedded within ADSL or Cable modem gateways) so that centralised traffic classification can automatically modify the Quality of Service (QoS) treatment experienced by packets at the network edge. This de-coupling also enables potentially computationally intensive per-flow statistics calculations to be offloaded from the packet forwarding path. For many of these new applications a de-coupling between flow classification and treatment (the actions performed on flows, such as blocking or shaping) is highly desirable. For example, a single high performance classifier near the core of an ISP network may control multiple low-power nodes near the network edge (perhaps embedded within ADSL or Cable modem gateways) so that centralised traffic classification can automatically modify the Quality of Service (QoS) treatment experienced by packets at the network edge. This de-coupling also enables potentially computationally intensive per-flow statistics calculations to be offloaded from the packet forwarding path. However, common open-source packet filters that combine firewall and traffic shaping (such as ipfw, pf, netfilter and similar) currently do not use traffic statistics, instead relying on direct inspection of packets passing through the filtering node’s local interfaces. Furthermore, these filters tightly couple the flow classification and treatment, i.e. after flows are classified actions are executed locally immediately after the classification. In this project we will design and develop extensions for existing packet filter providing ML-based classification based on statistical properties and de-coupling of flow classification and treatment, and we will analyse the accuracy, performance and scalability of such a distributed system. We further will explore whether automatic (re)training of classifiers may be practically achieved using live IP traffic going past particular points inside an ISP network, and the degree to which noise (packet loss and jitter) in the live traffic feed negatively impacts on the system's ability to recognise the same class of traffic in the future.
Figure 1 : DIFFUSE allows the use of traffic statistics to augment traditional packet filtering and traffic shaping decisions : DIFFUSE allows the use of traffic statistics to augment traditional packet filtering and traffic shaping decisions In this project we will design and develop extensions for existing packet filter providing ML-based classification based on statistical properties and de-coupling of flow classification and treatment, and we will analyse the accuracy, performance and scalability of such a distributed system. We further will explore whether automatic (re)training of classifiers may be practically achieved using live IP traffic going past particular points inside an ISP network, and the degree to which noise (packet loss and jitter) in the live traffic feed negatively impacts on the system's ability to recognise the same class of traffic in the future. Project Goals Design packet filter extensions that allow ML-based classification and the de-coupling of flow classification and treatment.
Design a protocol to transport information about flow classes and actions from classifiers to nodes enforcing actions.
Develop extensions for existing packet filters that implement the developed approach and can be used as demonstrator.
Evaluate the accuracy, performance and scalability of a distributed classification system and characterise the various trade-offs.
Investigate methods for dynamic (re)training of classifiers and investigate the impact of noise on the performance of these methods. As part of this project we will develop and publicly release software that allows the classification of flows based on statistical properties and de-couples the classification from the actions undertaken, and publish interim results and papers on our website. The links at the top will take you to additional information.
News
April 13th, 2012: We have released DIFFUSE for OpenWRT, a version of DIFFUSE that works on embedded devices such as home Internet gateways. Our current prototype is based on the DIFFUSE 0.4 distribution running on the Attitude Adjustment (r29537) version of OpenWRT (an embedded Linux operating system). DIFFUSE for OpenWRT allows to enable automatic and dynamic QoS for home networks.
Project Members Grenville Armitage
Sebastian Zander
Nigel Williams This project began in June 2010 and has been made possible in part by a gift from The Cisco University Research Program Fund, a corporate advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation, for a project titled "Exploring the efficacy of distributed statistical traffic classification using modified open source packet filters".A selection from a collection of early-20th-century lantern slides held at the Fylkesarkivet of Sogn og Fjordane, a county in the west of Norway. The slides are produced by at least two British photographers – professional photographer Samuel J. Beckett and amateur photographer P. Heywood Hadfield, who was a ship’s surgeon employed by the Orient Steam Navigation Company. Hadfield produced several illustrated books from his travels, including With an Ocean Liner (Orient Co’s S.S. “Ophir”) through the Fiords of Norway. A Photographic Memento of a Fortnight’s Cruising, published in several editions by the London Stereoscopic & Photographic Co. Ltd in the early 1900s. Beckett also produced a book on Norway The Fjords and Folk of Norway, first published in 1915 by Methuen & Co. Ltd. Learn more about Lantern Slides here.Scores
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Trevor Fisher Jr. earned his maiden European Tour victory on the wings of a final-round 8-under 64 at the Africa Open.
Fisher, 35, went 17 under over the final two rounds at East London Golf Club in South Africa, surging to a five-shot win.
“It was a great day, I played well and everything went well,” said the South Africa native. “The putter was amazing, I sank some amazing putts today. It is written in the stars.”
Fisher, winner of eight events on the Sunshine Tour, went bogey-free on the back nine throughout the tournament and birdied the 15th hole in all four rounds.
He beat out Matt Ford, who finished with a 67, by five shots. Spaniards Eduardo de la Riva and Jorge Campillo tied Morten Orum Madsen for third at 16 under.In the days leading up to April 23, it seemed quite possible that Beyoncé — the grand empress of the surprise album — had finally run out of ways to surprise us. A week prior, she had posted a minute-long teaser for something called Lemonade, which would premiere in prime time on HBO that Saturday night. As mysterious as that trailer was, it seemed relatively safe to say that Beyoncé — who was about to embark on a worldwide tour, had recently dropped the single “Formation,” and, of course, had a history of dropping new records out of nowhere — would be premiering new music that night, and very likely a new album.
Somehow, Lemonade still managed to shock. We may have been prepared for an album, but we weren’t prepared for this album — an hour-long, achingly candid tone poem about a famous spouse’s alleged infidelities and the irrepressible communal spirit of black women. That Beyoncé had previously been so private about her personal life made the record’s confessional nature that much more flabbergasting. The “surprise album” release strategy was well on its way to becoming a cliché (if not an outright annoyance, as U2 found out the hard way), but, with Lemonade, Beyoncé upped the ante, daring other acts to save their greatest risks not for the particulars of the (anti) promotional campaign, but for the content of the artistry. It’s an important distinction: Lemonade was a surprise album not because of the manner in which it was released; it was a surprise album because it was, for Beyoncé, a totally unpredictable exploration of new sonic, thematic, and emotional frontiers.
And I speak from experience: The first time I watched Lemonade, I was gasping and clutching my heart like I was watching a grade-A thriller. It seemed to deliver an oh shit! moment with every cut: When Serena suddenly appeared! When Bey uttered things like “suck on my balls!” and the Warsan Shire–penned phrase “plugged my menses with pages from the holy book,” so help me god! When — WAIT IS THAT JAY KISSING HER HANDS AND FEET? DID SHE ACTUALLY FORGIVE THIS MAN AND IS THIS WHOLE THING A COMMERCIAL FOR HIS FLAILING STREAMING SERVICE? WHAT IS HAPPENING AND DID SHE REALLY JUST GET JACK WHITE OF ALL THE PEOPLE ON THIS PLANET TO INSINUATE THAT GOD IS A WOMAN?!?! The fire alarm emoji should be used sparingly for maximum impact, but throughout a first viewing of Lemonade it was warranted at least a dozen times. Right when the surprise album was on the brink of overkill, Beyoncé breathed new life into it. Which means, for better and for worse, that it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
“Surprise album” has become such a ubiquitous term that its meaning becomes more vague with each passing tweet. (Last month the Chicago Tribune even used it to describe Drake’s Views, an album that not only had a previously announced release date, but which Drake himself had been teasing for the better part of two years.) But even when the phrase is used more precisely, it’s becoming a bit hollow; we’re living through a deluge of albums — even something as long promised as Rihanna’s Anti — that lay claim to that trendy term “surprise,” but have, like Lemonade, given us a lot of hints that they were coming.
“Let’s do a good-ass job with Chance 3,” human-shaped ray of sunshine Chance the Rapper promised on his star-making verse on Kanye West’s “Ultralight Beam.” A week after Lemonade premiered, Chance began selling promotional posters for the record via his website. And yet when the 23-year-old Chicago rapper actually dropped his third mixtape (which had been renamed Coloring Book) on May 13, it was almost universally described as a “surprise album.” Similarly (if a little more curmudgeonly), when Radiohead began deleting its internet presence in early May, what did people think they were doing? Switching their server to GoDaddy? No, it was pretty safe to say that they were laying the groundwork to promote some new music. A Moon Shaped Pool, the group’s ninth studio album, appeared shortly after.
“Surprise” is pop music’s latest fetish commodity, a new but widely accepted virtue in an industry desperately trying to adapt to the demands (and attention spans) of the digital age. The album promotional cycle used to be pretty uniform: Announce the release date a few months prior, send a single to radio, and tour once the album comes out. But these tactics have now been replaced by, say, obtuse teasers that often feel like perfume ads directed by Terrence Malick and promotional hieroglyphs graffitied onto urban sidewalks (and which often, in the case of Arcade Fire and more recently Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, result in apologies).
You can’t blame these artists for trying to kick up some mystique; in a way they have to play into this culture of event and novelty in order to stay trending. It’s also a response to modern life’s so-called attention economy, in which time, focus, and — god willing — contemplation are the scarcest commodities. In a recent NPR podcast, editor Jacob Ganz said of the surprise release, “It’s maybe the only way to get the kind of attention that you used to be able to package together in the days of the record label at its peak … maybe [this] is the only way to make it feel like something is an event anymore.”
Smaller, quieter artists are dabbling in this release strategy too. On May 5, the brooding Brit James Blake released The Colour in Anything, an album that had been teased with billboards but hadn’t been explicitly announced. Like Chance’s Coloring Book, it conveniently came on the heels of a high-profile guest appearance — Blake’s turn on Lemonade’s wispy, forlorn “Forward.” The Colour in Anything is a haunting, pretty, rainy-day drizzle of a record, and perhaps because of that, calling it a “surprise album” feels a tad dramatic — like calling a lightning bug a firework. And aside from its unannounced release, very little about The Colour in Anything is surprising; it sounds … exactly how I’d expect a new James Blake album to sound, almost to the point of self-parody: Not only is there a song that features fellow indie crooner Bon Iver, but that song is called “I Need a Forest Fire,” and it sounds like a song from an SNL skit about James Blake and Bon Iver making a song together (in which Justin Vernon, naturally, is played by Desi from Girls).
The Colour in Anything isn’t an exception, though; artistically speaking, very little has been startling about 2016’s non-Lemonade “surprise albums.” Coloring Book sounds, as expected, like the mathematical sum of his previous two releases — a kaleidoscopic swirl of Acid Rap’s Chicago reportage and Surf’s defiant euphoria. And, while lovely, Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool sounds pretty close to what I’d envision a Radiohead album to sound like in 2016: a logical progression from the slightly dour The King of Limbs, enlivened by the outre experimentations that guitarist Jonny Greenwood has been exploring in the years since.
Musical novelty, of course, is not inherently better than predictability, and wild artistic risks don’t work for everybody. (I liked the records that Beach House put out last year precisely because they sounded like Beach House records — both the one that was announced and the one that came out “by surprise.”) And there’s a certain time and place in their career for artists to do 180s. Now that, after the Kanye bump, a lot more people are paying attention to Chance, this wasn’t exactly the moment for him to put out his Yeezus. But what we risk, in fetishizing the surprise album, is mistaking promotional innovation for artistic innovation, making the particulars of the album rollout seem more important than the songs. And what’s worse, when we start to expect surprises around every corner, we risk becoming desensitized to that Lemonade feeling — when an artist manages to find the one place we weren’t expecting her to go and, jarringly, jumps out from her hiding place.
In a dark twist of fate, the era of the surprise album has coincided with two shocking deaths, those of David Bowie and Prince. Both of these losses were sudden, cataclysmic, and perspective-shifting: For a few days at least, after their respective passings, the contemporary machinations of the music world seemed a little frivolous.
Bowie, in January, injected an elegant bit of the macabre into the music industry’s fetishization of surprise: He died two days after the release of his album Blackstar, an enigmatic collection of songs that only after his passing revealed itself to be a kind of sonic goodbye. In a way that was startling, tasteful, and thus oh-so-Bowie, the surprise of his death completed the record’s narrative arc. Maybe no other artist should have attempted a surprise release after Bowie had so bleakly perfected the form, but there we were, preparing for Lemonade that afternoon in April when the world stopped for a few moments because we’d lost Prince.
These two artists have dominated the musical conversation this year not because of the shock of their deaths, but because of the many, many shocks of their lives. This had nothing to do with the gimmickry of their promotional strategies (not that they were above such things), but with the restless and continuously exploratory nature of their work. Think of Bowie’s unpredictable transformations from folksy space alien to glammy meta-rock star to Philly-soul crooner to ambient music pioneer to suave mainstream pop icon (and that’s only one decade of his career!). Prince could often pack that many jolts and stylistic metamorphoses into a single record. Both of their catalogs are master classes in how to artfully astonish, how to conjure the truly unexpected. They made us gasp in the best way.Editing - $800
Formatting - $200
Printing - $800
Kickstarter Fees - $275
Fulfillment Costs - $675
Total: $2750
Kickstarter says: "Explain that if you don't reach your goal, you'll get nothing, and everyone will be sad."
Anyone pledging $10 or more will get a copy of the book. A story where having a super power is the new upper class. You'll get a story that shows the determination of Kya, still learning to be a "real" adult and trying to get her footing in life. She hopes to join the upper class.
You'll empathize as she struggles to fund the procedure that'll gain her access to a Super, and witness her frustration as she envies a group of people that live a near unrestricted life. Lastly, you'll see the forces, behind the curtains, controlling the world and what that means to Kya.
$3,500 - We will release full three page written character profiles on each of the four main characters - Kya, Amelia, Sam and Don. You'll learn about their favourite foods, their childhood, and other elements that help build up their characters. This will be appended to the e-book version and available online for physical book readers to download. We will also run a Q&A on Reddit where we will answer your questions about us, the book, or nearly anything else you can think up.
$5,000 - We will hire a professional designer to help us with creating a website that is top notch. Either way, Annie and I will build out the content and I will develop the website, but this will give you a better looking place to download your e-book copy, check out added content, and get details on any extended universe developments.
$7,000 - Cover image bookmark and one page personalized thank you letter via e-mail for anyone that pledged $25 or more (e-bundle folks excluded from bookmark.)
$10,000 - Everyone pledging $1 and above will get access to the e-book version of Second Class Supers.
Extra funding will be used for the website to distribute the e-book copies, marketing, and for printing copies to give to local libraries and independent book stores.
Your support is really appreciated. Publishing a novel is one of those "bucket list" items that Annie and I both have and your support makes our dream possible. I hope you enjoy Second Class Supers.
If you would like to help us promote our book on Twitter or Facebook, please use the hash tag #KSSCS so we can find and thank you!The answer is YES. Actually, those little paws are the only place they sweat, and it’s why you see little wet paw prints in hot weather.
Because cats evolved as desert animals, they seem to be able to cope with heat much better than our canine friends.
The large, thin ears of a cat provide an important mechanism that allows the blood flowing through the ears to cool.
Cats aren’t heavily equipped with eccrine sweat glands like we humans are; these glands allow us to get drenched in sweat all over our bodies.
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According to the book Why Do Cats Bury Their Poop?, in warmer weather cats groom themselves more often, licking at their body. This puts saliva on their fur, which then cools them down as it evaporates.
Cats will also look for shade or a cool surface such as a sink or tile to sprawl themselves out on. You may often find little wet spots on your floor where your cat has walked.
Do cats sweat through their paws? Actually, that is the only place on a cat’s body that emits sweat.
Sweating Through Their Paws
Cat Owner’s Veterinary Handbook explains that felines’ sweat glands are found only in foot pads. If the cat becomes overheated (or frightened), she secretes sweat through her paws. At this point, she may resort to cooling herself by panting or licking her fur. However, unlike with dogs, a cat’s panting is usually more stress-related than heat-related.
If you feel that your kitty’s panting is from overheating during those hot summer months, take measures to cool her immediately. You might want to clip her fur, but do not clip it too close to the skin, as this will increase her chances of getting sunburn.
Other Ways to Keep a Cat Cool
Don’t want to “mess up” her beautiful fur? Just clip the tummy area. It won’t be noticeable, but your cat will certainly find it more comfortable. You can also help keep your cat cool by wetting your hands and rubbing her. She’s sure to love you for doing either of these good deeds.
So, do cats sweat through their paws? Scott Nimmo, BVMS, MRCVS, says the answer is a definite yes. But because a cat’s paws are so small, sweating is not a sure-fire way to regulate her body temperature. If her body temperature rises to 105 degrees for any length of time, a cat is in danger of having a heat stroke.
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Symptoms of Heat Stroke
Symptoms of a heat stroke in cats would be a lack of coordination, redness of the mucous membranes in the mouth and panting. Seizures are also possible.
Heat strokes in cats can be very serious, so if you suspect that your pet is at that stage, take her to your veterinarian ASAP. When you are en route to the vet’s office, cover your cat with cool, damp towels.
In this short video from 2010, Ron DeHaven, of the American Veterinary Medical Association, provides general tips on helping pets survive the summer heat:
Additional ResourcesImage caption Nato forces have been carrying out air strikes over Libya for months
Nato says it has disabled three Libyan state TV satellite transmission dishes in the capital, Tripoli, through a "precision air strike".
It said the operation was intended to stop "inflammatory broadcasts" by Col Muammar Gaddafi's regime.
Nato said it was in the process of assessing the effect of the strike.
Libyan state TV broadcasts remained on air following the Nato statement about the raid.
Coalition forces began operations in Libya in March, under a UN mandate authorising military action for the protection of civilians.
Libyan rebels began an uprising against Col Gaddafi in February. Despite Nato's intervention, they have struggled to break a military deadlock.
A Nato statement said the strike was "performed by Nato fighter aircraft using state-of-the-art precision guided munitions", and that there had been "due consideration and careful planning to minimise the risks of casualties".
"Our intervention was necessary as TV was being used as an integral component of the regime apparatus designed to systematically oppress and threaten civilians and to incite attacks against them," it said.
It said the strike would "reduce the regime's ability to oppress civilians" but also "preserve television broadcast infrastructure that will be needed after the conflict".
Reports from Tripoli said a series of loud explosions were heard in the city centre late on Friday evening.
Libyan state TV reported that civilian targets had been hit, though this could not be verified.
The Libyan capital has been a regular target for Nato air strikes in recent weeks.What can be more exciting than having the first Hershey’s Chocolate World in Southeast Asia? Its like being in absolute chocolate heaven! Hershey is one of the largest and oldest chocolate manufacturers in the United States, famous for its Hershey’s Kisses. The store is pretty much a sea of orange, brown and silver, with a dab of sunny colors from Hershey’s cousins’ – Twizzlers, Jolly Ranchers and Bubble Yum!
Rows and rows of Hershey’s treats are lined up on the shelves ranging from Hersheys chocolate and strawberry syrup, to bottles of Reese peanut butter, all good for jazzing up your home-made ice cream sundae. And while you’re at it, why not pepper that sundae with Hershey’s cinnamon or dark chocolate cookies?
And who could miss out on Hershey’s iconic kisses that come in all sizes – although one needs to exercise discretion on which kisses are suitable for consumption. At Hershey’s, its not just about the chocolate kisses; there are also coin bank kisses, key chain kisses, toy kisses and even save-the-earth kisses bags. Ah, I feel so loved!
Did you know that almost 80 million kisses are produced each day in the United States? It is not known exactly how Hershey’s Kisses got its name, but the story goes that the candy was named for the sound or motion of the chocolate being deposited during the manufacturing process. Muack!
We actually didn’t know that the distinctive paper ribbon added to the top of the Kiss is called a “Niggly Wiggly”. The inspiration for using the paper ribbon as a trademark is perhaps to distinguish the American Kiss from its Italian cousin – Perugina’s Baci (which is Italian for kiss!)
If you turn to the contents of a Hershey’s package, you will notice that it is labeled as “chocolate candy” or “chocolaty” instead of “milk chocolate” or “made with chocolate”. That’s because Hershey’s chocolate uses vegetable oil instead of cocoa butter in order to reduce the cost of production. Because of this, the new versions of Hershey’s no longer meet the United States Food and Drug Administration’s definition of milk chocolate.
This is what I call creating a chocolate hub in Singapore!
Now doesn’t he look happy?Yvon Chouinard has been wearing the same flannel shirt for 20 years. The 75-year-old conservationist, out-of-the-box thinker, athlete and craftsman is also anti-consumerism, always pushing Patagonia, the company he founded, to find solutions to the global environmental crisis. In the following interview, we asked Chouinard what he thinks his legacy will be. It turns out he “couldn’t really care less,” but we speculate it will be measured not by what he’s encouraged us to do more of (be in nature, be personally responsible, simplify) but by what he hopes we’ll do less of (buying, spending, polluting). In short, Chouinard wants us to stop being consumers and start being thoughtful global citizens.
What do you think makes a good company?
Responsibility. During this last recession our company has experienced the highest growth it’s ever had. I think it’s because during a recession people stop being silly, they stop buying fashion stuff that will go out of fashion in a year or two. If they think it’ll last a long time, they’ll buy better quality things they need rather than things they just want, and that’s the kind of stuff we’re making. So our business is really strong. With the Millennial generation, they really appreciate what we’re trying to do to cause the least amount of harm in making our product. The Millennium generation has had some environmental education. They know what the problems are, they know we’re destroying this planet, they want to do something about it. And they want to support the companies that are doing something about it.
In fact we’re trying to tell our customers: think twice before you buy a product from us. Do you really need it or are you just bored and want to buy something? Then we’re taking responsibility for our product forever. If it breaks down, we promise to fix it. We’re going to come out with little booklets and videos showing people how to repair their Patagonia stuff themselves and when you’re finally either tired of the product or you’ve outgrown it or whatever, we’re going to help you get rid of it. We’re doing deals with eBay that you can sell it. And we’re going to start selling used Patagonia stuff in our stores. And then when the product is finally finished, give it back to us, and we’ll make more product from it. So it forces us to make products that don’t wear out, but it also forces us to design a product so that it can be recycled.
How has Patagonia’s mission statement has evolved over the years since you started?
At first we were all interested in making the best products—that’s the first part of our mission statement. And then as we got concerned about the state of the planet, we added on “cause no unnecessary harm.” And as we got more depressed or concerned about the world we added on a third part, which is influencing other companies to use our business to inspire and implement solutions |
, Chromecast was listed as out of stock on Amazon and Best Buy's website. The Google Play store was accepting orders, saying the device would be shipped in 3-4 weeks.
While deals with the TV networks seem inevitable, Chromecast also could allow Google to make deals directly with content providers, in much the way Netflix has with original programs like Emmy-nominated "House of Cards" and a revived "Arrested Development."
Web TV services like Hulu have thus far tried to limit their basic service to computer screens, offering the ability to stream to television for extra money. Now, Hulu says it's working with Google to offer an "optimized" version on Chromecast.
How Chromecast will impact Google's battle with Apple remains to be seen.
The existing Apple TV product, with its Airplay feature that streams from the Web, has its devotees. But it only works with Apple products, naturally. Chromecast is designed to work on any platform that can run its Chrome browser. So a user could, for example, stream a YouTube video from an iPad, then watch a Netflix movie from a PC -- all streamed on a TV set through a Google device.A new study on childhood marriage conducted by Plan International shows an alarming reality in the Dominican Republic, where four out of 10 women (37 percent) got married before they turned 18.
According to a survey cited in the study, 12.5 percent of Dominican women between 20 and 49 married before they turned 15.
In the Caribbean country, females younger than 15 may not marry, but a judge may waive that requirement. As for males, the law allows them to marry at age 16 and older.
IN A PAKISTAN FAMILY, DEAL IS MADE, A GIRL IS GIVEN AS BRIDE
While child marriage affects girls in far greater numbers than boys, data on males affected by child marriage are limited. According to UNICEF, the highest rates of boys married before age 18 are were found in the Central African Republic (28 percent), distantly followed by Madagascar and Laos (13 percent).
Plan International's study also found that one in every five females aged 15-19 is married or living with a man at least 10 years older.
"Although many people may think that a girl marries or lives with someone because she is free to decide to do so, the study found that that freedom is not as it might seem," said the study's author, Jeanette Tineo, during the presentation.
ONCE A CHILD BRIDE, SYRIAN REFUGEE IS NOW SOLE PROVIDER
She also said that of the 10 girls or teens married to adult men who were interviewed for the study, seven were pregnant at the time they established their unions.
Plan International is recommending the Dominican Congress to revise the Civil Code to raise the minimum marriage age to 18 for both sexes, without exception.
FORMER TEEN BRIDE AGREES TO $2.75M POLYGAMOUS-TRUST
SETTLEMENT
“[The Dominican Republic] must honor the international commitments it has signed with regard to protecting children, put an end to impunity for attackers who are protected by marriage and provide opportunities to girls to fashion a dignified life for themselves," said Plan International’s Raquel Casares on the organization’s website.
EFE contributed to this report.Sadio Mane is highly unlikely to feature for Liverpool again this season, with Jürgen Klopp confirming that the forward is set to undergo knee surgery.
Mane missed Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth due to the injury he sustained during the second half of last weekend’s Merseyside derby victory over Everton.
Klopp was asked for an update on the Senegal international’s condition in his press conference to preview Saturday’s trip to Stoke City this afternoon, and the Reds boss said it will be ‘pretty much impossible’ for him to return before the end of the campaign.
“Sadio will, we’re pretty sure, need surgery. We’re not 100 per cent sure when it will happen, but then it is clear his season is over,” Klopp told reporters.
“That’s what I expected, actually, when I saw the video after the game. I thought he was lucky in this situation that not more happened, but now we are close to the end of the season and that means it will be pretty much impossible that he will play again this season.
“But then he’ll have a long break and be ready for next season, so that’s the only good news.”Cancer treatments are often hard on patients, but the side effects and challenges are necessary to control or even destroy tumor cells.
Now researchers say there may be a way to make those treatments work even better. In a study published in Cancer Cell, scientists say that giving people high doses of vitamin C during treatment may weaken cancer cells and make them more vulnerable to the effects of chemotherapy and radiation.
In the study, which was designed to determine if vitamin C in high doses was safe, 11 people with an aggressive brain cancer called glioblastoma were treated with vitamin C intravenously three times a week for nearly two months. The dose was increased gradually while the people underwent radiation therapy, to ensure that enough vitamin C remained in the blood. The people in the trial reported no additional side effects or adverse symptoms associated with the vitamin, only those associated with normal chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
The study was not structured to look at how effective the vitamin C was. But the researchers note that so far, half of the people in the study were alive nearly two years later. The average survival for the disease is generally around a year.
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In a separate study designed to get an early sense of the vitamin’s effectiveness, the researchers also tested the high-dose vitamin C in a group of 14 people with non-small cell lung cancer. So far, 93% of the people receiving the vitamin C infusions are responding to chemotherapy and radiation, compared to 40% who usually do. In an encouraging finding, more than 30% of the people getting the vitamin C also showed signs of their tumors shrinking. Usually, only 15% to 19% of people receiving chemo and radiation see their tumors get smaller.
Vitamin C works on healthy cells as an antioxidant, combating the free radicals formed by things such as sunlight, pollutants and smoking. Study authors Douglas Spitz and Dr. Bryan Allen, both in the department of radiation oncology at the University of Iowa, believe that it can also promote oxidative damage—but only in cancer cells. Tumors seem to have higher levels of oxidative stress, which can produce free radicals. This promotes the release of unstable forms of iron, which reacts with vitamin C and causes further damage to the cancer cell.
The exciting part, says Allen, is that the unstable iron particles are unique to cancer cells. That makes them ideal targets for the vitamin C, which then may react with them to cause more damage and destroy the cell. The hope is that pairing large doses of vitamin C with chemotherapy and radiation can destroy cancer cells.
“The vitamin C stresses cancer cells that are already stressed,” says Allen. “All we’re doing is tipping it over the edge so it makes radiation and chemo more effective. Normal cells don’t have the same stress present, so vitamin C doesn’t have the same effect in causing toxicity.”
It’s important to note that the doses used in these studies aren’t achievable with supplements or massive amounts of orange juice. “It’s orders of magnitude greater than the dose in a multivitamin, about 800 to 1,000 fold,” says Allen.
Using vitamin C in cancer treatment was last championed by Nobel laureate Linus Pauling. He likely had the right idea, Spitz and Allen say, but wasn’t able to use high enough doses to see an effect. They are planning to continue their work with other cancers to see if the same weakness is common to other types of tumors.
Finding ways to make existing cancer therapies work more effectively is a promising area of research. Recent studies, for example, found that taking medications at night might make them more powerful against breast cancer, since some agents that are active during wakefulness may inhibit the work of certain drugs.
Much more research is needed, and Spitz, for one, hopes such strategies become more popular subjects of research so more people can benefit from the treatments they’re getting. “I think this type of work can have a rebirth,” he says.
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The case centers on New Jersey, but it will potentially have national ramifications.
The nine-member U.S. Supreme Court currently is hearing arguments regarding the attack on the federal law that prevents individual states from adopting sports wagering. If New Jersey prevails, the door will be open to the state-by-state adoption of legalized sports betting.
The NFL and other sports leagues have been fighting the effort, even though the NFL has allowed the Raiders to eventually move to Las Vegas. Many believe the NFL prefers that any change to the national gambling laws happens through the legislative process, which can be engineered to maximize the money the NFL would make, for example by being the conduit for betting on games.
The fact that the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case has been regarded as a positive sign for New Jersey, given that New Jersey had failed at all lower levels.
A win by New Jersey would potentially create a Wild West scenario, allowing states to decide on their own the rules for gambling — including the threshold question of whether they even want it. Given the proliferation of lotteries and poker machines and casinos in recent decades, it’s hard to imagine states resisting the temptation to expand the best kind of taxation there is: The voluntary kind.After November 8, anyone can legally be a doobie brother (or sister) in the Golden State.
In 2010, Californians rejected Proposition 19, a ballot initiative to legalize the growth, sale, and recreational consumption of marijuana, by a seven-point margin. What a difference six years have made. On November 8 a new pot legalization initiative, Proposition 64, is expected to win by a landslide.
And that, dear readers, is a safe prediction despite some evidence of a softening of enthusiasm for Prop. 64. Last month, the two most prestigious California public opinion outfits — the Field Research Corporation and Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) — both pegged support for Proposition 64 at 60 percent. Field nostalgically noted that its first poll of California on the subject, in 1969, showed only 13 percent support for legalization.
A new PPIC survey in October showed legal weed pulling a mere 55 percent with 38 percent opposed. That’s still a 17-point margin. Indeed, there has only been one bad poll for Proposition 64:
A recent poll from the California Growers Association of 750 cannabis farmers found that just 31 percent supported Prop. 64, with another 31 percent opposing it and a whopping 38 percent undecided.
Ambivalence among pot farmers is partly attributable to regulatory costs associated with a legalization scheme, and partly to fears of getting crushed by big companies — perhaps alcohol producers and distributors who already have a system in place for getting the product to market. Those involved in the lucrative existing medical marijuana industry are especially nervous.
But it has always been hard to imagine that the Golden State would hold out much longer once pot became legal in other jurisdictions. Aside from California, Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, and Nevada are holding recreational pot initiatives next month, bidding to join Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and Washington D.C. as places where one can legally fire up or consume an edible. California’s the biggie, though. And this time, it won’t be close.The mysterious appearance of two rare, giant oarfish off the coast of Southern California sparked rumors that an earthquake was soon to follow. As Salon wrote just three days ago:
A rumor circulating online... claims that in Japanese lore, beached oarfish portend earthquakes. Scientists contacted by ABC News could neither confirm nor deny the theory that the oarfish are seismologically attuned and committed suicide in anticipation of a quake, so we’ll have to just wait and see on that front.
It was mostly tongue-in-cheek. But those words are now a bit eerie, seeing as how a 7.3 magnitude earthquake just struck off the coast of Japan.
Advertisement:
Naturally, the rumor mill's back in action:
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That last tweet, from Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Calif.), references retired geologist Jim Berkland, who claimed to have a system for using animal behavior to predict earthquakes.
"It's probably just a coincidence," Rick Feeney, a zoologist at the U.S. Natural History museum, recently said of the oarfish's rumored ability to predict earthquakes. But was it? As Live Science reported Tuesday, there's a long, anecdotal history of animals appearing to sense tremors. And in 2011, the last time a massive earthquake hit Japan, 20 beached oarfish were reportedly discovered shortly beforehand.
No immediate damage was detected on land from today's earthquake.Barack Obama visits a campaign office Oct. 14 in Williamsburg, Va.
Photo by Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images.
A few weeks ago, two Washington Post journalists who barely three months before Republicans lost control in Congress in 2006 released a book calling the party “the New York Yankees of American politics—the team that, at the start of every season, has the tools in place to win it all,” reported that the right is back. Their story, headlined “Conservative groups reaching new levels of sophistication in mobilizing voters,” presented a roster of outfits whose efforts could prove a counterweight to Barack Obama’s fearsome ground program.
Two days later, the New York Times described one of these groups in a story of its own. In 2009, scandal-tarnished former Christian Coalition impresario Ralph Reed founded the Faith and Freedom Coalition and, according to the Times, “now plans to unleash a sophisticated, microtargeted get-out-the-evangelical-vote operation he believes could nudge open a margin of victory.” The Times story explained in unusual detail the method behind Reed’s data operation:
To identify religious voters most likely to vote Republican, the group used 171 data points. It acquired megachurch membership lists. It mined public records for holders of hunting or boating licenses, and warranty surveys for people who answered yes to the question “Do you read the Bible?” … It drilled down further, looking for married voters with children, preferably owners of homes worth more than $100,000. Finally, names that overlapped at least a dozen or so data points were overlaid with voting records to yield a database with the addresses and, in many cases, e-mail addresses and cellphone numbers of the more than 17 million faith-centric registered voters—not just evangelical Protestants but also Mass-attending Catholics.
Those who have actually worked with voter data were a bit less awed by this description of Reed’s process. One Republican consultant describes it as “backward microtargeting.” Acquiring membership lists from allies is a decades-old practice in coalition politics, and the central tactic—sending voter guides to people on church rolls—last seemed cutting-edge when Newt Gingrich’s career was first on the ascendancy.
“There is nothing new in that article,” says one veteran of the Bush campaigns who spoke anonymously to candidly critique a fellow Republican’s program. “It was pretty much what we did in 2000.”
Indeed, the Reed approach seems oblivious to the most important innovations that have taken place in the years since. Microtargeters often describe their project as “look-alike modeling,” because the goal of using statistical algorithms is to discern patterns in an existing sample (like people on a church list) that can then be used to find people who resemble them in other populations, about which there is less information available. There is significantly less value in acquiring data that confirms that your targets look the way you thought they would.
The consequence of such primitive targeting was felt recently at one mailbox in the Richmond suburbs. The letter was addressed to a woman who attends Mass and subscribes to a Catholic Charities newsletter, is married with children, and lives in a home worth more than $100,000. She may have racked up a lot of points in Reed’s categories, but there’s one other publicly available fact about her—she regularly votes in Democratic primaries for federal and state office—that an algorithm would likely have treated as more predictive of her political attitudes than her income or church affiliation. Reed’s get-out-the-vote mail had targeted a phone-banking Obama supporter.
All targeting carries the risk of missing the mark, and there are regularly voters whose actual attitudes defy the predictions of statistical models. But regular misfires by Republicans—which at best only waste resources and at worst mobilize Democrats who might not have voted otherwise, or provoke a backlash among those still persuadable—illustrate a gap between how the right and left practice politics in the 21st century. Contrary to the wishful intimations of the Post and Times stories, while the groups on the right could conceivably catch up with Obama and his allies in the scope and funding of their ground-level activities, in terms of sophistication they lag too far behind to catch up in 2012.
In fact, when it comes to the use of voter data and analytics, the two sides appear to be as unmatched as they have ever been on a specific electioneering tactic in the modern campaign era. No party ever has ever had such a durable structural advantage over the other on polling, making television ads, or fundraising, for example. And the reason may be that the most important developments in how to analyze voter behavior has not emerged from within the political profession.
“The left has significantly broadened its perspective on political behavior,” says Adam Schaeffer, who earned graduate degrees in both evolutionary psychology and political behavior before launching a Republican opinion-research firm, Evolving Strategies. “I’m jealous of them.”
Actor Ron Livingston speaks to workers at the Obama Iowa Campaign For Change Office in 2008 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The actor and Barack Obama supporter returned to his homestate of Iowa, a potential swing state, to urge people not only to vote, but to volunteer time to get others to vote. Photo by David Greedy/Getty Images
Schaeffer attributes the imbalance to the mutual discomfort between academia and conservative political professionals, which has limited Republicans’ ability to modernize campaign methods. The biggest technical and conceptual developments these days are coming from the social sciences, whose more practically-minded scholars regularly collaborate with candidates and interest groups on the left. As a result, the electioneering right is suffering from what amounts to a lost generation; they have simply failed to keep up with advances in voter targeting and communications since Bush’s re-election. The left, meanwhile, has arrived at crucial insights that have upended the conventional wisdom about how you convert citizens to your cause. Right now, only one team is on the field with the tools to most effectively find potential supporters and win their votes.
***
The first dramatic expansion of the campaign brain in the 21st century came from the world of commercial marketing. Private-sector data warehouses, created initially to generate credit ratings and later used by direct-mail marketers, had collected far more information on voters than had ever been available to campaigns through traditional political sources. Improvement in database architecture and computing power made it possible to run statistical models that could churn through tens of millions of these consumer records at once. While operatives on both sides tapped into this capacity, it was Republicans—thanks in part to close ties between some of the party’s public-opinion researchers and the private-sector firms that agglomerated consumer data—who fully exploited its potential first.
Following Bush’s re-election in 2004, Democrats worked assiduously to catch up with what they considered the Republicans’ structural data advantage, developing their own relationships with commercial data vendors and refining their algorithms. Today, the most advanced political campaigns have in certain respects surpassed consumer marketers in their ability to predict individual preferences, and you’re as likely to see a Fortune 500 company trying to uncover the secrets of the Obama data operation as the other way around.
Yet the campaign brain has continued to expand. The most important methodological and conceptual breakthroughs in recent years have originated in the academy, specifically through insights from behavioral psychology and the use of field experiments. Since 2004, myriad advocacy groups and consulting firms on the left have joined forces and launched a series of nominally for-profit private research institutions devoted to campaign tactics. The most impressive among them, the Analyst Institute, was created to link the growing supply of academics interested in running randomized-control trials to measure the efficacy of political communication with the demand of left-wing institutions eager for empirical methods to test their programs. These partnerships have birthed a generation of political professionals—many baptized in the unprecedented pools of data collected by Obama’s 2008 effort—at ease with both campaign fieldwork and the techniques of the social-science academy.
An Ohio Democratic Party volunteer displays a placard to encourage public for early voting in front of an early voting center in Columbus, Ohio, on October 15, 2012. Photo by Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images
This summer, a top Republican analyst stumbled upon a job notice posted by the left-wing League of Conservation Voters. The position was Targeting and Data Director. The analyst looked admiringly at the description of the job, especially its duties to “explore and devise opportunities to test and measure the impact of all of our programs, including working closely with entities such as the Analyst Institute.” He marveled at what that language revealed about the sophistication of his rivals’ intellectual enterprise. “One thing the left—Catalist, Analyst Institute, New Organizing Institute—has done very well is training and seeding of this sort of stuff, this sort of philosophy,” said the analyst, who asked not to be identified because of election-season attachments but has worked closely with the Republican National Committee and presidential campaigns.
Dozens of such postings exist in what some call the “progressive data community.” I asked the Republican analyst what analogous jobs existed among the institutions of the right. How many of the League of Conservation Voters’ ideological foes—like the Chamber of Commerce, or their frequent allies at the National Rifle Association or the Faith and Freedom Coalition—have data managers and targeting directors with similar mandates to test and measure?
“I honestly don’t know,” the analyst replied. “If I had to guess? Zero.”
The Analyst Institute’s centrality in the left’s research culture has enshrined the use of randomized field experiments as the best tool for measuring what actually moves voters. And the biggest conceptual contribution this body of experimental work has made is to cleanly separate what a voter does in election season into two discrete phases: choosing among candidates and deciding whether to vote. Experiments have shown that giving voters more information about candidates or issues or the stakes of the election does little to adjust their likelihood of casting a ballot. To budge a nonvoter out of complacency, campaigns have learned, they have to use psychological techniques focused on getting someone to do something he or she is not used to doing. There’s one set of tools for changing opinions, and another for modifying behavior.
This basic paradigmatic distinction appears lost on many of those who direct campaign activity on the right. In an interview, Ralph Reed said that the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s microtargeting project had identified 10 million citizens in 18 states comprising a “turnout universe” that would receive at least six get-out-the-vote contacts, starting with a voter guide outlining differences between Obama and Romney on 10 issues, including taxes and abortion. “We’re looking for anyone who is registered to vote and who would benefit from this information,” he explained. I asked why, if the goal was to mobilize infrequent voters who had already been profiled as likely to be socially conservative, was he sending them information designed to persuade them that Romney was better on the issues they cared about. “I don’t know if it could be called persuasion,” he replied. “We think we need to educate them on where the candidates stand.” If Reed had been aiming to play dumb in the interview to obscure his group’s tactics, he succeeded.
***
In August, a Virginia playwright and newspaper editor named Dwayne Yancey was surprised to see a series of glossy direct-mail pieces from the Romney campaign arrive at his home outside Roanoke. The first two brochures had to do with coal mining, which struck Yancey as irrelevant to him or his family: They live four hours from the nearest mine, and coal production carries little of the romantic imagery for Yancey that have led Republicans to believe it was a potent issue in West Virginia and Kentucky. “At first I thought it was simply urban ignorance of rural Virginia,” says Yancey, who wrote about the mailers on the website of the Roanoke Times, where he works. Then more mail came to the Yancey household from Romney’s campaign, on more plausible subjects: about the deficit, about Medicare and Social Security, and one item that attacked Obama for being “All Welfare. No Work.” The thing that puzzled Yancey most about all of the Romney mail was the person in his household had been selected to receive it. Every piece, from coal to welfare, had been addressed to his 23-year-old daughter.
Mitt Romney rides aboard his campaign bus with Congressman Connie Mack and senior advisor Eric Fehrnstrom (L), on the road, from Kissimmee and Land O’Lake, Florida, October 27, 2012. Photo by Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images.
His daughter, whom I’ll call Sarah, settled on her choice in the presidential race long ago, but the campaigns had no way of knowing that. Sarah is private about her political views; she does not respond to phone calls from campaigns and does not believe she has given the Romney or Obama camp an indication of her preference through any other channel, like signing up on a website. She remains something of a cipher in the piles of data through which campaigns sift in the hunt for clues about how they ought to engage her. Virginia does not allow citizens to register with a political party, and although Sarah had voted by mail in every election since turning 18 she had voted in only one primary, for the Democrats’ 2008 nomination. She has refrained from partisan activity like donating to a candidate or joining an ideologically-minded membership group. And given a limited buying history and the fact that she has never had a home in her name there was scant information in the consumer databases that often help round out a voter portrait. (Yancey provided me with his daughter’s name so I could see what information was available about her in political and commercial databases, and she discussed her views so long as I agreed not to publish any of her identifying characteristics.)
The available information about Sarah would seem, at first glance, to produce conflicting indicators. Sarah is a young woman and has voted in a Democratic primary, which would probably point her toward Obama. But she lives in a precinct that votes overwhelmingly Republican, which would nudge things back toward Romney. The algorithms that automate these assessments based on available data are similarly indecisive. One Democratic targeting firm’s statistical model predicts a 59 percent likelihood Sarah would self-identify as a Democrat.
Yet only one of the two presidential candidates looked over the summer at this profile of a centrist, albeit one who leaned slightly left, and saw a voter whose mind was up for grabs. The Romney campaign had concluded that Sarah was the type of voter it could persuade—either because she was actually undecided among the candidates, she was a soft Obama backer who could be convinced to defect, or a soft Romney backer whose support needed to be shored up. Yet the Obama campaign didn’t launch any parallel efforts to persuade this supposed middle-of-the-roader. Democratic targeters may have looked at her and concluded that her vote was not in question—or that the campaign had a better way of reaching her to make its case than issue-based direct mail. Those calculations, and the years of experimental findings informing them, may reflect better than anything the massive gap between how Democrats and Republicans understand the challenge of finding voters to convert to their sides.
***
The differences in the two campaigns’ approaches to Sarah Yancey may owe more to Aaron Strauss than anyone else. Strauss is precisely the type of person who does not go to work in Republican campaigns. In 2004, the recent college graduate had used his skill with computers to manage Howard Dean’s New Hampshire voter information, earning the nickname Data from the campaign’s field organizers. Afterward Strauss went to work for Mark Mellman, who served as the lead pollster for John Kerry’s presidential candidacy. Then Strauss returned to school, choosing to study at Princeton with Kosuke Imai, who seeks methodological solutions to the ongoing problems political scientists face when trying to isolate cause and effect amid the fog of elections. (Representative paper title: “Causal Inference with Differential Measurement Error: Nonparametric Identification and Sensitivity Analysis.”)
For his dissertation, Strauss set out to run a randomized-control experiment measuring the effect of get-out-the-vote reminders sent by text message before the 2006 midterm elections. Most of the early get-out-the-vote experiments conducted by political scientists measured the average impact of a given approach across the whole population that received it. But Strauss knew from his work with Dean and Kerry that computerized voter lists had made it possible to segment voters based on their unique attributes. With co-author Allison Dale, Strauss layered that individual data into the experiment’s design to refine its insights into cause and effect. On average, their text-message reminders increased turnout among recipients by three points. But using voter data, they confirmed empirically what may have previously been mere instinct: The biggest impact was felt among digital natives, voters between ages 20 and 24.
Supporters listen as Pres. Obama speaks during a campaign event in West Palm Beach, Fla., in September during a two-day bus tour across Florida. Photo by Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images.
Strauss earned his doctorate and returned to politics, where experimenters at liberal institutions had begun toying with similar statistical methods. Unlike university researchers, they weren’t limited to nonpartisan mobilization exercises; they could also try to change a voter’s mind about who to support. And instead of merely looking at the demographic variables available in voter-registration records, partisan experimenters can also overlay the results of microtargeting models that sift through hundreds of data points to generate “support scores”—a percentage probability that an individual would back the Democratic candidate.
The people who first developed the microtargeting models used in persuasion had assumed, like the rest of us, that voters in the center are the most up for grabs. But in 2006, EMILY’s List ran a series of persuasion experiments that raised doubts about this assumption. The Democratic women’s group sent out mailers on behalf of female gubernatorial candidates in Michigan and Washington, then polled across the entire universe of recipients to gauge the impact of the messages.
The voters who’d been assessed as sitting closest to the middle of the road barely budged. In fact, there was significantly more movement among those who were projected to be leaning toward the Republican candidate than among those whose mid-range scores situated them evenly between the two poles. “Campaigns love to find out what segments of the population are their targets,” Strauss told me last summer in an interview for my book The Victory Lab. But that alone, he went on, was insufficient. “Targeting is all about finding people whose behavior will change and changing that behavior.” And it turned out that the people who’d scored close to 50 on the zero-to-100 spectrum of support weren’t the people whose behavior was most likely to change. Whatever those support scores were measuring, it wasn’t exactly susceptibility to persuasion.
Again working for Mellman, Strauss designed an experiment to test voters’ responsiveness to messages used by Harry Reid’s campaign as it prepared for a tough 2010 re-election to the Senate. Afterward, by identifying the attributes of voters who changed their opinions of Reid when presented with his primary campaign themes in so-called “trial heats,” Strauss was able to develop a “persuasion score” for all Nevadans, estimating an individual’s probability of being moved by that message. “Everybody has the probability of being the type of person that could be persuaded by this messaging,” Strauss explained. “So you want to give everyone a score, a probability of being persuaded, and also a probability of being unmoved and additionally a probability of being anti-persuaded—that they will counter-argue the message and actually move away from you.”
The Reid experiment, and a simultaneous test during Kentucky Congressman Ben Chandler’s re-election, reaffirmed the initial EMILY’s List finding: A campaign couldn’t just scoop up people who appeared to reside in the political center and assume they were all persuadable, an assumption now discredited in Analyst Institute circles as the “middle-partisan fallacy.” “It’s not always guaranteed that the people in the middle of a support score are the most persuadable,” Strauss said. “Some messages work really well to prevent defections on your side, so they would work best on people with high support scores. Some messages work best at promoting defection, so they work best on people with low support scores. And some messages do honestly work best in the middle, but you don’t know what kind of message you have ahead of time.”
Strauss began to look at why voters might be showing up with those middle scores but not moving. He thought of them as existing in three different categories. Some voters had simply remained relatively anonymous, with little data about them on file to push them toward one candidate or another, while others existed in demographic categories that did not contribute meaningfully to predictions about their politics. (One example Strauss uses is voters in their 30s, “an age range that neither leans Democrat nor Republican.”) In both of these cases, the middle-range scores gave a misleading indication that a voter was persuadable. “I have to always remind people that 50 means we don’t know, not that someone is evenly divided,” says one Democratic state-party data manager.
Democratic party volunteers Chris Lettero, left, and Matt Lattanzi knock on apartment doors while canvasing for votes Sunday in Youngstown, Ohio. The volunteers canvased door to door, a day before President Obama’s scheduled campaign rally in Youngstown. Political analysts have predicted Ohio could potentially decide the upcoming Presidential election. Photo by John Moore/Getty Images
There was a third case, though, in which there could be lots of data available about an individual voter that effectively cancels itself out. These situation resembled the predicament that political scientists have long defined as cross-pressure, where a voter’s choice is complicated by conflicting aspects of his or her identity—the African-American who’s also a Mormon, to take one example. In these cases, a mid-range score seems to quantify precisely the type of ambivalence that makes for a good persuasion target. “We certainly want to talk to voters who are cross-pressured,” Strauss has written.
The hunt for persuadable voters has taken Strauss to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, whose staff he joined earlier this year after leaving Mellman’s firm. In June, the DCCC ran what Strauss called a “persuasion-microtargeting experiment,” to test Democratic messages on voters in the field. Experiments found pockets of voters who moved in their direction in response to particular appeals: After hearing the party’s message on Medicare, men over the age of 65 increased their support for a generic Democratic congressional candidate three points more than the broader population. The DCCC could build a profile of voters whose opinions it could change, even if the data about them didn’t portray them as perfect centrists.
Only through such experiments that try to push voters and wait to see which ones moved can targeters know which voters were actually persuadable, and to what messages. At the moment it appears that only one side has embraced experiments for campaign research, and in his job as the DCCC’s data and targeting director, Strauss is in a position to institutionalize within his party’s campaign culture the skepticism he has developed about traditional targeting logic. “I actually think this is a competitive advantage we have right now over the Republicans,” Strauss, who would not comment for this piece, said last summer. “That competitive advantage might not last, but I think we have a competitive advantage over them.”
***
Republican operatives around the country have noted with a mixture of curiosity and anxiety that nearby mailboxes are less crowded with mailers making the case for Obama than they were four years ago. This may be the result of a strategic imperative: In many states, Obama has a clearer path to victory than Romney solely by mobilizing existing supporters than by finding new ones. But it could also reflect the fact Obama’s strategists do not think they have to rely, as have most campaigns over the last generation, solely on the mail for their targeted efforts to win over voters.
Earlier this year, Obama put his volunteers’ ability to do that to the test. The campaign administered an experiment in several states in which phone-bank volunteers were given a script with a few talking points and broad instructions to open up a conversation with a potential voter. Before and after these interactions, a professional call center surveyed the targeted voters to identify which candidate they supported, and campaign analysts set to work developing a statistical portrait of those who moved in Obama’s direction after talking with a volunteer.
The result of that analysis is the campaign’s so-called persuasion model, which generates a score predicting, from zero to 10, the likelihood that a voter can be pushed in Obama’s direction. (The score also integrates a voter’s likelihood of casting a ballot altogether, so that field organizers focus the attention on those with the best chances of turning out.) A zero designates a voter likely to be repelled by the interaction, and actually pushed toward Romney or a third-party candidate; a one projects a minimal possibility of persuasion; a nine someone who can be easily pushed.
Campaign strategists have traditionally been so fearful of triggering a backlash that they rarely entrust volunteers with persuasion efforts. When placed at a phone or given a clipboard to knock on doors, volunteers usually are given tasks that do not require them to discuss sensitive or complex topics—their role has typically just been asking voters who they support, and reminding those who declare their support to turn out.
(While in 2008 Obama encouraged volunteers to make the case for the Democratic candidate in their communities, the campaign never saw it as a replacement for their paid persuasion strategy. One adviser from that campaign mockingly describes the 2008 sensibility as “building this utopian society where people talk with their neighbors.” Obama’s strategists certainly didn’t let up in traditional channels, like television ads and direct mail, where they can deploy language and imagery delicately calibrated after polling and focus-group research.)
“Persuasion calls are a more difficult thing for a volunteer to do because it’s a lot easier to hang up on someone than slam a door in their face,” says Wisconsin Democratic Party chairman Mike Tate. “You’re not just asking someone who they’re going to vote for or reminding them to vote—you’re going to people who are undecided, who don’t want to hear from you, and are often sick of politics.”
Now, thanks to its experiments, the campaign feels confident enough in its ability to identify persuadable voters that it can direct |
U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 13, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein More
When President Donald Trump tweeted his reversal of the Obama-era decision to allow transgender people to openly serve in the military on Wednesday, his secretary of defense, Jim Mattis, was on vacation and appalled by the move, according to the New York Times.
Mattis apparently only had one day's notice about the decision, which he had labored over for months while evaluating how to implement the Obama policy.
Sources close to Mattis told the Times that he was "appalled" by Trump's rollout of the policy, which shocked many in the Pentagon and left active-duty transgender service people unsure of their fate.
Trump's decision to "not accept or allow" transgender service people comes after Obama essentially invited them to come forward and openly express their gender identity. It also follows a 2016 study commissioned by the Pentagon that found that transgender inclusion would have “have minimal impact on readiness and health care costs” for the 1.4 million strong US military.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that Trump made the move to protect "military readiness and unit cohesion," and that the White House would work with the Pentagon to implement the policy "lawfully."
But multiple congressional sources told Politico that Trump actually rushed the decision to nail down the last few remaining votes on a $790 billion spending bill that included money for a border wall, one of Trump's first campaign promises.
When infighting between House GOP representatives threatened to derail the spending bill if it didn't prohibit spending defense funds on treatment for transgender service people, some representatives sought out Trump to take care of the problem via executive action, according to Politico.
Trump responded by not only suspending funding, but announcing a complete ban on transgender service.
"This is like someone told the White House to light a candle on the table and the [White House] set the whole table on fire,” a senior House Republican aide told Politico.
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NOW WATCH: A former member of the KGB explains the most valuable technique for espionage
More From Business InsiderMore than 10 years of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s autocratic government could end in election that was called when party lost majority in June
Turkish voters are going to the polls in parliamentary elections that could end more than a decade of single-party rule by the Justice and Development party (AKP).
Voting stations around the country opened on Sunday morning in the snap elections, which were called by the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, after negotiations to form a coalition with the opposition following an inconclusive vote in June fell apart.
Turkey election 2015: are you voting? Read more
Now the divisive figure of Erdoğan, accused by critics of authoritarianism, repression of his opponents and suppression of press freedom, is front and centre in polls that could put an end to what his critics say are ambitions to consolidate the power of his office and transform Turkey from a parliamentary system into a president-led republic.
“We will all have to show respect to the national will,” said Erdoğan on Sunday after voting in Istanbul. “Turkey has made great strides in democracy and this stride will be strengthened with today’s election.”
A starkly different message came from Selahattin Demirtas, the leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), which garnered 13% of the vote in June’s election and robbed the AKP of its majority for the first time since 2002.
“Unfortunately, it was a difficult and troubled period of election campaigning,” he said, after casting his vote. “Lives were lost. My wish is that a great hope for peace and calm emerges (from the election).”
Tomas Thoren (@TomasThoren) Pro-#Kurdish co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş votes in #Istanbul. Photo by @dhainternet. #TurkeyVotes #turkeyelections pic.twitter.com/X6WFPgNPO0
The elections in Turkey are taking place against a backdrop of instability and renewed violence. Last month, twin suicide bombings targeted a peace rally in the capital, Ankara, killing dozens of people in the worst ever terrorist attack on Turkish soil. Another attack in the town of Suruç near the Syrian border killed 32 people, mostly Kurdish activists.
Diyarbakir prepares to vote: 'There is no joy in the runup to these elections' Read more
The Turkish government has also cracked down on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK) in recent months, suspending a peace process that aimed to pacify the long-running insurgency. Critics also say the government’s policy on Syria, which involves backing rebels fighting to overthrow the president, Bashar al-Assad, has contributed to instability.
Turkey hosts more than 2 million Syrian refugees, many of whom go on to attempt dangerous passages across the Mediterranean seeking refuge in Europe.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest AKP supporters wave flags in front of and billboards of Erdoğan and Davutoğlu. Photograph: Umit Bektas/Reuters
Parliamentary elections in June saw the ascendance of the HDP. Though it had won the largest share of the vote, the AKP had to try to form a coalition with its opponents. Talks foundered and Erdoğan – who opponents say had hoped the success at the polls would aid his ambition of rewriting the constitution to establish himself as an all-powerful executive president – called fresh elections.
Opponents fear that if the AKP gains additional seats in the new election it will encourage Erdoğan to further stall government formation and even to call for a third round of elections in an attempt to secure enough dominance over the legislature to form another single-party government.
The AKP’s strategy appears to be aimed at luring more nationalist heartland voters to its camp, a prospect bolstered by its crackdown on Kurdish militancy. Recent polls appear to show the only party likely to sustain significant losses in the elections is the nationalist MHP.
Turkey election: ruling party loses majority as pro-Kurdish HDP gains seats Read more
“The AKP only care about their seats,” said Hasan Demir, a 26-year-old textile worker who was handing out leaflets at an HDP election tent in Istanbul. “I’m voting HDP because they are acting on behalf of everyone, not just one group of people, religion or language.”
Still, pro-AKP voters said they would back the party because they felt it was the only one capable of maintaining stability, and because its infrastructure and social development projects had lifted them out of hardship and poverty.
“I remember my mother standing for so long in lines to get medicine,” said Kadir Ulu, a 20-year-old university student when asked why he was going to vote for the AKP.The list, which now numbers 11 individuals, bans the preachers based on the accusation that they promote hate speech.
Two Saudis, a Canadian, a Syrian, and two Americans, including pastor Terry Jones who burned copies of the Quran in 2011, were named on the list when it was first published in May this year. With the exception of Jones, all the preachers listed were Muslims.
A further two names were added to the list in June and again in August.
Minister for immigration Inger Støjberg spoke in support of the announcement.
“Hate preachers have no business being in Denmark. They travel around spreading hateful messages to try to convince others to share their rabid views,” Støjberg stated in a written comment.
“I am therefore happy to see that the Immigration Authority (Udlændingestyrelsen) is doing a good job by continually discovering these hate preachers,” the minister added.
The sanctions list was originally passed by lawmakers from parties on both sides of the aisle in spring 2016 as part of a wider initiative against religious preachers.
The aim of the measure is to combat preachers who are accused of'seeking to undermine Danish values and support parallel legal interpretations', according to the Immigration Authority's definition.
Though it does not specify individual religions, the majority of the preachers included on the list, which can be viewed here, preach forms of Islam.
READ ALSO: Controversial Copenhagen imam defends antisemitic sermonOne of my favorite first posts was my first attempt at a gradient manicure. I called it an ombre mani, but I was almost a year younger and nail naive at that time. I’m older and wiser and know more in the world of nails at this point 🙂
This time, I switched up the colors and made it super bright and neon for summer:
Mmm I love neon! I could wear it year-round; it just makes me stare at my nails all the time! Plus, when you wear neon polish in the NICU, it GLOWS near phototherapy! Phototherapy is a treatment we do for jaundice where we put blue lights around the baby to make the jaundice go away, and it acts similar to UV lights so the neons GLOW.
I used 3 colors in this gradient: China Glaze Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, Models Own Flip Flop, and Formula X Radioactive (Oh, and I also used Rica Whiteout for my white undies). I then decided I need to spice things up since the last 2 recreations i’ve done were basically identical to the previous manis.
Spice it up – put a bird on it! (Any Portandia fans out there?!) I used one of my favorite MoYou London image plates, Suki 08, and stamped the bird design using Zoya Sailor (a nice navy blue creme).
Another pic:
And here’s a comparison to my old mani:
I really liked my old mani, but I think my gradients have gotten so much smoother and better-blended. And I really like the stamping over it too! What do you think? How else do you spice up a gradient mani?
And check out some other recreations:
AdvertisementsUPDATE: As it turns out, the information Tony Key gave to IGN yesterday is not true. Ubisoft has issued a statement in regards to Michel Ancel’s involvement with Beyond Good & Evil 2, and it appears that he’s still working with Ubisoft Montpellier on bringing the much anticipated game to life, as well as other projects.
Ubisoft’s statement:
“What was reported by IGN is untrue. Michel is still leading creative development of several exciting projects being developed by Ubisoft Montpellier. We may have more to share on that at another time, but right now we are focused on the incredible lineup we have at E3 this year, which includes Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, Rainbow Six Siege, For Honor, Ghost Recon Wildlands and many more.”
Original Story: Ubisoft’s E3 2015 press conference was one of the better conferences of the show. They made surprise announcements, unveiling a brand new South Park game as well as the triumphant return of the Ghost Recon franchise. However, not all Ubisoft fans left their press conference happy.
One game that Ubisoft fans have been clambering for, and wanted to see at E3, is Beyond Good & Evil 2. The sequel to the sleeper hit Beyond Good & Evil has had a strained development cycle. Footage leaked three years ago, but since then, there’s been little to no update about Beyond Good & Evil 2‘s progress.
Ubisoft has said that development has switched to new-gen hardware, and nearly a year ago, it was said that series creator Michel Ancel joined the team as Director. Unfortunately, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Ubisoft, Tony Key, has told IGN that in the time since then, Michel Ancel has abandoned development on Beyond Good & Evil 2.
Not only has Michel Ancel left the studio working on the game, but it seems as though Beyond Good & Evil 2 has halted development altogether at this point. As Key explained when asked for an update on the title, “There’s just nothing to talk about right now. We don’t really have anything to say.”
Fans of Michel Ancel’s work can still look forward to a game coming from him in the future. Currently, he’s working on a non-Ubisoft game called WiLD, which will be exclusive to the PlayStation 4 when it releases.
Right now, things may seem bleak for Beyond Good & Evil 2, but if the video game industry has taught us anything, it’s that even the game with the most improbable chance of ever getting released will eventually see the light of day, if enough people want it. Just recently Shenmue 3, a game that, for all intents and purposes, was never going to be released. However, Yu Suzuki took the stage during Sony’s E3 2015 press conference and shocked the world by announcing a Shenmue 3 Kickstarter campaign.
Shenmue 3 blew by its Kickstarter funding goal with ease, and it just goes to show that even if the big name publishers and developers don’t want to shell out the cash to get a game made, fans will be more than willing to turn their dream game into a reality. Shenmue 3 isn’t the only recent example of this, either. A spiritual successor to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Bloodstained, broke Kickstarter records, and a recent spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie, Yooka-Laylee, was successfully funded as well. If Ubisoft ultimately decides that Beyond Good & Evil 2 is not financially viable, perhaps the game should go through the Kickstarter route.
Beyond Good & Evil 2 is currently trapped in development hell. There are no announced platforms, and development seems to have been put on hiatus for the time being.
Source: IGNI’m notoriously bad at quick meals; I joke that for me, cooking bacon and eggs takes an hour (what can I say, both do better cooked low and slow!). Often when I’m making a dish for the first time, I make changes that end up increasing the cooking time – a half hour caramelizing onions, an extra fifteen minutes toasting and grinding my own spices, and so on. But I don’t always have a few hours to cook dinner, so when I find a recipe that I can cook in under half an hour and that tastes delicious, I know it’s one I need to hold onto. And, as I’ve mentioned recently, I’ve been trying to cook more seafood, so I’m doubly glad to add this blackened catfish recipe to my repertoire. With only four ingredients (and that’s counting salt and vegetable oil!), simple is the name of the game here, focusing on the fresh flavor of the fish and the nuances of my homemade Cajun spice mix (but feel free to use your favorite store-bought cajun spice mix instead). Sticking with simplicity, I served this fish up with some quick sauteed greens, and it made for an amazingly easy and tasty meal.
Blackened Catfish
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Cajun spice mix
1/2 Tbsp kosher salt
1 1/2 lb catfish fillets
vegetable oil
Method:EMERGING Bombers Zach Merrett and Joe Daniher have been named in the club's rejigged leadership group, which will feature rotating top-up players throughout the season.
Essendon was forced to change its leadership group when five members – captain Jobe Watson, vice-captain Dyson Heppell, David Myers, Cale Hooker and Michael Hurley – were suspended for the season for anti-doping breaches.
The remaining two members of the group that was announced in December, Brendon Goddard and Mark Baguley, have taken on the respective captain and vice-captaincy duties this year.
The bans left several vacancies, with Merrett, Daniher and James Gwilt added to leadership positions, and David Zaharakis reinstalled into the leadership group after being cut at the end of last season.
The club's football manager Rob Kerr said the Bombers saw it as an opportunity to upgrade Merrett and Daniher, two of their brightest young talents.
"Obviously development of our youngsters is a bit of a priority this year so it makes sense that we've got a couple of younger players who are held in pretty high regard by the group and they're emerging leaders," Kerr told AFL.com.au.
"Given the circumstances and given the exposure to the full leadership repertoire and what's involved in the senior leadership group level will no doubt hold them in good stead and fast-track their progress."
Merrett, who will start his third AFL season on Saturday when the Bombers take on Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium, was on track for a top-three finish in the club's best and fairest last year before a foot injury cut short his season.
He has been a brilliant addition to the Bombers' midfield since they selected him with pick No.26 in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft (the draft choice they received from the Western Bulldogs for Stewart Crameri).
"Zach sets himself really high standards and is always looking to improve. He sets a very good example for everyone around the club in terms of his approach," Kerr said.
While the group will only have six permanent members (down from seven before the suspensions), the experienced top-up players the club has recruited in the past two months will roll through offering their nous.
"Those boys will come in and be part of the leadership group for three or four-week stints," Kerr said.
"Ryan Crowley has done the first month and James Kelly will do the next month. It's the blokes who have been at other clubs and have seen other systems and have experience under their belt. Some of them have been at very successful clubs and can help our leadership."
The Essendon players went through a detailed voting process to pick their initial leadership group late last year under new coach John Worsfold, and the new members of the group were picked largely from those results.
Zaharakis was first added to the leadership group after his best and fairest winning season of 2011. He was pushed out for 2014, won back his place in 2015 and then lost it again for the initial 2016 leadership group.
After a disappointing year in 2015, Kerr said the 26-year-old had enjoyed a strong pre-season.
"He worked really hard in the pre-Christmas period and even John had noticed in that period that 'Zacka', whether he had done it consciously or not, had had a good presence and was happy to speak up and was training really well," Kerr said.
"John [Worsfold] has set up a bit of a system to evaluate how players are training and that was transparent in how their pre-season was tracking and Zacka was always pretty high on that all the way through."León Krauze is an award-winning Mexican journalist, author and news anchor. He is currently the lead anchor at KMEX, Univision's station in Los Angeles.
When history comes to terms with Donald Trump’s dangerous provocations, few will stand out quite like his unparalleled refusal, during Wednesday’s debate, to accept the presidential election’s results if he loses. Other candidates have fought tooth and nail over perceived (and, in some cases, arguably justified) electoral injustices, but nothing could have prepared the country for that most un-American of figures: the institutional saboteur.
Alas, we Mexicans know better.
For a decade and a half, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, a charismatic and popular politician, has refused to accept adverse results in consecutive presidential elections. The decision sank Mexico into political paralysis for over six years, called into question the viability of some of the country’s young democratic institutions and darkened public discourse. If Trump were capable of seeing Mexico as an ally and neighbor, rather than as an enemy that Americans and their jobs need protection from, maybe he’d learn from our recent history and recognize the danger in the approach he laid out this week.
In early 2006, López Obrador was the overwhelming favorite to win the Mexican election that year. As mayor of Mexico City, he not only drove the agenda; he was the agenda. A persuasive firebrand, López Obrador outmaneuvered not only Mexico’s struggling left but also the country’s conservative president, Vicente Fox, who had unsuccessfully tried to remove López Obrador from office over an awkward legal case about some disputed land in western Mexico City. Fox’s improper interference only strengthened López Obrador — five months before the election, he held a comfortable 10-point lead over the National Action Party’s (PAN) Felipe Calderón, Fox’s successor. It also made him increasingly paranoid.
López Obrador began to fume about an alleged conspiracy to derail his candidacy. He spoke of electoral fraud and the possibility of a rigged election. In March, during a rally in the southern state of Oaxaca, he went after Fox: “¡Cállate, chachalaca!” (Shut up, you parrot!), he said, dramatically stressing every word. The unprecedented display of animosity against a sitting president would wind up appearing in effective attack ads paid for by a number of Mexican private companies that López Obrador derided as part of a “dirty war,” a “conspiracy” against his “movement.” In April, he declined to take part in the campaign’s first presidential debate. “They were going to use polls and the media to say I lost,” he later explained. By late spring, when the race tightened, López Obrador argued polling firms were in on the scheme, too. Stop me when this starts to sound familiar.
[Donald Trump went to Mexico and won]
On July 2, 2006, Mexico’s electoral authority declared the election too close to call. Three days later, the PAN’s Calderón was named the winner by just over 244,000 votes, 0.58 percent of the total.
López Obrador exercised his legal right to challenge the results, demanded a recount and began a nationwide campaign of “peaceful civic resistance.” “This is old-school voter fraud,” he said a week after the election. On July 30, he called for a “permanent assembly”: a massive sit-in along historic Reforma Avenue and the Zocalo, Mexico City’s enormous main square. “Our democracy is in danger,” he said. “We know the Electoral Court is under pressure from the usual powerful people.”
Still, he acknowledged, he would “respect” the authority’s final verdict on the recount. He did not. After a review of 9 percent of the ballots — the number with alleged inconsistencies — didn’t alter the election’s result, López Obrador demanded a wider recount. Mexico’s Electoral Court, whose decisions cannot be appealed, found no further legal grounds, and Calderón became president-elect.
After having exhausted all legal options, López Obrador faced a momentous choice: He could concede the election, or he could defy Mexico’s young, perfectible democracy. He chose the latter, in spectacular fashion. On Sept. 5, just a few feet from the National Palace, López Obrador once again spoke of a vast conspiracy, called for a “revolution of conscience” and sent the country’s institutions “to hell.” In the following weeks, he would name himself Mexico’s “legitimate president,” complete with a mock swearing-in and parallel cabinet. For six years, López Obrador denied Calderón’s authority and organized a legislative boycott with fellow leftist politicians that effectively froze the new president’s capacity to maneuver in Congress.
In 2012, he ran for the presidency again. His tone was different. He spoke of reconciliation, and promised a “loving republic” if elected. López Obrador quickly struck a nerve, especially among young people. As the election approached, the gap between him and Enrique Peña Nieto, the Institutional Revolutionary Party’s (PRI) candidate, significantly narrowed. Still, on election day, López Obrador again came up short, this time by over 3 million votes, and again he refused to admit defeat. He blamed a shadowy “mafia”: Mexican media, polling firms, Calderón, former presidents Fox and Carlos Salinas de Gortari and accused the PRI of buying millions of votes. Even with Mexico’s restrictive voting laws (which require a mandatory official ID to vote) and although more than 1 million Mexican citizens were chosen at random to administer the election in thousands of polling places all over the country, López Obrador again challenged the result and asked for a recount. This time, electoral authorities agreed to go over more than half the votes in the election, an unprecedented decision. The result still favored Peña Nieto. López Obrador then called for the election’s annulment, refused to recognize the new president’s legitimacy and began a movement that would eventually lead to a new political party from which he now plans to launch his third bid for the presidency in 2018.
Has López Obrador’s crusade weakened Mexico’s democratic institutions? After the 2006 uproar, the country hastily passed a set of electoral reforms that, among other things, censored negative campaigning, a direct response to the alleged “dirty war” against López Obrador. His conspiracy theories also undermined public faith in democracy, which had finally grown after flawless electoral processes in 1997 and 2000. In Latinobarómetro’s poll, a yearly survey of public opinion in Latin America, confidence in democracy in Mexico has steadily decreased. In 2005, 59 percent of Mexicans trusted democracy; by 2013, only a year into the Peña Nieto presidency, the number had fallen to 37 percent. Barely 50 percent of Mexicans believe democracy can solve the country’s problems. (Only Chile — ruled by a military dictatorship for 25 years until 1998 — ranks lower, with 47 percent.)
2018 will be López Obrador’s best chance yet to win the presidency. The corruption and conflict of interest scandals inside the PRI and the Peña Nieto administration have given new weight to his message of economic and social justice. Paradoxically, though, his previous electoral antics might be his undoing. In 2011, López Obrador admitted that the massive sit-in after the 2006 had proven “costly.” In 2012, at least, his opponents used the aftermath of the 2006 election to their advantage. What would have happened if López Obrador had taken the high road 10 years ago? Perhaps he might have already gotten a chance to reform those institutions he so brazenly dismissed.
Trump will most likely face the same choice Nov. 8. If he’s learned the lessons from López Obrador, though, there should be no calls for sit-ins along Pennsylvania Avenue or for disruption or resistance nationwide. Trump should not crown himself alternative president or manipulate his supporters into mistaking democratic disagreements for systematic sabotage. There are causes bigger than personal ambition. The health of a country’s democratic institutions is certainly one of them. Should Trump refuse to recognize the legitimacy of a Hillary Clinton presidency throughout her term in office — as he already did with President Obama, whom Trump accused of being ineligible to serve — and should this action find an echo among Trump supporters in Congress and elsewhere in the country, the United States could follow the Mexican path.
On Thursday, López Obrador tweeted that he’s not like Trump. Trump should make sure he returns the compliment on Nov. 9.
Read more:
Trump should really be running for office in Mexico
Jorge Ramos: Peña Nieto was meek with Trump. Latino voters in the U.S. won’t be.
Why Trump went to MexicoDifferent teams have different approaches to dealing with flaky tests. Some even go as far as using the “Let’s run each test 10 times and if it passes at least once, it passed” approach.
I personally think that rerunning failed tests is poisonous — it legitimizes and encourages entropy, and rots the test suite in the long run.
The half-cocked approach
Some teams see rerunning failed tests as a very convenient short-term solution. In my experience, there is unfortunately no such thing as ‘a short-term solution’. All temporary solutions tend to become permanent.
Along with some other techniques that are efficient in the short term, but are otherwise devastating, rerunning tests is very popular with a certain category of managers. It’s particularly common in corporate environments: there are company goals, and then there are personal goals (ladders to climb). In such environments, some people tend to focus only on what needs to happen until the end of the current quarter or year. What happens later is often seen as someone else’s concern.
Looking from that perspective, test rerunning is both fast and efficient, which makes it a desirable and convenient solution.
Keeping flaky tests and brute-forcing them to pass defeats the purpose of testing. There is an unspoken assumption that something is wrong with the tests, and that it’s fine to just rerun them. This assumption is dangerous. Who’s to say that the race or the time-out that causes the flakiness is in the test, and not in the production code? And that it’s not affecting the customer?
The sustainable solution
The long-term solution is to either fix or replace the flaky tests. If one developer cannot fix them, another one should try. If a test cannot be fixed, it should be deleted and written from scratch, preferably by somebody who didn’t see the flaky one. Test coverage tools can be used as a kind of a safety net, showing if some tests have been deleted without being adequately replaced.
Not being able to develop stable tests for some part of the code usually means one of these two things — either that something is wrong with the test and/or the testing approach, or that something is wrong with the code being tested. If we are reasonably certain that the tests are fine, it’s time to take a deeper look at the code itself.
Our position on flaky tests
Deleting and fixing flaky tests is a pretty aggressive measure, and rewriting tests can be time consuming. However, not taking care of flaky tests leads to certain long-term test suite degradation.
On the other hand, there are some legitimate use-cases for flaky test reruns. For example, when time-to-market is of essential importance, and when technical debt is deliberately accumulated with the intention and a clear plan on paying it off in the near future.
As a CI/CD tool vendor, we feel that our choice whether to support rerunning failing flaky tests affects numerous customers. Not just the way they work, but, much more importantly, the way they perceive flaky tests and the testing process itself. At this point, we are choosing not to support rerunning failed tests, since our position is that this approach is harmful much more often than it is useful.Blockchain Software Engineer JP Morgan Chase 22,033 reviews - Jersey City, NJ 07310
As a member of our Software Engineering Group you will dive head-first into creating innovative solutions that advance businesses and careers. You’ll join an inspiring and curious team of technologists dedicated to improving the design, analytics, development, coding, testing and application programming that goes into creating high quality software and new products. You’ll be tasked with keeping the team and other key stakeholders up to speed on the progress of what’s being developed. Coming in with an understanding of the importance of end-to-end software development-such as Agile frameworks-is key. And best of all, you’ll be working with and sharing ideas, information and innovation with our global team of technologists from all over the world.
This role requires a wide variety of strengths and capabilities, including:
Advanced knowledge of application, data and infrastructure architecture disciplines
Understanding of architecture and design across all systems
Working proficiency in developmental toolsets
Ability to collaborate with high-performing teams and individuals throughout the firm to accomplish common goals
Software Engineering across the CIB Blockchain-focused engineering program
Proficiency in one or more general purpose programming languages Haskell, Python
Understanding of software skills such as business analysis, development, maintenance and software improvement
Our Corporate & Investment Bank relies on innovators like you to build and maintain the technology that helps us safely service the world’s important corporations, governments and institutions. You’ll develop solutions for a bank entrusted with holding $18 trillion of assets and $393 billion in deposits. CIB provides strategic advice, raises capital, manages risk, and extends liquidity in markets spanning over 100 countries around the world.
When you work at JPMorgan Chase & Co., you’re not just working at a global financial institution. You’re an integral part of one of the world’s biggest tech companies. In 14 technology hubs worldwide, our team of 40,000+ technologists design, build and deploy everything from enterprise technology initiatives to big data and mobile solutions, as well as innovations in electronic payments, cybersecurity, machine learning, and cloud development. Our $9.5B+ annual investment in technology enables us to hire people to create innovative solutions that will not only transform the financial services industry, but also change the world.
At JPMorgan Chase & Co. we value the unique skills of every employee, and we’re building a technology organization that thrives on diversity. We encourage professional growth and career development, and offer competitive benefits and compensation. If you’re looking to build your career as part of a global technology team tackling big challenges that impact the lives of people and companies all around the world, we want to meet you.I am just a beginner of Raspberry Pi and have been looking for best value starter kit for my projects. I have compared the different pack offers in Amazon and here’s the best Raspberry Pi 3 starter kits of 2016. Hope this will help your decision which one to buy.
Personally my must-have items are:
1. Raspberry Pi 3 (RPi3) Model B Quad-Core 1.2 GHz 1 GB RAM
2. Raspberry Pi 3 Case
3. MicroSD Card
4. USB Power Supply with Micro USB Cable (better with power switch for easy operation)
5. Heat Sinks
6. Micro SD Card Reader (Must!)
7. HDMI Cable
Surprisingly, most kit deals don’t come with a microSD reader (which is unbelievably useful for new Pi users like me!) so there’s not much choice for me and i think the MakerSpot Raspberry Pi 3 Model B 8-in-1 Complete Starter Kit completely cater my need. i m in for this pack!Video of the ECH
U.S. Marine wearing an ECH in 2018
The Enhanced Combat Helmet (ECH) is a United States Marine Corps–led Joint USMC-U.S. Army program to replace the combat helmets of the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines using thermoplastics instead of the ballistic fibers used on the current generation combat helmets.[2] The term "Enhanced Combat Helmet" was originally coined by Army Lieutenant Colonel William R. Schaffer.
Design [ edit ]
The ECH's profile is very similar to the Advanced Combat Helmet but is thicker;[3] they can be identified due to the different chinstrap they use compared to the ACH.
The ECH helmet's shell is made of an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene material. It is required to provide 35% better protection against small-arms fire and fragmentation than the Advanced Combat Helmet. The helmet is also required to protect against certain rifle projectiles. The helmet is of the "tactical cut" type and thus offers less coverage but does enable better mobility. The helmet will be compatible with camouflage fabric helmet covers.[4] The replacement of the Advanced Combat Helmet with the Enhanced Combat Helmet has been likened to the transition from the HMMWV to the MRAP.[5]
The helmet has been shown nearly impenetrable to fragments fired by test guns. In a v50 test, guns were unable to attain the velocity required to get 50% of the fragments through a helmet. The helmet has exceeded the 35% ballistic improvement requirement.[5]
The helmet's design allows for the addition of devices such as communications and night-vision equipment.
The Army is planning on using the existing pads used on the Advanced Combat Helmet for the ECH. A single pad that cushions the entire helmet may be developed. The ECH has a 4-point chinstrap/napestrap head retention system. The Marine/Navy and Army variants are differentiated in that the Marine/Navy version uses an X-Back retention system (called the Class I) and the Army uses the H-Back retention system (called the Class II).[4]
Development [ edit ]
In an effort led by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory,[6] ECH development began in 2007 under the Army Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program. Solicitations were accepted in late April until early June 2009. In July, more than $8 million was awarded to four vendors for five helmet designs in July 2009. Mine Safety Appliances was awarded $4.7 million, Gentex was awarded $1.8 million, BAE Systems Aerospace & Defense Group Inc. was awarded $764,000, and 3M subsidiary Ceradyne was awarded $729,000. Testing in September revealed that each helmet failed in ballistic and/or blunt force tests. In February 2010 the Navy joined the program and issued their own requirements. Marine Corps officials suggested design improvements such as better materials to industry and testing resumed in June 2010. Three vendors were to be downselected and the remaining two would be tested in November. If the program proceeded as planned the Army would acquire 200,000, the Marine Corps would acquire 38,500, and the Navy would acquire 6,700.
Ceradyne won the competition to produce the Enhanced Combat Helmet in March 2012. On 16 July 2013, the U.S. Marine Corps ordered 3,850 helmets for deployed Marines, to be fielded before the end of 2013.[7] The Marine Corps plans to buy 77,000 helmets, enough to outfit a large contingent of deployed U.S. Marines.[8] When they return, they will be turned in. The Lightweight Helmet and Modular Integrated Communications Helmet will still be used for training and noncombat purposes. PEO Soldier also confirmed that the Army will field the helmet. Fielding was scheduled to begin after the start of FY 2014 on 1 October 2013.[9][10] The Marine Corps' ultimate goal is to issue the ECH to all 182,000 Marines.[11]
Prior to enhancements under ManTech, every ballistic helmet in the U.S. military used a thermoset-based combination of aramid fiber with a PVB-phenolic resin. Although there have been improvements in the aramid fibers, the material and processing technology in the Army Combat Helmet (ACH) had not changed in 30 years. The ManTech program focused on addressing technology barriers that inhibited a new class of improved ballistic materials, including new grades of Dyneema, Spectra, and thermoplastic coated aramids.[12]
The Army helmet fabrication goal was to develop an entirely new methodology for mass producing complex shapes and combining layers of different thermoplastic materials. During this time, ARL and partners created a new molding technology, which included a manufacturing process reducing labor by 40% and waste by 70%.[13]
Other helmets from the ManTech program are already in the field and used by the Green Berets, the Navy SEALS, and Special Operations Forces. These include the Future Assault Shell Technology ( |
52, 110[37]
Generally, umami taste is common to foods that contain high levels of L-glutamate, IMP and GMP, most notably in fish, shellfish, cured meats, mushrooms, vegetables (e.g., ripe tomatoes, Chinese cabbage, spinach, celery, etc.) or green tea, hydrolysed vegetable protein, and fermented and aged products involving bacterial or yeast cultures, such as cheeses, shrimp pastes, fish sauce, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and yeast extracts such as Vegemite and Marmite.[3][38]
Many humans' first encounter with umami components is breast milk.[39] It contains roughly the same amount of umami as broths.
There are some distinctions among stocks from different countries. In dashi, L-glutamate comes from sea kombu (Laminaria japonica) and inosinate from dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi) or dried sardines (niboshi).
Taste receptors [ edit ]
Most taste buds on the tongue and other regions of the mouth can detect umami taste, irrespective of their location. The tongue map in which different tastes are distributed in different regions of the tongue is a common misconception. Biochemical studies have identified the taste receptors responsible for the sense of umami as modified forms of mGluR4, mGluR1 and taste receptor type 1 (T1R1 + T1R3), all of which have been found in all regions of the tongue bearing taste buds.[40][41][42] A 2009 review corroborated the acceptance of these receptors, stating, "Recent molecular biological studies have now identified strong candidates for umami receptors, including the heterodimer T1R1/T1R3, and truncated type 1 and 4 metabotropic glutamate receptors missing most of the N-terminal extracellular domain (taste-mGluR4 and truncated-mGluR1) and brain-mGluR4."[15]
Receptors mGluR1 and mGluR4 are specific to glutamate whereas T1R1 + T1R3 are responsible for the synergism already described by Akira Kuninaka in 1957. However, the specific role of each type of receptor in taste bud cells remains unclear. They are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) with similar signaling molecules that include G proteins beta-gamma, PLCB2 and PI3-mediated release of calcium (Ca2+) from intracellular stores.[43] Calcium activates the selective cation channel transient receptor potential melastatin 5 (TRPM5) that leads to membrane depolarization and the consequent release of ATP and secretion of neurotransmitters including serotonin.[44][45][46][47]
Cells responding to umami taste stimuli do not possess typical synapses, but ATP conveys taste signals to gustatory nerves and in turn to the brain that interprets and identifies the taste quality via the gut-brain axis.[2][48][49]
Consumers and safety [ edit ]
Umami has become popular as a flavor with food manufacturers trying to improve the taste of low sodium offerings.[50] Chefs create "umami bombs", which are dishes made of several umami ingredients like fish sauce.[3][6] Umami may account for the long-term formulation and popularity of ketchup.[51] The United States Food and Drug Administration has designated the umami enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG) as a safe ingredient. While some people identify themselves as sensitive to MSG, a study commissioned by the FDA was only able to identify transient, mild symptoms in a few of the subjects, and only when the MSG was consumed in unrealistically large quantities.[52]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Further reading [ edit ]This archived AP article says Paul Manafort and Rick Gates secretly funneled money to The Podesta Group and hired them to lobby on behalf of Ukrainians. If Manafort and Gates are guilty of not registering as foreign agents and money laundering, so are Tony and John Podesta!! Question of the day: Did Manafort use the Podesta Group to route pro-Russian funds to the Clintons in order to secure the Uranium One deal? Here is a written transcription of Tucker Carlson’s detailed account of allegations by an informant who claimed to have inside knowledge. The allegations in his report, if true, indicate that Manafort allegedly was:
1) Frequently present at the Podesta Group’s offices during 2012-2014
2) A direct conduit for funneling Eastern European and Russian funds into the Podesta Group in order to, among other things, secure the Clintons’ assistance in regard to Uranium One.. This is different from way Manafort was described during August 2016. Back in Aug. 2016, the AP claimed that Manafort and Gates “directed” the activities of the Podesta group on behalf of a pro-Russian Ukrainian political party. But Carlson’s report, if correct, indicates a much closer relationship. Covert influence campaign Under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act, people who lobby on behalf of foreign political leaders or political parties must provide detailed reports about their actions to the Justice Department. A violation is a felony and can result in up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The emails illustrate how Gates worked with Mercury and the Podesta Group on behalf of Ukrainian political leaders. None of the firms, nor Manafort or Gates, disclosed their work to the Justice Department counterespionage division responsible for tracking the lobbying of foreign governments. “There is no question that Gates and Manafort should have registered along with the lobbying firms,” said Joseph Sandler of Sandler Reiff Lamb Rosenstein & Birkenstock, a Democratic-leaning Washington law firm that advises Republican and Democratic lobbyists. Manafort and Gates have said that they did not disclose their activities to the Justice Department because they did not oversee lobbying efforts and merely introduced the Washington firms to a Brussels-based nonprofit, the European Center for a Modern Ukraine, which they said ran the project. The center paid Mercury and the Podesta Group a combined $2.2 million over roughly two years. The emails appear to contradict the assertion that the nonprofit’s lobbying campaign operated independently from Manafort’s firm.
In papers filed in the U.S. Senate, Mercury and the Podesta Group listed the European nonprofit as an independent, nonpolitical client. The firms said the center stated in writing that it was not aligned with any foreign political entity. The 1938 U.S. foreign agents law is intended to track efforts of foreign government’s unofficial operatives in the United States. Political consultants are generally leery of registering under it, because their reputations can suffer once they are on record as accepting money to advocate the interests of foreign governments — especially if those interests conflict with America’s. Moreover, registering under the law would have required Gates, Manafort or the lobbying firms to disclose the specifics of their lobbying work and their efforts to sway public opinion through media outreach. Ina Kirsch, who runs the European nonprofit, has said the group’s work was independent and its goal was to bring Ukraine into the fold of Europe. The center has declined for years to reveal specific sources of its funding. Gates confirmed to the AP previously that he was working for Ukraine’s ruling party, the Party of Regions, at the time. Here’s The Indictment Against Paul Manafort And Rick Gates (It had nothing to do with Manafort’s work on the Trump campaign): Manafort-gates Indictment Filed and Redacted by Chuck Ross on ScribdCarlos Tevez receives an enormous offer to play in China for just 10 months [Ole]
The Chinese revolution has now turned attention to Argentine, and 32-year-old Boca Juniors striker Carlos Tevez.
According to Argentinian outlet Ole, Tevez has been approached by Shanghai SIPG, who are coach by former England manager Sven Goran Eriksen.
Eriksen recently told Expressen in Sweden that he believes it’s only a matter of time before a top rated player, like Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, will end up in the Chinese Super League.
Ole now report that Shanghai SIPG offered Tevez 25 million euros to play for just ten months.
That’s an obsence amount of money.
And yet incredibly, Tevez opted to turn down the cash to stay with Boca.
Shanghai SIPG have recently signed Colombian Freddy Guarin, while the likes of Jackson Martínez (Guangzhou Evergrande), Ramires (Jiangsu),Alex Teixeira (Jiangsu Suning) and Gervinho (Hebei China Fortune) have all joined the league.
Also see: Best Chinese Super League XI includes ex Chelsea & Arsenal players [L’Equipe]TAMPA (CBS) Florida gambler Bill Seebeck was sure he'd hit the jackpot -- literally. He says the slot machine he was playing flashed a winning sum of more than $166 million. Seebeck told CBS affiliate WFTV "I was screaming, I was like up and around screaming."
But the casino says Seebeck's good fortune was a mistake -- a machine malfunction -- and is refusing to pay.
Can you say "call my lawyer?"
Seebeck, a Daytona Beach, Fla., resident, says he'd been gambling at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tampa, playing for a half hour on the Bally Ultimate Party Spin Slot machine. At $4 a game he'd dropped about eighty bucks before the lights started flashing and bells started ringing. The display flashed an unbelievable winning number: $166,666,666.65.
Casino managers immediately came over and roped off the machine. Seebeck spent the next hour planning what to do with his winnings, but the casino had other plans.
Seebeck was told that the Ultimate Party Spin machine had spun out of control, and he would not be getting his big payday. Seebeck says it was the ultimate buzz kill, saying "I feel let down and ripped off."
The casino asked him to agree in writing that the machine had malfunctioned, and that he was not entitled to the payout. Seebeck -- surprise -- refused to sign, and instead is looking for a lawyer. "They make you think you won and they make everyone around you think you won and then... an hour after it they're saying... we have to investigate this and it's probably a malfunction," Seebeck told WFTV.
Casino spokesman Gary Bitner said the casino is confident there was a malfunction because that particular slot machine's top prize is a mere $99,000.
So will Seebeck at least be getting that much? The casino says it's their policy that a malfunction means no payout whatsoever, even though they still have no idea HOW exactly the machine malfunctioned.
See you in court?
What do you think? Should the casino pay up or does the house always win?Katherine Waterston talks being chased by “enormous Aliens” in a new interview with The One Show. With the imminent release of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Katherine Waterston has been participating in the press rounds promoting the film.
She appeared alongside Fantastic Beasts co-star Eddie Redmayne on BBC One’s The One Show last night where she spoke very briefly about Alien: Covenant (at about the 27 minute mark).
When hosts Alex Jones and Angellica Bell brought up the topic of Alien: Covenant, Waterston told the hosts: “I’m was sort of running towards the trouble in Fantastic Beasts, whereas in Alien I’m running from it. Ridley is a little sadistic. He likes it to feel pretty scary on set. There were days when there were really enormous Aliens chasing me and I was in a cumbersome spacesuit.”
The fear factor of Alien: Covenant is something that has been spoken about several times by the cast but the topic of practical Aliens hasn’t really been discussed. Callie Hernandez has previously hinted at the topic though. When asked if seeing Aliens in the flesh destroyed the illusion, she told SlashFilm: “No, it was just as terrifying as you would ever imagine it to be.” And we have, of course, been teased with the hand of a creature. Whether it’s the traditional Alien or Alien: Covenant’s new Neomorphs remains to be seen, however!
When pressed for details on her character (who we know is named Daniels), Katherine Waterston opted to play the secrecy card and not reveal anymore details. Thanks to BonesawT101 for the heads up!
Keep tuned to Alien vs. Predator Galaxy for the latest on Alien: Covenant! You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get the latest on your social media walls. You can also join in with fellow Alien fans on our forums!Capcom’s Deep Down is an Actual Game, Can’t Say if Exclusive or Not; More info on Panta Rhei Shared
Giuseppe Nelva July 30, 2013 12:12:44 PM EST
The Deep Down demo at the presentation of the PS4 left a lot of questions both on the game and on the Panta Rhei engine itself. Some of those questions were answered by Capcom’s Deputy General Manager of Technology Research and Development Masaru Ijuin and by Programmers Daisuke Shimizu and Hitoshi Mishima as part of a very extensive interview on the Japanese website Game Watch.
First of all, we learn that Deep Down isn’t just a tech demo, but it’s an actual game that’s being developed in parallel with the engine (while the title isn’t final). It’s not yet disclosed if it’ll be exclusive to PS4 or actually multiplatform.
The development of Panta Rhei started in the summer of 2011, to address problems with Capcom’s proprietary engine MT Framework that led to the deterioration of development efficiency, and also because the old engine wouldn’t be able to efficiently handle the “huge assets” that next generation games will involve.
The engine is focused on ease of development, but doesn’t cut corners with visual fidelity, in order to attract the widest possible variety of players.
The Deep Down demo ran in real time at the PS4 presentation and displayed between 10 and 20 million polygons per frame. It had a variable frame rate above 30 frames per second and a total texture capacity of 2 GB. It ran 30 different shaders at the same time.
The demo can run on a PC with an NVIDIA Geforce GTX 570, 8 GB of RAM, and an Intel Core i7 CPU. The development machines used at Capcom have Geforce GTX 680 and GTX 590 GPUs.
The peak performance of the PS4 is lower than that of an high end PC theoretically, but due to the ease of development and to the streamlined architecture there are areas in which it can be superior. The same can be said about the Xbox One, which has a similar architecture and potential.
The engine can use Tassellation and in certain areas Approximating Catmull-Clark Subdivision Surfaces, that is unfortunately too heavy to be used systematically for every element. The Deep Down demo used Dynamic Level of Detail (DLOD) in combination with Tassellation to avoid pop-in. Thanks to the PS4’s high memory capacity it’s possible to achieve both stable performance and avoiding pop-in with LOD.
The rendering pipeline has been redesigned. It can use Tile Based Deferred Rendering combined with Forward Rendering for special and semi transparent materials. Tile Based Deferred Rendering can grant very high performance but Forward rendering can be used when you want to use the Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (a four-dimensional function that defines how light is reflected at an opaque surface) or render translucent materials.
Rendering of materials is done by combining a diffuse map, a specular map, a normal map and a roughness map.
Shimizu-san tried to implement the indirect lightning technology named Sparse Voxel Octree Based Real-Time Global Illumination (SVO-GI) for the flames of the dragon, however the process was rather heavy on the resources, so he decided to take advantage of simpler Voxel Cone Tracing for the Deep Down demo.
It’s possible to use Partially Resident textures both on PS4 and Xbox One. It’s the same technology as the Mega Texture used in Rage by id Software and the DirectX 11.2 Tiled Resources technology flaunted by Microsoft at BUILD 2013 is pretty exactly that. Panta Rhei Can do it as well.
That’s quite a lot of information for one day of work, isn’t it? It’ll be interesting to see further developments, and to learn if Deep Down will be exclusive or multiplatform. My money is on multiplatform, but I’m ready to be proven wrong. If you live under a rock and missed the demo, you can check it out below.Interesting notes on the bokeh quality, that's not something I've ever looked at that closely so I'd never noticed.
For me, I like the 25mm overall better because it's more contrasty, faster AF, a faster aperture for more shallow DoF, and I like the 50mm equivalent focal length perhaps a little more than 40mm equivalent. Lastly, for me personally, I *prefer* the larger lens size that so many people complain about. I find the 20mm pancake to be convenient only on a rangefinder body like the GX1 or GF series when I am trying to go as low profile as possible. Otherwise I find the 25mm balances very nicely on larger bodies like the G3, G5, and GH3 where the 20mm pancake feels awkward as there's nothing to really hold onto with my left hand.
All that to say: that's why there is no "superior" lens for everybody. That's why this is such a long-standing debate between the two lenses and so many people find themselves jumping from one to the other and back again. It's all in which thing or combination of things is your yardstick for measuring a lens as to what will pull you toward one or the other.
Click to expand...With Sean Spicer's resignation as White House press secretary, The Washington Post's Alexandra Petri wants to make it clear she's available for the job. (Adriana Usero/The Washington Post)
Sean Spicer is reportedly searching for candidates to replace himself for his daily Five Minutes of Acute Discomfort. He has, according to Politico, been reaching out to Laura Ingraham to handle the daily briefing and David Martosko of the Daily Mail to take over the job of communications director.
Before they do anything hasty, I would like to offer my application for the position. I am good at standing in an ill-fitting suit and getting indignant that people are asking me questions, as though it is somehow their fault that I am in this position.
Name: Alexandra
Are You Open To A Mean Nickname: Yes
Why Are You Seeking This Position? I want to be publicly humiliated every day by rumpled strangers for up to half an hour, but I do not want to have to go on Craigslist or explain this lifestyle to my mother.
Will You Be Deeply Hurt If You Don’t Get To Meet The Pope: *sniffle* No. I Will Be Fine. He is just one more white-haired man in a novelty hat and seeing him means NOTHING to me, NOTHING.
Are You Taller Than A Bush: No! I am compact and could easily be concealed behind even an average shrub.
Do Your Clothes Fit You: My aesthetic is best described as ‘someone who has lost a bet on laundry day.’
What Is The Largest Plant You Have Ever Hidden Behind: Decorative Fern At Dentist’s Office
How Do You Feel About Dippin’ Dots: They are not the ice cream of the future.
Can You Endure Up To Six Seconds Of Mildly Aggressive Questioning: Yes, but then I will have to end things.
Recite The Press Secretary Catechism:
President Trump was joking.
President Trump was completely serious.
President Trump is the sun and the moon and the stars!
I will get back to you on that.
The tweet speaks for itself.
The tweet says the opposite of what you believe it says.
I am insulted that you would ask such a thing.
Fake news.
It was bigger and better than ever and gladdened the heart of every American who saw it.
The president does not own a bathrobe.
The real problem is the leakers.
I regret what I said about the Holocaust.
Your guess is as good as mine!
[rush into bushes and cower there for hours until everyone leaves]
Essay Portion.
Describe Donald Trump’s inauguration crowds.
They were as massive as a Death Star but twice as diverse.
How was the meeting with [Foreign Leader]?
The meeting with [Foreign Leader] went really well and [leader’s name] was very impressed and [name’s] hand was nearly crushed with 2000 psi of raw power in a truly masculine handshake. H.R. McMaster is definitely not now standing outside NATO headquarters with a boombox. The relationship with Angela Merkel is getting better and better all the time.
Does Donald Trump know about [issue]?
Donald Trump is well aware of all the issues, except for the scandalous thing you just mentioned, of which he knows nothing and will be stunned to hear that such things are even going on.
What is this report about Donald Trump getting simple briefings with “killer graphics”?
Look, if you think about it, his briefings have way more words than President Obama’s used to, because those were just WORDS whereas each picture is a THOUSAND words. If you take the time to convert and do the math, just as we definitely did on the AHCA, a document that was well and clearly thought out by the best minds of our generation, he has the most words of anyone, and also of course the best words.
The reports of a puppet show briefing are baseless, as are rumors that Donald Trump found it “too slow” and became agitated when one of the puppets, a red Muppet labeled AMERICA’S PRESTIGE ABROAD was killed and was inconsolable for hours and had to be given three scoops of ice cream at dinner to soothe him. As is the report that he yelled at the puppets shouting NO PUPPET NO PUPPET YOU’RE THE PUPPET and Chris Christie had to be called to subdue him — there is no merit. Chris Christie is definitely not the only one who can make him feel at ease by humming in that way he has and rubbing his shoulder gently.
Definitely there is not in the White House somewhere a picture of a shark with “USA” written on the side that is being used to explain our role in NATO.
Does Donald Trump understand [foreign policy issue]?
Yes. He is highly intelligent, and he often asks difficult questions. Sometimes the hardest questions to answer are the ones you’ve never really had to think about before, like, “Where is Pakistan?” — a really interesting and deep question when you consider the history of that region and the various claims that have been made over time and “What are the Kurds?” because how can you even define people? Answer: You can’t. These are definitely the sort of questions a smart and prepared man would ask, and Donald Trump is smart and prepared and raises me up so I can stand on mountains and be more than I can be.
Sean, are you okay?
Donald Trump is the wind beneath my wings and the reason I dare to dream. When he jokes about firing me or mispronounces my name, what I hear him saying is, I love you. I hear that over and over again. I close my eyes and shove my fingers in my ears and run from the room crying at the thought of such love. It is vast and bottomless. Not trim and defined, like Donald Trump’s physical form.
Why did Donald Trump say [alarming misheard fact]?
Donald Trump is a good listener, and it is not that he only remembers things from the time that someone tells them to him to the moment that a reporter appears. Definitely not that.
What are we missing about Donald Trump?
His physical beauty and enormous stamina, and the fact that he is holding up five fingers. Or four. Whatever it is.
See, I can handle the job.
And the most important qualification of all: I also have no idea what is going on in the White House and will be completely unable to answer any questions that you have.“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me” – Unknown “There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.” -George W. Bush
Do you trust the advice of your pharmacist? How about your physician? What if they’ve made an error in your care – would you still trust them? You might weigh the seriousness of the error alongside the causes. While we might be more forgiving of an understandable small error, you’d probably be less forgiving if an error was recurrent, or was caused by sloppy research or an indifferent attitude to accuracy. If there was a pattern of errors, you’d probably start to re-evaluate your relationship with them. Because if you can’t trust your care provider to be accurate, you can’t trust anything they tell you. And that’s not something anyone should accept from a health professional.
Thoughts of trust, accuracy, and ethics come up whenever I watch an episode of the Dr. Oz show. Should you happen to be someone that has never seen the show, Dr. Mehmet Oz is an Oprah protégé who has gone on to build a health media empire that is possibly the biggest vehicle for health pseudoscience and medical quackery on television. Whether it’s promoting homeopathy, recommending unproven supplements, or advocating ridiculous diet plans, there seems to be no health subject too dubious to endorse. Oz has established an impressive track record of providing highly questionable health advice. A few months ago I examined his absurd endorsement of green coffee beans, followed by his dubious “clinical trial” of green coffee beans that likely didn’t meet minimal research ethics standards. Then there was the weight loss “miracle” (his words), red palm oil, which followed the same episodic formula of breathless hyperbole backed by questionable evidence. One of the meta-trends of the Dr. Oz show are weight loss secrets – typically gimmicky interventions, supplements and therapies that he promotes as panaceas for obesity.
What frustrates me the most about Dr. Oz is that he should know better. He’s a heart surgeon, (who continues to treat patients), an academic, and a research scientist, with literally hundreds of publications to his name. He has gone through the peer review process more times than most health professionals. There is little reason to expect, based on his pre-television history, that he’d be willing to build a platform to offer demonstrably bad health advice. And that’s a shame, because with a show in 118 countries that reaches over 3 million viewers in the USA alone, it could be a powerful tool for providing good health information to those seeking it. And more often than not, that opportunity is squandered.
Another meta-trend on The Dr. Oz Show is the list. (Actually that’s not just Dr. Oz, it’s more of an internet trend, with websites like Cracked solely devoted to lists.) Sure it’s linkbait, but it works, and these lists of health-related topics are shared via social media. So if this list didn’t already appear on you Facebook wall, you may see it soon, titled Eat Yourself Skinny!
It may seem too good to be true, but the key to weight loss is right in your grocery store. These 15 superfoods can rev your metabolism, whittle your waist and leave you looking and feeling better than ever. – Dr. Oz
Superfoods. I both love and hate the term. I’ll put my business degree hat on first. It’s genius. Who has time for perfectly adequate foods, or even good food? Superfoods are what you need to be consuming. Can’t you just picture yourself fitter, happier and more virtuous? The pseudoscientific bookends to vitamins and supplements, superfoods are touted as the simple dietary cure. The real genius of the term is that it has no established definition. Here, superfoods are products that “rev” your metabolism and “whittle” your waist. The implication is clear – consuming them will have magical effects – you eat, you still lose weight, and you look and feel wonderful. What could be wrong with foods like that?
So now I’ll put my pharmacist hat on. Superfoods are pure marketing speak, meaningless nutrition woo like “detox”, “clease”, “immune boost” and pretty much every other word you’ll see in the advertising from a naturopath or nutritionist. Claims are usually based on anecdotal information, or information extrapolated far beyond the scientific evidence. Rather than help dietary decisions, designing what you eat based on “superfoods” can make meal planning more complex, with consumers focusing on single ingredients rather than overall dietary choices. There’s a fad component too. Pomegranates and acai berries were superfoods, but now they’re out. We can only eat so much food in one day, and superfoods are a compelling term used to shape our food purchasing decisions.
So with this in mind, let’s take a look at Dr. Oz’s list of superfoods, and his claim that they are the “key to weight loss”:
#1. Beans
Dr. Oz claims: “Ignites your fat-burning furnace”, 50% of calories are not absorbed, reduce blood sugar, “may burn fat faster”
Reality check: There’s no clear evidence that establishes bean consumption will cause you to preferentially “burn fat”, though they may help with controlling blood sugar. Oz is partially correct with respect to his calorie counts, as the usual 4 calories/gram of sugar rule isn’t accurate when it comes to fiber. But it’s only these calories that are overestimated, not the entire calorie count for the food. Still it’s hard to argue with increasing your consumption of beans which are nutrient-packed, high in protein, and low in fat. Whether they promote weight loss, however, hasn’t been established.
#2: Pine nuts
Dr. Oz claims: “Help suppress hunger”; contain pinolenic acid, which in a clinical trial “was associated with a reduction in food intake by 36%”.
Reality check: Pine nuts (which are actually seeds) are delicious, but they’re also calorie-rich, owing to their fat content. (A tablespoonful of pine nuts provides 60 calories). I could locate no published clinical trials that have studied pine nuts directly. The “36% reduction in food consumption” claim seems to come from an paper presented at the American Chemical Society National Meeting that used daily doses of 3 grams of pinolenic acid (supplied as the oil) in 18 overweight volunteers. It does not appear to have been published, peer reviewed, or duplicated. Given pine nuts are usually consumed as part of a meal, and not as a pre-meal supplement of the oil alone, it’s difficult to see how relevant this research is to everyday weight management.
#3. Fennel tea
Dr. Oz claims: “Cleansing”, “boosts digestion”, “resets taste buds”, reduces fat storage, “squash morning hunger pangs”
Reality check: There is no credible evidence demonstrating that fennel can do any of these things. Like many herbal remedies, side effects have not been systematically studied, but it’s generally considered safe when consumed as a food. While it’s most popular for promoting lactation, its effects have not been established, and is also considered potentially unsafe for that use.
#4. Crimini mushrooms
Dr. Oz claims: Meaty flavour cuts the fat when mixed in meat-based dishes.
Reality check: I can’t argue with Dr. Oz here. Crimini mushrooms are tiny portobellos. If you like mushrooms and want a meat substitute, mushrooms are a reasonable alternative. Nothing super about them, but they are low-calorie and nutritious.
#5. Apples
Dr. Oz claims: When eaten pre-meal, the pectin reduces the subsequent sugar and calories that are absorbed into the bloodstream.
Reality check: Apples are delicious and are reasonably low in calories. Pectin is a soluble fibre that gives a gelatinous consistency to products like jams and jellies. I could find no published information that demonstrates that apple or pectin consumption reduces subsequent calorie absorption, though there is some evidence suggesting pectin supplements can have beneficial effects on cholesterol levels.
#6. Avocados
Dr. Oz claims: The monounsaturated fats are “are healthy sources of energy to keep you going all day long.”
Reality check: Avocados are a great source of monounsaturated fats and that seems to have positive cholesterol effects. They are a source of energy – quite a bit of it, with about 300-400 calories each. As a source of nutrition they’re an excellent part of your diet, as long as you keep in mind the total calories.
#7. Raspberry ketone
Dr. Oz claims: This product regulates adiponectin, a protein that causes “the fat within your cells to get broken up more effectively, helping your body burn fat faster.”
Reality check: Come on Mehmet. You were doing reasonably well, only to veer off into rank pseudoscience with your favorite “miracle fat-burner in a bottle”. Setting aside the fact that raspberry ketone isn’t really a “food” at all (it’s formulated synthetically), the scientific evidence doesn’t back up these claims. There are no human studies that substantiate these statements. It’s supplement snake oil.
#8. Chili peppers
Dr. Oz claims: Capsaicin “curbs your appetite while you eat” and “raises your body temperature, which may boost your metabolism.”
Reality check: Oz is suggesting that chili peppers will independently change the heat production of your body, confusing capsaicin’s effects on pain receptors on tongues, for actual thermal energy. There is the hypothesis that capsaicin supplements may have some effects on calorie burn, but it’s not clear that the modest increase is the same as eating chili peppers as part of a typical diet. Chili peppers are delicious though, so if you like them, go ahead and eat them – just don’t expect that hot sensation to mean you’re burning away calories.
#9. Vinegar
Dr. Oz claims: “Slow the absorption of carbohydrates” and “slows the passage of food through your stomach, keeping you fuller for longer.”
Reality check: Vinegar is an old folk remedy, its main ingredient is acetic acid (the usual home supply version is 4-8% acetic acid in water). The best evidence I could find to substantiate Oz’s claim of satiety was a study in 12 people given white bread and vinegar. As an unblinded study, not much can be concluded. There’s also a small study suggesting vinegar may enhance insulin sensitivity. So while there’s no evidence to suggest it will “rev up” your metabolism or aid in weight loss, if you like the taste of vinegar or pickled foods, enjoy. Just don’t expect you’re losing weight doing so.
#10. Cinnamon
Dr. Oz claims: “Slows the passage of food through your stomach” and “lowers your blood sugar levels by stimulating glucose metabolism.”
Reality check: Cinnamon supplements have been studied in diabetics and beneficial effects have not been established. There is no evidence to demonstrate that cinnamon has any beneficial effects on weight in people with or without diabetes. If you like it, eat it. But cinnamon won’t negate the calories you’re eating it with.
#11: Chia seeds
Dr. Oz claims: The soluble fiber has “cholesterol-lowering properties and prevents the absorption of fat”
Reality check: Chia is an herb, eaten for its seeds, which are a good source of fiber and the omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid. A single-blind study showed chia had no effect on weight loss, though it may improve some risk factors, like cholesterol, in those with diabetes. Given alpha-linolenic acid is poorly converted to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), if you’re looking for cardiovascular benefits you’re better off getting DHA directly via cold water fatty fish. So while chia is a reasonable addition to your diet, there is no evidence it has any special ability to support weight loss.
#12: Green tea
Dr. Oz claims: Contains EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) that “increases the hormone responsible for making you feel satiated”; “can help prevent storage of excess fat”, “improve your appetite-regulating hormones” and will change how your body handles cravings and metabolizes food.
Reality check: Green tea is brewed from the non-fermented leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. It contains a number of biologically active ingredients which are believed (though not established) to be a panacea for nearly everything. With respect to weight loss, a systematic review of green tea for obesity concluded that green tea has no meaningful effects, and a Cochrane review concluded that any effects are “not likely to be clinically important”.
#13. Pepitas (pumpkin/squash seeds)
Dr. Oz claims: “Seeds have been shown to decrease the body’s ability to store fat”; the protein and magnesium “helps curb cravings and strengthen muscles”; “Eat 1 cup of seeds a few times a week.”
Reality check: Pumpkin seeds, like other seeds, are nutrient and energy dense. One cup of pumpkin seeds has about 700 calories, which is about the same as a Double Big Mac (albeit with less fat and more fiber). Three cups of seeds a week could easily exceed an entire days’ worth of calories. There is no published evidence to suggest that seeds block fat production or retention in any meaningful way that could assist with weight loss or weight maintenance.
#14. Red lentils
Dr. Oz claims: “these legumes will help you stay fuller for longer.”
Reality check: Hard to find fault with lentils which are both nutritious and high in fiber which might contribute to satiety. While no “superfood”, they are a staple in many diets – I prefer mine as daal.
#15. Watermelon
Dr. Oz claims: “Women who ate water-rich foods lost 33% more weight in the first 6 months than women on a low-fat diet”; contains vitamins A, C, “as well as the ‘mother of all antioxidants,’ glutathione, which is known to help strengthen the immune system.”
Reality check: For a fruit that’s so delicious and is mainly water, watermelon has a lot of nutrients too. The study referred to is this paper which compared a low-fat diet to a low-fat diet with more fruits and vegetables. The group randomized to fruits and vegetables lost about 5lbs more than the other, an increase of 33% at the six month mark (the difference narrowed by one year). So while the study is reported accurately, it is not a trial that studied watermelon, or that studied the effect of fruits and vegetables alone.
Conclusion
Oz’s latest list is a mix of both reasonable and silly dietary advice that repeatedly overstates the evidence, while ignoring the biggest determinant for obesity: calorie consumption. In that way it’s very much like every one of his shows – |
while James may window-shop in New York come 2015 (if possible), don't bank on him buying into what the Knicks and Jackson are selling.
*Salary information via ShamSports.
Follow @danfavaleWhat were movie nerds talking about on this day five, or 10, or 25 years ago? In Old News, we reexamine a news story from this date in film history and see how it ultimately turned out.
Dateline: May 27, 1999
Article: “More on Leo in Episode 2”
Website: Ain’t It Cool News
Abstract: Leonardo DiCaprio is up for the role of Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode II—Attack Of The Clones.
Excerpt: “I came across a bit of Star Wars: Episode II gossip via a friend of mine. She was in a bar in Chicago last night and in walked Ewan McGregor! Anyway she worked up enough nerve to talk to him and after a few drinks he started chatting about Star Wars. Apparently he (unfortunately) has a meeting with Leonardo DiCaprio this week and one with Leo and Natile Portman next week. He said he wasn’t sure if Leo was a lock but it looks that way. I don’t expect you to print this, but I thought it might be a nice lead.”
Aftermath: Somewhat surprisingly, this anonymous, second-hand report wasn’t off-base. DiCaprio did meet with George Lucas about the role of Anakin Skywalker. After this rumor started picking up steam, DiCaprio’s publicist confirmed to USA Today that the meeting had taken place, but insisted that DiCaprio was “definitely unavailable.” Evidently, Ewan McGregor really does like to tell random strangers he meets in bars all about his most secretive meetings!
Other actors auditioned for the part of Anakin, including Colin Hanks, Paul Walker, and Ryan Phillippe, but the part ultimately went to a relatively unknown Canadian actor named Hayden Christensen. The thing that blew my mind about this item wasn’t its flimsy source (Harry Knowles claims in the piece that he has “20 separate confirmations” about the DiCaprio/Lucas meeting), but the fact that the tipster was dreading the thought of Leonardo DiCaprio as the future Darth Vader. Granted, this was only about a year after Titanic-mania, when pop culture was a wee bit DiCaprioverloaded. And with the benefit of hindsight we know what kind of long, solid career DiCaprio had and what kind of performance Christensen gave.
But still: Is there anyone today who wouldn’t swap Christensen for DiCaprio if they could (except for maybe Christensen and DiCaprio)? Even with the exact same script, how much better does Attack Of The Clones get the second you put DiCaprio in the Anakin role? 20 percent? 30 percent? That’s got to be one of the most depressing what-ifs in recent casting history. And yet, at the time, the fact that it didn’t happen was greeted in some circles as good news. A lot can change in 15 years.
Also this week in movie history: The first concrete news about the project that ultimately became Prometheus began to leak out. Early reports pegged the film as a remake of Ridley Scott’s Alien, but this week in 2009, Collider spoke with Tony Scott, who explained that it was actually a “prequel.” At that time, the film was going to be directed by one of the Scotts’ protégés, Carl Rinsch. Ridley Scott himself ultimately directed Prometheus; Rinsch went on to make his feature directorial debut with last year’s 47 Ronin, which became one of the biggest flops in recent movie history.Now you can subscribe to Free Keene via email!
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Other Cool SitesGilbert, South Carolina (CNN) South Carolina's lieutenant governor endorsed Donald Trump during the GOP front-runner's rally here Wednesday night.
Lt. Gov. Henry McMaster, who was elected in November 2014, previously served as the state's attorney general and chairman of the South Carolina GOP. He is the highest-ranking South Carolina official to endorse Trump.
McMaster introduced Trump at his rally, calling him a "man of accomplishment."
"He's actually done some things. Some big things," McMaster said. "He speaks the truth as he sees it in words everybody can understand."
He told supporters packed into a barn and additional covered patio set up for the event that he and his family would be voting for Trump.
McMaster had previously supported Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who dropped out of the presidential race last month after a campaign spent frequently sparring with Trump, who repeatedly criticized the South Carolina senator.
Graham has since endorsed former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush in the GOP race.
In an interview with The Post and Courier, Graham said Thursday that although he doesn't "know what Henry's thinking is," he admires McMaster.
"He is one of my dearest friends," Graham said. "I think he will be helpful to Mr. Trump. He will give him so legitimacy, sort of, in the establishment lane."
Graham added that the endorsement surprised him "a little bit. But politics is politics."
Richard Quinn, who has been a friend and political consultant to both Graham and McMaster, told CNN on Wednesday that McMaster and Graham are "very close."
Quinn also said McMaster's endorsement is yet another indication that Trump's presidential bid is gaining legitimacy in establishment circles as Trump is perceived more and more as the likeliest candidate to emerge as the GOP standard-bearer.
And McMaster's backing is just the latest in a string of endorsements the Trump campaign has rolled out in the last week.
The campaign first announced former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's endorsement last Tuesday. And this week, the campaign announced endorsements from evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr., the son of the late influential televangelist, and Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the hardline Arizona official who gained notoriety for his hardline anti-illegal immigration policies.
As with Palin, whose former aide, Michael Glassner, serves as Trump's political director, Trump is also connected to McMaster through a staff member: Trump's South Carolina political director, Jeff Taillon, who served as McMaster's campaign manager during his successful 2014 bid for lieutenant governor.
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, though, has been critical of Trump's bid, jabbing at the front-runner in her response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address earlier this month.
"During anxious times, it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest voices," Haley said. "We must resist that temptation. No one who is willing to work hard, abide by our laws, and love our traditions should ever feel unwelcome in this country."
Haley later confirmed that her remarks were in part aimed at Trump.
Trump, though, has tried to make nice with Haley, calling her a "friend" shortly after she made those remarks.I think Roland Emmerich wishes this planet would just die, is hoping to make enough money to buy a place of safety in light of an apocalypse, or is thinking that making movies about the end of the world will score him a sweet invite into the President’s top secret bunker. Whatever the case, Emmerich is obsessed with the apocalypse to an extend that I personally find it creepy.
Even when not directing a mega-budget disaster film – the man directed Independence Day, 2012 and The Day After Tomorrow – he’s producing movies that are dark, bleak, and make you want to kill yourself (thanks for that.)
Arriving later this tear (September in Germany) is Hell, a German end of the world tale from director Tim Fehlbaum. Inside you’ll find the plot crunch, alongside the first official clip. What’s interesting is how “cheap” and dirty it looks, compared to Emmerich’s polished style…
Maria, her little sister Leonie and Phillip are heading for the mountains in a car with tinted glass. Rumor has it water can still be found there. It is a hazardous trip to nowhere. Along the way, they run into Tom. He turns out to be a first-rate mechanic and becomes indispensable. But can they trust him? The tension grows. As if things weren’t bad enough, they are lured into an ambush and their real battle for survival begins…”OTTAWA – The jockeying to build Canada’s long-awaited, fixed-wing, search-and-rescue planes has begun with Monday’s deadline for the submission of bids in the estimated $3.1 billion program.
With the ink barely dry on its proposal, Airbus Defence is saying that should its C-295 transport be selected, it will partner with Newfoundland-based Provincial Aerospace, to provide long-term maintenance and support to the fleet.
The program, which has been over a decade in the making, is expected to be first significant military procurement decision by the new Liberal government.
It is a complex bid and a decision is not expected until the summer at the earliest.
READ MORE: Two-thirds of former Conservative government’s planned military purchases behind schedule
Airbus and its competitors — U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin and Italy-based Alenia Aermacchi — were asked to submit two proposals for consideration in a hybrid procurement intended to deliver not only aircraft, but recommendations on how many planes are needed and where to station them.
Pablo Molina, head of Airbus Defence in Canada, said it was a challenging process, but one that made easier for his company by the fact that the C-295 has a long service history and the detailed sort of service and reliability data required by the federal government was easily available.
“We are absolutely optimistic about our chances,” Molina said in an interview Monday. “Our analysis says we have the best aircraft and the best solution for Canada in every aspect.”
He declined to discuss how many aircraft — or what kind of basing — the company proposed, saying the federal government deserves an opportunity to review the bids.
Brian Chafe, the CEO of Provincial Aerospace, underlined that the skills and technology required to service Canadian C-295s will reside in Canada to the benefit of the country’s industry and workers.
WATCH: Trudeau vows to scrap F-35 program, use savings to increase navy spending
The companies submitted prices and aircraft numbers for a fleet that would operate out of four existing main bases across the country — Greenwood, N.S., Trenton, Ont., Winnipeg, and Comox, B.C. — and a separate proposal using only three airfields.
That could present a political problem for the Liberals because dropping even one of those bases from the roster would cause concern in the affected community.
The bids were originally supposed to be submitted by the end of September but the program was kicked forward into January during the federal election.
Alenia is proposing to offering its C-27J aircraft and Lockheed Martin is interested in offering C-130J transports.
The new planes are meant to replace the air force’s four-decades-old C-115 Buffaloes and older model C-130 Hercules transports currently assigned to search-and-rescue duties.FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Colorado State athletic director Jack Graham basked in the glow of the Rams' 58-13 shellacking of Air Force on Saturday and proclaimed, "I am confident we'll get a bowl bid."
Although the Rams (7-6, 5-3 Mountain West) are bowl eligible for the first time in five years, they're one of seven teams in their conference that have qualified for postseason play and the league has six bowl tie-ins, so somebody's going to be left out in the cold.
Graham's confident it won't be his school, which has so much to offer: marquee players, an exciting, high-octane offense, a dominant defense, a team that's peaking at the right time, a big-time coach who's turned around a downtrodden program in short order, fresh faces, a buzz.
"We earned the right to be in a bowl and we deserve to be in a bowl," Graham said, noting the Rams would be 7-5 if you take out the extra game they added at Alabama, where they hung tough with the Crimson Tide for three quarters -- not that he'd give up that experience for anything.
Second-year coach Jim McElwain said the way in which the Rams have been playing -- winning five of their last seven -- and the manner in which they beat the Falcons (2-10, 0-8) on Saturday should enhance their chances of playing over the holidays.
"We've got a pretty good football team that a lot of people would like to see," McElwain suggested.
The main attraction is redshirt sophomore running back Kapri Bibbs, who was supposed to be a decoy Saturday because of a foot injury but ended up scoring three times, his seventh game with three or more touchdowns, an FBS record.
Bibbs' 79 yards on 16 carries left him 30 yards shy of Cecil Sapp's single-season rushing mark at CSU, but his three TD runs gave him 28, which leads all FBS players, two more than Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds, who has one game left, at Army on Dec. 14.
Garrett Grayson, who was in danger of losing his starting job in September, threw for 395 yards and three TDs. He completed 26 of 34 passes, his last one a 49-yard touchdown toss to Jordon Vaden in the third quarter that gave him 3,327 yards on the season, topping by eight yards the school's previous single-season record set by Terry Nugent in 1983.
Of his six incompletions, three of them were drops.
The Falcons were in danger of being shut out for the first time since 1992 and were facing their biggest margin of defeat in their history until scoring two TDs against subs in the final five minutes. But this still was their worst loss to the Rams in this series that dates to 1957.
Grayson also hooked up with Rashard Higgins for two TDs. Higgins had seven catches for 127 yards.
Behind Bibbs and Grayson, the first 1,500-yard rusher and 3,000-yard passer in the same season in CSU history, the Rams clinched their first regular season winning record since 2003 -- and they hope to be going to a bowl game for the first time since 2008, when they beat Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl.
"Our goal coming into this game was to send those seniors out the right way," Grayson said. "I think we did that, putting up 58 points on the board. Let them get the Rams-Falcon trophy back here and then hopefully get the bowl game," Grayson said.
He insisted they weren't trying to impress the bowl selection committees.
"Nobody mentioned it," Grayson said. "But I think it was on everybody's mind that we need to go out there and have a big game."
The Falcons posted their worst record since going 2-9-1 in 1980. They lost 10 games for the first time in the program's 57-year history and went winless in conference play for the first time since joining the Western Athletic Conference in 1980.
"We got bounced around today, and frankly we got bounced around a bunch throughout the season," Falcons coach Troy Calhoun said. "We have to look at every aspect of what we're doing. We have to coach better, we have to play better."
The Falcons trailed 58-0 before Colton Huntsman's 13-yard run with 5:02 remaining.
"We just have to get better all across the board; offense, defense, special teams, me individually, coaching has got to be better, everything has to be better," Air Force junior linebacker Jordan Pierce said. "We went 2-10 this year, and that's not what we wanted, and next year is not going to be the same."
---
Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapletonLONDON OLYMPICS London Olympics badminton scandal: Is it always wrong to lose on purpose?
Eight badminton players are banished from the London Games after appearing to throw round-robin matches in hopes of drawing easier opponents. But some sports allow such tactics.
The crowds at Wembley Arena booed loudly as the players appeared to dump serves into the net and swat reasonably simple shots astray.
This ethical quandary stems from an unlikely set of events by which four doubles teams tried to throw their round-robin matches to put themselves in better position for the subsequent knockout round.
Is it all right to lose on purpose in the pursuit of ultimate victory?
But a dust-up in this small, overlooked sport has drawn international scrutiny this week, raising one of the more compelling questions of the 2012 London Olympics:
LONDON — Badminton is not the sort of game that usually makes headlines or sparks passionate debate.
After a series of emergency meetings that lasted into Wednesday morning, officials ejected the eight athletes from China, South Korea and Indonesia from the competition.
"This was an important issue to deal with swiftly," said Thomas Lund, secretary-general of the Badminton World Federation. "Frankly, it hasn't taken that long."
But the punishment has not settled what one sports ethicist described as an "iffy moral issue."
"Was this against the rules?" said Jay Coakley, author of "Sports in Society: Issues and Controversies." "It's something we have to decide on a case-by-case basis."
PHOTOS: London Olympics, Day 5
Fans seem to understand when Michael Phelps holds back during a preliminary race in swimming, finishing just fast enough to qualify for the final. Officials don't suspend anyone when a playoff-bound team keeps some of its starters out of a meaningless game.
At these Olympics, the coach of the powerful Japanese women's soccer team instructed his players not to score in their final group game Tuesday against South Africa, according to numerous reports. The 0-0 tie gave Japan a more favorable matchup in the next round.
Soccer's international federation said it would not take action.
Because of the way the badminton draw played out, those players knew that if they entered the knockout round with a lower seeding, they could avoid facing a talented team right off the bat.
Officials deemed it a case of "not using one's best efforts to win a match" and "conducting oneself in a manner that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the sport."
Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang, the top-seeded pair from China, were ousted. So were Greysia Polii and Meiliana Jauhari of Indonesia; Jung Kyung-eun and Kim Ha-na of South Korea; and another South Korean team, Ha Jung-eun and Kim Min-jung.
"It's depressing," Sebastian Coe, a former Olympian and chairman of the London organizing committee, said about the matches. "Who wants to sit through something like that?"
Athletes had similar reactions.
"Oh my," tennis star Serena Williams said. "Winning at all costs means absolutely nothing. If you win by cheating, for me I would never feel good about that."The rise and growth of online health services platforms helping Indians to break barriers attached to open discussions on sex and sexuality.
New Delhi (Sputnik) — The most frequent Indian queries on on-line health platforms are about sex, sexual behavior, and related health issues. The answer is not far to seek. The absence of an open culture toward sex and sexuality in India forces people, especially young kids, to search the internet for answers.
Data collected on Lybrate, a two-year online doctor database that connects physicians to patients through a mobile app, has thrown startling results about Indians and their behavior towards sex.
Lybrate allows users to post general health queries, consult doctors in real time, search for doctors in the neighbourhood, and book appointments online. Users can choose to remain anonymous for online interactions, which, in particular has been the unique selling proposition of the platform among its Indian users.
Lybrate caters to a very miniscule part of India's patient population with its 100,000 enrolled doctors and interacting with a daily patient load of 200,000. But it still gives a peek into the kind of health issues Indians are concerned about.
Lybrate's data shows that across cities, the most common questions are on erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, menopause, and low libido.
© Photo : Pixabay Sweden Employs 'Penis-Meters' to Raise Sexual Awareness
Lybrate's success, however, is also symptomatic of the puritan mindset in India that still discourages open discussions about sex. Not surprisingly, sex education is still not part of the curriculum in most schools. An open discussion between parents and their grown up kids on sex is virtually unheard of.
Children are taking to the Internet and pornography is often the first thing they find. The massive growth of smartphones across age groups has raised fears about misinformation among young kids, according to experts.
"If they (children) are learning about sex and sexuality mostly through porn films, then they're getting a very, very warped view because what they're seeing there is not reality," said Anju Kishinchandani, an activist promoting sex education among school —going children in Mumbai.
The silence around sex could even enhance the risk of sexually-transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS. Alternatively, a lack of openness could be one of the factors fueling sexual assault against women.
"This kind of taboo means people don't understand what sexual relationships are about. When there is a silence on a subject, then all kinds of hierarchies continuously get played out. And all kinds of stigma also (gets) attached to things," said Paromita Vohra, founder at Agents of Ishq, an online sex education project.DONETSK (Reuters) - A senior pro-Russian separatist commander said on Sunday that, despite a ceasefire, rebels have the right to fire on the town of Debaltseve in east Ukraine as it is “our territory.”
The truce between government troops and rebels came into force at midnight. The Ukrainian military have since reported shelling around Debaltseve, a strategic transport hub north-east of the separatist stronghold of Donetsk.
“Of course we can open fire (on Debaltseve), it is our territory... The territory is inside, it is ours,” Eduard Basurin told Reuters by phone, saying that elsewhere separatists were observing the truce.
At around 0700 GMT a Reuters witness in nearby Artemivsk heard the sound of heavy artillery fire coming from the direction of the town, where government forces have been hard pressed in recent weeks by encircling separatists.
A few hours later shelling could still be heard.
“After midnight, shelling stopped in the majority of the Ukrainian-controlled hot spots in Luhansk region...However a complete ceasefire has not come into effect,” the head of the Kiev-controlled Luhansk administration, Hennadiy Moskal, said in an online statement.July 31 is a date with significance beyond being the Major League Baseball trading deadline, and the birthdays of Milton Friedman, J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter, and the author of this blog post. It's also the day that the Highway Trust Fund—the tank of federal money filled by the gas tax and ostensibly disbursed on maintaining the interstate highway system—runs out.
The Trust Fund runs out every year at this time, because Congress spends more of it than the gas tax brings in, and is too incompetent and/or terrified to either spend less, tax more, or allow for enough private-sector financing to cover the infrastructure shortfall. Even though federal transportation taxing-and-spending levels are supposed to be set in mammoth six-year legislative packages, what ends up happening instead is that Congress at the last minute finds some heretofore undeployed bandaid—say, the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund—to slap on the problem for another 12 months. Democrat-dominated, divided, Republican; the control of Congress does not matter here. This dysfunction and cowardice is what Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is referring to when he says stuff like this:
I think it's a crummy way to run government. I think that lurching from deadline to deadline, showing up with two thousand page bills, nobody reads them, stuff gets stuck in by people in the dead of night, nobody has any idea what's in there, and they put stuff in there that's complicated and people should have a discussion. It should be transparent and the bottom line is the result's pretty poor. We have an $18 trillion debt, so I'm absolutely opposed to just the process itself and so I'm a no vote.
Paul in that case was talking about the already memory-holed "cromnibus" bill of last December, but the insight is transferable to the wretched way Congress has dealt with this week's Trust Fund deadline, including last night's initial Senate attempt to resurrect the righteously shuttered crony-capitalist machine known as the Export-Import Bank.
Good luck sorting through the parliamentary details of what the Senate will do next to try and jam through a transportation bill this week before the House (which previously passed a six-month extension) goes on August recess, though you can bet that we'll see the issue cross-pollinate with such wholly unrelated issues as the Ex-Im, and Planned Parenthood funding, and Obamacare, and God knows what else (including, possibly, giving the IRS power to revoke the passports of citizens owing more than $50,000 in back taxes).
What would a sane highway policy look like? Read the June 17 congressional testimony from Reason Foundation Director of Transporation Policy Robert Poole, titled "Rethinking the Highway Trust Fund." Here's the bullet-point summary:
1. Preserve and strengthen the users-pay/users-benefit principle on which the HTF was founded, and which remains the basis for most state highway programs. 2. Set meaningful priorities for the Highway Trust Fund, to balance spending with existing revenues. 3. Encourage state efforts to develop mileage-based user fee models that address the many current unknowns and concerns over this proposed transition. 4. Give states improved tools to make their existing transportation funding go further.
Last week, Poole also unveiled a relevant new study titled "Truck-Friendly Tolls for the 21st Century"; you can also read his recent article for the magazine, "Who's Going to Pay for New Highways?" That latter piece includes an important historical reminder that shouldn't get lost during the grotesque sausage-making on Capitol Hill this week: Namely, the Highway Trust Fund is being spent on all kinds of things that have nothing to do with highways. Check it out:
In 1982, the floodgates opened for spending highway funds on public transit. Highway advocates and Transportation Secretary Drew Lewis wanted to double the gas tax, but President Ronald Reagan said he would veto such a bill….[U]rban mayors came to the rescue, persuading their members to support the legislation if 20 percent of the 5-cent-per-gallon increase was dedicated to mass transit. The revised bill passed and Reagan signed it. Each successive reauthorization of the program since 1982 has expanded it further, eviscerating the original users-pay/users-benefit principle by spending "highway user tax revenue" on a large array of other purposes: transit capital and operating costs, sidewalks (Safe Routes to School), bike lanes (Complete Streets), recreational trails, landscaping, highway safety grants, environmental mitigation, historic preservation, etc. This all-things-to-all-people approach enables members of Congress to get credit for funding things that appeal to many constituent groups.
Last Tuesday I watched Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx at a New York Times "Cities for Tomorrow" event express bewilderment at Congress's inability to deal with the Highway Trust Fund in one breath, and then a few minutes later brag about how we're spending so much of that money on transit and non-highway projects! Why, it's as if the people who agitate for more government money are genuinely surprised that the management thereof becomes politicized.
In a very related development, some of the biggest laugh-lines during Foxx's transportation panel came at the expense of the sheer awfulness of New York's (Port Authority-owned) airports, and at the way public transportation projects around these parts tend to go just a wee bit over budget. But accepting those facts with a laugh and a shrug is an important part of the problem in the first place. Governments at all levels, and blue cities in particular, cannot do infrastructure right, in large part because the coalitions that elect politicians around these parts treat construction and maintenance and contracts and taxes like the mafia does: as guaranteed revenue streams to maximize.
Instead of confronting that problem head-on, politicians such as President Barack Obama just keep portraying the infrastructure gap as a failure of will, rather than a willful lack of desire to account for the billions already spent. Rather than process the detailed suggestions from pragmatic limited-government types, partisans blame the potholes in Democrat-dominated cities on powerless libertarians. We will not be able to maintain, let alone build, any infrastructure of significance, until these fantasies give way to something approaching policy realism.
Don't expect that any time soon, either from Congress or Anthony Foxx. Here's a recent pep talk from your Transporation Secretary's blog:
we know how to build this stuff, how to fix what we have and make the system better able to handle what's coming. It's time to do what previous generations did. Find the mettle. Find the resolve. Because if we don't dig in today, our children and grandchildren will be digging out tomorrow.
No, we don't know how to build this stuff anymore, is the issue. And until Congress finds the resolve to tackle that problem, they shouldn't get a drop more of our money.Torkil Lauesen has been an anti-imperialist activist and writer since the late 1960s. His publications in English include “It’s All About Politics,” as well as an interview with him—both of which can be found in Turning Money into Rebellion, edited by Gabriel Kuhn (PM Press, 2014). Zak Cope is the author of Divided World Divided Class: Global Political Economy and the Stratification of Labour under Capitalism (Montréal, Canada: Kersplebedeb, 2012 and 2015) and co-editor, with Immanuel Ness, of the Palgrave Encyclopedia of Imperialism and Anti-Imperialism (Palgrave Macmillan, forthcoming in fall 2015).
Introduction
In this article, we aim to demonstrate that the low prices of goods produced in the global South and the attendant modest contribution of its exports to the Gross Domestic Product of the North conceals the real dependence of the latter’s economies on low-waged Southern labor. We argue that the relocation of industry to the global South in the past three decades has resulted in a massive increase of transferred value to the North. The principal mechanisms for this transfer are the repatriation of surplus value by means of foreign direct investment, the unequal exchange of products embodying different quantities of value, and extortion through debt servicing.
The incorporation of huge Southern economies into a capitalist world system dominated by global North-based transnational corporations and financial institutions has established the former as socially disarticulated export dependencies. The miserably low wage rates within these economies is predicated upon (1) the pressure imposed by their exports having to compete for limited shares of the largely metropolitan consumer market; (2) the drain of value and natural resources that might otherwise be used to build up the productive forces of the national economy; (3) the unresolved land question creating an oversupply of labor; (4) repressive comprador governments, who benefit from and accept the neoliberal order and are therefore unable and unwilling to grant wage rises for fear of spurring workers’ demands for greater political power; and (5) militarized borders preventing the movement of workers to the global North and, hence, an equalization of returns to labor.
The Imperialist Globalization of Production
The debate on value transfer and unequal exchange is not new. Today, however, an increasingly large proportion of the goods the world consumes are produced in the global South. Production is not, as in the 1970s, limited to primary and simple industrial goods like oil, minerals, coffee, and toys. Rather, despite relatively low manufacturing “value added” (of which more below), virtually all types of industrial inputs and outputs are produced in the global South: these include chemicals, fabricated metal goods, machinery and electrical machinery, electronics, furniture and transport equipment to textiles, shoes, clothes, tobacco, and fuels.1 But why, and how, has this shift in the location of production happened?
The change in the international division of labor is a product of capitals’ perennial quest for higher profits and is based, first, on enormous growth in the number of proletarians integrated into the capitalist world system and, second, on the substantive industrialization of the South over the past three decades. This was made possible by the dissolution of the Soviet and Eastern European “actually existing socialist” economies, the opening of China to global capitalism, and the outsourcing of production to India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brazil, Mexico, and other newly industrializing countries. The result was an increase of at least one billion low-wage proletarians within global capitalism. Today over 80 percent of the industrial workers in the world are located in the global South, while the proportion falls steadily in the |
.95/month or $79.50/year for the Vancouver papers. The Citizen will charge $9.95/month or $99.50/year.
Anyone who doesn't pay will still be able to read breaking news on each paper's site, but will be limited to 15 non-breaking news articles each month.
Print subscribers will have full access to all of the paper's digital products.
A membership to one paper won't provide readers with access to the chain's other papers – they would need to buy another subscription for each paper they want to access online.
"About 1.7 million unique visitors read our website each month. Others access us on smartphones and tablets and, across all platforms, we generated more than 43 million page views in July alone," Vancouver Sun editor Harold Munro wrote in a note to readers.
"We trust you will want to be a part of this, and continue to recognize the value provided in the breadth of in-depth journalism, local news and features found only in the pages of The Sun."
The National Post will only ask for money from international visitors to its website – it will offer access for 99 cents for the first month, and then $9.95/month afterward. This international model will also be applied to the Gazette in Montreal, which already has a metered paywall for domestic readers.
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Newspapers across North America – including The Globe and Mail – are scrambling to monetize their digital content to make up for declining print advertising revenue. The industry has been emboldened by the success of the New York Times, which has about 500,000 paying subscribers that is generating meaningful revenue for the company.
"A growing number of major newspapers around the world, including the New York Times and London's Times and Guardian, have adopted pay models for digital content. Today, The Sun follows suit," Mr. Munro wrote. "This new metered system will help generate revenue to invest in the insightful, award-winning print and digital journalism expected from the biggest and best news team in Western Canada. We remain committed to investigative reporting and working to ensure transparency from governments and public agencies."Long time followers of Just Creative will know just how passionate I am about logo design, so it comes with great pleasure to interview Bill Gardner, the founder of Logo Lounge and Gardner Design, and most recently, an AIGA ‘Fellow’ award winner.
For those unfamiliar with LogoLounge, it is a logo inspiration book series and the leading online logo inspiration gallery. LogoLounge (Bill) also publishes a well-respected annual logo design trend report that gives a trajectory of where logo design is heading.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have my work featured in 6 of their books, including an in-depth case study, so for me it was a real pleasure to video-chat to Bill to learn about the process of discovering & reporting on the trends, as well as learn how the logos are picked for their best-selling books, and a glimpse inside their design studio in Kansas.
I recorded our informal video chat and have transcribed Bill’s answers into a digestible format below. Enjoy!
The process of discovering logo design trends
Bill has been reporting on logo trends since 2003, so he obviously has a lot of stored knowledge but with that many logos to remember, it’s essential to cover his office walls with all of the past year’s trends so he can easily recall if he has covered something in the past.
Below is his process of discovering the latest logo design trends.
1. Sort through 25,000 submitted logos
Based on his accumulated knowledge and prior reports, Bill chronologically sorts through all 25,000-35,000 submitted logos from the year, and selects certain logos. He doesn’t look for anything in particular, but rather sees if he can “notice any nuances” from the submitted logos, “anything new, different or evolved from the years before”. This part of the process generally “takes a full weekend”.
2. Arrange logos into groups & play match.
After going through the entire year’s worth of logo submissions, Bill sorts through his selected logos, “generally about 2000 of them”, and starts putting them into matching groups.
From here, Bill “starts to play the world’s largest game of match”. He goes through the groups of logos and makes sub groups and then repeats this “until they are all organized and have a rhythm. This generally takes 2 full weeks”.
3. Filter based on relevance & value.
By the end of this process, there are “generally about 100 grouped trends”, however, each year there are only 15 reported trends, so these 100 groups have to be dwindled down to what is “most relevant and most valuable, based on the time that it is being looked at”.
At this point, Bill shares the 100 logo groups with other designers and asks them “what they think” and a discussion is had to filter the groups. Finally, what’s left, are 15 core trend groups that are published in the trends report, and some runner-ups.
Logo Design Trends Trajectory Forecast
“Trend can be such an ugly damned word” states Bill, which is why he always proclaims at the start of his trend reports, that he is “not suggesting that you follow these trends”, he is just reporting what he is seeing out there so that you can use this information to stand on their shoulders and to push the envelope, to evolve designs to a new direction… and start your own trend.
Bill also proclaims: “You can’t start a trend. No body can actually start a trend. The first design that is the foundation for a trend only became a trend because somebody else found value in it, and then emulated it. The designs that emulate a design are what start the trend.”
On this note, “Any designer that says they do not look at other peoples work is pure bullshit. The public is looking and we have to relate to their mindset, so we have to look at each other’s work.”
The ‘Why’ Matters
On the topic of designing, “It’s more important to know how you got there, than to know where you are. It’s not about creating pretty things, it’s about the ‘why’. The meaning. We must be able to communicate what we are creating is for a reason and why it meets business objectives. Why it will make them money.”
Bill continues, “To put trajectory into perspective, if I gave you a map of Australia and there was an individual right in the middle of Australia, and you were asked ‘where are they going to go next’? In reality, they could go any which way, but if you knew where they had been in previous days, such as Perth & Melbourne, you have enough information there to make an educated guess in which way they are going… quite possibly to Sydney. You can see where something is going by having more than one piece of information.”
“So if you take this same idea and apply it to design, you can only look at a design so far, however if you see how it got there, by seeing designs from the years before, then you can project where things will be going in the future, so you can get ahead of everyone else.”
A good example of seeing logo trajectory in action, is the faceted logo trend, which can be traced back to the 2012 design as shown above. This design has evolved into many more faceted spin offs over the years.
The LogoLounge Book Series
Each year, LogoLouge publishes a book showcasing the best 2000 selected logos from the year. I was curious to see how the logos were selected, what role the judges played and how they selected the logos, and the behind the scenes of making the book a continued best-seller.
LogoLounge Origins
“LogoLounge opened in 2001, just after 9/11 so it was an awful time to launch, however, the website and idea was immediately embraced by designers, especially brand name designers who had so much work that had not yet been seen. They uploaded their work and this was the foundation of LogoLounge.”
The book and exposure aside, the main reason for the site was to have a “searchable database of logos for people to use, with filters, to make research easy”.
LogoLounge Book Selection Criteria
“Each year, eight brand-name judges choose all the logos selected in the books. All of the logos are randomly divided between these judges, and using our online platform, every logo is viewed three times and ranked.
Each page has twenty logos on it, with the name of the logo and the industry underneath and that’s all. Every logo is ranked 0 to start with, and then the judge ranks the logo from 0 to 3. Once the judges have gone through everything, and each logo has been ranked three times, all the results are aggregated to find their final score.”
The highest possible score could be 9 (3+3+3). “Generally, there are only a few that ever score a 9… out of 25,000 submissions.”
“Anything that has scored from 4-9 automatically goes into the book, but anything that has scored under 4 is looked at again, and generally half of them are discarded.” Then Bill’s personal selection comes into play.
Time spent on LogoLounge VS other clients
“About a month is spent working on LogoLounge and then more speaking at conferences”. The rest is on Gardner Design, and about 65% of our work is done on rebranding. It’s more challenging, as it forces you think about things objectively”.
On Great Identities
“What really makes a great identity, is not the logo, it’s the way that it is integrated with the other elements that send the message.”
Apart from his daughter, Bill’s favorite project was done for RedGuard, the leader in blast resistant buildings.
Future plans for LogoLounge
As for the future plans for LogoLounge, “We plan to put more focus on the site as books are not the research tool they used to be. We plan to do more speaking and give out more free accounts to design institutions for research and the Logo Creed curriculum.”
General advice for aspiring logo designers
Bill states that he has “never hired anyone based on where they studied, or even if they had a degree. It’s always been their book and their enthusiasm for design. The passion and the people that live for design are the ones that will really push the envelope and create the best work.”
For those interested, you can get a LogoLounge membership for US$100 which includes access to all the submitted logos and the possibility of being published in their upcoming book series or trends report.5 Gallery: Moss Point gay bullying investigation
MOSS POINT, Mississippi - Destin Holmes, a 16-year-old lesbian, said she was sitting in her Magnolia Junior High math class last year when she experienced one of her worst cases of bullying, and it was initiated by the teacher.
The teacher had divided the class into 2 teams -- boys versus girls -- for a trivia game, Holmes said, but she called on the tomboy-looking teen to sit alone in the middle.
"She told me since she didn't know what I was, I should be on a team of my own," Holmes said during a press conference organized by the Southern Poverty Law Center on Thursday morning.
The SPLC has now delivered a demand letter to the Moss Point School District asking for relief from anti-gay bullying and harassment.
Standing outside Magnolia Junior High School, SPLC attorney Sam Wolfe said a student-requested investigation revealed a pervasive anti-gay environment in the district that is propagated by students, teachers and even administrators.
Students and staff have regularly targeted lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students as well as students perceived as LGBT, he said.
"Students face enough obstacles in school without also enduring violence and abuse for simply being different," Wolfe said. "They are entitled by law to attend school in an environment where they are not singled out and tormented because of their sexual orientation or gender nonconformity."
The district should immediately develop a plan to correct the issue, he said, or face a federal lawsuit.
Moss Point School District school board President Clifton Magee said Thursday morning that the school would release an official statement on the issue later today. District spokesperson Stephanie Packer sent an email Thursday afternoon that the district would not have a reaction to the accusations.
"The Moss Point School District has no comment at this time," the statement said. "This is currently an ongoing investigation."
The Moss Point School District has no comment at this time. This is currently an ongoing investigation.
Holmes, who attended the junior high for 1 semester during the 2011-2012 school year, said she was forced to leave the school after being incessantly tormented by peers and faculty members.
She sought help from her principal, she said, but the principal told her, "I don't want a dyke in this school."
For the first 3 days of school, she was repeatedly referred to as "he" by teachers even though she told them she was a "she."
Holmes said teachers and students called her "it," "queer," "freak," "alien," "dyke" and "he-she," and teachers denied her access to the girls' restroom.
"They don't even know me," Holmes, who is now homeschooled, said during the media event.
The demand letter issued Thursday said that Moss Point school officials "routinely ignore severe and pervasive anti-LGBT harassment" and often blame the victims for the harassment.
Several LGBT students told the SPLC that school administrators told them to simply "suck it up" after they reported bullying.
Holmes said the bullying made her withdraw and even feign sickness to avoid school.
"I loved being with friends and going to school before I was being bullied," she said. "This isn't right, and it isn't fair."
Jennifer Holmes, Destin's grandmother, said the family tried to make the school address the harassment, but the administrators "showed no sympathy" and the school board ignored phone calls and written requests for meetings.
"It's frustrating to watch a child suffer and not be able to help her," the grandmother said, noting Destin was "living a nightmare."
Wolfe said the SPLC hopes the district will work with them to create a more tolerant environment for LGBT students.
"All students have a right to be treated with dignity and respect," he said.
(Updated at 3:30 p.m. on March 21, 2013, with statement from school district.)Another policeman on the list was dismissed from service last year for'serious neglect of duty,' while one more is now under restrictive custody
Published 12:45 PM, August 08, 2016
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A cop who died 6 years ago and another officer dismissed from service are among the 5 policemen from the Davao Region included in President Rodrigo Duterte's list of those allegedly linked to drugs.
In a statement on Monday, August 8, Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 spokesperson Chief Superintendent Andrea dela Cerna clarified that PO3 Filomeno Soroño died due to cardiac arrest in 2010 in Mati City, Davao Oriental.
Duterte's list had included a certain "PO3 Filomeno Toronia" from the Digos City Police Station.
PO3 Jessie Balabag, meanwhile, was dismissed from service on August 3, 2015 due to "serious neglect of duty." Dela Cerna said police are still searching for Balabag and they appeal to the public to report any information regarding his whereabouts.
As for the 3 other police officers named by Duterte, Dela Cerna said one of them, Senior Inspector Martin Plaza, is already under restrictive custody and has been relieved from his post.
"His locker/office was searched but [it] turned [up] negative. Lifestyle check is ongoing," Dela Cerna added.
The two others, who are from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), have been ordered by their chief to report to the Manila headquarters on Monday.
Dela Cerna added that the regional office, following orders from Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa, is hunting down cops involved in illegal drugs.
"Internal cleansing in PRO 11 continues. All other information received are still being validated," she said.
"The PNP does not and will never condone any member of the organization who violates the law and gets involved in illegal activities. Those who are guilty are strongly urged to change or surrender." (READ: PNP chief to top cops linked to drugs: 'Face the music') – Rappler.comThe campaign press statement accompanying the release on Friday of Hillary Clinton's 2000 - 2007 tax returns includes some useful summary data for the media: Bill and Hillary Clinton's total income over the past 8 years, $109 million; her Senate salary, $1.1 million; his presidential pension, $1.2 million; her book royalties, $10.5 million; his book royalties, $29.6 million; and his speaking fees, $51.9 million.
One big line item is missing from the press summary however: the $15 million paid to Bill Clinton between 2003 and 2007 by Ron Burkle's Yucaipa Global Opportunities Fund.
In fact, the Burkle payments, buried deep in the income tax forms themselves, were the only real news in tax documents, which were made public for the first time.
The Clintons' huge book profits, her salary and his speaking fees, were all well known. Hillary Clinton has been required to disclose details on many of those sources of income in the annual financial disclosure statements she has to file as a member of the U.S. Senate.
But until the release of the tax returns on April 4, the only disclosure Hillary Clinton had made about her husband's financial relationship with Burkle was the fact that Bill Clinton earned "more than $1,000" annually from the partnerships.
Now that the Clintons have disclosed that the former president received from 250 to 500 times "more than $1,000" each year since 2002, the glaring question that remains unanswered is: What did he do for all this pocket change?
Clinton campaign spokesman Jay Carson provided a statement that did not reveal much:
"The President provides his best advice on potential investments,
advocates generally on behalf of the funds, and seeks to create
opportunities for investors to consider investing in these funds or in the
investments the funds make."
In more common parlance, this translates to "rainmaker" and "door opener."
Burkle, who is worth at least $2.5 billion according to Forbes, and Clinton are business and social partners, often traveling the Los Angeles social circuit together.
Burkle specializes in putting together funds that invest in city and other businesses. Burkle and Magic Johnson are working together on creating an urban investment fund.
Burkle and Yucaipa have been involved in a number of controversies that have reportedly prompted concerns in Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign that her bid might be damaged by resulting adverse publicity.
Bill Clinton was, according to sources close to both Burkle and Clinton, deeply angered by a September 26, 2007, front page Wall Street Journal article detailing some of Yucaipa's questionable dealings. The story, which broke on the same day that heads of state and business leaders convened in New York to discuss the Clinton Global Initiative, described plans to invest millions of dollars in a venture to buy up Catholic Church property.
Clinton, according to aides, intends to sever his financial ties with Burkle, although he may do so only if his wife wins the nomination, an increasingly unlikely prospect.
Tax returns, year by year:
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007Mamadou Sakho has spoken of his determination to become a complete defender by eradicating any flaws in his game out on the Melwood training fields.
Kopites have warmed to the powerful Parisian, who has notched 10 Liverpool appearances and a goal since arriving at the club in the summer.
The 23-year-old was at his uncompromising best during the 5-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend, as he helped deny the home side a single effort on target throughout the whole match.
It was his second consecutive game alongside Martin Skrtel at the heart of the Reds' defence - and Sakho's aim is to keep progressing in order to keep his place in the starting line-up.
"I'm here to keep improving as a player," the Frenchman told Liverpoolfc.com. "I'm just going to keep working hard and concentrating on what I do best, while ironing out any weaker areas of my game.
"But I'm the same as I have been since the start of my career. Whenever I'm called upon to play, I'm ready to stand up and show face and I'm always ready for the big stage."
Sakho arrived at Anfield on the final day of the summer transfer window to bolster the Reds' defensive ranks further following the acquisition of Kolo Toure.
He made his debut at Swansea alongside Skrtel as part of a flat back-four before featuring as part of a central-defensive trio alongside the Slovakian and Toure.
For the clash against Southampton, Sakho played in the left-back role at Anfield as Brendan Rodgers opted to deploy all four centre-backs across his defence.
Sakho believes the battle for places is vital - and he insists such competition can help the Reds maintain their position near the summit of the Premier League table.
Watch the video here »
"I think Liverpool are fortunate enough to have four top-class central defenders, who are all internationals," said Sakho.
"I think each of us will get our chance to play and here once again it's all about us all giving everything for the group, and helping the team to keep improving.
"When you have healthy competition, I think that can only serve to bring the absolute best out of every player.
"All the guys in the side are going to give everything to be on top of their form for the team. That can only serve keep the group moving towards the top of the table."Creating A Story
Rewind back to May 2013 and I was co-founder of a music app startup called Discovr. We had managed to achieve over 4 million downloads, raised over $1m and were perceived as ‘successful’ (unfortunately things didn’t end up that way) in our home town of Perth, Australia.
It was very common for people to come up to me and ask what the magic was to make a successful app. We’d fudged our way through and somehow made something people wanted to download, but could I recreate it?
I was lucky enough to be reading an advance copy of the amazing book The Fortune Cookie Principle which really opened my eyes to storytelling and products.
I was also inspired by reading this advice from the One More Thing conference about how to write a press release. Surely it’s impossible to stand out with a press release like that?
Hatching An Idea
I wanted to build an app in one night, not tell a single person about it and run some experiments on it to see if I could get it to some level of success. I thought maybe I could get a few thousand downloads and make a couple of hundred bucks.
I wanted an idea that I had no domain advantage in at all, so what better for a chair-bound developer than a fitness app. The 7 Minute Workout was getting a lot of press (and buzz) at the time on sites like the New York Times and Hacker News, so I already had some customer validation around the idea.
There were a couple of key goals for the app:
Explaining the 12 exercises (I had been digging around in Google, I had no idea what a plank was).
Adding a voice prompted timer for when it was time to swap exercises and to tell you and what was up next.
Many other ideas and features ran through my head, including:
iPad support.
Adjustable durations.
Randomise exercises.
Adjustable repeats / sets.
Log book.
Social sharing.
Given a short time frame all this had to be cut (for now).
The Build
Five hours later I emerged with a couple of screens (dynamically filled with different data) and some text to speech. I’m no designer so there were no graphics, all flat views.
Version 1.0
Another hour (yep I went over) was spent throwing together an icon (again a flat colour with the number 7, as my design skills are limited) taking some screenshots and writing up a basic description.
I was amazed that the name “7 Minute Workout” was still available, I assumed there were other apps waiting for review, I was right.
Built and submitted in 6 hours. The wait begins.
Version 1.0 Approval
After 6 days and a couple of minutes review time it was approved. Nobody else knew I had made it (I didn’t even tell my wife).
By this time there were several other 7 Minute Workout apps in the store. So the aim in the first week was to just let it run without telling anyone and to make no attempt to get press.
I was expecting very little, but was surprised to see that it actually sold a few copies with a steady rank.
Nothing world changing, but still not bad when relying 100% on people discovering it via the App Store.
Version 1.1 — Marketing
So version 1.1 was all about marketing. I added social sharing when a workout was completed (Twitter, Facebook & Email) and a review nag on the third completed workout.
Following the guide for the perfect press release above (except I attached 4 promo codes each) I sent emails out to ten of the biggest app review sites.
Guess what happened? Absolutely nothing, not one reply, one site gave away their 4 promo codes on Twitter, the only 4 promo codes used. So it appears none of them even installed it with the promo code.
So for the next week sales basically ticked along pretty flat.
That was 3 hours wasted! What I learned from that confirmed what I already believed — you need to sell your app with a story, preferably to people you have built up a relationship with previously to get noticed.
Version 1.2 — Universal
The next stage of the experiment was to expand the market size by adding iPad support.
Again keeping it really simple exactly the same views were used within a split view. So this only took about 2 hours, another 30 minutes to create some screenshots and submit the update.
Again it made almost no difference to sales, if anything it went backwards.
Going Free
It was time to go free. I’d had some experience with price changes before and knew how effective they could be.
Late one night (I am in Australia), while the US was waking up I set it to free and went to bed. Wow did things get interesting!
I think the chart says it all.
I was floored. 216,718 downloads in 3 days, an average of 72,000 per day, up from an average of 28 per day at paid, or over 2500x.
It became the #1 fitness iPad app in 68 countries. The #1 fitness iPhone app in 49 countries.
And top 10 overall in 12 countries. It even made top 5 overall in countries like Netherlands, here it is on the front page:
In the US (where the majority of downloads came from) it made the top 25 overall on iPad.
It also lead to some amazing reviews (tracked thanks to my service Appbot).
This lead to many, many emails from ‘free app of the day’ sites as well as companies trying to sell paid installs. One of my work mates came up with a good response).
I’ll admit at this point I couldn’t keep it quiet any longer, four people knew about the experiment and promised to keep it quiet.
Now I was staring at the stats not knowing what to think. I still have no idea why it has done so well at free. It definitely wasn’t me promoting it and it wasn’t the press covering it.
The Blog Post
Now came the first part of the blog post, everything that had happened up to this point. The blog post did reasonably well, almost 20k page views, 220+ Tweets, 50 Facebook shares and number 2 on the front page of Hacker News.
And everyone knows the front page of Hacker News is instant success for any product, right?
What Goes Up, Must Come Down
When the downloads began to fall, they kept falling in a very neat curve. As you can see the front page of Hacker News didn’t have any noticeable impact.
In App Purchase
I have a love-hate relationship with in app purchases. They are the best way currently to provide a trial, but in my opinion are abused by many developers (Kids games are often the worst offenders).
I had many requests to make the workouts a bit more flexible in time and sets, so thought this was the perfect opportunity to add a pro upgrade.
Pretty simple, some extra functionality for a few bucks.
How does In App Purchase (IAP) stack up against a paid download? For this app it was an increase of over 3x from around $22 per day to around $65 per day. The IAP converts at approximate 2–3% of the downloads per day.
Translating App Store Descriptions
More than 50% of the downloads have always been from the US, with countries like Canada, Netherlands, Philippines and the UK all being about 1/10th of the US.
Something I have seen work well in the past is local App Store description translations. So based on a few recommendations I translated to Portuguese, Japanese, Italian, German, French and Chinese (Simplified). Using https://www.icanlocalize.com this cost approximately $100.
Overall this part of the experiment was a total fail having almost no effect on the number of downloads from any of those countries.
Listening To Users
I’ve always had the most success with growing products using a process called ‘Feedback Driven Growth’.
Feedback Driven Growth
It’s a process where you:
Read your feedback (say app reviews, support tickets, NPS data and so on) Analyse the sentiment (positive, negative, neutral) Classify and tag into common topics (say pricing, a particular feature and and so on) Iterate to squash negative feedback (especially reviews) and improve the product.
If you get a low volume of feedback you can do this manually, otherwise tools like Appbot automate this entire process.
Using this process I identified the most common request was a workout log.
So I added one as part of the IAP:
This lifted the IAP sales to around $75 per day:
Flat Design
Flat design has been an interesting one, two major issues repeated themselves consistently, both around what is tap-able.
First one is the actual rows being tap-able, which I seemed to solve by adding a little disclosure indicator.
The other is the workout log button, people don’t realise this is tap-able (and why would they?).
Downloads
For the rest of 2013 the downloads didn’t achieve the levels of the early days:
But if we look past the early craziness, downloads are still strong and flat, in the vicinity of 2,500 per day.
Note, that all these downloads were achieved by either App Store discovery or word of mouth. I didn’t do any other promotion.
Sales
So with steady downloads you’d expect steady sales numbers, right?
Sales were in steady decline over 2013, which can be seen even more easily with a cumulative graph.
Almost 70% of the profit was from the US.
In App Purchase Price
I experimented with the in app purchase at 99c, $1.99 and $2.99. I ran each of them for one week and as you can see from the profit charts above it was very flat. Any increase (or decrease) in price was offset be the number of purchases.
Australian Feature
Apple were kind enough to feature the app on the front page in Australia, which isn’t the biggest store but this still had a very positive impact on sales and downloads. The app even reach number two overall on the free charts, just behind Apple’s 12 Days of Gifts.
Christmas and New Year — Resolutions
Christmas saw the millionth download and some significant spikes in both sales and downloads. The new year took it to a new level. Profits were steady through most of November and December at $50 a day. During the first half of January that figure quadrupled to $200 a day. New year resolutions are definitely a positive for fitness apps.
More IAPs
I submitted an update with some extra workouts as in app purchases, an alternative 7 Minute Workout and Pilates workout.
By March everyone was over their new years resolutions (Unfortunately mine finished on January 1).
Ignoring the spikes (I’ll explain them in a bit), downloads returned to where they were leading up to the silly season, between 2k and 2.5k a day.
Adding the new IAPs had almost zero impact on the original Pro upgrade (staying around $50–60 profit a day), but they did help to lift daily revenue to around $70 — $80 profit a day. Around a 40% increase in profits compared to late last year with similar download numbers, not bad.
If we break it down individually you can see the Pro upgrade was still the major income stream, but the workouts help supplement it.
Educational Downloads
The big spikes you saw above were educational downloads, 25k, 25k and 5k. I believe it is part of Apple’s education program. I love the thought of entire schools out there doing the 7 Minute Workout.
Reviews & Feedback
Yahoo Advertising found app reviews and ratings are the most critical factors to a successful app, even more-so than price. They also found that negative app reviews are the biggest deterrent to an app being download.
Using the Feedback Driven Growth process I mentioned earlier I managed to deter most negative reviews and get a lot of delighted users.
The results were awesome, here’s the reviews on the US App Store:
And here is an example of some of the reviews Appbot sent through in it’s daily digest.
Using the Feedback Drive Growth process I found:
Lots of people want an abs workout.
They want an easier way to review how to do each exercise during the workout.
All The Things
As the next step in trying to increase revenue I added ‘All The Things’ as an in app purchase option. This allowed people to purchase the Pro upgrade and all the workouts for a fixed fee.
This resulted in an overall increase in revenue compared to before ‘All The Things’ was introduced and it also became the major revenue stream.
I’d call that experiment a success, and I highly recommend you consider adding an option to bundle in app purchases to your own apps.
HealthKit
As Apple describes it : “HealthKit allows apps that provide health and fitness services to share their data with the new Health app and with each other. A user’s health information is stored in a centralized and secure location and the user decides which data should be shared with your app.” — Sounds like something that would work in 7 Minute Workout.
I wanted the app to offer HealthKit support as soon as Apple released it, so I made sure I added iOS 8, HealthKit and iPhone 6/6 Plus support well before launch and submitted to the App Store.
iOS 8 rolled out during the night in Australia and I woke up to this:
I also had a missed call from a U.S. number. After some frantic Googling I found some headlines like this one suggesting “Apple reportedly has pulled HealthKit-compatible apps from the App Store” and that “Apple appears to have discovered a significant last-minute issue with its HealthKit services”. Phew, at least it wasn’t just me.
Apple were actually amazing during the process, constant calls keeping me up to date and getting my app (sans HealthKit) approved and back on the store within 36 hours with no loss of rank or search position.
I had a bunch of confused users who had the app update with HealthKit, only to have it removed soon after. Luckily being able to add a FAQ remotely via (shameless plug!) AppbotX dried up the support requests.
App Preview
Even though HealthKit didn’t come through for me on the iOS 8 launch I did manage to get my App Preview live and Apple Australia were kind enough to feature it.
A big shout out to fellow Perth app dev Adam Shaw who helped me create the App Preview. You should checked out his app called Dressed, it’s very cool.
HealthKit Take 2
With iOS 8.0.2 came the actual launch of HealthKit.
I was away speaking at a conference in Melbourne (and then for two weeks of travelling with my family) when the app was featured in a special ‘Apps For Health’ promo on the App Store home page in the US:
Which resulted in the following sales:
The best ever days for the app, bigger than even the New Years.
It also generated a bunch of press over the next few days like this, this, this and many more.
Getting Featured
A big lesson from both adding HealthKit early and the App Preview was that you need to give Apple every opportunity to feature your app. Believe it or not Apple are on the lookout for apps to feature.
What better way to stand out than being one of the first to get behind a feature that Apple is about to launch.
How is your WatchKit integration going?
Acquired By Wahoo Fitness
Wahoo Fitness produce great app-connected sensors and were featured at the 2014 WWDC Keynote. Their new TICKR X sensor is a heart rate monitor and it can also track exercise repetition movement.
So when Mike at Wahoo emailed me back in May about 7 minute workout, and how it might integrate with their suite of products, I was intrigued.
Over the next two months we had a few discussions, but it stalled as I didn’t feel finished with the app, and they weren’t quite ready with their device.
Fast forward to November and things changed. I’d been head-down working on Appbot and Wahoo came back with an offer to buy 7 Minute Workout. The timing was right and I was confident it would be in good hands
Everyone I have dealt with at Wahoo has been amazing. From Chip and Mike early on, JP and then Dave and Ben during the handover, thank you.
They have big plans for the app: there are already multiple custom workouts, new videos and integration with TICKR X to count repetitions.
I can’t wait to see it develop over the next year.
Final Stats
2.3 million Downloads
7.7 million Updates
$72k Profit
Dozens of amazing emails, Tweets and messages from people who were in part inspired to start developing apps thanks to these blog posts. Thank you to everyone that sent feedback or read the posts.
What’s Next For Me?
I am now concentrating on Appbot full time, which is something I’ve wanted to do for some time. We have so many exciting features coming soon, many of which have been inspired by this experiment like the new Sentiment Dashboard. The excitement of an early stage startup, the highs of adding and serving a new paying customer, talking to customers and building what they want is amazing. It’s pretty addictive.
Final |
was erected in 1904 at 210 East 86th Street by the Musician’s Mutual Protective Union (the precursor to the American Federation of Musicians). One of its two main ballrooms, the Tuxedo, had more than 15,000 square feet of floor space and was one of the most popular nightclubs in the city. The casino then welcomed the Deutsches Theatre, which was the only movie theater in the city to show German-language films.
Carl Schurz Park via CityRealty
Carl Schurz Park also derives its name from German history. The park was designated as the East River Park in 1876, when it housed John Jacob Astor’s villa and was used as a picnic ground. In 1891, the land was acquired by the city and they enlisted Calvert Vaux (of Central Park fame) and Samuel Parsons to undertake the landscape design. Their vision was completed in 1902, several years after Vaux’s death, but was reconstructed in 1935 by Robert Moses to accommodate the FDR Drive.
The park’s name was officially changed to Carl Schurz Park in 1910, in honor of the 13th United States Secretary of the Interior. Born in 1829, Carl Schurz was also a German revolutionary, American reformer, U.S. minister to Spain, Union Army General in the Civil War, and the first German-born American elected to the U.S. Senate. His wife Margarethe Schurz is known for helping to establish the kindergarten system in the United States. After leaving the Interior Department in 1881, Schurz moved to New York City, where he resided until his death in 1906.
Zion St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
Most of those who perished in the General Slocum disaster were members of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Mark at 323 East 6th Street. In 1946, the parish merged with the Zion Church at 339-341 East 84th Street to become Zion St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. The neo-gothic building was constructed in 1888, becoming the German Lutheran Zion Church in 1892. The merged parish still hosts a Sunday mass in German today.
During the 1930’s, Yorkville was the New York City base of the German American Bund, the notorious pro-Nazi group. A decade later, in the 1940’s, refugees from fascist Germany sought refuge in Germantown, as did those from communist regimes in the 1950’s and 60’s.
The Third Avenue El was torn down in the 1950’s, an event that spurred many Germans to move out of the area, as small shops and brownstones were torn down for high-rise condos and big-box stores. Anti-German feelings after World War II, which caused many German-Americans to anglicize their names, also aided in the neighborhood shift. But several German establishments are still thriving today in Yorkville.
Schaller & Weber
The neighborhood continues to host the annual Steuben Parade, a large German-American celebration. It was named for Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, a Prussian-born General who served under General George Washington in the American Revolutionary War and trained young American troops. Other Germantown holdouts include Schaller & Weber grocery, Heidelberg restaurant, and Glaser’s Bakery.
[Related: Kleindeutschland: The History of the East Village’s Little Germany]
Tags : Carl Schurz Park, General Slocum, German Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Mark, German history of Yorkville, Germantown, Glaser's Bakery, Heidelberg restaurant, Kleindeutschland, Little Germany, Sauerkraut Boulevard, Schaller & Weber grocery, Steuben Parade, Yorkville Casino, Yorkville history, Zion St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church
Neighborhoods : Upper East Side,YorkvilleShocking hate crimes like the recent shootings of two Indian men in a restaurant in Olathe, Kansas, often seem to come out of nowhere. But in reality, they emerge not from a vacuum, but always from an environment that encourages and fosters this kind of violence.
Wednesday’s shooting in the Kansas City suburb by a white man who had been shouting racial slurs at the victims and later told a bartender he had shot “two Iranians,” left Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, a Garmin engineer from Overland Park, dead and his co-worker, Alok Madasani, 32, as well as Ian Grillot, 24, who attempted to intervene, critically wounded.
The shooter, a former air traffic controller named Adam Purinton, 51, shouted at his victims: “Get out of my country!” The FBI is investigating the case as a hate crime, though Kansas has no hate crime statute.
The shootings set off shock waves in India, where many families have members working and living in the United States under similar circumstances.
Kuchibhotla’s brother-in-law, Venumadhav Gajula, told the Los Angeles Times that he blamed the shooting on “a growing climate of racial intolerance in the United States.”
Certainly, the climate in Kansas, as well as in neighboring Missouri, where Purinton was arrested, reflected just such a growing intolerance. In the months leading up to the election, the Kansas City region’s political scene became ratcheted up into high rhetorical gear for the November vote, and produced campaign appeals notable for their violence-drenched Islamophobic fearmongering.
The most noteworthy of these was a series of mailers from the state Republican Party that went out to voters in the final weeks of the campaign making undisguised appeals to people’s fears that radical Islamist terrorism might overwhelm Kansas.
“Have You Met the New Neighbors?” read the bold letters on the envelope of one mailer, next to an image of an apparent Muslim terrorist. “ISIS is not going away anytime soon,” read the envelope’s script.
This GOP mailer promoted the candidacy of Joseph Scarpa with the promise to keep terrorists out of Kansas.
Another mailer featured a script promoting candidate Joseph Scapa for a state House seat, saying he “wants to keep Kansans safe.” Next to an image of a young girl waving an American flag, it explained: “The first step to keeping Kansans safe is to recognize who the enemy is. Joseph Scapa understands the threats we face right here in Kansas. He will fund new training for our Kansas Law Enforcement officers to ensure they are properly equipped to recognize and deal with foreign and domestic threats in our state, from those who support ideologies that are in conflict with the United States Constitution and our Kansas values.”
It concluded: “Let’s keep terrorists out of Kansas!”
The 'ISIS Hunting License' offered as a campaign stunt by Missouri's newly elected governor, Eric Greitens, during the 2016 campaign.
Another mailer featured an envelope with a similar scared-child script: “What is ISIS? Will they hurt me?” And one of the GOP mailers was an attack on a Democratic opponent, suggesting that “Democrats support moving terrorists to Kansas!”
Meanwhile, in Missouri, another campaign appeal – by the man ultimately elected the state’s new governor, Eric Greitens – featured an even more violent suggestiveness.
In July, Greiten began issuing “ISIS Hunting Permits” marked to expire “when we defeat this evil” as a campaign fund-raising item. A former Navy SEAL officer, Greitens sold the stickers for $10 donations, while for $100, donors would get a sticker signed by another former SEAL who claimed he killed Osama bin Laden.
"All of these people who are out there, they want to join our mission," Greitens told reporters. "They want to become part of the team- part of the campaign- and we thought this would be a fun way to let people know about my biography and that we all need to stand together against terrorism.”
At the time, Faizan Syed, the Counsel on American Islamic Relations in Missouri’s executive director, warned that Greitens’ message could be easily twisted into violence. "The problem is with his target audience. Amongst them are radicals in this country who don't know the difference between the two [Muslims and radical Islamists]," said Syed.
"Those are the people who we have to be worried about when they get a bumper sticker saying 'here's your permit to attack ISIS'. When they see a woman at Walmart with her children and they say, 'this looks like ISIS, I'm going to attack ISIS,' that is when the real trouble begins," he added.
In October, the Islamophobic paranoia bubbled up into the real world in Kansas when three men from Dodge City were arrested and charged with plotting to murder hundreds of Muslims on the day after the election by setting off truck bombs in a Somalian community in Garden City. The men were part of a militia group that regularly traded in Islamphobic paranoia, reflected in their own words, as captured by the FBI on tape:
“The only fucking way this country’s ever going to get turned around is it will be a bloodbath and it will be a nasty, messy motherfucker. Unless a lot more people in this country wake up and smell the fucking coffee and decide they want this country back … we might be too late, if they do wake up … I think we can get it done. But it ain’t going to be nothing nice about it.”
Afterwards, local officials worked hard to restore a sense of normalcy with their Somalian refugee neighbors.
“The only answer I can give you about why this happened is that they wanted to attack your religious beliefs,” Garden City Police Chief Michael Utz told community leaders. “But you need to know that whether you are an immigrant or not, you are all Garden Citians.
“Some of you have said you can’t go to your mosque to pray or that you can’t go to your homes because you are afraid,” Utz said. “But we and the sheriff and the FBI are here to say that you are safe in Garden City and safe in the United States of America.”
In the Kansas City area, both Indian and Muslim minorities are struggling with fears about their safety in the United States. "Everybody's going to be extremely cautious," said the Indian owner of a local jewelry store. "I think it's going to take time for this to settle in."
Meanwhile, in India, students are reportedly rethinking their plans to come to work in the U.S. "I used to think of America as a place where there is greater racial equality than exists in India," 26-year-old Dhriti Ahluwalia told the Washington Post. "Now people are afraid. There is inequality. There is racism."Appearing via a video feed from jail at his arraignment, the man accused of murdering three women whose bodies were found wrapped in plastic, told the judge "I've been better" when asked how he was.
A convicted sex offender pleaded not guilty Wednesday to kidnapping and killing three women whose bodies were found wrapped in trash bags earlier this month.
Michael Madison, 35, appeared via a video feed from jail for his arraignment, for which he was handcuffed and wearing orange jail scrubs. When the judge asked him how he was, Madison answered, "I've been better."
The judge continued his $6 million bond and said she would appoint two attorneys to represent him. A pretrial hearing was set for next week.
Madison is facing six charges of aggravated murder, two for each victim under different killing theories. He's also charged with three counts of kidnapping, three counts of gross abuse of a corpse, one count of rape and one count of weapon possession by an ex-convict.
Sex offender charged with murder after 3 women found in Cleveland suburb
East Cleveland police found one body July 19 when a caller reported a foul smell coming from a garage. Two more bodies were found the next day.
Madison was arrested in the deaths of Shirellda H. Terry, 18, Angela H. Deskins, 38, and Shetisha D. Sheeley, 28. The medical examiner said Terry and Deskins were strangled and Sheeley died of "homicidal violence by unspecified means."
The indictment said Madison raped Terry between July 10 and July 19. She was last seen July 10 leaving a Cleveland elementary school where she had a summer job.
Madison was classified as a sex offender in 2002, when he was sentenced to four years in prison for attempted rape, according to Cuyahoga County court records. He had previous convictions in 2000 and 2001 for drug-related charges.
The mayor of East Cleveland said Madison indicated he might have been influenced by Cleveland serial killer Anthony Sowell, who was convicted in 2011 of killing 11 women and sentenced to death. His case is under appeal.
Sowell was arrested after a woman escaped from his house in 2009 and said she had been raped there. Police found the mostly nude bodies in garbage bags and plastic sheets throughout his property.
In another case of violence against women in the Cleveland area, three women who separately vanished a decade ago escaped to freedom from Ariel Castro's house on May 6 when one kicked out part of a door and yelled to neighbors for help.
Castro, 53, who was arrested within hours, pleaded guilty Friday to 937 counts in a deal which sends him to prison for life without parole, plus 1,000 years. Prosecutors agreed to take a possible death penalty charge off the table. He is scheduled for sentencing Thursday.New NASA imagery reveals that parts of California are sinking at an astonishing rate, with some parts of the San Joaquin Valley sinking as much as 2 inches per month.
Editor's Note: This story was updated at 2:00 p.m. E.T.
California is sinking even faster than scientists had thought, new NASA satellite imagery shows.
Some areas of the Golden State are sinking more than 2 inches (5.1 centimeters) per month, the imagery reveals. Though the sinking, called subsidence, has long been a problem in California, the rate is accelerating because the state's extreme drought is fueling voracious groundwater pumping.
"Because of increased pumping, groundwater levels are reaching record lows — up to 100 feet (30 meters) lower than previous records," Mark Cowin, director of California's Department of Water Resources, said in a statement. "As extensive groundwater pumping continues, the land is sinking more rapidly, and this puts nearby infrastructure at greater risk of costly damage." [It's Raining Spiders! The Weirdest Effects of California's Drought]
What's more, this furious groundwater pumping could have long-term consequences. If the land shrinks too much, and for too long, it can permanently lose its ability to store groundwater, the researchers said.
The state's sinking isn't new: California has long suffered from subsidence, and some parts are now a few dozen feet lower than they were in 1925, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
But the state's worst drought on record — 97 percent of the state is facing moderate to exceptional drought — has only accelerated the trend. To quantify this accelerated sinking, researchers at the Department of Water Resources and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, compared satellite imagery of California over time. Thanks to images taken from both satellites and airplanes using a remote-sensing technique called interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), which uses radar to measure elevation differences, researchers can now map changes in the surface height of the ground with incredible precision. For the current study, the team stitched together imagery from Japan's satellite-based Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar and Canada's Earth Observation satellite Radarsat-2, as well as NASA's airplane-based Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar.
Certain hotspots are shrinking at an astonishing rate — regions of the Tulare Basin, which includes Fresno, sank 13 inches (33 cm) in just eight months, they found. The Sacramento Valley is sinking about 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) per month. And the California Aqueduct — an intricate network of pipes, canals and tunnels that funnels water from high in the Sierra Nevada mountains in northern and central California to Southern California — has sunk 12.5 inches (32 cm), and most of that was just in the past four months, according to the new study.
The unquenchable thirst for groundwater in certain regions is largely a result of agriculture: Most of the state's agricultural production resides in the fast-sinking regions around some of the state's most endangered river systems — the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers. As the heat and lack of rainfall have depleted surface-water supplies, farmers have turned to groundwater to keep their crops afloat.
Subsidence isn't just an aesthetic problem; bridges and highways can sink and crack in dangerous ways, and flood-control structures can be compromised. In the San Joaquin Valley, the sinking Earth has destroyed the outer shell around thousands of privately drilled wells.
"Groundwater acts as a savings account to provide supplies during drought, but the NASA report shows the consequences of excessive withdrawals as we head into the fifth year of historic drought," Corwin said. "We will work together with counties, local water districts, and affected communities to identify ways to slow the rate of subsidence and protect vital infrastructure such as canals, pumping stations, bridges and wells."
Follow Tia Ghose on Twitterand Google+. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.
Copyright 2015 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Odds are you're reading this story on your smartphone — and you've likely used one or more apps on your phone today.
The average Canadian has at least 18 apps on their mobile device, according to research group Catalyst Canada — everything from fitness to social sharing to shopping and games. But is the fun and convenience worth all the personal information you could be giving away?
CBC's Marketplace worked with experts to create a simple horoscope app as a way to show how much Canadians can unknowingly reveal about themselves when they install an app on an Android smartphone.
In downloading the app, which does little more than provide astrological advice, the eight people Marketplace approached in downtown Toronto gave us access to their location, their phone's camera, even their microphone.
These are just some of the permissions many app designers seek in the lengthy terms and conditions agreements app users are required to accept.
Marketplace followed up with four of the respondents a week later but is not revealing their full names to protect their privacy. One of the testers said the app permissions are "disturbing."
"I feel kind of violated," said Shahbaz.
Popular apps haven't been without problems. Pokemon Go maker Niantic had to make a change to their system after it was found their permissions allowed them to gather more data than they needed about users. (Salwan Georges/Detroit Free Press/Associated Press)
Domingo Guerra, president and co-founder of San Francisco-based Appthority, says apps can be "the perfect spy tool" in some cases.
"A lot of times, we'll download an app thinking it's a flashlight, thinking it's a game, thinking it's a social media app, but it's so much more bundled into it," he says.
"In general, we see that free apps are not really free... we're paying with our data."
Third parties can benefit
Some apps need to access data in your phone for some of their functions. For example, Facebook needs to access your location if you want to check in somewhere; Instagram needs access to your camera and microphone in case you want to post a picture or video in the app.
Find out more about the Marketplace investigation this weekend, when CBC's Diana Swain explores the ethics of the app experiment on The InvestigatorsSaturday at 9:30 p.m. ET and Sunday at 5:30 p.m. ET on CBC News Network.
But problems persist for many app makers — ride-hailing service Uber has faced lawsuits over privacy questions and was recently criticized for the way it tracks users in real time.
And last year, Pokemon Go maker Niantic had to update its permissions after a mistake that allowed "full access permission" to a player's Google account. The company says it wasn't initially aware of the flaw and didn't receive or access the broader data beyond basic user ID or email address.
Domingo Guerra, co-founder and president of Appthority, says 'having not just your name or your playing habits but also maybe your location, is more valuable.' (CBC)
Guerra's company, which specializes in mobile risk management for businesses, helped develop Marketplace's experimental app. He says some companies could be collecting more data than they need so they can sell it to third parties.
A lot of times we'll download an app thinking it's a flashlight, thinking it's a game, thinking it's a social media app, but it's so much more bundled into it. - Domingo Guerra, president and co-founder of Appthority
"If a developer's going to sell your information to a third party, like an advertising network, then having not just your name or your playing habits but also maybe your location, is more valuable."
It took less than a day to design and build the app, called My Daily Horoscope. The horoscope app was available to Android phone users through a third-party website.
Similar to other popular apps, My Daily Horoscope had a lengthy terms of service agreement that testers had to agree to to download the app.
No questions before clicking 'accept'
The participants who downloaded the app skimmed through the hefty contract quickly and clicked on "accept" within seconds. They had a free app — and the Marketplace team behind the app had access to a trove of data.
By accepting the terms of service, testers gave the app access to the phone's microphone, contacts, call logs, text messages, camera and location.
That meant the app had the ability to track the phone's movements and download photos and text messages. But it also had control: the ability to activate the camera, turn on the microphone.
Marketplace only accessed data to demonstrate to the testers what they had given up. After the test, all information collected by the app, which is no longer available to download, was destroyed.
App stores like Apple's iTunes and Google's Play have guidelines that require apps to disclose what permissions they want and what they do with the data. But it's still possible for apps to push past what you'd expect and ask for data they don't need.
'It's disturbing'
The most shocking app permission for one of the testers, Shahbaz, was the ability to turn on his camera and microphone unprompted.
"I should have read those terms and conditions," he said.
Same goes for Jason, who said he thinks the government should implement stricter rules and regulations to better protect consumers.
"If you want to do business in Canada, it needs to be regulated. It needs to be watched.... This is their job: to make laws and regulations. This is what they should be doing."
Daniel Therrien, Canada's privacy commissioner, says he can only give out warnings to companies who run afoul of privacy legislation. While there were few reported cases of privacy breaches involving apps in Canada in recent years, Therrien says it's something his organization is watching.
The Marketplace horoscope app was available only to Android users through a third-party website. After the test, the personal information was destroyed. (CBC)
He says one of the issues is whether "we should have stronger enforcement powers, such as the authority to order companies to change their practices, or even to issue fines" in a way that mirrors the U.S. and some western European countries.
"This is a very lucrative business, there's certainly a case to be made that companies that make a lot of money with personal data should face important sanctions" if they don't behave as required by privacy laws, he says.
There are steep fines from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, and the agency has fined companies as much as $800,000 US for privacy violations. Europe is cracking down, too, forcing companies to reveal exactly where people's personal data is going.
Bottom line? Consumers need to be aware of how much data they are offering up. The application manager is the go-to spot for users who want to manage their settings. People should also do a "spring cleaning" on their phones and delete the apps they aren't using anymore — because they could still be collecting data.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — As he sat down to talk to CNN Philippines, Mark – not his real name – was all smiles. There are no traces that his life was turned upside down in the past year. He was in a long-term and loving relationship with his partner and they were in the process of saving up to buy a new house.
It all changed one night in October last year, as they were getting ready to eat dinner. "He looked very healthy. We were supposed to have dinner at home. He said he was dizzy, he sat on the couch. And then nag-seizure siya [he had seizure]," Mark recalled. His partner was then rushed to the hospital - and was admitted for a month and a half.
The initial diagnosis was tuberculous meningitis – an opportunistic complication of HIV. When his partner's neurologist ordered an HIV test that turned out positive – Mark knew he had to know his status as well.
"When my partner became reactive I accepted that I will also be reactive," he said. After confirming his hunch with an HIV test, he balanced helping his partner get better as he dealt with his own sickness. But with the complications of the disease, his partner passed away last month.
Mark wouldn't have thought of getting himself tested for HIV if his partner had not gotten sick. He is just one of over half a million men the Department of Health estimates to be at risk for HIV. HIV Unit Manager Dr. Genesis Samonte said all at-risk populations should get tested for HIV once a year.
Also read: Prince Harry gets tested for HIV to raise awareness
But more than knowing your status, Samonte emphasized the importance of following through with medication. She said with hundreds of new HIV cases diagnosed every month, not all come back for the antiretroviral drug that is provided free by the government.
"Siguro hindi pa sila ready [Maybe they are not yet ready] or baka [maybe] something happened and they didn't come back. For those who come back they are not ready to take anti-retroviral drug (ARV)," she said.
She added the DOH also lacks mental health experts who could provide counseling and support. "It's very hard to get experts in mental health in all our treatment hubs but we want to have. Long term treatment has side effects. You are affected, as well as your family," she added.
Samonte said the DOH is now focusing on strengthening its service delivery networks in local government units. All test kits and ARVs are available in all City Health Offices. "People should not fall through the cracks of the health system. Every single person at risk should be diagnosed. You should be on treatment if you are diagnosed," she stressed.
But despite all the government's efforts to provide free testing and treatment for HIV – the stigma that surrounds the illness prevents patients from coming forward. Mark preferred to have himself tested in a private clinic run by a non-profit organization, Loveyourself. The group has 700 volunteers who also provide counseling and acts as your support group.
"From the very point you walked in to what you should expect when you step out of the door, they would always show you the path," Mark said. The group's hub is a Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) Satellite Clinic that also gives ARV.
The DOH predicts the HIV epidemic will stay in the country for 10 to 15 more years.
"HIV is here to stay, unfortunately. It will get worse before it gets better. That's something the DOH has accepted and we will do everything we can to at least slow it down and to make sure every single person infected is on treatment so they won't die. Every single Filipino should understand – it is a national public health concern we should address," Samonte said.
Mark meanwhile takes each day in stride. "I'm well and very thankful for that. Life will go on. You have to embrace everything that is right in front of you," He hopes others can learn from this story – and know their status before it's too late.
Also read: HIV cases rise in 74 countries in last decadeBecause nothing says “true love” like long, lingering glances across a spill in the dairy aisle, NBC is apparently working on a new series about the romantic lives of employees working in a Midwest big-box retail store. Bombastically titled The Greatest Love Story Ever Told, the show is being developed by Justin Spitzer, who wrote, produced, and briefly appeared as a dopey doctor on NBC’s previous love-through-forced-proximity romance, The Office. In other words, it’s another show teaching the lonely and the heartbroken of the world that the best way to find love is to fixate on someone you work with, then quietly pine for them until your affections are returned (no matter what HR or those pesky restraining orders say).
Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer—who has some experience with people falling in love after being trapped together in desperate situations, whether it’s being surrounded by zombies or forced to restock the canned veggies—is set to direct the pilot if the script is picked up.After controversy erupted over Facebook’s plan to use left-leaning, liberal fact-checking organizations to flag “disputed” news — as part of the wholly vapid and unnecessary war on “fake news” — additional information has emerged that won’t quell the public’s misgivings on the situation.
Billionaire globalist George Soros is among several liberal ‘luminaries’ funding the social media platform’s latest foray into soft censorship of dissent.
On Thursday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the plan to combat fake news — incidentally, an issue he wasn’t concerned about until the left establishment applied pressure — but was met with consternation and outrage from constitutional rights advocates, alternative media, and right-leaning media for the singular viewpoint of the ostensible fact-checking organizations.
Indeed, Facebook’s announcement it would use third-party fact-checkers from the ‘trusted’ Poynter Institute should have sounded even louder alarm bells, as Poynter receives funding from Soros’ Open Society Foundations, Google, the Craig Newmark Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Omidyar Network, and other extreme left groups.
EBay founder Pierre Omidyar has donated over $30 million to the Clintons and their charities; the Gates have given the Clinton Foundation no less than $25 million; and the loathed George Soros — who donated an unprecedented $27 million to defeat George W. Bush in 2004 — reportedly spent over $25 million on Hillary Clinton and other Democrats this election cycle.
In short, these entities who will be deeming articles legitimate or “disputed” are anything but unbiased.
As the Ron Paul Institute notes:
“Never fear. A group of selfless and unbiased philanthropists have stepped forward to offer millions of dollars to assist these ‘fact-checkers’ in their efforts to ferret out and disappear anything they determine to be ‘fake news.’
“It seems rather curious, however, that these donors are all in fact in one way or other completely beholden to Hillary Clinton and the left-interventionists of the Democratic Party.”
As admittedly right-slanted Breitbart pointed out:
“On Monday, just days before the announcement of the Facebook partnership, Poynter issued a press release revealing that Newmark donated $1 million to the group to fund a faculty chair in journalism ethics.”
That press release states:
“The gift will support a five-year program at Poynter that focuses on verification, fact-checking and accountability in journalism. It’s the largest donation Poynter’s ever received from an individual foundation.
“The Newmark Chair will expand on Poynter’s teaching in journalism ethics and develop certification programs for journalists that commit to ethical decision-making practices. The faculty member will also organize an annual conference on ethics issues at Poynter and be a regular contributor to Poynter.org.”
Ferreting out dis- and misinformation has little, if anything, to do with actual dis- and misinformation, and everything to do with Hillary Clinton and the Democratic establishment’s disgust with Donald Trump and their losing election campaign.
Zuckerberg’s plan will at first entail fact-checking by Politifact, Snopes, FactCheck.org, the Associated Press, and ABC News, with the option to rope more outlets into the effort in the future.
But as the Ron Paul Institute reports, the bias in these groups — and their penchant for reporting false information — is astonishing:
“One problem: these organizations themselves are among the biggest purveyors of real fake news! PolitiFact has a whole website dedicated to exposing the organization’s biases. The popular site Snopes is in fact run by a husband and wife out of their home in California.
“Neither have any background in research or investigative techniques — they just use Google to make their determinations. As for AP and ABC News — they are mainstream media outlets with no clean hands when it comes to propagating fake stories. In fact the Associated Press has a long history of coordinating with governments to produce fake news.
“Political fact checking is not a science. On the contrary, more often than not it carries with it all the biases of any hyper-partisan organization.”
That point should not be overlooked — because as Facebook claims to be combating ‘fake news,’ employing organizations like the Open Society Foundations, Snopes, Google, and, particularly, Politifact in the plan evince the underlying motivation to further an establishment-left agenda — not combat actual, false reports, at all.
In fact, by using the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) — funded by the Poynter Institute, and thus Soros, Gates, and the others — Zuckerberg is committing to liberal bias in Facebook newsfeeds and foregoing the last shreds of open idea-sharing the platform originally claimed to embrace.
Although the left often downplays the role Soros plays in global events, his alleged fingerprints in the affairs of nations from the Ukraine to Macedonia to the United States show little more than a pattern of self-interest and profiteering disguised as concern for the public interest.
“Soros has earned his megafortune in part by short selling currencies and causing economic crises. He is credited with breaking the pound on September 16, 1992 in a day that became known in Britain as ‘Black Wednesday.’ He reportedly made $1.2 billion from that crisis. In 2002, he was convicted for insider trading,” Breitbart’s Aaron Klein reports.
With clear favoritism for the left now on display, many conservative press organizations and alternative media outlets, whose bias largely doesn’t represent a particular ideology, have begun discussing leaving Facebook for any social media platform whose running modus operandi refuses censorship of any stripe.
It would behoove the U.S. populace to recognize the war against ‘fake news’ has nothing at all to do with actual fabricated reports and everything to do with funneling thought into one, accepted frame — that of the Democratic establishment.
Facebook, Soros, the Gates’, and Clintonites are trying to make acceptable the idea of spoon-feeding information, and the packaged narrative of news being somehow ‘fake’ does the job handily.
But losing the choice to view competing and sometimes unpleasant viewpoints is the steepest price to pay for the convenience of not being tasked with researching items on your own — and it’s the slipperiest of slopes in an increasingly authoritarian State.
via George Soros and Bill Gates Exposed as the Force Behind Facebook’s New ‘Fake News’ Detector — Humans Are FreeBeretta U.S.A. Corp. has discovered a potential condition with Beretta.22 caliber NEOS semiautomatic pistols in which the pistol will fire even if the safety is activated and, in some cases, the pistols may fire if the safety is moved from the OFF to the ON position. Chances of either of these situations occurring is extremely remote and no injuries have occurred because of this condition, however, because of safety concerns relating to this situation, Beretta U.S.A. Corp. is immediately implementing a recall of Beretta.22 caliber NEOS semiautomatic pistols. For more information, download a pdf copy of the Recall Notice. Please note that if you are interested in the Sako-Tikka Recall, please click here Check out our FAQs to learn more about the NEOS service program. Your NEOS may not be affected. Please check here. Shipping Information Beretta will arrange to have your NEOS picked up and shipped to our facility at no charge to you. Please click the link below to connect to the UPS website and generate a call tag. Please click here to learn how the process will work.
Also, please note the UPS holiday schedule.
Generate Call Tag NEOS Status Information You can check the current status of your NEOS shipment and repair status here. Inspection Procedures You can inspect your NEOS pistol to determine if it requires servicing. Click here to see how! Special Notice for Non-U.S. NEOS Owners This site and associated applications are for U.S. Customers only. Canadian customers and other non-U.S. customers must check with the authorized Beretta distributor in their country to learn how to have their NEOS serviced. All customers, regardless of country, can check here to see if their NEOS requires servicing. Non U.S. owners cannot send their NEOS to our Accokeek Service Center for service.
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(password protected)Police claim menacing clowns like those causing concern across America are now popping up in suburban Australia.
US residents have been on alert after several sightings of creepy clowns in the past week, including one reported by Time magazine in which a clown with a knife chased a boy through a New York subway station.
Victoria Police said on Friday it was aware of apparent local copycats.
This clown was sitting on a roadside electrical box in Narellan (Image: Facebook/Brianna Phillips) ()
"Victoria Police are aware of people who are parading in the public wearing clown masks," they wrote on Facebook.
"The clown purge appears to be a copycat of incidents being seen in the USA recently."
"Any intimidating and threatening as well as anti-social behaviours will not be tolerated and will be investigated by Police."
This clown was allegedly knocked to the ground in Campbelltown (Image: Facebook/Lospeli Dahbz Taukiuvea) ()
If you have seen a menacing clown in Australia, please send your photographs or videos to [email protected]
Facebook groups have been springing up relating to Australian clown sightings.
'The clowns are coming' is one such page, with photographs of alleged clown sightings in south-western Sydney.
This clown was allegedly spotted in Campbelltown (Image; Facebook/Brianna Phillips) ()
Brianna Phillips uploaded one such photograph of a clown sighting in Narellan, in which a clown is sitting on a roadside electrical box.
Four more images were uploaded of clown sightings in Campbelltown, including one of a clown having allegedly been knocked to the ground.
The Guardian have suggested the clowns are a publicity stunt for upcoming Rob Zombie directed Halloween film |
, and the righteous punishment is given, then the man is free. Why should he be forgiven?'
'He needs forgiveness because no amount of punishment will meet his deserts.'
I avoid for the present, as anyone may perceive, the probable expansion of this reply.
'Then why not forgive him at once if the punishment is not essential-- if part can be pretermitted? And again, can that be required which, according to your showing, is not adequate? You will perhaps answer, 'God may please to take what little he can have;' and this brings me to the fault in the whole idea.
Punishment is nowise an offset to sin. Foolish people sometimes, in a tone of self-gratulatory pity, will say, 'If I have sinned I have suffered.' Yes, verily, but what of that? What merit is there in it? Even had you laid the suffering upon yourself, what did that do to make up for the wrong? That you may have bettered by your suffering is well for you, but what atonement is there in the suffering? The notion is a false one altogether. Punishment, deserved suffering, is no equipoise to sin. It is no use laying it in the other scale. It will not move it a hair's breadth. Suffering weighs nothing at all against sin. It is not of the same kind, not under the same laws, any more than mind and matter. We say a man deserves punishment; but when we forgive and do not punish him, we do not always feel that we have done wrong; neither when we do punish him do we feel that any amends has been made for his wrongdoing. If it were an offset to wrong, then God would be bound to punish for the sake of the punishment; but he cannot be, for he forgives. Then it is not for the sake of the punishment, as a thing that in itself ought to be done, but for the sake of something else, as a means to an end, that God punishes. It is not directly for justice, else how could he show mercy, for that would involve injustice?
Primarily, God is not bound to punish sin; he is bound to destroy sin. If he were not the Maker, he might not be bound to destroy sin--I do not know; but seeing he has created creatures who have sinned, and therefore sin has, by the creating act of God, come into the world, God is, in his own righteousness, bound to destroy sin.
'But that is to have no mercy.'
You mistake. God does destroy sin; he is always destroying sin. In him I trust that he is destroying sin in me. He is always saving the sinner from his sins, and that is destroying sin. But vengeance on the sinner, the law of a tooth for a tooth, is not in the heart of God, neither in his hand. If the sinner and the sin in him, are the concrete object of the divine wrath, then indeed there can be no mercy. Then indeed there will be an end put to sin by the destruction of the sin and the sinner together. But thus would no atonement be wrought--nothing be done to make up for the wrong God has allowed to come into being by creating man. There must be an atonement, a making-up, a bringing together--an atonement which, I say, cannot be made except by the man who has sinned.
Punishment, I repeat, is not the thing required of God, but the absolute destruction of sin. What better is the world, what better is the sinner, what better is God, what better is the truth, that the sinner should suffer--continue suffering to all eternity? Would there be less sin in the universe? Would there be any making-up for sin? Would it show God justified in doing what he knew would bring sin into the world, justified in making creatures who he knew would sin? What setting-right would come of the sinner's suffering? If justice demand it, if suffering be the equivalent for sin, then the sinner must suffer, then God is bound to exact his suffering, and not pardon; and so the making of man was a tyrannical deed, a creative cruelty. But grant that the sinner has deserved to suffer, no amount of suffering is any atonement for his sin. To suffer to all eternity could not make up for one unjust word. Does that mean, then, that for an unjust word I deserve to suffer to all eternity? The unjust word is an eternally evil thing; nothing but God in my heart can cleanse me from the evil that uttered it; but does it follow that I saw the evil of what I did so perfectly, that eternal punishment for it would be just? Sorrow and confession and self-abasing love will make up for the evil word; suffering will not. For evil in the abstract, nothing can be done. It is eternally evil. But I may be saved from it by learning to loathe it, to hate it, to shrink from it with an eternal avoidance. The only vengeance worth having on sin is to make the sinner himself its executioner. Sin and punishment are in no antagonism to each other in man, any more than pardon and punishment are in God; they can perfectly co-exist. The one naturally follows the other, punishment being born of sin, because evil exists only by the life of good, and has no life of its own, being in itself death. Sin and suffering are not natural opposites; the opposite of evil is good, not suffering; the opposite of sin is not suffering, but righteousness. The path across the gulf that divides right from wrong is not the fire, but repentance. If my friend has wronged me, will it console me to see him punished? Will that be a rendering to me of my due? Will his agony be a balm to my deep wound? Should I be fit for any friendship if that were possible even in regard to my enemy? But would not the shadow of repentant grief, the light of reviving love on his countenance, heal it at once however deep? Take any of those wicked people in Dante's hell, and ask wherein is justice served by their punishment. Mind, I am not saying it is not right to punish them; I am saying that justice is not, never can be, satisfied by suffering--nay, cannot have any satisfaction in or from suffering. Human resentment, human revenge, human hate may. Such justice as Dante's keeps wickedness alive in its most terrible forms. The life of God goes forth to inform, or at least give a home to victorious evil. Is he not defeated every time that one of those lost souls defies him? All hell cannot make Vanni Fucci say 'I was wrong.' God is triumphantly defeated, I say, throughout the hell of his vengeance. Although against evil, it is but the vain and wasted cruelty of a tyrant. There is no destruction of evil thereby, but an enhancing of its horrible power in the midst of the most agonizing and disgusting tortures a divine imagination can invent. If sin must be kept alive, then hell must be kept alive; but while I regard the smallest sin as infinitely loathsome, I do not believe that any being, never good enough to see the essential ugliness of sin, could sin so as to deserve such punishment. I am not now, however, dealing with the question of the duration of punishment, but with the idea of punishment itself; and would only say in passing, that the notion that a creature born imperfect, nay, born with impulses to evil not of his own generating, and which he could not help having, a creature to whom the true face of God was never presented, and by whom it never could have been seen, should be thus condemned, is as loathsome a lie against God as could find place in heart too undeveloped to understand what justice is, and too low to look up into the face of Jesus. It never in truth found place in any heart, though in many a pettifogging brain. There is but one thing lower than deliberately to believe such a lie, and that is to worship the God of whom it is believed. The one deepest, highest, truest, fittest, most wholesome suffering must be generated in the wicked by a vision, a true sight, more or less adequate, of the hideousness of their lives, of the horror of the wrongs they have done. Physical suffering may be a factor in rousing this mental pain; but 'I would I had never been born!' must be the cry of Judas, not because of the hell-fire around him, but because he loathes the man that betrayed his friend, the world's friend. When a man loathes himself, he has begun to be saved. Punishment tends to this result. Not for its own sake, not as a make-up for sin, not for divine revenge--horrible word, not for any satisfaction to justice, can punishment exist. Punishment is for the sake of amendment and atonement. God is bound by his love to punish sin in order to deliver his creature; he is bound by his justice to destroy sin in his creation. Love is justice--is the fulfilling of the law, for God as well as for his children. This is the reason of punishment; this is why justice requires that the wicked shall not go unpunished--that they, through the eye-opening power of pain, may come to see and do justice, may be brought to desire and make all possible amends, and so become just. Such punishment concerns justice in the deepest degree. For Justice, that is God, is bound in himself to see justice done by his children--not in the mere outward act, but in their very being. He is bound in himself to make up for wrong done by his children, and he can do nothing to make up for wrong done but by bringing about the repentance of the wrong-doer. When the man says, 'I did wrong; I hate myself and my deed; I cannot endure to think that I did it!' then, I say, is atonement begun. Without that, all that the Lord did would be lost. He would have made no atonement. Repentance, restitution, confession, prayer for forgiveness, righteous dealing thereafter, is the sole possible, the only true make-up for sin. For nothing less than this did Christ die. When a man acknowledges the right he denied before; when he says to the wrong, 'I abjure, I loathe you; I see now what you are; I could not see it before because I would not; God forgive me; make me clean, or let me die!' then justice, that is God, has conquered--and not till then.
'What atonement is there?'
Every atonement that God cares for; and the work of Jesus Christ on earth was the creative atonement, because it works atonement in every heart. He brings and is bringing God and man, and man and man, into perfect unity: 'I in them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one.'
'That is a dangerous doctrine!'
More dangerous than you think to many things--to every evil, to every lie, and among the rest to every false trust in what Christ did, instead of in Christ himself. Paul glories in the cross of Christ, but he does not trust in the cross: he trusts in the living Christ and his living father.
Justice then requires that sin should be put an end to; and not that only, but that it should be atoned for; and where punishment can do anything to this end, where it can help the sinner to know what he has been guilty of, where it can soften his heart to see his pride and wrong and cruelty, justice requires that punishment shall not be spared. And the more we believe in God, the surer we shall be that he will spare nothing that suffering can do to deliver his child from death. If suffering cannot serve this end, we need look for no more hell, but for the destruction of sin by the destruction of the sinner. That, however, would, it appears to me, be for God to suffer defeat, blameless indeed, but defeat.
If God be defeated, he must destroy--that is, he must withdraw life. How can he go on sending forth his life into irreclaimable souls, to keep sin alive in them throughout the ages of eternity? But then, I say, no atonement would be made for the wrongs they have done; God remains defeated, for he has created that which sinned, and which would not repent and make up for its sin. But those who believe that God will thus be defeated by many souls, must surely be of those who do not believe he cares enough to do his very best for them. He is their Father; he had power to make them out of himself, separate from himself, and capable of being one with him: surely he will somehow save and keep them! Not the power of sin itself can close all the channels between creating and created.
The notion of suffering as an offset for sin, the foolish idea that a man by suffering borne may get out from under the hostile claim to which his wrong-doing has subjected him, comes first of all, I think, from the satisfaction we feel when wrong comes to grief. Why do we feel this satisfaction? Because we hate wrong, but, not being righteous ourselves, more or less hate the wronger as well as his wrong, hence are not only righteously pleased to behold the law's disapproval proclaimed in his punishment, but unrighteously pleased with his suffering, because of the impact upon us of his wrong. In this way the inborn justice of our nature passes over to evil. It is no pleasure to God, as it so often is to us, to see the wicked suffer. To regard any suffering with satisfaction, save it be sympathetically with its curative quality, comes of evil, is inhuman because undivine, is a thing God is incapable of. His nature is always to forgive, and just because he forgives, he punishes. Because God is so altogether alien to wrong, because it is to him a heart-pain and trouble that one of his little ones should do the evil thing, there is, I believe, no extreme of suffering to which, for the sake of destroying the evil thing in them, he would not subject them. A man might flatter, or bribe, or coax a tyrant; but there is no refuge from the love of God; that love will, for very love, insist upon the uttermost farthing.
'That is not the sort of love I care about!'
No; how should you? I well believe it! You cannot care for it until you begin to know it. But the eternal love will not be moved to yield you to the selfishness that is killing you. What lover would yield his lady to her passion for morphia? You may sneer at such love, but the Son of God who took the weight of that love, and bore it through the world, is content with it, and so is everyone who knows it. The love of the Father is a radiant perfection. Love and not self-love is lord of the universe. Justice demands your punishment, because justice demands, and will have, the destruction of sin. Justice demands your punishment because it demands that your father should do his best for you. God, being the God of justice, that is of fair-play, and having made us what we are, apt to fall and capable of being raised again, is in himself bound to punish in order to deliver us--else is his relation to us poor beside that of an earthly father. 'To thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy, for thou renderest to every man according to his work.' A man's work is his character; and God in his mercy is not indifferent, but treats him according to his work.
The notion that the salvation of Jesus is a salvation from the consequences of our sins, is a false, mean, low notion. The salvation of Christ is salvation from the smallest tendency or leaning to sin. It is a deliverance into the pure air of God's ways of thinking and feeling. It is a salvation that makes the heart pure, with the will and choice of the heart to be pure. To such a heart, sin is disgusting. It sees a thing as it is,--that is, as God sees it, for God sees everything as it is. The soul thus saved would rather sink into the flames of hell than steal into heaven and skulk there under the shadow of an imputed righteousness. No soul is saved that would not prefer hell to sin. Jesus did not die to save us from punishment; he was called Jesus because he should save his people from their sins.
If punishment be no atonement, how does the fact bear on the popular theology accepted by every one of the opposers of what they call Christianity, as representing its doctrines? Most of us have been more or less trained in it, and not a few of us have thereby, thank God, learned what it is--an evil thing, to be cast out of intellect and heart. Many imagine it dead and gone, but in reality it lies at the root (the intellectual root only, thank God) of much the greater part of the teaching of Christianity in the country; and is believed in--so far as the false can be believed in--by many who think they have left it behind, when they have merely omitted the truest, most offensive modes of expressing its doctrines. It is humiliating to find how many comparatively honest people think they get rid of a falsehood by softening the statement of it, by giving it the shape and placing it in the light in which it will least assert itself, and so have a good chance of passing both with such as hold it thoroughly, and such as might revolt against it more plainly uttered.
Once for all I will ease my soul regarding the horrid phantasm. I have passed through no change of opinion concerning it since first I began to write or speak; but I have written little and spoken less about it, because I would preach no mere negation. My work was not to destroy the false, except as it came in the way of building the true. Therefore I sought to speak but what I believed, saying little concerning what I did not believe; trusting, as now I trust, in the true to cast out the false, and shunning dispute. Neither will I now enter any theological lists to be the champion for or against mere doctrine. I have no desire to change the opinion of man or woman. Let everyone for me hold what he pleases. But I would do my utmost to disable such as think correct opinion essential to salvation from laying any other burden on the shoulders of true men and women than the yoke of their Master; and such burden, if already oppressing any, I would gladly lift. Let the Lord himself teach them, I say. A man who has not the mind of Christ--and no man has the mind of Christ except him who makes it his business to obey him--cannot have correct opinions concerning him; neither, if he could, would they be of any value to him: he would be nothing the better, he would be the worse for having them. Our business is not to think correctly, but to live truly; then first will there be a possibility of our thinking correctly. One chief cause of the amount of unbelief in the world is, that those who have seen something of the glory of Christ, set themselves to theorize concerning him rather than to obey him. In teaching men, they have not taught them Christ, but taught them about Christ. More eager after credible theory than after doing the truth, they have speculated in a condition of heart in which it was impossible they should understand; they have presumed to explain a Christ whom years and years of obedience could alone have made them able to comprehend. Their teaching of him, therefore, has been repugnant to the common sense of many who had not half their privileges, but in whom, as in Nathanael, there was no guile. Such, naturally, press their theories, in general derived from them of old time, upon others, insisting on their thinking about Christ as they think, instead of urging them to go to Christ to be taught by him whatever he chooses to teach them. They do their unintentional worst to stop all growth, all life. From such and their false teaching I would gladly help to deliver the true-hearted. Let the dead bury their dead, but I would do what I may to keep them from burying the living.
If there be no satisfaction to justice in the mere punishment of the wrong-doer, what shall we say of the notion of satisfying justice by causing one to suffer who is not the wrong-doer? And what, moreover, shall we say to the notion that, just because he is not the person who deserves to be punished, but is absolutely innocent, his suffering gives perfect satisfaction to the perfect justice? That the injustice be done with the consent of the person maltreated makes no difference: it makes it even worse, seeing, as they say, that justice requires the punishment of the sinner, and here is one far more than innocent. They have shifted their ground; it is no more punishment, but mere suffering the law requires! The thing gets worse and worse. I declare my utter and absolute repudiation of the idea in any form whatever. Rather than believe in a justice--that is, a God--to whose righteousness, abstract or concrete, it could be any satisfaction for the wrong-doing of a man that a man who did no wrong should suffer, I would be driven from among men, and dwell with the wild beasts that have not reason enough to be unreasonable. What! God, the father of Jesus Christ, like that! His justice contented with direst injustice! The anger of him who will nowise clear the guilty, appeased by the suffering of the innocent! Very God forbid! Observe: the evil fancy actually substitutes for punishment not mere suffering, but that suffering which is farthest from punishment; and this when, as I have shown, punishment, the severest, can be no satisfaction to justice! How did it come ever to be imagined? It sprang from the trustless dread that cannot believe in the forgiveness of the Father; cannot believe that even God will do anything for nothing; cannot trust him without a legal arrangement to bind him. How many, failing to trust God, fall back on a text, as they call it! It sprang from the pride that will understand what it cannot, before it will obey what it sees. He that will understand first will believe a lie--a lie from which obedience alone will at length deliver him. If anyone say, 'But I believe what you despise,' I answer, To believe it is your punishment for being able to believe it; you may call it your reward, if you will. You ought not to be able to believe it. It is the merest, poorest, most shameless fiction, invented without the perception that it was an invention--fit to satisfy the intellect, doubtless, of the inventor, else he could not have invented it. It has seemed to satisfy also many a humble soul, content to take what was given, and not think; content that another should think for him, and tell him what was the mind of his Father in heaven. Again I say, let the person who can be so satisfied be so satisfied; I have not to trouble myself with him. That he can be content with it, argues him unready to receive better. So long as he can believe false things concerning God, he is such as is capable of believing them--with how much or how little of blame, God knows. Opinion, right or wrong, will do nothing to save him. I would that he thought no more about this or any other opinion, but set himself to do the work of the Master. With his opinions, true or false, I have nothing to do. It is because such as he force evil things upon their fellows--utter or imply them from the seat of authority or influence--to their agony, their paralysation, their unbelief, their indignation, their stumbling, that I have any right to speak. I would save my fellows from having what notion of God is possible to them blotted out by a lie.
If it be asked how, if it be false, the doctrine of substitution can have been permitted to remain so long an article of faith to so many, I answer, On the same principle on which God took up and made use of the sacrifices men had, in their lack of faith, invented as a way of pleasing him. Some children will tell lies to please the parents that hate lying. They will even confess to having done a wrong they have not done, thinking their parents would like them to say they had done it, because they teach them to confess. God accepted men's sacrifices until he could get them to see--and with how many has he yet not succeeded, in the church and out of it!--that he does not care for such things.
'But,' again it may well be asked, 'whence then has sprung the undeniable potency of that teaching?'
I answer, From its having in it a notion of God and his Christ, poor indeed and faint, but, by the very poverty and untruth in its presentation, fitted to the weakness and unbelief of men, seeing it was by men invented to meet and ease the demand made upon their own weakness and unbelief. Thus the leaven spreads. The truth is there. It is Christ the glory of God. But the ideas that poor slavish souls breed concerning this glory the moment the darkness begins to disperse, is quite another thing. Truth is indeed too good for men to believe; they must dilute it before they can take it; they must dilute it before they dare give it. They must make it less true before they can believe it enough to get any good of it. Unable to believe in the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, they invented a mediator in his mother, and so were able to approach a little where else they had stood away; unable to believe in the forgivingness of their father in heaven, they invented a way to be forgiven that should not demand of him so much; which might make it right for him to forgive; which should save them from having to believe downright in the tenderness of his father-heart, for that they found impossible. They thought him bound to punish for the sake of punishing, as an offset to their sin; they could not believe in clear forgiveness; that did not seem divine; it needed itself to be justified; so they invented for its justification a horrible injustice, involving all that was bad in sacrifice, even human sacrifice. They invented a satisfaction for sin which was an insult to God. He sought no satisfaction, but an obedient return to the Father. What satisfaction was needed he made himself in what he did to cause them to turn from evil and go back to him. The thing was too simple for complicated unbelief and the arguing spirit. Gladly would I help their followers to loathe such thoughts of God; but for that, they themselves must grow better men and women. While they are capable of being satisfied with them, there would be no advantage in their becoming intellectually convinced that such thoughts were wrong. I would not speak a word to persuade them of it. Success would be worthless. They would but remain what they were--children capable of thinking meanly of their father. When the heart recoils, discovering how horrible it would be to have such an unreality for God, it will begin to search about and see whether it must indeed accept such statements concerning God; it will search after a real God by whom to hold fast, a real God to deliver them from the terrible idol. It is for those thus moved that I write, not at all for the sake of disputing with those who love the lie they may not be to blame for holding; who, like the Jews of old, would cast out of their synagogue the man who doubts the genuineness of their moral caricature of God, who doubts their travesty of the grandest truth in the universe, the atonement of Jesus Christ. Of such a man they will unhesitatingly report that he does not believe in the atonement. But a lie for God is against God, and carries the sentence of death in itself.
Instead of giving their energy to do the will of God, men of power have given it to the construction of a system by which to explain why Christ must die, what were the necessities and designs of God in permitting his death; and men of power of our own day, while casting from them not a little of the good in the teaching of the Roman Church, have clung to the morally and spiritually vulgar idea of justice and satisfaction held by pagan Rome, buttressed by the Jewish notion of sacrifice, and in its very home, alas, with the mother of all the western churches! Better the reformers had kept their belief in a purgatory, and parted with what is called vicarious sacrifice!
Their system is briefly this: God is bound to punish sin, and to punish it to the uttermost. His justice requires that sin be punished. But he loves man, and does not want to punish him if he can help it. Jesus Christ says, 'I will take his punishment upon me.' God accepts his offer, and lets man go unpunished--upon a condition. His justice is more than satisfied by the punishment of an infinite being instead of a world of worthless creatures. The suffering of Jesus is of greater value than that of all the generations, through endless ages, because he is infinite, pure, perfect in love and truth, being God's own everlasting son. God's condition with man is, that he believe in Christ's atonement thus explained. A man must say, 'I have sinned, and deserve to be tortured to all eternity. But Christ has paid my debts, by being punished instead of me. Therefore he is my Saviour. I am now bound by gratitude to him to turn away from evil.' Some would doubtless insist on his saying a good deal more, but this is enough for my purpose.
As to the justice of God requiring the punishment of the sinner, I have said enough. That the mere suffering of the sinner can be no satisfaction to justice, I have also tried to show. If the suffering of the sinner be indeed required by the justice of God, let it be administered. But what shall we say adequate to confront the base representation that it is not punishment, not the suffering of the sinner that is required, but suffering! nay, as if this were not depth enough of baseness to crown all heathenish representation of the ways of God, that the suffering of the innocent is unspeakably preferable in his eyes to that of the wicked, as a make-up for wrong done! nay, again, 'in the lowest deep a lower deep,' that the suffering of the holy, the suffering of the loving, the suffering of the eternally and perfectly good, is supremely satisfactory to the pure justice of the Father of spirits! Not all the suffering that could be heaped upon the wicked could buy them a moment's respite, so little is their suffering a counterpoise to their wrong; in the working of this law of equivalents, this lex talionis, the suffering of millions of years could not equal the sin of a moment, could not pay off one farthing of the deep debt. But so much more valuable, precious, and dear, is the suffering of the innocent, so much more of a satisfaction--observe--to the justice of God, that in return for that suffering another wrong is done: the sinners who deserve and ought to be punished are set free.
I know the root of all that can be said on the subject; the notion is imbedded in the gray matter of my Scotch brains; and if I reject it, I know what I reject. For the love of God my heart rose early against the low invention. Strange that in a Christian land it should need to be said, that to punish the innocent and let the guilty go free is unjust! It wrongs the innocent, the guilty, and God himself. It would be the worst of all wrongs to the guilty to treat them as innocent. The whole device is a piece of spiritual charlatanry--fit only for a fraudulent jail-delivery. If the wicked ought to be punished, it were the worst possible perversion of justice to take a righteous being however strong, and punish him instead of the sinner however weak. To the poorest idea of justice in punishment, it is essential that the sinner, and no other than the sinner, should receive the punishment. The strong being that was willing to bear such punishment might well be regarded as worshipful, but what of the God whose so-called justice he thus defeats? If you say it is justice, not God that demands the suffering, I say justice cannot demand that which is unjust, and the whole thing is unjust. God is absolutely just, and there is no deliverance from his justice, which is one with his mercy. The device is an absurdity--a grotesquely deformed absurdity. To represent the living God as a party to such a style of action, is to veil with a mask of cruelty and hypocrisy the face whose glory can he seen only in the face of Jesus; to put a tirade of vulgar Roman legality into the mouth of the Lord God merciful and gracious, who will by no means clear the guilty. Rather than believe such ugly folly of him whose very name is enough to make those that know him heave the breath of the hart panting for the waterbrooks; rather than think of him what in a man would make me avoid him at the risk of my life, I would say, 'There is no God; let us neither eat nor drink, that we may die! For lo, this is not our God! This is not he for whom we have waited!' But I have seen his face and heard his voice in the face and the voice of Jesus Christ; and I say this is our God, the very one whose being the Creator makes it an infinite gladness to be the created. I will not have the God of the scribes and the pharisees whether Jewish or Christian, protestant, Roman, or Greek, but thy father, O Christ! He is my God. If you say, 'That is our God, not yours!' I answer, 'Your portrait of your God is an evil caricature of the face of Christ.'
To believe in a vicarious sacrifice, is to think to take refuge with the Son from the righteousness of the Father; to take refuge with his work instead of with the Son himself; to take refuge with a theory of that work instead of the work itself; to shelter behind a false quirk of law instead of nestling in the eternal heart of the unchangeable and righteous Father, who is merciful in that he renders to every man according to his work, and compels their obedience, nor admits judicial quibble or subterfuge. God will never let a man off with any fault. He must have him clean. He will excuse him to the very uttermost of truth, but not a hair's-breadth beyond it; he is his true father, and will have his child true as his son Jesus Christ is true. He will impute to him nothing that he has not, will lose sight of no smallest good that he has; will quench no smoking flax, break no bruised reed, but send forth judgment unto victory. He is God beyond all that heart hungriest for love and righteousness could to eternity desire.
If you say the best of men have held the opinions I stigmatize, I answer, 'Some of the best of men have indeed held these theories, and of men who have held them I have loved and honoured some heartily and humbly--but because of what they were, not because of what they thought; and they were what they were in virtue of their obedient faith, not of their opinion. They were not better men because of holding these theories. In virtue of knowing God by obeying his son, they rose above the theories they had never looked in the face, and so had never recognized as evil. Many have arrived, in the natural progress of their sacred growth, at the point where they must abandon them. The man of whom I knew the most good gave them up gladly. Good to worshipfulness may be the man that holds them, and I hate them the more therefore; they are lies that, working under cover of the truth mingled with them, burrow as near the heart of the good man as they can go. Whoever, from whatever reason of blindness, may be the holder of a lie, the thing is a lie, and no falsehood must mingle with the justice we mete out to it. There is nothing for any lie but the pit of hell. Yet until the man sees the thing to be a lie, how shall he but hold it! Are there not mingled with it shadows of the best truth in the universe? So long as a man is able to love a lie, he is incapable of seeing it is a lie. He who is true, out and out, will know at once an untruth; and to that vision we must all come. I do not write for the sake of those who either make or heartily accept any lie. When they see the glory of God, they will see the eternal difference between the false and the true, and not till then. I write for those whom such teaching as theirs has folded in a cloud through which they cannot see the stars of heaven, so that some of them even doubt if there be any stars of heaven. For the holy ones who believed and taught these things in days gone by, all is well. Many of the holiest of them cast the lies from them long ere the present teachers of them were born. Many who would never have invented them for themselves, yet receiving them with the seals affixed of so many good men, took them in their humility as recognized truths, instead of inventions of men; and, oppressed by authority, the authority of men far inferior to themselves, did not dare dispute them, but proceeded to order their lives by what truths they found in their company, and so had their reward, the reward of obedience, in being by that obedience brought to know God, which knowledge broke for them the net of a presumptuous self-styled orthodoxy. Every man who tries to obey the Master is my brother, whether he counts me such or not, and I revere him; but dare I give quarter to what I see to be a lie, because my brother believes it? The lie is not of God, whoever may hold it.
'Well, then,' will many say, 'if you thus unceremoniously cast to the winds the doctrine of vicarious sacrifice, what theory do you propose to substitute in its stead?'
'In the name of the truth,' I answer, None. I will send out no theory of mine to rouse afresh little whirlwinds of dialogistic dust mixed with dirt and straws and holy words, hiding the Master in talk about him. If I |
shared European interest. Pro-integrationists tend to believe that either the European Commission or the European Parliament is capable of such a task. But neither of them is.
There is not a single #EU institution that could credibly formulate a shared European interest. Tweet This
Parts of the commission come closest to the ideal of being the advocate of a genuinely common EU interest. But these are the branches of the EU’s executive that defend joint interests on questions of trade or the single market, neither of which really goes to the heart of classical foreign policy.
The arm of the commission that did once try to promote a common EU line on external issues has been transformed into the European External Action Service. But so far, this body has been too powerless, too heavily controlled by the member states, and too badly managed to become the vanguard of EU foreign policy leadership.
As for the European Parliament, it does not represent the unified political will of a European body politic—despite its desperate claims to do just that. The parliament’s positions often represent little more than the worldview of its members, a specific caste of Europoliticians awkwardly positioned between their narrow national mandates, European loftiness, and structural unaccountability.
In theory, the European Parliament’s strong focus on values and principles is a good thing. But as this emphasis is not coupled with the more realist world of executive decisionmaking, it frequently ends up as mere moral grandstanding.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the institution most prone to hammering out something that resembles a shared EU interest is the Council of the European Union. Representing the member-state governments, the council has the strongest democratic mandate of all the Brussels-based institutions. But the body’s members also jealously guard national prerogatives on foreign policy and therefore often fail to come up with compromises that are substantial enough to survive first contact with the real world.
In the absence of an institution that could credibly and meaningfully formulate a pan-European foreign policy, the EU’s action abroad is bound to remain incohesive, divided, weak, and, with rare exceptions, generally unimpressive.
A Disengaged United States
The third limitation on EU external action is the shifting role of the United States. Washington cares less about Europe than it used to and therefore presses Europe less to get its act together.
Behind EU unity on #Iran lies a secret: massive U.S. pressure on the Europeans. Tweet This
Arguably the EU’s biggest foreign policy achievement of the past five years is its unprecedented and lasting unity on sanctions against Iran in light of the country’s nuclear program. But behind this unity lies a dirty little secret: massive U.S. pressure on the Europeans, including regulatory pressure by U.S. government agencies on European companies that do business with Tehran.
It is a generally unspoken truth that EU foreign policy activity often relies on U.S. leadership. This is true in the Balkans, in Afghanistan, on most matters of security and defense, and, more recently, in the fight against the Islamic State. America has been the pusher, the limiter, the conceptualizer, and the equipper of EU foreign policy. It has also been the provider of trust to Europeans, guaranteeing that no EU country would become too dominant in the continent’s external affairs, thereby defusing potential internal tensions from the outset.
But these days, that kind of U.S. leadership is rare and often halfhearted, further diminishing the EU’s already low level of foreign policy energy.
The Unambitious Big Three
The fourth factor behind the EU’s lethargy is the fact that the union’s three leading nations all withhold proper investment in EU foreign policy.
#France pretends to show an interest in EU foreign policy but is hampered by national pride. Tweet This
Britain is interested in parts of the EU’s external affairs but lacks the attachment to European integration that could make the country a leader. France pretends to show an interest but is hampered by unrealistic bouts of national pride and dramatically reduced credibility and resources. Germany, in theory, has the resources but suffers from a combination of traditional passivity, newly discovered unilateral appetites, and a military shyness that greatly reduces its influence.
The EU suffers from rampant identity issues, weak institutions, a largely absent external shepherd, and three uncommitted internal leaders. When these four shortcomings are combined, a formidable mix of root causes for Europe’s foreign policy sclerosis emerges. It is no surprise that external players who are only too keen to exploit Western weakness think that Europe is a spent force.NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar hovered near a five-year high against the yen and rose against the euro on Friday, while global equity indexes slipped on growing concerns the U.S. Federal Reserve could surprise investors by scaling back its stimulus as early as next week.
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange December 9, 2013. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
Stronger-than-expected U.S. data and a budget deal in Washington have brightened the outlook for the U.S. economy but are causing jitters in equity markets, which have benefited from ample central bank liquidity. The current Thomson Reuters consensus among economists is still for the Fed to begin withdrawing stimulus in March.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty going into the (Fed) meeting and some are talking about a small taper next week, although that is not our view. We still think the Fed will wait until January to make any announcement,” said Greg Moore, currency strategist at TD Securities in Toronto.
The Fed will hold its last policy meeting of the year on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Concerns about a possible Fed surprise next week resulted in U.S.-based funds pulling $6.51 billion out of stock mutual funds in the past week, the biggest outflow this year, according to Thomson Reuters Lipper data released on Thursday.
The MSCI world equity index.MIWD00000PUS was down 0.07 percent at 391.89, taking its losses for the past two weeks to 2.49 percent, the biggest fortnightly loss since June.
The prospect of Fed tapering boosted the dollar, with the euro falling 0.1 percent to $1.3738.
The dollar slipped against the yen after earlier hitting five-year highs. It last traded at 103.17 yen, down 0.2 percent on the day.
U.S. stocks ended little changed on Friday after a three-day drop but logged their worst week in nearly four months.
Related Coverage Volume of U.S. stock market listings highest since 2000
The Dow Jones industrial average.DJI was up 15.93 points, or 0.10 percent, at 15,755.36. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index.SPX dropped 0.18 point, or 0.01 percent, to 1,775.32. The Nasdaq Composite Index.IXIC rose 2.57 points, or 0.06 percent, to 4,000.98.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300.FTEU3 touched two-month lows and ended down 0.1 percent at 1243.47 points.
Emerging markets were also hit, with sell-offs in currencies - including the Indonesian rupiah and the Indian rupee - on concern that tighter Fed policy could sap flows to emerging markets.
“We have taken down our exposure to some of the smaller markets, as the tapering can be a hassle for some emerging-market currencies,” said Hans Peterson, the global head of investment strategy at SEB Private Banking.
Given the scale of the market moves in anticipation of the Fed meeting, some analysts said a rebound in equities was possible once the meeting is over, whether the Fed acts or not.
“I think either way we can get a relief rally post the Fed, because either we will get a very small taper and really strong guidance on rates, or we will get no taper,” said Alan Higgins, chief investment officer, UK, at Coutts.
Expectations for Fed tapering and prospects for oil ports in eastern Libya to resume exports pressured oil prices.
January Brent gained 16 cents to settle at $108.83 a barrel in seesaw trading, following a fall of more than $1 on Thursday.
U.S. crude futures for January fell 90 cents to settle at $96.60 a barrel, after rising around $6 in the past two weeks.
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Gold rose about 1 percent to $1,237 an ounce after a two-day fall, but sentiment remained fragile.
Benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury notes last traded up 3/32 in price to yield 2.8664 percent, after data showed muted inflation pressures, reviving hopes the Federal Reserve will not reduce its bond purchase stimulus program next week.
Two-year German yields hit a three-month high as banks repaid the highest weekly amount since February to the European Central Bank.Because we do not want to remain in the position of victims that society would like to categorize us by recognizing us as women. Victims, because we would not be able to be autonomous, to defend ourselves, to lead our lives as we see fit. We would be weak individuals, too sensitive, subject to hormonal moods, dependent and fragile. We would need strong figures to rescue us, doctors to look after us, children to nurture, cops to protect us.
Our education anchors this crap in our heads and we end up integrating it. To fight against sexism, for us, is to fight against gender. And to fight against gender is to refuse the logic of gender assignment, without denying that it also conditions us.
We do not want to be defined by the particularities of our bodies but by what results from our choices, our ethics and our actions. Even if we would like to destroy gender, it feels good to find ourselves among people who share the same feelings, who live in their flesh what it means to be assigned as women, and who have the same desire to get rid of it. Together we prove to ourselves that we are capable of acting on our ideas, and that we need no one but ourselves to do it. We prepare our revenge for all the times that we were discouraged by persuading ourselves that we were not capable, that we did not have either the skills, the strength nor the means to defuse the logic that causes us to postpone forever the moment to express our anger and our desires.
We materialized this desire for revenge by organizing ourselves to attack the gendarmerie in Meylan.
To ensure our safety during the attack (and to play a joke on the firefighters) we padlocked the car access gate to the barracks.
We then spent ten minutes squatting in the woods along the fence, but we realized that we could not spend the night there, and that at a certain point, we had to go into action. We had to face our stress and overcome it.
So after a final smile and a hug, we cut the fence.
With ten liters of petrol, we quietly attacked the car park.
We targeted the private cars of the cops, to the indignation of the press, because we wanted to attack the individuals who wear the uniforms rather than their function, their personal property rather than their tools of work. We think that roles exist because there are people to fill them. If behind every uniform there is a human, then that is who we sought to harm.
Finally, we disappeared in a burst of laughter, hurrying away…
On the way back, we were euphoric. We felt light, strong, bonded, with the feeling that nothing could stop us anymore.
We have no intention of letting anybody take this feeling of power away from us, but making it grow.
This text is also a message addressed to all the people who find themselves imprisoned in roles of supposed victims, and who conflictualize their relationship with the world to leave them, who consider themselves as individuals, without denying that they are marked by the social catagories from which they originate.
We are convinced that our limitations are both psychological and social, that in assuming these roles we become our own cops.
By organizing in affinity, and by attacking, we push these limitations.
To all the people whose actions and positions give us strength, to the two people incarcerated for the case of the burnt cop car, to the accused of Scripta Manent.
For those who give fuel to the flames from the bottom of their eyes.
(via Attaque, translated by Insurrection News)
Note: You can find more photos from this spectacular attack here.Smugglers have thrown 280 migrants into the sea off the coast of Yemen over the past two days, with close to 70 presumed dead.
In what aid workers described as a case of "deliberate drowning", bodies were found washed ashore and a beach littered with shallow graves as survivors tried to bury the dead.
The UN's International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said the two disturbing incidents came after smugglers feared they were about to be caught by security forces, and decided to force their passengers overboard.
The migrants were believed to have been crossing the narrow but dangerous waters between the Horn of Africa and Yemen in the hope of reaching oil-rich countries in the Gulf in search of jobs.
On Wednesday (9 August), a human smuggler pushed more than 120 Somali and Ethiopian migrants from his boat into rough seas as they approached the coast of Shabwa, a Yemeni Governorate along the Arabian Sea.
Staff from the IOM found the shallow graves of 29 migrants on a beach in Shabwa during a routine patrol, while urgent care was provided to a further 27 washed-up survivors. Some 22 are still missing and presumed dead.
The average age of the migrants in the boat was just 16, the IOM said.
"The survivors told our colleagues on the beach that the smuggler pushed them to the sea, when he saw some 'authority types' near the coast," said Laurent de Boeck, the IOM Yemen Chief of Mission.
"They also told us that the smuggler has already returned to Somalia to continue his business and pick up more migrants to bring to Yemen on the same route. This is shocking and inhumane."
The following day, 160 Ethiopian migrants were violently forced into the sea off the same stretch of Yemen's coast, the IOM said.
Six bodies – two male and four female – were found washed up on a beach, with 13 still missing. The majority of the migrants left before aid workers arrived, but nearly 60 who stayed behind had to be given emergency medical assistance.
Since January, the IOM estimates that about 55,000 migrants left the Horn of Africa to travel to Yemen, most with the aim of trying to find better opportunities in the Gulf countries.
More than 30,000 were under the age of 18 and from Somalia and Ethiopia, while a third were female.
Survivors from both incidents have described the harrowing journey they faced and the brutal treatment by smugglers.
They told of being forced to squat down during the entire trip from Ambah Shore in Somalia, which sometimes takes between 24-36 hours, so that the smugglers could increase the number of people in the boat.
The migrants were not allowed to move inside the boat and were beaten or killed if they did, they added.
They were also forced to wet themselves due to the lack of sanitary provisions and were not allowed to take enough food or water on the journey.
In some cases, they said smugglers tied their hands, meaning certain death if the boat capsized during the journey.
"The utter disregard for human life by these smugglers, and all human smugglers worldwide, is nothing less than immoral," said William Lacy Swing, IOM Director General.
"What is a teenager's life worth? On this route to the Gulf countries, it can be as little as $100.
"There is something fundamentally wrong with this world if countless numbers of children can be deliberately and ruthlessly drowned in the ocean, when they are no longer an easy source of income, and nothing is done to stop it from ever happening again.
"It should never have happened in the first place. We should not have to wait for tragedies like these to show us that international cooperation must be enhanced to fight human smuggling – not just through policy but through real action along these smuggling routes.
"This is a busy and extremely dangerous smuggling route. Yemen is suffering one of today's most dire humanitarian crises. Countries experiencing conflict or crisis like Yemen need greater support to reinforce law enforcement and humanitarian border management with the aim of protecting vulnerable migrants like these 16-year-old kids."Heavy snow, low temperatures and a lack of gritting mean pavements throughout the country are too slippery to walk on safely. Hospitals have been struggling to cope with rising numbers of patients who have broken bones after falling on icy paths.
Yet the professional body that represents health and safety experts has issued a warning to businesses not to grit public paths – despite the fact that Britain is in the grip of its coldest winter for nearly half a century.
Under current legislation, householders and companies open themselves up to legal action if they try to clear a public pavement outside their property. If they leave the path in a treacherous condition, they cannot be sued.
Councils, who have a responsibility for public highways, say they have no legal obligation to clear pavements.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents expressed its disappointment that public safety was being neglected because of fears of possible litigation. A spokesman said: “This is not showing a particularly good attitude. It would be much safer for the public to clear paths, even if it’s not on their property.”
But the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, the professional body representing 36,000 health and safety experts, gave warning that this could lead to legal action.
In guidance to its members, who advise businesses throughout the country, it said: “When clearing snow and ice, it is probably worth stopping at the boundaries of the property under your control.”
Clearing a public path “can lead to an action for damages against the company, e.g. if members of the public, assuming that the area is still clear of ice and thus safe to walk on, slip and injure themselves”.
Legal experts said home owners could fall victim to the same laws if they tried to clear an icy path but failed to do the job properly. John McQuater, president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, admitted: “If you do nothing you cannot be liable. If you do something, you could be liable to a legal action.”
Ann Widdecombe, the former Tory minister and critic of Britain’s burgeoning “compensation culture”, said last night: “The idea you can be sued for being helpful is absolutely ludicrous.”
Clare Marx, past president of the British Orthopaedic Association and orthopaedic consultant at Ipswich Hospital, said: “If people want to clear pavements, they should just do it. I would have thought it’s a public service and it is a shame we have ended up with a culture where if someone slips, they want to sue someone. People need a bit of grit, in both senses.”
The association said its members expected to have treated tens of thousands of fractures by the time the conditions eventually improved.
The national shortage of gritting salt is likely to mean even fewer paths will be gritted by councils in the days to come. The Government is trying to import supplies from the United States and Europe but they are not expected to arrive for another fortnight.
Members of the public say they have been warned by councils about the legal risks of gritting. Michael Pepper, 68, asked Cambridge county council to deliver grit which he offered to spread but was told by officials he could be sued if he did so. The council later insisted Mr Pepper had been given the wrong guidance.
The Royal Caledonian Curling Club was also forced to bow to health and safety rules as it abandoned plans for a match on the Lake of Menteith, near Stirling. The club was unable to obtain insurance after safety fears were expressed by emergency services.
Forecasters are predicting that freezing conditions will continue until at least Wednesday. Kent police said last night that the military was on stand-by to help if the weather in the county worsened. Motorists were advised not to travel unless absolutely necessary.12-year-old Liberty County boy injured by exploding bullet
A young man learned this weekend that heating up a bullet casing can have severe consequences to life and limb.
The Liberty County Sheriff's Office reports that late Sunday afternoon they responded to an emergency call from a mother, Rachel Mendoza, who said that her son, 12, had found a.22 LR caliber round and decided to experiment with it. The incident occurred at their home off C.R. 686 in Dayton.
"He had held a cigarette lighter under a.22-caliber round to see what would happen," according to the sheriff's report. "The bullet exploded, sending bullet fragments through his left middle finger and lodging in the left eye lid."
Deputies caught up with Mendoza and her son at a McDonald's location in Dayton while they were en route to a hospital in Humble for treatment. The injury had been deemed non-life threatening so Mendoza had decided to drive her son to the hospital herself.
Capt. Ken DeFoor with the Liberty County Sheriff's Office said Monday that he had last heard that the boy did not suffer any vision damage in the accident, but he does hope that he at least learned something.
"There was a a little blood and he will have some scars, but I think he did gain some knowledge," said DeFoor, adding that the boy is lucky to have gotten out of the situation without being blinded.
On a related note,.22-caliber ammo has been in short supply at sporting goods and gun stores due to increased market demand over the past year. Many factors have been to blame for the shortage, including the rising cost of raw materials and delays in manufacturing.U.S. costs are almost always higher because of what it doesn’t do: set rates.
Let's start with the conservative free-market nirvana, where buyer and seller each armed with perfect information come together in a voluntary transaction. But from the get go, the patient-as-consumer faces a knowledge asymmetry almost impossible to overcome. Americans' general deference to physicians isn't just a cultural trait—it simply reflects the expertise and training regarding diagnoses, possible treatments, and likely outcomes doctors possess and their patients do not. For some cases and for some conditions, the layman can narrow that yawning information gap. But WebMD or no, it can't be eliminated. "Health" is not a commodity. Those who believe that choosing a health care product or service is no different than buying a car, television, or cell phone might feel differently after, say, contracting Zika virus.
But even if the diagnoses, treatments, and cures for heart disease, diabetes, or depression could be purchased in a free market, in the United States the buyer simply doesn't—or can't—know what price he or she will pay. As Stephen Brill documented in March 2013 ("Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us"), hospital prices for drugs, supplies, and procedures are completely opaque. The answer from the so-called "charge master" about what anything costs depends on whether the patient is insured or uninsured (the latter often forced to pay multiple times more than the former) and who the insurer is. As it turns out, that mystery pricing is one of the hallmarks of the American model that spends $2.8 trillion a year (more than 17 percent of GDP) on health care, more than Japan, Germany, France, China, the U.K., Italy, Canada, Brazil, Spain, and Australia combined:
As we examine other bills, we'll see that like Medicare patients, the large portion of hospital patients who have private health insurance also get discounts off the listed chargemaster figures, assuming the hospital and insurance company have negotiated to include the hospital in the insurer's network of providers that its customers can use. The insurance discounts are not nearly as steep as the Medicare markdowns, which means that even the discounted insurance-company rates fuel profits at these officially nonprofit hospitals. Those profits are further boosted by payments from the tens of millions of patients who, like the unemployed Janice S., have no insurance or whose insurance does not apply because the patient has exceeded the coverage limits. These patients are asked to pay the chargemaster list prices. If you are confused by the notion that those least able to pay are the ones singled out to pay the highest rates, welcome to the American medical marketplace.
And in that "marketplace," prices vary widely from state to state, city to city, and even block to block. Data compiled by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in May found that "hospitals charge Medicare wildly differing amounts—sometimes 10 to 20 times what Medicare typically reimburses—for the same procedure," with the 3,300 hospitals analyzed showing wide variation "not only regionally but among hospitals in the same area or city." Making matters worse, the accelerating trends of mergers and private equity investments in hospital chains have spawned the use of unnecessary procedures and "code-inflation" to extract greater profits from patients, insurers, and the federal government. And as the Washington Monthly and theWashington Post documented, the American Medical Association and its secret Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) quietly set the prices Medicare and private insurers will pay physicians based on sometimes dubious assessments of how long a given procedure takes. So whether we're discussing colonoscopies, hip replacements, asthma inhalers, or ER visits, the only certainty is that the costs to Americans will be higher—sometimes orders of magnitude higher—than those faced by the citizens of Germany, Spain, Canada, Japan, or just about any other major national economy.
But even if our American patient-as-consumer had access to transparent pricing information and knew everything doctors know about his or her treatment, health care would still not constitute a free market for a simple reason. In most cases, the transaction between the patient/buyer and the provider/seller is coerced. That is, when you're sick, you can't simply walk out of the market. You have to buy care from someone—or else. (Prior to the implementation of Obamacare, studies put the number of uninsured Americans who needlessly die each year as high as 45,000.) Worse still, because you can never know in advance about a bank account-draining illness or accident or condition that could require regular or lifelong care, insurance is the only path forward.
The element of coercion—that patients in emergency situations or not usually have no choice but to purchase treatment—is why the rhetoric of John Stossel, Rand Paul, and their ilk is so cynical and dangerous.
Nevertheless, John Stossel offered this diagnosis from his room at New York-Presbyterian Hospital:
I get X-rays, EKG tests, echocardiograms, blood tests. Are all needed? I doubt it. But no one discusses that with me or mentions the cost. Why would they? The patient rarely pays directly. Government or insurance companies pay… Patients will have a better experience only when more of us spend our own money for care. That's what makes markets work.
By now, it should be crystal clear that costs are opaque because every insurer (private or public) negotiates its own prices for hospital stays, medical tests, procedures, treatments, and pharmaceuticals. Recall, too, that most patients are paying for their care in the form of deductibles, co-payments and, in the case of employer-provided health care, wages lost in exchange for coverage. None of that would change if Stossel had his way by converting the United States to a system of individual health savings accounts (HSAs) and catastrophic care coverage. As he put it in 2007, three years before the passage of Obamacare:
But contrary to conventional wisdom, it's not those without health insurance who are the problem, but rather those with it. They make medical care more expensive for everyone. We'd each be better off if we paid all but the biggest medical bills out of pocket and saved insurance for catastrophic events. Truly needy people would rely on charity, not government, because once government gets involved, unintended bad consequences abound.
As it turns out, it is precisely such consumer-driven health care (CDHC) that produces “unintended bad consequences.” Patients don’t just face much higher out of pocket costs—they end up skipping care altogether. As I noted 10 years ago:
A joint study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute and the Commonwealth Fund found much lower satisfaction, higher costs and more missed health care with CDHC plans than traditional employer health packages. Americans utilizing new high-deductible CDHC health plans such as health savings accounts (HSAs) and health reimbursement accounts (HRAs) experienced dramatically higher out-of-pocket costs, with over a third paying more than 5% of their income towards health-related expenses, versus just 12% of those in traditional plans. Worse still, CDHC participants, especially those making under $50,000 a year, were much more likely (35% versus 17%) to skip or defer needed health care. The key to the new wave of consumer-driven plans, it would seem, is to be healthy, wealthy and lucky.
And that luck quickly runs out during recessions when employers lay off workers and states cut back on their own health care spending. By fall 2009, the deep recession that began two years earlier had a devastating impact on Americans’ health care. It’s not just that 50 million went without health insurance at some point during the year: Another 25 million were underinsured. Medical costs accounted for 62 percent of all personal bankruptcies. Americans were simply self-rationing their health care. One in five had postponed or delayed medical care, and more than half skipped at least one doctor’s appointment. And as the New York Times reported in August 2010, that impact was far worse in the USA than in countries where universal health care systems limit patients' out-of-pocket costs:
Among Americans responding to the survey, they said, 26.5 percent reported reducing their use of routine medical care since the start of the global economic crisis in 2007. This proportion dwarfs the comparable numbers for other countries: 5.3 percent in Canada, 7.6 percent in Britain, 10.3 percent in Germany and 12 percent in France.
As Gary Pickens of the healthcare division of Thomson Reuters warned in April 2009, these kinds of numbers “have serious implications for public health officials, hospital administrators, and healthcare consumers.”
"We are seeing a positive correlation between Americans losing their access to employer-sponsored health insurance and deferral of healthcare. If this trend continues, it will ultimately have an impact on our collective well-being."
But those trends didn’t continue, no thanks to the likes of John Stossel. The Affordable Care Act signed into law by President Obama in March 2010 didn’t just reduce the ranks of the uninsured by well over 20 million people. By the beginning of 2015, the Commonwealth Fund found, Obamacare had reduced the percentage of Americans struggling to pay medical bills and “for the first time since 2003, there has been a decline in the number of people putting off health care because of the cost.” Just as important, new research shows that the expansion of Medicaid “has helped many poor Americans pay off the collection agent.”
But despite the substantial expansion of health insurance coverage and the dramatic slowdown in the growth of health care costs, medical bills still present a daunting financial challenge for too many Americans. The rapid increase in prescription costs—a 12 percent jump in 2015 retail prices alone—is forecast to bring total drug spending in the U.S. to $400 billion by 2020. But if John Stossel wants to keep costs down while making published prices known to all, the solution is not “shopping around.” Seventy years of experience from around the globe shows that transparent pricing and cost reductions occur only when the government sets the rates.
Just as important as the question of who pays, Matthew Yglesias has rightly pointed out, is the separate but related question of how much:
The thing about saving money by having a single health care payer squeeze providers on reimbursement rates is that adopting a single-payer structure is neither necessary nor sufficient to achieve the gains. In other words, if the American political system wanted to cut doctors' payments, we could do that without moving to a single-payer system. Conversely, adopting a single-payer system does not on its own lead to low reimbursement rates -- that's a separate decision that the political system would have to make. The term for regulating the fees charged by doctors, hospitals, and others in a multi-payer setting is called all-payer rate setting, and it's a pretty good idea.
As Sarah Kliff explained, "France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, and Switzerland all use some version of all-payer rate setting." Even with hundreds or thousands of private insurance plans, since 1980 all five countries have experienced much slower growth in health care spending than the United States (see chart at top). All-payer rate setting is a powerful reason why:
In all-payer rate setting, all of the insurers negotiate jointly with all of the health care providers, and set on one specific price for each procedure...Single-payer health care systems save money in two ways: reducing administrative costs and increasing the bargaining power of health insurers. This is true of all-payer rate setting systems, too.
That overwhelming evidence comes from just about every other economic competitor of the United States. And regardless of how they manage their nation's own complex health ecosystem of insurers, pharmaceutical firms, device manufacturers, hospitals, and doctors, in one form or another each relies on the same mechanism: Rate setting.
To put it another way, countries as diverse as Germany, Japan, the UK, France, Switzerland, and Taiwan treat health care as a highly-regulated utility, not a free market. Like access to water, telephones, electricity, and education, America's partners and competitors have decided that health care simply will be part of the social contract for their citizens in the 21st century. (Such a notion couldn't be more alien to the likes of the Heritage Foundation, which recently lamented that many American poor enjoy such luxuries as television, air conditioning, and cell phones.) And to make it all work, government sets the prices that insurers, hospitals, drug companies, doctors, and pharmacies can charge.
As Reid documented prior to the passage of Obamacare, our economic partners and competitors deliver health care that is fairer, cheaper and simpler, all while producing health care outcomes that are as good or better than those in the United States. Thanks to the absence of rate-setting here, America's 40 million asthma sufferers have to pay $150 for an Albuterol inhaler, compared to $20 in the UK. On average, a colonoscopy in the U.S. ($1,185) costs double the amount in Switzerland ($655). An MRI costs four times as much here as for the Dutch; an angiogram is almost 30 times more expensive for an American ($914) than a Canadian ($35). It's plain that the $7,700 hip replacement in Spain costs six times more here. But as the charts sprinkled throughout this piece show, Americans spend much more (double the OECD average) while actually using less health care (half the physician consultations) than their counterparts in other countries. Touted by Republican free marketeers as "the best health care system in the world," America's is the costliest and among the least efficient even as it fails to measure up to those of our trading partners and allies.
It doesn't have to be this way. Americans can ask doctors, hospitals, and insurers to share more of their pain. Whether directly or through a coalition of insurers, the federal government could leverage its buying power to negotiate drug prices. (The VA does this already to save money; even Donald Trump supports the idea ending the Bush-era ban on Medicare doing the same.) The federal government could go even further, following Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, and other countries in establishing national drug formularies and "reference" pricing, approaches proven to reduce costs. Even without single payer government insurance, Uncle Sam could follow France, Germany, and Japan in establishing a single "rate card" across all insurers or even mandate non-profit basic plans, as in Switzerland. As Greg Sargent suggests, offering a "public option" for health insurance would be a good start—and even better leverage.
Ultimately, the United States, already spending $3 trillion a year, may have little choice given the trends now underway. The population is aging and over the next 25 years, the growth of Medicare is the largest problem area for the federal budget. Expensive drugs for Hepatitis C and other diseases, new cancer cures, and the development of individual genetic therapies are likely to present growing cost challenges in the future. Mergers among insurers and hospitals have increased at the same time that both have been busily acquiring physician practices. All the while, the erosion of employer-provided health insurance, cost-shifting to workers, and the rise of the so-called "Gig Economy"—the very factors that helped fuel the drive for Obamacare in the first place—mean families will still face the growing burden of health care costs themselves.
In response, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton have offered two strikingly different approaches. Sanders' could be termed "Medicare-for-All Plus," a single payer government insurance system with fixed payment rates for providers which also eliminates deductibles and co-pays. Clinton's "Obamacare Plus" keeps the ACA framework in place while targeting high prescription prices and growing out-of-pocket costs with additional tax credits for consumers and tighter regulation of insurers and pharmaceutical firms. In addition, Clinton has also announced her intention to work with governors using existing flexibility under Obamacare "to empower states to establish a public option choice."
As for John Stossel’s complaints from New York Presbyterian, they have already been addressed—just not by free-market means and not in the United States. He says, “I fill out long medical history forms by hand and, in the next office, do it again. Same wording: name, address, insurance, etc.” Not so in France, where each citizen’s Carte Vitale already contains all of their patient records and information, thanks to the common electronic medical records format all insurers and providers must use. In Japan, everyone has health insurance and knows exactly what they’ll pay because “the Japanese Health Ministry tightly controls the price of health care down to the smallest detail. Every two years, the health care industry and the health ministry negotiate a fixed price for every procedure and every drug.” Despite Stossel’s protests that Veterans Administration “bureaucrats let veterans die,” the VHA with its government-controlled hospitals, doctors and drug plans like the UK’s NHS consistently outscores America’s other health care systems for customer satisfaction.
On the campaign trail, Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz says he wants to “repeal every word of Obamacare.” House Speaker Paul Ryan is calling for “patient-centered” health care—whatever that is—just as he did six years ago. Meanwhile from his hospital bed in New York, John Stossel laments:
Patients will have a better experience only when more of us spend our own money for care. That's what makes markets work.
No, American health care isn’t a free market and shouldn’t be. Patients will have a better experience only when their government plays a greater role in their care. So get well soon, John Stossel—and be thankful for the care your proposed medical malpractice would necessarily deny others.I can’t even tell you how much pleasure it gives me to sit down and write this |
old name among the Ahara. The younger became Ehrit, which means ‘deriving from Eh.’
She nursed them for a year, as was customary in those days, then turned them over to one of her sisters and went back to her old habits. But hunting interested her less than it had. She missed having company, and she felt less safe than before. What if other bandits came into the river valley? Would she become violent again? Would they become violent?
Gradually, she became more like other women, though she never became entirely ordinary. She remained more solitary than was usual, and she did not lose her fondness for riding. Now she followed the trails that went through cultivated land, and she kept her eye on the fields and pastures. When she took out a weapon, it was usually to deal with some wild animal that was doing harm to her family’s herds and crops.
And though she wasn’t especially maternal, she wasn’t able to leave her twins entirely in the hands of her female relatives. Maybe if they had been ordinary, she would have been able to ignore them. But they were clever and active and clearly in front of most other children.
When they were two years old, her family bred her again. This time the man came from one of the small lineages that existed at the edges of Ahara.6 He was solid and handsome with a fine glossy coat, and he did what he was asked to do with determination and competence. But he was obviously embarrassed, and it was clear that he preferred to spend his time with male relatives. Eyes-of-crystal felt disappointed, though this didn’t make any sense. The man behaved exactly as he was expected to, and he was never discourteous. She got pregnant almost at once. The child was a girl who inherited her father’s solidity and lovely fur. What about this mating could cause dissatisfaction?
In time, another gift came from this mating: the man’s sister, who was a solid and handsome as her brother and who (unlike him) was comfortable around women. Eyes-of-crystal met her at a festival, and they fell in love. This was (the author tells us) no ordinary casual bed-friendship.
It’s important, at this point, to realize that the hwarhath tend to see women as less romantic and more promiscuous than men. Living on the perimeter, men have time and opportunity for love. But the women live at the center of the family, surrounded by relatives, and their strongest ties are usually with kin. For women sexual love tends to be a matter of brief couplings at festivals or long-term, long-distance romances where the two lovers visit back and forth, but are more often apart than together.
Occasionally, female lovers will move in together, and this has happened more often in modern times. Conservatives see it as yet another example of how society is going to hell in a hand basket. What is going to become of the People, if women and languish and hold onto one another like men? Who is going to look out for the family and children?
In the age of Eh Manhata, this kind of female affection-beyond-the-family was unusual, but it did occasionally happen, and the author of this story, who is determined apparently to break all the ordinary rules of romantic fiction, gives her heroine a lover who is willing to move away from home. The woman was maternal and had no children of her own, the author tells us, and she found Ahara Pai’s children more interesting than her nephews and nieces.
It’s possible that the lover was added to the story to give it a happy ending. The hwarhrath insist on happy endings in their romances, though their idea of a happy ending is not always the same as ours. Or maybe the author put the lover in to shock and perturb.
Eyes-of-crystal was bred three more times. Each time the man was different and came from a different lineage. The author gives the names of lineages, but they would mean nothing to a human reader. Two were important. One was another clinger. The children—two more girls and a boy—were healthy enough to keep, and all of them grew up to be promising. though none equaled the twins. They really were exceptional boys: quick, well-coordinated, intelligent, forceful, good-humored and charming.
“This is the spirit of Eh Manhata showing,” said her family relatives.
No, she thought. The intelligence and good humor came from Eh Shawin. So did the charm, though the boys were able to get what they wanted from both women and men.
Occasionally she heard news about Shawin. Her kinfolk took an interest in him now. His life continued the way he had described it. He was often away from the army, fulfilling contracts his relatives had made. It seemed as if he almost never failed. The children he fathered were strong and healthy. They made it through the dangerous years of childhood with little trouble. His kinsmen began to call him The Progenitor, and this became the nickname that everyone used.
He was less impressive in the war. Not a bad soldier, her male relatives said, but not what they would have expected from Eh Manhata’s twin. “Or from the man who killed those four bandits in our valley. Hah! That was an achievement! We still tell people about it! But he has never done anything comparable.”
When the twins were fourteen, there was a festival at Taihanin. Eyes-of-crystal went, along with other women and enough men to provide protection, though the war had moved to the east by now, and all of Ahara and Eh lay between them and the nearest enemy. Her younger children stayed at home, as did her lover, but the twins were old enough for traveling, and they joined the party.
One evening they came to a caravanserai. There were people there already: a small group of soldiers from Eh. One of her male cousins went to speak with the soldiers. When he returned, he said, “Eh Shawin is there. I asked him over. He’s never met his sons.”
Soon the man himself appeared, walking out of the shadows into the light of Ahara’s fire. No question that he had gotten older. He was still tall and rangy, but he moved stiffly now. The fur on his shoulders and upper arms had turned pale silver-gray. But when he saw her, he smiled, and his smile was unchanged: brief, but affectionate in a way that was not common among men of the people.
She was right, thought Eyes-of-crystal. The boys got their charm from him.
Her cousin stepped forward and introduced the boys. Eh Shawin looked at them. They had shot up in the last year, and it seemed likely that they would be as tall as he was. At the moment, they were thin and as leggy as tsina colts. Like colts, they were nervous and shy. They hung back and ducked their heads, unwilling to meet Eh Shawin’s gaze, though they gave him many sideways glances. But there is nothing wrong with shyness in young men and boys, and their manners were good. They answered his questions promptly and clearly, Ehrit doing most of the talking, as he always did.
Finally, Shawin ran out of questions. The boys were given leave to go, and he came over to Eyes-of-crystal. It wasn’t required that the two of them talk, but it was permissible.
“You’ve done a good job,” he said.
“My sisters more than I,” she said. “And my lover, though I taught the boys to hunt, and that was enjoyable.”
He asked if she had other children. She named them and their fathers.
“Your relatives have been keeping you busy,” he said.
“Not as busy as the Eh have been keeping you, from what I hear.”
He laughed and inclined his head.
They spoke some more about the twins. She praised their qualities, while he looked across the fire. The boys were sprawled on the far side. They had gathered stones and drawn lines in the dirt and were playing a game of strategy. Now and then one of the other would glance up and see Shawin watching, then glance back down.
“So everything has turned out well,” Shawin said finally. “You have a lover and six fine children, and I have my life, which has turned out better than I expected. Hah! I was frightened when I first realized where my sexual interests were likely to lead me.
“I thought our relatives had been wrong. They worried about Manhata becoming a monster. He was always so relentless, and he cared for so few people and none of them male. But I was the one who was the monster. I thought, they will find out and kill me, or I will kill myself. But none of that has happened.”
“Have you never wanted a lover?” asked Eyes-of-crystal.
He glanced at her sideways and smiled. “How could I have one?—I’ll do what I can for your boys when they join the war, though they aren’t going to need much help, being Ahara and having the qualities you describe. But I find it pleasant to do what I can.”
They said goodbye, and he walked back to his campfire, pausing on the way to speak again with his sons.
Eh Shawin lived to be almost eighty, and Eyes-of-crystal reached a hundred, but they never met again, at least so far as the author tells us.
The last part of her story is devoted to the twins, who grew up to be fine soldiers and famous men. When Eh Manhata died at the age of eighty-five, betrayed and murdered by men he trusted, it seemed as if the alliance he had created would be destroyed. It was Ahara Ehrit who held everything together, not through violence, but through negotiation. He was helped (he said) by the fact that the world was full of the children of Eh Shawin. Often, when he met with other lineages, he found that he was talking to a half-brother. And there were certain traits that appeared over and over in Shawin’s children. They were reasonable, flexible, good-humored and willing to make the best of the situation. If they had to, they could fight, but it wasn’t their preferred way to solve problems.
Ehrit is known to history as The Negotiator or The Weaver. Eh Manhata began the alliance that finally became the world government, but Ahara Ehrit saved it.
His brother Tsu was better at warfare, and this also was useful to the alliance. He was among the best generals of his generation, though no one in that generation could equal Eh Manhata. Still, Ahara Tsu won most of the battles he fought. His nickname was The Sword of Ahara. In the opinion of Ehrit, his qualities came from their mother. He was more courageous than was typical of the children of Eh Shawin, more relentless, more disciplined, more bloody-minded and more bent on going his own way, though he always listened to Ehrit, and discipline and loyalty kept him from doing anything seriously off to the side.
Neither of them inherited Eh Manhata’s great force of character. But the new age did not need this quality. They both had lovers, men who stayed with them for years, and though both of them fathered children, so far as is known they did so without pleasure.
Two Notes on the Translation:
In its upper course the River Tsal is confined by high bluffs of sandstone and limestone, but farther to the south it runs between low banks across a level plain. In modern times, engineers have built dams and levees to control it, but in the old days, the river changed course often. Its name comes from these changes in course. Tsal means loose, unfastened, unconnected, wandering and homeless. Another meaning has been added in the last few years, since the People encountered humanity and the human concept of freedom, which does not (apparently) exist in any hwarhath society. Tsal is the word they use to translate the English word ‘free.’ This story, which may be (in part) about freedom, is set by the Loose or Homeless or Untethered or Free River.
In the hwarhath main language, there is no way to speak of people without mentioning their gender. The language has singular female, singular male, singular of undetermined gender, female plural, male plural, mixed plural and undetermined plural. There is no mixed plural form of the word ‘lover.’ Lovers are always both female or both male. The author of this story could have made up a mixed (heterosexual) form of the word. It would have been recognizable, and her readers would have been shocked. But for once she played it safe, or maybe she wanted her readers to come to the center of the story—its hearth or meaning—slowly. The title she gave the story, assuming that it was given by her and not by a nervous publisher, is best translated into English as ‘The Breeders.’ But this title doesn’t sound right to humans and distorts the meaning of the story, which is (after all) about love.
Footnotes:
1 Literally “of a good thread within the woven cord.”
2 Literally “nothing came forward.” The double entendre is in the original.
3 Literally “with katiad.” This is the most important male virtue. If a man has it, he is steadfast, forthright, honest and sincere. He travels like an arrow that is well made and well shot, straight to the target.
4 This is a marsh-dwelling quadruped herbivore. Its body is like a small antelope or deer, except for the broad three-toed feet. Its head is surprisingly large and looks as if it might belong to a refined wart hog. The males have tusks. Both sexes have little piggy eyes and large mobile ears, which are striped lavender and pale yellow inside. Their backs are dull red, almost the same color as the dominant vegetation of the marshes. Their rumps are yellow, except around the anus, where there is a circular area that is entirely hairless. The bare skin is bright pink.
5 The build described here is not typical of male hwahath, who tend to be solid with torsos that go straight up and down. The author is giving us a male protagonist who is a bit odd and humanish in appearance.
6 The old term for families like this was ‘side-clingers,’ though the word can also be translated as ‘shelf fungus’ or even ‘barnacle.’ They were too small to survive on their own, so became allies of some large and powerful lineage, which chose not to absorb them for various reasons. Most powerful was the need to have a nearby source for breeding and sexual partners. In the area where this story takes place, the incest taboo forbade—and still forbids—sex of any kind within a lineage. As the lineages grew larger and larger, this began to be a problem, which was solved—at least in part—by the accumulation of clingers.
First published in Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, July 1994.ALBANY —A 20-year-old man is expected to survive after being shot once in the back on a city street Sunday afternoon, according to a police spokesman.
Officer Steve Smith confirmed that the wounded man, whose name has not been released, managed to make it a short distance from the 700 block of Clinton Avenue, where the gunfire erupted, to the Burger King on Central Avenue.
Eyewitnesses said the shooting victim ran into the restaurant frantically saying that he had been shot and asking for them to call for help before leaving. Several people called 911.
Police responded, and the man was taken by ambulance to the hospital with what police described as non-life-threatening injuries.
A man who identified himself as one of the managers at Burger King declined comment.
At the shooting scene, a city police detective took pictures of several yellow evidence markers on the sidewalk, and at least one officer canvassed the neighborhood of row houses near Bleecker Stadium.
As of Sunday evening, police had not made any arrests and the investigation was ongoing.
Over the past few weeks, Albany police have made several arrests and are looking for others in connection to multiple shootings.CARACAS (Reuters) - Laughing at their own tribulations, Venezuelan theatergoers have been enjoying a new satire about a senior official who broke with President Nicolas Maduro and fled the socialist-ruled country in a boat.
Mercedes Benmoha gets her make up done to perform Venezuela's former chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega before the play "La Fiscal" (The Prosecutor) in Caracas, Venezuela, September 1, 2017. Picture taken September 1, 2017. REUTERS/Andres Martinez Casares
Former chief state prosecutor Luisa Ortega has been one of the protagonists in this year’s political crisis in Venezuela, denouncing rights abuses and corruption before finally going into hiding and moving to Colombia in mid-August.
Dressed in a blonde wig and Ortega’s trademark office suit, actress Mercedes Benmoha recreates some well-known scenes - and imagines others - in a 15-minute show called “The Prosecutor,” which is proving popular at a small venue in a mall.
Benmoha, who happens to be a lawyer like her subject, acts out a news conference and an imaginary phone call with Ortega’s nemesis, state election board head and diehard Maduro ally Tibisay Lucena.
She also recreates the once-powerful Ortega’s attempt to re-enter her office after authorities fired her and security forces surrounded the building.
Jokes fly about corruption, Maduro, and Ortega’s own precipitous fall from power.
“We use humor as a defense mechanism,” Benmoha, 35, told Reuters on Friday night, minutes before going on stage for her sellout show. “It’s our way to survive, to breathe, to entertain ourselves but also to reflect.”
Venezuelans have had little to laugh about this year.
A fourth year of recession and runaway inflation have pummeled households, with shortages and hunger widespread.
Months of opposition-led protests led to about 130 deaths and thousands of injuries.
Having first fled to Aruba in a speedboat, Ortega has been traveling round Latin America denouncing the Maduro government, which in turn has accused her of corruption.
While Venezuela’s opposition has applauded her stance against Maduro, activists also remember she was until recently a pillar of the socialist government and that her office had spearheaded its jailing of political foes.
Benmoha, who co-wrote the script for her show, said she watched more than 800 videos of Ortega to study her gestures and mannerisms. But with her subject still making news almost daily, the play is regularly updated.
When the show started in early August, a producer actually invited Ortega, but she was never able to attend.
After Ortega left the country, however, one of her assistants sent a “Lady Justice” statue that had been in her office. Now, it adorns a Caracas stage every night.by Thomas MacMillan | Dec 16, 2011 5:28 pm
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Shortly after Rob LaRock started working as a line cook at the Pic-Nic restaurant on Chapel Street, John David Coleates started telling him: “I’m not your boss, I’m your friend.”
“I honestly believed that,” LaRock (pictured) said, until Coleates and Jeremiah Kobelka—another Pic-Nic owner—disappeared, leaving dozens of employees like him with bounced checks and IOUs.
LaRock shared his experience through a megaphone Friday at noon as former Pic-Nic workers rallied in front of the shuttered restaurant at 954 Chapel St. with activists from the New Haven Workers Association. It’s the second such rally since the eatery closed up shop in November after being open just two weeks. Read WTNH’s coverage of the first rally here.
Workers said they’re looking into filing a civil suit against Coleates and Kobelka, whom they called serial “con artists” who have “scammed” other workers in similar bait-and-switch schemes in other towns. They said the latest episode fits a pattern of setting up sham businesses then skipping town with investors’ money, before workers are paid.
In this case, the landlord at Pic-Nic told WTNH that the men defrauded him of $25,000.
Coleates and Kobelka could not be reached for comment. A message left on Kobelka’s phone Friday afternoon was not returned.
A background check provided by the workers found Coleates has a history of bankruptcies, liens, and debt lawsuits in Las Vegas, Hawaii and Pennsylvania, including a civil judgement in Hawaii finding that Coleates owed $4.1 million to a company called the Dauer Entertainment Group. Coleates was also convicted on a 2001 federal bank fraud felony charge in New York state, according to the background check. Read the full report here.
Police spokesman Officer Dave Hartman said police have made out three separate reports on the workers’ complaints, which have been submitted to investigative services’ fraud unit. Read one of those reports here. It remains to be seen whether the situation will become a criminal case or if it will be a civil matter to be pursued by the workers.
“It’s just a matter of whether or not this has enough teeth to pursue criminally,” Hartman said. “And there’s nothing to say it wouldn’t.”
At the rally on Friday, former employees spoke about how friendly Coleates and Kobelka had been, how they had seemed so trustworthy.
Joel Vetsch (pictured), who was hired as a server, said the first workers joined in September and went through weeks of training and delays. Some of them pitched in with construction labor to get the place ready for business, Vetsch said.
By November, workers discovered that paychecks they got from Coleates and Kobelka had bounced, Vetsch said. Others hadn’t received payment in any form, he said. By mid-November, the restaurant was closed.
On Dec. 2, Coleates and Kobelka held a staff meeting and promised to straighten everything out, Vetsch said. That was the last workers saw of them.
“They made it seem like we’d all be taken care of,” said James Hutton. He said he was hired as a food prep cook and server, and also pitched in with construction. “I’m owed about three grand and I haven’t seen a dime of it.”
Mike Matteo (pictured), a plumber from North Haven, said he has a signed contract with Coleates and Kobelka that they never honored. He’s owed $3,100 for work he did in the restaurant, he said. Coleates and Kobelka recently wired him $250 with a note that said “Good Faith” but haven’t answered his phone calls,” Matteo said.
Shane Kral (pictured) said he had to give up his apartment and move back in with his parents because he was counting on money from Pic-Nic. Carlyn Soter, a waiter, said she’s had to go down to half-time at her program at University of New Haven.
John Lugo of the New Haven Workers Association said he’s talking with law students at Yale about taking the case on as a civil complaint.
New Haven State Rep. Roland Lemar attended the rally and listened as workers spoke. He said he thinks Coleates and Kobelka are guilty of a “systematic defrauding of our community.” He said he will “marshal local, state, and federal resources” and “work with officials to start a civil proceedings” against the pair.
Lugo also suggested that someone should think about opening a restaurant at the abandoned Pic-Nic spot. The space is ready to go and the workers are too, he said.
In the meantime, workers are still hoping to get their back wages.
But not Co-op High student Kaci Piscatelli (pictured), who said working at Pic-Nic was her first job ever. She said she cares less about the money than about the fate of Coleates and Kobelka, who she said she thought were her friends. “I want them in prison.”
Marco Polo Pressured
After Friday’s rally at Pic-Nic, workers marched to the Marco Polo pizzeria on Crown Street for another protest. They were joined by Joel Matamoros, who said his 18-year-old son Jonathan Matamoros worked at the restaurant for three days—Dec. 9, 10, and 11—and then quit when he was told he wouldn’t be paid for his training time.
State law requires payment of all employees, defined as “any person suffered or permitted to work by an employer.”
At the restaurant, Lugo delivered a letter demanding payment of $214.50 in unpaid wages to Matamoros for 26 hours of work at the $8.25 minimum wage.
The man who received the letter (pictured above) identified himself as an owner but declined to give his name. He acknowledged that the restaurant had not paid Matamoros. “There was no payment. He was training.”
Protestors marched in front of the restaurant for a brief time. Megan Fountain of the New Haven Workers Association said an employee later came out, gave Joel Matamoros a form to fill out, and promised to have a check for his son on Saturday morning.Race to succeed Joe Hockey in North Sydney 'a stitch-up' say Liberal Party insiders
Updated
The process to appoint the new federal Liberal candidate for Joe Hockey's former seat of North Sydney has been described from those within the party as a "stitch-up" and undemocratic.
With a 15.9 per cent margin, North Sydney is one of the safest federal Liberal electorates in Australia.
The seat was held by the former treasurer for nearly 20 years and now the party is facing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to choose a new candidate.
But some insiders say that opportunity has been missed, and instead of a genuine competition the safe seat is being effectively handed to a party apparatchik, the NSW Liberal Party's acting state president Trent Zimmerman.
Barrister and Liberal Party member Juris Laucis is disappointed in the process, saying that the Liberal Party machine has guaranteed that Mr Zimmerman will win the contest.
"Trent Zimmerman has almost 50 per cent in the bag even before you start the pre-selection voting, and that's not democratic," he told 7.30.
The other two candidates standing against Mr Zimmerman are John Hart, the chief executive of Restaurant and Catering Australia, and Dr Helen Cartledge, an engineer working with the Army.
Do you know more about this story? Email [email protected]
"I think it is a stitch-up for (Trent) Zimmerman who is the favoured one, favoured by the executive of the state Liberal Party," Mr Laucis said.
"The problem with the other two candidates is that it splits the vote against Mr Zimmerman. So I think there is very little chance of them succeeding."
The candidate will be decided by a vote of 48 members from the North Sydney branch, and around 40 from the Liberal Party's state executive and state council. There would have been 48 from the central branch, but 7.30 understands eight of them have been ruled out on technicalities such as not attending a sufficient number of Liberal Party meetings.
Mr Laucis is a member in the neighbouring Warringah branch. He says a decision by the NSW Liberal Party not to allow all the branch members of North Sydney to vote for a candidate is a mistake.
He risks expulsion from the party by speaking out about the preselection process.
"I'm fully aware that as member of Liberal Party I am not supposed to speak about party matters to the press, however when there is no avenue of complaint within the constitution when you feel the executive are not doing the right thing there is no other choice," he said.
"If it means I get expelled so be it, but it's not really worth being part of a party that does not practice democracy."
'They should look for better candidates'
North Sydney Mayor Jilly Gibson used to be a Liberal Party member, and says supporters are urging her to run in North Sydney as an independent candidate.
"I'm disappointed in the (Liberal Party) pre-selection process," she said.
"It seems as though the rules have been bent a little bit, and if they're going to bend the rules why not bend them in favour of a woman?"
She said she would consider running if she could find a financial backer.
"I'd love the job, and if someone would like to bankroll my campaign, I'll put my hand up for nomination."
North Sydney has been represented by an independent in the past. The seat was held between 1990 to 1996 by Ted Mack.
Mr Mack said he believes that the Liberal Party has not scoured its ranks for the best candidate.
"Whoever is the candidate can be here for 20 to 30 years, so they should look for the best candidate they can possibly find," he told 7.30.
Mr Mack agrees the Liberal Party should involve its grassroots members and the broader public in selecting the next member for North Sydney.
"I think they should look for better candidates," he said.
"I think they should put up four candidates, two women and two men, and let the public decide which one."
The Australian Electoral Commission estimates that the by-election, which will take place on December 5, will cost over $1 million.
Topics: liberals, political-parties, government-and-politics, north-sydney-2060
First postedIn T.H. White’s fantasy novel The Once and Future King, Merlyn the magician suffers from a rare and incurable condition: He experiences time in reverse. He knows what will happen, he laments, but not what has happened. “I have to live backwards from in front, while surrounded by a lot of people living forwards from behind,” he explains to a justifiably confused companion.
While Merlyn is fictional, the backward flow of time should not be. As the society of ants in White’s novel proclaimed, “everything not forbidden is compulsory,” and the laws of physics do not forbid time to run backward. Equations that determine the acceleration of a rocket or the momentum of a billiard ball all work just as well with time flowing backward as forward. Yet unlike Merlyn, we remember the past but not the future. We get older but never younger. There is a distinct arrow of time pointing in one direction.
For nearly 140 years, scientists haveGuenther Steiner says the Haas F1 Team intends to "trickle" in new parts every few races, with a new rear wing set to appear at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.
The American debutants will also run with its new front wing in Barcelona, after trying it out in China and Russia, and in addition will switch to using Ferraris latest power unit.
"We've made a few changes to the car," said Steiner, ahead of the first European race of the season. "We've got a new front wing that we tested for the first time in China, and we've got a new rear wing that we'll race for the first time in Barcelona.
"We won't have big changes on a set schedule. We'll introduce new parts when we feel we've made enough gains. New parts from our development will trickle in every few races, just like every other team does."
Quizzed on the new front wing, first seen in China, Steiner added: "We started to run with it in China, but we had some other issues to work out [with the tyres] so we decided not to focus on the new front wing. We left the old wing on because we knew that the original wing worked. We re-tested it [again] during FP1 in Russia and both drivers liked it. It makes the car more stable around the track in cornering, so we've decided to use the new wing going forward."
To date, the team has scored points in three of the first four races, and currently sits fifth in the Constructors' with 22 points on the board, something Steiner concedes he did not expect coming into the team's maiden season.
"To be honest, no [achieving that didn't enter my mind]. But we are very happy and we'll take it," he continued.
"The team has developed a lot in these two months from where we were, but it's normal for a new team. It's a very good thing that we're growing and making improvements. We're a lot better team now than we were two months ago. The team has made significant steps."Wikileaks’ Friday leak of nearly 20,000 Democratic National Committee (DNC) emails reveals many nefarious activities. In light of new evidence the DNC intentionally sabotaged Bernie Sanders while DNC staffersmocked him, Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party continue to be hit with embarrassing revelations.
One of the most damning findings of the leak is the fact Clinton and the DNC have worked closely with, manipulated, and bullied media outlets.
One email revealed Politico reporter Ken Vogel sent an article discussing the DNC to the DNC before he sent it to his editors. Vogel attached his story in an email titled, “per agreement… any thoughts appreciated,” sent April 30, 2016, to Mark Paustenbach, Deputy Communications Director for the Democratic National Committee.
The article, which appeared to criticize, or at least examine, Clinton and the DNC’s fundraising tactics, was forwarded by Paustenbach to Luis Miranda, Communications Director at Democratic National Committee.
“Vogel gave me his story ahead of time/before it goes to his editors as long as I didn’t share it. Let me know if you see anything that’s missing and I’ll push back,” Paustenbach wrote. The conflict of interest apparent when a journalist — one who is supposed to be questioning the DNC — allows the DNC access and input to that very investigation can hardly be understated.
But first-look deals with journalists who are supposed to be criticizing those in power are not the only media revelations of Wikileaks’ latest leak.
Another email, titled “WaPo Party,” revealed the Washington Post held an “unlisted” fundraiser with the DNC. “They aren’t going to give us a price per ticket and do not want their party to be listed in any package we are selling to donors,” wrote Anu Rangappa, Senior Advisor for General Election Strategies for the DNC, in September of last year. Jordan Kaplan, National Finance Director for the DNC, replied, “Great – we were never going to list since the lawyers told us we cannot do it.”
Ironically, in November of last year, the Washington Post published an in-depth investigation into the Clinton money machine. The article, entitled, “41 Years. $3 Billion. Inside the Clinton donor network,” questioned the huge flow of cash the Clintons have cultivated over the years. At other points, it marveled at their abilities to rake in so much funding. At no point did it disclose the Post’s fundraiser for Hillary.
In February of this year, the Washington Post published an article entitled, “Democratic Party fundraising effort helps Clinton find new donors, too.”
The article highlighted Clinton’s success attracting low-level donors, and though it acknowledged her access to big money, it ultimately painted her as moving the party forward. Campaign spokesman Josh Schwerin, who was also involved with managing Vogel’s Politico article, was quoted in the article:
“‘Republicans are spending record amounts trying to beat Democrats, and we want to ensure that the Democratic nominee and candidates up and down the ballot are backed by a strong party with the resources needed to win,’ said campaign spokesman Josh Schwerin.”
The Post also cited platitudes from Clinton, herself.
In yet another brazen instance revealed by the Wikileaks data dump, Debbie Wasserman Schultz attempted to silence MSNBC Morning Joe anchor Mika Brzezinski after the anchor criticized her, particularly for alleged unfairness to the Bernie Sanders campaign.
Citing a Breitbart article detailing Brzezinski’s criticisms, DNC employee Kate Houghton notified Wasserman Schultz of the bad press.
“On Wednesday, MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe’ co-host Mika Brzezinski called for DNC Chair Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) to ‘step down’ over her handling of this year’s Democratic presidential primary.
After playing a clip of Wasserman Schultz, Brzezinski said, ‘This has been very poorly handled from the start. It has been unfair, and they haven’t taken him seriously, and it starts, quite frankly, with the person that we just heard speaking.
It just does.’ Brzezinski added of Wasserman Schultz, ‘She should step down,’” read theBreitbart article, as copied and pasted into Houghton’s email to Wasserman Schultz.
Wasserman Schultz forwarded Houghton’s email to Miranda, adding, “This is the LAST straw. Please call Phil a Griffin. This is outrageous. She needs to apologize.”
Phil A. Griffin is the president of MSNBC, and Wasserman Schultz ultimately went to him herself. Miranda contacted Chuck Todd of MSNBC — whom Wasserman Schultz also evidently contacted to complain.
“Hey Chuck,” Miranda wrote. “Per our conversation earlier today, I’d appreciate it if you passed along the following to the Morning Joe team. I understand Joe and Mika will say whatever they’re going to say in terms of opinion, but at a minimum they should consider the facts on some of the key allegations they’re making.”
Miranda proceeded to share a list of talking points regarding fundraising and allegations of voter fraud at the Democratic caucus in Nevada.
“Let me know if there’s anything else I can provide,” Miranda concluded.
Earlier this year, MSNBC was revealed to employ multiple guest pundits who regularly complimented Hillary Clinton. The corporate news outlet failed to disclose the pundits were also consultants for firms working for the Clinton campaign.
Further, as the Intercept reported last year, “The top fundraisers for Clinton include lobbyists who serve the parent companies of CNN and MSNBC.” Such relationships likely demonstrate why Wasserman felt obliged to contact the president of one of the biggest media outlets in the United States to pressure them to change their coverage of her.
These close ties denote nearly the opposite of a “free press” intended to provide a balance to the narratives of those in power.
In another instance, though no particular media outlet appears to be involved, the DNC discussed crafting narratives against Bernie Sanders. One narrative attempted to cast his campaign as sloppy and disorganized. Another sought to paint him as an atheist to alienate Christians in the South.
While the revelations are new in regard to the DNC’s attempts to manipulate and work with the media, they are painfully old when it comes to Clinton. Last year, emails were released from 2011 that showed Clinton’s State Department planted questions for a “60 Minutes” interview with Julian Assange. As then-Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, Philip Crowley, wrote in an email to Clinton:
“60 Minutes assures me that they raised a number of questions and concerns we planted with them during the course of the interview.”
Suggesting the interview would not be embarrassing to Clinton or the State Department, he added, “We will |
to a recent state crackdown. From the King County Department of Health’s standpoint, a spokeswoman told me,
“if an establishment, regardless what it calls itself (private
club, dinner club, members-only, etc) is essentially open to the public
and charges or accepts money for providing a meal, then it essentially
requires a permit from Public Health – Seattle & King County in order to operate. This is true even if the establishment moves locations or is
by “invitation” only, doesn’t allow walk-ins, etc.”
I would guess there’s room for debate with Cache over what “essentially open to the public” means.
In any event, Garbee said that none of the restaurants involved had a problem with allowing a reporter into their guest ranks, or sharing their recipes. The dinners may be clandestine, but the stories are here to share — or, in other words, the secret is out.Even the politically incorrect liberal knows that taxes on the rich have gotten out of hand
For all of the Republican Party's recent introspection and ideological invigoration, conservatives can't simply look in-house to find solutions. We need to breach the bubble and listen to others. For an unlikely starter: Bill Maher.
Recently, Maher shocked his HBO show's audience (and Rachel Maddow) into silence when he declared that liberals might lose his support. Why? Punitive taxes.
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"Liberals, you could actually lose me," Maher said. "It's outrageous what we're paying [in taxes]. Over 50 percent. I'm willing to pay my share, but yeah, it's ridiculous."
Watch:
SEE MORE: 7 of the world's most infamous tax havens
This is not just a rich guy whining. These comments represent a growing problem for liberals.
Faced with a choice between smaller government and an expansive government with higher taxes, Americans are increasingly choosing smaller government. It's not hard to see why.
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At the federal level, where the highest tax bracket is nearly 40 percent, the "rich" provide over 70 percent of all income tax revenue. That's a big number.
And it doesn't end there. Consider state taxes. In California, the top rate (on earnings over $1 million) is newly increased from 10.3 percent to 13.3 percent. In New York, similar tax increases have recently been entrenched. High-income residents in these states are now regularly giving more than half of their income to the government.
SEE MORE: 10 things you need to know today: March 30, 2013
I don't like the easy conservative rhetoric surrounding Marxism. But when you pay more than half your income to the government, that's socialism.
The high-tax lobby likes to pretend that marginal rates have little impact on residency and economic activity. But they're wrong. In the 21st century, capital, especially at high income levels, is highly moveable. And economic opportunity and amenities are diversified across multiple locales. (It's not just New York that has high-end restaurants). As a result, individuals and businesses are deciding to relocate to the place of best return.
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Consider a 2012 study from the Manhattan Institute. Between 1990 and 2010, the five greatest net-loss domestic migration states were California, New York, Illinois, Michigan, and New Jersey. All high-tax, big-union Democratic states with major debt problems.
The five net-gain domestic migration states? Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona. All low-tax Republican (or Republican-leaning) states.
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Of course, not all Americans share the foundational conservative aversion to high taxes. After all, taxing the rich offers the ultimate "tax the man behind the tree" scenario. However, when the man moves out from behind the tree (i.e. relocates to Florida or Texas), everything changes. Now someone else has to pay the bill. Take California, where already-high taxes were just increased on those in the $250,000 to $300,000 income bracket. "Rich" is a subjective term and one that begets a confiscatory system without end.
The lesson for conservatives is clear. Across America, the GOP dominates state legislatures. Why? Because when the liberal governance model hits home, it isn't pleasant.
SEE MORE: America is raising a generation of interns
We must offer an alternative. We must show Americans that tax confiscation isn't positive and that it won't end with the rich. Math is a science to which government expenditures must ultimately reconcile. If conservatives don't rise to this challenge, we know where it'll end: With a generation buried in the grave of a bloated, economically stagnant and morally unjust welfare state.
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Like on Facebook - Follow on Twitter - Sign-up for Daily NewsletterWhen a baby elephant is born in captivity and the trainer wants to ensure he can control the elephant, he places a rope on one of the calf‘s legs and the rope is attached to a sturdy wooden post. This is the first and most important step the trainer will take to keep the elephant within a certain proximity for the rest of its life.
This wooden post will cause the rope to pull on the calf’s leg whenever it tries to move out of the allotted proximity.
When the elephant is young his primal instinct is to be free.
So this calf will enthusiastically pulls against the post day after day, until after tugging for a few years and never pulling free…the young elephant will give up.
Thus, before the elephant can even vaguely begin to understand his future potential and power…he is convinced that he is powerless.
13,000 pounds and a decade later this elephant can be bound with the same rope to the same small wooden post and totally confined.
Confined not because he can be contained…
But confined, because he believes it useless to tug!
Confined, in the mind!
The boundary is now in the elephant’s head, not in the system.
Many of us are just like this elephant when it comes to pursuing our dreams, goals and aspirations.
We believe the system won’t let us succeed.
But remember, the system has completely changed.
The old system is just a present illusion.
It’s all in your mind.
In fact, many of the systems that seemingly confined us in the past have completely broken down and/or changed!
In 1970, owning a corporation provided the owner a rare kind of leverage…
In 2016, owning a laptop computer with a WiFi connection, provides equitable leverage and access to all the information you’ll ever need.
In 1980, if you wanted to write a book, you needed a publisher to agree your manuscript had the potential to attract a large audience.
In 2016, you can write and self-publish your work, then sell it on the online platform of your choosing. Your audience or lack thereof will be the judge of your work…not a middle man!
In 1990, if you wanted large audiences to hear what you had to say, you needed a promotable theme, expensive marketing, print and television advertising, a booking agent, plus an event stage or theater where you would say what you had to say.
In 2016, if you want to be heard…just connect to social media and hundreds, maybe thousands will follow you, participate as your audience and listen to what you have to say!
In 2000, access to information that assisted us in doing and creating meaningful work came to our workstations via cables and wires.
In 2016, access to information that can assist us in doing and creating meaningful work can be done anywhere with a wireless internet or LTE data connection.
What have you attempted to do in the past, that failed?
What have you been told you cannot do?
How long ago was that?
Have you tugged against your wooden post recently?
You should…
Only two things will happen…
You will fail…or you will succeed!
Your chances are 50/50 if you tug.
Your chances are 0% if you don’t.
So go ahead. Tug!!
That wooden post is weak in comparison to your untapped potential and power. You just might uproot that wooden post and find that your ‘confinement’ was nothing more than a mental illusion.
Wake up!! Tug!!!
…and stay inspired; t’s a lifestyle choice.
To say connected, be sure to follow me on the following social media outlets by hitting the links below:Many if not most people who go to medical school are making a huge mistake—one they won’t realize they’ve made until it’s too late to undo.
So many medical students, residents, and doctors say they wish they could go back in time and tell themselves to do something—anything—else. Their stories are so similar that they’ve inspired me to explain, in detail, the underappreciated yet essential problems with medical school and residency. Potential doctors also don’t realize becoming a nurse or physicians assistant (PA) provides many of the job security advantages of medical school without binding those who start to at least a decade, and probably a lifetime, of finance-induced servitude.
The big reasons to be a doctor are a) lifetime earning potential, b) the limited number of doctors who are credentialed annually, which implies that doctors can restrict supply and thus will always have jobs available, c) higher perceived social status, and d) a desire to “help people” (there will be much more on the dubious value of that last one below).
These reasons come with numerous problems: a) it takes a long time for doctors to make that money, b) it’s almost impossible to gauge whether you’ll actually like a profession or the process of joining that profession until you’re already done, c) most people underestimate opportunity costs, and d) you have to be able to help yourself before you can help other people (and the culture of medicine and medical education is toxic).
Straight talk about doctors and money.
You’re reading this because you tell your friends and maybe yourself that you “want to help people,” but let’s start with the cash. Although many doctors will eventually make a lot of money, they take a long time to get there. Nurses can start making real salaries of around $50,000 when they’re 22. Doctors can’t start making real money until they’re at least 29, and often not until they’re much older.
Keep that in mind when you read the following numbers.
Student Doctor reports that family docs make about $130 – $200K on average, which sounds high compared to what I’ve heard on the street (Student Doctor’s numbers also don’t discuss hours worked). The Bureau of Labor Statistics—a more reliable source—reports that primary care physicians make an average of $186,044 per year. Notice, however, that’s an average, and it also doesn’t take into account overhead. Notice too that the table showing that BLS data indicates more than 40% of doctors are in primary care specialties. Family and general practice doctors make a career median annual wage of $163,510.
Nurses, by contrast, make about $70K a year. They also have a lot of market power—especially skilled nurses who might otherwise be doctors. Christine Mackey-Ross describes these economic dynamics in “The New Face of Health Care: Why Nurses Are in Such High Demand.” Nurses are gaining market power because medical costs are rising and residency programs have a stranglehold on the doctor supply. More providers must come from somewhere. As we know from econ 101, when you limit supply in the face of rising demand, prices rise.
The limit on the number of doctors is pretty sweet if you’re already a doctor, because it means you have very little competition and, if you choose a sufficiently demanding specialty, you can make a lot of money. But it’s bad for the healthcare system as a whole because too many patients chase too few doctors. Consequently, the system is lurching in the direction of finding ways to provide healthcare at lower costs. Like, say, through nurses and PAs.
Those nurses and PAs are going to end up competing with primary care docs. Look at one example, from the New York Times’s “U.S. Moves to Cut Back Regulations on Hospitals:”
Under the proposals, issued with a view to “impending physician shortages,” it would be easier for hospitals to use “advanced practice nurse practitioners and physician assistants in lieu of higher-paid physicians.” This change alone “could provide immediate savings to hospitals,” the administration said.
Primary care docs are increasingly going to see pressure on their wages from nurse practitioners for as long as health care costs outstrip inflation. Consider “Yes, the P.A. Will See You Now:”
Ever since he was a hospital volunteer in high school, Adam Kelly was interested in a medical career. What he wasn’t interested in was the lifestyle attached to the M.D. degree. “I wanted to treat patients, but I wanted free time for myself, too,” he said. “I didn’t want to be 30 or 35 before I got on my feet — and then still have a lot of loans to pay back.”
To recap: nurses start making money when they’re 22, not 29, and they are eating into the market for primary care docs. Quality of care is a concern, but the evidence thus far shows no difference between nurse practitioners who act as primary-care providers and MDs who do.
Calls to lower doctor pay, like the one found in Matt Ygleasias’s “We pay our doctors way too much,” are likely to grow louder. Note that I’m not taking a moral or economic stance on whether physician pay should be higher or lower: I’m arguing that the pressure on doctors’ pay is likely to increase because of fundamental forces on healthcare.
To belabor the point about money, The Atlantic recently published “The average female primary-care physician would have been financially better off becoming a physician assistant.” Notice: “Interestingly, while the PA field started out all male, the majority of graduates today are female. The PA training program is generally 2 years, shorter than that for doctors. Unsurprisingly, subsequent hourly earnings of PAs are lower than subsequent hourly earnings of doctors.”
Although the following sentence doesn’t use the word “opportunity costs,” it should: “Even though both male and female doctors both earn higher wages than their PA counterparts, most female doctors don’t work enough hours at those wages to financially justify the costs of becoming a doctor.” I’m not arguing that women shouldn’t become doctors. But I am arguing that women and men both underestimate the opportunity costs of med school. If they understood those costs, fewer would go.
Plus, if you get a nursing degree, you can still go to medical school (as long as you have the pre-requisite courses; hell, you can major in English and go to med school as long as you take the biology, math, physics, and chemistry courses that med schools require). Apparently some medical schools will sniff at nurses who want to become doctors because of the nursing shortage and, I suspect, because med schools want to maintain a clear class / status hierarchy with doctors at top. Med schools are run by doctors invested in the dotor mystique. But the reality is simpler: medical schools want people with good MCAT scores and GPAs. Got a 4.0 and whatever a high MCAT score is? A med school will defect and take you.
One medical resident friend read a draft of this essay and simply said that she “didn’t realize that I was looking for nursing.” Or being a PA. She hated her third year of medical school, as most med students do, and got shafted in her residency—which she effectively can’t leave. Adam Kelly is right: more people should realize what “the lifestyle attached to an M.D. degree” means.
They should also understand “The Bullying Culture of Medical School” and residency, which is pervasive and pernicious—and it contributes to the relationship failures that notoriously plague the medical world. Yet med schools and residencies can get away with this because they have students and residents by the loans.
Why would my friend have realized that she wanted to be a nurse? Our culture doesn’t glorify nursing the way it does doctoring (except, maybe, on Halloween and in adult cinema). High academic achievers think being a doctor is the optimal road to success in the medical world. They see eye-popping surgeon salary numbers and rhetoric about helping people without realizing that nurses help people too, or that their desire to help people is likely to be pounded out of them by a cold, uncaring system that uses the rhetoric of helping to sucker undergrads into mortgaging their souls to student loans. Through the magic of student loans, schools are steadily siphoning off more of doctors’ lifetime earnings. Given constraints and barriers to entry into medicine, I suspect med schools and residencies will be able to continue doing so for the foreseeable future. The logical response for individuals is exit the market because they have so little control over it.
Sure, $160K/year probably sounds like a lot to a random 21-year-old college student, because it is, but after taking into account the investment value of money, student loans for undergrad, student loans for med school, how much nurses make, and residents’ salaries, most doctors’ earnings probably fail to outstrip nurses’ earnings until well after the age of 40. Dollars per hour worked probably don’t outstrip nurses’ earnings until even later.
To some extent, you’re trading happiness, security, dignity, and your sex life in your 20s, and possibly early 30s, for a financial opportunity that might not pay off until your 50s.
Social status is nice, but not nearly as nice when you’re exhausted at 3 a.m. as a third-year, or exhausted at 3 a.m. as a first-year resident, or exhausted at 3 a.m. as a third-year resident and you’re 30 and you just want a quasi-normal life, damnit, and maybe some time to be an artist. Or when you’re exhausted at 3 a.m. as an attending on-call physician because the senior doctors at the HMO know how to stiff the newbies by forcing them to “pay their dues.”
This is where prospective medical students protest, “I’m not going to be a family medicine doc.” Which is okay: maybe you won’t be. Have fun in five or seven years of residency instead of three. But don’t confuse the salaries of superstar specialties like neurosurgery and cardiology with the average experience; more likely than not you’re average. There’s this social ideal of doctors being rich. Not all are, even with barriers to entry in place.
The underrated miseries of residency
As one resident friend said, “You can see why doctors turn into the kind of people they do.” He meant that the system itself lets patients abuse doctors, doctors abuse residents, and for people to generally treat each other not like people, but like cogs. At least nurses who discover they hate nursing can quit, since they will have a portable undergrad degree and won’t have obscene graduate school student loans. They can probably go back to school and get a second degree in twelve to twenty-four months. (Someone with a standard bachelor’s degree can probably enter nursing in the same time period.)
In normal jobs, a worker who learns about a better opportunity in another company or industry can pursue it. Students sufficiently dissatisfied with their university can transfer.[1] Many academic grad schools make quitting easy. Residencies don’t. The residency market is tightly controlled by residency programs that want to restrict residents’ autonomy—and thus their wages and bargaining power. Once you’re in a residency, it’s very hard to leave, and you can only do so at particular in the gap between each residency year.
This is a recipe for exploitation; many of the labor battles during the first half of the twentieth century were fought to prevent employers from wielding this kind of power. For medical residents, however, employers have absolute power enshrined in law—though employers cloak their power in the specious word “education.”
Once a residency program has you, they can do almost anything they want to you, and you have little leverage. You don’t want to be in situations where you have no leverage, yet that’s precisely what happens the moment you enter the “match.”
Let’s explain the match, since almost no potential med students understand it. The match occurs in the second half of the fourth year of medical school. Students apply to residencies in the first half of their fourth year, interview at potential hospitals, and then list the residencies they’re interested in. Residency program directors then rank the students, and the National Residency Match Program “matches” students to programs using a hazily described algorithm.
Students are then obligated to attend that residency program. They can’t privately negotiate with other programs, as students can for, say, undergrad admissions, or med school admissions—or almost any other normal employment situation. Let me repeat and bold: Residents can’t negotiate. They can’t say, “How about another five grand?” or “Can I modify my contract to give me fewer days?” If a resident refuses to accept her “match,” then she’s blackballed from re-entering for the next three years.
Residency programs have formed a cartel designed to control cost and reduce employee autonomy, and hence salaries. I only went to law school for a year, by accident, but even I know enough law and history to recognize a very clear situation of the sort that anti-trust laws are supposed to address in order to protect workers. When my friend entered the match process like a mouse into a snake’s mouth, I became curious, because the system’s cruelty, exploitation, and unfairness to residents is an obvious example of employers banding together to harm employees. Lawyers often get a bad rap—sometimes for good reasons—but the match looked ripe for lawyers to me.
It turns out that I’m not a legal genius and that real lawyers have noticed this obvious anti-trust violation; an anti-trust lawsuit was filed in the early 2000s. Read about it in the NYTimes, including a grimly hilarious line about how “The defendants say the Match is intended to help students and performs a valuable service.” Ha! A valuable service to employers, since employees effectively can’t quit or negotiate with individual employers. Curtailing employee power by distorting markets is a valuable service. The article also notes regulatory capture:
Meanwhile, the medical establishment, growing increasingly concerned about the legal fees and the potential liability for hundreds of millions of dollars in damages, turned to Congress for help. They hired lobbyists to request legislation that would exempt the residency program from the accusations. A rider, sponsored by Senators Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, and Judd Gregg, Republican of New Hampshire, was attached to a pension act, which President Bush signed into law in April.
In other words, employers bought Congress and President Bush in order to screw residents.[2] If you attend med school, you’re agreeing to be screwed for three to eight years after you’ve incurred hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt, and you have few if any legal rights to attack the exploitative system you’ve entered.
(One question I have for knowledgeable readers: do you know of any comprehensive discussion of residents and unions? Residents can apparently unionize—which, if I were a medical resident, would be my first order of business—but the only extended treatment of the issue I’ve found so far is here, which deals with a single institution. Given how poorly residents are treated, I’m surprised there haven’t been more unionization efforts, especially in union-friendly, resident-heavy states like California and New York. One reason might be simple: people fear being blackballed at their ultimate jobs, and a lot of residents seem to have Stockholm Syndrome.)
Self-interested residency program directors will no doubt argue that residency is set up the way it is because the residency experience is educational. So will doctors. Doctors argue for residency being essential because they have a stake in the process. Residency directors and other administrators make money off residents who work longer hours and don’t have alternatives. We shouldn’t be surprised that they seek other legal means of restricting competition—so much of the fight around medicine isn’t about patient care; it’s about regulatory environments and legislative initiatives. For one recent but very small example of the problems, see “When the Nurse Wants to Be Called ‘Doctor’,” concerning nursing doctorates.
I don’t buy their arguments for more than ad hominem reasons. The education at many residency programs is tenuous at best. One friend, for example, is in a program that requires residents to attend “conference,” where residents are supposed to learn. But “conference” usually degenerates into someone nattering and most of the residents reading or checking their phones. Conference is mandatory, regardless of its utility. Residents aren’t 10 year olds, yet they’re treated as such.
These problems are well-known (“What other profession routinely kicks out a third of its seasoned work force and replaces it with brand new interns every year?”). But there’s no political impetus to act: doctors like limiting their competition, and people are still fighting to get into medical school.
Soldiers usually make four-year commitments to the military. Even ROTC only demands a four- to five-year commitment after college graduation—at which point officers can choose to quit and do something else. Medicine is, in effect, at least a ten-year commitment: four of medical school, at least three of residency, and at least another three to pay off med school loans. At which point a smiling twenty-two-year-old graduate will be a glum thirty-two-year-old doctor who doesn’t entirely get how she got to be a doctor anyway, and might tell her earlier self the things that earlier self didn’t know.
Contrast this experience with nursing, which requires only a four-year degree, or PAs, who have two to three years of additional school. As John Goodman points out in “Why Not A Nurse?“, nursing is much less heavily or uniformly regulated than doctoring. Nurses can move to Oregon:
Take JoEllen Wynne. When she lived in Oregon, she had her own practice. As a nurse practitioner, she could draw blood, prescribe medication (including narcotics) and even admit patients to the hospital. She operated like a primary care physician and without any supervision from a doctor. But, JoEllen moved to Texas to be closer to family in 2006. She says, “I would have loved to open a practice here, but due to the restrictions, it is difficult to even volunteer.” She now works as an advocate at the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
and, based on the article, avoid Texas. Over time, we’ll see more articles like “Why Nurses Need More Authority: Allowing nurses to act as primary-care providers will increase coverage and lower health-care costs. So why is there so much opposition from physicians?” Doctors will oppose this, because it’s in their economic self-interest to avoid more competition.
The next problem with becoming a doctor involves what economists call “information asymmetry.” Most undergraduates making life choices don’t realize the economic problems I’ve described above, let alone some of the other problems I’m going to describe here. When I lay out the facts about becoming a doctor to my freshmen writing students, many of those who want to be doctors look at me suspiciously, like I’m offering them a miracle weight-loss drug or have grown horns and a tail.
“No,” I can see them thinking, “this can’t be true because it contradicts so much of what I’ve been implicitly told by society.” They don’t want to believe. Which is great—right up to the point they have to live their lives, and see how their how those are lives are being shaped by forces that no one told them about. Just like no one told them about opportunity costs or what residencies are really like.
Medical students and doctors have complained to me about how no one told them how bad it is. No one really told them, that is. I’m not sure how much of this I should believe, but, at the very least, if you’re reading this essay you’ve been told. I suspect a lot of now-doctors were told or had an inkling of what it’s really like, but they failed to imagine the nasty reality of 24- or 30-hour call.
They, like most people, ignore information that conflicts with their current belief system about the glamor of medicine to avoid cognitive dissonance (as we all do: this is part of what Jonathan Haidt points out in The Righteous Mind, as does Daniel Kahneman in Thinking, Fast and Slow). Many now-doctors, even if they were aware, probably ignored that awareness and now complain—in other words, even if they had better information, they’d have ignored it and continued on their current path. They pay attention to status and money instead of happiness.
For example, Penelope Trunk cites Daniel Gilert’s Stumbling on Happiness and says:
Unfortunately, people are not good at picking a job that will make them happy. Gilbert found that people are ill equipped to imagine what their life would be like in a given job, and the advice they get from other people is bad, (typified by some version of “You should do what I did.”)
Let’s examine some other vital takeaways from Stumbling on Happiness: [3]
* Making more than about $40,000/year does little to improve happiness (this should probably be greater in, say, NYC, but the main point stands: people think money and happiness show a linear correlation when they really don’t).
* Most people value friends, family, and social connections more than additional money, at least once their income reaches about $40K/year. If you’re trading time with friends and family for money, or, worse, for commuting, you’re making a tremendous, doctor-like mistake.
* Your sex life probably matters more than your job, and many people mis-optimize in this area. I’ve heard many residents and med students say they’re too busy to develop relationships or have sex with their significant others, if they manage to retain one or more, and this probably makes them really miserable.
* Making your work meaningful is important.
Attend med school without reading Gilbert at your own peril. No one in high school or college warns you of the dangers of seeking jobs that harm your sex life, because high schools are too busy trying to convince you not to have one. So I’m going issue the warning: if you take a job that makes you too tired to have sex or too tired to engage in contemporary mate-seeking behaviors, you’re probably making a mistake.
The sex-life issue might be overblown, because people who really want to have one find a way to have one; some med students and residents are just offering the kinds of generic romantic complaints that everyone stupidly offers, and which mean nothing more than discussion about the weather. You can tell what a person really wants by observing what they do, rather than what they say.
But med students and residents have shown enough agony over trade-offs and time costs to make me believe that med school does generate a genuine pall over romantic lives. There is a correlation-is-not-causation problem—maybe med school attracts the romantically inept—but I’m willing to assume for now that it doesn’t.
The title of Trunk’s post is “How much money do you need to be happy? Hint: Your sex life matters more.” If you’re in an industry that consistently makes you too tired for sex, you’re doing things wrong and need to re-prioritize. Nurses can work three twelves a week, or thirty-six total hours, and be okay. But, as described above, being a doctor doesn’t let employees re-prioritize.
Proto-doctors screw up their 20s and 30s, sexually speaking, because they’ve committed to a job that’s so cruel to its occupants that, if doctors were equally cruel to patients, those doctors would be sued for malpractice. And the student loans mean that med students effectively can’t quit. They’ve traded sex for money and gotten a raw deal. They’ll be surrounded by people who are miserable and uptight—and who have also mis-prioritized.
You probably also don’t realize how ill-equipped you are to what your life would be like as a doctor because a lot of doctors sugarcoat their jobs, or because you don’t know any actual doctors. So you extrapolate from people who say, “That’s great” when you say you want to be a doctor. If you say you’re going to stay upwind and see what happens, they don’t say, “That’s great,” because they simply think you’re another flaky college student. But saying “I want to go to med school” or “I want to go to law school” isn’t a good way to seem level-headed (though I took the latter route; fortunately, I had the foresight to quit). Those routes, if they once led to relative success and happiness, don’t any more, at least for most people, who can’t imagine what life is like on the other end of the process. With law, at least the process is three years, not seven or more.
No one tells you this because there’s still a social and cultural meme about how smart doctors are. Some are. Lots more are very good memorizers and otherwise a bit dull. And you know what? That’s okay. Average doctors seeing average patients for average complaints are fixing routine problems. They’re directing traffic when it comes to problems they can’t solve. Medicine doesn’t select for being well-rounded, innovative, or interesting; if anything, it selects against those traits through its relentless focus on test scores, which don’t appear to correlate strongly with being interesting or intellectual.
Doctors aren’t necessarily associating with the great minds of your generation by going to medical school. Doctors may not even really be associating with great minds. They might just be associating with excellent memorizers. I didn’t realize this until I met lots of of doctors, had repeated stabs at real conversations with them, and eventually realized that many aren’t intellectually curious and imaginative. There are, of course, plenty of smart, intellectually curious doctors, but given the meme about the intelligence of doctors, there are fewer than imagined and plenty who see themselves as skilled technicians and little more.
A lot of doctors are the smartest stupid people you’ve met. Smart, because they’ve survived the academic grind. Stupid, because they signed up for med school, which is effectively signing away extraordinarily valuable options. Life isn’t a videogame. There is no reset button, no do-over. Once your 20s are gone, they’re gone forever.
Maybe your 20s are supposed to be confusing. Although I’m still in that decade, I’m inclined to believe this idea. Medical school offers a trade-off: your professional life isn’t confusing and you have a clear path to a job and paycheck. If you take that path, your main job is to jump through hoops. But the path and the hoops offer clarity of professional purpose at great cost in terms of hours worked, debt assumed, and, perhaps worst of all, flexibility. Many doctors would be better off with the standard confusion, but those doctors take the clear, well-lit path out of fear—which is the same thing that drives so many bright but unfocused liberal grads into law schools.
I’ve already mentioned prestige and money as two big reasons people go to med school. Here’s another: fear of the unknown. Bright students start med school because it’s a clearly defined, well-lit path. Such paths are becoming increasingly crowded. Uncertainty is scary. You can fight the crowd, or you can find another way. Most people are scared of the other way. They shouldn’t be, and they wouldn’t be if they knew what graduate school paths are like.
For yet another perspective on the issue of not going to med school, see Ali Binazir’s “Why you should not go to medical school — a gleefully biased rant,” which has more than 200 comments as of this writing. Binazir correctly says there’s only one thing that should drive you to med school: “You have only ever envisioned yourself as a doctor and can only derive professional fulfillment in life by taking care of sick people.”
If you can only derive professional fulfillment in life by taking care of sick people, however, you should remember that you can do so by being a nurse or a physicians assistant. And notice the words Binazir chooses: he doesn’t say, “help people”—he says “taking care of sick people.” The path from this feeling to actually taking care of sick people is a long, miserable one. And you should work hard at envisioning yourself as something else before you sign up for med school.
You can help people in all kinds of ways; the most obvious ones are by having specialized, very unusual skills that lots of people value. Alternately, think of a scientist like Norman Borlaug (I only know about him through Tyler Cowen’s book The Great Stagnation; in it, Cowen also observes that “When it comes to motivating human beings, status often matters at least as much as money.” I suspect that a lot of people going to medical school are really doing it for the status).
Bourlag saved millions of lives through developing hardier seeds and through other work as an agronomist. I don’t want to say something overwrought and possibly wrong like, “Bourlag has done more to help people than the vast majority of doctors,” since that raises all kinds of questions about what “more” and “help” and “vast majority” mean, but it’s fair to use him as an example of how to help people outside of being a doctor. Programmers, too, write software that can be instantly disseminated to billions of people, and yet those who want to “help” seldom think of it as a helping profession, even though it is.
For a lot of the people who say they want to be a doctor so they can help people, greater intellectual honesty would lead them to acknowledge mixed motives in which helping people is only one and perhaps not the most powerful. On the other hand, if you really want to spend your professional life taking care of sick people, Binazir is right. But I’m not sure you can really know that before making the decision to go to medical school, and, worse, even if all you want to do is take care of sick people, you’re going to find a system stacked against you in that respect.
You’re not taking the best care of people at 3 a.m. on a 12- to 24-hour shift in which your supervisors have been screaming at you and your program has been jerking your schedule around like a marionette all month, leaving your sleep schedule out of whack. Yeah, someone has to do it, but it doesn’t have to be you, and if fewer people were struggling to become doctors, the system itself would have to change to entice more people into medical school.
One other, minor point: you should get an MD and maybe a PhD if you really, really want to do medical research. But that’s a really hard thing for an 18 – 22 year old to know, and most doctors aren’t researchers. Nonetheless, nurses (usually) aren’t involved in the same kind of research as research MDs. I don’t |
attempts by Latin American activists (labor unions, peasants’ organizations, religious groups, and armed rebels) to challenge the state of affairs in their countries were met with accusations of Communism, followed by state violence and repression, usually with funding, training, and sometimes direct military assistance from the United States.
Red-baiting not a necessary excuse for intervention, but after decades of stating that intervention was necessary to combat a Communist menace, it became politically problematic to wage such interventions when the Communist menace no longer existed. After decades of repression, culminating in the especially brutal 1980s, and in the face of unfriendly regimes, Latin American social movements began to regain their momentum, and by the end of 2010 much of Latin America was (or had been) ruled by leftist (often “left populist”) administrations for the first time in the history of many countries.
Poverty and inequality are still ubiquitous in much of the region, but at the same time these and other social ills have been under intensive attack. For example, in Brazil, the administration of President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, a former metalworker and trade unionist, embarked on social programs that would likely have brought an aggressive response from right-wing Brazilians and their backers in Washington and elsewhere. This is exactly what happened to President Joao Goulart in 1964. Lula, in contrast, finished his term having overseen steep drops in poverty and inequality, and also worked to deepen the process of Latin American economic integration.
None of the governments in the “new Latin America” have entirely pleased the social movements responsible for their elections. Lula’s administration compromised with international financial institutions, and also participated in the occupation of Haiti after the controversial toppling of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, though Lula did oppose the coup against Honduran President Manuel Zelaya (the Cold War is over, but reactionary forces remain.) The recent problems of Bolivia’s Evo Morales were mentioned above. Meanwhile, and perhaps ironically, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s “Bolivarian Revolution” is in serious economic trouble. The point is that the people of Latin America have shown what is possible, and the issues that motivate their struggles are the same of most people around the world. On October 25, a “Solidarity Statement from Cairo” appeared on the website of Occupy Wall Street, making similar assertions. While some have questioned the statement’s veracity, the aforementioned gestures of support during the Wisconsin imbroglio, recent visits to American demonstrations by Egyptian activists, and a march from Tahrir Square to the American embassy in solidarity with embattled Occupy Oakland all show the global solidarity that characterizes this “movement of movements.”
“Movement of movements” was one phrase used to describe the collection of environmental, labor, and trade groups (though their opponents, and the mainstream media, used the label “anti-globalization”) that achieved considerable prominence by the late 1990s in their struggle against neoliberalism. Their struggle was/is international, actually global, with abundant participation from the Global South. Such a focus on international solidarity goes back as far as 1864 and the founding of the International Workingmen’s Association (aka the First International,) if not earlier. The focus has always been to remind the world’s masses that those who rule them always seek to divide or distract them along national, racial, religious, ethnic, and other lines. This is essentially what happened in the First World War, among other occasions, but in contrast, if people are able to organize, sustain their activities, and support one another locally and globally, there are few limits on what can be achieved. That is exactly what the Occupiers and every allied struggle worldwide have in mind.
Scott Charney is an intern at Foreign Policy in Focus.The campsite, located in the small Derbyshire village of Repton, has been known since the 1970s, but these new discoveries have found evidence over a much larger area, for workshops and ship repairs.
The results will be aired on Digging for Britain on BBC Four at 9pm (GMT) on Wednesday, November 22. The series is presented by former University of Bristol academic Professor Alice Roberts.
According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, in 873, the Great Army ‘moved from Lindsey to Repton and there took winter quarters’, expelling the Mercian king Burghred, and annexing his kingdom.
The choice of Repton was partly because of its location on the river Trent, but also the location of a monastery that housed the remains of several Mercian kings.
In 1975, archaeologists, led by Professor Martin Biddle and Birthe Kjølbye-Biddle, uncovered a ‘D’ shaped enclosure on the banks of the Trent, covering around 1.5 hectares that was thought to be the Viking camp.
Recently, doubts have been suggested for this interpretation, as some have considered the enclosure to be too small to house the Great Army, as another Viking camp at Torksey (Lincolnshire) covers around 26 hectares.
The new excavations at Repton, directed by Cat Jarman and Professor Mark Horton of the University of Bristol’s Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, have focused in the area to west and outside of the D-shaped enclosure.
Geophysics, including ground penetrating radar, revealed structures including paths and possible temporary buildings.
Excavations showed these to be gravel platforms that may have held ephemeral timber structures or tents with deposits including fragments of Saxon millstones and a cross fragment from the monastery.
Associated were broken pieces of weaponry, including fragments of a battle-axes and arrows, and evidence for metal working.
Also found were substantial numbers of nails, two of which had roves, the particular feature of Viking ship nails, as well as several lead gaming pieces.
These are of a type that has been found in large numbers at the camp in Torksey and appear to be specifically connected to the early Viking armies.
Cat Jarman, a PhD student at the University of Bristol, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), said: “Our dig shows there was a lot more to the Viking Camp at Repton than what we may have thought in the past.
“It covered a much larger area than was once presumed – at least the area of the earlier monastery – and we are now starting to understand the wide range of activities that took place in these camps.”
The Digging for Britain programme will also reveal some exciting new results from Cat’s PhD research into a mass grave discovered at the site in the 1980s.
During the earlier excavations, a mound a few metres to the north of the new excavations uncovered a charnel grave of nearly 300 people, hypothesized to be the Viking war dead.
But previous radiocarbon dates suggested many of the bones dated to the 7th or 8thcenturies, meaning they could not belong to the Viking army.
Using new radiocarbon dates and modern isotope data to account for marine food consumption, Cat’s research has revealed that the remains do, in fact, all fit a date of 873 after all and are therefore completely consistent with a burial of Viking battle dead.
The remains were placed in a deliberately damaged Saxon building along with Viking weapons and artefacts.
The building also contained evidence of use as a workshop by the Vikings before it was converted into a charnel house.
The Bristol team located a path linking their workshop area and the charnel house, further strengthening the link between the two.
The excavations also help highlight the real conditions behind the Viking invasion of England, recently popularised by dramas such as Vikings (History Channel) and The Last Kingdom (BBC).
Professor Mark Horton, who was also involved in the earlier excavations, said: “It is so exciting to be able to come back 30 years later, and to be able to use cutting edge archaeological methods to reassess our earlier work and conclusions. So much has moved on in archaeology since 1980s.”
The excavation team included undergraduate students from Bristol, several of whom are now working on dissertations on artefacts discovered at the site.
The team also worked closely with local groups, including the Repton Historical Society, and continue to work with Derby Museum on the interpretation and classification of the artefact material from the original excavations.
University of Bristol
Header Image: Example of a Viking camp – Image Credit : mararie (https://tinyurl.com/ybbx9qgu)Felix Baumgartner completes final test jump from 97,145.7 feet/29,610 meters on July 25, 2012, for the Red Bull Stratos mission, which aims to set the world record for highest skydiver by leaping from 120,000 feet and breaking the sound barrier.
Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner will try to break world records when he leaps from higher than anyone has jumped before on Tuesday (Oct. 9), and anyone can watch the feat live online.
You can watch the skydive, called Red Bull Stratos, live here on SPACE.com. The flight was originally scheduled for today (Oct. 8), but was pushed back a day because of a cold front at the Roswell, N.M. launch site.
Baumgartner will launch in a balloon and fly to almost 23 miles above Earth, before jumping out. At an altitude of 120,000 feet (36,576 meters), the skydiver will begin a freefall that will send him driving toward the ground faster than the speed of sound. Once he gets closer to Earth, he'll open a parachute to cushion his landing.
In addition to becoming the first person to break the sound barrier outside an aircraft, Baumgartner is seeking to capture the record for highest skydive ever. If his mission goes off without a hitch, he'll also achieve the fastest freefall, longest-duration freefall and the highest manned balloon flight ever. [Space Jump: How Daredevil's Record-Breaking Supersonic Skydive Works (Infographic )]
Baumgartner and his crew plan to begin the mission in Roswell in the "wee hours," Red Bull Stratos spokesman Derrick Lerum told SPACE.com. "The timeline isn't really set in stone because of weather conditions," he added.
The team is hoping to launch between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. local Roswell time, or 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. EDT (1200 and 1500 GMT).
The balloon carrying Baumgartner's capsule is 55 stories high, yet its walls are 10 times thinner than a plastic sandwich bag. For the safety of the balloon, wind conditions at launch time can't exceed 2 mph (3.2 kph).
The skydiver will ride aloft in a specially made 2,900-pound (1,315-kilogram) pressurized capsule.
One of Red Bull Stratos' advisors is the current world record holder for the highest skydive,Joe Kittinger, who leaped from 102,800 feet (31,333 m) in 1960 as U.S. Air Force captain. Baumgartner, who is 43 years old, has previously crossed the English Channel on a carbon wing and leaped from many of the world's tallest buildings.
Although Red Bull Stratos' leaders have said Baumgartner's dive will begin "at the edge of space," the boundary of space is generally thought to be 62 miles (100 km), or 327,000 feet, high.
Red Bull is also broadcasting video of Baumgartner's attempt on its website and on YouTube. To receive updates about the Bed Bull Stratos launch timing, you can sign up via the project's Facebook page, or follow Twitter for updates @redbullstratos.
For a list of alternate streams to watch the live video, and further tips for catching Baumgartner's death-defying leap, visit: http://www.redbullstratos.com/the-mission/how-to-watch-live!/
Follow Clara Moskowitz on Twitter @ClaraMoskowitz or SPACE.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook & Google+.You are sitting at your computer working on an important project, unbeknownst to you, your air conditioner has been leaking water inside your ceiling. Bubbles are forming above your head, and splash! Gallons of water pour down, soaking you and your computer. Ok, I know, this scenario is highly unlikely. Instead, maybe you are sipping a cool beverage while working on an important document, and your toddler walks up to show you their favorite toy, tipping your drink over and into your computer. The point I am trying to make is, hard drives and liquids don’t make good company.
The question now remains, is it possible to fix a hard drive that has been damaged by liquids? The sad new is this, it is entirely likely for you to lose all of your valuable files, pictures and documents stored on your hard drive due to water damage. Accidental spills aren’t always the culprit. It can happen from a variety of water soaked situations, for example, floods, tornados, hurricanes and fires. Remember that these are often panic situations, and generally require emergency data recovery services.
The first step that needs to be understood in any of these situations is, time is of the essence. If your hard drive has been damaged by any liquid, you must get professional help as soon as possible in order to recover the important, if not priceless data stored on your hard drive. Once a hard drive has become wet, the damage can increase with time, exponentially. In essence, the longer you leave it wet, the worse it can become. See this article about recovering hard drives from water damage.
The first objective you should do with any electronic device that has been exposed to water is to shut the power off and disconnect it from its power source. Do not move the Continue reading …TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) - Seven former felons sued Florida Governor Rick Scott and other state officers on Monday seeking to have their voting rights restored, claiming their disenfranchisement in the state is unconstitutionally arbitrary.
Florida is one of four states that strip all former felons of their voting rights. The class action lawsuit filed in the U.S. Northern District of Florida by the non-partisan Fair Elections Legal Network takes aim at the process by which they can seek to regain their voting rights.
Measures adopted in 2011 by Scott and other Republican state leaders require ex-felons to wait for five to seven years after completing their sentences before they can apply to regain their vote.
Fewer than 2,500 petitions for voting rights restoration have been approved since Scott took office in 2011, while the backlog of applications stands around 10,500, the lawsuit said.
Florida’s approach has disenfranchised an estimated 1.6 million people, more than any other state, research shows.
The state has maintained some of the nation’s toughest voting rights restrictions, while many other states have taken steps to help convicted criminals regain access to the ballot after the completion of their sentences.
Racial minorities are disproportionately impacted by the felon voting restrictions in Florida, which is the largest battleground state in U.S. presidential elections.
“Florida’s voting rights situation has become just an unmitigated crisis,” said Jon Sherman, senior counsel with the Washington-based Fair Elections Legal Network, which is working with the firm Cohen Milstein Sellers and Toll.
State rules give Scott the deciding vote in serious cases on felon voting rights restoration that are heard in person before a clemency board composed of the governor and state cabinet officers.
He has denied petitions over traffic tickets incurred after sentences were completed, the lawsuit said. It noted that he asks some, but not all, petitioners to account for histories of alcohol and substance abuse.
Scott’s office said it was reviewing the lawsuit.
“When it comes to the restoration of voting rights for felons, Governor Scott believes that they have to demonstrate that they can live a life free of crime, show a willingness to request to have their rights restored, and show restitution to the victims of their crimes,” spokeswoman Jeri Bustamante said in a statement.
Groups including the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida are working on a ballot initiative to restore many felons’ voting rights, barred for more than a century in the state constitution.I stumbled across the BBC documentary mini-series Supersized Earth on Netflix and it’s really quite fascinating. Host Dallas Campbell explores how humans have changed the face of the Earth over the past 100 years by visiting some of the largest engineering projects around the world. They are just mind boggling. In Hong Kong, over 3.5 million people live above the fourteenth floor. That’s like lifting the entire city of Chicago into skyrises. Our open face mines dive even deeper into the earth than our cities rise. We have dammed over 1/3 of the world’s river flow capacity. And our cities don’t flood because we can divert rivers through underground caverns with pumps that could drain a swimming pool in a second.
The pace of change is increasing too. In 1936 Hoover Dam was the tallest dam in the world. Today it doesn’t even make it in the top 25. The South To North aquifer under construction in China, designed to relieve water shortages in the north, will be one of the longest rivers in the world–longer the the width of the continental US. China is also leading highway construction. In the last 20 years they’ve built more highways than exist in the US.
Another fascinating feat: a boat designed to transport the untransportable. Campbell visits the Blue Marlin which is preparing to transport an oil rig across the Pacific Ocean. Because the oil rig cannot be lifted, the Blue Marlin must sink 10 meters underwater to scoop it up.
Overall the documentary is very well produced, with slick animations woven with satellite images and some very impressive views. Campbell keeps it interesting too, undertaking some challenges at each stop, like downhill bike racing, cleaning windows on the world’s tallest building, and detonating explosives at a mine. It’s since been removed from Netflix, but you can still see parts of it on Youtube.
Episode 1 (can’t find it), Episode 2, Episode 3The Lucky Birth
1889 - Leave Luck to Heaven
In 1889, Fusajiro Yamauchi, great grandfather of Hiroshi Yamauchi, founded Nintendo Koppai in his hometown of Kyoto, Japan. Nintendo Koppai was created with an intent to produce and sell playing cards called "Hanafuda" - "flower cards". All the cards that Fusajiro produced were tenderly hand crafted using the bark from the mulberry and mitsu-mata trees. The hanafuda deck consisted of 48 cards divided into 12 different suits, according to each month of the year. The cards did not contain the numbers and four suits we're familiar with today. Instead they featured symbols like the wind, rain, a deer, the moon or the chrysanthemum. Different combinations of symbols and suits were worth different points. The most popular hanafuda game played was a simple matching cards game. Its veiled complexity was taken very seriously by players.
While the popularity of the cards grew in Kyoto, Fusajiro grasped the opportunity and began expanding his shops to other regions including Osaka. In these other regions, Fusajiro began adding new symbols such as swords and mountains to the decks. Initially, the hanafuda cards were used simply for purposes of entertainment. Eventually, gamblers gained an affinity for the hanafuda cards. The Japanese Mafia, termed the Yakuza, began using the hanafuda cards in their high stake games. Professional players would begin each new game with a fresh deck of the handmade cards. Fusajiro suddenly had problems keeping up with the demands and had to start training apprentices to mass-produce the cards. The kanji characters Yamauchi chose for the name Nintendo roughly translates to "in the end, it is in heaven's hands".
1907 - Bringing the West to the East
In 1907, Fusajiro expanded the business to make Nintendo the first company to succeed in manufacturing western style playing cards and successfully selling them in Japan. With his growing success, Fusajiro needed a better distribution system for his cards. In a landmark deal, Fusajiro partnered with Japan Tobacco & Salt Public Corporation to sell the cards in their cigarette shops. A hard-working young man named Sekiryo Kaneda was arranged a marriage with Fusajiro's daughter Tei Yamauchi. Sekiryo gained the Yamauchi surname, and in the process sealed a destiny of one day leading Nintendo. Shortly after their marriage, Sekiryo and Tei conceived a daughter named Kimi.
1927 - Birth of a Legend
In 1927, Shikanojo and Kimi had their first child, Hiroshi Yamauchi (pictured right). Five years after Hiroshi's birth, Shikanojo abandoned his wife and child. Kimi moved in with her sister, and sent Hiroshi to live with his grandparents Sekiryo and Tei. [READ MORE].
1929 - A New President
By 1929, Nintendo Koppai had easily become the largest playing card company in Japan. Sekiryo gained the Yamauchi surname and was given the responsibities of becoming the second Nintendo president. Fusajiro comfortably retired in 1929 - content with the company's direction and pleased by his personal success.
1933 - Card Company Expands
In 1933, Sekiryo Yamauchi established a joint-venture partnership named Yamauchi Nintendo & Co. and moved the company's head-quarters to a new building constructed next door. Sekiryo purchased paper from outside suppliers, and further streamlined his business with an assembly line of workers.
1945 - Hiroshi's Marriage
Hiroshi Yamauchi is wedded to Michiko Inaba.
1947 Distribution Partnerships
Sekiryo establishes a distribution company named Marufuku Co. Ltd. to distribute Nintendo's new western style cards including its pinochle and poker decks.
1949 - A New Leader
Sekiryo suffers a stroke and calls on Hiroshi to his bedside. Sekiryo asks Hiroshi to leave school and immediately come to work at Nintendo as president. Hiroshi knew that he could never gain the same respect the employees had for Sekiryo. As a result, he requested that he be able to use his authority to fire all those who were not welcoming to change. Sekiryo reluctantly said yes. Hiroshi became the third president of Nintendo and with that, he began systematically firing all the old managers and many of the old workers to guarantee that there was no one to question his authority and his plans for the future Nintendo.
1951 - A New Age
Hiroshi changed the name of the distribution company Marufuku Co. to Nintendo Playing Cards Co. Ltd. (or Nintendo Karuta Co. Ltd in Japan).
1952 - Modernization
Hiroshi set into motion plans to modernize Nintendo by moving its head-quarters to a newer building on the Takamatsu-cho street. Hiroshi also consolidated the production plants in Kyoto to make the card production process more efficient.
1953 - Durable Playing Cards
Nintendo was the first in Japan to begin manufacturing plastic-coated cards. Cards in the west were already being made in this fashion.
1959 - Nintendo Partners with Disney
Hiroshi strikes a deal with Disney to let Nintendo produce playing cards featuring Disney's characters. With the aid of successful TV ads and a good distribution system through many large toy and department stores around Japan these cards sold over 600,000 packs that same year.
1962 - Nintendo goes Public
In January, Nintendo listed stock on the second section of the Osaka Stock Exchange and on the Kyoto Stock Exchange.
1963 - Love Hotels, Instant Rice, and MoreHow Much Energy Does It Take to Grow Marijuana Indoors?
Even in sunny California a lot of medicinal cannabis is grown indoors under perfectly climate controlled conditions. Lighting and humidity is set to allow the cannabis to grow and then changed to cause the plant to flower.
These tight controls make for some pretty amazing bud, but you have to ask yourself, how much energy do we use to grow marijuana indoors?
Why do we waste all that energy when the sun shines so brightly on most of the state? The cost may not seem like much when you consider a personal grow operation, however if you consider all of the people growing in California and the large-scale commercial medicinal marijuana operations in urban cities like Los Angeles or Oakland, the costs add up frighteningly quickly.
This infographic from TreeHugger.com has some great comparisons for indoor growers to consider. A few of our favorites:
growing 1 kilo of marijuana indoors uses the same energy as driving across the United State 5 times
growing 4 plants indoors uses the same energy as running 30 refrigerators full time
It’s always interesting to fully consider the true economic costs of production. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if weed were legal and we could grow marijuana out in the sunshine without fear of federal persecution and the associated stigma of being a criminal?Ronan Point was a 22-storey tower block in Canning Town in Newham, East London, which partly collapsed on 16 May 1968, only two months after it had opened. A gas explosion blew out some load-bearing walls, causing the collapse of one entire corner of the building, which killed four people and injured 17. Although there were few casualties, the spectacular nature of the failure (caused by both poor design and poor construction), led to a loss of public confidence in high-rise residential buildings, and major changes in UK building regulations resulted.
Construction [ edit ]
Ronan Point, named after Deputy Mayor Harry Ronan (a former Chairman of the Housing Committee of the London Borough of Newham), was part of the wave of tower blocks built in the 1960s as cheap, affordable prefabricated housing for inhabitants of West Ham and other areas of London. The tower was built by Taylor Woodrow Anglian[1] using a technique known as Large Panel System building (LPS), which involves casting large concrete prefabricated sections off-site and bolting them together to construct the building. The precast system used was the Danish Larsen & Nielsen system.[2][3]
Construction started in 1966 and was completed on 11 March 1968.[4]
Collapse [ edit ]
The explosion on the 18th floor brought down four flats above it, leading to a progressive collapse of one corner of the block
At approximately 5:45 am on 16 May 1968, resident Ivy Hodge went into her kitchen in flat 90, a corner flat on the 18th floor of the building, and lit a match to light the gas stove for a cup of tea. The match sparked a gas explosion that blew out the load-bearing flank walls, which had been supporting the four flats above. It is believed that the weaknesses were in the joints connecting the vertical walls to the floor slabs. The flank walls fell away, leaving the floors above unsupported and causing the progressive collapse of the south-east corner of the building.[5]
The building had just opened, and three of the four flats immediately above Hodge's were unoccupied. Four of the 260 residents were killed immediately and seventeen were injured, including a young mother who was stranded on a narrow ledge when the rest of her living room disappeared. Hodge survived, despite being blown across the room by the explosion—as did her gas stove, which she took to her new address.
Griffiths inquiry [ edit ]
In the immediate aftermath of the collapse, the government commissioned an inquiry, led by Hugh Griffiths, QC. It reported on dangers caused by pressure on the walls from explosion, wind, or fire, finding that although the design had complied with the current regulations,
it was not adequate for even small explosions, as proved by the actual collapse, where lack of injury to the person who lit the match demonstrated the pressure had been low
it was not adequate for expected wind loading, since the wind speeds which the regulations required to be considered were much too low for a tall building—in a high wind, an upper wall panel could be sucked out, leading to collapse similar to the actual collapse
it was not adequate in a fire, a significant fire could lead to bowing of the structure, followed by collapse as above.[6]
Ronan Point was partly rebuilt after the explosion, using strengthened joints designed to deal with those issues, and the Building Regulations were altered to ensure that similar designs would not be permitted in the future. However, public confidence in the safety of residential tower blocks was irreparably shaken,[7] and the public scepticism was later found to be appropriate.[6]
Some people, including Sam Webb, an architect who had given evidence to the Griffiths inquiry, were not satisfied that every issue had been properly investigated. It was later shown that:
the assumptions made in determining the revised wind loading were inadequate, in that they assumed all windows were closed. However, if the glass in a window had broken, or somebody had gone out leaving a window open, a wall panel could suffer pressure on one side and suction on the other, to an extent that the panels on the upper levels of the building might still be sucked out
construction defects (failure to build as designed) had left unfilled gaps between floors and walls throughout, hidden only by skirting boards and ceiling paper, which left the building without fire separation (or acoustic separation) between flats. Tall blocks of flats in the UK are permitted relatively narrow staircases because the requirement for full fire separation between floors means that in theory, it is safer for people above the fire to stay in their flats rather than walk down the stairs. (This theory does not hold where the fire separation fails, as happened in the Grenfell Tower fire). Without fire separation it would be necessary for all people above a fire to escape, which would not be possible using the existing narrow staircases.
further construction defects had led to the whole weight supported by each wall panel being supported by the panel beneath by two steel rods, instead of being spread evenly along the panel, leading to extremely high stresses that the concrete was not designed to withstand
the strengthening brackets which had been fitted during the rebuilding were in many cases not properly attached, since they were fastened to hollow-core slabs, and in many cases they had been bolted only to the thin concrete surrounding the cores, which was inadequate to take the stress.[6]
The concern, most particularly about the fire separation issue, eventually led the council to evacuate the building, and then to demolish it in 1986 in a forensic manner (rather than, for example, using explosives). When this was done, the extent of the defects found shocked even some of the activists, such as the architect Sam Webb, who had been lobbying for years that the building was unsafe. On the lower floors, cracks were found in the concrete where it had been point loaded, and it was alleged that the extra pressure on those points during a high wind (such as during the Great Storm of 1987, barely a year after the demolition) would soon have led to building collapse.[6]
Effect on legislation [ edit ]
The partial collapse of Ronan Point led to major changes in building regulations. The first of these came with the 5th Amendment to the Building Regulations in 1970. These are now embodied in Part A of the Building Regulations and cover “Disproportionate Collapse”. They require that “the building shall be constructed so that in the event of an accident the building will not suffer collapse to an extent disproportionate to the cause”. They specifically cover pressures which may be caused for example by wind forces, explosions (either internal or external), or vehicle incursions, and note that seismic design may occasionally be required.[8]
Immediately after the publication of the report the Government brought out interim measures to ensure the safety and integrity of buildings in the event of an explosion. All new buildings of over five storeys constructed after November 1968 were required to be able to resist an explosive force of 34 kPa (4.9 psi)—the value still used as of 2014. Existing buildings were allowed to resist an explosive force of 17 kPa (2.5 psi), provided that the gas supply was removed and flats were refitted for electric cooking and heating. The gas supply was removed from Ronan Point and the other eight blocks on the estate.
It has been said that the location of the explosion, on the fifth floor from the top of the building, was critical to the collapse. If it had been much higher, the lesser momentum of the debris falling onto the floor of the explosion flat would not have caused its collapse, even though it might have sustained some damage, and the progressive collapse of the floors beneath would therefore not have occurred. If it had been much lower, the friction of the joints, under the great weight of the building above, would have prevented the wall panels from blowing out, and there would have been no structural damage at all.[citation needed]
This may be why no other such collapse had occurred worldwide at the time. Nonetheless, it demonstrated an area of design which had not previously been considered. Many other jurisdictions, including for example the US, have since amended their building codes to require that buildings subject to explosions or other accidents will not collapse to an extent disproportionate to the cause.[6]
Two days after the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, John Knapton, emeritus professor of structural engineering at Newcastle University, claimed that regulations which came into force in 1971, following lessons learned from Ronan Point, had improved building structural strength in such a way as to prevent the collapse of the Grenfell Tower, which was built in 1974.[9]
Effect on housing [ edit ]
Newham Council voted in 1984 to demolish Ronan Point. All nine blocks on the Freemason Estate, comprising 990 flats, were demolished in 1986 and the area was redeveloped with two-storey houses with gardens.[7] Many other similar LPS buildings have since been demolished.
The Building Research Establishment published a series of reports in the 1980s to advise local councils and building owners on checking the structural stability of their LPS blocks. The contents of two of the reports relied on local authorities sending returns in to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government during 1968 and 1969. This was not exhaustive, with many authorities failing to do so and thus not having their blocks assessed after the issue of interim structural methods by the Ministry in 1968–69. Among these authorities were Lambeth and Southwark in London, and Birmingham. Birmingham owned over 300 LPS blocks, and when these were assessed in 1998 it was found that a number which did not meet 5 psi (34 kN/m²) still had a piped gas supply. A number of those blocks were demolished. The London Borough of Southwark owns the largest LPS estate in the UK, the Aylesbury Estate, which has a piped gas supply; it has been questioned[by whom?] whether the structure is strong enough to resist a 5 psi explosion. Southwark Council admitted in 2017 that strengthening work ordered after Ronan Point may not have been carried out on the Ledbury Estate, after structural weaknesses were found that led to the evacuation of four tower blocks.[10]
Within a couple of decades of the collapse of Ronan Point, the public's lack of confidence in the LPS construction technique, together with the social problems within such developments, led to the demolition of many tower blocks.[7] Despite this many buildings like Ronan Point are still standing, there are at least 1,585 of them and 200 towers with 20 storeys or higher. There are concerns that problems might emerge as the buildings weaken with age. Wind, heat and rain affect buildings. Metal bolts expand when they rust and crack the concrete round them.[11] In Tottenham on the Broadwater Farm estate two tower blocks, Tangmere House and Northholt House are structurally unsound and could collapse catastrophically if there is a gas explosion or if a vehicle collides with the base. Both are to be evacuated urgently. Other buildings in Broadwater Farm also have less serious problems.[12]
Legacy [ edit ]
In May 2018, 50 years after the partial collapse, Ronan Point was the subject of an experimental documentary film, ‘And then we heard shouts and cries’ by artist Ricky Chambers. Chambers' grandparents and mother had lived in flat 87 on the 18th floor of the tower block at the time of the gas explosion.[13] [14]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Bibliography [ edit ]
A number of books have covered the collapse of Ronan Point, including Collapse: Why Buildings Fall Down by Phil Wearne ISBN 0-7522-1817-4. This was written to accompany the television series of the same name shown on Channel 4 in early 2000.
Building Research Establishment reports:
The Structure of Ronan Point and other Taylor Woodrow-Anglian Buildings 1985 ISBN 0-85125-342-3
1985 ISBN 0-85125-342-3 Large panel system dwellings: preliminary information on ownership and condition 1986 ISBN 0-85125-186-2
1986 ISBN 0-85125-186-2 The structural adequacy and durability of large panel system dwellings 1987 ISBN 0-85125-250-8
Coordinates:Max Holloway is Hawaiian through and through.The proud 24-year-old featherweight contender represents all the signature traits of the islands he calls home. Holloway moves seamlessly between laidback Hawaiian chill and the ferocity of the scrap without cause or concern, and his ability to do so has made him a fighter to watch at the highest level of the sport and a favorite with MMA's passionate fan base.With the news of his upcoming bout against Anthony Pettis at UFC 206 breaking Wednesday afternoon, the fight world has another big reason to get excited. Holloway is ready to return to the Octagon and promises fans something special will go down Dec. 10 in Toronto."I'm beyond stoked for this fight," Holloway told FloCombat. "Anthony Pettis is a former champion, and I can't wait to go out there and take one more step toward greatness. I can't wait to show them one more example of who Max Holloway is, and that's the best fighter in the world."Pettis does what I like to do and that's striking. People need to tune in on Dec. 10 on pay-per-view, because Pettis and I are going to throw these hands and feet, and it's going to be one you won't want to miss. It's the Hawaiian versus the Puerto Rican, and both cultures are known for producing great fighters. It's going to be a great night."The prospect of fighting a former lightweight champion excites Holloway, but perhaps more than that, Pettis' fight style has the scrappy Hawaiian itching to get back inside the cage."I'm so excited I finally get to be in there with someone who will be willing to stand and trade with me," he added. "Pettis is a former champion, and I have nothing but respect for him, but when those cage doors close he's going to see what Max Holloway brings to the table."In less than five years competing under the UFC banner, Holloway has risen from prospect status to become |
forefront of the industry since 2007. Whilst the industry is very young compared to most conventional consumer product sectors, electronic cigarettes are rapidly transforming a centuries old market for smoking and tobacco related products. Joyetech is at the epicentre of this global transformation. To understand more about the Joyetech brand, cast your eye below.
High Quality As a company, Joyetech recognises that customers demand a high quality product, brand integrity and continuous improvement of said products and services. Like no other e-cigarette manufacturer this is understood by Joyetech, and it has taken a leadership position within the industry. Even in the industry’s relatively short life span, Joyetech has been responsible for the development of a number of defining technical developments that have become deeply established in the market.
Innovation Joyetech products are not merely stylish, they are driven by innovation. In the beginning they created the 510 atomizer, which was to provide for the first time a stable and high quality atomizer that could meet, and indeed exceed, the user’s expectation. From the 510 atomizer, the very first eGo device was developed. This product was recognised globally for its performance and quality, matched by no other mass produced product at the time. From these building blocks, Joyetech have progressed rapidly, utilising the latest in e-cigarette technology to create some of the most popular e-cigarettes within the vaping industry, such as the eVic, eGo AIO and ESPION range of products. It is through this consistent attention to high quality, service and innovation that has allowed Joyetech to enjoy an exemplary reputation as a premium producer of electronic cigarettes.
About Joyetech UK
We are an independent company working in formal strategic partnership with Joyetech. Our purpose is to provide the opportunity for consumers to buy genuine Joyetech products in the UK. We provide a comprehensive range of Joyetech products to customers, who can be safe in the knowledge that these products are Joyetech designed and manufactured and that only the best customer services will be accepted as our benchmark.
We promise to proudly uphold Joyetech's pedigree of delivering high class products, superb customer service and meticulous attention to detail.It’s a buzz of activity at the site of a new high-end mixology bar in Melville, scheduled to open here at the end of October.
Acclaimed bartenders Devin Cross, Denzel Heath, Dom Walsh and Peter Good have joined forces to open Johannesburg’s first 100% bartender owned craft bar called Mootee. Mootee, spelt muthi, is a universal term in Southern Africa for a substance that contains magical healing properties.
Having travelled extensively, making drinks in some of the top bars around the globe, the team decided a year ago to combine their knowledge and skills and open a concept bar back home.
The new bar will draw on traditional drinking and healing rituals, local ingredients and the latest technology available in the culinary and mixology industry to create unique, explorative drinks and cuisine.
Mootee will boast a one of a kind mixology laboratory, containing equipment that one would normally only find in a Michelin star restaurant or medical laboratory.
To help distil their inhouse Milktart, the bar will use a Rota Evaporator, traditionally used in chemical laboratories for gentle separation of solvents through evaporation and condensation. To clarifying juices, they’ll make use of a centrifuge apparatus that spin containers of liquids at high speeds to separate fluids of different densities. For rapid aging and fresh infusions, Mootee will use a Sonic Prep to allow solids like oils and fats to penetrate liquids by using ultra-sonic sound waves.
It all sounds like a magical concoction of modern day tech, mix with old school traditions and we can’t wait to take our first sip.HTDA Live: 2013
April 17, 2013, Monterey, CA, The Golden State Theatre
Setlist
The Wake Up
Keep it Together
Parasite
And the Sky Began to Scream
Ice Age
Believers
How Long
Welcome Oblivion
BBB
The Space in Between (SONOIO Remix)
Fur-Lined
The Loop Closes
A Drowning
On the Wing
Strings and Attractors
We Fade Away
Known Recordings
Source 1: Audio - AUD (Schoeps MK4 + CMR 2M + Naiant tinybox + Edirol R-09HR)
Taper: Me, I'm Not
Time: 82 minutes
Rating: 5 out of 5
Hear a Sample: Strings and Attractors, 2 Minutes
Download the Full Show:.Zip File FLAC, 1.61 GB - 24 Bit/96 kHZ
Added to Archive: June 02nd, 2013
Comments:
Me I'm Not recorded the full west coast leg with some fantastic gear. Obviously the results are fantastic. Great tape and they recorded in the highest bit rate/sample rate size possible to archive this show at. So if you are looking to play this on a CD, you must convert the FLAC files to 16-bit/44.1 kHZ. Amazing tape.
Source 2: Audio - AUD (AT-831s + SP-SB1-SL + Tascam DR-05)
Taper: NotoriousTIMP
Time: 82 minutes
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Hear a Sample: Believers, 2 Minutes
Download the Full Show:.Zip File FLAC - 16-bit/96kHZ, 524.4 MB
Added to Archive: April 21st, 2013
Comments:
Taper comments: "My seats pretty much sucked as far as taping goes. I was in the Mezz section on Rob's side, 2nd row. About half way through the show you can hear some girls talking throughout every song which annoyed me to no end (They had moved down from their original seats that were 5 rows behind me.) The audio is muddy at times and Mariqueen's vocals drop out every once and a while. I blame the venue for having less than stellar acoustics which resulted in the lack of "range" with this recording. Overall, I would rate this about a C+ to *maybe* a B-."← Sidebar
May 1 is a holiday in many countries around the world and is known as Labor and Spring Day in present Russia. In the USSR it was celebrated as International Workers Day.
May 1, 1886, socialist, communist and anarchist organizations in the U.S. and Canada staged a series of rallies and demonstrations. May 4, 1886, six people were killed when the police broke up one of these demonstrations in Chicago.
If you have worked well – you will have good rest
In the ensuing mass protests in the bombing and shootings several policemen and workers were killed.
After being convicted of the bombing, four workers were sentenced to be hanged. In memory of those executed the Paris Congress of the Second International (July 1889) announced May 1 – the Day of Solidarity of workers around the world.
In the USSR, it was one of the most important holidays of the year, and of course the Soviet propaganda could not ignore it.
May 1 in the West. The world capital wants to suppress the revolutionary upsurge of the proletariat by blood of the workers. But its efforts are futile: The Social Revolution is coming!
In Soviet Russia – building the new economy
Abroad – strike. The fight for Soviet power
The workers have nothing to lose but their chains, and they will gain the whole world
Workers of the world unite!
Long live the international workers day May 1! Long live the world proletarian alliance of the Communist International!
May 1 – the day of international proletarian solidarity
The revolutionary forces of the world proletariat
May 1 greetings to glorious athletes of our motherland!
Tags: posters · propaganda · Soviet past
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No comments yet.VILNIUS – Comparing the Catalonian aspirations to break free from Spain with the Baltic states' movement to gain independence from the Soviet Union would be incorrect, says Lithuania's Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius.
Speaking in an interview ahead of the independence referendum in the Spanish region, which Madrid views as illegal, Linkevicius emphasized that Lithuania had been occupied and suffered repressions, which is beyond comparison with Catalonia, which is autonomous part of a democratic country.
"A comparison would probably be incorrect, speaking about the Soviet occupation and the developments we know of, the deportations to Siberia (…). This is an entirely different context," the minister told BNS on Thursday.
He emphasized Lithuania was keeping a close eye on the situation in Spain and hoping for a constructive solution.
"Spain is a country of the European Union, it is a democracy, it follows the rule of law and we trust the system, at the same time hoping that the dialogue with those holding different views will be held constructively and without unnecessary measures," said Linkevicius.
The media has been comparing t he Catalonian region to the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
On the National Day of Catalonia in 2013 and 2014, the local residents formed human chains, titling the demonstration as the Catalonian Way. The campaign was inspired by the 1989 protest by the Baltic populations when people held hands to form a 650-km human chain from the Gedimino Tower in Vilnius to the Hermann Tower in Tallinn.
Kestutis Girnius, associate professor at the Vilnius University's International Relations and Political Science Institute, said the Lithuanian situation was similar to that of Catalonia in some aspects.
"Yes, Spain is a democracy, while the Soviet Union was an authoritarian repressive state, however, at the time of Lithuania's efforts to break free, the hand of Moscow was already considerably lighter. (…) The leaders of the Sajudis movement who strove to independence were not arrested, there were no attempts to cancel the elections to the Supreme Council, regardless of knowing that the Sajudis would win," Girnius said in a comment to delfi.lt news portal earlier this week.
"As a small nation, we should feel sympathy to the Catalonian aspirations with at least a silent call to Madrid to review its policies and seek ways of satisfying the Catalonian aspiration of having a stronger say in its destiny. After once criticizing the West for its cowardliness, we are now following suit. There is no courage or principles," he wrote.
Catalonian officials plan on holding the independence referendum on Sunday.
A week ago, Spanish police confiscated about 10 million ballots, which could have been used during the vote. The police arrested 13 Catalonian governmental officials, thus triggering protests by tens of thousands of people in the regional capital Barcelona. They were later released.Truly inspirational post by Vikas Bansal (Product Leader Flipkart ) on LinkedIn
D Shri Kant Blocked Unblock Follow Following Mar 15, 2017
Vikas Bansal Product Leader @Flipkart || Ex-CEO Jeeves || Ex-Google || IIMB3d
Parents play such a crucial role in shaping up our value system. My dad had immense influence on me too. I remember one example when I was a kid. He drew a line and asked Dad: How can you make this line smaller Me: By erasing it with an eraser Dad: OR you can do that by drawing a bigger line next to it I was amazed. Such a simple thing but such a profound message.
I have applied this always whether it was excelling during my education or professional life. Even while running a company, I always used to think how I can make our company bigger rather than trying to be-little our competitors. I hope everybody uses this everyday to be bigger/better rather than trying to prove others smallA reader, Chris, wrote us yesterday with a very good question about streaming music services:
"...what I want to know is, how do they compare when it comes to data usage? How does Google's compression compare to Pandora, or Spotify, or the Amazon player? Funky playlists and mood music is all well and good, but how much of my 4g/mo are they going to eat?"
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Good question! Burning through your monthly data cap on your smartphone is a pain in the ass, and your music streaming app is probably guilty of some serious damage. But just how much is data is your app using?
The amount of data your service chews up depends on the quality settings. For Beats Music, Spotify, and Google Play Music, a high-quality stream maxes out at 320kbps. (Not all tracks are available at that high quality, but most are.)
Pandora is the only big mainstream service we could find that doesn't offer 320kbps streams. In fact, on mobile it maxes out at 64kbps. Lower quality streams obviously use way less data.
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So what does that mean in terms of your data plan? 320kbps rate translates to 2.40 MB per minute of audio or 115.2 MB per hour. So if you were to stream music for an entire eight hour work day, you'd burn through nearly 1 GB. If you have a 2GB cap like I do, then this is not an advisable splurge!
Here's a breakdown of a number of the most popular services.
Beats Music
Standard quality: 64kbps
High quality: 320kbps
Spotify
Normal quality: 96 kbps
High quality: 160kbps
Extreme quality: 320kbps
Google Play Music
Three quality settings, with a maximum of 320kbps.
Pandora
Maximum rate is 64kbps (adjusts automatically depending on your connection).
That's not every service (Apple doesn't publish a spec for iTunes Radio, but it gives you an idea for how much data these services chomp: 320kbps at the top end, 64kbps/128kbps at the low end.)
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Luckily, you've got options music lover. T-Mobile offers free streaming music for Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and iTunes Radio. But to conserve the most data for cat videos, download tracks while you're connected to Wi-Fi.
Remember, if you have questions, tips, questions, concerns, you can always drop us a line at [email protected] is still keeping his radio diary to Morgan as the season kicks off. Rick says that he and his group are done with Atlanta and are headed to Fort Bennett. The daily grind has clearly taken it’s toll on Rick and it’s made apparent during this one-way conversation.
The group heads out on the road in hopes of reaching Fort Bennett but they run into a roadblock made up of all abandoned vehicles. Glenn suggests they double back and take another route but Dale tells him they don’t have enough fuel for that. The radiator blows on Dale’s RV and the group is immobile. They begin to search the abandoned vehicles for much needed supplies. After finding clothes, car parts, and food Dale and Rick spot a “herd” of zombies walking towards them. Most of the group hides under vehicles – Dale stayed on top of the RV while Andrea is in the restroom. A wandering zombie finds her and begins to break down the door but Dale drops her a screwdriver and she gives us our first graphic kill of the season. Elsewhere, Darryl saves T-Dog from another attack. As the herd passes Sophia begins to leave her hiding spot under a car when two zombies spot her. She runs into the nearby woods to escape. Rick immediately gives chase.
When Rick catches up to Sophia he tells her to head back to the group so he can lead the zombies further into the woods. He tells her how to get back safely using the sun as her guide. Rick runs off and sets a perfectly primitive trap for the zombies – and by primitive I mean he hides behind a tree with a stone and bashes their heads in when they come near.
Rick, Shane, Darryl and Glenn are tracking for Sophia in the woods because she hasn’t returned to the group. Rick orders that Glenn and Shane go back with the group for damage control so no one worries too much. Rick and Darryl continue searching but find nothing. They even perform an awesome autopsy on a zombie to make sure he didn’t get to Sophia. They come back at dusk and tell the group that they have to continue searching for Sophia at daybreak. This obviously doesn’t come with much fanfare, especially from Sophia’s mother Carol.
When day comes the group heads out in search of Sophia leaving Dale and T-Dog back on the road. The group comes across a tent at a campsite and investigate. No evidence that Sophia was there. After that disappointment they hear church bells and run to find the source. Rick leads the charge towards the church. Inside they find a few zombies sitting in the pews – Christians to the core! – but easily eliminate them. Still no sign of Sophia.
Outside Andrea overhears Shane telling Lori that he is planning on leaving the group. She asks to go with him but he is hesitant because it would be “another ass to cover” but she insists she can cover him when he needs help.
Rick sends the group back to the highway while he, Shane, and Carl stay at the church to continue the search. Rick desperately prays that God give him a sign as “an indication that (he’s) doing the right thing”. As they leave the church to search the surrounding wooded area they spot a deer. The look on Rick’s face shows that he believes this was his “sign”. As Carl creeps closer to the deer a shot rings out, downing the deer and hitting Carl in the torso. Stunned, Shane and Rick rush to Carl’s aid.
AdvertisementsDaytona Beach, FL - Three 16-year-old boys have been arrested in Daytona Beach after police say they were involved in a crash with Daytona Beach's chief of police while driving a stolen vehicle.Chief Mike Chitwood said a woman left her car running at Mason Avenue and Berkshire Road when three teens jumped in and took off.Within minutes, police said they spotted the car and tried getting it to pull over.Despite blowing two of its tired while fleeing from police, the teens kept going. When Chitwood tried stopping them himself at Berkshire and Dunn, the car turned into his cruiser and sideswiped it before driving away and crashing, police said. "They could have easily killed themselves or somebody else," Chitwood said. "And nobody was hurt.At the end of the day, there is little damage to a police car and that's the end of it. We were lucky and they were lucky."Chitwood said all three were arrested. Police say the driver was arrested in January on accusations of stealing a car.Members of the Ku Klux Klan protest on July 8 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Chet Strange/Getty Images
A South Carolina fifth-grade teacher has been placed on administrative leave after she gave students an assignment that asked them to justify the actions of the KKK in the Reconstruction-era South.
The assignment sparked criticism and outrage on social media after a student’s uncle posted a photo of the KKK-focused homework assignment. “You are there,” the prompt reads. “You are a member of the KKK. Why do you think your treatment of African Americans is justified?”
According to the uncle, the student came home crying the day of the assignment. The teacher, Kerri Roberts of Oak Pointe Elementary School in Irmo, South Carolina, was placed on administrative leave the next day. The school district, in a statement to WLTX, said the action was part of a standard investigation and that they were “taking this matter very seriously.”
South Carolina standards for 5th grade require lessons on Reconstruction and discriminatory groups including the KKK. We must teach the standard, but we are taking steps to ensure this particular assignment will never be used again in District Five schools.
We understand the seriousness of this matter particularly in light of the events taking place in our country at this time. We want to ensure that our students, parents, staff and community know that we are giving this matter our full attention.
While it does seem like a particularly charged time to ask students to envision themselves as members of the KKK, as other publications have noted, Roberts isn’t the only one to get in trouble for racially insensitive school assignments. A Los Angeles school gave second-graders a math question about slaves during Black History Month. In April, a Florida teacher gave a diversity-focused worksheet to middle schoolers that really missed the mark.Eric Stonestreet with his Modern Family co-star Sofía Vergara
Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for FOX
The tired old debate about whether gay actors can convincingly play straight characters comes around more frequently than military-inspired fashion collections. In 2010, Newsweek’s Ramin Setoodeh declared that out actors like Sean Hayes and Jonathan Groff were too obviously homosexual to persuade audiences that they were hot for their female co-stars. Then last year, Bret Easton Ellis turned casting director for the Fifty Shades of Grey movie when he tweeted that “Matt Bomer isn’t right for Christian Grey because he is openly gay.”
Last night on The Arsenio Hall Show, Eric Stonestreet, who plays Modern Family’s queeny Cam, talked about the other side of that coin: What it’s like to be a straight actor in a flamboyantly gay role. Mostly, it seems, it’s a little dispiriting. When people meet Stonestreet, they’re disappointed that he doesn’t have the sass and the high-pitched squeal of his TV alter ego.With the last update adding ‘Recents‘ to the navigation drawer, the latest version of Google Play Music brings the ability to set audio quality when streaming over Wi-Fi, as well as when downloading music for offline access.
Under ‘Playback’ in Settings, there is a new option to set the “Quality on wifi network.” Previously, users only had the ability to set streaming preferences when on cellular networks.
By default, it is set to ‘Always High,’ which plays the best quality in all network conditions, but with the possibility of buffering. There are also three other options to select from: Low, Normal, and High. The option to force ‘Always High’ has also been added to settings for mobile network streaming.
Meanwhile, “Download quality” under ‘Downloading’ also has three options. The default is set to Normal, with ‘Low’ being quite useful for storage constrained devices. The app does not clearly specify how much compression saves or what happens to already downloaded music.
These options first surfaced a few versions back as part of an A/B test for certain users. However, version 7.5 of Play Music enables it on all devices.
Version 7.5.4518 for Android is rolling out now via the Play Store.In the immediate aftermath of Newsweek's Bitcoin cover story, reportedly unmasking Satoshi Nakamoto as the cryptocurrency's inventor, media outlets turned to the subreddit r/bitcoin to try and gauge the reaction of one of the currency's most dedicated communities. The consensus was quick and clear: Reddit is "furious"/"reeling"/"exploding with anger." And while that appears to be accurate, according to the traffic numbers provided by the site, Reddit's Bitcoin community saw only a very slight increase in unique visitors and pageviews yesterday. From a traffic perspective, it was very nearly a normal day.
Erik Martin, Reddit's General Manager, sent BuzzFeed a screenshot of r/bitcoin's traffic over the last two weeks, noting that yesterday's traffic was "not nearly as big of a spike as last week," when Mt. Gox, then the world's largest Bitcoin exchange, shut down without warning on February 24, losing control of 850,000 bitcoins to the tune of nearly half a billion dollars. In the days following the Mt. Gox shutdown traffic to the subreddit topped out at over 500,000 unique visitors and close to 2 million pageviews. Yesterday, the site registered 131,845 uniques (only about 25,000 more than the previous day) and 768,936 total views.
If you've been following the Satoshi story and the Newsweek backlash online and across Twitter for the past two days that might seem surprising but Martin says that media coverage rarely moves the dial in terms of r/bitcoin's traffic. "Links and mentions in press don't really send traffic for the most part," Martin says. He notes that traffic to the subreddit is, "mostly direct. Some search. Twitter is probably sending most after that but [it's] kind of hard to track."
The absence of a traffic spike may also help to better define r/Bitcoin's audience as a more focused community of Bitcoin investors and speculators looking to discuss the value of the currency — presumably the individuals who have money tied up in Bitcoin and Mt Gox. It seems then, for all the frustration, confusion, conspiracy theories, and coverage, the identity of Bitcoin's inventor remains an obsession for some and a fascination for many, but a secondary concern.
The traffic spike is one data point but is also a reminder that stories about Bitcoin often contain two separate threads: there's the meta-story of a peculiar, anonymous, and ultimately confusing movement that's slowly inched its way into becoming a part of popular culture and then there's true believers, who've made an investment and have a stake in the currency. For the latter group, Bitcoin represents real money and, for some, high stakes. And while Satoshi's identity is a compelling, arguably important story with national appeal, it overlooks the larger concerns of a currency and community currently in a precarious position.Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.
July 7, 2015, 9:12 AM GMT / Updated July 7, 2015, 9:15 AM GMT By Tracy Jarrett
There were more than 2,000 shootings in Chicago last year, and the city is on pace for more this year. The violence worsens in the summer months: over the holiday weekend, dozens of people were shot and nine died in the gunfire. Beneath the sobering figures are personal stories, both of fear and resilience. NBC News' Tracy Jarrett spent time in Chicago to hear them.
Part 2 in a series.
CHICAGO — At A.A. Rayner & Sons funeral home in Chicago, Charles Childs is used to planning celebrations of long lives. His biggest concern traditionally has been timing the stop lights as he leads grieving families in a procession to the cemetery.
These days, though, he has to worry about arranging a police presence to control the large, often emotional crowds that show up for the funerals of young people whose lives have been cut short by gun violence.
Rayner & Sons is a predominantly black funeral home founded in 1947 on the city's South Side. It handled the funerals for Emmett Till, the 14-year-old slain in Mississippi in 1955 after reportedly flirting with a white woman, and Mayor Harold Washington, Chicago's first black mayor.
Childs is the president of the funeral home and has been in the business for 40 years. He used to see one or two violence-related funerals a year. Now, he says he directs one or two every month.
So he has to take into consideration all sorts of things that he otherwise wouldn’t — avoiding certain gang colors, navigating a tricky route between the service and the cemetery and hiring cops to keep the peace.
At these funerals for interrupted lives, the mood is as much tense as somber. Eulogies must be delicately written for “kids who may have been doing things they shouldn’t have been doing,” Childs said. The smallest thing can turn grief to violence.
“It could be something so minor, like somebody stepping on somebody’s foot or not saying hello or being asked to take their hat off,” Childs said.
In 2012, two men were shot outside a funeral that Childs was directing for a reputed gang member. One was critically injured, the other killed on the church steps. The family of the deceased had not told Childs about the gang association, so he hadn’t arranged for police.
“I was standing over him when his eyes rolled in the back of his head,” Childs recalled.
Behind the scenes, funeral directors in Chicago are dealing with demographic challenges — young mothers and grandparents, some of whom have wrenching questions about how and why death visited their young children. Others are all too aware.Prepare yourself to meet your new favorite food truck, except don’t expect to get any savory treats from this mobile operation.
Launched in March, Finnegans "Reverse Food Truck" hopes to collect $50,000 in food and donations over the course of seven months by riding around Minnesota in a bright green vehicle and collecting non-perishable items, cash and credit card donations to help the hungry, according to the company’s website.
The concept is a natural fit for the beer company whose mission is to help people in need.
Finnegans has two beers available –- a blonde ale and an Irish amber –- and 100 percent of profits go toward feeding the hungry in the areas where its drinks are sold, according to its Facebook page.
The beers are available in restaurants and liquor stores exclusively in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, and the company has made a sizable impact since it was established 14 years ago.
Finnegans has raised more than half a million dollars and donated 91,000 pounds of produce, ABC News reported.
The food truck is expanding the company's donor pool by giving people the chance to contribute, without having to buy a beer, Angie Lee, marketing coordinator, told NPR.
Whereas most menus tell you how much an entrée is going to cost you, Finnegans’ food truck menu spells out how your donation will help people in need.
For example, $5 will buy enough food for two days and $25 will allow for the purchase of enough food for two weeks, according to the organization’s website.
The food truck is keeping supporters abreast of its whereabouts via social media.
While some passersby are often confused when they first hit up the food truck, they usually walk away feeling pretty satisfied with the vehicle’s mission.
"They'll try and order a hamburger or a taco and we say 'No, we're actually taking food,'" Lee told NPR. "And then they're like, 'Oh my gosh, this is the coolest thing ever.'"Ramsey Nijem was one of many fighter released by the UFC in the promotion’s latest roster purge. The former finalist on “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 13 thinks it had more to do with his unhappiness with his paycheck than his performance in the octagon.
Speaking with MMAjunkie Radio, Nijem said that he had been in rather one-sided negotiations with the UFC shortly ahead of his release.
“They made an offer to me and – man, I’m losing money fighting there,” Nijem said. “I said no and that I need more money to fight because it’s not possible. If you don’t have sponsorships it’s not profitable. It’s a really hard way to make a minimum wage salary.”
According to Nijem, the reaction to his demand for more money was met with aggressive moves from the UFC as he was told his career was going to get much harder should he continue to refuse.
That, along with a refusal to sign onto the new UFC drug testing program overseen by USADA and mirroring the practices of the World Anti-Doping Agency, led to his being pushed – and eventually kicked – out the door.
“I asked for more money and they said, ‘No, this is what you’re going to get,’” Nijem said. “That was that. The next thing you know, I got pulled out and told I was going to get bad matchups. I was given a bad matchup. I quote unquote lost that last fight (a split decision loss to Andrew Holbrook at UFC on FOX 16), which I feel like was one of the best performances I’ve had. But, whatever.
“After that was the whole WADA thing. I just don’t think I get paid enough to tell someone where I’m at every single day. I’d have to move up a weight class without IVs. It was a lot of things, man. It was a month later after my fight. If it was because of the fight, I’d have gotten cut right after the fight. But it really wasn’t because of that. It’s because I refused to sign the WADA and I didn’t want to keep losing money.”
For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
MMAjunkie Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show, available on SiriusXM Ch. 93, is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia and producer Brian “Goze” Garcia. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.At the 2016 New York International Auto Show, Volkswagen presented its BUDD-e electric concept car.
VW isn’t saying for sure if BUDD-e will go into production, but the automaker is stating the following:
“With BUDD-e, Volkswagen demonstrates what electric mobility could be like by the year 2019. Volkswagen’s new MEB platform will enable a series production car to have pure electric range that is on par with today’s gasoline-powered cars by the end of the decade. The time required to charge the batteries to 80 percent of capacity is anticipated to be reduced to about 30 minutes by then, marking an operational breakthrough for EVs.”
So, some BUDD-e related electric will enter production by the end of the decade and it will have range comparable to today’s gasoline cars. VW lists range for BUDD-e at an estimated 233 miles on the EPA cycle, which is well short of most of today’s gas cars, but still more than enough for most every driver. That range comes courtesy of a 101-kWh lithium-ion battery pack mounted skateboard style under the floor on the car.
More BUDD-e details in the press release below:
NYIAS 2016: ELECTRIC VOLKSWAGEN BUDD-e CONCEPT MAKES U.S. AUTO SHOW DEBUT
Mar 23, 2016
New Concept showcases new MEB electric platform and offers a glimpse of next-generation connectivity and infotainment concepts
First VW based on the new Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB)
Features 101 kWh battery that enables up to 373** miles of pure electric range
New interfaces signal next-generation display and ergonomic concepts
BUDD-e becomes integral part in the Internet of Things and links Smart Home and Smart Car technology
Gesture control 2.0 enables intuitive operation of interior and exterior features
Bold design captures brand’s heritage while providing a hint at future design direction
New York, March 2016 —Building on the successful unveiling at January’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the Volkswagen BUDD-e makes its U.S. auto show debut at the New York International Auto Show. This is the first vehicle based on the all-new Modular Electric Platform (MEB) that is designed specifically for plug-in vehicles. With a range of up to 373** (estimate based on the New European Drive Cycle (NEDC), 233 miles estimate when based on EPA drive cycle) miles coupled with a charismatic, iconic design, this vehicle successfully incorporates Volkswagen’s heritage while providing a glimpse into the brand’s future.
Completely and thoroughly networked, BUDD-e is a mobile interface which connects the vehicle with the world around it. With the BUDD-e Volkswagen has developed a vehicle that is more thoroughly connected with its surroundings than any car before it. An integral automotive component in the Internet of Things (IoT), BUDD-e is capable of seamlessly communicating with your Smart Home or office. Featuring next-generation infotainment technologies and offering an advanced new method of operation and information processing, BUDD-e turns travel into a fully interactive, intuitive experience. Utilizing the latest in user interface innovation, touch and gesture control merge seamlessly and result in the removal of switches and buttons inside the cabin, individual displays that blend into large infotainment panels, and digital screens instead of analog mirrors. The convergence of these new, interactive infotainment and operating systems provides a view of potential applications in Volkswagen products in the next decade.
MEB: The new architecture for Volkswagen’s electric vehicles
With BUDD-e, Volkswagen demonstrates what electric mobility could be like by the year 2019. Volkswagen’s new MEB platform will enable a series production car to have pure electric range that is on par with today’s gasoline-powered cars by the end of the decade. The time required to charge the batteries to 80 percent of capacity is anticipated to be reduced to about 30 minutes by then, marking an operational breakthrough for EVs.
BUDD-e is the first concept car developed by the Volkswagen Group that is underpinned by the new Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB). This architecture heralds a fundamental change in electric cars and ushers in a revolution in automotive technology, leaving today’s fossil-fuel powered internal combustion engines and drivetrains in the past. This significant innovation will lead to huge changes in the development of electric-powered Volkswagens in the years to come, from body and interior design, to packaging and drive characteristics.
The new platform is designed to have the space for electric drive components and large batteries while maintaining interior space and driving dynamics. MEB will allow for spacious interiors with the smallest possible footprint to enable easy and nimble transportation. In addition to their space, MEB vehicles will offer high levels of functionality and networking thanks to the new vehicle architecture, instrumentation, and operating systems. New and enhanced assistance systems will provide passengers with safer transport.
Dynamic performance is, and will remain, a key part of Volkswagen’s DNA, and MEB vehicles will be no exception. With a focus on optimal balance, future VW vehicles based off the platform will offer the kind of agility, strong acceleration and handling that VW customers have come to expect. New battery and electric drive componentry will enable inexpensive access to e-mobility: a much longer purely electric range will allow these vehicles to become the primary transportation in many consumers’ households.
The new MEB delivers a drivetrain architecture that is specifically tailored for the integration of compact electric motors and high-performance, highly-efficient batteries. The 101 kWh battery is flat, to save space, and integrated into almost the entire vehicle floor. It powers two electric motors, one to drive each axle.
The front and rear motors power all four wheels and enable a top speed of 93 mph. The total range of up to 373** (estimate based on the New European Drive Cycle (NEDC), 233 miles estimate when based on EPA drive cycle) miles is achieved on a full charge, putting the BUDD-e on a level playing field with today’s gasoline-powered cars. Like today’s electric vehicles, the BUDDE-e offers several levels of |
project drew a hundred unionized labor workers. They and hundreds more will benefit by the work generated here, and that will ripple through the region’s economy. “People pay taxes, they earn their money here they spend their money here, grocery stores, car dealer’s houses, everything,” said Peter Baker, Labor International Union Local. “The deputy commissioner told me they are going to start in 2020 they’re expected to set up and get the project underway. That’s great news,” said Mayor Michael Passero of New London. When the renovation is completed in 2025, it’s estimated the Gold Star Bridge will be good for another 30 to 40 years.
Tree falls onto home in Naugatuck, clean up continues after high windsNAUGATUCK, CT (WFSB) - Monday’s high winds toppled trees all across Connecticut. That meant tree crews were busy on Tuesday, cleaning up Mother Nature’s mess. A crew was out in Naugatuck for a good chunk of the day. Naugatuck’s fire department says it responded yesterday to a number of wind related calls, including a call on Walnut Street that ended with a tree onto a house. “I was shocked, they told me there was a branch on the roof and when I got here there was a whole tree on the house,” said David Mirabilio. David Mirabilio says that towering tree did quite a bit of damage to the home he owns on Walnut Street. “The walls are all kind of busted up and all the rafters are broken in the roof on the back half. We haven’t been able to get upstairs to really tear it apart. We’re probably going to have to take the walls apart to see what type of structural damage there is,” said Mirabilio. Yesterday’s high winds, pushed tree right over, easily uprooting it. “It was terrible here, really windy. There’s a lot of damage in this state, so we were all fearful of it,” Mirabilio said. Mirabilio says fortunately his tenants weren’t home at the time. The kids were at school and their mom was at work. We’re told they’re staying with family now. With chainsaws and a wood chipper running, today a tree crew got to work, piece by piece, picking away at the hulking tree resting on top of the home. “I didn’t expect this at all. I thought that was the tree was going to go. Pretty dangerous no,” Mirabilio said. Mirabilio said that tree that’s still standing, he’ll eventually pay to take that down as well. As for the home? “I think it’s going to be alright, but it’s going to take some work to put it back together,” said Mirabilio. He said once the tree is gone, he’ll get the roof tarped before Wednesday’s snow and then he’ll wait to hear back from the insurance company.
Frigid temps prompts activation of CT severe cold weather protocolSIMSBURY, CT (WFSB) - Due to a couple of days of winds and bitterly cold temperatures on Tuesday, the governor activated the state's severe cold weather protocol. Temps plummeted overnight into Tuesday morning, and only stayed in the 20s for most of the day. Tuesday night into Wednesday, temperatures will drop again into the teens and single digits. As for the cold, the severe cold weather protocol directs staff from various state agencies to work with 211 and Connecticut's network of shelters to make sure everyone is protected from the dangerous conditions. The protocol ensures shelters are available and transportation is provided to bring people indoors. In New Haven, for example, all city libraries will serve as warming centers during business hours. Seniors can go to one of the city's three senior centers. “Right now our outreach personnel from the shelters, our police department are looking for individuals that may need some assistance getting over there, letting them know about the warning, letting them know about the risks," said New Haven's director of Emergency Operations Rick Fontana. In New Haven, for those without a place to stay, the city's overnight warming center extended it's hours, staying open around the clock through the bitterly cold weather. Also, with snow headed toward CT on Wednesday, the city is making sure it's most vulnerable are staying safe and warm when dealing with this one-two punch of winter weather. “Cold yesterday, especially with the wind, that wind was brutal and tomorrow snow coming in so our goal will be to make sure people have an alternative to staying on the street," Fontana said. The cold weather protocol in New Haven will remain in effect until 10 a.m. Wednesday. Dozens of warming centers were listed on 211's website <a href="https://www.211ct.org/" target="_blank">here</a>.
Two Bristol officers awarded after saving man's lifeBRISTOL, CT (WFSB) – Two Bristol police officers are credited with saving a man’s life last year and were awarded by being named officers of the year. Bristol police said Officer Zachary Levine responded to a medical call in June of 2018 on Goodwin Street. It was reported that a man was locked in a bathroom and was not responding to his wife. Officer Levine was able to enter the bathroom and found the male was in cardiac arrest. Officer Levine started CPR and called for assistance. Shortly after, police said Officer Dustin Demonte arrived on scene, and both officers began two-person CPR. The man regained a pulse and began to breathe on his own. He was brought to a local hospital for treatment, and police said the victim ultimately survived and is doing well. Officers Levine and Demonte were awarded the lifesaving commendation and named officers of the year for their quick response.
Voters cast ballots in special elections across the stateHARTFORD, CT (WFSB) -- Voters are casting their ballots in special elections to fill five seats in the Connecticut General Assembly. Three state Senate and two House of Representative seats are up for grabs after lawmakers resigned to take jobs in the Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration. The three Senate seats were most recently held by Senator Tim Larson, Senator Beth Bye, and Senator Terry Gerratana, and the House seats were most recently held by Representative Chris Soto and Representative James Albis. Voters are casting ballots in the following districts: 3rd District of the State Senate, consisting of the entirety of East Hartford, East Windsor, and South Windsor, and portions of Ellington5th District of the State Senate, consisting of the entirety of Burlington and West Hartford, and portions of Bloomfield and Farmington6th District of the State Senate, consisting of the entirety of Berlin and New Britain, and portions of Farmington39th District of the State House of Representatives, consisting of portions of New London99th District of the State House of Representatives, consisting of portions of East Haven Democrats did well in November's election, but some say the new governor's budget may influence voters. Rick Lopes spent a chilly morning greeting voters in New Britain. He's running for State Senate in the 6th District. Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz made a point of stopping by. "The same thing what I've brought as a Representative, a background as a social worker, service to the community, trying to help out people," said Lopes. Democrats are hoping for a repeat of November. "We won 23 seats in the State Senate and picked up more than a dozen seats in the State House," said Bysiewicz. Gennaro Bizarro is running against Lopes. "This is a unique opportunity for voters who live in one of the five districts to be heard on the governor's proposed budget," said Bizarro. The governor's proposal for tolls could influence voters in this special election. A special election is unique the governor's budget could be a factor in some of the results. Polls close at 8 p.m.
Lebanon horse rescue farm in danger of shutting down, in need of hayLEBANON, CT (WFSB) - A popular horse rescue program in Lebanon is in danger of shutting down because they need hay for feed and can’t afford it. Stirrup Fun Stables is a horse rescue farm tucked away in rural Lebanon. For the past 10 years, the founder of this non-profit organization, Jeanna Prink, has been busy taking in neglected horses and nurturing them back. She does it with the help of volunteers and others whose lives are improved because of these beautiful animals. “You know it’s not just about the rehabilitation and the humaneness to the horses it’s also about programs that people are having and how it effects their lives,” Prink said. Passionate about the program, Prink told Channel 3 their funds are drying up. They may have to buy hay, which they couldn’t harvest last year. “For the most part until now needing hay we’ve been 100% self-sufficient,” said Prink. Private riding lessons and trail rides support most of the programs offered by the non-profit, but it doesn't bring in enough to buy hay. There are 22 horses on the farm and each one will consume about a bale of hay. But this one round of hay will supply all the hay for all the horses for just one day. The stable has overcome setbacks before. Four years ago, a heavy snow load collapsed their indoor riding arena and the community came to their aid. Now, Prink is hopeful they could raise new funds. “If we don’t raise enough money to purchase the amount of hay that we need then we will turn around and start trying to adopt some of the horses out and lessen the herd,” said Prink. In order to keep the program running at the farm, they are going to have a tack tag sale, which will take place this Saturday at the senior center in Lebanon. If you want more information on the tag sale, click <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/Dof5CkRgRXsOrJG6qU2QDcW?domain=facebook.com" target="_blank">here</a>. For more information on how to donate to the rescue farm, click <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/w0wfCVOWOnCx5po35sGk8PN?domain=stirrupfunstables.com" target="_blank">here</a>.Published 15.05.2016 17:56 GMT+3 | Author John Sanful
Forward JT Compher is one of five American players on the roster who played college hockey in the United States last season.
In recent years, American college hockey has produced a many NHL ready players who are competing and succeeding as professionals. Attending the University of Michigan, Compher had his best season in 2015-16. Playing on a line with Team USA teammates Kyle Connor and Tyler Motte, he scored 63 points and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given to college hockey’s best player. Originally drafted by the Sabres, Compher’s rights were traded to the Colorado Avalanche in the deal that sent Ryan O’Reilly to Buffalo. Just prior to the World Championships he signed with the Avalanche. IIHF.com caught up with Compher after USA’s win over France.
IIHF.com: Although your team prevailed, France was a tough competitor wouldn’t you say?
Compher: France played a good game. I think both teams played hard. We were playing well at the beginning but not getting enough pucks to the net. As the game went on we kind of wore them down a little bit and able to pop a few in. It was good to come away with the win.
IIHF.com: It must have been good to score your first goal here and contribute in that way.
Compher: It was a great pass by Matt Hendricks and Tyler Motte did the work in the corner. It was good for our line to get on the board and contribute in any way possible to a win.
IIHF.com: It must have felt like being back in college and playing with Tyler as you did on the University of Michigan.
Compher: It did. Me, Tyler and Kyle (Connor) had a good year together and I played with them a bunch. It is nice to come to this tournament with a little familiarity from back home with guys who are competitive and you know what they are capable of doing. That chemistry has been good for us all season and helps us on and off the ice here.
IIHF.com: What it is like to play on this team and at such a high level internationally here at the World Championship?
Compher: It is huge honor to be here. It is great playing against and with pro guys, NHL players. They are really good hockey players in this tournament and I’ve been able to learn a lot in a week and a half that I’ve been here. I’m starting to feel a little more comfortable as the tournament moves on.
IIHF.com: Have you picked up anything being around those players who are in the NHL in how they prepare themselves or how they approach games?
Compher: You learn more about being a professional. That is important for me going into my first year as a pro in the fall. I’m just trying to learn as much as I can about being a professional player. That means understanding the details involved in daily preparation for games and having the work ethic to be successful.
Back to OverviewWho Is Blocking the Clinton Emails? Video – Bill Still
Tom Fitton, the head of Judicial Watch, just released his weekly update, but there are so many astonishing insider revelations that it had my head spinning. So, I’ll break it up into two or more pieces.
Here Fitton explains why he is still having to fight in court for every Clinton email disclosure.
So that’s the importance of the Democrats blocking all the new Trump appointees. Folks like Jeff Sessions are outnumbered in the Injustice Department by what – a thousand to one.
So I wonder how that works? Does AG Sessions put out a memo of an intended action and then ask for a vote within his department?
Video Source
In other words, when it comes to the Clintons’ 25-year reign in Washington, they are above the rule of law, and everyone who has protected them over the years is above the rule of law as well.
Sharing is caring!When Russia announced last week that it had launched airstrikes against Syrian opposition forces from western Iran, Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), was the first Iranian official to indirectly confirm the news. Shortly thereafter, a number of other officials both confirmed the news and defended it, arguing that it was part of a strategic pact between the two countries to fight terrorism in the region.
Iranian parliamentarians raised concerns about the possibility of a foreign country establishing a military base in the country, which would violate the Iranian Constitution. High-ranking officials responded that the use of Hamedan air base was strictly for refueling purposes, while other officials assured the media that Russian planes would remain in Iran temporarily. The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced Aug. 22 that the planes had left Iran "for the time being."
The media controversy and the seemingly uncoordinated statements by Iranian officials suggest that Tehran was not ready to announce the presence of the Russian planes. Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said that Russia and Iran had planned to make the announcement simultaneously. When asked why instead the Russian Foreign Ministry made the announcement first, Ghasemi said, "Maybe because of the time difference of geographic regions."
No response has received more media traction than that of Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan. When asked during a television interview why the Iranians did not announce the presence of the Russian planes first, Dehghan replied, "You have to ask the Russians." He continued, "First of all, the Russians would like to show that they are a superpower and they have an effect on the security process in the region and the world. Also, on the Syria scene, they want to show themselves to be a determinative actor, that they are able to negotiate with the Americans and secure their portion on the political future of Syria." The television interviewer followed up the question by asking Dehghan if the Russians had the intention to "show off" by announcing it first. Rather than confirm the question, Dehghan responded that it was "a little ungentlemanly."
When news transcripts of the interview were first published, they had made Dehghan's comments appear more critical than the video showed. The transcripts did not include the prompting by the reporter about "showing off," nor did they reflect how Dehghan's "ungentlemanly" response was followed by a laugh from both the interviewer and the subject.
Dehghan also caused a stir when he responded to complaints by parliamentarians that "it was none of their business." After parliament Speaker Ali Larijani criticized him for the comment, Dehghan wrote an open letter clarifying that he did not intend to diminish the place of parliament within the Islamic Republic. Dehghan added that he only meant that the decision regarding the Russian planes did not need to be approved by parliament.
Dehghan, of course, is right. The decision regarding the Russians planes in Iran was approved by the SNSC and its secretary, Shamkhani, has been a steady and consistent voice over the matter. After speculation that the departure of the Russian planes was due to outside pressure or internal disagreements, Shamkhani told Iranian media, "The planes were never meant to stay at this base but it was agreed that from day 'X' until Thursday [Aug. 18] they would be there and then leave. The planes did not leave yesterday but based on the plans of the ground operations, they left last Thursday and this was not a result of pressure from other countries."
On the possibility of internal disagreements within the country, Shamkhani said, "Within the structure of the Islamic Republic, it has been some time that the slowness and deadlock with respect to decision-making has been resolved." He added that Iran brought Russia into the Syrian civil war due to its need of an air power to coordinate the ground operations, which Iran had planned and is advising. Shamkhani said that this is "a sign of strength."(Reuters) - A Michigan woman was charged with murder on Friday in the death of her newborn son who was found sealed in a plastic bag and stored in a tote near her desk in March, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office said.
Kimberly Pappas, 25, of Wyandotte, is charged with felony murder, premeditated murder and first-degree child abuse in the death of the newborn, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said she gave birth to a full term infant in the bathroom at her workplace in Redford, Michigan, on March 31. An employee alerted the Redford Fire Department, which attempted to resuscitate the child, who was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
A Wayne County judge ordered Pappas remanded in jail on Friday and referred her for competency testing, prosecutors said. A court hearing was scheduled for June 8.
Attorneys for Pappas told local media she needs therapy and counseling and should have been allowed to return home.If you want any proof that feminists hate men, just look at how they react in disgust towards the phrase “Men’s Rights Activists”. Many of them deny men face discrimination and that men have all the power in society and use it to oppress women.
So what is a Men’s Rights Activist? Well if you ask a feminist, it is anyone who is against feminism. They literally use this term to describe any anti-feminist- The Amazing Atheist, Thunderf00t, Sargon of Akkad, Milo Your banana is a police, Pick Up Artists, GamerGaters; really anyone disagrees with them. You see the headlines, such as Men’s Rights Activists boycott Star Wars and Men’s Rights Activists joined the Alt-Right.
Most people who get called MRAs are not actually MRAs- they don’t identify as such, and don’t advocate for men’s issues, or at least it’s not a primary focus of theirs. But there are self-described Men’s Rights Activists. I consider myself one for instance, and we generally believe in Men’s Equality- with Anti-Feminism as just a side focus. So how did all these other guys get lumped in?
It all really started in 2012, when the SPLC but a bunch of Websites on a watchlist. Most of them were not Men’s Rights sites, but a few were lumped in such as A Voice for Men. Despite these sites being vastly different from each other in what they stand for, the Leftist SPLC placed them together to smear them.
On March 2014, when the Isla Vista Shootings occurred. The perpetrator, Elliot Rogers, was a failed pick-up-artists who wanted revenge on women for not dating him, as well as the men who did get into relationships. Elliot had zero connection to the Men’s Rights Movement and wasn’t even involved in much anti-feminism. However shortly after this event, media outlets described him as a Men’s Rights Activist. My pal, Bane666au covers this greatly in his video series “The Propoganda of Toxic Feminism” named after feminists described “Toxic Masculinity” as the reason why Elliot went on his rampage.
But the short story is that it was originally covered by a DailyKos article written by Ollie Garkie which claims Elliot Rogers was influenced by the Men’s Rights Movement. Hundreds of media outlets and thousands of feminists took this as truth and used it as an opportunity to smear Men’s Rights.
Shortly after being told his glaring mistake, Ollie Garkle wrote an update on the article for damage control.
“Despite your protestations to the contrary, I cannot tell the MRAs apart from the PUAs from The Red Pillers and Incels and all the other disparate groups. And that’s your image problem for failing to make yourselves distinct from each other, not a problem with our perception.”
Ollie flat out admits he Elliot Rogers is not part of the Men’s Rights Movement, but rather than owning up to his ignorance, he claims pushes the blame on Men’s Rights Activists. He is proud of being dishonest, as many feminists who use the MRA buzzword are.
It got worse in Febuary 2016 when Return of Kings leader RooshV organized meetings. Earlier Roosh had advocated for making Rape Legal and feminists mistakenly thought that was the meeting was about, so of course they wrote about how Men’s Rights Activists were trying to make rape legal. RooshV doesn’t like the Men’s Rights Movement. In fact he blatantly disavows them, and we disavow him!
Even Snopes which recognized that the meeting wasn’t about rape, called Roosh a Men’s Rights Activists which is a mistake they’ve yet to correct.
In fact, claiming that Pick Up Artists or Elliot Rogers are MRAs is so common, Bane666au made a Law about it.
If you point out that RooshV, Aaron Clarey, Elliot Rogers, Matt Forney, ectera, never identified as an MRA, and in fact many dislike the label, the feminist will just claim that they behave like an MRA so it doesn’t matter if they label themselves as such. And if you ask exactly HOW they behave like MRAs, they just give more examples of people who aren’t. You truly can’t win with these people.
Now that Men’s Rights Activist is associated with Pick-Up-Artists and Elliot Rogers, feminists realized that they don’t just have to smear real Men’s Rights Activists, but ANY anti-feminist no matter how moderate or egalitarian. For example, they call Sargon of Akkad and Thunderf00t “Men’s Rights Activists” despite neither of them being MRAs or PUAs.
If a feminist can’t agree that someone isn’t a Men’s Rights Activist unless they actually call themselves some, they are lost to all reason and arguing with them is futile.
It’s not just the mainstream feminists who use MRA as a buzzword, but the fringe trans-exclusionary Radical Feminists, who ironically enough call the mainstream feminists “MRAs” for supporting Transgender Rights. A rather infamous example was when Gender Identity Watch listed a bunch of Feminists and called them MRAs, including Melody Hensley of “Triggered” fame. I wish I were making this up. Meanwhile the Trans-inclusive Feminists accuse MRAs of being transphobic.
Thankfully there is some hope. The Red Pill Documentary has gotten a lot of press when it was showing, ironically because of feminist efforts to ban it, and it gives a very even handed analysis of the Men’s Rights Movement. They’re not pick-up-artists or misogynists, or transphobes, or Liberal Feminists, just people who care for Men’s Equality.All Nova Scotia public schools will be closed Monday as the Liberal government throws a wrench into teacher plans to take job action over recently failed contract negotiations.
Education Minister Karen Casey has decided to close schools province-wide but teachers are still expected to report to work, she told reporters at a press conference Saturday morning.
She said the province is not locking out teachers. The Liberal government says it intends to try to impose a contract on the union.
Teachers in the province are getting ready to begin work-to-rule job action starting Monday morning, which will change the regular school activities for students across the province.
'Unsafe environment'
The Nova Scotia Teachers Union has directed educators to only go to school 20 minutes before class and leave 20 minutes after class, and not volunteer to supervise breaks.
The union has said it is taking precautions for student safety, like having principals available, but the province has disagreed.
"Job actions could put students in unsafe environment," Casey said.
"Students could be left unsupervised. That's unacceptable."
Hundreds of students walked out of Citadel High School Friday to show their support for their teachers. (Carolyn Ray/CBC)
The short-notice announcement has left parents scrambling for urgent childcare. Both English and French school boards are affected.
'Heavy-handed'
Union president Liette Doucet called the province's actions "heavy-handed" after the announcement Saturday.
"I would characterize [the move as] a means to create some division with the public, who's supporting teachers, to make it seem like teachers were not going to ensure student safety," she said.
"We've made it pretty clear that our first priority was student safety."
By early Saturday evening, the union's executive said educators will be at schools for work on Monday. They will meet again Sunday evening to discuss.
Nova Scotia Teachers Union president Liette Doucet calls the province's move 'heavy-handed.' (CBC)
On Monday, the Nova Scotia House of Assembly will reconvene and the Liberal government will introduce a bill to impose a contract on the province's 9,300 teachers.
It's the deal members rejected Sept. 2.
Education Minister Karen Casey says teachers will be back to work as usual if the legislation passes. (CBC)
Because the proposed law will establish a new contract between teachers and the province, it will also remove teachers' ability to work-to-rule or strike.
Casey said in the meantime teachers are expected to show up to work, and as soon as legislation passes, "they'll be back to work as usual."
Vow to stall 'bullying tactics'
Leaders from both opposition political parties vowed to stall the legislation as long as possible.
Official opposition Leader Jamie Baillie of the Progressive Conservative Party accused the Liberals of "making up" safety concerns.
We will use the legislature to express our complete opposition to bullying tactics. We're voting no. - Jamie Baille, opposition leader
"This is condemning students to time without classrooms, it's condemning taxpayers to years and millions of dollars in litigation and no classroom condition is going to be improved," he said.
"We will use the legislature to express our complete opposition to bullying tactics. We're voting no."
Official opposition Leader Jamie Baillie, left, and NDP Leader Gary Burrill vow to stall the Liberal's attempt to impose a contract on teachers. (CBC)
New Democratic Party Leader Gary Burrill called the suggestion that teachers would jeopardize student safety "tremendously insulting" since teachers have asked for more in-school support for years.
"What the government has said to them today is'shut up and get back to work,'" he said.
"It's anti-democratic, it's anti-education and it's anti-moral."
Talks between teachers and the Nova Scotia government broke off Nov. 25.
Read more about the province's position:
Nova Scotia school board feedback on safety
Liberal government's notice to educators
Liberal government's notice to the Nova Scotia Teachers UnionIf I only have you for 3 seconds, remember this: Buy a top-loading, Whirlpool made, washing machine. (2010 models or older. DO NOT BUY newer Whirlpool washers that have LED lights under the timer, they are junk.) Yes, I said top loading. This is the advice I tell my closest friends and family. It’s been the conclusion of my experience of buying and selling thousands of appliances over these past years. If you need more proof, go to any used appliance store and see what kind of washers they sell, and also which brands they carry.
New resource! We have just made our popular appliance repair course available for as low as $12.50/mo. This course will go over everything you could want to know about washers and dryers whether your a homeowner looking to buy and maintain your own machines or someone looking to make extra cash or start your own business. Check it out at Tradeskills.io
UPDATE for 2017: Where should you buy your used washing machine?
For a long time, I used to recommend people to always get their appliances for as cheap as possible. But over these past years, and buying thousands of low priced appliances to refurbish and then resell, I’ve learned things that have caused me to change my recommendations. Here are a few things I’ve learned and where I now recommend you buy your next washing machine from.
1. There is something wrong with over half of the appliances you will buy from regular people. Some of the time the problem will not be known, as many owners don’t easily recognize when their machines need repair. Other times people will be deceptive, and focus on the fact that technically the appliance still works while failing to mention issues they know exist, which need to be addressed. My conclusion is that you cannot just trust the word of regular appliance owners on the true condition of their appliance anymore than you could someone on the trust condition of a used car. It’s not wise to buy a used car without having your mechanic inspect it first, and the same goes for many used appliances unless you can afford the risk of buying a broken machine.
2. Washing machines need repair almost twice as often as dryers. (This is the main reason why they are more expensive than used dryers.) Washers have a lot of parts that can break and they take a lot of abuse. So washing machines are even more likely to have something wrong with them unless they have been inspected and been refurbished to great working condition.
3. Washing machines are very heavy, twice as heavy as dryers, and can be very difficult to move without the right equipment and transportation. This alone causes me to recommend a used appliance business for most people let alone the risk of that machine being broken after all that work.
So, for most people, I now recommend buying from a used appliance reseller. The prices you will pay are higher than buying from a private party, but you are paying for a machine that has been inspected, parts replaced, cleaned, often painted and which includes a warranty backing up the machine. You also get the machine delivered and setup which again, by itself is worth it. The extra value you get and the time you will save buying from an appliance business is most definitely worth the cost.
I’ve also scrapped hundreds of washing machines, many that were given to me for free. The vast majority of these were non-Whirlpool brands. Over time you begin to see some pretty consistent patterns.
How do you know if it’s a top-loading Whirlpool washing machine?
If you can drop your clothes straight down from above the washing machine, and they land inside the washer, then it’s a top-loader machine. Whirlpool makes washing machines under the following brands;
Kenmore (top loading only)
Whirlpool
Roper
Estate
Inglis
Kirkland
Kitchen Aid
Why purchase top loading washing machines?
1. They are the most reliable and least likely to break down. Appliances are like cars. No matter how good the car is, there is always going to be maintenance that needs to be done. The more you use them, the more maintenance will be needed. That said, all cars are not created equal. Some need to have their transmission replaced far sooner than others. It’s wise to know which cars tend to need the least amount of maintenance and the least expensive repairs. The same goes for washing machines.
2. They are the easiest and cheapest to fix. They have a very simple, functional design that makes it quick and easy to do most of the repairs. Front loaders are 4-5 times more expensive to repair when, not if, they need maintenance. Also, front loaders tend to be a nightmare to work on.
3. They wash clothes better than front-loaders. Front loader washing machines use less water, which is great as long as your clothes aren’t dirty. Washing machines don’t use magic to clean clothes, they use water. The dirtier the clothes, the more water that is going to be needed to clean them.
4. They wash clothes faster. Conventional top load washers usually take about 30 minutes to complete a load, where front loaders can take two to three times that long.
5. They are cheaper to purchase. Most front loaders are anywhere from two to four times the cost of a regular top loading machine new, and I would say that holds up for used machines as well.
Why purchase only Whirlpool made top loading washers?
1. They have been making them since 1949. Kenmore’s brand name is largely associated with quality because of Whirlpool. Whirlpool has been making Kenmore washers, as well as the other brands I listed, for more than 20 years.
2. Whirlpool made washers are easier to repair than other brands. They have a very simple, functional design that makes it possible for even regular homeowners to do many of the repairs themselves. Most of the other brands are much more expensive to fix and are more prone to breaking down. For this reason, most used appliance stores don’t sell other brands, mostly because of the likelihood of them breaking again within the six month warranty period.
How much should you pay for one?
You can expect to pay anywhere from $150-$300. Buying the washer from a used appliance reseller is going to cost a bit more than buying from a private party, but you are getting a machine that has been cleaned, tested, maintenance done as well as a warranty that backs it up.
How do you inspect the washing machine prior to purchase?
If you are buying from a used appliance business, you don’t need to inspect the machine as they come with a warranty. Used appliance shops do not want to have to come out to your house and fix something, so you can bet the appliance has been thoroughly inspected.
When buying from a private party, in a nutshell, you want to see as many things working as possible. Usually, it is difficult to hook water back up to the washer, but you can test out the spin cycle anywhere there is power or an extension cord. Make sure it spins pretty fast once it gets going and stops within a few seconds of when you lift the lid while it’s spinning.
Check the lid switch. When shutting the lid, make sure you hear a crisp clicking sound, which is the lid switch. No clicking sound means the lid switch is broken.
Listen for weird sounds. Any really abnormal sounds or violent vibrations are indicators that something is amiss.
Check the agitator in the middle. If you twist it back clockwise a little, then forward counter clockwise, you should feel the agitator “dogs” catch and cause the agitator to twist.
Watch out for rust inside the drum where the clothes sit. If the person left clothes wet sitting in the drum a lot, it can cause rust at times to form. This will stain your clothes and you want to avoid buying the washer in this case.
Dents and scratches are fine.
Ideally, the washer is still plugged in and being used at the person’s house. This is the safest situation. It means that it probably works fine and isn’t leaking. It also means that you can turn on the washer and run it through part of a cycle to make sure there are no weird things going on with it. Always ask the previous owner if they ever had any issues with it. Let them talk.
There is always some risk when buying a washing machine (even new ones). If you get any weird feelings, or you aren’t comfortable with something, walk away. Often times that intuition will be right. I’ve always regretted not going with my gut. Remember, always try to buy from the type of person you would have wanted to own the item before you.
How to transport the washing machine
Be careful when you’re moving a washing machine, as it’s easy to bend or mess up the feet on the bottom. Use a hand truck when possible. They weigh about 200 lbs. Also, don’t put any weight on, or pull on the control panel. They are held on by just a few plastic clips and they will break off pretty easily. It’s best to keep them upright, but if you need to slide it in a van, or SUV on its side, that’s ok too. It’s best to keep the drain hose side up so the little reserve of water won’t leak all over your car or van. It’s ok if they are moved in the rain, water isn’t going to hurt the outside of a washing machine.
If I missed anything, or you have further questions or comments, I would love to hear from you. If there is a common question that keeps coming up, I will add it to the post.
Notes: Front loading washing machines can be great for certain situations. They do use less water and less electricity, which is a big plus. If you buy a front loader, I recommend LG and Whirlpool Duet brands. They seem to have the least amount of problems. Stay away from the Kenmore Elite front loaders as Whirlpool did not make those for Kenmore.
(I was being contacted so often by people wanting to learn how to repair their own appliances or start their own appliance business, we built an entire training course and community that teaches you how to both at Tradeskills.io )
Also, How to Buy a Used Dryer
For those of you new to the site, read How I Earn My Living Buying and Selling Appliances on Craigslist.The new routing feature on openstreetmap.org will make it a lot easier to find certain types of errors in the map. I tried it out and found errors that I would have overlooked otherwise.
Autoroute 40 is a limited-access divided highway in Quebec. Crossing gaps in the median strip are used for circulation during roadworks. These gaps are currently tagged |
oor might have been inside Pakistan before the strike. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry disclosed that a passport found at the site of the strike, bearing a different name, carried a valid Iranian visa.
It added that the purported passport holder was believed to have returned to Pakistan from Iran on Saturday, the day of the drone strike targeting Mansoor. Photos of the passport, bearing the name Wali Muhammad, seen by Reuters news agency showed a passing resemblance to some of the old photos available of Mansoor.
US officials said the strike happened at about 1000 GMT, which would have put it late on Friday night in the target area.
Several drones targeted the men as they travelled in a vehicle in a remote part of Pakistan near the border with Afghanistan, southwest of the town of Ahmad Wal, one US official said.
The Pentagon confirmed that the US army had tried to kill Mansoor, but gave no information about his condition.
Inside Story - Should the US negotiate with the Taliban?
Al Jazeera's Mohamed Vall, reporting from Kabul, said the timing of the strike was significant because the Afghan government warned it would take action against the group for not participating in the talks.
"They refused to show at the negotiating table, so the Afghan President recently said that now it's time for us to act and go after them. The Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG), made up of representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States were urged to show their military role," he said
"If it is proved that Mullah Mansoor has died in the strike, it would be a major blow to the Taliban."
READ MORE: 'Serious steps' against Taliban on Afghan talks agenda
Efforts to broker talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban had already stalled after a suicide attack in Kabul last month killed 64 people and prompted President Ashraf Ghani to prioritise military operations over negotiations.
But Ghani's office said on Sunday that the removal of Mansoor could open the door to talks and that Taliban members who wanted to end the bloodshed should return from "alien soil" and join peace efforts.
Who is Mullah Akhtar Mansoor?
Mullah Mansoor was born in about 1965 in a small village called Kariz in the Maiwand district of Kandahar. He belongs to Afghanistan's Ishaqzai tribe.
He fought against Soviet forces in Afghanistan for a brief period and was a member of Harakat-i-Inqilab-i-Islami, a former paramilitary group formed by Maulana Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi to fight them.
One of his first jobs for the group was overseeing the security of Kandahar airport.
In 1996-2001, when the Taliban was in power, he oversaw the ministry of civil aviation.
He rose to the upper echelons after Mullah Akhtar Osmani, a senior Taliban military leader and a close associate of Mullah Omar, was killed by US-led coalition forces in 2006 and Mullah Dadullah Akhund, the group's top military commander, was killed in 2007 by British special forces.
Between 2007 and 2010 he was able to stake a claim for higher office when Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the deputy of Mullah Omar, and Mullah Obaidullah Akhund, the Taliban government defence minister, were captured by the Pakistan Intelligence agency ISI.
In July 2015, Afghan intelligence said that Mullah Omar had been dead for two years. Within hours of that announcement, the Taliban reportedly held a meeting and elected Mullah Mansoor as leader. But his appointment appeared to expose fissures in the group.
A few months after his appointment, Taliban fighters seized the capital of Kunduz province after launching a daring raid from multiple directions. The attack was the biggest blow to President Ashraf Ghani since he took office a year before.
In December 2015, Afghan officials said Mansoor had died after a gunfight. The Taliban later released an audio message from him in which he denied he had been killed.
Mansoor refused to join any of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) meetings, made up of representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States and aimed at reviving a peace process.
After his persistent refusal to join talks, Afghan officials told Al Jazeera that action against the Taliban would be on the agenda for the fifth round of peace talks in early May.
US officials briefed the media on May 21 that a drone attack authorised by President Barack Obama had "likely killed" him and another Taliban member.
With additional reporting by Shereena Qazi."Seeing that it is better that offenders should die rather than that all of us should be killed by God's just wrath against us for the folly of tolerating-wickedness in our midst, the People of California wisely command, in the fear of God, that any person who willingly touches another person of the same gender for purposes of sexual gratification be put to death by bullets to the head or by any other convenient method."
McLaughlin does not state if minors - say, high school students - would be treated as adults and included in the execution mandate.
The Sodomite Suppression Act (note it's not the "Sodomy" Suppression Act, a clear indication that it's LGBT people, not just homosexual sex that McLaughlin takes issue with) also calls for a one million dollar fine for each act of transmitting, distributing, or performing "sodomistic propaganda" to minors.
And McLaughlin's bill would make it illegal for any gay person to hold public office, be employed by the state, or be granted any benefits, such as welfare, social security, or use any public assets, such as roads.
McLaughlin will have to get 365,000 legitimate California residents to sign up to support the Sodomite Suppression Act in order for it to move forward.
Wonkette has done its research and says that McLaughlin is likely the same person who in 2004 attempted to get the Bible in curriculum studies in public schools, an effort that would probably have been unconstitutional and cost the state about $200 million.
This article has been updated to accurately reflect the name on the filing as Matt McLaughlin, not Matthew McLaughlin.
Image:17th Century firing squad re-enactment
Photo by cenz via Flickr and a CC license
Hat tip: Joe JervisWe were sent by the campaign to Jackson, Michigan, a blue-collar, very depressed city, once dependent on the automotive industry in Detroit but at that time suffering unemployment and foreclosures after the first year of the recession. We were welcomed to the town by a sign that said "Birthplace of the Republican Party." Oops.
The first thing I noticed was that the campaign's canvassing sheets were a bit unusual, and the quick training we received on the spot surprised me. In addition to the usual 1s, 2s, and 3s, or plus/minus system I'd encountered canvassing for campaigns over the years, there was an additional set of parameters to mark off at the bottom. These had to do with noting any instances of remarks regarding the candidate's race or religion we encountered. I was a little shocked, but off we went with our routes and lists.
And, indeed, we encountered some very vocal, specific and overt instances of racism and religious remarks (e.g. "I wouldn't vote for that filthy n**** if you paid me," "I won't vote for a Muslim (followed by screaming)," etc.). I'm not saying this was the norm at all�just a few people who were extremely open in their hostility, plus several others whose silence told us they thought these things but weren't going to say it out loud. (One elderly couple simply old us, smirking, that they didn't vote; it was clearly a lie.) And of course we spoke with more people than not who were interested and said they were going to try to vote, though their condition didn't assure us that they would be able to make good on those promises.
In the end, we won Jackson, Michigan, which kind of shocked me. But I can tell you that there was a small but noticeable percentage whose outlooks were based on pure racism. It was a real learning experience.Secretary of State John Kerry negotiated one of the worst deals in the history of diplomacy when he eased all sanctions on Iran in exchange for them promising to stop developing nuclear weapons with no serious oversight. Obama proudly signed off on this deal because he’s just a shitty leader. President-elect Donald Trump has said he will rip up this ridiculous agreement as soon as he takes office, but Iran claims he lacks the authority. Funny thing: even Obama’s State Department admits, Trump can throw this thing in the garbage.
Working on reports that Trump plans to undo the horrible nuclear deal, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani not only said Trump can’t rip up the agreement, but also threatened the United States if he does.
“[Trump] wants to do many things, but none of his actions would affect us. Do you think that the United States can rip up the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal]? Do you think we and our nation will let him do that?” Rouhani asked.
See the thing is, Obama approved this deal on his own with out any confirmation from Congress, much in the same way he has conducted his entire presidency. It’s as good as Obama’s word, meaning it ain’t worth shit.
But don’t take my word for it; Obama’s own administration admits the Iran deal is as legally binding as Obama is honest. The Hill reports:
The State Department on Tuesday acknowledged President-elect Donald Trump can exit President Obama’s nuclear agreement with Iran.
“It’s not a formal treaty, and, of course, no one else can prevent any party to this agreement from walking away,” spokesman Mark Toner told reporters Tuesday…
Toner said State cautions against leaving last year’s historical pact regarding Iran’s nuclear energy capabilities. The spokesman noted his agency is promoting the deal’s merits to the incoming Trump administration, however. Toner added extending expiring legislation that levied sanctions on Iran is not in violation of the agreement’s conditions.
The weird thing here is, the State Department seems to be under the impression that John Kerry has the authority to stop Trump from trashing the Iran deal, even after he’s sworn in as President.
“We obviously reject those views. We’ve been very clear that what we call a ‘clean’ extension of the Iran Sanctions Act is entirely consistent with our commitments in the [Iran deal], said Toner.
“And, in any case, Secretary [of State John] Kerry would retain waiver authority and would continue to waive all sanctions, the relevant sanctions authorized by the legislation. And that’s what we committed to do in the [Iran Deal] and so we retain that capacity, I guess, is the point,” finished Toner.
Uh, once Trump is sworn in, Kerry, Obama, and Iran can all go suck it. They will not have any authority over anything. Period.
With ObamaCare tanking, this god-awful Iran nuclear deal is the only thing left of Obama’s legacy and he’s going to have to come to grips with the fact that history will only remember him as a failed president. Trump can and will undo this piece of shit. If Iran has a problem with that they curl up and sulk like Obama, because for the first time in a long time American has a president that will stand up to foreign bullies and terrorists.
Follow Brian Anderson on TwitterMeanwhile, we believe potentially 100,000 Australians are using cannabis to treat their medical conditions but because this is illegal, the true scale of this use is unknown. Such illicit use risks prosecution and all the complications that come with using an illegally sourced drug of uncertain composition. Cannabis-using "criminals" include thousands of people with severe, unrelenting pain who have reached the end of the line on the prescription opioid express. It includes children with intractable epilepsy and people with painful neurological conditions, for whom cannabis has transformed their quality of life. Concerns with cannabis usually revolve around the adverse effects of THC – the main psychoactive ingredient. While such effects are still hotly debated in scientific circles, it is increasingly clear that many diseases can be treated by cannabis products that have little, if any, THC. Many types of cannabis, including industrial hemp, contain little THC but are enriched in other cannabinoids such as cannabidiol, which have anti-epileptic, anti-anxiety, antipsychotic, anti-inflammatory and other therapeutic effects.
And there is no need to smoke. Cannabis products now come in myriad forms, including oils, lozenges, sprays, lotions, patches and capsules. An initial problem facing Australian patients seeking medicinal cannabis is that their GPs often know very little about it, and unlike Canada, where GPs can write you a script, a sympathetic Australian GP must enlist the support of a specialist to apply to the TGA for cannabis products. And even if a specialist is available, and sympathetic, they are probably not covered by their insurer when prescribing cannabis products to patients. Let's assume your medical practitioners are courageous: the next step is a detailed application to the TGA outlining the scientific evidence showing that cannabis can treat your condition more effectively than conventional prescription meds. This leads to the stoush over "the evidence".
Earlier this year, the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine released a comprehensive review medicinal cannabis. Evidence for the efficacy of cannabis in some diseases is sparse due to the historical barriers preventing clinical trials of cannabis products. But absence of evidence, as Carl Sagan said, is not evidence of absence. The NASEM report still gave resounding support for the use of cannabis products for pain, for nausea and vomiting in people receiving chemotherapy, for spasticity in multiple sclerosis, and for various forms of insomnia. But in Australia, the TGA is reluctant to approve the use of cannabis for the conditions for which it is most commonly used in the community: pain, insomnia and PTSD/anxiety. So the TGA will grant access to patients with less common conditions – such as multiple sclerosis and intractable epilepsy – but not to the 20 per cent of Australians suffering from chronic pain.
Even if your specialist can convince the TGA that your condition is treatable with cannabis products, your mission is still incomplete. Your specialist/GP must also apply to their state or territory health department for further approval. This involves more form-filling and delay. And when you finally have all your ducks in a row, there is the not-so-small issue of cost. The TGA-approved products available to patients are extremely expensive. It may cost $120 a day to obtain cannabis products to treat a child with pediatric epilepsy, with no subsidy available from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Putting it all together, it becomes clear why only 250 or so Australians have access to officially sanctioned medicinal cannabis products. In striking comparison, Canada has more than 200,000 officially approved patients, and Israel more than 30,000.
Admittedly, it is early days in Australia and profound change does not happen overnight. Yet the design of the Australian system seems to almost guarantee its failure. There are several steps that could be taken to better meet community expectations: an amnesty for current users of illicit cannabis products with verified medical conditions would be a good start. Allowing appropriately trained GPs to prescribe medicinal cannabis products without specialist involvement would also help, as would dispensing with the need for duplicate state approvals. Rescheduling of non-intoxicating, low-THC cannabis products as over-the-counter medicines might also be considered. When manufactured according to best practice, these products are no more hazardous than many of the nutraceuticals on pharmacy shelves. Loading
Let's rethink our strategy and make medicinal cannabis products readily available to Australians in need. Professor Iain McGregor is academic director of the Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics at the University of Sydney.When you first start playing Wonderful 101 your eyes won’t know where to focus. With a large group of heroes on your screen running around an almost blinding, brightly coloured world, and loud noises and explosions constantly bombarding your senses, it initially feels like you’re watching a particularly confusing and seizure inducing anime. When your eyes eventually uncross themselves, however, and you get to grips with the controls, what you experience is one of the purest and most charming gaming experiences in recent memory.
As you’ve probably guessed from screenshots or the cover art featured above, this isn’t exactly your typical dudebro action game – what you might not have realized however, is that The Wonderful 101 is without a doubt, a game for the hardcore.
No, really.
Under that gorgeous and charming Viewtful-Joe-meets-The-Incredibles art style, there is a surprisingly intense and extremely enjoyable experience to be found here, one that is both strategic and highly action packed. And given its origins I wouldn’t expect anything less.
The Wonderful 101 is developed by everyone’s favourite off the wall Japanese studio, Platinum Games. This Wii U exclusive strategic brawler is the love child of the ever outspoken Kamiya, creator of the Devil May Cry, Viewtful Joe and Bayonetta series, and like the latter, W101 focuses on fast paced and relentless action – and it isn’t afraid to have a difficulty curve that will completely whoop your rectum.
The Wonderful 101’s story puts you in charge of controlling 100 of the world’s strongest (and seemingly smallest) super heroes in order to fight off an alien invasion of our apparently cutesy little planet. You take control of Wonder Red and other inexplicably primary coloured heroes as you recruit other would be heroes to join your cause. You can find both temporary and permanent team members scattered throughout each level, often cowering under enemies and not looking like particularly super hero material, but each will have a different power or ability to add to your posse and make your team stronger.
Although you have a large group of heroes behind you, their standard attacks are practically useless in combat so in order to do damage you’ve got to – yep you guessed it – combine together. You do this by drawing shapes on either the touchscreen or with the right analog stick, making all of your heroes form together to make the shape of different unite weapons. An L shape, for example, creates a green gun, effective for more long range attacks, whereas a straight line will be a sword, an s shape a whip etc ranging all the way to an awesome looking hang-glider and giant bear claws.
What becomes interesting is that certain enemies will be weak only to a certain weapon, requiring you to frantically switch weapon types and make fast and furious combos as you figure out their weaknesses on the fly. After pwning some alien noobs, I then jumped over to the opposite building and was presented with a lock that required me to make a sword and rotate the gamepad like a key. My reward for unlocking it? I got to progress to the next part of the level… but by going down a water slide (if you couldn’t already tell this game is incredibly Japanese).
Later on, after a boss fight, there was a similar ‘puzzle’ that let you advance by riding a Ferris wheel to the next area.The contrast between the lightning fast combat and the goofily charming, environmental interaction feels genuinely fun, and the light hearted tone of the game is incredibly refreshing in a medium dominated with dark and ‘gritty’ identikit shooters.
Like Bayonetta, there is a shop you visit between levels called The Wonderful Mart, where you can treat yourself to upgrades and new Unite abilities, and after each battle (again like Bayonetta) you are awarded a rating and gold with which you can buy a plethora of upgrades and items, the amount of which is sure to increase replay value dramatically.
As well as the single-player, there are various co-op missions entitled Wonderful Missions, which support up to five players and are a hell of a lot of fun. You have to work with your friends to destroy all the enemies in order to progress, but luckily these modes are score based so you can still prove to your friends that it was actually you that did all the work. Sadly, everyone else was playing Mario Kart so we only got to try this with three players, but even with all the extra heroes on screen the frame-rate remained impressively silky smooth. My only complaint was that it made the game even more hectic, and with five players I’d imagine the action would become very confusing to keep track of.
In a world of often bland and unoriginal AAA shooters, with millions of marketing dollars behind them, a brightly coloured niche action strategy game for the struggling Wii U doesn’t seem likely to be a game that sets the world on fire. With marketing for the Platinum developed and Nintendo published game seeming to be almost non existent and the creator even publicly complaining about its lack of exposure on twitter, it seems sadly almost destined to fall into obscurity. But this game oozes with charm and is genuinely a joy to play. It deserves a much better fate than the bargain bin.
The brilliant mix of Pikmin like strategy and frantic Bayonetta-esque action looks to be one of the most original titles to hit any system this year. Fans of unique and expertly crafted gameplay would do well to keep this on their radar and support bombastically brilliant titles like this.
The Wonderful 101 hits the Wii u on 23rd August in Europe.Every time it looks like Jennifer Lawrence can't get any bigger, she manages to find a way to defy expectations. Only 24, Lawrence already has an Oscar. She recently scored her first Billboard chart hit with "Hanging Tree," and now she closes out 2014 as the highest-grossing actor in Hollywood. Between Mockingjay and X-Men: Days of Future Past, Lawrence's movies have grossed $1.4 billion at the box office worldwide this year. (That number will climb even higher since Mockingjay is still in theaters.)
Next year, the last installment of The Hunger Games series hits theaters. For many actors, this would be a difficult career moment. When actors like Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson reached the end of the franchises that made them stars, they had to prove to Hollywood that they were more than just lucky beneficiaries of can't-miss roles. Lawrence won't have that problem thanks to her strong performances in movies like X-Men, American Hustle and Silver Linings Playbook. Her first post-Hunger Games movie will reunite her with American Hustle director David O. Russell. Joy, about a Long Island single mother who becomes a successful entrepreneur, is based on a true story.
To compile our list, we turned to Box Office Mojo for global movie grosses. We then added each actor's grosses for the year to come up with our final list.
Full List: The Top Grossing Actors Of 2014
Ranking second with $1.2 billion in global grosses is Chris Pratt. Guardians of the Galaxy was probably the biggest surprise hit of the year. Based on comic book characters that most casual fans weren't familiar with, the movie could have turned out to be Marvel's first flop. Instead, it looks like Guardians will be the highest-grossing film domestically this year with $333 million, and $772 million at the box office globally. Pratt was a big part of the movie's success. As rogue good guy Peter Quill, he brought tons of charm and emotion to the film and helped raise it above the level of your typical superhero flick. A sequel is already in the works.
Pratt's total gross comes from adding in another surprise hit: The Lego Movie. The Warner Bros. flick may have been the world's longest commercial but it was one of the most entertaining movies of the year. The animated film grossed $468 million at the box office worldwide and spawned a sequel, which is slated for 2018, as well as a Batman spin-off that should hit theaters in 2017. Pratt could end up on our list again next year thanks to his starring role in the new Jurassic Park movie. The film, titled Jurassic World, hits theaters June 12.
Scarlett Johansson lands in third place with $1.18 billion. Most of that money comes from Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which grossed $714 million worldwide. Johansson reprised her Avengers role as Black Widow for the movie and helped bring a much-needed light touch to the Captain America series. But this might be as close as fans get to a stand-alone Black Widow movie. Earlier this year when Marvel announced its lineup through 2020, there was no mention of Black Widow. The rest of her gross comes from Lucy and the tiny film Under the Skin, in which Johansson played a hungry alien.
Mark Wahlberg is the highest-ranking star who lands on our list with just one movie: Transformers. (Wahlberg's Christmas movie, The Gambler, hadn't yet hit theaters when we closed out this list.) Many people were surprised when Wahlberg agreed to star in Michael Bay's latest Transformers film. Wahlberg has a reputation as someone who tries to make quality films and the Transformers movies are almost universally hated by critics.
But Wahlberg had already starred in Bay's small passion film, Pain & Gain, so he was clearly happy to work with the director again. And while critics may hate them, audiences love the Transformer films. The most recent movie grossed $1 billion at the global box office.
Rounding out the top five is Chris Evans. Like Johansson, most of Evan's gross comes from the latest Captain America movie. But he also starred in one of the most interesting releases of the year: Snowpiercer. The movie, about a post-apocalyptic world in which all that's left of humanity is living on a very long train, was released in only a few theater in the U.S. but earned millions on home video. The movie had a wider release internationally, which helped it bring in $86.7 million at the global box office.
Full List: The Top Grossing Actors Of 2014Choice is something voters in Allegheny County will not have in November when it comes to county-wide offices. 90.5 WESA's Mark Nootbaar reports.
It took just 500 write-in votes for lifelong Democrats Chelsa Wagner and John Weinstein to get their names on the November ballots as Republicans, but it will take 2,328 signatures if a third-party candidate wants to have the same opportunity.
“The deck is stacked against third parties,” said David Hughes, Green Party of Allegheny County Executive Committee member. “The laws are written by the Republicans and the Democrats to keep out threats or competition.”
The Republican Party in Allegheny County did not put up candidates for any of the county row offices, but registered Republicans wrote in John Weinstein’s name 803 times for County Treasurer and Chelsa Wagner’s name 970 times for County Controller. Both Weinstein and Wagner also received the Democratic nomination for the same seats — Weinstein ran unopposed and Wagner defeated Mark Patrick Flaherty — virtually assuring a win in November.
“The interest of the voters, which is what elections are supposed to be about, is in having multiple candidates and in some cases a third-party candidate is the only way to do that,” said Dave Eckhardt, Vote Allegheny Vice President.
The Libertarian Party is the only political party other than the Republicans and the Democrats currently recognized by the state. For a candidate from any other party to get on the November general election ballot, they must submit signatures totaling 2 percent of the total number of votes received by the top vote getter for a similar office in the most recent election.
For an Allegheny County row office, that is currently 2,328 based on the 2013 sheriff’s race where Democrat Bill Mullen picked up 116,380 votes. In two years that threshold will be 1,841 based on the 92,040 votes gathered this May by District Attorney Steven Zappala.
For a third-party candidate who is trying to get started with a campaign that could be prohibitive, according to Eckhardt.
“If you hire people to gather signatures for you the going rate is around $2.00 per signature… a third-party candidate might not have been going to spend that much on the campaign in general,” he said.
To become a recognized party in Pennsylvania from a ballot standpoint, a candidate of that party must gather 2 percent of the vote in any state-wide race. The party is then recognized by the state for the next two years.
Lacking that minor party status, the only option for someone outside of the two-party system to get on the ballot is to file the needed number of signatures. Even if a candidate can afford the time or the cost of gathering those signatures, they must hold enough in reserve to fend off a legal fight.
Republican and Democratic party leaders often challenge the signatures of third-party candidates out of fear that votes could be syphoned away from their candidates. To defend such a challenge, candidates usually have to hire lawyers, and under state law, the side that loses the challenge is on the hook for the other party’s legal fees.
“Those bills are higher if the third-party candidate filed more signatures," Eckhardt said. "That is if you do a better job gathering signatures to get on the ballot then it costs your opponents more to challenge you and therefore it will cost you more to pay those bills.”
A lawsuit is currently making its way through the commonwealth’s court system trying to change the financial responsibility, but the plaintiffs might run out of cash before it reaches its final ruling. Furthermore, a temporary injunction could be needed if the case is not finalized by the time petitions must be filed for the 2016 presidential election.
In the meantime, supporters of change are putting their hopes on Senate Bill 495. The measure introduced by Sen. Mike Folmer (R-Lebanon) would lower the number of signatures needed for a third-party candidate to the level needed by the Republicans and Democrats. It would also allow parties with registration levels of at least five one hundredths of one percent (.0005) to place candidates on the ballot based on a state convention. The Green and Libertarian parties would both qualify under that scenario.
Similar legislation has been introduced by Folmer in the last two sessions but has died in committee each time.
“Pennsylvania may be the worst in the county for election laws and opening the process up to alternatives to the two major parties,” Hughes said.
Hughes said he believes that until there is ballot reform in Pennsylvania, the state will continue to grapple with corruption and what he sees as misaligned priorities.
“The only way this is ever going to change is if there is a real viable alternative to the two major parties because pretty much they run anything,” Hughes said. “They write the laws, they take all the money from all the big lobbies and special interests and nothing ever changes.”Online anonymity, widely regarded as a fundamental component of Internet freedom, just got a bit harder in Russia.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a decree requiring citizens to sign up with a passport or government identification card in order to use public Wi-Fi, Russian paper Izvestia reported.
Like Russia’s infamous “blogger’s law,” which requires anyone who maintains a blog of moderate popularity to register with the government, it’s not exactly clear how this would be enforced. Initially, Russian media reported that the Wi-Fi registration decree would apply broadly, including public parks and restaurants. But on Friday, the Moscow Times quoted the city’s head of information and technology, Artyom Yermolayev, as saying the decree would only apply to the country’s roughly 20,000 “collective access points” to get Wi-Fi, which apparently are primarily post offices, and that public parks and restaurants wouldn’t be affected.
“Authorities appear to be retreating in recent statements about where this regulation will and won’t be enforced—public spots like bus stations, the metro system, and parks—but it’s a threat to human rights to have a law like this on the books,” Peter Micek, Senior Policy Counsel for the Internet freedom group Access, told the Daily Dot.
Possibly in response to the confusion and outrage surrounding the decree, Medvedev’s press secretary, Natalya Timakova, said Friday that it might be reworded, according to Russia’s ITAR-TASS news agency.
Illustration by Jason ReedSen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., speaks during an event at the University of Chicago on April 22. Andrew A. Nelles/AP
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., may follow in his father’s footsteps not only by seeking the Republican presidential nomination, but also by receiving the Libertarian Party’s ballot line.
Members of the Libertarian Party are bracing for an internal struggle over whether to back the libertarian-leaning senator if he appears poised to win the Republican nomination in 2016.
Paul is unlikely to directly seek the third party’s support, but could win it anyhow through the work of eager activists like those who worked the campaigns of his father, former Texas Rep. Ron Paul, a GOP presidential contender in 2008 and 2012 and the Libertarian nominee in 1988.
A co-nomination from one of the nation’s most significant minor parties could help Paul - if he’s the Republican nominee - avoid losing hundreds of thousands of votes to an ideological ally. In some states, his name would appear twice on ballots.
If Paul is nominated by both the Republican and Libertarian parties, it could also unleash electoral scenarios unseen in decades, such as the negotiation of a fusion slate of electors. Libertarians could, theoretically, nominate their own vice presidential candidate.
Though the Libertarian Party’s Orlando, Florida, nominating convention isn’t until May 2016, Libertarian National Committee Executive Director Wes Benedict foresees a fight.
“If Rand Paul wins the Republican nomination, I'd expect a big fight within the [party] over whether or not we should run our own candidate,” Benedict says. “It wouldn't just be a discussion.”
Libertarian Party chairman Nicholas Sarwark, officially neutral on the matter, says “there is a possibility that the delegates in Orlando would nominate Sen. Paul and if they were to do so, I'd work hard to support their choice.”
The Republican primary season will be well underway when the 1,000 or so Libertarian convention delegates gather. If Paul appears poised for victory in the GOP race, they would have several options.
Delegates could nominate Paul and his presumptive GOP running mate (if that person has been selected), or nominate Paul and a Libertarian running mate (as happened in 1896 when the Democratic and Populist parties nominated William Jennings Bryan for president, but chose different vice presidential candidates).
They could also choose to endorse no candidate, a scenario in which many would-be Libertarian voters would presumably vote for Paul without the party’s official blessing; or they could snub Paul and pick their own presidential candidate.
Though Paul is largely in line with the Libertarian rank-and-file on mass surveillance, militarized policing, government spending and taxes, criminal justice reform and foreign policy, his stance on social issues and immigration are unappetizing to some party members and his anticipated catering to the GOP mainstream may alienate others.
Benedict says he would prefer Libertarians to run their own candidate, someone who supports abortion rights and same-sex marriage.
Richard Winger, a ballot access expert who’s participated in Libertarian Party nominating conventions since the 1980s, says Paul supporters would need to strategize in advance of the Orlando convention, as delegates are selected by state parties.
Gaming Republican state conventions was a specialty of enthusiastic Ron Paul supporters, who in 2012 took over GOP organizations and flooded state conventions to score delegate wins for their libertarian hero. It’s unclear if these activists would put the same effort into infiltrating the Libertarian Party on behalf of Sen. Paul.
Winger says Paul probably would need to signal to Libertarians that he supports key party priorities. He recalls former Republican Rep. Bob Barr of Georgia, the party’s 2008 nominee, successfully doing so when he apologized authoring the Defense of Marriage Act and voting for the Patriot Act.
Cartoons on the Republican Party View All 224 Images
The Republican primary season may make that difficult, Already, Paul has taken positions that some Libertarians consider heresy, such as saying he would vote in favor of bombing the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.
Barr, citing his experience winning the Libertarian nomination, advises Paul supporters to “work quietly within the Libertarian Party to identify real-world libertarians” who would rather boost the libertarian-leaning Republican than nominate an ideologically pure candidate.
Barr says Paul clearly needs to focus on the Republican nomination and offers a word of caution to fans seeking to pull off a Libertarian win: “If you come out too early, too strong as Libertarians with a capital ‘L’ for Sen. Paul, you can actually wind up hurting his effort to win the Republican nomination.”
Winger, the ballot access expert, says if Paul wins both party nominations, his name would appear twice on ballots in Connecticut, New York and South Carolina. In states including California, New Hampshire, Ohio and Pennsylvania both party names would appear under his name. Florida and Texas ballots would not show the Libertarian party name.
The possibility of Paul winning the Libertarian nomination, of course, doesn’t merely depend on the enthusiasm of his supporters or if his positions are close enough to party dogma. It also depends on who else is interested in the nomination.
The party’s 2012 nominee, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, is busy running a marijuana company he hopes to build into an industry leader, but may enter the race.
Johnson, a former Republican, says he’d like to seek the Libertarian nomination again - though he’s not firmly committed to doing so - and says Libertarians should not nominate Paul.
“If that happened it would be really anti-libertarian,” he says, describing Paul’s positions on immigration, abortion, drug policy, same-sex marriage and military interventions abroad as insufficiently in line with the Libertarian Party.
“I doubt that would occur, but if it did occur that would be Libertarians saying those issues are not important, when they really are,” Johnson says. “Outside of those five issues I think Rand Paul does a pretty darn good job.”
Johnson expects the 2016 Libertarian candidate to perform about as well as he did in 2012, when he pulled nearly 1.3 million votes, regardless of whether Paul is the Republican nominee.
Third-party candidates are sometimes blamed for major-party losses, such as in 2000, when Green Party candidate Ralph Nader was accused of siphoning enough votes from Democrat Al Gore to cause Gore's loss in Florida and with it the entire presidential election. In recent elections, Libertarian presidential candidates at a minimum pull several hundred thousand votes.
Johnson says if he’s the Libertarian candidate he’d be unfazed about possibly spoiling the race for Paul. “Being a spoiler is not a bad thing, being a spoiler suggests you are saying something differently,” he says.
Sarwark, the party chairman, acknowledges the senator’s appeal but notes Paul has angered some members by campaigning against Libertarian candidates. Party bylaws may require Paul to indicate he would accept the nomination, he says.
“He does take more libertarian positions than many Republicans, to his credit," Sarwark says, "but he also shows more deference to the [Republican National Committee] than his father."Tuesday's Presidential Election may have ended the war on women, but the war on gardens still rages on.
Click Orlando reports that city officials had ordered Jason Helvingston to remove his front yard veggie garden by this week.
According to |
there’s really no good hosted wallet for dogecoin.”
With the move, Celery joins expresscoin to become the latest novice digital currency service to also court dogecoin buyers.
The perks of being public
Thakur and Subkhankulov also talked about their relationship with WPCS, which funded BTX Trader with a $1m investment earlier this year.
Thakur indicated that while they do seek insight from the company’s CEO Sebastian Giordano, they are free to innovate as they see fit, saying:
“The way that really works is that we were on a call with them talking about our direction. They really keep us as a domain expert when it comes to digital currency.”
To learn more about Celery, visit its newly launched website. More information on BTX Trader and its offerings for institutional traders can be viewed here.
Computer image via ShutterstockPolice have slammed a former mayor who said rape is "easy to report" and suggested police should stop recording reports of rape as an offence.
Tory councillor Alan Amos made the shocking comments after official figures revealed a 168% rise in reports of rape nationally since 2011.
Over the last five years, just over a thousand rape offences were reported to police, including a record high in 2015 of 324.
Controversial councillor Amos, who represents Gorse Hill and Warndon in Worcestershire, stunned superintendent Kevin Purcell of West Mercia Police, who accused him of being old-fashioned.
Speaking at a council meeting in Worcester, Amos said: "Correct me if I'm wrong because the law may have changed, but the accused can be named in public and the accuser is not named.
"So in that sense it's a claim, or an allegation - easy to make, difficult to prove. The reason I'm asking this is because I'm concerned people are talking about massive increases in this, massive increases in that," he said.
"But surely you can only do that on the basis of convictions? Unless there's been a conviction you can't say that offence has occurred."
But superintendent Purcell challenged him saying: "I'm sure it wasn't meant to sound like that, but if you ring us up and say 'we've got a burglary' we don't say 'wait until we've got a suspect arrested and charged, we don't believe you' - we'd say you've had a burglary and we'd deal with it.
"We do our best to deal with it properly, that should and definitely does include rape. The concept of 'we don't believe them until someone is charged' is probably set 30 years ago."
Councillor Amos then conceded that police must judge the situation for themselves, before adding: "It seems this is an allegation which is 'easy' to make.
"That's difficult to solve, I know, but if someone just comes along and makes it and it goes down as a reported offence, then we're going to get these horrendous figures.
"I just wonder whether that's helpful to us, to have those kind of figures."
Supt Purcell said they were not "horrendous figures, but people brave enough to come forward.
"National police guidelines state that if someone says it's happened, then it's happened."
Labour Councillor Chris Bloore said: "Reporting a rape is not an 'easy' thing to do."French president François Hollande took the biggest gamble of his two-year-old presidency on Monday by ordering his reformist prime minister to form a new government which will exclude Socialist dissidents demanding an end to economic austerity policies dictated by Germany.
Casting off his characteristic indecision, Hollande agreed to prime minister Manuel Valls's offer to dissolve the cabinet amid a political crisis triggered by the country's outspoken economy minister.
The dissolution of the cabinet allows Hollande to form a new government without dissenting voices.
In a defiant farewell speech at the economy ministry, Arnaud Montebourg, said the austerity drive in France and Europe was a "financial absurdity," and accused Hollande and Valls of ignoring his pleas for a "moderate and balanced" alternative.
Less than an hour after he was called into Valls's office for a 15-minute meeting, Montebourg said austerity-inspired tax increases had undermined purchasing power and has led to the rise of extremist parties.
Montebourg said the "incorrect" austerity policies followed by the European Central Bank and EU member states had "continued to mire the eurozone in recession and soon, deflation". Education minister Benoît Hamon and culture minister Aurélie Filippetti also said that they would not take part in the new government.
The departure of the three ministers will provide Valls, a social democrat, with the opportunity to reshape the government in his own image, said French political scientist Laurent Bouvet of the University of Versailles. "It will have the benefit of clarifying the situation for the first time," said Bouvet. If Hollande had allowed the sniping from the leftwing ministers to continue," he would have lost all credibility, in France and in Europe". But, he added: "The problem is, it's a big gamble."
Hollande, the most unpopular French president in living memory whose latest approval ratings stand at 17%, has been pilloried by the left for failing to make good on his election promise to restore growth. But his plans were opposed by German chancellor Angela Merkel who again last week rejected French and Italian appeals to soften eurozone deficit targets which they have failed to meet.
According to Bouvet, Hollande has only himself to blame. "He didn't make the tough economic choices when he had the opportunity after his election, he could have named Valls then. But he kept trying to please everyone, including in his own camp."
The French Socialist party has always been torn by opposing factions, but Bouvet said that at a time when the Socialists had electoral prospects the tensions between the different wings could be played down. Now, with the surge of the Front National amid a stagnating economy, the political landscape in France has changed drastically.
Montebourg, 51, has been a constant thorn in Hollande's side, who had shied from disciplining him despite his frequent off-message statements. As industrial recovery minister, he told the steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal in November 2012 that "we no longer want Mittal in France" amid high stakes negotiations aimed at keeping blast furnaces at Florange afloat.
But he sealed his own fate over the weekend, first in an interview with Le Monde, with a speech to a Socialist party rally on Sunday. "France is a free country which shouldn't be aligning itself with the obsessions of the German right," which were leading France down a "blind alley", he said.
He was joined in his criticism by Hamon. The third dissident minister, Filipetti, said in her resignation letter to Hollande and Valls that the crisis meant people had become disillusioned with politics and "in the worst case is throwing our voters into the arms of the Front National".
After aides to Valls let it be known on Sunday that Montebourg had crossed a "yellow line", the prime minister submitted the entire government's resignation on Monday,after 147 days in office. Le Parisien reported that he had said to Hollande: "It's him or me," referring to Montebourg.
The president instructed Valls to form a new government "consistent with the direction set for the country". Valls has pledged to stick to a three-year plan in which deficits would be cut while the tax burden on businesses would be eased. The programme is to be financed by €50bn of spending cuts opposed by the left which wants tax cuts to boost consumer demand.
Valls spent the day in consultations and his new government is due to be announced on Tuesday. Analysts said that the cabinet would keep Hollande loyalists in key positions, including the finance minister Michel Sapin, agriculture minister Stéphane Le Foll and the defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
The challenge for Valls is to put together a government that can win a confidence vote in the National Assembly, despite the revolt by the Socialist party's left flank, opposition from a breakaway party and desertion by the ecologists.
But Olivier Rozenberg, a specialist on parliamentary institutions with Sciences Po, said that Valls was likely to win the vote which could be held next week. "Although ideologically there may be a majority within the left which believes that the deficit cutting shouldn't happen, politically they are unlikely to vote against the government because that would mean the dissolution of parliament. And then then would lose their seats," he said.
With the party split now officialised with the three ministers leaving the government, the flamboyant Montebourg, who on Monday vowed to continue a "Made in France" campaign, appears as a potent flag-bearer of the left.
The crisis is unfolding as politicians are already eyeing the next presidential elections in 2017, with both Montebourg and Valls possible contenders. The prime minister has remained popular in the country as a whole although his approval ratings have shrunk by nine points in the last month. Hollande himself seemed strangely detached from the crisis as he stuck to his schedule attending commemorations marking the end of the second world war on Monday. He was shown on television drenched by pouring rain, making a speech on a remote Breton island, eight kilometres from the French mainland.“When a growth stock loses momentum, there’s no telling how far it can fall,” Jim Cramer said Thursday on CNBC’s “Mad Money.” Either the company gets its groove back — a tough task to accomplish — or the stock drifts low enough to attract value-oriented money managers. “And the value guys, they’re willing to pay a heck of a lot less than the growth junkies.”
Right now, that’s exactly what’s going on with Chipotle Mexican Grill Cramer said.
For years, CMG was perhaps the greatest growth story out there, he said, from the moment it came public back in 2006. “The stock made people fortunes.”
But two weeks ago, Chipotle disappointed with its quarterly report, and for the first time ever, Chipotle cited the slowing economy without really seeming to know why it was hurting its business. Same-store sales growth slowed to just 8 percent from 12.7 percent in the previous quarter. And CMG’s management said that unless consumer spending picks up, the stock could be in the single digits for the rest of 2012.
Following that report, CMG stock spiraled down from $403 per share to $316 in a single day – losing steam by 22 percent. And the stock has since fallen even further.
So, has Chipotle been punished enough or can the company “get its mojo back?"
To get the scoop on CMG, he chatted with Jack Hartung, CFO of Chipotle, on Thursday’s program. Watch for the video to see the full interview.
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Montréal-Toronto à 1200 km/h Le corridor reliant les deux métropoles se trouve dans la ligne de mire de l’entreprise Hyperloop One
Philippe Mercure La Presse
Imaginez vous asseoir dans une capsule au centre-ville de Montréal, puis vous faire propulser dans un tube sous vide à 1200 km/h pour gagner Ottawa en 12 minutes et Toronto en 39 minutes. C’est le rêve que vend l’entreprise californienne Hyperloop One, qui affirme avoir le corridor Toronto-Ottawa-Montréal dans l’œil pour l’un des premiers déploiements de ce moyen de transport du futur.
« La route Toronto-Ottawa-Montréal est très viable. Économiquement parlant, nous voyons 15 millions de passagers et plus par année », a affirmé hier à La Presse le chef de la direction d’Hyperloop One, Rob Lloyd, en marge de la Conférence de Montréal.
M. Lloyd, un Montréalais d’origine, a grandi à Winnipeg et a fait sa marque comme président du développement et des ventes du géant de l’équipement de télécommunication Cisco. Il affirme avoir effectué des études préliminaires sur le corridor Toronto-Montréal et même en avoir discuté avec certains membres des gouvernements.
« Nous avons eu certaines discussions à un stade préliminaire avec l’Ontario, nous avons eu quelques discussions avec le gouvernement fédéral », a-t-il dit.
« Nous nous attendons à une ouverture de la part de Québec, et je m’attends à quelques discussions pendant cette conférence. C’est pour ça que je suis ici. »
— Rob Lloyd, chef de la direction d’Hyperloop One
Selon lui, plusieurs facteurs jouent en faveur de la route Montréal-Toronto. Il mentionne notamment les « centaines de milliards de dollars des grands fonds de pension au Québec et en Ontario qui investissent dans les infrastructures » et le fait que le Canada est « le leader des partenariats public-privé ». M. Lloyd aime aussi les autoroutes 401 et 417, relativement droites, le long desquelles il rêve de déployer les piliers soutenant les tunnels dans lesquels circuleraient les capsules.
L’absence de train rapide entre les deux plus grandes métropoles du pays?
« Ça rend les choses encore plus intéressantes », a-t-il répondu.
Le « cinquième mode de transport »
L’Hyperloop est ce concept lancé par le patron de Tesla et de SpaceX, Elon Musk, et directement inspiré des systèmes de messagerie pneumatiques qui acheminaient jadis lettres et petits colis dans les entreprises par des tubes pressurisés. Musk le décrit comme « le cinquième mode de transport », après le bateau, le train, la voiture et l’avion.
Depuis, plusieurs entreprises ont pris l’idée au bond. Hyperloop One, qui compte aujourd’hui 278 employés et qui a récolté 160 millions US (plus de 210 millions CAN) pour financer ses travaux, est l’une des plus avancées. Son principal concurrent est la société Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, aussi établie en Californie.
Hyperloop One a construit une immense piste d’essais dans le Nevada, où elle dit être sur le point d’effectuer le premier test à grande échelle ; une question « de mois », a précisé hier M. Lloyd. Prochaine étape : déployer un véritable système afin de déplacer des marchandises dès 2020 et des passagers dès 2021. Pour trouver l’endroit idéal où installer le premier prototype, Hyperloop One a lancé un concours invitant les villes, les régions et les pays à lui proposer des tracés.
En entrevue, Rob Lloyd explique que quatre critères seront considérés.
Les quatre critères de sélection :
1. La route doit être économiquement viable. « On ne construit pas des manèges de loisir », a lancé M. Lloyd.
2. Le projet doit être simple et de courte distance. Oubliez les traversées de montagnes et de grands fleuves pour une première démonstration.
3. Le financement doit être présent.
4. Les gouvernements devront collaborer. « On veut des régulateurs qui veulent accélérer le projet, pas le contraire », a-t-il dit.
Rob Lloyd est clair : pas question de construire d’un coup un système de plusieurs centaines de kilomètres entre Montréal, Ottawa Toronto. L’entreprise commencera par un lien entre un aéroport et un centre-ville, par exemple.
« On fait un segment d’abord. On travaille avec le gouvernement, on prouve que ça marche, on certifie la technologie avec Transports Canada et les autorités de transport du Québec ou de l’Ontario », a expliqué le dirigeant.
Après avoir fait des progrès technologiques au cours des dernières années, Rob Lloyd estime aujourd’hui que le principal défi d’Hyperloop One sera de faire financer les « deux ou trois » premiers prototypes de l’Hyperloop. Aux gouvernements qui sauteront dans le bateau, il fait miroiter d’importantes avancées technologiques.
« Celui qui accueillera le premier système fera naître tout un écosystème d’infrastructures et de recherche et développement », a-t-il avancé.
Devant un parterre de gens d’affaires, hier, Rob Lloyd a aussi affirmé qu’un lien rapide entre Montréal et Toronto créerait la « quatrième plus grande région métropolitaine d’Amérique du Nord », permettant aux gens de choisir un emploi dans une ville tout en vivant dans l’autre.CIA playbook: A sour attempt at legalising terror via drones
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With John O Brennan’s brainchild, the ‘play book’, almost ready for the president to sign and the leak of the Justice Department’s document explaining the legal rationale for the killing of American citizens who join al Qaeda, the drone debate is a hot topic once again. But for all the wrong reasons.
A brief introduction to the playbook would be that it sets rules regarding the clandestine drone operations of CIA around the world, a vague attempt at legalising the attacks and ‘minimising’ them to an extent. Something like this needed to be done by the US government as it was facing heavy criticism not only from its allies but also from its own people regarding the heavy reliance on technological warfare. Maybe the entire clamour around the globe for a reduction in drone strikes is way of securing or asking what the future holds as the US is blatantly using its might to carry out operations attacking the sovereignty of fragile third world countries.
Countries where it’s not even fighting a conventional war.
But the most intriguing aspect of the Brennan playbook story is that all of these ‘laws’ regarding drone strikes don’t apply to Pakistan and Yemen.
Why?
You can’t question.
The justice department’s document’s leak has also led to public outrage over the unjust killings of US citizens in drone strikes and other military operations by the state. Al-Aulaqi’s case is getting a lot of attention as a result of the leak and common US citizens have started to raise questions regarding the definition that state uses before categorising someone as a ‘prospective terrorist’.
All of this isn’t going to put an end to drone strikes. In fact as the US is now unwinding its military involvement in Afghanistan, soldiers are likely to be replaced by technology and more unmanned aerial strikes are expected in the region.
There has been a gradual escalation in number of these attacks since the start of this year. Around 11 civilians died within the first two weeks of January in four attacks as reported by Bill Roggio of the Long war journal.
During March 2011, a single ‘Signature (precision)’strike killed 38 civilians. It’s almost close to impossible to assess the civilian death toll of such strikes as the areas targeted by the CIA drones are inaccessible to government functionaries, journalists and other monitors.
Those who favour the drones argue that a conventional war would result in extensive collateral damage.
But is this really a war?
Do we know who exactly our enemy is?
Has killing Osama led to world peace?
Will killing more militants like him put an end to terrorism?
Terrorism cannot be defeated with military might alone.
Al Qaeda is not some regular disciplined force of militants, which can be bombed into oblivion. Al Qaeda is an ideology and missiles cannot kill ideologies.
Jason Burke, in his book ‘Al-Qaeda: Casting a shadow of terror’ described it as “broad and diverse movement of radical Islamic militancy” involving tens of thousands of people, some merely individuals, some who have formed groups.
According to him “these groups shift and change and grow and disappear”. Killing some in one region wouldn’t defeat terrorism. In fact it would result in more innocent civilian’s casualties.
“Al Qaeda is established in Syria. They’ve been there for about a year,” King Abdullah of Jordan revealed in an interview to Fareed Zakaria of CNN last month. This proves the notion that bombing is not the solution. It just leads to a geographical shift of the organisation. Perhaps the most troubling fact about this drone debate is CIA’s control over the institution, which is actually an extension of conventional warfare and should be under the direct command of military leadership.
Terrorism can only be eradicated by encouraging democratically elected and stable governments in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan. Most importantly economic growth should be stimulated in such countries so that the underprivileged don’t fall prey to militants offering money in return for terrorist activities.
Over the recent past, there has been no civilian death in the US due to a terrorist activity conducted by al Qaeda, whereas almost 150 kids have died in school shootings since 2003.
It is probably time for the US to pay more attention to its own gun laws rather than persisting with counter terrorism activities around the world.WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—A new poll indicates that the American people are deeply disappointed in Hillary Clinton's State Department e-mail flap because it does not live up to the high standards of sordidness set by Clinton scandals of the past.
Davis Logsdon, who supervised the poll for the University of Minnesota's Opinion Research Institute, said that those surveyed were "receptive and even intrigued" by the idea of a new Clinton scandal, but then were deflated when they learned what the scandal actually involved.
"When people hear the words 'Clinton scandal,' they expect a certain amount of sex and sleaze," Logsdon said. "But once they find out that this one is about State Department e-mail regulations which may or may not have been disobeyed, they feel very let down."
"In a sense, the Clintons have created this problem for themselves," Logsdon added. "They set an extremely high bar with some very memorable scandals in the past, and for a lot of people, this one just doesn't live up to the hype."
The current scandal could be salvaged in the public's eye if some of Hillary Clinton's e-mails turn out to have sexual content, but Logsdon called that "a long shot."
"The poll results show that there's a genuine appetite out there for a juicy Clinton scandal," he said. "But, sadly, there's also a sense that maybe they did their best work in the nineties."
Get news satire from The Borowitz Report delivered to your inbox.I Was a Communist for the FBI is a 1951 American film noir crime film directed by Gordon Douglas starring Frank Lovejoy, Dorothy Hart, Philip Carey and James Millican.[3]
It was also a radio show starring Dana Andrews with 78 episodes that ran from April 23, 1952 until October 14, 1953.
The film was based on a series of stories written by Matt Cvetic that appeared in The Saturday Evening Post.[4] The stories were later turned into a best-selling book and radio series.
The story follows Cvetic, who infiltrated a local Communist Party cell for nine years and reported back to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on their activities.
The film and radio show are, in part, artifacts of the McCarthy era, as well as a time capsule of American society during the Second Red Scare. The purpose of both is partly to warn people about the threat of Communist subversion of American society. The tone of the show is ultra-patriotic, with Communists portrayed as racist, vindictive, and tools of a totalitarian foreign power, the Soviet Union.
Plot [ edit ]
Matt Cvetic (Frank Lovejoy), who works in a Pittsburgh steel mill, has been infiltrating the Communist Party for the FBI in Pittsburgh for nine years. During this time he has been unable to tell his family about his dual role, so they assume that he is a genuine believer in Communism and despise him.
He becomes emotionally involved with a Communist school teacher (Dorothy Hart), who is becoming disenchanted with the party. She breaks with the party when it foments a violent strike. Cvetic helps her escape the Communists in violent sequences in which two Communists and an FBI agent are killed.
Communists are portrayed in the film as cynical opportunists, racists who are interested only in seizing power on behalf of the Soviets and not in improving social and labor conditions in the U.S. They are shown exploiting ethnic tensions to get their way, such as by wrapping copies of a Jewish newspaper around lead pipes used to beat up people during a strike. They also are shown fomenting discontent among blacks. They are shown as cynical racists, calling blacks "niggers" and Jews "kikes".
The Communists in the film are also shown to be violent thugs who kill informers.
Cvetic ultimately testifies against the Communists before the House Un-American Activities Committee and reconciles with his brother and son.
Cast [ edit ]
Radio [ edit ]
The radio version of I Was a Communist for the FBI consisted of 78 episodes syndicated by the Frederick W. Ziv Company to more than 600 stations, including KNX in Los Angeles, California, with original episodes running from March 30, 1952 to September 20, 1953. The program was made without the cooperation of the FBI. Real-life undercover agent Matt Cvetic was portrayed by Dana Andrews. The show had a budget of $12,000 a week, a very high cost to produce a radio show at the time.[5]
The program frequently dealt with the great stress that Cvetic was under, as he covertly infiltrated a local Communist Party cell. There were many personal and family problems caused by his being a Communist, as well as a certain amount of mental torment. He saw the party as being hypocritical and a great danger to society.
In 1953, Ziv created a separate television follow-up, I Led Three Lives, based on the life of Herbert Philbrick, a Boston advertising executive who also infiltrated the U.S. Communist Party on behalf of the FBI in the 1940s. This time, the FBI approved all of the show's scripts.
Reception [ edit ]
Box Office [ edit ]
According to Warner Bros records the film earned $1,319,000 domestically and $440,000 foreign.[1]
Critical response [ edit ]
When the film was released, The New York Times film critic, Bosley Crowther, was critical of the message in the film. He wrote, "In many respects, this heated item bears comparison to the hearings before the House Un-American Activities Committee—which, incidentally, it extols.... For instance, in glibly detailing how the Communists foment racial hate and labor unrest in this country... [it] hint[s] that most Negroes and most laborers are 'pinks'. It raises suspicion of school teachers... [and] that people who embrace liberal causes, such as the Scottsboro trial defense, are Communist dupes... and the film itself glows with patriotism. But it plays a bit recklessly with fire".[6]
The staff at Variety magazine wrote a positive review, "From the real life experiences of Matt Cvetic [published in the Saturday Evening Post as "I Posed as a Communist for the F.B.I"], scripter Crane Wilbur has fashioned an exciting film. Direction of Gordon Douglas plays up suspense and pace strongly, and the cast, headed by Frank Lovejoy in the title role, punches over the expose of the Communist menace."[7]
Accolades [ edit ]
This dramatic film was nominated for an Academy Award as the Best Documentary Feature of the year.[8]
References [ edit ]Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Police video of a 37-mile dumper truck chase
A man who stole a dumper truck and left a 37-mile (59.5km) trail of destruction during a police chase across two counties has been jailed.
The two-hour low-speed pursuit last July started in Norwich and ended in Brandon, Suffolk, and caused thousands of pounds worth of damage.
Nicholas Churchill, 40, from Brandon, wrote off two cars and damaged several others after a "red mist" descended.
A police officer whose car was rammed said he thought he was going to die.
Image copyright Norfolk Police Image caption The dumper truck was eventually stopped in Brandon after over 30 miles of low-speed chase
The pursuit took place on major roads including the A140, A11, and A134 - as well as in a pedestrianised precinct - and involved six police cars and a helicopter.
Latest reaction on this story and others from Suffolk
At an earlier court hearing, Churchill, of Mounts Pit Lane, admitted aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving and driving while unfit through drugs.
Image copyright Norfolk Police Image caption Police said the chase damaged thousands of pounds' worth of equipment
Dumper truck rampage £26,000 of damage caused 37 the number of miles the pursuit lasted across two counties
30mph the maximum speed reached by the dumper truck
6 the number of police cars involved in the pursuit
3 police patrol vehicles were damaged in the chase
Norwich Crown Court heard he took the 30-tonne truck from his employer after becoming angry about the air conditioning in his cab when it became too hot to work at a quarry in Spixworth, Norfolk.
But it was a mild day of about 13C (55.4F) and he felt hot because he had been taking amphetamines, prosecutor Andrew Oliver said.
His antics left a trail of destruction along the way and shoppers were forced to scatter as he drove through the Brandon street that is closed to traffic.
A Norfolk policeman, whose patrol car was rammed, told the court: "I thought I was going to die. I was petrified."
Image copyright Norfolk Police Image caption Nicholas Churchill was jailed for 14 months
Churchill's rampage damaged police cars and the truck he was driving was estimated at costing more than £26,000 to repair or replace.
In mitigation, the court was told: "The red mist descended. What happened after that he can't remember or explain."
Jailing Churchill for 14 months and banning him from driving for two years, Judge Anthony Bate said: "You left a trail of destruction and damaged police vehicles in your wake.
"It was a shocking piece of sustained dangerous driving."Capoferro does not give explicit instructions regarding the lunge beyond the diagram above, for which there is very little accompanying text. However, with what has already been established of the stance in guard and this very detailed diagram, it is possible to extrapolate a great deal, all of which I have tested and confirmed through my own experiences.
First, the step for the lunge itself is a relatively small one, about a foot or so, which is consistent with the angle Capoferro says the right leg should take: relatively straight at the knee, and forward from the body. Since all human steps are essentially controlled falls, this causes the controlled fall of the lunge to be as brief as possible, allowing for more stability sooner. This increases your ability to disengage or yield as necessary, as well as retreat after striking to prevent a counterattack; this concern is absent from modern sport fencing, which tends to exhibit a deeper lunge from which recovery is more difficult. Any lost distance for the lunge is regained through leaning the body forward at the hips while keeping the spine straight.
It is also important, when you lunge, that you are lifting up your right foot and allowing your left leg to propel you forward; if you have too much weight on the right foot, you will have to push off with it as well, which wastes time and energy. Rather than falling easily into the lunge, you will have to move upward before you can move down and forward. If done correctly, the lunge should feel like gravity is doing most of the work for you; your hips should not elevate at all.
While the plate depicts the left hand thrown back for balance and to create a narrower profile, consistent with Capoferro's earlier words, most of his plates involving the sword alone feature the left hand being used very prominently as a means to unsettle or control the opponent; this is in keeping with my interpretation that the Art of fencing is the idealized application of principles, whereas the Use covers the myriad circumstances that may be encountered in a duel, where ideal circumstances will be rare even if sought; throwing your hand back is desirable, but not if keeping it forward is necessary to attack safely.
In my own practice, I have found that the mark 'G' in the above diagram is one of the most useful hallmarks to determine if your upper body is positioned and moving as it should, as it has two very distinct features that are difficult to mistake: first, it represents the right hand while in third guard, and second, the right pectoral muscle upon completion of the lunge. Therefore, with a training partner looking on, it is only a matter of testing your positioning by seeing if those two parts overlap as you move. This is far from a foolproof methodology, but it does provide a place to start working.
Remember that when you lunge, your arm will extend fully and the body will follow; this will improve your point control and enable you to disengage or yield around parries as necessary. I think of it like dropping an anchor off a ship, with the sword being the anchor, your arm as the slack in the line, and your body as the main coil of rope: the sword moves first, then the arm, and the instant there is no more slack, the coil unravels. A good lunge should look as if your point is being pulled forward and your body is following it.
"…which left leg during the launching throws the body and the thigh forward onto the right leg, which in exchange forms a pillar and buttress, sustaining all of the weight of the body, pushed forward to launch the blow."
Capoferro, Gran Simulacro, Chapter VIII.81 (partial quote)
Many modern fencers look at the diagram of Capoferro's lunge and immediately disregard it as being too strenuous on the right knee because of the bend of the knee extending beyond the toes of the foot. The modern recovery involves pushing with the right knee, which is why you experience strain if the joint is bent too far. If we instead look at the concept of the pillar and buttress, it becomes clear that in guard, the left leg acts as a pillar and the right as a buttress, and that when lunging, the roles are reversed. Just as a lunge is accomplished by removing the buttress and allowing the body to fall from the pillar, the recovery uses the same mechanic: if the left leg, the new buttress, is bent, the body will again fall from its perch on the new pillar, and with little effort from the right leg, the hips will slide back to their original position in guard. I find that it helps to think not of moving the whole body, but only your center (a single point in your body about three inches below the navel and about three inches in toward the spine commonly referred to in Eastern martial arts), or, failing that, your hips. If you keep your spine straight, everything else will follow correctly if your hips come back to the right place.
That being said, if you find this to be too taxing on your knee, simply take a longer step when you lunge. I have not found Capoferro's lunge to be a problem if I recover as I have described, but if that is still causing strain or you are unable to get the mechanics of the recovery, it is not worth risking damage to your knee to be wholly true to the plate.
"Having struck your adversary with the extraordinary pace [lunge], with the right foot forward, likewise in single sword as with sword and dagger or sword and cape, you will retire an ordinary pace, according however to the space that you have behind you; because if you have little space, you will carry back only your right leg, following your enemy’s sword with your sword; but if you have room, you will retire two ordinary paces, so that finally you will carry yourself in guard, and this is the true retiring, although in the schools they practice otherwise."
Capoferro, Gran Simulacro, Some Admonitions… 10
Absent from modern sport fencing is the notion that you must still defend yourself after making a successful strike, but history is filled with examples of people who survived grievous wounds and in some cases went on unhindered; even a brief talk with any ER doctor will confirm that a single stab wound can result in degrees of reaction ranging from immediate death to no discernable loss of function. With that in mind, Capoferro recommends taking a second step backward after lunging and striking, not only recovering from the attack to guard, but retreating out of range for a counterattack, keeping the line closed throughout the withdrawal.Wonder
Middle reader
Ages 10 and Up
R. J. Palacio
320 pages
Random House
2012
Book trailer
Wonder is R.J. Palacio’s first book. Raquel Jaramillo, the woman behind the pseudonym, has spent twenty-nine years in the book world as an art director and book jacket designer. I can honestly say that I don’t recall ever loving a book as much as I love Wonder. Full disclosure: I read the majority of this book through tears, some of sadness, others of joy.
It’s a perfectly crafted story and an emotional roller coaster, as well as a reminder of the human condition and the importance of kindness. After I finished reading it I began handing it off to friends insisting they read it as well.
The story is told in eight parts with six different people sharing the first person narration: Auggie (the main character), his sister Via (short for Olivia), Via’s boyfriend, Justin, Via’s ex-best friend, Miranda, and two of Auggie’s classmates, Summer and Jack Will. Although the characters range in ages from ten through sixteen, Palacio adeptly switches between narrators. Each character possesses such a distinct and separate voice that readers will have no trouble believing they’re reading the experiences of different people. Her skilled storytelling and compact chapters may easily lull readers into finishing the book in one sitting, as I did.
August Pullman (aka Auggie) seems like a totally ordinary ten-year-old boy; he loves Star Wars, video games and his dog. He’s starting 5th grade in the fall. But Auggie is anything but ordinary; he was born with severe facial deformities and multiple health problems. Until now, he’s been home-schooled by his mother because he was never well enough to attend school. He’s had 27 surgeries—the first at four months of age, the last about ten months ago |
polarizing billionaire are expected at the 8,200-seat Pacific Amphitheatre, where the rally will take place.
“I’ve never gotten this involved in politics before, but I think we need to shake up the whole system, and that’s what Trump is going to do,” said Mission Viejo’s Werner Raes, a retired police officer who reserved tickets for himself and his wife on Trump’s campaign website.
“I’ve never been to a rally, but I want to do everything I can to support him,” he said. “When the cameras roll, I want them to show thousands of people.”
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas – Trump’s closest contender – has been laying the groundwork for his California campaign for more than eight months. By contrast, Trump has just begun gearing up his effort here.
The O.C. rally is part of a California swing that includes a luncheon speech Friday at the state GOP convention in Burlingame.
It was roughly two weeks ago that Trump hired veteran California GOP strategist Tim Clark to lead his state campaign. About the same time, he confirmed his attendance at the state Republican Party gathering, the last of the three remaining Republican presidential candidates to do so.
Aliso Viejo’s Mary Young said she was named last week as Orange and Los Angeles County co-chairman for the Trump campaign and is rounding up volunteers and preparing to open an Orange County campaign office.
A pro-Trump super PAC, Great America PAC, advised donors Monday that it would conduct polls in the state’s 53 congressional districts to determine where to focus efforts most effectively.
In California, Republican presidential candidates are awarded three delegates for each congressional district they win.
Wednesday’s announcement of the Trump rally came a day after the Anaheim City Council declined to approve, on a 3-2 vote, a proposed resolution condemning Trump’s “divisive rhetoric” in the presidential race. The council meeting was preceded by a clash outside between an estimated 50 pro- and anti-Trump demonstrators.
Five people were pepper-sprayed during an altercation among members of the crowd. Three were treated at the scene and two didn’t require treatment, Anaheim police Sgt. Daron Wyatt said. Police were working to find the sprayer, he said.
The Democratic Party of Orange County and Orange County Young Democrats are planning a demonstration at the Thursday event, writing on Facebook, “We in Orange County do not agree with his bigoted and misogynistic ways and we will not stand quietly as he brings these views into our county!”
The party asked that attendees protest peacefully.
Anti-Trump Republicans have raised the possibility of nominating someone else at the convention, if Trump has the most delegates but fails to reach the required 1,237 majority. If he falls short of that threshold, it would allow voting to proceed past the first ballot and delegates no longer would be obliged to back their original candidate.
That possibility has increased the urgency for the Trump campaign to reach the majority ahead of the convention. California’s 172 delegates – the most of any state – are a key prize.
County GOP Chairman Fred Whitaker said the party here was not involved in planning today’s rally.
“Unlike other campaigns, they haven’t called us to ask for assistance,” Whitaker said. “They run things their own way. They have their own event planners.”
Asked if he was proud to have Trump appearing in his county, Whitaker said, “It’s significant that he chose Orange County.” He said he’ll be traveling to Burlingame this evening for the GOP convention and will be unable to attend the Trump rally.
Reservations are required to attend the event and can be made on Trump’s website, donaldjtrump.com. Doors are scheduled to open at 4 p.m.
Orange County Sheriff’s Department Capt. Jeff Hallock said the department is preparing to deploy more than 20 deputies in and around the venue.
“We’ll have another group of deputies prepared to respond on immediate request,” he said. The additional deputies will be fulfilling their normal day-to-day duties unless an emergency situation arises at the fairgrounds.
“We can double our numbers in a matter of minutes,” Hallock said.
Staff writers Chris Haire and Alyssa Duranty contributed to this story."Oh, hey Fluttershy," said Big Mac as he spun around. "How are you tonight?"
"I'm quite well, thank you." Fluttershy smiled and felt comforted just like the night they spent together under the starry skies. "And yourself?"
"I'm pretty good. I'm glad you came over," Big Mac said. Fluttershy blushed excitingly. "I was starting to feel kind of lonely here, even with Applejack."
Fluttershy had felt nervous beyond belief just less than a minute ago, but her words were so fluent, even she believed them. "Well, it's a beautiful night, and Twilight has a lovely observatory upstairs. I was thinking maybe if you wanted to we could go look at the stars together?" Did did I just come up with that?
Big Mac tried to hide a grin, but was unsuccessful. "That sounds mighty fine with me."
The two ponies walked upward, away from Pinkie Pie's enthusiastic yelling, Rarity's rambling, and the ruckus caused by the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Soon they reached the observatory. Walls of books surrounded them while above them a giant hole remained. Below this hole was a respectively sized telescope, too heavy for most ponies to move. However, Big Mac moved it with ease into the corner, allowing space for the two of them to sit. Big Mac returned to the clearing in the middle of the vast room to find Fluttershy lying down, staring upward. He panicked for a brief moment. Do I lay down next to her? Do I sit? What if I'm too close to her? A soft voice broke his thought process.
"You can lay down here if you want to of course " Fluttershy said anxiously.
" Eeyup." Big Mac laid down and both ponies felt their hearts skip a beat as they took in the indigo sky. The stars shone clearly and Big Mac recognized a few patterns from his nights working on the farm.
Just as they did at Pinkie's party, they laid together in silence, but after a while, Fluttershy broke it. "Oh, I just love this time of the year. Summer brings clear skies and happy critters." Fluttershy smiled in delight.
Big Mac joined in her smiling. "Me too. The heat makes work more rewarding at the end of the day. Plus, it's great knowing harvest season is just around the corner."
"I love the harvest season! You really do grow the best apples, Macky." Fluttershy stopped short. Macky?! What am I saying? She had gotten comfortable and let the nickname slip, but Big Mac didn't seem to even miss a beat. She couldn't see his face, but his smile grew ten fold and a warm sensation filled his torso.
"Thanks, Fluttershy. It's good to get feedback," he chuckled.
Fluttershy blushed. Perhaps he didn't notice thank goodness. "So you like working on the farm, I assume?"
"I love it," Big Mac replied "I mean, I never really had a choice after my Ma and Pa died, I kind of had to hold the fort, you know?" Big Mac took a short pause. He had never talked about this with anyone. Now that he thought about it, he never talked about much with anyone. "Granny wanted me to stay in school, but she just couldn't handle it all without my parents. The farm, the house, Applebloom was still just a foal, and Applejack was barely a filly. I eventually convinced her to let me take up some of the responsibilities. The second I did that, I got this right here." Big Mac pointed towards his green apple cutie mark.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Big Mac," said Fluttershy. "I never really wanted to ask about you and Applejack's parents but I always kind of knew "
"It's fine," Big Mac said with a grin. "I miss my parents, but I think everything worked out pretty well."
The two ponies stared into the night sky, as it grew even darker, with a pause of silence between them and then looked at each other simultaneously. Their eyes locked and they both smiled comfortingly.
"Everything worked out pretty well," Big Mac repeated.
It seemed like the rest of the night was spent looking into each other's eyes instead of looking at the stars, but neither minded. Neither broke the stare. Neither wanted to.John Turturro is seeking permission from the Coen Brothers to film a Big Lebowski spinoff.
The actor and filmmaker remains committed to bringing his character Jesus Quintana back to the screen.
"If I can get the permission I need, I'd like to return to that role," said Turturro at Taormina Film Festival (via The Hollywood Reporter).
The Coens have previously remarked on Turturro's interest, but have said that they have no plans to revisit the world of 'The Dude'.
Turturro's Jesus served as a minor antagonist in the 1998 comedy starring Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore, John Goodman and Steve Buscemi.
The actor recently starred with Woody Allen in Fading Gigolo, which he also directed.
He has said that he does not want to be remembered for his role in the Transformers films.VOLO, IL - MARCH 16: A worker finishes a single-family home under construction in a housing development on March 16, 2011 in Volo, Illinois. Request for building permits in February, a leading indicator for the strength of the housing industry, fell 8.2%, to a seasonally adjusted 517,000 units, a record low. Single-family home construction starts dipped nearly 12% in the same month and multi-family starts fell 46%. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) File photo of a house (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
A woman weighing 900 pounds left her bedroom for the first time in two years on Tuesday, with a large community effort now allowing her to seek physical therapy.
Sharon Hall-Dodson says she can now work on losing weight with the right equipment after a six-month effort by workers from several state agencies, KPTV reports. Health care workers, contractors and firefighters all volunteered time to remove a section of her bedroom wall and move Hall-Dodson to her living room.
Hall-Dodson has not been outside of her home for years, and now she will be able to use appropriate physical therapy equipment in her living room instead of moving to an expensive, skilled nursing facility.
“The crews and everybody have been so wonderful. They have all gone over and above, and it’s made it a lot easier,” Hall-Dobson told KPTV.
Hall-Dodson expressed her commitment to losing weight and improving her health after the sustained effort from the state agencies and local volunteers.
“She wants to stay in a safe living environment and we made her home safe by all coming together in the community as a partnership,” said Sherry Nutter, Trillium Community Health Plan nurse care coordinator, told KEZI-TV.
(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)On 26 February 2013, architecture firm Architecture Et Cetera (A-ETC) announced their concept of for a 3D-printed Moon base that can be built with lunar dust (regolith). The concept promises a sustainable human habitat on Lunar South Pole.
Project SinterHab was initiated at the International Space University by space architects Tomas Rousek, Katarina Eriksson, and Dr. Ondrej Doule in collaboration with Richard Rieber from NASA JPL in 2009. The concept proposes construction of a lunar base using microwave sintering and contour crafting with aid of a NASA JPL robotic system, near Shackleton crater (lunar South Pole).
Sustaining the lunar dust at a high temperature – 1200-1500 0C – but below its melting point, creates bonds between particles, forming solid blocks from which the lunar base can be created. Microwave sintering creates a solid building material similar to ceramics only by microwave heating of the dust. The process doesn’t require any construction material to be carried from Earth, unlike regular 3D printing which requires a binding agent to combine with the lunar regolith. The complete local-sourcing of materials reduces the cost of the mission significantly.
The SinterHab construction process is based on the Microwave Sinterator Freeform Additive Construction System (MS-FACS), proposed by scientists at NASA JPL, and a large six-legged multi-purpose robot called ATHLETE (All-Terrain Hex-Limbed Extra-Terrestrial Explorer) equipped with a microwave printer to create walls and domes.
The SinterHab concept promises sustainable construction of lunar base at low cost, low environmental impact, and reduced complexity relative to concepts using Earth-sourced materials.Looking for news you can trust?
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Matt Yglesias says that legal marijuana would be amazingly cheap:
One key but little-appreciated fact is that, according to persuasive research by Jonathan Caulkins, Angela Hawken, Beau Kilmer, and Mark Kleiman in their new book Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs To Know, is that legal pot would be amazingly cheap. In fact, midgrade stuff would be so cheap that it might make sense for businesses to give it away like ketchup packets or bar nuts. ….This would make pot far and away the cheapest intoxicant on the market, absolutely blowing beer and liquor out of the water. Joints would be about as cheap as things that are often treated as free. Splenda packets, for example, cost 2 or 3 cents each when purchased in bulk.
Probably nobody cares about this, but there’s a reason marijuana isn’t legal anywhere in the world: the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, an international treaty adopted in 1961. Marijuana is a Schedule I drug under this treaty, which means it’s flatly, totally forbidden. Countries can decriminalize marijuana use, but no signatory to the treaty can legalize either use or cultivation.
So it’s not just a matter of getting either Congress or a state legislature on board for legalization. You’d have to get the United States to withdraw from the 1961 treaty, and that just isn’t in the cards. Decriminalization and wink-wink-nudge-nudge lack of enforcement are about the best we can hope for anytime in the near future.Fraser Nelson, over at the Spectator, has a little post about how the UK, Britain (the native home for both of us), is actually poorer than all but one of the US States. Tucking in right behind Alabama and just above Mississippi. Despite the fact that he once fired me from the employ of that fine magazine he's a nice guy so I'll point out that he's largely correct but falls over in one final detail. For Britain is actually poorer than all US States, all of them bar none.
We should point out that this doesn't mean that the median income in all US States is either higher or even equal to UK incomes. For while that's limited by the GDP per capita, properly adjusted for price differentials (ie, by PPP), there are also other influences. For example, the percentage of national income that flows to capital is a little higher in the US than the UK. Further, the US is a more unequal country (the properly adjusted gini is some 0.38 there, to 0.33 for us) meaning that the rich are taking a larger portion of that national income. So this is not a measure of median incomes and living standards although it is a useful guide to them.
Fraser is entirely correct in what he's done here:
I came across a striking fact while researching this piece: if Britain were to somehow leave the EU and join the US how would we rank? The answer is that we’d be the 2nd-poorest state in the union, poorer than Missouri. Poorer than the much-maligned Kansas and Alabama. Poorer than any state other than Mississippi, and if you take out the south east we’d be poorer than that too. I’ve been asked (on Twitter ) to link to my source, but I’m afraid there’s no study to point to. It’s original research. But it’s also a fairly straightforward calculation. You take the US figures for GDP per state (here), divide it by population (here) to come up with a GDP per capita figure. Then get the equivalent figure for Britain: I used the latest Treasury figures (here) which also chime with the OECD’s (here). A version of this has been done on Wikipedia, but with one flaw: when comparing the wealth of nations, you need to look at how far money goes. This means using a measure called Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). When this is done, the league table looks like the below. I’ve put some other countries in for comparison.
Just to explain PPP for you. Prices vary across places. In the US food is generally cheaper than it is in Europe, medical care generally more expensive. So what we try to do with PPP is work out what exchange rates would need to be in order to make prices of all of these different things the same in the different places. It's not an exact science, more of an art. But if what you're trying to measure is living standards then it's somewhere between useful and essential as a part of your workings.
So, if Fraser's correct in general why isn't he correct in total? Because the US is a large enough place that we should make PPP adjustments for the price differences between the States as well (quite possibly the UK is large enough to do that as well, certainly London living standards fall quite a lot when you do). A useful guide to that came out just last week:
One hundred dollars can buy anywhere from $81 worth of goods and services to nearly $126, depending on your metropolitan area. On Monday, we posted a map produced by the Tax Foundation that used first-ever government data released this year to show how the real value of $100 varies by state. As that map showed, a variety of factors conspire to make Hawaii the state where $100 buys you the least ($85.32) and Mississippi the state where it can buy the most ($115.74).
Fraser has used the average PPP for the US. But as we can see there's different PPP adjustments for different States. If $100 will buy you $115 worth of goods in Mississippi this is the same statement as the correct PPP adjustment for Mississippi incomes, or in this case GDP, is 100:115. Or, if you prefer, Mississippi's properly PPP adjusted GDP per capita is $40,400 or so: well above the UK's $36,200.
And yes, it is generally (although not necessarily wholly) true that PPP adjustments like this raise income and or GDP in poorer places and lower them in richer. So we would expect properly adjusting for all poor State GDPs by State PPPs to increase the recorded incomes in all of those poor States.
Britain really is poorer than even the poorest of the US States, yes, including even Mississippi.
One final point: while exactly this study may not have been done very similar ones have. I specifically recall someone making this comparison with Sweden a few years back. And there's a vast research program called the Luxembourg Income Study which exists to look at exactly these sorts of things. Even if exactly this study hasn't been done there things very like it have been as a part of that program. And the LIS is where Branko Milanovic is now based, it's at CUNY, and it's the research program that Paul Krugman has just been hired (at a quite lovely salary) to be the public face of. Milanovic will of course be doing the actual running of it.
As an example of output from the LIS they had a wonderful paper a decade ago showing that the bottom 10% in the US have the same incomes (yes, PPP adjusted) as the bottom 10% in either Sweden or Finland. While the top 10% have very much larger incomes than the top 10% in either country. All that redistribution hasn't made the Nordic poor richer than the American poor but it has made the rich poorer.Author Comments
*** Update*** Found a cut that would knock about 2mins off. Some minor issues fixed.
This track is simple to navigate. Don't go to fast, because you will regret it. This is the first track I have made that you can actually backtrack all the way to the beginning. There is a reason for this. The Rings and CP's are your concern. Some are obvious, others are hidden. I made this track where you have to search for them. And you have free roam of the map to do so. I got the idea from prisoners trying to escape Alcatraz, so why not make it where you have to find the CP's to do so. Once you find them all, its time for your escape to the finish. Search carefully, because if you miss one and proceed to the next CP, then you will have to backtrack which will eat up your time. There is some flashing, But it does not hinder you progress. The track is big on visuals and we found it quite fun while building and testing it. Hope you enjoy. Have fun.MAC AND LINUX BETA TESTERS WANTED! APPLY HERE
DOUBLE ELEVEN NEEDS YOU!
We have finally got the mac and linux versions into a state where they are ready for more thorough testing. It was always the plan to do this with PC although due to time constraints we never managed to get it done.
If you would like to become part of the BETA test team for mac and linux, please reply to this thread with
1. Your Full Name ( unless for some reason you want to remain anonymous ).
2. Your Platform Mac/Linux
3. Your Machine Specs and OS revision.
We are looking for 10-15 people on each platform minimum and will choose people based on getting a decent spread of HW and OS SW.
All support will be managed through [email protected] and we will advertise for further rounds ( more people ) and specific tests on the steam community forums
We expect tests to begin in a couple of weeks max...TAIPEI -- Taiwan's MediaTek, the world's no.2 mobile chip provider after Qualcomm, said it would expand its footprint in the U.S. and seek growth beyond smartphones and China, its largest market in 2018.
The remarks by Rick Tsai, co-chief executive of MediaTek, came as the overall mobile market is slowing down substantially and smartphone shipments to China continue to decline.
"MediaTek is not only capable of developing chips for smartphones... we have a wide range of technologies," said Tsai in a year-end media briefing on Wednesday. "We are seeing more than 20% growth this year for chips going into emerging products, including voice-activated smart speakers, bike-sharing systems, and other connected devices."
Tsai pledged to grow sales for chips for emerging connected devices and other customized projects to over 30% of the company's overall revenue in one to two years, from more than 20% now. Currently, the mobile chip business still accounts for the largest chunk of around 40% of company sales.
MediaTek is also seeking to diversify from China-based customers and plans to supply to other international clients, said Tsai. Apple is reportedly considering purchasing modem chips for iPhones from MediaTek to reduce its reliance on Qualcomm, as the two U.S. companies have been in a prolonged legal battle since January.
Tsai declined to comment on Apple but said his company will increase investment in the U.S., a market in which it still has little presence, and hire more people there. MediaTek currently has a team of over 600 staff there and most of them are top research and development engineers, according to Tsai. The company employs a total of around 16,000.
The Taiwanese chip designer supplies to almost all major Chinese smartphone makers such as Huawei Technologies, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, Meizu, Gionee, and also Samsung Electronics' mid- to low-end phones. MediaTek is also a key chip supplier for Amazon Echo Dot, the popular smart voice-activated speaker, and a similar product, Tianmao Jingling, offered by Alibaba Group Holding.
MediaTek is embracing the boom in voice-assistant connected devices, said Jerry Yu, head of MediaTek's home entertainment business group.
Yu said his company currently controls more than 70% of the chips that to go into smart speakers, while this year the overall shipment for such products reached over 30 million units worldwide.
"For 2018, we are seeing at least double-digit growth in voice-activated speakers, and we continue to see voice-assistant features go into more products including TVs and home appliances," said Yu.
Co-Chief Executive Tsai said his company has engaged with manufacturing partner Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. in the most advanced 7-nanometer process technology across the industry for at least three chip projects. He did not specify what kind of chips they are but analysts said it's likely to be high-end mobile processor chips and modems.
Global leaders such as Apple and Qualcomm will both adopt TSMC's 7-nanometer technology in 2018 for their next generation of core processor chips to go into iPhones and premium Android phones.
MediaTek lost some market share to its biggest competitor Qualcomm and will see its first sales decline this year since 2011. Qualcomm controls some 35% of the global market share in smartphone application processors, while MediaTek and China's Spreadtrum Communications control some 25% and 11% respectively in 2017, according to Roger Sheng, an analyst at research company Gartner.
"For 2018, we don't think the smartphone market would grow much. The Chinese market is fully saturated. We will only see growth from emerging markets," said Sheng.
T.L. Lee, head of MediaTek's wireless communication unit, also said mid-December that smartphone growth will mainly come from markets like India, and countries in South Asia, Southeast Asia and Latin America.
In terms of shipment volumes, for 2018, there should be no growth for the Chinese market, said Lee, as Chinese consumers tend to only buy new handsets to replace old ones, as opposed to owning additional smartphones.Five years after a disastrous 2010 NRL season instigated a wide-ranging review of the club's entire operations the North Queensland Cowboys have claimed the club championship for the first time in their history.
Celebrating their 20th anniversary this year and a decade since their lone appearance in an NRL grand final, the Cowboys NRL team will finish the regular season in third position regardless of the result against the Titans on Saturday night while the Holden Cup team can claim the minor premiership if they defeat Gold Coast in front of a crowd expected to be around the 17,000 mark.
Losses by the Broncos in both grades on Thursday night ensured the Cowboys would claim the mantle as the champion club of 2015.
Although proud of their achievement, they have bigger targets in their sight with a Week One finals showdown with Brisbane next week and a home final in either Week Two or Week Three.
Success at NRL level is largely the barometer for the health of a club but the Cowboys recognised five years ago that the work needed to begin from the ground up with better-resourced pathways for junior players coming into the under-20s system.
The result has been reflected not just in the high finishes of the two Cowboys teams this year but by the Townsville Blackhawks winning the Intrust Super Cup minor premiership in their inaugural season, the Townsville Stingers qualifying for the national final in both the under-16 and under-18 competitions and Kirwan State High School have qualified for the final of the GIO Schoolboy Cup.
"We are proud of it because we've spent a lot of time in the last few years trying to get the proper processes in place underneath our under-20s and this year in our under-20s we're starting to see the result of that work," said football manager Peter Parr.
"We went to the board a few years ago saying that we felt we had to put some more resources into what was happening beneath our under-20s and to our board's great credit they supported us in that and now we're starting to see the results of that.
"The NRL team has been strong for a number of years now and so for everyone involved it's been a nice reward for a lot of hard work."
In recent years the Cowboys have put greater resources into Academy programs in Townsville, Cairns, Mackay, Rockhampton and Brisbane with three legends of the club in Micheal Luck, Aaron Payne and Ashley Graham heading up the elite junior development programs.
Graham and Payne were both members of the 2010 squad that won just five games in finishing 15th and Parr paid them particular credit for the work they have done since their playing careers came to a close.
"Those three should take a lot of credit for this and the thing that Micheal talks a lot about is having a seamless transition from the Academy program into the under-20s system," Parr told NRL.com.
"We cover such a large geographical area and it presents a lot of challenges but those three guys have done a tremendous job."(Reuters) – The percentage of Americans who drink a cup of coffee every day declined for the third straight year, the National Coffee Association (NCA) said on Friday, reflecting slacker consumption from older drinkers.
The annual National Coffee Drinking Trends study showed that 59 percent of Americans drink a daily cup of coffee, down from 61 percent in 2014 and 63 percent in 2013. It was the lowest level since the NCA changed its methodology in 2012 to be more inclusive of ethnic minorities.
Sixty-five percent of Americans aged 60 and older said they drank a cup of coffee the prior day, the same rate as 2014 but down from 76 percent in 2013. While the 60-plus demographic includes the country’s biggest coffee drinkers, it is tracking the trend toward lower consumption in the population as a whole.
“Our grandparents drank coffee all day,” Mark DiDomenico, director of business development at research firmDatassential and former chairman of the NCA’s market research committee, said in an interview. “That’s not the case anymore.”
In all other age categories, the percentage of Americans drinking coffee declined between 2014 and 2015.
DiDomenico presented the data at the NCA’s annual convention in Charleston.
The number of cups of coffee per day Americans drink dropped to 1.85, its lowest level since 2010 down from 2.01 in 2014, which had been the highest level since 1980.
DiDomenico said this drop was likely not statistically significant, though it could have been due to the increase in survey respondents who drink coffee away from home, where they tend to only purchase one cup. Cups of all sizes were included in this average figure.
Coffee traders and roasters interviewed on the sidelines of the conference said they were not concerned about the falling consumption data, pointing to evidence that coffee drinking is steadily picking up worldwide.
Volcafe, the Swiss-based coffee division of commodities trade house ED&F Man, said last month that worldwide coffee demand would reach 151.1 60-kg bags in the 2014/15 cycle, which ends in September, up 2.1 percent from the prior year.
The survey was conducted online during the month of January, and respondents were all adults aged 18 and over.Emergency Management and Homeland Security
Emergency Management and Homeland Security Fundamentals
Our Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management and Homeland Security degree prepares students to manage and understand risk so that societies can live with natural and/or technological hazards. Students learn specific and applicable skills to properly manage the system of disasters through a four-phase approach. This profession continues to grow as disasters and major emergencies become more frequent and costly, and as response continues to become more complex.
In addition, federal and state legislation has increased the demand at all levels of government and in hospitals, businesses and industries for well-educated individuals skilled in emergency planning and preparedness. Emergency management is managing disasters for both public and private institutions, and the education to meet that need is here at The University of Akron.
UA offers a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management and Homeland Security that is:
The only degree of this type in Ohio The first accredited program in the country, and the third to be created in the country, and The only Emergency Management and Homeland Security Bachelor of Science degree program accredited by the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress.
that is:
The University of Akron’s Emergency Management and Homeland Security program is offered in various modes to fit your busy schedule.
Totally online web classes with flexible schedules
Traditional face-to-face classes on Akron's campus
The program has two pathways for admission.
Students begin the degree as freshmen in the traditional pathway. Included in this pathway is 15 credits of specialty coursework where students can have an EMHS program specialty or concentration. (*If a student is attending The University of Akron Police Academy and enrolls in the EMHS program, the Police Academy will count for the 15-credit specialty area upon completion of the academy. This will also qualify the student for financial aid for the Police Academy.)
As a “step up” degree, students can transfer in as juniors building upon a strong technical program.
The Core Curriculum covers a wide range of subjects, including:
Disaster vulnerability
Disaster mitigation, planning and recovery
Terrorism
Hazard science and management
Crisis leadership
Cyber disaster management
Disaster research methods
Our Faculty
are nationally recognized in the fields of: emergency management and homeland security Cyber security and digital forensics International disaster management Weapons of mass destruction and hazardous materials management Climatology and hazard science Crisis and disaster leadership
Akron Advantage
Hands-on Experience
Service learning is incorporated into coursework and joint projects with emergency management agencies, businesses and schools. Students will have the opportunity to participate in hazard analysis projects, disaster research interviews, hazardous weather observations and other practical classroom exercises.
Real-world Experience
Students are required to gain practical professional experience with a senior internship. Participation provides students with firsthand, on-the-job experience in Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Students are placed in areas of interest to connect academic learning to job employment and career opportunity.
Emergency Management Student Organization
Interact with other emergency management students and professionals in the field through organizations such as:
International Emergency Management Student Association
Sample Curriculum
Page maintained by the Department of University Communications and Marketing. Request a change to this page.The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling for an end to free ferry rides for BC Ferries employees and their family members after recent announcements of financial stress, service cuts, and a reduction in seniors' discounts from the corporation.
For more than 20 years, any employee that works for the ferry service or those who retired with 10 years of experience are allowed unlimited ferry use. Their families get 24 free trips a year, as well, but it's a taxable benefit.
Additionally, anyone who happens to be born on a BC Ferries vessel is given a pass that lets them ride free for a lifetime.
Although BC Ferries will not say exactly how many free passes are currently in circulation, an internal document from 2010 shows that at least 4,200 employees, 3,200 of their family members and 13 contractors had passes.
BC Ferries told CBC News they are currently trying to update an antiquated computer system and that they will provide current numbers when possible.
Jordan Bateman of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation says that amid growing financial concerns for the future of BC Ferries and recent cuts in services and seniors discounts, employee passes for free rides should be scrapped too.
"These free passes should go by the wayside as well. If there is no reason why everyone else should be paying while BC Ferries executives and employees past and present still get the benefit," Bateman says.
'Great deal of pride' in pass for employees
BC Ferries president Michael Corrigan says, however, that the employee discounts and free rides don't cost the public anything, and there is no reason to get rid of them at this time.
"The employee pass is something that gives people a great deal of pride. From a company standpoint, there is no cost to give employees because we are at 50 per cent occupancy," Corrigan told CBC News.
A recent study from Washington State estimates that staff passes result in about $770,000 in lost revenue annually in that state's ferry system, and they have fewer employees than BC Ferries. And unlike in Washington, BC Ferries staff ride free ahead of paying customers, even on days when lines are long or vessels are full.
"It's ludicrous to claim that it's not costing taxpayers any money to put people on a boat. That's just silly — obviously there is a cost," says Bateman.
"This is classic BC Ferries gravy boat where the staff get their benefits and the rest of us end up paying for it."
The B.C. Ministry of Transportation says it's up to BC Ferries to cut or reduce the free rides, and the union representing more than 4,000 ferry workers says there is nothing in their collective agreement to prevent BC Ferries from making the changes.
Below is the 2010 internal document, obtained through an FOI request, showing the number of free passes in circulation at the time.Star Trek collectors and enthusiasts will love the latest offering from The Perth Mint, the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Gold-Pressed Latinum Slip Collector’s Edition 2016 1oz Silver Gold-Plated Bar.
In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, latinum was a rare silver coloured liquid of extremely high value prized by many civilizations in the Alpha Quadrant, particularly the Ferengi Alliance.
Gold plated 99.9% Pure Silver
The bar is struck from 1oz of 99.9% pure silver and is fully gold-plated.
Replica Latinum Bar Design
The reverse of the bar resembles a gold-pressed latinum slip as used in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and the design includes the maker’s mark.
Limited Mintage
The Perth Mint will release no more than 5,000 of the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Gold-Pressed Latinum Slip.
Presentation Packaging and Numbered Certificate
Each bar is presented in a special wooden case, with an illustrated Star Trek themed shipper and numbered Certificate of Authenticity.OAKLAND — Andrew Hatch was long for this world. One of the longest.
After 117 years, living life in three centuries — through wars, presidents, politics, quakes, earthshaking social movements and leaps of technology from gaslight to LEDs — Hatch died quietly at his daughter’s Oakland home Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
“No one stays on this earth forever,” said Hatch’s daughter, Delane Sims, who has been caring for her “Daddy” in her home for the past two years. “But even 117 was not enough; I didn’t want to say goodbye.”
At the time of his passing, Hatch, born in Louisiana Oct. 7, 1898, was |
Barasky said. Those ads will largely aim to drive up turnout among core Democratic groups: African-Americans, Hispanics, women and younger voters, Barasky said.
Trump is already getting a taste of what some these ads will say.
On Thursday, Priorities USA overlaid audio of Trump talking about "unifying" the Republican Party with images of violence that has erupted inside and outside of his massive rallies. "I think we're going to win in November," Trump says at the end. "NOPE," reads text on the screen. "Vote for Hillary Clinton."
That follows an online video the Clinton campaign put out Wednesday that features clips of prominent Republicans, including his former rivals, bashing Trump in every possible way.
"He needs therapy," says former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at the end of the spot.
___
Follow Chad Day and Julie Bykowicz on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/ChadSDay and http://twitter.com/BykowiczAbout
Clearing some confusion!
Some people have been asking me for details about the games release, and I agree that I may not have been clear enough. To clear up most questions:
Check will be released on the Gamestick store, OUYA store, Google Play, and on the App store for iPad devices. However, should this game get $50,000 funding, in order for OUYA to double that, I will have to make Check: Chapter One an OUYA exclusive for 6 months. This will not stop the release for the other devices; only slow it down.
HOWEVER! The extra funds recieved will ultimately make this a better looking, more polished game for all devices; and so even if there will be a 6 months exclusive period for OUYA, the very same game will still be released on other devices with the same quality.
Also, when you pledge £7, you get to decide what device you wish to recieve the game for free not; it's not just the OUYA.
Any other questions, please feel free to message me, or contact me using the details at the bottom of the project page. Thank you!
As you can see, in the pledge rewards, pledging the value of the game will pre-order the game for you, so you can purchase it on release for no cost!
This will be done by a unique code you can use in game to purchase the game for £0.
We don't want you to feel like you are pledging towards 'nothing' in this Kickstarter; if you pledge for the game, we want to give you the game!
Also, read about the OUYA 'Free the games fund' in the Other Links section of the Kickstarter project!
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Check: Chapter One is the start of a episodic Role-Playing Game, targeted at Android micro-consoles. We are focusing on developing for the OUYA right now, but there are open possibilities.
While developing Check, I have taken inspiration from many of my favourite RPG's; including the likes of Final Fantasy 6-9, but mainly from the game that has a special place in my heart; Golden Sun.
Check is very story driven RPG, filled with dialogue not just at cut-scenes, but between the characters in your party as you embark on your adventure. The first chapter introduces you to the first two characters; two people who have been friends since they were born, and have shared almost every experience together.
History
Check was a multi-chapter RPG I made a while back in RPG maker. Obviously limited by RPG makers software decisions, it didn't go anywhere, and despite making four of the five chapters in RPG maker, only the first two were ever released for around a year before I removed them both due to a lack of interest. However, it was always in the back of my mind to remake the game someday. I really enjoyed writing the story, the characters, the world, everything about it. Mix this with my desire to develop for an actual console rather than mobile devices (ignoring any arguments that the OUYA is a mobile device), the OUYA seemed perfect for Check. Check is very much a story driven RPG, which I am aiming mainly at bringing to the OUYA, although I have plans to release it on other devices in the future.
The Story ~ Brief Description
Sky is a resident of the town Yuita, which resides on a small island in the north of Nolem. With no family, he has to fend for himself each day by 'treasure hunting' and selling valuables. One day, after a routine hunt, Sky returns to his town and catches wind of a valuable item desired by the Empire in Mt. Yuita. Interested, he sets off to investigate with his female friend, Apple.
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While still being an RPG (random encounters, turn based battles, story orientated, etc), this game could be considered a very lighthearted experience. There is a lot of dialogue between the main characters that, not only explain back-story and their relationships, but also offer a very light-hearted kind of 'banter' outlook on it.
Characters
Sky
Sky is a resident of the town Yuita, a poor town to the Northwest of Nolem, the world in which Check takes place in. He was told that his parents died a few years back, but he has no information as to how or why it happened. Sky sails the seas as a 'treasure hunter' as his father left him a ship before his disappearance, and it is the only way he knows how to make a living. Unsure with the direction his life is taking, Sky remains down to earth, and can be a stern character at times and is good at making decisions. Sky will only admit that he has one friend, whom he has been through almost everything with.
Apple
Apple is Sky's best childhood friend. Having gone through everything with him, she is completely loyal to Sky. Apple is a Witch; a person who can make elements out of 'thin air' and use them to her disposal. Although Apple should be capable at producing many elements, she always focuses on fire, and although will not admit it, is terrified of water. Apple spends most of her days drinking in the pub, and is often called an 'alcoholic' endearingly by the people who know her. Apple often practises her magic on Sky; by not only fighting him but then by practising her basic healing ability.
Lexine
A mysterious 'Environmentalist' who Sky and Apple meet in Yuitas Pub. 'Environmentalists' can control the Environment around them; unlike 'Witches' who are able to conjure elements themselves, Environmentalists must use what is around them at the time. Lexine does not speak much to Sky and Apple upon meeting them, but lets slip that she is from the 'Empire'; a kingdom residing in the South East of Nolem. Not much news reaches Yuita as it is so far away from other continents, and so this does not mean much to the residents there.
Screenshots
Videos
Alpha Technology Trailer.
It's very very early days. This is more to show off the technologies used within Check, rather than story and other aspects. Also, there is slight lag in the video due to recording taking place within the Unity editor; those sections run fine on an OUYA, but I have no way of capturing that at the moment.
Early Kickstarter video:
http://www.PolygonGaming.co.uk
https://twitter.com/PolygonGaming_
So OUYA are doing this thing...
If a Kickstarter project raises at least $50,000, then OUYA will DOUBLE it. I'm not expecting to get $50,000; however I have applied to the Free the Games fund either way.
If Check: Chapter One was to raise $50,000, then not only would that immense amount of money be poured into the game to make it as best as it can possibly be, but any left over cash will be poured into future chapters!
Pledger Perks
As you can see, down the right-hand side, there are particular perks you can receive by pledging towards the creation of Check: Chapter One. As mentioned in the list; all of these perks stack, so don't be afraid to go for higher rewards; you will still receive the lesser ones!
Mouse-mat example
Mouse-mat!
T-Shirt!
T-Shirts are also available in XXL; despite not being listed on the reward list!Greece's Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said his government was willing to hold a referendum or even early elections if Eurogroup ministers reject debt and growth plans.
Varoufakis' statements came shortly before finance ministers of the eurozone countries were due to meet on Monday for crucial talks on Athens' list of reforms, which the EU received last week.
Warning of "problems" that could come up in Monday's talks, Varoufakis told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera in an interview that his country could "go back to elections. Call a referendum…But as my prime minister told me, we are not glued to our seats yet."
Greece's government under Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras reached an agreement with the European Union, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) last month, which gave Athens until the end of April to specify the reforms it would undertake in exchange for further aid.
Varoufakis denounced reports that he was calling for a vote on remaining in the euro, claiming they were a part of "willful attempts to undermine the good course" of the Greek government's discussions with its partners.
In his interview with the Italian daily, Varoufakis said eurozone partners had not yet responded to Greece's proposals to replace its current debt with bonds linked to nominal growth.
"I'd like for Europe to understand that this would be a way of paying back more money, not less." The finance minister said his government was fighting the "establishment that said it was saving Greece while it put everything on the backs of the poor." Varoufakis said his country did not need a new loan to pay its bills.
More loans to Greece 'illegal'
However, the EU and IMF have refused to release aid before Athens completes promised reforms. The country faces a decline in tax revenues, and uncertainty over its financial position has been growing. EU leaders want to avoid another crisis like the one in 2011, when Greece's financial status nearly plunged the eurozone into economic problems until a bailout agreement was reached.
ECB director Benoit Coeure also expressed his institution's tough stance ahead of Monday's talks. "The ECB cannot finance the Greek government. We're not allowed to. That is illegal," Coeure told German weekly Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.
But European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker took a more conciliatory approach. "We must be sure that the situation does not continue to deteriorate in Greece," Juncker told German weekly Die Welt.
Monday's talks in Brussels would determine how EU countries would evaluate Athens' plans to streamline bureaucracy, raise revenue from online gambling and hire tax sleuths to clamp down on tax evasion.
mg/rc (AFP, Reuters)Reminisce down memory lane as we take you through a blast from the past with our RuneScape birthday celebrations.
Over the next four weeks we'll be taking the most memorable highlights from the past 15 years, and montaging them together with our favourite moments, to bring you one of the most nostalgic RuneScape birthdays yet.
Tune in to our RuneScape Twitch channel on Tuesday 5th January at 17:00 UTC for a special hour-long stream with Andrew and Paul Gower! We will be looking back at 15 years' worth of RuneScape history, the 15th birthday documentary and the upcoming Gower Quest due for release later this year.
You'll soon start to notice some of Party Pete's modifications around Gielinor, including festive bunting in the GE, lanterns on trees, and new logos on the lodestones. Other than Party Pete going a bit wild with the party decorations, there is also a birthday version of The Drop, a 15th Anniversary garden, a unique party buff, as well as a handful of special items, overrides and emotes all to be unlocked.
Don't miss the party! Head East of the Falador lodestone to find the dedicated party venue for yourself or read on to find out more about Party Pete's party plans.
Login now and speak to Party Pete in the party area to receive a free 15th Anniversary party box of birthday goodies to help you get into the party spirit. Each gift box contains a Prismatic lamp, a Prismatic star, an unowned statue and 10 party hat fragments. Ironman accounts will also gain a free gift box, but they will not receive the Prismatic star and lamp.
The Birthday Party Hub
Party Pete has really gone all-out this year with the new party venue - complete with a statue garden with a plinth for every year, a food banquet suited to feed a small army, and - of course - a specially crafted tiered RuneScape birthday cake. But it doesn't just stop there - there's more.
Every half an hour, there will be a two-minute confetti shower around each lodestone (except Prifddinas), accompanied by a world message to announce the forthcoming of a balloon drop. Each day you will be able to pop up to 50 balloons, which will reward you with either gold, a Prismatic star or lamp, an unowned statue piece, or additional party hat fragments. After you have popped 15 balloons, you will unlock the 15 year tunic, which you can access from your wardrobe. Pop 50 balloons, and you can unlock your very own 15th anniversary balloon. This will allow you to bank any item of your choice, once every 30 minutes.
You may also notice the various portals which will spawn around the free-to-play areas of Gielinor. If you find one, make sure you interact with it to gain an unowned statue!
If you are lucky enough to acquire a statue from a balloon drop or through a portal, they will automatically be added to the right statue plinth in the Anniversary garden. There are 15 statues in total - one statue to represent each RuneScape year. Don’t worry if you don’t partake in celebrations for the next 4 weeks. The portals will stay around for the entire year so you may stumble across a few on your adventures!
For every four statues you find, you shall be rewarded generously!
Find your first four statues, and you will unlock a limited edition birthday dance emote.
Find eight statues and you will unlock RuneScape Classic's Skilling thought bubble animation! These can be used on 19 in-game skills but will not represent Attack, Strength, Defence, Ranged, Magic, Constitution and Dungeoneering. The 2D billboard thought bubbles can be toggled via the miscellaneous game settings menu.
! These can be used on 19 in-game skills but will not represent Attack, Strength, Defence, Ranged, Magic, Constitution and Dungeoneering. The 2D billboard thought bubbles can be toggled via the miscellaneous game settings menu. If you manage to acquire 12 statues in the garden, you will gain the second 15th birthday emote which will get progressively longer throughout the year; a new move added each month on login to accommodate all 15 years.
Collect all of the statues to unlock our super special, cosmetic override: Cracker Wings!
The Drop will also run every half an hour, featuring 15 questions about RuneScape history.
At the start of each run, there will be a five minute window in which you can enter - just talk to Fame in the party area to get started. Bear in mind that it may take up to five minutes after this window for The Drop to start, so keep an eye out.
If you get all 15 questions right, you can look forward to receiving a huge Prismatic star and the title: The Historian.
Tempted by the RuneScape birthday cake? Don’t worry about your New Year Resolution’s or your post-Christmas diet plan; this is one of the few times where cake will actually make you healthier! Once every three minutes, you can help yourself to a slice of the birthday cake if you’re feeling peckish, to regain HP scaled to your Constitution level.
Be sure to come back to the Anniversary garden often - Once per day you can click on any of the Banquet Tables to receive an additional 5% XP buff that lasts for 24 hours in the 15th Anniversary party area! Be sure to use the suitably placed bank chest in the party area to make the most of this training boost.
Enjoy!
Enjoy all of our wicked birthday celebrations, and let us know your thoughts over on the forums.
The RuneScape Team
This Week's Streams
Each week we stream developer Q&As, in-game events and more. Watch our streams and find our full streaming schedule over on our Twitch channel.
Check our YouTube channel, too, for recap videos of streams you may have missed!
This week, we’re celebrating 15 years of RuneScape history!
Gower Brothers Q&A| 17:00 UTC, Tuesday 5th January
We’re delighted to welcome the creators and founders of RuneScape, Andrew and Paul Gower, for a special hour-long stream tomorrow.
We’ll be looking back at 15 years’ worth of RuneScape history chatting about the special 15th birthday documentary, and also getting an update on the Gower Quest due for release later in the year.
You do not want to miss it!
Ask your questions for the team on our forums, Reddit, or by using the hashtag #GowerQA and #RuneScapeAt15 on Twitter.
And we'll see you at 5pm on Tuesday! Be there!
15th Birthday Story Time | 18:00 UTC, Tuesday 5th January
Straight after the Gower Brothers Q&A, we’ll be grabbing some of our most experienced JMods and asking them to reminisce about their favourite RuneScape memories.
If you’re a long-term player, newbie, or interested in knowing about what’s happened within RuneScape’s 15-year history, then this stream is for you. Don’t miss it!
Community Competitions
Player Gallery 56 – 15th Birthday
What’s your most memorable moment in RuneScape?
Share your three most memorable moments with us for a chance to win some awesome 15th Birthday goodies! How you present them is entirely down to you so you can get as creative as you like.
Head over to our Forums to find out more information about how to enter and for our full Terms and Conditions. Competition closes 12:00 UTC on Friday 29th January 2016.Fresh fruits and vegetables soon could be making their way to West Utica. Efforts are underway to bring a farmers market to the neighborhood.
Fresh fruits and vegetables soon could be making their way to West Utica.
Efforts are underway to bring a farmers market to the neighborhood.
The market potentially could start sometime later this month – possibly Sept. 17 — and run through the end of October, said Boilermaker Road Race President Tim Reed, who is helping with the initiative.
“We’re hoping to do it on Thursdays,” he said. “There’s not an issue with Saranac Thursdays anymore because (Thursday was) the last Saranac Thursday, so that really isn’t necessarily an issue.”
The market is expected to take place on the driveway between the Boilermaker headquarters at 805 Court St. and Shoppes at the Finish Line and Utica Brews Café at 809 Court St., said Sue Keller, manager at the business and who also is involved in the initiative.
But there are two “big issues” to getting the market going, Reed said, including getting permitting paperwork settled with the state and trying to line up farmers because it’s late in the year.
“If we can get the farmers and get through the paperwork, I think we’re going to be in a good place,” Reed said. “This year, the feeling is, this is kind of a beta test for next year because there’s no doubt that West Utica is clearly in need in regards to nutritious foods.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's website, the West Utica neighborhood and other parts of the city could be considered food deserts, which are defined as a census tract with a substantial share of residents who live in low-income areas that have low levels of access to a grocery store or healthy, affordable food retail outlets.
“We think it’s really important and we just think it’s going to be a hit,” Keller said. “It’s just something that’s so needed here. There’s just so many people in this neighborhood that walk that I think it will be a great thing for them.”
Follow @OD_Gerould on Twitter or call him at 792-4995.You probably take it for granted that the devices that enable our modern-day life communicate with each other by using electricity. Either by wire or by electromagentic waves, it always comes back to an electrical signal flickering on and off and on again. But a new research project out of Stanford is experimenting with using chemicals, as opposed to electricity, to send data from one machine to the next. They've even managed to send a text message.
Instead of sending ones and zeros by turning a current off and on, this system sends pulses of acid (vinegar) and base (glass cleaner). The message, in binary chemical bits, travels through plastic tubes to the destination computer which tracks changes in pH levels to decipher the message.
"Every problem that we've addressed in traditional wireless communications over the last three or four decades is really different now because it's a different mode of communicating," says Andrea Goldsmith, Stanford professor of electrical engineering in a press statement. "As so, it opens up all of these new ways of thinking about the optimal way to design this type of communication system."
The possible applications for a stable, non-electronic messaging system are myriad. It could operate as a backup or alternate source of communication in case of a blackout, something inherently hardened to EMPs. Places where sending electric signals are difficult, like underwater, could be open for easier communication.
For the next step, Goldsmith and her fellow researchers are looking at human-based nanotechnology. Traditional communication is a problem for in-body nanotech because electronic signals don't behave well inside the body and could cause potential organ damage. A messaging system not reliant on electricity could forego these problems altogether.
"It's just so 'out there,' like science fiction," Goldsmith says. "What are all the exciting ways that we could use this to enable communication that is impossible today? That's what I would want someone to walk away thinking about."
Source: Stanford via The VergeSocial Media
Photo appeared with tagline “Feeling Happy from Kavanadu Police station”.
Drunks in Kerala will never stop amusing us, but this time, their antics at a police station seem to have got officials into trouble.
At 2am on Sunday, three youngsters in Kollam were picked up the police after they received complaints that they were creating nuisance in public spaces after getting drunk, according to the police.
Soon after, they were taken to the Shakthikulangara police station, commonly known as Kavanadu police station. A selfie of the three youngsters from the police station, with one of them wearing a police cap, has since gone viral online. The photo was posted by one of the youngsters, Saj Aloysius, with the status update, “Feeling Happy from Kavanadu Police station”. He was with his friends Toni Francis and Bijo Ben.
Kollam city police commissioner S Satish Bino on Monday asked for an explanation from the station head.
An officer who spoke to TNM said that they don’t know when the photograph was taken, as there were very few officers at night in the station. They were released on Sunday morning after being booked.
“We have not given them the cap nor permission to take a selfie. We have no idea how it happened. They might have taken that when we didn’t notice,” the officer who sought anonymity said.So, the story going around today (via Star Wars News Net's The Resistance Broadcast, and as pointed out by our friends over at Slashfilm) is that Ron Howard reshot something like 80% of Solo: A Star Wars Story, and that this essentially doubled the film's budget following the unceremonious exit of original directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller.
As you might expect, this has caused a fair bit of dialogue within the Star Wars fan community: is this a good thing? A bad thing? Are there any tea leaves to be read here, and - if so - what do they say?
Well, let's keep a few things in mind: for starters, we won't ever truly know if this was the better decision because it's all but guaranteed that we will never, ever see Lord and Miller's version of Solo. We'll never be able to make that comparison, so worrying as to whether or not the right decision was made is basically irrelevant.
Secondly, Ron Howard has been reshooting Solo: A Star Wars Story for quite some time now, long enough that actors had to be replaced and - again, if we assume The Resistance Broadcast's report is accurate - at double the cost. Of course he's "mostly reshot" the movie. That's what he's been doing all this time and with all that money. This shouldn't come as a surprise.
As of this writing, Solo: A Star Wars Story is still slated to hit theaters in May of next year. When will we see the film's first trailer? Smart money's on the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but we're also kind of in agreement with The Playlist, which theorizes that we might see Solo knocked back to December of next year.
Guess we'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, please feel free to speculate recklessly in the comments below.Edward Corwin was a political scientist who served for decades as the McCormick professor of jurisprudence at Princeton. He is best known for his phrase about the American Constitution as an “invitation to struggle” among the branches (his reference was to foreign policy, but it applied more generally). But he was also known as a keen mind and the leading expert for decades on the meaning of the Constitution. He was close to Woodrow Wilson, and it was said that FDR strongly considered Corwin for nomination to the Supreme Court—the first nonlawyer to be so considered—but dropped the idea in part because of Corwin’s lack of legal training.
Learned Hand was a judge who served on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals from 1924 until 1951, serving as chief judge for a lot of that time. No judge’s opinions have been quoted more frequently or used as examples more often than those of Hand, clearly the most distinguished American judge never to have made it to the Supreme Court.
Robert Katzmann is the current chief judge of the Second Circuit. He is both a political scientist and a lawyer. His training in both fields—which encompasses hands-on experience across branches of government, including being a protégé of the late, great Daniel Patrick Moynihan—along with his judicial temperament, keen mind, and respect for the law and for politics, make him the clearest heir to both Corwin and Hand.
He will blush when he reads this, and it is true that I am his friend and have the bias of a friend (and fellow political scientist). But his stature and depth are also evident to all those who have served with him or appeared before him. I write about Katzmann because he has written a new book, called Judging Statutes, that is both a tour de force and must reading for anybody following a particularly critical case, Halbig v. Burwell, that I have written about in this space before, and that may pose the greatest challenge yet to the full implementation and future of the Affordable Care Act.
The underlying point of Judging Statutes is that the American constitutional system requires a deep respect among the institutions of governance—which includes a respect by Congress and the courts for the key role that executive branch officials play in their front-line role of interpreting the meaning and intent of the laws Congress passes in order to implement them; a respect by Congress for the difficulty of that executive role and for the role of the judiciary as independent arbiter; and very importantly, the respect of judges for the inherently political nature of Congress, and the difficulty and messiness involved in building coalitions and passing statutes. The latter may be distasteful and often worthy of ridicule, but it is baked into the constitutional order.
As Katzmann notes, from the beginning the framers understood that the nature of the legislative process would make statutes often unclear and murky for interpretation. Madison wrote in Federalist No. 37:
All new laws, though penned with the greatest technical skill, and passed on the fullest and most mature deliberation, are considered as more or less obscure and equivocal, until their meaning be liquidated and ascertained by a series of particular discussions and adjudications. Besides the obscurity arising from the complexity of subjects, and the imperfection of the human faculties, the medium through which the conceptions of men are conveyed to each other, adds a fresh embarrassment.
It is up to judges frequently to judge the meaning and import of statutes that are regularly subject to more than one interpretation—because laws by nature, as Madison said, are often obscure, equivocal, murky. What to do? Katzmann notes that since the 16th-century English decision known as Heydon’s Case, the dominant mode has been to look at the purpose of the laws, to look carefully at what the legislature intends, to, in the words of that decision, “suppress the mischief and advance the remedy.” Learned Hand wrote:
All [legislators] have done is to write down certain words which they mean to apply generally to situations of that kind. To apply these literally may either pervert what was plainly their general meaning, or leave undisposed of what there is every reason to suppose they meant to provide for. Thus it is not enough for a judge just to use a dictionary. If he should do no more, he might come out with a result which every sensible man would recognize to be quite the opposite of what was really intended; which would contradict or leave unfulfilled its plain purpose.
It is true that it is not always possible to come up with a definitive interpretation of what Congress intended. One of the most compelling parts of Katzmann’s book is his account of three decisions that went to the Supreme Court from appeals courts, in one of which the judgment of Katzmann and his colleagues on the 2nd Circuit was overturned, that show the ways in which dutiful judges can come to opposite conclusions. But in most controversial cases, there are clear ways to look at legislative history, the words of a bill’s architects or managers, and the overall body of the law to divine the plain purpose. And, as Katzmann writes, “At times it is difficult to ascertain purposes, and the search for purpose as to particular statutes, may be elusive. But to jettison the inquiry altogether, because of the difficulty in particular cases, means that judges will interpret statutes unmoored from the reality of the legislative process and what the legislators were seeking to do.” To anyone who has spent time in Congress or any legislative body, who understands the fundamentals of the politics of a legislature, Hand and Katzmann are compelling.
Even so, there is another strain of interpretation that has arisen to challenge this one, closely identified with Justice Antonin Scalia. Known as textualism, it rejects the use of legislative history or the words of lawmakers about what they did and intended, showing disdain for much of the legislative process and the motives of lawmakers but also arguing that relying on messy and ambiguous legislative actions and interpretations gives judges too much discretion to achieve their own desired outcomes. In other words, Scalia argues that the text of the law speaks for itself. Katzmann judiciously, politely, and respectfully dissects the case for textualism, and filets it.
Most importantly, he does so by standing up for the fundamental role of the legislature in our constitutional structure. He writes that “wiping out legislative history, in the face of empirical evidence that Congress views it as essential in understanding its meaning, leaves us largely with a canon-based interpretative regime that may not only fail to reflect the reality of the legislative process, but may also undermine the constitutional understanding that Congress’s statute-making should be respected as a democratic principle.”
Now comes Halbig, which is based on one carelessly worded clause in the Affordable Care Act that the law’s opponents say makes it clear that subsidies for insurance can only be given to those using insurance exchanges established by the states—not those established by the federal government because states refused to create their own exchanges. To accept this textual interpretation would mean the unraveling of much of the health care law, with many millions of Americans no longer able to afford their insurance, with risk pools collapsing, and a broader chaos in the health care system. There are many other places in the ACA where it is clear that exchanges refer to all exchanges, however they were established and run. But most importantly, to imagine that the unraveling of the law and the removal of insurance from millions was what Congress intended is patently ridiculous.
But that is the conclusion that two judges on the D.C. Circuit came to. One, Thomas Griffith, had served for sever |
, Laixiang Sun. 2014. “Virtual Scarce Water in China.” Environmental Science and Technology, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es500502q.Lost in a thunderstorm over southeastern Australia, Captain R.D. Parmentier and his crew were desperately trying to find a place to land the big DC2 airliner. They were just a few hundred miles from the finish of an epic 11,300-mile race from London to Melbourne and the storm had rendered their communications equipment useless.
While radio operators on the ground tried in vain to reach the aircraft, a mayor in a small town had an idea as bright as the lightning flashing in the sky. He dialed up the city's engineer and asked him to toggle the city's lights in morse code to spell out a message: A-L-B-U-R-Y. The town's name.
It was the plane's only hope.
Melbourne was ready to celebrate 100 years of existence in 1934 and wanted a gesture grand enough to mark the city's existence. Taking advantage of the sudden leap in aviation technology, they decided on an air race from the old center of power in London to Australia's biggest city. As a prize, the chocolate magnate Macpherson Robertson put up $75,000 ($1.3 million inflation adjusted) from his candy company and the MacRobertson Air Race was announced.
The significance was not only the great distance, but also the transformation of Australia as more than "the vast land over the edge of beyond" as one newspaper put it.
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Planes would all take off at the same time and have to stop at five designated points along the way (Baghdad, Iraq; Allahabad, India; Singapore; and Darwin and Charleville, Australia). There were no rules about the size or type of plane, only a requirement that the pilots fly the whole race from beginning to end and that the planes meet certain safety standards.
Despite the safety equipment, Lloyd's of London gave the pilots a 1-in-12 chance of dying.
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Around 64 teams planned to enter, but just 20 planes made it to the start line on October 20th, 1934. The favorites were a pair of De Havilland DH.88 Comets — sleek twin-engined planes designed especially for the race. The plane's narrow cockpit held just two pilots in tandem.
At the other end of the flying spectrum were a pair of passenger airliners. Two American pilots would be flying a Boeing 247-D and a crew of four from Dutch Airliner KLM would be in the even larger Douglas DC-2. To make things more interesting, the KLM plane would be delivering mail and carrying passengers on their trip!
Sir MacPherson Robertson's Message on ABC "Dear friends early yesterday morning before the sun had peaked over the horizon to disperse the mists enshrouding the Mildenhall Aerodrome in Suffolk; the competitors of the MacRobertson International Air Race were awaiting the signal to start on the epic flight of 11,323 miles. Never in the history of aviation has there been such a line up of aviators and never in the history of the world has there been such an aerial contest."
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Under guidance from Captain Parmentier, the KLM DC-2 — nicknamed Uiver (Dutch for "Stork") quickly became a frontrunner. It battled with the British Comet of Captains Scott and Campbell-Black all along the way, using its superior reliability and comfort to keep up with the faster (and not passenger-laden) aircraft. Other competitors crashed (two died) or experienced equipment failure, but the big metal aircraft kept on going.
On October 23rd at 3:33 pm the Comet managed to take the crown in the overall "Speed" category, leaving the Uiver and it's crew the chance to win in the "Handicapped" category, which took into account the size of the aircraft using a formula.
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All the Uiver crew had to do was cross the relatively short distance from Charleville to Melbourne and keep the other competitors behind them. But bad luck struck in the form of a thunderstorm just 200 miles from the finish line. It was night and, lacking visibility and functioning communications equipment, the plane drifted hopelessly off course.
Signalers for the Royal Australian Air Force desperately tired to contact them, but nothing was working. Calls went out over the radio for help and railway stations turned on all their signal lamps. Navy ships turned on their spotlights, probably to let the aircraft know if it had drifted too close to the ocean.
The citizens in the small hamlet of Albury heard the planes engines overhead and assumed it was en route to Melbourne. But the plane didn't leave. It kept circling the area.
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Aware of the danger various local authorities and radio announcers hatched a plan. The city's Chief electrical engineer Lyle Ferris was sent to flash the city's lights in morse code. An Alderman asked anyone with a car to come to the race course to create a circle of headlamps. Despite the rain everyone who could help turned out.
It was a world-wide event as wireless radio communication meant that listeners between Australian and Holland could follow along as the town made its desperate rescue attempt.
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Amazingly, the crew saw the flickering lights and realized it was morse code. Because of the weather they couldn't read the message but they saw the circle of lights at the race track and, with a lot of skill, were able to land the aircraft. The same rainstorm that kept them from finding Melbourne helped muddy the ground enough to allow the pilot put the plane down without going off the short race track.
When the door to the plane finally opened one of the crewman came out and asked Is this Melbourne?.
One can imagine the relief of everyone involved and the laughter that ensued when the question was asked.
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At sunup the plane seemed hopelessly stuck but everyone was alive. Not content to let their guests down, the City of Albury once again rallied and plans were brought in to help unstick the big metal aircraft. Everything in the plane that didn't need to go (including passengers) was stripped from the craft and Captain Parmentier and the plane's First Officer took off for Melbourne.
Even with the delay the plane took second place in the speed round and won the handicapped section outright. It was a great victory for the airline, country, and the a small Australian town.
Upon landing the Captain spoke to ABC saying
The first thing I want to tell you is that I am very grateful for all the things that the national broadcasting commission has done to make our landing last night possible at the racecourse in Albury. I also must express my thanks for the help I had from the Mayor of Albury and the population who were very helpful this morning to get our plane out of the mud and to make it possible for us to take off."
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The Mayor, Alfred Waugh, would eventually be awarded the Order of the Orange Nassau — a great honor — by Queen Wilhemina. Both the pilot and first officer were knighted.
A relationship between the European country and Albury was formed and, when the Uiver crashed two months later killing all on board, a memorial was erected in Holland that was partially paid for by subscriptions taken up in Albury.
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Today, a restored DC-2 sits in Albury, made up to look like the Uiver and re-christened as the "Uiver-2" memorial aircraft. The plane was put up for sale, though locals attempted to block the sale so it can be retained in Albury as a piece of history.(Hat tip to Baber Khan!)
Photo Credit: Archangel, KLM/Airspace Magazine, DC3Airways.com, Post Card PostInsane Lawmaker Declares God Will End Calif. Drought When We Ban Abortions (VIDEO)
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Scientists believe a combination of climate change, unfavorable weather patterns, and poor water management have contributed to California’s record four-year drought. But Calif. Assemblywoman Shannon Grove (R-34) has a different theory: She believes the drought was caused by her angry sky god’s wrath over too many women having abortions.
RHRealityCheck, a women’s reproductive health group, reports Grove made these views known at the California ProLife Legislative Banquet, held in Sacramento earlier this month. Waving her Bible in the air, Grove declared from the podium:
“This is the infallible word of God. I fear Him more than I fear anyone.”
That’s right. Grove fears Him. The fact that these right-wing, so-called “Christians” worship a god who more closely resembles the angry, jealous, irrational and abusive patriarch of the Old Testament instead of the loving Father who revealed Himself as Jesus in the New Testament says a lot about why these people are so mean, and why they promote public policies so cruel to women, children, LGBT people, non-Christians and people of color. Apparently, their “God” is some ancient version of the schoolyard bully, and when you accept Republican Jesus as your savior, you become His evil henchmen.
Referring to Texas’ anti-choice bill with a ban on all abortions after 20 weeks to prevent the scientifically unproven infliction of “fetal pain,” Grove explains how Texas’ drought ended when Gov. Rick Perry signed the bill into law. And California’s next.
“Texas was in a long period of drought until Governor Perry signed the fetal pain bill. It rained that night. Now God has His hold on California.”
And who was Grove speaking to? RHReality Check reports:
Grove was speaking to a roomful of advocates, activists, and clergy who had gathered at the Grand Hotel in Sacramento to celebrate the (relatively few) California legislators who oppose abortion. Many of the state’s anti-choice groups were in attendance, including Catholic Bishops for Life, Pray California, Californians for Life, and the California Republican Assembly. In addition to Assemblywoman Grove, state Sens. Mike Morrell and Joel Anderson spoke.
Even anti-choicers think Grove’s over-the-top.
While Grove’s theory went over great with the crowd — she enjoys a strong reputation as an engaging speaker — even some anti-choice activists think Grove’s statements were way over the top. After all, they don’t want us to start thinking these so-called “pro-lifers” are crazy, just because they obsess over the rights of insentient fetuses in the name of a God who wants them to deny actual babies and children food, water, healthcare, housing and education.
KGET 17 from Kern County, home of Grove’s district, reports Grove’s statements have raised quite a ruckus. Even Rosalyn Strode, a prominent anti-choicer in the area, thought Grove had one off the rails. She told reporters:
“I can understand her having a strong stand on what she believes, but it rained last(Wednesday) night, it poured. I don’t see how you connect that.”
Here’s the video with the news report on Grove’s bizarre theories on the California drought from KGET 17.
Image/composite: Wrathful God by Michelangelo/Wunderground | Calif. Assemblywoman Shannon Grove/Facebook.A hawkish, pro-Israel group that includes some of the most prominent neo-conservative and evangelical voices in the country is launching the second salvo in an ad campaign targeting primarily congressional Democrats.
The Emergency Committee for Israel's Leadership went up on air Thursday with a spot going after endangered Democrat, Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (D-Ohio) for signing a letter that urges President Barack Obama to put pressure on Israel to ease the Gaza blockade.
"Most members of Congress are friends of Israel," the spot goes. "That's why a huge majority, 88 percent, refused to sign a letter accusing Israel of collective punishment when Israel was defending her citizens from the terrorist group Hamas. But Mary Jo Kilroy signed that anti-Israel letter. A fellow Democratic congressman called Kilroy misinformed... Ask her why she joined an assault on Israel."
ECI's ad follows a similar one it ran weeks ago against Senate candidate, Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Penn.). That spot engendered a fair amount of controversy and pushback with a lawyer for the Pennsylvania Democrat insisting that the congressman is "willing to put his life on the line to defend Israel" and asking (unsuccessfully) for the ad to be pulled.
Asked to respond to the current variation, Kilroy's campaign offered a more substantive response, pointing out that the letter's contents found its way into substantive policy.
"What we really want to know is when Bill Kristol and his reactionary friends are going to start running ads against Prime Minister Netanyahu and calling him anti-Israel for easing the blockade in accordance with the spirit of the letter," said Brad Bauman, the campaign's communications director.
As Bauman notes, it seems disingenuous to define the letter at the crux of the debate, while sympathetic to the plight of those in Gaza, as anti-Israel. It was put together by J-Street, a pro-Israel group that has endured the wrath of the neoconservative community but argues that its version of Mideast politics is more grounded in reality than Kristol's.
"Is the Emergency Committee's next move going to be running an attack ad against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for changing policy in Gaza?" said Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of J Street, in a separate statement to the Huffington Post. "After all, the Netanyahu Government has now adopted the very approach in Gaza that Kilroy and her colleagues called for last January ago."
The ECI's ad campaign, in the end, seems intended for politics beyond the current electoral landscape. The organization's board includes figures such as the Weekly Standard's William Kristol, who have spent careers (not campaigns) pushing hawkish support of Israel. And while the group has spent money on 2010 ads, the overall function is to lay the markers of the Israel-Palestine debate firmly in the pro-Israel camp.
"We will educate votes about the anti-Israel record of members like Mary Jo Kilroy who either vote against Israel, sign letters condemning Israel, or work to undermine the US-Israel relationship in any other way, because nothing can do more to advance the cause of peace, democracy and human rights in the Middle East than a strong US-Israel relationship," said spokesman Michael Goldfarb, who formerly worked on the McCain presidential campaign and with Kristol at the Weekly Standard.
Perhaps the most telling feature of ECI's first two ads has been the targets they've chosen. Both Sestak and Kilroy are not known within the Democratic caucus for being particularly critical of Israel, save the J-Street letter signed by Kilroy. Both, however, face uphill election battles, with the betting money on their defeats. ECI could have chosen a tougher race in which to invest. But a campaign win would presumably allow it to flaunt its electoral muscle once the new Congress convenes.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced new elections on Tuesday evening after firing two key ministers in his government - Yesh Atid leader Finance Minister Yair Lapid and Hatnua leader Justice Minister Tzipi Livni.
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Netanyahu instructed Cabinet Secretary Avichai Mandelblit on Tuesday evening to issue termination letters to the two senior ministers, citing constant criticism aimed at him and his government from both Livni and Lapid.
The prime minister said he will call for the dissolution of the Knesset as soon as possible in order to go to elections and "receive a clear mandate from the people to lead Israel."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)
"In recent weeks, including the last 24 hours, Ministers Lapid and Livni harshly attacked the government under my leadership. I won't tolerate any more opposition within the government, I won't tolerate ministers attacking from within the government the government's policies and its leader," Netanyahu said in a statement released shortly after the announcement.
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In a press conference Tuesday evening, Netanyahu argued that "at the current situation, from within the current government, we cannot lead the country and my responsibility as prime minister is to lead the country."
He said that while his previous administration had achieved much in service of the nation, its current iteration had been forced on him. "The ruling party under my leadership, the Likud party, did not get enough mandates," he said.
Netanyahu stressed that he refused to continue to govern with open dissent from within the coalition, urging the people of Israel to provide him with a safe majority from which he could lead.
After weeks of criticism from Lapid and Livni, Netanyahu lashed out at his two former coalition partners.
Lapid, he said, undermined Israel's "aggressive policy against Iran's nuclear program" by criticizing the prime minister's decision to boycott Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's speech at the UN General Assembly.
Netanyahu with Lapid the day the coalition was announced (Photo: EPA)
The Yesh Atid leader undermined the government's policy to demand the Palestinian to recognize Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people when he said in an interview he didn't think it was necessary to make that demand, Netanyahu said.
Both Lapid and Livni, the prime minister added, criticized plans to build some 1,000 housing units in Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem located beyond the Green Line, with Livni saying the move was "irresponsible."
"Well, Livni is the last one who can preach to anyone about responsibility," Netanyhu said.
"In May of this year she met with Mahmoud Abbas in complete contrast to the cabinet's decision not meet with him at the time, as well as against my explicit order not to hold the meeting. Later she went on to say, while serving as the justice minister, 'Netanyahu's boycott of Abbas is stupid.' And today she once against attacked the government under my leadership."
He also accused both Livni and Lapid of trying to "seduce the haredi factions to oust a prime minister."
Lapid, Netanyahu said, "is a finance minister who failed in the managing of the economy and secretly joins forces with the justice minister to act against the government and its leader. In one word, it's called a putsch."
"Urgent elections are not a good thing but a government that can't govern and has ministers acting against it from within is worse many times over. We need to hold quick elections and form a new government, united and strong," Netanyahu concluded.
'Irresponsible behavior'
Both Livni and Netanyahu attended a ceremony at the President's Residence on Tuesday evening, sitting alongside each other. But sources close to Livni said it was only after leaving the President's Residence that Netanyahu called her to fire her.
"It's a pity you did not have the courage to do it eye-to-eye," Livni told Netanyahu, according to the sources.
Netanyahu and Livni at the president's residence, an hour before the announcement (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
The Yesh Atid party lashed out at Netanyahu following the announcement. "The prime minister failed in the governing of the State of Israel and in taking care of the Israeli public's needs. The frightened act of firing the ministers is an act of cowardice and shows the loss of control." the Yesh Atid party said in a statement on Tuesday evening.
"We regret that the prime minister chose to act irresponsibly towards the nation and drag the state of Israel into an unnecessary elections campaign, which will cause damage to the economy and to the Israeli society, and all of this out of small political interests, weakness and concession to the haredim, the Likud members and interest groups."
In the aftermath of the announcement, the four other Yesh Atid party ministers said they were considering resigning if they are not fired beforehand.
Yesh Atid's ministers are Health Minister Yael German, Education Minister Shai Piron, Science, Technology and Space Minister Yaakov Peri and Welfare and Social Services Minister Meir Cohen.
Justice Minister Livni was the only Hatnua minister left in the government, after Environmental Protection Minister Amir Peretz resigned on November 9 in protest of Lapid's 2015 state budget.
Elections less than two years since the last vote seemed almost inevitable after Lapid rejected an ultimatum from Netanyahu in an explosive meeting Monday night ostensibly aimed at salvaging the warring coalition government.
Lapid hard harsh words for the prime minister Tuesday morning, calling him irresponsible for taking the country to the polls for the second time in two years and accusing him of lining the pockets of the ultra-Orthodox with the money of the middle class.
"The prime minister decided to lead us to unnecessary elections," said Lapid at an energy conference in Haifa, which in light of events found itself transformed into a political convention. "The prime minister only wanted to be told 'no' and then kiss and tell. Netanyahu chose to act with national irresponsibility and not meet his obligations to the public."UPDATE: Mr. Burke has taken down the videos with the tracks from his YouTube channel. Unfortunately no mirrors or copies were made. If nothing gets posted again soon, in just a few short months Tailwind will be fully revealed in Rare Replay.
Today, Steve Burke, a former composer at Rare for many years released some of the tracks for a prototyped game called Tailwind. Tailwind will be featured in the unreleased game showcase in Rare Replay. Rare Replay will include actual footage of the game but right now you can listen to some of the music that would be accompanying the game.
During this years E3, we here at RareFanDaBase got to see the video that showcased Tailwind. From what we saw it appeared to be a game where you could fly vehicles. The music seems very representative of that with it being upbeat, airing and adventurous.
In total, Mr. Burke wrote 25 minutes of music for the Tailwind prototype. Have a listen below!
Let us know what you think in the comments below!
You can hear more from Steve Burke here: http://www.steveburkemusic.com
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Like this: Like Loading...Syrian authorities have handed over a batch of documents with the evidence of a rebel use of banned chemical agent against civilians near Aleppo to the international chemical watchdog. Samples from the shell containing mustard gas are to be delivered to The Hague.
The documents were handed over in Damascus to the mission of the Technical Secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
The mission, comprising eight experts from the US, the UK, Australia, Slovakia and Slovenia has been working in Damascus at the request of the Syrian government since December 12.
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“We have provided all the documents to the mission, they were vetted and accepted. The mission will come to Syria one more time to collect samples, which will be subsequently analyzed,” said Samer Abbas, spokesman for the Syrian National Authority monitoring the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The samples are expected to be delivered to The Hague, the site of the OPCW headquarters, by a charter flight in January next year. The samples will be stored in Syria until all financial difficulties linked to their transportation to Europe will be solved.
The mortar shell with the chemical was recovered near the village of Maarat Umm Hawsh in Aleppo province on November 16 by Russian experts, who were demining the area. Upon closer inspection, the unexploded crude homemade 240-mm round was found to contain dark liquid.
Russian chemical experts took samples and confirmed that the agent in question was mustard gas. The poisonous substance was widely used during the WWI-era and has been outlawed since 1923.
The shell is believed to have been used in a September 16 attack on the village, in which over 40 civilians were injured, and later treated in the Yusuf al-Azma military hospital in Damascus for symptoms of mustard gas poisoning.
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In November, the Russian military handed over all the evidence concerning the attack, including the samples to the Syrian authorities. At the time, the Defense Ministry said that the evidence suggested the gas was homemade rather than supplied by a third party, but did not rule out the possibility.
Officers from the Russian Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defense troops in Syria previously produced evidence of chlorine and white phosphorus usage by militants in Aleppo province. In November, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the expert found “nine selected samples which confirmed [that the terrorists] had used chlorine and white phosphorus munitions to fill their ammunition.” The traces of the agents were on the fragments of mines, shells and soil from the craters to the southwest of Aleppo, Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said.
Russia has repeatedly called on OPCW specialists to participate in the studying of the samples collected by the Russian experts, pointing to instances of use of banned substances by the militants in east Aleppo, then under rebel control, against civilians in the western neighborhoods.
“Russian specialists found that militants in eastern Aleppo used ammunition with poisonous substances, with the ammo targeting western Aleppo. The collected samples leave no doubt that it’s a toxic agent,” Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in late November. He also blamed OPCW's lack of action on the matter to the “tremendous pressure” it endures “from our Western partners.”
READ MORE: UN chemical watchdog refused to send experts to Aleppo under Western pressure – Lavrov
Rick Sterling, a member of the Syria Solidarity movement, told RT that the new evidence might prove what serious probes into chemical use in Syria showed years ago.
“Basically, there have been many allegations of chemical use by the Syrian government; it’s been used for numerous years to demonize the Syrian government. When there have been serious investigations, for example, in spring 2013, the UN official Carla del Ponte said that the evidence pointed to the rebels having used it, despite Western media claiming that it was clearly the Syrian government. There have been numerous accusations that the Syrian government used chlorine gas, including the times when the chlorine gas manufacturing plant was actually controlled by Nusra. So, there’s been a steady stream of accusations against the Syrian government, and it’s good to see this emerging,” he said.
Independent journalist, researcher, and photographer Vanessa Beeley, who is in Syria right now, told RT that the emerging proof is shaking the very foundation of the Western propaganda machine.
“What we’re seeing at the moment is a complete dismantlement of every aspect of the propaganda apparatus that is being arrayed against Syria. We’re seeing the complete exposure of mainstream media, of the many NGO activists, journalists that are supposedly on the ground in east Aleppo, tweeting hysterically about falsified reports of ‘bodies on the ground.’ I’ve just returned from east Aleppo, I saw no bodies on the ground, even on the date that the White Helmets were claiming that these mass executions were taking place.
“We’re seeing the twisting and distorting of the truth to nudge the public perception towards what is a very erroneous perception,” she said.Disc golfers are up in arms across the internet focusing their turbo putt anger directly at Julie Ma and Bloomberg BusinessWeek magazine.
If you haven’t seen it yet Julie Ma, typically a fashion contributor decided to delve into the history of “expired” sports.
In her list, is a sport that I’ve played for years, Disc Golf. I had no idea disc golf was no longer played and is truly and “expired” sport.
Damn, I guess I should sell off my discs, portables, and bags at rock bottom dirt cheap prices.
We don’t need to dig into the lack of research that Julie did on this article, it’s clear she was either drunk (which is cool) or tired or both since she seems to have pulled her information out of her arse on this one.
Here’s a selection of the best replies, retorts and one liners from the Disc Golf Community. Didn’t anyone tell y’all you’re playing a dead sport? Guess no one got the memo.
Oh and Julie, don’t hold your breath for your Pulitzer Prize, it’s not happening anytime soon.
Alert! @BW has announced that #discgolf has expired. Please remove it from your fridge and throw it away immediately. http://t.co/8CVjDxlPwi — PDGA (@PDGA) December 12, 2014
@PDGA @BW it was fun while it it lasted i guess #discgolf — Jesus Aceves Jr (@jaceves85) December 12, 2014This session I have joined several of my friends, neighbors, and fellow Glades residents in the many efforts to stop the ill-conceived plan to buy more farmland south of Lake Okeechobee. Why? Because Senate Bill 10 puts our economic, environmental, and financial future at risk.
At its core, our opposition to this plan is primarily about one thing: saving local, American jobs. Senate Bill 10 absolutely will harm farming communities south of Lake Okeechobee. If passed, it will take between 60,000 to 153,000 acres of active farmland out of production, costing the Glades communities thousands of jobs. According to at least one sugarcane farming company, this land grab would put them out of business, destroying at least 1,000 jobs. These are American jobs that help to keep our domestic food supply safe from foreign threats.
The proposed land buy is under consideration after 120,000 acres of farmland have already been sold to the government for conservation purposes over the last two decades. Currently, 43 percent of land in South Florida is owned by the government. There is no reason to take any more when enough is already under government ownership for Everglades restoration.
Additionally, this bad bill could halt progress that is being made in Everglades restoration. Today 95 percent of water in the Everglades is meeting the strict 10 parts per billion standard for phosphorus required by law. Water in the Everglades is cleaner than water you buy in a bottle from the store. Current plans for Everglades restoration include building storage east, west, north, and south of Lake Okeechobee on land that has already been purchased. Scientists are urging our leaders to stick to these plans, which are scientifically designed to clean water in the Everglades and reduce the frequency of discharges from Lake Okeechobee.
Senate Bill 10 will NOT solve problems plaguing the local estuaries, like the algae blooms on the east coast in the summer of 2016. In 2016, more than 5 million acre feet was discharged from Lake Okeechobee. A 60,000 acre reservoir south of the lake would only hold 4 percent of this water. In wet years like last year, the Everglades to the south are flooded and cannot take any more water when lake releases are made. The reservoir proposed by SB 10 would have still required up to 4.2 million acre-feet to be discharged to the estuaries. It also would not have provided treatment for the water flowing into the St. Lucie River, where science shows up to 80 percent of the nutrients that contributed to the algae blooms came from the local communities and from sources such as septic tanks, fertilizer, and urban runoff. In years when there are no discharges from Lake Okeechobee, these communities can still experience algae blooms.
This flawed plan, which was surprisingly proposed by a Republican, relies on a $2.4 billion payment scheme with bonding -- money that can be used to continue Everglades restoration now instead of a land-buying boondoggle that no government agency is requesting. Since when have Republicans been in favor of getting government into the real estate business? Instead of borrowing money on the backs of our children for a plan that is half-baked, we should stick to current plans -- designed by actual scientists -- that will have a meaningful impact on restoring the Everglades and stopping the Lake Okeechobee discharges.
Julia Du Plooy is the founder of the Lake Okeechobee Business Alliance. She resides in Clewiston.In the 1960's, California college students rioted when they were demonstrating about political causes. These days, they riot over, well, being drunk.
That's according to an infographic published by Clarity Way drug and alcohol rehabilitation center and republished here with permission. The outlet may have an interest in getting people to stop being "drunken idiots," but the trend of college parties turning into riots is one HuffPost has noted before.
At the top of the list, the University of California-Santa Barbara "Deltopia" celebration in 2014 was named the most out of control, involving 15,000 people. During that incident, KPCC reported there were at least 100 arrests and 44 injuries.
The infographic notes the 1962 University of Mississippi riot involving close to 3,000 people, where two people died as segregationists protested against allowing one black student at the public institution. Thousands were involved in 1960's Berkeley riots, mostly University of California students, including one incident in 1969 that included around 4,000 people and grew out of a demonstration about the Arab–Israeli conflict.Progress motivates like no other method.
Thanks to rigorous research by Harvard Business School professor Teresa Amabile and psychologist Steven Kramer, authors of the aptly titled The Progress Principle, we know that it’s not money, fame, or fear that drives us to do our best work. Instead, it’s making progress on meaningful work that’s key for staying motivated, productive, and creative.
Even small steps count. Events and experiences that seem trivial or take mere minutes help to build that sense of progress, whether it’s having a constructive chat with a coworker about how your project’s going, a particularly positive customer interaction, or fixing a paragraph in your report.
Progress is so alluring that even the illusion of forward steps increases your drive — which means you might not be taking full advantage of how progress motivates to kick-start your productivity.
Even the Illusion of Progress Motivates
As early as the 1930s, when psychologist Clark Hull noticed that rats tried harder and ran faster as they got to the end of a maze, closer to their reward of food, he identified the goal gradient effect. People, not being so different here, feel a similar extra boost when that finish line is in sight.
The goal gradient effect even applies to something as mundane as those coffee shop loyalty cards. Researchers at Columbia University found that the nearer you are to earning that sweet free beverage, the more likely you are to buy a coffee to get there. A free coffee is a pretty small win indeed, but it’s that satisfaction of making progress that’s stirring enough to change your behavior. In fact, we like that sense of progress so much that, even the mere appearance of progress has an effect.
In the study, the scientists gave one group of café customers a card that required 10 stamps to redeem a free coffee and another group a 12-stamp card with 2 “bonus” stamps already on it. Even though both groups had to make the same ten purchases to win their free coffee, the 12-stamp group zoomed ahead of the 10-stamp group. They won their free drinks 20% faster.
What’s more, the study suggests that the 12-stamp loyalty-card holders experienced more intrinsic motivating. This group was noticeably happier, as they were more likely to smile, chat with the coffeeshop employees, and leave tips.
The Importance of Timing
For most of us, there’s no real equivalent to preexisting “bonus” stamps for our work — but what we can take away from the coffeeshop experiment is the benefit of planning goals to be more attainable and when to do so.
Getting started on big projects and tasks is often the highest hurdle to getting it done, so breaking goals down into smaller bites and smaller wins in the very beginning is probably the most beneficial. Productivity blogger Merlin Mann taps into this technique with his “dash” idea to get your motivation and productivity rolling:
[A] dash … is simply a short burst of focused activity during which you force yourself to do nothing but work on the procrastinated item for a very short period of time—perhaps as little as just one minute. By breaking a few tiny pebbles off of your perceived monolith, you end up psyching yourself out of your stupor, as well as making much-needed progress on your overdue project.
Not only is it near impossible to argue that you’re too busy or tired to deal with tiny pebbles, you stand to gain that bonus boost of motivation, and maybe a dose of happy as well.
The Columbia researchers also discovered that we slow down immediately after reaching our goal. While it makes sense that you don’t finish one race and then pop up to keep racing in another, sometimes that’s how we treat work, as if it were this continuous, never-ending sprint. Understanding the natural momentum of our motivation can help us manage those slow phrases better — getting much-needed rest, reflecting on what’s happened, and figuring out the next small steps.
* * * * *
Even though it seems silly to plan out such easy, trivial, or short first steps, dashes are almost not about the work itself but getting you moving, not a transformation but a shift that will move you.
There is, of course, the curse of wasted time, the deception of false progress, and the trap of busyness — monsters that we generally want to avoid. But sometimes doing that one pushup and then the next one, or starting with five minutes of that crazy presentation you’re working on or bashing the keys to get the words to come out is just what you need.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
P.S. If you liked this article, you should subscribe to our newsletter. We’ll email you a daily blog post with actionable and unconventional advice on how to work better.It’s working well. Just as we hoped.
The elephants are no longer walking into a likely war zone.
Last year, many of you contributed to the creation of a line of life-saving protection for the elephants of the Amboseli ecosystem. A critically-important 45 km electrified fence stretching across community land around the Kilimanjaro foothills.
That fence would protect farmers’ crops from being raided by the elephants, prevent the elephants from being killed by angry farmers, and help stop the farmland from further encroaching upon wildlife habitat.
It’s largely because of this conflict with humans that in our area of operation, fourteen elephants were killed in 2016. (Meanwhile, In the two million acre ecosystem that Big Life helps protect, poaching is now almost completely under control, with only one elephant poached last year).
Success (& The Inevitable ‘But’)
As we hoped, Phase One of the fence has instantly resulted in far fewer elephant raids. The farmers finally no longer have the constant stress of their families’ food sources and livelihoods being wiped out in one night by rampaging hungry elephants.
This means a happier community, which has resulted this year in far fewer speared elephants, and none killed.
And the bigger picture result of all that? A much greater chance of long-term conservation success in Amboseli. As our sort-of slogan goes:
If conservation supports the community, then the community will support conservation.
Of course, there’s a ‘but’. |
ennis Muilenberg, the incoming CEO, is an aerospace industry veteran and a respected engineer. He needs to learn the unique dynamics of the commercial side of the business, but given his very strong industry background he should be able to make Boeing a better company. But he will also need to cope with that $30 billion 787 deferred costs overhang and a Boeing jetliner labor-management relationship that’s worse than anywhere else in the aerospace industry.
Also on Forbes:Chops: Intermediate
Theory: Intermediate
Lesson Overview:
• Learn how to map out the neck with five CAGED shapes.
• Create melodic lines by targeting chord tones on strong beats.
• Discover how to enhance your phrases with chromatic notes. Click here to download a printable PDF of this lesson's notation.
The CAGED system is a subject we’ve explored many times before in Beyond Blues, and as you may know, it plays a big role in the way I teach. If you need a quick refresher, or if you’re totally new to the CAGED concept, read “A Guitarist’s Guide to the CAGED System” for an overview.
This CAGED approach doesn’t often generate resistance, but when it does, I usually find that it’s because of a misunderstanding of the system—there’s a lot more to it than just barre chords. While we’ve discussed arpeggios and scale fingerings several times over the years, this lesson will finally bridge the gap between those two.
When I was first learning the CAGED system, there was a time when I lacked harmonic grounding. For example, I’d be improvising over an F Lydian vamp and once you removed the chords, my lines would sound like A minor. This proved that although I was able to navigate the neck well enough, there was no sense of hierarchy in my phrasing. I was viewing all the notes in a particular scale as equals. Over time I discovered that laying a foundation in chord tones was the key to breaking out of this rut. I had to learn which notes were chord tones and which notes served as melodic embellishments. This meant I’d be able to hit all the important notes at all the important times! No more landing on the 4 of a chord and suddenly panicking.
In previous columns, we’ve focused heavily on arpeggios, and if you’ve been following this series you’ll hopefully have a solid grounding in these patterns. But to be sure you’re clear on the details, let’s highlight these again using the “C” shape of the CAGED system.
As you can see above, we’ve got three things to learn, but really they’re all very similar since the arpeggio contains the chord and the scale contains the arpeggio—that’s very important. Your goal is to be able to see the chord right away and instantly fill in the arpeggio and the scale around it.
In my experience, confusion can sometimes come when guitarists move between the chord, scale, and arpeggio. To deal with this, I came up with a little exercise (Ex. 1) that alternates between the arpeggio and the scale. You’ll start to see the scale, but won’t lose sight of where the chord tones are. I’ve done this for eight measures, but you could easily do it for 100. Remember that it’s not about numbers, you’re not learning patterns or thinking about tab, you’re seeing the two pieces of information and how they sit—and work together—with each other.
Now if we transfer this arpeggio-scale relationship to other shapes of the CAGED system, you might find yourself in the “E” shape, which would look like this:
The next step would be to transfer the concept from Ex. 1 into the “E” shape (Ex. 2).
Now check out how this would work in the “G” shape with the corresponding diagrams and exercise in Ex. 3.
Now we can apply these ideas to some actual music. Ex. 4 shows a 12-bar blues progression in the key of G. We’re using the shapes we outlined above and simply moving them around the neck as needed. I’m still thinking of the relationship between the chord, arpeggio, and scale, rather than a mode. For example, even though I’m technically playing C Mixolydian in the second measure, I’m just thinking of C7. I see the chord and the arpeggio and just fill in around it. Simply look for the chord shape.
That’s the way to do this: Look for the chord shape, make sure you land on a chord tone when the chord changes, and allow the scale to fill in around it in that position. This strategy really gives us the sound of each chord as we move through the progression.
In the final few examples, we’ll use the same approach but add in some chromaticism to enhance the lines. This highlights the fact that we’re not thinking about scales. In fact, we’re so focused on chord tones that we play melodic embellishments even if they aren’t diatonic to the key of G. Check out the last note of the first measure in Ex. 5. The Bb doesn’t actually fit over a G7 chord, but we don’t have to worry about that since we’re targeting a chord tone on the first beat of the next measure.
In Ex. 6 we take the same approach, but in the “E” shape with a few additions. In measure two, approach the chord tone on the downbeat of measure three from above. Going into the fourth measure, we descend chromatically from the b7 to the 5 and add some chromatics in the fourth measure before resolving on the 3.
We use the “G” shape for Ex. 7. It’s the same thing as before, only we’re using an enclosure at the end. These are all concepts we covered in my previous column on chromatics, so be sure to check that out!
Our final example (Ex. 8) applies our chromatic approach notes to a 12-bar blues progression—an approach that really helps to smooth things over between changes. Take this one slowly and try to come up with some of your own... then apply them while playing over the backing track below.
If you devote time to this technique in all five CAGED areas, you’ll open up your knowledge of the fretboard in a significant way. You’ll soon be in control of your phrases, no matter where you are on the neck. So good luck and get practicing!–
太極拳使用法
METHODS OF APPLYING TAIJI BOXING
楊澄甫
by Yang Chengfu
[and 董英傑 Dong Yingjie]
[published by 神州國光社發行 Society for Chinese National Glory, Jan, 1931]
[translation by Paul Brennan, Nov, 2011]
–
武當嫡派
“Descended from Wudang”
–
楊健侯先師遺像
Photograph of the late Yang Jianhou
–
著者楊澄甫
The author, Yang Chengfu
–
田兆麟
Tian Zhaolin
–
武滙川
Wu Huichuan
–
董英傑
Dong Yingjie
–
王旭東
Wang Xudong
–
閆仲魁
Yan Zhongkui
–
李得芳
Li Defang
–
楊振銘
Yang Zhenming
–
姜廷選
Jiang Tingxuan
–
褚桂亭
Chu Guiting
–
李椿年
Li Chunnian
–
徐岱山
Xu Daishan
–
郭蔭棠
Guo Yintang
–
張慶麟
Zhang Qinglin
–
楊開儒
Yang Kairu
–
張三峯先師傳拳譜
ZHANG SANFENG BOXING LINEAGE
三峯師傳山右王宗岳
Zhang Sanfeng imparted to Wang Zongyue of Shanxi.
河南─後又傳陳家溝陳長興 楊露禪 李百魁 及子姪輩
Wang taught in Henan province to Chen Changxing of Chen Family Village, who in turn taught Yang Luchan, Li Baikui, and his sons and nephews.
張松溪 王來咸 為浙江東支派惜已失傳
Wang also taught in Zhejiang province to Zhang Songxi and Wang Laixian, but this branch is extinct.
福魁露禪師傳
Yang Fukui (Luchan) taught:
鳳侯傳子……兆林字振遠
– Fenghou, who taught his son, Zhaolin (called Zhenyuan),
班侯傳……外姓數人
– Banhou, who taught many people outside his family,
健侯傳子……兆淸字澄甫
– Jianhou, who taught his son, Zhaoqing (called Chengfu),
傳……外姓數人
– and many people outside his family.
澄甫老師傳
Students of Yang Chengfu:
楊兆鵬
Yang Zhaopeng
武振海字滙川
Wu Zhenhai (called Huichuan) [photo above]
田兆麟
Tian Zhaolin [photo above]
董英傑
Dong Yingjie [photo above]
王旭東
Wang Xudong [photo above]
閻月川
Yan Yuechuan
牛鏡軒
Niu Jingxuan
田作林
Tian Zuolin
徐岱山
Xu Daishan [photo above]
褚桂亭
Chu Guiting [photo above]
劉論山
Liu Lunshan
李得芳
Li Defang [photo above]
李春年
Li Chunnian [photo above]
陳微明
Chen Weiming
楊鳳岐
Yang Fengqi
張欽霖
Zhang Qinlin
鄭佐平
Zheng Zuoping
王其和
Wang Qihe
崔立志
Cui Lizhi
王鏡淸
Wang Jingqing
楊振聲
Yang Zhensheng
楊振銘
Yang Zhenming [photo above]
楊振基
Yang Zhenji
姜廷選
Jiang Tingxuan [photo above]
陳光愷
Chen Guangkai
張慶麟
Zhang Qinglin [photo above]
王保還
Wang Baohuan
形玉臣
Xing Yuchen
劉盡臣
Liu Jinchen
匡克明
Kuang Keming
楊鴻志
Yang Hongzhi
師孫楊開儒
(having learned first from one of Yang’s students [Tian Zhaolin]) Yang Kairu [photo above]
于化行
Yu Huaxing
女士濮玉與第二人
(woman) Pu Yu (along with the second woman below)
女士滕南璇
(woman) Teng Nanxuan
奚誠甫
Xi Chengfu
朱紉芝
Zhu Renzhi
郭陰棠
Guo Yintang [photo above]
師孫吳萬琳
(having learned first from one of Yang’s students) Wu Wanlin
師孫孫件英
(having learned first from one of Yang’s students) Sun Jianying
李萬程
Li Wancheng
張種交
Zhang Zhongjiao
[Odd that Yan Zhongkui is absent from this list even though he is one of the photographed.]
田兆麟傳─
Students of Tian Zhaolin:
葉大密
Ye Dami
張景淇
Zhang Jingqi
陳一虎
Chen Yihu
施承志
Shi Chengzhi
陳志進
Chen Zhijin
鄭佐平
Zheng Zuoping [also in Yang Chengfu’s list]
楊開儒
Yang Kairu [also in Yang Chengfu’s list]
錢西樵
Qian Xiqiao
陳志遠
Chen Zhiyuan
張强
Zhang Qiang
何瑞明
He Ruiming
沈爾喬
Shen Erqiao
何士鑣
He Shibiao
周學淵
Zhou Xueyuan
周學芬
Zhou Xuefen
張寶鳳
Zhang Baofeng
崇壽永
Chong Shouyong
董英傑傳─
Students of Dong Yingjie:
劉同祿
Liu Tonglu
連忠恕
Lian Zhongshu
張忻
Zhang Xin
陳寧
Chen Ning
顏福廷
Yan Futing
郝奇
Hao Qi
宗之鴻
Zong Zhihong
宗毛三
Zong Maosan
孫僧齡
Sun Sengling
–
太極圖
DIAGRAM OF THE GRAND POLARITY [TAI JI]
陰 陽
THE PASSIVE [YIN] / THE ACTIVE [YANG]
太極圖之義陰陽相生剛柔相濟千變萬化太極拳即由此而出也推手即太極之圖形
The idea within the Taiji diagram is that passive and active generate each other, hardness and softness assist each other, and the polarities endless transform into each other. Taiji Boxing comes from this, and the pushing hands is the manifestation of this symbol.
–
太極拳原序
ON THE ORIGIN OF TAIJI BOXING
太極拳傳自張眞人，眞人，遼東懿州人，道號三峯，生宋末，身高七尺，鶴骨松姿，面如古月，慈眉善目，修髯如戟，頂作一髻寒暑唯一箬笠，手持佛塵，日行千里，洪武初，至蜀太和山修煉結庵玉虛宮，經書一覽成誦，洪武二十七年，又入湖北武當山，與鄕人論經書談說不倦，一日在屋誦經，有喜雀在院，其鳴如箏，眞人由窗視之，雀在柏樹，如鷹下觀，地上有一長蛇蟠結，仰視，二物相爭，雀鳴聲飛下展翅扇打，長蛇搖首微閃，躱過雀翅，雀自下隨飛樹上，少時性燥，又飛下翅打，長蛇又蜿蜒輕身閃過，仍作盤形，如是多次並未打着，後眞人出，雀飛蛇走，眞人由此而悟，蟠如太極，以柔克剛之理，由按太極變化而組成太極拳，養精氣神，動靜消長，通於易理，故傳之久遠，而功效愈著，北京白雲觀現存有眞人聖像可供瞻仰云。
Taiji Boxing was passed down from the Daoist saint, Zhang. He was from Yizhou in Liaodong. The monastic name he was given was Sanfeng. He was born during the end of the Song Dynasty [ending in 1279]. Standing seven feet tall, he had a crane’s build and a pine’s bearing. His face was like the aged moon, with kindness in his eyes and brows. His beard was as long as a halberd and his hair was in a bun atop his head. Regardless of winter or summer he wore the same wide hat of bamboo. He held a Buddhist duster and walked immense distances in a single day.
At the beginning of Emperor Hongwu’s reign [1368], Zhang went to Mt. Grand Harmony in Sichuan to practice asceticism, joining the Temple of Jade Emptiness monastery, and recited the scriptures after just one reading. In the twenty-seventh year of Hongwu’s reign [1394], Zhang traveled again, going to Mt. Wudang in Hubei, and he tirelessly conversed with the villagers about the scriptures.
One day, while reciting passages in his room, an excited sparrow appeared in the courtyard. Because of its zither-like chirping, the saint looked out his window to watch it. The sparrow was in a cypress tree, gazing down eagle-eyed, while on the ground there was a snake coiling and weaving, looking up at the sparrow. The two animals were fighting. The sparrow cried out and flew down, spreading its wings to give flapping strikes. The snake waved its head to slightly dodge, avoiding the sparrow’s wings. The sparrow returned to the tree to express its annoyance for a while then flew down to try again. The snake again wriggled its nimble body to evade, remaining in its coiled shape. It went on like this many times without a strike. Then Zhang came out and the sparrow flew away and the snake slithered off.
The saint was illumined by this incident. The snake’s coiling was like the taiji symbol and used the principle of softness overcoming hardness. From the taiji’s transformations was devised Taiji Boxing. It cultivates essence, energy, and spirit. Movement and stillness wax and wane as in the theory of the Book of Changes. This is the way it comes down to us from long ago and its effectiveness is increasingly proven. In Beijing’s White Cloud Temple there is still an image of the saint which can be reverenced.
–
楊露禪先師軼事
AN ANECDOTE ABOUT YANG LUCHAN
初師在京師聲聞遐邇，俠來訪者踵接，一日靜坐間，忽有僧來，師自迎出階，見僧貌偉壯，身高六尺許，拱揖道慕意，師亟遜答，僧鶻起出拳直撲師，師略含胸，以右掌抵拳頂拍之，僧如受電擊，跌出屛後猶作拳擊狀，久之乃歛容稱謝曰，僧鹵莽，師仍邀與談，審其名為淸德僧，固少林健壯者也，僧縷縷問，頃出不意猶不得逞何也，師曰，是謂刻刻留心也，曰頃出何其疾也，曰，是謂發勁如放箭也，曰僧雲遊幾省，未有如師者，堅叩太極輕靈之奧，師不答，見有飛燕入簾，低繞近身，即起手速抄之，顧謂僧曰，此鳥馴就人，聊與為戲何如，輒承以右掌而左手撫之，旋縱使去，燕振翼擬起，師微將掌忽隱忽現，燕不能飛去，蓋無論何種雀鳥，必先足蹬勁才能飛，燕足無着力處，遞撲伏，則又撫之使去，復不得起，如是者三，僧大訝曰技何神也，師笑曰，奚足言神，太極行功稍久，通體輕靈一羽不能加，蠅蟲不能落，畧如是狀耳，僧拜服，留談三日乃去。
When Yang was in Beijing, he was heard of everywhere. Fighters crowded upon each other to visit him. One day, in the midst of seated meditation, suddenly a Buddhist monk arrived. Yang personally went to receive him at the stairs. He saw that the monk’s appearance was imposing and strong and that his height was about six feet. When the monk saluted and spoke his esteem, Yang immediately became humble in response. Then the monk suddenly launched out a punch. Yang slightly hollowed his chest and used his right palm to slap the top of the incoming fist. The monk seemed to receive an electric shock and fell away behind a screen while still in the posture of punching. After a while, with a sober expression on his face, he thanked Yang and said, “That was very rude of me.” Yang invited him in anyway and they chatted. He found out that he was called the Pure Integrity Monk and that he was indeed a tough exponent of Shaolin. The monk asked him questions one after another, such as:
“Just now when I attacked you, I took you by surprise, so why was I still unable to succeed?”
Yang said, “This is called ‘paying attention at every moment’.”
“When I attacked you, how is it that you were you so fast?”
Yang said, “This is called ‘issuing power like loosing an arrow’.”
“I have traveled to many provinces but have met no one the likes of you. I sincerely ask the secret to Taiji’s nimbleness and quickness.”
Yang said nothing, seeing a swallow fly through his curtain and then lower in an arc nearby him. He promptly lifted his hand and scooped it up, then looked over at the monk and said, “This bird is tame and unafraid of people, so why not have some fun with it?”
The way he did this was to put it in his right palm while petting it with his left, then took away his left hand to let it fly away, and the swallow flapped its wings and tried to take off, but he was slightly moving his palm to be one moment there and the next moment not, and so the swallow could not fly away. Every kind of bird must first push with its feet to be able to get into the air, but the swallow had nothing to push against. It gave up, so Yang returned to petting it, then gave it another chance, but again it could not get into the air.
After a third round, the monk was astounded and said, “This skill is magical.”
Yang smiled and said, “What’s so magical about it? Practice Taiji for a long time and the whole body will become so nimble and quick that a feather cannot be added and a fly cannot land. That basically sums it up.”
The monk bowed in admiration and continued to converse with Yang for three more days before finally leaving.
–
序
PREFACE [BY DONG YINGJIE]
余幼讀書時，性好武，余祖有老友劉瀛州少林壯者，北方名素著，余求學，劉師曰我年近七十，無能為也，如願學，有廣平楊姓得武當秘傳，惜我年老知之晚矣，僅知皮毛，與介紹楊傳，拜師求學焉，研究十有五年，惜余最魯，略知大槪，諸師兄師弟皆出我上，余今從師歷方從學，遊歷保定，北平，天津，上海，南京，蘇杭，江西，山東，曾見廣東，雲南，陝西，山西，河南，安徽，湖北，湖南，各省武術大家，各處山川古蹟，觀之不已，各省內外武術大家，令人學之不盡，勸同志苦心研究無懈志也，今余始知武術深有奧妙，正在從學研究中，今國家提倡武術，幸吾師又作是書，任縣董英傑喜而為之序。
When I was young and in school, I was interested in martial arts. My grandfather had an old friend, Liu Yingzhou, who was good at Shaolin and was in the north and well known. I went to learn from him, but he told me: “As I am almost seventy, I am not capable. If you want to learn, the Yang family in Guangping have obtained the secret Wudang transmission. Unfortunately in my age I have known it too late and I only understand it superficially, but I recommend the Yang transmission. Go seek to learn from them. I studied for fifteen years, but alas, I am really stupid and I only know the general idea. All of my fellow students, whether elders or juniors, did better than me.”
By now I have learned from teachers everywhere. I traveled to Baoding, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou & Hangzhou, Jiangxi, Shandong, visiting Guangdong, Yunnan, Shaanxi & Shanxi, Hebei, Anhui, Hubei & Hunan, to martial arts masters of each province, every place in the land where there are ancient traces of it, observing ceaselessly the masters of internal and external martial arts. It has made me learn without end. I urge my fellow practitioners to work hard and study without slackening in their devotion. Nowadays I am beginning to understand the deeper subtleties of martial arts, directly due to learning and studying. Now the nation is encouraging martial arts and it is a wonderful thing that my teacher has also produced this book.
– written with delight by Dong Yingjie of Ren county
勸諸同志莫懈心
日月穿梭貴如金
朝夕時時要習練
功夫無息得玄眞
I urge all my fellow practitioners not to be lazy.
Work at it day after day, month after month, for it is as valuable as gold.
From morning to eve you should constantly practice.
Work at it unceasingly and what you will obtain will be as precious as jade.
–
序
PREFACE [BY TIAN ZHAOLIN]
技術者，為我國國粹之至寶也，惜多年不振，幾于失傳，幸今國家提倡武術為必要，余踴躍為之序，今楊師南來，與同志互相研究，發展普及起見，余雀躍之至，因余為國民一份子，亦要加入提倡，惜才學最淺，總不免熱心耳，拳有外壯，內壯，余偏愛於內家太極，奥妙筆亦難言，尊師常談，輕則靈，靈則動，動則變，變則化，余苦功從學研究二十有年，不能得百分之一，雖然，余常懷有志竟成，每日在研究中也，田兆麟謹序。
These skills are the greatest treasure of our culture. It is a pity that for so many years they have not been encouraged and many of them have consequently been lost forever. Fortunately nowadays our nation is promoting martial arts as being indispensable, and so I enthusiastically write this preface. Yang Chengfu is now away visiting in the south so he and other practitioners can study with each other, and the growth and spread of these arts is beginning to be seen. I am overjoyed because I get to participate in this national undertaking and I would like to add my own encouragement. It is too bad I am no scholar, but at least I am certainly enthusiastic.
In boxing, there is an external strength and an internal strength. I am partial to the internal school’s Taiji, which has profound writings but is difficult to discuss. I revere this common saying of my teacher’s: “With lightness there is sensitivity, with sensitivity there is movement, with movement there is adaptation, and with adaptation there is transformation.” I have worked hard learning from him for twenty years but I have been unable to master even one percent of it. Although I firmly believe that with a will there is a way, and so I spend every day in the study of it.
– sincerely written by Tian Zhaolin
–
凡例
GENERAL REMARKS [Part 1]
一本書專就已經練習太極拳而尚未明實用者特按名式說明並附圖以表出之
– This volume is geared toward those who already practice Taiji Boxing but do not yet understand its practical functions. Especially pay attention to the explanations for the main postures and the photos which demonstrate them.
一本書下列太極拳應用交手圖式甲乙二人演練時宜就各圖姿勢循序彷行
– There is in this volume a scheme to the practical applications, meaning that when two people practice together, they should do them in sequence.
一本書逐段標明按各式銜接動作以至二人發手之際均用白話表明學者可詳細參閱自有路徑可尋
– Every posture is described step by step through the movements all the way to the point where the two people are expressing the techniques upon one another, which is always described in ordinary language, and students are thereby equipped with a detailed reference and have the means to seek the path.
一甲乙二人合手演習時可輕行緩進實地研習自有得法之處不可躁進率爾逞强以致發生危險彼此反生惡感
– When two people practice together, they can treat it as something frivolous and progress slowly or they can study seriously. When you have a moment of advantage, you must not be anxious to advance or eager to show off. If you do, it will become dangerous for you as you will both oppose each other with anger.
一本書均就單行法解釋之遇有手術相同者從畧
– Individual techniques will be explained only once and repetitions omitted.
一本書附圖應用動作各式方向均以上下前後左右两側表示之不拘定於東西南北以其臨時動作無有一定之方位故也
– The photos exhibit in various directions – up, down, forward, back, left right. Their orientations of north, south, east, west are kept constant because the direction of the movements is not.
一本書各姿勢應用法式僅就一二手術編列說明之其臨時動作變化之妙在好學者深思遠造久練功純自能得其要領非空言所能及也
– In the application models for each posture, only one or two techniques have been compiled. When their situations are explained, the subtlety lies in the movement transitions. To achieve it depends on the good student pondering deeply. With ardent practice over a long period you will naturally obtain the essentials. These are not empty words. It is a realizable goal.
一本書編製各式均用白話挨次淺顯說明以便閱者一目了解
– Each posture is explained in ordinary language so as to make it easy to understand.
一本書編成其中字句難免有遺漏錯誤之處望閱者諒之
– Inevitably there are omissions and errors in the text. When you come across them, forgive.
一此書是楊老師所述拳理同志閱書千萬不要以文字挑之祗應注重拳理如以文法挑之恐有誤自己學拳之門徑願同志諒之
– This book is Yang Chengfu’s transmission of boxing theory. But fellow practitioners who read through it should by no means take the writing too seriously. You should only lay importance on the theory. If you are finicky about the writing, you will likely make mistakes in your own study of the boxing methods. And so I hope you all will pardon the writing.
太極拳本係武當內功拳，欲鍜練身體者可習太極拳，此係柔功，無論男女老幼皆相宜，小兒六歲以上，老者六十歲以外，皆能習學，身體虛弱者更可習學，數月之間漸覺强壯耳，十三勢初學期三個月學會，一年習熟，五年練好，日後愈練愈精，但非眞傳不可，太極拳不得眞傳不過身體畧壯耳，拳理十年終糊塗，焉能知精微奧妙知覺運用，若得眞傳如法練去，金剛羅漢體不難矣，不但體壯，自衛防身之能力庽焉，早晨練拳最相宜，飯後休息半時或一時方可運動，如體質弱者量力練之，不可過，練習一月之後飲食可加多，拳每早晚两次或三次均可，如夏天練拳正燥，千萬不可用凉水洗手，恐其悶火，如冬天練完速穿衣服恐其受凉，練完不可即就坐，可行走五分鐘，使血脈調和
– Taiji Boxing is fundamentally related to Wudang’s boxing of internal skill. If you want to refine the body, you can practice Taiji Boxing. This is a gentle skill and is suitable for all, regardless of man or woman, young or old. Whether under six or over sixty, all can learn. The weak can learn it and after several months gradually become stronger.
When beginning to learn the Thirteen Dynamics solo set, it takes about three months to become acquainted with it, about a year to become familiar with it, and about five years to become good at it. After that, the more your practice the more refined it will be. But without the authentic transmission, that will not be the case. Without the authentic transmission, the only result will be a slightly strengthened body. The boxing theory after ten years would still be confusing. How would you know its profound subtleties? If you obtain the authentic transmission, and if the method is trained, you will easily gain a powerful body. Not only will your body be strengthened, you will also have the ability to defend yourself.
Practice in the morning is the most appropriate. After a meal, rest for a half hour or an hour and then you can exercise. If your physique is weak, practice according to your capacity and do not overdo it. After training for a single month, your appetite will increase. It is adequate to do a set every morning and evening two or three times. When practicing in the peak of summer, never wash with cold water or you may spark a fever. In winter, put on clothes right away after finishing your practice to keep yourself from catching cold. After practicing, you must not sit down but should instead walk around for a few minutes to regulate the circulation.
如用功時須澄心息慮，心無所思，意無所感，專心練拳，太極對敵法甚妙，非不能用，蓋今同志只練皮毛不再學，不能求高師訪明友，勿說太極不能用，亦勿怪授者不授耳，此本係內功與道相合，初學每日可學一两式，不可粗率，初學略難，一月後拳式入門易學耳，每同志初學一两月覺拳甚好，再學三四個月後自覺不如從前，心中煩燥，如有此景像千萬不可懈志，正是進步耳，如今拳未進步，不能自知拳式壞的，人人必由此地位經過，先此警告耳，
– When training, you must calm your mind and consider your breath. Dispel your thoughts and let nothing distract your intent. Focus your mind on the practice. Taiji’s way of dealing with opponents is very subtle but is not useless. Today most people only train superficially and then quit, or are unable to find a skilled teacher or an enlightened colleague. Do not complain that Taiji cannot be applied nor blame your instructors for a lack of instruction. It is fundamentally related to internal skill and is consistent with Daoism. In the beginning you will be able to learn a couple of postures every day, but you must not be sloppy in what you learn and in haste to learn more. In the beginning it will be somewhat difficult, but after a month the postures will be easier to learn. All beginners after a month or two feel their boxing has improved a lot, then after three or four months will feel they are worse than they used to be and become frustrated. When you get to that point, you absolutely must not slacken, for it is a sign you are making progress. If you were not making progress, you would not be able to notice your postures are not good enough. Everyone has to go through this, so we give you forewarning.
–
露禪師原文
YANG LUCHAN’S [COMMENTARY TO A] PRIMARY TEXT
[Original text:]
一舉動周身俱要輕靈，尤須貫串，氣宜皷盪，神宜內歛，毋使有缺陷處，毋使有凸凹處，毋使有斷續處，其根在脚，發于腿，主宰于腰，形于手指，由脚而腿而腰，總須完整一氣，向前退後，乃能得機得勢，有不得機得勢處，身便散亂，其病必於腰腿求之，上下前後左右皆然，凡此皆是意，不在外面，有上即有下有前則有後，有左則有右，如意要向上，即寓下 |
OT was originally proposed–unsuccessfully–in the Clinton legislation. That Chuck Schumer played a major role in crafting both pieces of legislation bears more than passing significance as well, I think.
Today, despite all the soccer mom rhetoric about “working families,” the leopard hasn’t changed its spots. The role of Robert Rubin (he of Goldman-Sachs and Citigroup) in Democratic policy circles should tell you as much. Nancy Pelosi, whose family net worth is $18 million thanks to her marriage to an investment banker, is only the 17th richest member of Congress; that should tell you something.
The Obama-Geithner TARP policy, despite some symbolic tinkering with executive compensation, is in its essentials a direct continuation of the Bush-Paulson version. It’s the ultimate in neo-Hamiltonianism, saddling taxpayers with interest-bearing debt in order to buy up the banks’ bad assets and reinflate them to something approximating their pre-collapse face value, so that just maybe the banks will use some of the resulting liquidity to start lending money back to the public at interest.
The Democrats, if anything, are more in collusion with the Copyright Nazis of the RIAA, MPAA and Microsoft than are the Republicans–and that’s saying a lot.Don’t all boys and many men love tall tales of pirates? Swashbuckling sea cowboys and such. There are many stories of Black pirates out there, some true, others false, I don’t think it matters much either way so long as it helps the childs imagination and creativity to soar.
An example of a true story would the pirate Black Ceasar’s. Born in West Africa he captained a pirate ship that dominated the area around the Florida Keys. He was one of the infamous Captain Blackbeard‘s chief lieutenants and even has an Island in the keys named for him.
Another tale maybe of superior intrigue if more dubious origins is that of the Black Haitian pirate Black Caesar aka Henri Caesar. He was said to have served our great ancestors Toussaint L’Ouverture and Dutty Bookman. Folklore says left a 2 to 6 million dollar treasure buried on some Caribbean islands, ya mon!.
So grab these books, read them to your kids and maybe one day go search for their rumored treasures (or let the youth search while you have a rum).
Black Caesar’s Clan: A Florida Mystery
Black Caesar, Pirate (Haitian pirate)Analysis by The Cryptogon
Future Blade Runners Better Like China
In the Sci-Fi film masterpiece, Blade Runner, a 1982 adaptation of Philip K. Dick's, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Harrison Ford plays Rick Deckard, a reluctant cop who is tasked with terminating unauthorized replicants. The futurestic world was set in the year 2019 and the most incredible aspect of the film was that nothing in it seemed far fetched. One emerged from the theater, not with a sense that such a future might be possible, but rather that it was probably inevitable. Indeed, by 2019, clones and replicants might just be a part of our world. And if Blade Runners are going to be employed to keep them under control, China will definitely be hiring.
From organ harvesting, to forced abortions, to interspecies cloning, China doesn't even bother maintaining the appearances of justice or morality. The most populous country in the world is run by a large, well established and openly fascist regime. And by all indications, China's primacy in the critical areas of stemcell research and cloning is virtually guaranteed because there are no moral, ethical or legal constraints to anything related to the development of the new wetware. The Chinese regime knows the future of just about everything, including computers, lies in biotech, and they are not going to be impaired by rational voices of caution from anywhere. China's narrow self interests, however, may just begin to explain the large allocations of resources to stemcell and cloning research. There may be a much darker explanation.
Let's first examine the general problem with humans and technology. Human beings, at this point in our development, are spiritually depraved and narrowly self interested creatures. And that seems to become increasingly true the higher up the power ladder one travels. Add to that the fact that we have become so technically advanced and so enamored with the gadgets that we have sacrificed not only the ability to reason, but the physical basics of living. Clean air, clean water and nutritious food have become privileged commodities, yet DVD players and flatscreen TVs are routinely built into sport utility vehicles. We imprison more people than at any point in the history of the world, but our mobile phones play video games. Most people have no access to non-toxic, effective and inexpensive health care, yet a wealthy drunk can have his liver replaced with a new one.
Think of it in generic terms. Forget everything you know about humans. Ask yourself: Should such a short sighted species, one which is reliant on burning nonrenewable fuels for energy, really be toying with the components of creation? The point of all of this is that humans are attempting to play God without first taming the baser, animalistic components of our nature.
Will the technology be used to clone entire human beings? To even ask the question is almost ridiculous. Cloning of human beings will begin in earnest as soon as the techniques are mastered. Some scientists are claiming to have already cloned humans. That point is mute.
There is nothing inherently evil about cloning technology or any other technology. Mechanical engineers learn about physics and gravity and lots of other things that could be used in any number of ways. The problem is, some of these engineers wind up building increasingly deadly weapon systems. The technology is neutral, the problem lies with what people wind up doing with it. Now, having said all of that, ask yourself this: When was the last time you heard about the Chinese government being interested in anything that was good, true or beautiful? We should all be very cautious of a regime that prides itself on selling its own population into slavery. We should be even more concerned that the same regime is going to be in control of a cloning superpower.
And now the discussion gets weird. Sorry, folks, I can't help it. Speculate with me for a moment.
There may be a more sinister explanation as to why China is the global hub of cloning research. For years, the conspiracy grapevine has indicated that China is going to play a key role in the final iteration of the emerging global federal system (call it whatever you want, New World Order, The Plan, etc.) because its large and subservient population is best suited to slave labor. Look around and take note of where your "stuff" is made. It's not any revelation to say that China represents one of the world's economic giants, and that it is getting bigger each year.
In addition to China's massive industrial capacity, Chinese scientists, spread all over the world, represent a braintrust of immense proportions. The article states:
Between 1978 and 1998, according to the semiofficial China News, China sent more than 380,000 students, the great majority in science and engineering, to earn advanced degrees in countries in the West. Fewer than one out of three returned - a textbook example of brain drain. "Read any issue of Science or Nature, and I would be very surprised if you could find one without [articles written by] overseas Chinese," suggests Cao Cong, a sociologist at the National University of Singapore. In Cao's view, the thousands of overseas Chinese scientists play a big but little-known role in the West's technological dominance. "Now China is beginning to take real steps to lure back its children. If they return, it will be a very big blow to America and Europe."
Combine this scientific acumen with China's huge industrial capacity, imagine it all under the control of the truly frightening Chinese regime, one with a decades long record of egregious human rights abuses, and what do you get? It's not much of a stretch to imagine that the technological advances that are about to be made in China will eventually be used for the creation of a slave race, an expendable class of workers who never resist and dutifully report for work, no matter how maniacal the boss/tyrant happens to be.
Oh, woops, companies all over the world already have that. But the Elite have to spend a considerable amount of time, energy and bullets in order to "maintain normal operations." To be sure, flying large aircraft into tall buildings, etc., puts on a pretty good show, but who wants to keep that racket going?! With a slave race, the Elite won't need any of that. The problem is, they won't need too many of us at that stage. Think about the richest 1,000 or so families in the world. What is the greatest threat to their lifestyle and existence? You, dear reader. And me.
Elite theft and fraud has been so great, over such a long period of time, that they are now faced with a very serious problem. Basically, they have to figure out how to keep the unwashed masses from having an epiphany about just who is responsible for the generally crappy state of things. 9/11 was the opening scene of the final act, which is a desperate attempt to stave off that epiphany for a little while longer. What if the ensuing campaign to get all of us chipped, scanned and "trusted" fails? What if we resist?
That, friends, poses a problem to the Them. A very serious problem. If humanity begins to realize that the entire show is a big fraud, with an endgame leading to overt slavery, no yacht or private jet will be able to carry those in "polite circles" far enough away from the sticks, pitchforks, rolling pins, bats, rocks and guns held in the hands of billions of people who finally chose to swallow the red pill.
But wait a second! If the Them want to get rid of us so bad, why don't they all huddle next to Cheney's secret organ bank, buried somewhere deep underground, and release some super death bug from Fort Deitrich, Maryland to kill us all?
Well, duh! Who would deliver their champagne? Who would mow their lawns? Who would grow their food?
The Them need us, for the moment. We are the batteries that power their existence. They're going to try for the Big Brother plan to "maintain normal operations" in the near term, so maybe they won't need to engineer their slave race from scratch. But what if the Elite had another option? In the next several years, a couple of decades at the max, cloned slaves may serve as the perfect final solution to 6 billion+ little problems.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Originally posted to the web:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.01/cloning_pr.html
Issue 11.01 - January 2003
The First Cloning Superpower
Inside China's race to become the clone capital of the world.
By Charles C. Mann
I am peering into a laboratory microscope at what is sort of a cloned human being.
Sort of a cloned human being because it's only a blastocyst, a very early stage embryo that's floating under the microscope like a tiny bit of soap foam. And also sort of because this blastocyst was created by inserting all the DNA from a human being into the egg of a rabbit.
This little swimming experiment in interspecies biology is taking place not in some high tech office park or Ivy League research lab, but on the top floor of an emergency ward at a shabby hospital complex in mainland China. Downstairs, the reception area is lined with battered folding chairs occupied by patients with makeshift bandages or open wounds. Splashed across the linoleum is what looks like dried blood. But here on the top floor, the elevator opens to a world of $100,000 microscopes, sperm-washing machines, and egg-denucleating micropipettes.
Major scientific journals won't publish research that has been described in the popular media, so I have promised not to divulge identifying details about the experiment or the scientist performing it, whom I'll call Dr. X. But I can say that Dr. X's laboratory is one of three I visited in China where researchers are investigating interspecies clones. And I can also say that this experiment would be illicit if not completely illegal in the United States and most of the developed world. But in China it's all legal, every bit of it, which is a big reason why Dr. X moved here after spending a decade at a public institution in the US.
Dr. X has not the slightest interest in creating an actual cloned human being that will one day walk the earth. Instead, this researcher - like the other Chinese scientists working in the field - is pursuing a much more important goal: using special cells within the blastocyst to grow replacement organs and tissues. The cells, called embryonic stem cells, are arguably the most important subject in biology today, and certainly the most controversial. With new organs made from these cells, biologists believe it will be possible to cure many ailments - and add years, if not decades, to the human lifespan.
In the Americas and Europe, stem-cell research is the subject of such visceral dismay - and so many government restrictions - that it has been nearly impossible for scientists to make progress. Things are different in China. Not only is the field less controversial, but the government is erecting state-of-the-art lab buildings, creating university appointments with princely perks, and providing the capital to establish new biotech firms. If the current trend continues, the next great discoveries in biomedical science - and the industries they spawn - will occur not in San Francisco and Boston but in Shanghai and Beijing.
"I loved working in the States," Dr. X says. The training, the laboratories, the equipment - all were first-rate. So were the colleagues. But because embryonic stem cells are nearly impossible to obtain in the US, this researcher felt it necessary to move to China, even though it meant leaving spouse and children behind. "China," Dr. X says, "is the future."
A new era in medicine
Last May, more than 300 scholars and politicians gathered at Shandong University, in Jinan, about 250 miles south of Beijing, to honor the late embryologist Tong Dizhou. Above a large bronze bust of Tong hung a ceremonial banner emblazoned with the phrase: FATHER OF CLONING.
In 1963, 34 years before Dolly the sheep came into the world, Tong plucked the DNA from a cell in a male Asian carp, stuck it into an egg from a female Asian carp, and produced the world's first cloned fish. In previous decades, researchers had cloned microorganisms and nematodes, as well as amphibians, which readers of Jurassic Park will remember are genetically malleable. But before Tong, nobody had ever managed to clone such a complex organism. To all appearances, the experiment was entirely successful. The cloned carp swam around, ate its fill, and even sired baby carp.
Ten years later, Tong inserted the DNA from an Asian carp into an egg from a European crucian carp, a related species, and created the first interspecies clone. Based on such research, Chinese scientists developed fish-breeding techniques so powerful that the nation now produces more than half of the world's aquaculture harvest. But few if any Western scientists knew of Tong's work, partly because he published in relatively obscure Chinese journals; Acta Zoologica Sinica, in which the interspecies cloning research appeared, didn't even offer the English-language abstracts common in non-Western scientific periodicals. In any case, Tong performed his experiments not to study cloning per se but to investigate the interactions between DNA and the egg containing it. To the Chinese, extending this work to humans seemed pointless. "We have a huge population problem and a one-child policy," says Qi Yaqiang, a demographer at Peking University (which retains Beijing's old Romanized name). "Why would you think about making people in a laboratory?"
Attitudes toward cloning changed in November 1998, when James Thomson of the University of Wisconsin announced the isolation of embryonic stem cells. Five days later, a team led by John Gearhart of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine made a similar proclamation. Together the two stem-cell papers, one published in Science, the other in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, created enormous excitement. And suddenly, cloning - or, more precisely, one special type of cloning - seemed to have real value.
Most of the cells in the body can't reproduce themselves; instead, they simply perform their specific function until they die. Creating new cells is the province of stem cells, a distinct class that can, in the jargon, proliferate. Stem cells are located in many parts of the body; the best known are those in the bone marrow, which make billions of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets each day. When doctors perform bone-marrow transplants, they're essentially stocking patients with new stem cells that they hope will proliferate, creating healthy new blood cells.
As a rule, stem cells are specialized: Liver stem cells make liver cells, retinal stem cells make retina cells. Some are less specialized than others. Neural stem cells, for example, make three types of brain cell and maybe even blood and muscle cells. The least specialized are those in the blastocyst, the embryonic stem cells isolated by Thomson and Gearhart. Unlike ordinary stem cells, those in the early stage embryo can develop into every kind of cell in the body: nerve, stomach, bone, you name it.
In theory, doctors should be able to manipulate embryonic stem cells to grow lungs, livers, hearts, or any other tissue, which could then be transplanted into people who need new organs. Because this process begins with DNA from a patient's cells, it's cloning, except that what's being created isn't a whole human being, but pieces of one. In the short run, this special kind of cloning - therapeutic, as opposed to reproductive - could make transplants far more feasible. In the long run, it could open a new medical era in which doctors regenerate people as they age.
There's a catch, though: Embryonic stem cells can be obtained only from human embryos. These can either be made to order in a lab by inserting a patient's DNA into an egg and producing a blastocyst that is a clone of the patient, or else taken from aborted fetuses or embryos left over from in vitro fertilization. Neither source is free of controversy, to put it mildly. Cloning of either type is opposed by such powerful entities as the Roman Catholic Church, the right-to-life movement, the president of the United States, and Jeremy Rifkin. Even fiercer is the battle over embryonic stem cells from abortions or in vitro fertilization. Much of the West finds the thought of using either source repellent, and legislatures have raced to outlaw the entire field. Last year, President Bush banned the use of federal funds for creating new embryonic stem cells. For its part, the European Union has imposed a moratorium on funding the creation of new stem cells and prohibited the use of existing stem cells in most research.
Private enterprise isn't filling the gap. Learning how to use embryonic stem cells to grow organs will require the kind of long-term, basic research that few companies are willing to undertake, especially when throngs of angry demonstrators could be involved. PPL Therapeutics, the firm that bankrolled Dolly, got out of the cloning business in September; Geron, one of only two US-based companies to admit researching embryonic stem cells, has faced so much political pressure that its investors are running scared and capital is drying up. "Nothing is happening," says James Michael Weimann, a stem-cell researcher at Stanford. "The field is moving at a crawl. We can't get our hands on the materials we need, and neither can anyone else."
Across the Pacific, though, public opposition to stem-cell research is weak or nonexistent. In Singapore, stem cells are a key part of a long-standing government initiative to develop new technology industries; Japan is building a stem-cell center in the southern city of Kobe that will have a $45 million annual research budget. South Korea's government endorsed experimentation with frozen embryos this summer, though it banned the cloning of human beings after the Raëlian sect, which attributes Jesus' resurrection to "an advanced cloning technique," claimed it had implanted a cloned embryo into a Korean woman.
No country is pursuing the field more aggressively than China. Stem-cell research fits the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology's ambitious plans to vault the country to the top research ranks - and win a Nobel, which has never been awarded to scientists on the mainland. China has turned on the funding spigots, pumping money through multiple sources: cities, provincial governments, two special national research initiatives. There are also venture capital-like funds from large universities, which set up companies owned by their researchers; national subsidies, including those established to create special research parks; and direct private investment, most of it from Hong Kong tycoons. US venture capitalists have also begun sniffing around.
Flush with cash, researchers can explore the new field with almost complete freedom. A Ministry of Science and Technology panel has begun to consider rules for supervising stem-cell research, though nobody knows if or when these rules will emerge. For now, the sole national regulation in the field is what scientists call the Four Nos - a single-sentence directive promulgated by the Ministry of Health last November: "Under no situation, under no circumstances, will human reproductive cloning experiments be 1) endorsed, 2) permitted, 3) supported, or 4) accepted." Everything else is fair game. And even the Four Nos are toothless, because Ministry of Health rules don't apply to the other branches of the government that are actually funding the research.
REVERSE BRAIN DRAIN
One of the world's fastest-growing and most important stem-cell centers is a converted garage located on the campus of Peking University. Tacked to the front door, a handwritten sign claims the lab is a storehouse for samples of the AIDS virus. "Keeps away random visitors," explains Deng Hongkui, co-director of the facility.
Deng's facility has been slapped together Silicon Valley-style by carving up the garage into a warren of glassed-in cubicles crisscrossed by improvised ductwork and wiring. Deng himself has an office smaller than Larry Ellison's desk. When my translator and I sit down, Deng boots up the Universal Scientific Tool: PowerPoint.
Ambitious and financially sophisticated, Deng is a paradigmatic example of the scientists China has lured back to work on stem-cell research. Raised in China, Deng obtained his PhD in immunology in the United States. In 1996, he led a New York University team that was one of the five groups to simultaneously uncover the exact biochemical pathway by which the AIDS virus enters cells. The finding was Science magazine's "breakthrough of the year." Having made his reputation, Deng did what a lot of other bright young scientists do these days: vanished into the private sector. He couldn't talk about his work there with anyone - he could barely acknowledge it. Frustrated, Deng did the unthinkable and moved back to China.
Between 1978 and 1998, according to the semiofficial China News, China sent more than 380,000 students, the great majority in science and engineering, to earn advanced degrees in countries in the West. Fewer than one out of three returned - a textbook example of brain drain. "Read any issue of Science or Nature, and I would be very surprised if you could find one without [articles written by] overseas Chinese," suggests Cao Cong, a sociologist at the National University of Singapore. In Cao's view, the thousands of overseas Chinese scientists play a big but little-known role in the West's technological dominance. "Now China is beginning to take real steps to lure back its children. If they return, it will be a very big blow to America and Europe."
If Deng is an example, the West should worry. When he returned in 2001, Peking University gave him and his co-director Ding Mingxiao a budget sufficient to pay 40 grad students and postdocs enough to make them think twice about studying abroad. Foreigners can freely visit their laboratory, in striking contrast to prior restrictions. (In fact, the constraints on intellectual exchange are now tougher in the US; after September 11, Chinese scientists are frequently denied visas.) The university will help Deng commercialize his discoveries, potentially making him a rich man. "The administrators here are very supportive," he tells me in fluent English. "They just bought me a $380,000 cell-sorting machine. And they're making us a real building" - a multistory facility now under construction at the edge of the campus. "I couldn't turn down the opportunity to have my own laboratory," he says. "Besides, I don't know if you've noticed, but this city is full of really good Chinese food."
Given the opportunity to work in almost any area, Deng decided to investigate the means by which stem cells differentiate, transforming themselves from the biological equivalent of blank slates into cells of particular types and abilities. "What signal tells them to do this?" Deng says. If the cells are to be harnessed, doctors must identify the molecular signals - the programming factors, as they are known - that command them to differentiate. According to Deng, his group has already discovered five of these factors. "We have several quite exciting stories," he says.
When Deng tells me this, it's close to midnight. He's leaving the next morning to see a lawyer in New York. "Patents," he says. "I have to get that straightened out first." It is widely believed that, in the future, companies will be pumping out streams of tissue and organs from stem-cell banks. When that happens, Deng hopes, they'll have to license his programming factors. If his discoveries work, it will be like controlling the rights to X rays. Only when he controls the technology will he submit a paper to Science or Nature.
"The Chinese used to not understand intellectual property," Deng says. "But now I really think they get it."
The confucian tradition
Before Confucius, China had four great sages. You Chao showed the people how to avoid wild animals by making tent houses in the trees. Sui Ren brought fire. Fu Xi taught how to make nets and raise livestock. Shen Nong introduced the plow and agriculture. All of this is legend, but every Chinese person knows it and gets the point: The sages gave China the technology to control Nature. Which to this day - or so it is widely argued - accounts for the enormous respect given to scientists in China. And which in turn explains why the Chinese aren't dismayed when their scientists experiment with human embryos.
In the Confucian tradition, human beings achieve personhood only when they're able to participate in society. By this way of thinking, fetuses aren't human - they're part of Nature. And because Nature, in turn, is regarded as the raw material for human existence, people can do with fetuses what they will. "Abortion, which destroys embryos, has never been seen as wrong in Chinese society," says Qi, the demographer. "Not having a male heir - that is an issue."
As a consequence, the Chinese government has adopted a position regarding stem-cell research, therapeutic cloning, and regenerative medicine that might be described as brutal realism. Beijing recognizes that some people are going to do stupid things with the technology, possibly even cloning themselves. But the Chinese aren't concerned enough by this prospect to ban the research outright.
In fact, Chinese scientists are counting on the West's cultural revulsion to build their lead. Consider Huang Shaoliang, who was so sure the West would take itself out of the stem-cell race that he thought he would make Nobel-worthy advances in his outdated lab in the southern city of Guangzhou. A researcher at Sun Yat-Sen University, Huang spent the early 1990s studying umbilical-cord blood, which is teeming with stem cells. In theory, injecting patients with the blood from infant umbilical cords should be better than transplanting bone marrow, because umbilical-cord stem cells are less likely to transmit infectious diseases, are collectible without surgery, and seem to be less differentiated. Cord blood is difficult to use, however. As a practical matter, the only cord blood that can be transplanted into patients without rejection is from siblings. Usually, patients can get cord blood only if their parents have another child. In most cases, this is hardly possible; in China, with its one-child policy, it's especially difficult. So Huang decided to investigate a substitute for cord blood: embryonic stem cells.
At the time, Western researchers were extracting embryonic stem cells from mice and trying to differentiate them into blood cells. Huang wanted to do the same thing with humans. He knew that working with human embryos in the West was difficult at best, illegal at worst. But the Chinese research environment, Huang dryly observes, "is not as strict."
In 1995, the National Science Foundation of China gave Huang money to investigate human embryonic stem cells. The Sun Yat-Sen medical school had an in vitro fertilization clinic, and after implanting the best embryos in patients, it simply let Huang have the leftovers.
By the end of 1997, Huang and his chief graduate student, Xu Ling, thought they had isolated embryonic stem cells, though they were able to keep them alive for only six generations. To check their results completely, they needed to run cells through multiple tests. But they couldn't perform the newest, best tests, which looked for the presence of specific chemical markers on the surface of the cells, because they required special reagents made to order by university-affiliated companies in the West. The reagents aren't advertised; they circulate by word of mouth in the small community of researchers. Huang, who speaks no English, couldn't find what he needed.
Huang asked Xu, who knows some English, to beg for the compounds from a Western scientist. Xu chose James Thomson, whom she had never met, but whose work on primate stem cells she admired. Using the email address provided on a scientific paper, she sent Thomson what she calls "a very detailed account" of their methodology and results, asking if he would help them obtain the reagents. Thomson didn't respond.
In January 1998, Huang, Xu, and four other coauthors published "Differentiation and Proliferation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells" in the Journal of the Sun Yat-Sen University of Medical Sciences. Because the journal is small and written in Chinese, the study was almost completely ignored. Eleven months later, Thomson created worldwide headlines with his Science article about embryonic stem cells.
Thomson's paper, Huang concedes, was "beautiful - much better than ours." But he says that its appearance was "very surprising." It had never occurred to him that an American scientist would be permitted to work on embryos - and, in fact, Thomson was forced to set up a separate, privately funded lab to do so. Until I contacted him, Thomson says, he had never heard of Huang or his work. But he thinks Huang "may well have succeeded" in isolating embryonic stem cells. The relatively bad conditions in Guangzhou may have posed no problem; Thomson's own makeshift stem-cell lab, he notes, was "poorly equipped," with "a culture hood, an old microscope, and a clinical centrifuge and not much else."
President Bush's efforts to ban cloning "came too late," Huang says wryly. But now that stem-cell research has almost stopped in the West, "I should have another chance" to make a major discovery. The only problem is that the university in vitro clinic, smelling opportunity, won't give him any more embryos. "They want to exploit them for themselves," he says. "They don't want to share."
The theory of the gene
In the 1920s, a young scientist named Lu Huilin spent two years working at Columbia University under T. H. Morgan, arguably the century's greatest geneticist. Upon his return, Lu became a prominent exponent of the gospel of evolutionary biology, even translating Morgan's classic Theory of the Gene. But his efforts were undone in the 1950s, when the Chinese government embraced Lysenkoism, a doctrine that claimed Darwinism was wrong because it contradicted Marx. Lu stepped out of public life, but his youngest daughter, Lu Guangxiu, decided to follow her father into medical research. Again, politics intervened. In 1966, two years after Guangxiu graduated, Mao unleashed the Cultural Revolution. Because even the Red Guards wouldn't attack hospitals, she took a job as a surgeon.
In 1980, after the Cultural Revolution had ended, the middle-aged Lu joined Xiangya Medical University in Changsha, the gritty south-central flyover city where her father lived ("I am a Chinese daughter - I had to take care of him"). At the time, the school had little money for science. To pay for her research, Lu opened China's first in vitro fertilization clinic. She did all of the work herself, even basic tasks like boiling water. Four years after the clinic opened, her father wrote Human Reproduction and Reproductive Engineering, a textbook that predicted the advent of cloning (he died in 1997). Today, his daughter carries on his work. Although not well known outside Changsha, Lu's operation has grown into an important center for human stem-cell research, partly because of her determination - and partly because the clinic supplies all the frozen human eggs and embryos she needs.
Because IVF frequently fails, clinicians use drugs to induce super-ovulation, producing 10 to 15 eggs at once. The eggs are harvested and placed in a bath of sperm. After the eggs are fertilized, Lu picks the most viable zygote in the bunch, and implants it. She keeps the rest in tanks of liquid nitrogen the size and shape of pony kegs. After two years, if the patient has given birth to a healthy baby, Lu offers the parents a choice: The leftover embryos can be destroyed, given to infertile couples, or donated to science. Most choose the last option. Ultimately, Lu says, she ends up with "a few tens of embryos every year that are usable."
That number is bigger than it sounds. The US has at least 100,000 surplus frozen embryos in its hundreds of IVF clinics, but none of them, practically speaking, can be used for research. As a result, US university scientists now have only five lines of stably reproducing cells that they can work with, according to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. (A few private companies also have stem-cell lines, but they aren't available to outside researchers.) Lu, who was able to learn her trade on countless mice and 30 to 40 human embryos, says she has three lines firmly established, just two fewer than are publicly available than in the entire US. She's testing another five or six.
To control stem cells for human benefit, scientists need to develop what they sometimes call fingerspitzengefühl, a German term that could be translated as "knowledge of the fingertips" - the combination of experience and intuition that indicates precisely when to jiggle the dish or turn down the heat to assure the right result. The only way to acquire this expertise is to make lots of mistakes with actual eggs and embryos. Researchers without access to frozen eggs and embryos can't develop any of the necessary hands-on expertise. Lu, who has freezers full of them to herself, has a significant advantage.
Fingerspitzengefühl is important because embryonic stem cells are tricky to work with. They exist solely in a special inner portion of the blastocyst and are only totipotent - able to transform themselves into any kind of cell - between the fourth and seventh day after the egg is fertilized. In the laboratory, they are difficult to maintain in their totipotent state, because they constantly seek to differentiate themselves into normal, dead-end cells. The most widely used method for keeping stem cells alive involves growing them in petri dishes atop thin sheets of mouse embryo cells, in a goo made from cow-blood serum. To test the cells, researchers inject them into mice that have been genetically engineered to have almost no immune system (without immune systems, their bodies can't reject foreign tissue). If the stem cells are totipotent, they will grow inside the mice and differentiate themselves into bizarre tumors called teratomas, clumps of tissue that appear where they don't belong. Most are just jumbles of flesh, but recognizable hair, teeth, eyes, and even entire tiny skeletons can also appear. Being a stem-cell researcher frequently involves plucking miniature human tissues from the cadavers of mice.
All over China, stem-cell researchers are carving up the field into chunks and attacking each one. Deng, with his well-supported operation in Beijing, is examining how the body directs stem cells to differentiate. Lu's largely self-funded group is tackling half a dozen problems at once. In addition to creating new lines of stem cells, she is also looking at the basics of creating the embryos that produce them to begin with. The Changsha researchers are taking the DNA-filled nucleus from an adult cell, "de-differentiating" it to reprogram the DNA to its fetal state, inserting the result into an egg, and forming blastocysts - the first steps toward therapeutic cloning. (The embryos are frozen or destroyed after study.)
In this manner, Lu says her team has created more than a hundred cloned embryos. They will need to make many more before they can claim to have mastered the process - before cloning becomes routine. Still, Lu says that they have already made major advances. "Five percent of our attempts form blastocysts," she explains. "That's better than any place else I know."
The xu factor
Some Western critics scoff at the claims of Chinese stem-cell researchers, many of whom have yet to publish their work. In a recent report, the US embassy in Beijing warned against researchers making "false claims simply to draw media attention." In part, the skepticism comes from cultural arrogance. But at least some of it is justified, due to what might be called the Xu Factor.
Xu Rongxiang has an office in the Beijing Hotel, a half-dozen old buildings in the city center that have been glued together, end to end, into a massive marble bricolage hundreds of yards long. Suite 5301, from which Xu runs his empire, is so private that the hotel reception doesn't even know it exists - my translator has to call Xu from the lobby telephone to ask directions. Xu directs us to an unmarked elevator, where we meet one of his subordinates. Upstairs, the office is dominated by Xu's desk and Xu himself, brilliant in a gray double-breasted sharkskin suit. We're here because, last August, Xu made the astounding claim that he had cloned 55 organs and tissues - an announcement that caused a media sensation in China.
In the inevitable PowerPoint presentation, Xu shows us mercifully blurry photographs of people with horrible burns all over their bodies. The conventional treatment for burn victims is skin grafting, a method that keeps |
talked about this sort of thing several times in the past. The problem with tanking is that you don't know what kind of pick you're going to get because of the lottery. Ben Simmons looks like a really good young player, but he's still awfully young. Is he the real deal? Cuban would rather try to entice a proven player to come to the Mavs. Despite his lack of success attracting a major FA, I don't fault him for that. But you have to build up a cheap core around those guys, too, and that's what a draft is for. There's not just one way to build a roster. Question; Do you think the young talent the Mavs have (Powell, Anderson) could actually become useful rotation players? Sherrington: Yeah, sure, but it requires the Mavs keeping them instead of putting them in deals like they did Jae Crowder. It's always tempting to shed those kinds of contracts when you're clearing out cap space to make a run at FAs. What they like, and what everyone likes, about Anderson is his athletic ability. They haven't had much of that lately. In a conference with Russell Westbrook running amok, it'd be nice to think there was someone who could at least elevate to his stratosphere. Click here to read the full chat transcript.
This Topic is Missing Your Voice.BISMARCK, N.D. -- Jim Deitz believes he's creating a Grand Forks landmark, but the downtown apartment house he's painting one polka dot at a time is making a city planner cringe.
The retired house painter on Tuesday was putting the final polka dots on his home-turned-apartments, where passers-by have been gathering to watch him work and to request colors from his palette of a dozen cans of brightly colored paint.
"Pizza delivery drivers won't have any trouble finding this place," Deitz said of the century old-two story home that houses six apartments. "You can't miss it."
The house is next to a church, a fraternal organization building and a new low-income apartment complex. Deitz and the city had negotiated a deal to buy out the property to expand the low-income housing facility.
Deitz said he was offered $100,000 for the home a year or so ago.
"They were going to buy me out and they backed out," Deitz said. "I want $150,000 for it now."
Ryan Brooks, the city's senior planner, said the polka dot house is an eyesore and that he thinks it's Deitz's way of protesting the city's decision not to buy the property.
"It's hard to say what this gentleman's true motives are," Brooks said. "I think my opinion is the same as everybody -- I wouldn't want to be living next to it."
Brooks said the city doesn't have a code that forbids homeowners from painting their houses in certain colors or schemes, however garish.
Deitz insists the polka dots are meant simply to brighten up the neighborhood and are not as a form of protest.
About eight tenants live in the home, and none mind the new paint scheme, he said.
"I got people waiting in line to get in this place," he said.
Deitz researched several different paint jobs before picking the polka dots.
"I looked at all kinds of crazy paint jobs on the Internet and came up with this polka dot deal," Deitz said. "She looks good."
Brooks believes the polka dots won't migrate to other neighborhoods in the city.
"I don't see this as a trend because most people take a little pride in their homes," Brooks said. "The paint he's putting on that thing is the only thing new on it. It's in rough shape."JOSH Green has committed to the Lions and wants a new deal locked away before Round 1.
It is a major boost for the Lions given the livewire forward’s future at the Gabba was uncertain late last year.
As word spread around the competition of unrest among some senior players, the Lions received a call from Essendon inquiring about Green’s availability.
The 23-year-old Tasmanian did not ask Brisbane to explore a trade but nor was he entirely happy.
Now he says Brisbane feels like a new club.
Like many players he is thrilled with the arrival of welfare duo Craig and Melissa Lambert and he says his working relationship with coach Justin Leppitsch has improved.
He wants the Lions and his manager to waste no time getting a new deal sorted out.
“I am really keen. I have been here six years and I don’t want to jump off the ship,’’ he said.
“I can’t see why it would (drag out). I am a bit of a no-fuss sort of guy and I’m keen to get it done before the start of the season so there’s no distractions.
“The club has changed a bit with personnel. The new talent makes it really exciting and it feels like we are revitalised as a group.
“The Lamberts have come in and done a great job and even credit to Leppa, everyone is working on the areas they need to work on.’’
media_camera Lion forward Josh Green mobbed by teammates. Picture: Getty
Green was believed to be angered by quips from Leppitsch about his weight last season.
But he says he never fell out of love with the Lions.
“I had a few things going not right last year, probably my own problems with my weight and stuff and I’ve worked on that,’’ he said.
“And I have a really good group of mates here.’’
Green has led Brisbane’s goalkicking for the past two years but is sometimes maligned for not being an elite runner and his defensive efforts have earned public criticism from Leppitsch in the past.
However, Lions CEO Greg Swann is one of his biggest supporters.
“The club has been great in the way they encourage me and make me feel like I am a valued member of the side,’’ he said.
“To come to me with a contract is a sign of their faith in me and I am pretty keen to repay it.’’
Green has started to step up his running after missing a month with a broken foot and has his sights set on a shock return for Round 1.
“I don’t think I will get a NAB game in at all, but I think two or three weeks of full training and I will be right to play,’’ he said.Hours after he was sentenced for theft in Dakota County, authorities say a man tried to walk out of a St. Paul Sears store with layers of apparel he hadn’t paid for tucked under his clothing.
On his way out of the store, Alphonso Terry Whitelaw dropped a couple of pairs of jeans and a hoodie, catching the attention of a nearby employee trained to spot stealing, according to the criminal complaint filed against him Friday in Ramsey County District Court.
The complaint charges the 32-year-old with one count of first-degree aggravated robbery and a second count of second-degree assault for the Feb. 21 offense, which authorities say took place at Sears at 425 Rice Street
Store staff saw Whitelaw walk into a dressing room with a stack of clothing and walk out with much of the attire seemingly layered under his clothes and other articles stuffed into his clothing, the complaint said.
When the employee stopped him, Whitelaw pulled out a knife and said “Don’t touch me,” before fleeing, the complaint said.
Police later tracked Whitelaw down after the employee found a warrant of commitment for Whitelaw left behind in his dressing room. It indicated the St. Paul man had been been in Dakota County District Court on misdemeanor theft charges earlier that morning and had received a stayed sentence along with the paperwork forgotten in the dressing room, according to the complaint. Related Articles Minneapolis woman whose husband beat, sexually abused daughters sentenced for neglect
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Staff also found a love letter written by Whitelaw to his wife that promised he would soon “put a ring on her finger,” the complaint said.
Police compared booking photos of Whitelaw from past arrests to footage captured on the store’s surveillance camera to identify him.
His criminal record includes convictions for theft, terroristic threats, possession of a controlled substance, fleeing a police officer, domestic assault and check forgery.
Whitelaw could not be reached for comment. He has not yet retained an attorney.
His first appearance on the latest charges facing him will take place Monday afternoon.Image: Maxim Tabachnyk
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Researchers at the University of Cambridge in the U.K. have developed a hybrid material made from pentacene (an organic semiconductor) and lead selenide (PbSe) nanocrystals (an inorganic semiconductor) that is capable of harvesting dark spin-triplet excitons at 100-percent efficiency.
This research, which was published in the journal Nature Materials, marks the first time that the energy from triple excitons has been transferred from organic to inorganic semiconductors. Prior to this work, that kind of transfer had only been shown to be possible with spin-singlet excitons.
To put this in perspective, a little background is in order. The process that occurs in solar cells involves photons from a light source (typically the sun) being absorbed and the photons generating excited states referred to as excitons. The excitons travel to positive-negative (p-n) interfaces where the charges are separated; positive charges are collected at anodes and negative charges are collected at cathodes. From there the charges are sent to an external circuit to produce electricity.
One critical note on this paradigm is that excitons come in two flavors: spin-singlet and spin-triplet. Spin-singlet excitons are for the most part what photovoltaic cells harvest to create electricity. On the other hand, spin-triplet excitons, known as “dark” triplet excitons, have an electron spin that makes it difficult for photovoltaics to harvest their energy.
“The key to making a better solar cell is to be able to extract the electrons from these dark triplet excitons,” says Maxim Tabachnyk, a Gates Cambridge Scholar at the University’s Cavendish Laboratory, and the paper’s lead author, in a press release. “If we can combine materials like pentacene with conventional semiconductors like silicon, it would allow us to break through the fundamental ceiling on the efficiency of solar cells.”
This fundamental constraint, known as the Shockley-Quessier limit, is based on the belief that solar cells with a single p-n junction can convert no more than 33.7 percent of the sun’s energy into electricity. This limit has pretty much stood the test of time, with state-of-the-art single p-n junction photovoltaics not reaching much above a 20-percent conversion efficiency.
However, Tabachnyk said via e-mail that these spin-triplet-exciton-harnessing hybrid solar cells could reach an energy conversion efficiency of 46 percent, well above the Shockley-Quessier limit.
While some research with nanowires has suggested an actual theoretical energy conversion efficiency of 65 percent, the best these nanowire solar cells have so far been able to achieve is around 14 percent conversion efficiency.
Whether this hybrid material can fare better in actual prototypes remains to be seen. Tabachnyk suggested that there has been some interest in commercializing the technology, but provided no further details.
Presumably, to this end, the research team is now developing a cheap organic coating that could be used to boost the power conversion efficiency of solar cells made from silicon.Not long after I saw a 35mm screening of Ken Russell’s still neglected and maligned masterworkin Chicago, something strange and wonderful has been happening. The floodgates previously kept under tight lock and key holding back what Spanish auteur Guillermo Del Toro dubbed ‘a neglected artist’ seems to finally be opening wide. With the recent BFI UK blu-ray release of Russell’s most celebrated classichitting the shelves as well as his BBC television work also finally making it’s high-definition home video debut and the recent Arrow Video release of, one of the director’s most entertaining and beloved farces from the 1980s is at long last making it to blu-ray:. Loosely based onauthor Bram Stoker’s novel of the same name, the film was intended to be a silly headed creature feature vampire flick with his usual blend of sex, nudity, over the top bombastic images and old fashioned monster movie lore. After the success of the director’s return to British cinema with, Vestron Studios offered to finance Russell’s planned prequel toshould he devise another horror movie.
Featuring a less-than-well-known Hugh Grant in the leading role, Amanda Donohoe as the sultry snakelike seductress and Catherine Oxenberg as the prototypical damsel in distress, The Lair of the White Worm is as close to a 1960s Hammer Horror flick with more than a little bit of old fashioned carnality thrown in for good measure. We also get his usual penchant for subliminal blasphemous psychedelic images of hysterical nuns and the demonic white worm twining around crucifixes before going back to the campiest creature feature rollicking since the ape-man detour in Altered States. Up until this point, Russell’s campy tongue-in-cheek romp made in the same spirit as say, The Boyfriend, is among the director’s most accessible films and the least serious minded in his oeuvre has all but been only available on a Pioneer Special Edition DVD.
With the recent announcement of Vestron Video’s partnership with Lionsgate to release a number of their titles on limited edition blu-ray, The Lair of the White Worm marks the company’s sixth release in the series and comes stacked with a wealth of extras including an audio commentary with Ken Russell and the director’s widow Lisi Russell, a special effects featurette and interviews with editor Peter Davies and actress Sammi Davis. Personally, I can’t wait for this to come out, slated for January 31st, 2017, and plan on preordering as soon as possible. For Ken Russell fans and die-hard horror fans of the 1980s, The Lair of the White Worm is an enormous gift for cinephiles eager to consume anything and everything that is Ken Russell cinema!A little less than a month after his unanimous-decision loss to Eduardo Dantas at Bellator 137, Mike Richman got the bad news he’d been dreading.
His post-fight drug test had come up positive for an anabolic steroid, which was not exactly a shock, since Richman had used steroids while training for the bout. Still, he knew what would likely come next, and it wasn’t anything he was looking forward to.
In the immediate aftermath of the fight (watch the highlights above) and drug test, he got all kinds of well-meaning advice about what he should say in response. People told him what he could blame it on, how he could craft a defense. People told him that maybe the best thing to say was nothing at all, just ignore it and wait for it to go away.
Instead, Richman decided to do the opposite.
“I just felt like that, once it came out, I wanted to tell people right away,” Richman told MMAjunkie. “It felt like the right thing to do. I thought that with the little integrity I had left, I had to own up to it. I didn’t want to hide behind excuses or blame it on supplements.”
Richman took to his Facebook page that same day with an announcement that drew immediate attention, mostly for its uncommon honesty. He did it, Richman wrote. He took steroids, and he got caught. He offered no excuses or explanations in his defense, only shame and regret.
“I will not sit here and deny that I took it or act like I didn’t know what I was taking or blame it on someone else,” Richman wrote on June 9, 2015. “I am a cheat, plan (sic) and simple and there is no excuse or reason that is valid enough to dispute the reasons why I cheated the sport and myself by using it.”
Richman’s 256-word statement was frank and forthright, a clear admission that never asked for the sympathy he seemed certain that he wouldn’t get. It was also incredibly rare, especially in a sport in which failed drug tests usually set off a wave of denials and deflections, or else prolonged guilty silences.
Still, Richman’s admission did nothing to mitigate the consequences. The California State Athletic Commission suspended him for two years, which meant he had to find another way to make a living, and quickly. So he got a job as a bouncer in a strip club. He got back in the gym and tried to stay in shape, but it was difficult to motivate himself at times with no hope of getting a fight any time soon. Roughly a year into his suspension, Bellator released him, which “came as a bit of a shock” after the organization had originally told him that it would stand behind him, he said.
The toughest part, however, might have been mending fences with his coaches, none of whom knew that he’d been using steroids, though maybe they should have.
“They were definitely disappointed in me,” Richman said. “I think in other instances maybe there is a coordinated effort with this kind of thing (between fighters and coaches), but I was the only one who knew. I think they saw the changes in that camp. I got bigger in size, put on more mass, and my strength and conditioning coach, he noticed that. But people don’t want to question you. They think, maybe he’s eating more or getting more protein.”
And the steroids, they worked, according to Richman. He got stronger. He had more energy. The aches and pains from hard training sessions seemed to disappear faster. He added so much muscle mass that his weight cut went from difficult to nearly impossible. After getting up to nearly 190 pounds in training, he came in at 139 pounds for the 135-pound bout. On top of all that, he lost the fight.
Ask him now why he did it, and Richman resists the temptation to name a reason.
“I could come up with a handful of excuses, but none of them justify it,” Richman said. “I could say that a lot of people are using it, or that I had this big fight that could get me to a title shot, or that I was sick of the aches and pains and I wanted to recover. I could tell you every single excuse that everyone uses. But those aren’t good reasons. They don’t justify anything.”
In at least one way, Richman was lucky. Although the CSAC originally gave him a two-year suspension, CSAC Executive Director Andy Foster told MMAjunkie he waived the remainder of the penalty recently after Richman passed a follow-up drug test. With his license reinstated, Richman (18-6) is now set to return to action for the first time since 2015 when he takes on Lazar Stojadinovic (11-5) in Friday’s LFA 2 main event on AXS TV.
For Richman the goal is to get a winning streak going and attract the attention of the UFC. Partly that’s because, like most fighters, he wants to fight on the biggest stage in the sport. But it’s also because he wants to do what he can to convince people that, despite his past, he’s competing clean now. The UFC’s anti-doping program through the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) might be his best chance to make that case through his own actions.
“You see USADA, they’re catching more and more people, and they’re making an impact on stopping people using (performance-enhancing drugs),” Richman said. “I feel like being in the UFC and going through that USADA program, that helps make your case. I know I’ll always have that asterisk next to my name and I’ll never get rid of it. I understand that, and I deserve that. But I think if people see you in that program, they have more confidence that you’re clean.”
That’s Richman’s hope, anyway. And with his suspension served and his comeback in sight, for now it might be his best shot at redemption.
For more on LFA 2, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.Sharing is caring!
We are living in a world of transparency and acrid discrepancies. Actions are led by bitter pride and unbridled passions.
The loudest voice seems to end triumphant — an unfortunate circumstance when the most crucial voice in everyone’s life is still and small.
The ever-growing MormonLeaks page is proof of that.
While the website’s goal is ostensibly to increase transparency about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, those submitting documents and videos about the Church are able to do so under the blanket of anonymity.
The hypocrisy is astounding.
When I was in middle school, I got in a nasty fight with my best friend. Because of this, she started telling classmates about secrets I had told her in confidentiality.
This kind of feels like the same thing.
Former members of the Church have allowed their crippled pride to turn their actions into that of a 13-year-old girl: they have taken unintentional offenses personally, and their backlash means raising their voices to the point that they can no longer hear that quiet voice whispering the truth into their hearts. They have pushed that voice away, because the voice of their ego or hurt is so much louder.
The founder of MormonLeaks, Ryan McKnight, stands on a soapbox dedicated to accountability, but refused to own up to his own accountability when Deseret News asked him how he would feel if he learned that he was trafficking stolen documents.
“I don’t know how the person got them, and I don’t care,” McKnight said, according to Deseret News. “That doesn’t play into the decision. (…) If they have broken the law to obtain the information to send to us; that is their problem, not mine.”
If McKnight doesn’t care about the morality behind how information is obtained, why is it so important to him to share information about things like the living allowance of General Authorities? This has nothing to do with the General Authorities and everything to do with his broken pride.
A friend of mine recently shared her experiences with coworkers who used to affiliate with the Church but now are actively against it.
Knowing she’s a devout member of the Church, they always try to get a rise out of her.
The best phrase I could think of to describe her experience is, “misery loves company.”
Which, cliché as it may be, is completely true. There is nothing more frustrating than when I get into an argument with someone, and I’m fuming while the other person is completely calm.
Maybe that’s what MormonLeaks is. Maybe some are trying to get a rise out of Church authorities. Maybe, like children throwing a temper tantrum in a supermarket, they are just trying to draw more attention to themselves.
Even before the creation of the earth, Lucifer was led by his anger and pride.
Ever since then, he has tried to foil the plan of happiness by stirring up those same emotions in the hearts of others.
And, for some individuals, he has succeeded. But he will never be able to interrupt the plan of God.
This isn’t the first time the Restored Church has been attacked, and it definitely won’t be the last.
MormonLeaks may have a broader scope now with social media than the mobs fighting against Joseph Smith did, but it’s still the same thing.
Satan knows our weak spots.
He knows our temptations. He knows the addictions our modern world has to social media and the newfound passion for whistle-blowing.
He knows how to take something powerful and warp it into a weapon against the Church.
But he has tried and failed time and time again to get to the foundation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and he will continue to fail.
While the Spirit may be hard to hear beneath the loud voices of the natural world, the loud voices are fleeting.
The truth of the Gospel is enduring. MormonLeaks will eventually die out, and the Gospel will not. When we put our pride aside, we see more clearly that the winning side isn’t the one with the loudest battle cry.
It’s the side that can live for 200 years on the word of a 14-year-old boy.
That’s the side I want to be on.The Seattle Mariners made Major League Baseball history Monday when they announced the hiring of six new area scouts.
Among the new hires is Amanda Hopkins. The daughter of long-time scout Ron Hopkins, Amanda is believed to be the first female hired as a full-time scout since the 1950s, according to the team.
"She's been helping us as an intern, in the office, at workouts, at Safeco, anything on the amateur side," Mariners scouting director Tom McNamara told Greg Jones of MLB.com earlier this month. "I've actually been to a couple games with her where we started talking about players. And I was sitting there thinking,'man, she has a really good feel and breaks down a player like a veteran scout.' The more I spent time with her, the more I kept saying,'maybe pushing her into the office isn't a good idea. She really wants to scout.'
"We sent her to scout school and she ranked pretty high in the class. When I called to tell her we'd nominated her for scout school, she was in tears on the phone, literally in tears. It was kind of chilling. It meant a lot to her."
A former softball standout at Central Washington University, Amanda will scout in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado.
"Whenever she had free time, she was always doing something baseball-related," McNamara said. "She had that passion. This is something she really wants to do. It's in her blood."
Tyrus Bowman, Jackson Laumann, Taylor Terrasas, Stephen Tromblee, and Ross Vecchio were also named scouts for the Mariners.Scatec Solar completed the sale of the 104MW Utah Red Hills project. Image: Scatec Solar
Scatec Solar closes sale on 104MW project
Scatec Solar announced on Dec. 29 that it has completed the sale of its 104MW Utah Red Hills solar power plant to MIC Renewable Energy Holdings — owned by Macquarie Infrastructure Corporation.
The sale generated gross cash proceeds of US$28 million to Scatec Solar. The consolidated book value of Scatec Solar's sponsor equity in the project company is US$21 million.
After this transaction, Scatec Solar holds 322 MW of large scale solar plants in operation.
Alterra completes Kokomo PV project in Indiana
Alterra Power Corp. and Inovateus Solar LLC announced Wednesday that the 7MW Kokomo solar project reached full commercial operations on December 29 2016.
Alterra will hold a majority interest of at least 85% in the project, with final partnership allocation adjustments to occur in the first quarter of 2017.
Alterra will managed the installation, which is located in Kokomo, Indiana and will see 100% of its power utilised under to a 20-year power purchase agreement with Duke Energy Indiana.
John Carson, Alterra's CEO, said "We're pleased with this achievement and the opportunity to work with our project partners Inovateus, 1st Source, and Duke Energy Indiana. We're looking forward to further growth of our US solar business in 2017."
SunSystem Technology earns O&M contract for Sacramento rooftop project
SunSystem Technology (SST) announced Wednesday that it has earned the contract for commercial operations and maintenance (O&M) services for Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.
As a result of the contract, SST installed the 700kW solar system at the site, with the installation officially completed in September 2016.
Derek Chase, CEO for SunSystem Technology, said: "We are honored to have been awarded this contract. SST is a Sacramento-based company and Golden 1 Center is a very significant addition to the city and our community. It is an honor to be associated with a project of this importance to our hometown, and a great source of pride for our teams who worked on the installation, as well as for our O&M team in charge of its care."How the Bible and Evolution Conflict
An Analysis of the Tension Between Two Worldviews
Let's first make the point that the tension between the Bible and evolution is not at all about the age of the earth! While some Christians hold to a young earth, other Christians hold to an old earth. Both camps have evidence to back up their claims. The debate is much deeper than that.
The tension between evolution and creation is more philosophical than scientific. Here are some points:
Creationism and evolutionism begin from two radically different points. Creation: In the beginning there was God. Evolution: In the beginning there was random chance. Darwinian doctrine insists that the evolution of life is a random process—that we are here by a series of pure accidents (e.g., mutations, and molecules in motion, gene recombinations and duplications). This is in direct conflict with the biblical doctrine of election—that life is not merely a series of accidents. According to the Bible, each believer is in some sense individually foreknown and chosen by God from before the foundations of the world. (1 Samuel 16:7-12; Psalm 139:16; Jeremiah 1:5; Matthew 24:31, 25:34; Romans 8:29-30; 1 Corinthians 2:7; Galatians 1:15; Ephesians 1:4-12; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:1-2, 2:9) The God of the Bible is more than Creator and Savior. He is also Sustainer. With evolution, life is a self-sustaining process ruled by fate, and God plays no role in the universe or in the ongoing lives of men. This contradicts the biblical doctrine of providence—that all things happen under the authority of God, and that God is still at work sustaining (though not re-creating) His creation. (Genesis 45:7-8, Nehemiah 9:6; Esther 4:14; Psalm 104:30, 145:16, 147:9; Proverbs 16:9,33, Isaiah 45:1,7, 46:10; Matthew 6:26, 10:29-31; John 5:17, 14:16-17, 15:26, 16:13-15; Acts 17:26, 18:9-11; Romans 8:9-11; Colossians 1:17, Hebrews 1:3) Still another aspect of the God of the Bible is that He is Judge. The Bible makes a major point of an afterlife in heaven or hell. Indeed, Jesus discusses this concept more than any other biblical figure. As part of the process of ultimate judgment by God, a new type of resurrection body will emerge to another life—to either be glorified in heaven or condemned for eternity. Evolution is in great conflict with this view, including the fact that the physical cannot evolve into an afterlife. (Matthew 5:22,29,30, 23:33, 24:31; 1 Corinthians 15:42-53; 2 Peter 2:4-10) The Bible says that man was created as a special being—in the image of God, as opposed to the evolutionary view that has man is just another animal in the evolutionary process. (Genesis 1:26-27, 2:7) The Bible indicates that creation was a completed event in the past, and is not continuing as evolution suggests. (Genesis 2:1-3; Ecclesiastes 3:14; Hebrews 4:3-11) As put by the Concordia Study Bible (annotations page 8), "His creative work was completed—and it was totally effective, absolutely perfect,'very good.' It did not have to be repeated, repaired or revised, and the Creator rested to commemorate it." Given the above, the creation by God of distinct "kinds" as described in Genesis 1 and 1 Corinthians 15:38-39 implies that transmutations between kinds is precluded, or at least superfluous. The Bible indicates that there is clear physical evidence of creation. (Psalm 19:1-6; Acts 17:24-29) Evolution denies the evidence for creation. If Darwinism were a reasonable hypothesis, atheists would have a perfectly good excuse, in contradiction to Romans 1:20. On the other hand, creation is a consistent theme throughout the Bible. There is no hint of evolution in the Bible. While this is an argument from silence and thus does not necessarily preclude evolution, such an important concept as to origins would surely have been suggested in the Bible due to its theological implications. On the other hand, special creation is a consistent theme throughout the Bible. It is mentioned approximately 64 times in 18 books of the Bible. Evolution is a philosophy based on naturalism and materialism. Naturalism holds that nature is all there is and that the universe is self-sufficient without a supernatural cause or control of the world. Materialism regards matter as the original cause of all—that matter did its own creating. Materialism denies the existence of the soul. The philosophical assumption of evolution is therefore essentially atheistic or agnostic, thus clearly incompatible with special creation and the other miracles of the Bible. With evolution, if God exists, He is so distant as to be irrelevant. The Bible teaches that God created man by fiat, that is, by supernatural power, not by natural processes. (Genesis 2:7; Psalm 33:6,9; Psalm 148:5; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Hebrews 11:3) Some 75 passages of Scripture including those by Jesus, refer to the creation narrative of Genesis 1-2, confirming it as actual history. (Matthew 19:4; Mark 10:6; Luke 3:38, Revelation 2:7) See In the Beginning elsewhere on our site. There is an important reason to interpret from the Bible that Adam was a real person. Unless the concept of original sin through Adam is true, Jesus' coming makes no sense. That is, Christians believe that Christ's atoning sacrifice for our sins was necessary because of man's sin nature inherited in some sense from Adam. The Bible teaches that Jesus was the "second Adam." So if Adam was not real, thus did not bring sin into the world, Christ's redemptive sacrifice was not necessary. (Genesis 3:15-19; Romans 4:22-25, 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15:21-23,45-57; 1 Timothy 2:13-14). The overarching theme of the Bible is Creation/Fall/Redemption. (God created the universe "very good." Then man spoiled it by his rebellion—the "Fall", necessitating God's redemption of mankind through Christ.) This sequence is crucial to Christian theology. Did God really create things bad, not "very good" as the Bible says (Genesis 1:31)? If things were bad to start with, the Fall becomes a superfluous concept. (The Fall presupposes that there was something good from which to fall.) Thus, a major point of tension exists between the Bible and evolution at the heart of the biblical doctrine of the Fall. Note the following quote from G. R. Bozarth, The American Atheist magazine, September 1978, 30: "Christianity has fought, still fights, and will fight science to the desperate end over evolution, because evolution destroys utterly and finally the very reason Jesus' earthly life was supposedly made necessary. Destroy Adam and Eve and the original sin, and in the rubble you will find the sorry remains of the son of God. If Jesus was not the redeemer who died for our sins, and this is what evolution means, then Christianity is nothing." Evolutionism, indeed, denies that man even has a sinful nature or else suggests that we should not be faulted for our human nature because "that is just our nature." Thus evolution is inconsistent with the Christian belief that man is indeed fallen and in need of a savior. The theory of evolution itself has continually changed over time. This is in contrast to the Bible, which has not changed over time. Morality in evolutionary thought is a function of natural selection, survival of the fittest, or situation ethics. The Bible teaches transcending moral truth, given by God. (Exodus 20:1-17; Isaiah 5:20-21) Evolution is closely associated with the philosophy of secular humanism, which accepts human beings as the ultimate source of meaning and value. The Bible, of course, places God as the ultimate source of meaning and value. The Bible teaches that man was created for a special purpose. Evolution denies that man has a divine purpose, or at least implies that man's purpose in life is whatever one wants to make of it (secular humanism). (Isaiah 43:7; Jeremiah 29:11; Matthew 6:10; Romans 8:28, 14:12; Galatians 1:15; Ephesians 2:10, 3:21; 2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Peter 4:10) Since evolution offers no real purpose for life, it results in an absence of meaning, and therefore an absence of objective moral values. This is clearly in conflict with the Bible. Evolution results in a philosophy of nihilism (the denial of any basis for truth), which ultimately ends in despair. The Bible claims to have the Truth, which gives ultimate hope. (John 14:6; Colossians 1:27) The Bible not only fits the evidence of scientific investigation, it provides an answer for why the world was created. Evolution does neither.
Be sure to see the other articles on our site in the Creation or Evolution section. Here is a helpful article about whether Adam and Eve were literal people: Keller on Adam.Bitcoin prices have fallen below $4,000 hours after hitting a new all-time high.
According to the CoinDesk Bitcoin Price Index (BPI), bitcoin markets hit a low of $3,892.72 – more than $500 below the high of $4,483.55 reached earlier this morning. At press time, the price of bitcoin is trading at around $3929, more than 10 percent below the day’s open.
The drop below $4,000 came just days after the market crossed that threshold for the first time, a move quickly followed further price increases. Given that the market hit a low of $1,990 a month ago, this morning’s rise signified a nearly $2,500 increase within that period.
Other cryptocurrency markets are seeing |
Casey’s mini-mart to stock up on Gatorade and some Amazing Homer Simpson Sized Jelly Dounuts! Mmmmmmm, I was fueled and ready to go. At about mile 140 or so, it started to hit me, that hey, this is no regular 100 miler like I was used to! I was starting to feel the burn! My thoughts turned to the Growler of Winter Tartan beer that was waiting at home for me, and a nice warm shower! As the sun went down so did the temperatures. Turning the pedals and staying warm became my new main goal, because I was damned if I was going to throw in the towel and call my wife to come and save my ass.
Although I didn’t accomplish all my goals I was more than happy with what I had accomplished and called it a day at 175 miles – solo on a single speed Fat Bike. Which leaves the double century goal out there for next summer!
Happy Trails,
Andy
Oh Yeah………That Beer never tasted better!
Editor’s Note: Happy Birthday Andy! Wishing you many happy returns! ~g
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EmailTodd Gurley's Record Artifacts on Display in Hall of Fame See All News
rookie running back Todd Gurley wore this jersey and cleats on Sunday when he rushed for 133 yards and 1 touchdown in the team’s 27-6 victory against the San Francisco 49ers.
He became the first rookie to rush for at least 125 yards in four straight games. He’s also racked up 575 yards in his first five games, which is the third-most in NFL history. Only (645) and Adrian Peterson (607) gained more yards.
Rushing Game Date Opp Result Att Yds TD 27-Sep PIT (L) 6-12 6 9 0 4-Oct at ARI (W) 24-22 19 146 0 11-Oct at GB (L) 10-24 30 159 0 25-Oct CLE (W) 24-6 19 128 2 1-Nov SF (W) 27-6 20 133 1 TOTAL 94 575 3
Two lucky fans, Eric Euglow of Providence, R.I. and Laura Manning of Boston, Mass., were randomly selected to place Gurley’s artifacts on display. They never expected they would be able to experience something like that when they visited.
“It’s definitely a fun bonus – feeling like you’re part of football history,” commented Manning.
Gurley’s jersey and cleats can be seen on display in the Pro Football Today Gallery.Image caption Mr Davis is being held in jail pending a decision on his diplomatic status
A US man held in Pakistan over the shootings of two men in Lahore was secretly working for the CIA at the time, reports quoting unnamed US officials state.
Raymond Allen Davis, 36, was working as a CIA contractor for the US consulate in Lahore, the officials say.
Mr Davis is being held in jail pending a decision on his diplomatic status.
The former soldier shot two men he says were trying to rob him. The incident has soured US-Pakistan relations.
Correspondents say the Pakistan government is under tremendous domestic pressure to put Mr Davis on trial despite US assertions that he has diplomatic immunity. Mr Davis is charged with two counts - murder and possession of illegal weapons.
Hundreds of Pakistanis have taken part in street demonstrations.
'Protective officer'
The US State Department on Monday repeated the administration's stance that Mr Davis was an accredited member of the technical and administrative staff of the US Embassy in Islamabad.
They said the Pakistani government had been informed of his status in January 2010 and that Pakistan is violating its international obligations by continuing to hold him.
Mr Davis was working as a "protective officer," Reuters news agency quoted sources as saying.
US media outlets, including the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Associated Press, said they had held off publicising details about Mr Davis' employment status while the US tried to improve his security situation.
But on Sunday, the UK's Guardian newspaper disclosed Mr Davis' relationship with the CIA.Barbara LeMaster's Irish Sign Language Research
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LeMaster's ISL Research: What is it all about?
LeMaster's work dates back to 1984. Her work explores gender and generational variations within Irish Sign Language and their social implications and focuses on the history of Irish Sign Language differences within St. Mary's school for Deaf girls and St. Joseph's school for Deaf boys (see pictures below). If you would like to see a short Quicktime movie to get a glimpse of the current project organized with a large collection of data on 4,000 vocabulary, sponsored by NSF #0318498 from November 2003-January 2005, press here. Or for a larger-file Quicktime movie--press Here.
Examples of Gender Differences in ISL
"APPLE" Female Sign "APPLE" Male Sign "DAUGHTER" Female Sign "DAUGHTER" Male Sign
The Deaf Schools of Ireland
St. Mary's School for Deaf Girls St. Joseph's School for Deaf Boys
Grant aids sign language research
By Sarah Thigpen
On-line Forty-Niner
For many people around the world, sign language is the only connection between their silent world, and others around them.
Because of the differences in culture around the world, some of the original versions of sign language are being lost due to the fact that the only keepers of the language, the speakers themselves, are old and dying. One of these versions is an ancient form of gender Irish Sign Language.
For Barbara LeMaster, an anthropology and linguistics professor at Cal State Long Beach, help is on the way. LeMaster has recently been given a $74,482 grant from The National Science Foundation. This grant enables LeMaster to continue her research on a form of sign language originated in Dublin, Ireland.
LeMaster, an expert of deaf culture, began her research of Irish Sign Language almost 20 years ago. Unfortunately, LeMaster was unable to return to Ireland until three years ago to continue her research.
As a result of this grant, LeMaster will be returning to Ireland in July in conjunction with her research.
No documented language, spoken or signed, has as extreme gender differences as [Irish Sign Language]," LeMaster said. "I'm interested in how different the two gender languages are from each other, and how the genders resolve those differences."
According to LeMaster, in certain sections of the Dublin community, the native vocabularies for deaf men and deaf women are so different that they can impair communications on the most mundane topics. This is a result of men and women going to different schools to learn the language.
According to LeMaster, the documentation of gender Irish Sign Language is important for a number of reasons.
"Unlike other gender different situations, these gender varieties are the product of language socialization experiences that completely segregated males and females," LeMaster said. "As though deaf girls and boys grew up on separate islands."
LeMaster does have one benefit that she did not have when she began this journey 20 years ago. Modern technology has made it easier for researchers to study, record and preserve rare languages that are rapidly disappearing. With the help of computers, LeMaster can look at different signs for the same word at the same time.
"It's my goal to create a DVD dictionary of gendered Irish Sign Language so that anyone may access it," LeMaster said.
This 15-month grant gives LeMaster a chance to complete the work that she began so long ago. Once her dictionary is completed, any future work tracking the dissemination of these gendered signs and meaning will always be associated with LeMaster.
<Copied from http://www.csulb.edu/%7Ed49er/archives/2004/spring/news/volLIVno70-sign.shtml>
LeMaster's Irish Sign Language PublicationsIan Morris, archaeologist and professor of Classics at Stanford University, joins us for a discussion on the Persian expeditions against Greece in 490-479 BC. How did the Greeks pull off a totally unexpected victory against the biggest invasion force that had ever been launched? Morris explains what the latest research and archaeology tell us about the economies, technologies, and demographics of these civilizations, as well as how these factors may have affected the result of the conflict.
Morris' most recent book is "War: What is it good for?" - a fast-paced history of the world from the Stone Age to the present that focuses on warfare, geography, and technology. In it, he makes a counter-intuitive claim: that warfare, if we look at it over many thousands of years, has actually made human societies progressively less violent.This episode focuses on the Persian wars but touches on some of the main ideas from Morris' book.
TAGS:
Herodotus, Thucydides, Persia, Darius, Xerxes, Athens, Sparta, hoplite, Ionian Revolt#HoleNewYear
We sold our first keg of beer on December 14, 2013. Our First Anniversary party was December 13, 2014. Now, on December 12, 2015, we enter our terrible twos!
We are ready to welcome in a #HoleNewYear! Come celebrate our past successes and our untold future!
We will have at least 12 beers available:
Mike Modano's 561 Kölsch
Mike Modano's Crazy #9
Rapture Fusion Brown Ale
Mystic Rapture - Coffee Infused Brown Ale
10/6 EPA
Wonderlust
Rude Jester
Off With Your Red
Lemon Drop Saison (Wonderlust through the Randall)
Rapture Firkin (Flavors still TBD)
and the long awaited return of our New Year's Eve Seasonal - Hole Lang Syne!
Plus a few other surprises may pop out of the Rabbit Hole.
Don't worry about the weather - we'll have a giant tent and patio heaters if it's cold and/or wet!
Tailgaters BBQ will be BBQing!
Lord Nut Levington will share his nuts!
Zuriel Merek (electric violinist) will wow you with his music for the first 3 hours.
Paul Schmaus will kick the party into high gear with his music for the last 3 hours!
Best Little Brewfest in Texas will fraternizing with everyone
And other adult libation will be provided by Adelberts, Oasis, Independence, and possibly more
Every hour from 12 to 4 PM, we will be giving away door prizes! We have t-shirts, hats, posters, tin tackers, plus a few other surprises!
VIP Tickets
Doors open at 11:00 AM
Commemorative Anniversary Glass
Taster Card good for 8 tasters
(each taster is a 1/2 pint)
Hole Lang Syne Champaign Flute
Hole Lang Syne Vertical (Side by side samples of HLS2015 and HLS2016)
First trip through the food line is free
Sample 3 or 4 test batches never before available to the public.
These test batches will only be available to VIPs from 11 AM to 12:30 PM. (Those test batches will remain top secret until you arrive on December 12th).
VIP Tickets will be limited to 75 people.
Regular Tickets
Doors open at 12:30 PM
Commemorative Anniversary Glass
Taster Card good for 8 tasters
(each taster is a 1/2 pint)
Special Beers beers tapped throughout the day.
Designated Driver
Doors open at 12:30 PM (No DD Tickets allowed during VIP Hours)
Commemorative Anniversary Glass
Two Cans of Soda
(There will be no opportunity to "upgrade" your ticket at the door)
This is a rain-or-shine event.
No refunds for no-shows.The Lincoln Landscape
Abraham Lincoln's burial place was designed and constructed in an age of sideshows and curiosities. The display of relic collections and memorabilia was an expected part of museums and other public attractions in the late nineteenth century. It was the beginning of the age of tourism, when visitors enjoyed many kinds of local oddities as part of their travel experience. The professionalization of museum and park management was still decades away. Caretakers, rather than curators, were employed to oversee sites such as Lincoln's New Salem, the Lincoln Home, and the Lincoln Tomb. Although most of the caretakers performed their duties with care and dedication, public expectations began to change, and different management strategies eventually were adopted.
The original design of the Lincoln Tomb was deficient for the security of the president's remains. It was also structurally unsound and inappropriate to the commemoration of his life. Lincoln's increasingly elevated status in history necessitated changes to the structure and a radical departure from its original design and use. A decades-long struggle transformed the tomb from an ordinary tourist attraction to a dignified monument honoring the memory of Abraham Lincoln and the symbol that he had become.
The First Monument to Lincoln Springfield, Illinois, grew rapidly in the 1850s. The Old City Graveyard was closed by mid-decade, and the Hutchinson Cemetery, where Eddie Lincoln was buried in 1850, was rapidly reaching its capacity. In 1855 the city council acquired seventeen wooded acres for a new cemetery north of the city limits. It was expanded the next year, and burials began there in 1858. In the spring of 1860, Abraham and Mary Lincoln attended the dedication ceremony for Oak Ridge Cemetery; it was just a few days before his nomination for the presidency. Five years later, on April 15, 1865, Lincoln was dead at the hand of an assassin. Two days after his death, "an Illinois delegation" approached Mrs. Lincoln and obtained her permission to have her husband's body returned to Springfield. A group of citizens at the capital city immediately attended to the work of selecting a site for a fitting monument to his memory. A downtown site known as the Mather Block (on the grounds north of what is now the statehouse) was chosen, and a temporary receiving vault was hastily constructed there. As Lincoln's funeral train was slowly making its way home, however, the citizens' group learned that his widow had decided on Oak Ridge Cemetery, two miles north. Despite Mrs. Lincoln's instructions, the citizens' group, which would soon incorporate as the National Lincoln Monument Association, had every intention of constructing the president's tomb in the Mather Block. Before Lincoln's funeral, the vault there was "kept ready" as the group importuned the grieving Robert Lincoln to ask his mother to reconsider. He obliged the committee and sent a telegram to Mrs. Lincoln, who had remained in Washington. He was still awaiting her reply as the funeral procession assembled at the Capitol. As it was ready to leave, he received her telegram. It would be Oak Ridge Cemetery. Lincoln was temporarily interred there in the receiving vault on May 4, 1865. On May 11, 1865, a group of fifteen men led by Governor Richard J. Oglesby drew up articles of association as the National Lincoln Monument Association. Article Two stated: "The object of the Association shall be to construct a Monument to the memory of Abraham Lincoln, in the city of Springfield, State of Illinois." Within two weeks of the president's funeral, the monument association was busily soliciting funds to pay for the shrine. Circulars were sent to universities and colleges, public schools, and Sunday schools across the nation, asking for donations. The "Circular to Universities and Colleges" read, in part: "Did the sun ever look down on such a spectacle as this stricken nation presented, in its voiceless anguish, on the morning of April 15th?... No dead President alone could evoke such woe. It was the dead ABRAHAM LINCOLN, the good and true man, more than the Chief Magistrate of the nation, that subdued and melted the national heart and bathed the millions in tears." The monument association proceeded with plans for a grand tomb in the Mather Block. News of its activities reached Mrs. Lincoln, who threatened to have her husband's remains taken to Chicago for permanent burial. Still the Springfield boosters persisted. The angry widow then threatened to have her husband buried in Washington under the Capitol dome, as Congress had wished. By June she had moved to Chicago. Again, the insensitive monument association approached her, traveling to Chicago to make a personal appeal for their downtown plan. She refused to see them. At last, the National Lincoln Monument Association acceded to the widow's wishes, who was carrying out the wishes of Lincoln himself. Oak Ridge Cemetery would be the site of the Lincoln Tomb. As fund-raising efforts were under way, the monument association announced in 1868 a design competition for the tomb. One thousand dollars was offered to the artist who designed the winning entry; the winner was to be named in September. In all, thirty-one artists submitted thirty-seven designs. After several days of deliberations, the design of Larkin G. Mead Jr., which featured an obelisk surrounded by statuary, was chosen. Five sculptures and a coat of arms were to be molded and cast for the monument, at a total cost of $70,000. A separate contract was drawn up with architect W. D. Richardson of Springfield for a foundation and superstructure, at a cost of $136,550. The City of Springfield donated six acres adjoining Oak Ridge Cemetery for the site of the tomb. Construction began in September of 1869, and the stone and brick foundation was completed before year's end. Work on the superstructure continued for nearly two years. The obelisk, constructed of brick and steel with a granite sheathing, was capped in May 1871, just as the terrace and interior rooms were being completed. Tad Lincoln's remains were placed within the tomb following his death in July 1871, and in September of that year Lincoln's remains, and the remains of his sons Willie and Eddie, were moved to the unfinished structure. The original monument, with its eighty-five-foot-tall classical obelisk surrounded by a balustraded terrace, was built of Quincy granite and Joliet limestone. An iron spiral staircase within the obelisk led to a platform at the top, where, through circular windows, visitors could enjoy a panoramic view of Springfield and the surrounding countryside. At the base of the obelisk were five pedestals for the Mead sculptures. The pedestals and base of the obelisk were ringed by forty shields connected by raised bands. Each shield was engraved with the name of a state (thirty-seven at the time, with three left blank for future states) symbolizing the indissoluble Union. Below the promenade deck, a memorial room, designed as a "receptacle for articles used by or in any way associated with Mr. Lincoln," was accessed through a door on the south elevation. The burial chamber, containing crypts for the Lincoln family, was originally accessed through a door on the north elevation. The Lincoln sarcophagus, at the center of the original burial chamber, was of white marble, with his name surrounded by a carved oak-leaf wreath. Above it was inscribed, "With malice toward none, with charity for all." The dedication ceremony for the Lincoln Tomb was held on October 15, 1874. After a procession to the cemetery, music by a band and a ladies' choir, and remarks by Governor Richard Oglesby, the Lincoln statue at the base of the obelisk was unveiled. President Ulysses S. Grant then delivered a brief address to "immense masses of people." He recalled Lincoln's great struggle to hold the Union together and his unwavering faith in the final outcome of the war. Grant concluded his speech by reminding his listeners of some of Lincoln's personal qualities: "With all his disappointments from failures on the part of those to whom he had entrusted command, and treachery on the part of those who had gained his confidence but to betray it, I never heard him utter a complaint, nor cast a censure for bad conduct or faith. It was his nature to find excuses for his adversaries. In his death the nation lost its greatest hero." Those who attended the dedication ceremony saw a monument with only the Lincoln statue and the coat of arms. The other Mead sculptures, four groups of figures representing Civil War scenes, awaited further fund-raising efforts by the monument association. The federal government donated sixty-five cannon—nearly fifty thousand pounds of bronze—to be re-used in the sculptures. Cities that played key roles in the war were invited to provide funding for the sculptures that represented each city's part in the conflict. New York City, one of the country's largest seaports, donated funds for the naval group. Pittsburgh, in the iron region, contributed money for the artillery group. Boston raised funds for the cavalry group, and Chicago, despite its terrible fire of 1871, fulfilled its pledges to fund the infantry group. One by one, the Mead sculptures took their places on the monument.
The Memorial Hall Museum On October 28, 1874, John Carroll Power was appointed the first custodian of the Lincoln Tomb. The monument was opened to the public the following day. Visitors to the tomb first registered their names in Memorial Hall, then exited the main entrance and made their way around the perimeter of the monument. On the north side, they could view Lincoln's sarcophagus through the iron grille door. "In good weather and bad, in sunshine and rain, each of the thousands of pilgrims who came, stepped up, peered into the semi-darkness, then made way for the one following him," a state architect wrote seventy years later. It was an awkward arrangement, but it did not deter the many visitors who came from across the country and around the world to pay their respects to Lincoln. Memorial Hall, the south room of the tomb, was designed as a tiny museum for Lincoln relics. The monument association acquired one of the first artifacts for the collection when it paid $175 for the surveying instruments that Lincoln had used. Other Lincoln items soon occupied the glass-topped display cases, and the collection grew. The room it occupied, however, was far from ideal for the display of such artifacts. Like the rest of the tomb, it was extremely damp. In an attempted remedy, an interior partition was built soon after the tomb was opened, which made the room very dark. In 1884 a coal-fired steam heater was installed to raise the temperature inside the structure. A crude ventilation system was added in 1887, but the problems continued. John Power delighted in his role as custodian and resident expert. He approached each visitor offering information and a guided tour, which he referred to as "my distinctive work." Power collected a twenty-five cent fee from all adult visitors as they entered Memorial Hall; the money was used for his salary, tomb maintenance, and the purchase of more Lincoln relics. He also sold postcards, pamphlets, and books to visitors, keeping part of the proceeds. The monument association authorized him to "prevent the taking of pictures" of the tomb. Instead, copies of photographs that had been taken under Power's supervision were sold to visitors, supplementing his income. A few visitors who wished to quietly contemplate the meaning of the Lincoln monument found the custodian's lectures intrusive and unwelcome. Some explained to him that they wanted to "see for themselves" without a guided tour. Others said that the "custodian talks too much." There were many complaints about the twenty-five cent admission fee. Power's response to them was that "if there were those who did not care to contribute, the only thing for them to do was to consider it closed and stay away." To those who thought that the state should be responsible for the upkeep of the tomb, Power replied that "only one in 1,230" Illinois residents visited the monument each year, and the other 1,229 should not be taxed to pay for others' sight-seeing. A few complaining visitors objected to the array of relics on display in Memorial Hall. Those who called it a "dime museum" were a small minority, however, since displays of such collections were popular in the late nineteenth century. For the time being, the management of the Lincoln Tomb met with the approval of most of the public.
Lincoln's Restless Remains It is only by virtue of luck and careful police work that the Lincoln Tomb now contains the remains of Abraham Lincoln. In 1876 a plan was made to steal his body and hide it in a pasture near Mt. Pulaski. The preparations were about to get underway when one of the conspirators boasted about it to a prostitute in Springfield, who informed the local police. The same plot was then shifted to Chicago, to be carried out by a group of counterfeiters. During the fall of that year, the United States Secret Service placed an agent among them. After a time they revealed to him their plan to steal Lincoln's body from the tomb, bury it in the Indiana Dunes, and hold it for a $200,000 ransom. The release of a fellow counterfeiter from the Joliet prison would also be demanded. Robert Lincoln, who was informed of the plot, agreed to allow the crime to take place so that the criminals could be caught in the act, arrested, and their counterfeiting activities interrupted. The plotters chose the evening of November 7, 1876, to carry out the scheme. It was an election day, when many citizens stayed out late, thus making their evening movements less conspicuous. The conspirators traveled by train from Chicago to Springfield; Secret Service agents were on the same train. That evening one of the agents, four police detectives, and custodian Power hid in the interior rooms of the tomb. "In darkness that could almost be felt," Power recalled, they waited for nearly three hours. The thieves appeared, and began "sawing and filing" the locked exterior door to the burial chamber. Once inside, they removed Lincoln's coffin from the white marble sarcophagus, and began to remove the body from the casket. The agent among them, pretending to go for a wagon, signaled the Secret Service officer and detectives. They hurried to the burial chamber, but the thieves had escaped, leaving the body behind. After a ten-day search, the conspirators were arrested in Chicago and returned to Springfield. They were tried and convicted of theft, and sentenced to one year in prison. Immediately after the robbery attempt, John Power and other members of the monument association moved Lincoln's coffin into an interior passageway of the tomb. There, they attempted to dig a new grave but struck an underground spring, which filled the excavation with water. The casket was then hidden beneath a pile of lumber and other materials near the base of the obelisk, where it remained for two years. In November 1878 the remains of a prominent New Yorker were stolen and held for ransom. "During the days that followed, the newspapers from coast to coast were filled with this sensational story," wrote one historian. Fear for the remains of Lincoln were heightened, especially since workers at the tomb had recently learned where his coffin was hidden. In response, nine Springfield men, under the leadership of custodian Power, organized themselves as the Lincoln Guard of Honor. Their main purpose was "to guard the precious dust of Abraham Lincoln from vandal hands." Their first task was to find a more secure burial place for the casket. As they discussed the matter, Power received an alarming postcard from Chicago: "Be careful—do not be alone—Particularly Thursday night Nov. 21st. C." Immediately Power and his colleagues gathered, and on the night of November 18 they reburied Lincoln's five-hundred-pound, lead-lined casket in a shallow grave in the north section of the tomb's interior. It remained there for eight more years. When Mary Lincoln died in 1882, her casket was placed in the burial chamber during her funeral services, near the empty sarcophagus of her husband. Afterward, her remains were secretly moved to the interior of the tomb and placed next to those of Lincoln in the damp, shallow grave. The dampness beneath the Lincoln tomb, caused in part by the natural spring flowing through the site, was a problem not only for the burials; it weakened the entire structure by exacerbating the damage from normal freeze-thaw cycles. Just before dawn on February 5, 1884, John Power arrived at the monument. As he prepared for the arrival of visitors, there came "a tremendous crash" from within the tomb. He rushed inside to find that a seventy-foot-long barrel vault, an arched brick tunnel that helped support the structure, had collapsed. Above it, the granite paving stones remained, unsupported, with a twenty-foot space below. Power hastily cordoned off the terrace stairs before visitors arrived. "A child walking on it would have taken it all down," he recalled. During the summer, the terrace was reconstructed with a copper-covered iron frame for support. The cost was $8,400. It was only the first of larger problems to come. In the spring of 1885 the National Lincoln Monument Association reorganized as the Lincoln Monument Association and immediately requested maintenance funds from the state legislature. A $10,000 appropriation was made, providing money for the reconstruction of the remainder of the weakened terrace. As it was being rebuilt, a new brick burial vault was constructed. In April of 1887 the remains of Abraham and Mary Lincoln were again moved, this time to the brick vault. Before Lincoln's casket was reburied, it was opened and his remains were positively identified to help dispel rumors that his body was missing. The brick vault was considered "unbreakable" and a safe, permanent burial place. Unfortunately, it was to be another temporary one. The remains of another Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln II (Jack), Robert Lincoln's son, were interred in the tomb in 1890. This, too, would be a temporary burial.
The First Reconstruction Throughout the 1880s there was increasing demand for state acquisition of the monument. John Power had harsh criticism for those who wanted to "wrest it from the Monument Association," calling them the "worst enemies of Springfield." Mounting maintenance costs, however, and the prospect of a reconstruction of the deteriorating obelisk meant that state control was inevitable. When Power died in 1894, former governor Richard Oglesby was the last living member of the monument association. He deeded the tomb to the State of Illinois in 1895, with the stipulation that a custodian's residence be constructed and that admission fees and postcard sales be discontinued. The same year, Edward S. Johnson, a member of the Lincoln Guard of Honor, was named the tomb's new custodian by Governor Altgeld. Johnson's new residence, a limestone masonry structure just west of the tomb, was completed in 1896. A few years later, in 1899, a committee of state legislators was appointed to investigate the structural condition of the monument. They found, as previous inspectors had suggested, that the foundation of the tomb would soon have to be rebuilt. Amid the decision making, the idea for a downtown tomb resurfaced. "Springfield's wish to have Lincoln sleep on the hill near the heart of town never died," wrote Lloyd Lewis; a few members of the House of Representatives called for a new monument in the center of the city. The cost of a new tomb, however, would have been far higher than rebuilding the existing one, and the downtown boosters finally admitted defeat. A $100,000 appropriation was soon made by the legislature. The funds would pay for the rebuilding of the monument's foundation—but not the foundation of the obelisk, which had sunk down to bedrock. The footings beneath the terrace, Memorial Hall, and the burial chamber had been built into clay. Since clay is a material subject to swelling and shrinking depending on weather conditions, the entire monument had been rendered unstable. In addition to rebuilding the foundation, the height of the obelisk was to be increased by fifteen feet to improve its appearance. Thus the key feature of the appearance of the tomb—the obelisk—was changed to eliminate a flaw in the original design.
The Final Burial Robert Lincoln became director of the Pullman Palace Car Company upon the death of George Pullman in 1897. The burial of the industrialist in Chicago's Graceland Cemetery was an unusual one, prompted by the extreme hostility of labor organizations and individuals towards him. To prevent the desecration of his grave, Pullman's casket was buried in a surrounding framework of railroad ties and encased in concrete. Two years later, when President Lincoln's remains were moved to a temporary vault during the reconstruction of the tomb, Robert Lincoln notified state officials that he would provide the $700 for a similarly secure burial for his father's remains. In May 1901, as the reconstruction was nearing completion, Robert Lincoln met with Governor Richard Yates and officials of the Culver Construction Company in Springfield to arrange for the burial. The grave was to be a ten-foot excavation, with the casket placed inside a new wooden box. Surrounding it would be an enclosure of "heavy flat steel bars," bolted together, and encased in "Portland cement concrete." Lincoln, who disliked publicity, requested that the reburial be carried out as quietly as possible. The casket, he said, should not be opened. Later that year, on September 26, state officials, custodian Johnson, members of the Lincoln Guard of Honor, and construction company officials gathered for the final reburial. The continuing rumors about Lincoln's "missing remains" necessitated the opening of the casket, despite his son's wishes. After the president's remains were positively identified for the last time, the steel-caged coffin was lowered ten feet and attached with cement to an underground boulder. The burial-chamber floor was replaced. Lincoln was finally at rest.
The New Century As at other historic sites in the early twentieth century, the numbers of visitors to the Lincoln Tomb increased rapidly as more Americans acquired automobiles and as better roads were built. The concentration of Lincoln sites in and around Springfield made the city especially attractive for families seeking excursions with educational value. After the First World War, when the country was embracing its cultural heritage as never before, the symbolism of Lincoln became especially appealing. The Illinois Department of Public Works was created in 1917, and its Division of Parks and Memorials assumed responsibility for the Lincoln Tomb. With the new agency came a more professional management of the troubled monument. The experience of the visitor, however, remained relatively unchanged. The iron stairs to the observation windows in the obelisk were still in use. Memorial Hall was becoming ever more crowded with display cases filled with Lincoln mementos. The burial chamber was still reached by the path around the side of the monument. The white marble sarcophagus that was displayed above the concrete vault was typically covered with a profusion of wreaths and flowers. From the ceiling above it, a single, bare electric light bulb illuminated the room. Custodian Johnson died in 1921. Shortly afterward, Herbert Wells Fay of DeKalb, Illinois, was appointed his successor. Fay was "a noted Lincoln collector" who owned a large photograph collection, making him a logical choice at a time when Memorial Hall was used for the display of relics. Fay soon became a popular figure in Springfield. He wrote a column for a local newspaper in which he provided news of visitors to the Lincoln Tomb and details of events there. His collection of Lincoln relics and photographs, housed in glass-topped display cases in Memorial Hall, was the focal point of his lectures to visitors. He encouraged them to ask about the mementos, and when they did, he provided elaborate accounts of how each one was acquired. His entertaining lecture-tour of the tomb "abounded in dramatic incidents," as Fay retold the story of the attempt to steal Lincoln's remains. "To those of us who know him," wrote one admirer, "the venerable Custodian of the Tomb is second only to the shrine itself." A growing number of visitors, however, disapproved of Fay's lectures and relic displays. Many of his mementos and photographs in Memorial Hall were unrelated to Lincoln, including pictures of famous persons and another that was titled "Someone's dog at the Lincoln Home." For one visitor, Memorial Hall was "a great accumulation of books, papers, pictures, and knickknacks" that seemed out of place in the tomb. The Hall itself was marred by Fay's crude placards "posted or pasted on the marble walls." One of them read "Lincoln's blood, ask how and when it came here." Another said, "Ask how Lincoln came to raise whiskers." Fay's lectures were, for some observers, merely collections of anecdotes, and those visitors objected to the "merriment and laughter" they elicited. "This custodian wants to tell a lot of asinine folk lore stories," complained one citizen, who said that Fay would make a "splendid lecturer in a 'chamber of horrors' or as a barker for a side show." A change was needed, urged one citizens' group. "Under the existing conditions, is it possible to show that reverence which every true American should and really wishes to show at the tomb of Lincoln?"
Grand Presidential Monuments The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., was dedicated on Memorial Day of 1922. The classical Greek marble temple, with Daniel Chester French's sculpture dominating its interior, is an awe-inspiring symbol of the republic that Lincoln struggled to save and a beautiful monument to Lincoln's memory. Custodian Fay was not impressed, however. The Lincoln Memorial "only appeals to the eye," he said, and like a natural wonder, after it has been seen once, "becomes commonplace." Even as the Lincoln Memorial was receiving nationwide acclaim, the Lincoln Tomb was exhibiting noticeable signs of deterioration. "Visitors comment on its condition," Fay complained. The tomb's state of disrepair reflected poorly on Illinois, he said, and suggested that the state did not "appreciate its Lincoln advantage." Fay proposed a remedy for the deficiency and took it to the local newspapers. His idea was a grand one: an enormous new Lincoln shrine near the existing tomb that could be seen from a distance of twenty miles. Fay's proposed new monument was to be dominated by a towering pedestal surmounted by a huge statue of Lincoln. Together, pedestal and statue would be five hundred feet tall—nearly as tall as the Washington Monument's 555 feet. Atop the statue of Lincoln was to be "a powerful searchlight to guide air-mail pilots." The tower was to be surrounded by a huge circular museum complex, interspersed with colonnades and triumphal arches. Within the many rooms would be vast display spaces for Lincoln memorabilia, documents, and photographs, depicting "a panorama of [Lincoln's] life that would give a patriotic thrill to every visitor." Unlike the Lincoln Memorial, said Fay, "a thousand visits would not exhaust its thrill." Although Fay's proposed monument would have made a fine showcase for his collection of Lincoln mementos, the Illinois Department of Public Works had other plans for the Lincoln Tomb. By the 1920s Public Works officials had concluded that the relics should be removed from the monument. Without the |
Rashad Jennings ($562,500), but they also still have kicker Josh Brown on their books ($250,000).
How can the Giants increase their space under the cap? Well, two players who have been rumored to either take a pay cut or be cut – J.T. Thomas and Dwayne Harris – are in the top 12 of the team’s salary cap hits. Thomas is 10th with a hit of $4 million (2.37 percent of the cap) while Harris is 12th ($3.8 million, 2.25 percent).
Here’s a look at how the money is divided up among the top 15 salary cap hits plus the dead money and draft pool:
Eli Manning, $19,700,000 — 11.67%
Jason Pierre-Paul, $16,934,000 — 10.03%
Olivier Vernon, $16,000,000 — 9.48%
Janoris Jenkins, $15,000,000 — 8.89%
Damon Harrison, $10,600,000 — 6.28%
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, $9,000,000 — 5.33%
Justin Pugh, $8,821,000 — 5.23%
Shave Vereen, $4,916,668 — 2.91%
Brandon Marshall, $4,468,750 — 2.65%
J.T. Thomas, $4,000,000 — 2.37%
Ereck Flowers, $3,925,014 — 2.33%
Dwayne Harris, $3,800,000 — 2.25%
Jonathan Casillas, $3,691,668 — 2.19%
Eli Apple, $3,443,709 — 2.04%
Odell Beckham Jr., $3,311,063 — 1.96%
Dead money, $3,099,441 — 1.84%
Draft pool, $5,507,011 — 3.26%
Remaining space, $4,415,876 — 2.62%
Salary cap hits calculated by spotrac.com
Salary cap space according to NFLPAThe "wrap", as the shroud for the 2012 Olympic stadium is known, was supposed to provide an opportunity to showcase London's penchant for artistic improvisation, spontaneity and all‑round coolness. Let's save money, the organisers and architects thought, and make it look like we're having fun by wrapping a strip of environmentally sustainable fabric around the outside of the steel struts and concrete buttresses, and then get someone to cover it with, well, some sort of design.
The gloss came off that little scheme when the wrap was quietly abandoned once cost-saving measures began. From a budget of more than £9bn, a feature that was potentially the principal visual symbol of the 2012 Olympics was dumped in order to save £7m. Then someone thought a bit harder, realised that the absence of a wrap would let the wind in, possibly blowing javelins and hammers towards the VIP seats, and found a way to subsidise it.
Dow Chemicals, the US-based multinational company which pays an estimated $25m a year to be one of the International Olympic Committee's 11 principal sponsors, agreed to stump up the extra cash necessary to encircle the stadium's structure with panels made of polyester and polyethylene. In return they secured the right to use the surfaces for advertising purposes until the eve of the Games. But then the toxic waste hit the fan.
In 1999 Dow bought Union Carbide, another chemicals giant, which had come to public attention 15 years earlier when a dilapidated plant belonging to its Indian subsidiary in Bhopal, a city of 1.7m people in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, exploded and filled the air with gases, principally methyl isocynate, an ingredient of pesticides. Some 3,000 people were killed in the first few weeks, many more have died in the years since then, and the death total directly attributable to the world's worst industrial disaster now stands at around 11,000 in the most conservative estimate (the true total may be over 20,000). Although the plant had been closed and the site sold, some Dow shareholders objected to the takeover on the grounds that the company would be damaged by association with such a terrible event.
That moment has now come. Despite Dow's claims that the Indian government accepted a $470m (£300m) payment in final settlement of any obligations, disinterested witnesses attest to a continuing tragedy and want the London Olympic organisers to sever links with a company that refuses, in their view, to meet its moral obligations.
Lorraine Close is a 29-year-old nurse from Glasgow who followed her studies at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine by spending six months in Bhopal this year, working in the Sambhavna clinic, which cares for people suffering as a result of contamination. "The mistake people make is by continuing to say that this is about an explosion in December 1984," she told me on Monday. "It's about contamination that's happening today."
Toxic sludge, she explained, was dumped in pits, on top of plastic sheets, in an attempt to cleanse it through evaporation. Instead the chemicals leached into the ground water. The pits and the sludge are still there, and the water is still used for drinking and washing by people for whom government supplies of water are unreliable.
"I've seen horrendous congenital defects in children: gross retardation and stunting, skin and respiratory conditions, endocrinology problems, unusual cancers," she said.
"People say they know the water tastes funny, they know it isn't doing them any good, but they don't have a choice. And absolutely nothing is being done. All Dow will say, over and over again, is that it's nothing to do with them."
Now she has set up a Change.org petition to persuade Sebastian Coe and his fellow members of the organising committee to abandon their support of Dow's position. So far 8,400 people have signed up to help persuade a company that declared a profit of $2.3bn last year to face up to its moral obligations. And here is a chance for the Olympic movement, normally so proud of its humanitarian principles, to make a real difference to the lives of those who continue to suffer the consequences of a tragedy created by simple human greed.
Sócrates, a true Corinthian
Garforth Town, it turns out, were not the only English team for which the late, great and much lamented Sócrates turned out. David Harrison, a long‑standing member and former chairman of Corinthian Casuals FC, called on Monday to say that he was part of a visit to São Paulo in 1988, during which the English amateurs played a past-and-present XI representing Corinthians Paulista, the club founded after a Brazilian tour by the original Corinthian FC in 1910. A former Corinthians Paulista hero who had just completed a season in Rio with Flamengo, Sócrates agreed to play the first 45 minutes in the white shirt of the Brazilian club (Corinthian FC's original colours) – alongside six other Brazilian internationals – and the second in the visitors' chocolate and pink (the colours of Casuals FC, retained after the merger in 1939). The match took place in the Pacaembu Stadium in front of a crowd of about 17,000 – impressive, if some way below the record of 71,000 – and was televised to a national audience. Sócrates scored the only goal of the first half before switching sides, and the match finished 1-0. I think we can accept Mr Harrison's claim that he remains the best player in the history of the Ryman League club.
Two-toned tribute
There are times when a minute's applause is more appropriate than a minute's silence, but the salute to Gary Speed before Saturday's rugby international in Cardiff demonstrated the perils of not making a clear distinction between the two. Half the 60,000 crowd bowed their heads in silence while the other half clapped their hands. Everybody acted with the best of intentions but no one could be sure they were doing the right thing and a precious moment was spoilt.
Rooney's fulsome apology
The Uefa people are going to love it, are they not, when England's representatives turn up in Nyon this week with a battery of lawyers to plead the case for cutting Wayne Rooney's three-match international ban. The Football Association's Adrian Bevington says a reduction would allow Rooney to play "a more fulsome part" in the tournament. Dictionary definition of fulsome: "excessive or insincere (archaic: disgusting, loathsome)".
[email protected] the steady pitter-patter of rain rhythmically beat against the car, my Filipino friend and I ventured onward searching for coffee, food, and belonging. Our destination: an amiable atmosphere filled with a platoon of platonic conversationalists seeking warm refuge from another overcast and rainy Savannah Saturday.
Scurrying from the car, dodging raindrops and puddles, we had finally made it home: to Foxy Loxy Print Gallery and Cafe. With a turn of a knob and a jingle of bells, we found refuge in warm personalities and the building that houses one of Savannah's most unique coffeehouses.
click to enlarge Cozy Foxy Loxy on Bull Street is the perfect refuge from any storm. Plans are in the works to take over the upstairs space.
A single story complete with living, dining and sun room, it felt as though we'd returned to our respective concepts of home rather than a business. Shuffling across the wooden floor to the counter, we decided on a meal from their delectable Tex-Mex offerings.
Initially the lack of available seating placed us in the awkward social situation of standing around like the last kids to be picked for dodgeball. This might not be the situation for long, as a recent Kickstarter campaign envisions an upstairs expansion to allow for more seating and space for art exhibitions and music performances in the charming Victorian house.
Taking charge and embracing the current homey atmosphere, the two of us took seats in the dining room, joining two others at the large dark wooden table intended for six.
click to enlarge
Drinking the signature Foxy Loxy blend from Perc Coffee (also available at its Broughton Street sister café, The Coffee Fox) from our wide-mouthed cups, we began reflecting, reveling and gossiping. As Ernest Van R. Stiles gazed down upon me from the nearest wall I slowly started on my sea green poblano and potato soup, served in a seemingly bottomless Cerulean blue metal camping cup.
Conversation quelled by Foxy's indescribably amazing food, I began to truly notice the walls and doors adorned with art and prints showcasing owner Jennifer Jenkins' talents as a printmaker alongside local posters for music lessons and upcoming shows.
Allowing the soundscape of RJD2 and Wax Tailor coupled with the steady strum of keyboard clicks to infiltrate my mind and mood, I witnessed a slew of people enter Foxy Loxy seeking the same things I had sought: Coffee, food, atmosphere, and and inevitably, seating.
click to enlarge
Despite the perpetual challenge of finding a place to sit the influx of customers continued with many settling and sitting next to strangers. It was then I knew why I had a fondness for this Savannah staple. While the lack of seats can be problematic, it paves the way for a sense of community in patrons having to share tables, couches and counters.
It's this sense of community alongside the culinary concoctions and soothing soundscape that makes Foxy Loxy stand out. I certainly hope it will retain it as it grows to accomodate more people looking for coffee, good food and a cozy place to enjoy them.
It's not just any place to grab coffee, it's a home for the Savannah community.
An array of definitions and ways to say "home" exist, but it is the warmth and sense of community one feels that makes home what it truly is -- where one is happy and relatively free to be what they are.
cssong, then see Prehibernation (song). If you were looking for the article about the, then see
"Prehibernation Week" is a SpongeBob SquarePants episode from season two. In this episode, Sandy and SpongeBob play extreme sporting games.
Characters
Synopsis
At Sandy's treedome, Sandy rakes her tree's autumn leaves into a pile that forms the shape of Texas. Sandy goes to tell SpongeBob she's finished but finds herself stepping on the leaves SpongeBob was meant to rake up. SpongeBob demonstrates his inability to rake the leaves quickly due to his miniature rake. Sandy tells SpongeBob to move on to something else as she continues her own chores at a brisk pace. SpongeBob can't understand why Sandy's in such a hurry, so she reminds him that she's hibernating the following week. She explains further that it's when she goes to sleep for the entire winter, a "mammalian thing" that sea creatures don't need to worry about. With only 168 hours left to go before then, Sandy has many activities she's desperate to do. SpongeBob promises to commit all the time he's not working for Mr. Krabs to play with Sandy, an offer she enthusiastically takes him up on.
Their activities that run day and night include sand-boarding, trying to knock each other off the top of the "Sea Needle" with giant ear cleaners, "Extreme Jacks," and "Find the Hay in the Needle Stack." These prove to be extremely dangerous, and SpongeBob, much less hardy than Sandy, can just barely avoid getting killed. He goes into hiding under Patrick Star's house to escape from her, and Sandy, overly worrying for his safety, forces everyone in Bikini Bottom to form an unnecessary search party for SpongeBob.
Sandy has them search in dangerous places such as sulfur fields and a poison sea urchin cove. After days of searching with no success, they all want a break, but she won't relent. They ask for time to take care of their children, but Sandy merely suggests to have them crawl into places the adults can't reach. With the dissent growing, Sandy goes mad saying that no one is leaving until they find SpongeBob. The townspeople try to fool Sandy with objects in SpongeBob's shape and color like a cereal box and a banana, but she doesn't buy any of that. One fish points to SpongeBob supposedly up in the sky, but as Sandy looks up and turns back in confusion, she finds that everyone has gone, taking their chance to also hide under Patrick's rock.
Production
Music
( ‣ ) Associated production music
( • ) Original music
( ◦ ) SpongeBob music
Still frantic, Sandy starts literally destroying the city in her search for SpongeBob. The townspeople express how safe they feel under the rock, as does SpongeBob, whom they unceremoniouslythrow out for Sandy to find. Sandy rushes to SpongeBob as he desperately tries to hide again, to no avail. Sandy joyfully pulls SpongeBob into a crushing hug before tugging him along to go "atom smashing," but he pleads for her to wait and listen to him. SpongeBob finally explains to her that he can no longer play the dangerous games she wants to play and begs for her to remain his friend. However, he realizes that Sandy has already fallen sound asleep, and the relieved and exhausted SpongeBob falls asleep as well. Patrick, eating ice cream and carrying a grocery bag, returns home to find the townspeople staring out from under his rock and cries out, "Who are you, people?!"
‣ Pre-Hibernation - Pantera [title card]
‣ Real Western Steel - Bobby Black [opening]
‣ Harry's Back - Hans Ehrlinger ["I is 100% ma-male."]
‣ Real Western Steel - Bobby Black ["Enough chitter-chatter, SpongeBob!"]
‣ Pre-Hibernation - Pantera [Sand Mountain]
‣ Rococo Rondo - Tedeusz Rozycki ["Uh... I can explain."]
‣ Pre-Hibernation - Pantera ["I'm hotter than a hickory-smoked sausage!"/"Life's as extreme as you want to make it!"]
‣ Hawaiian Link (b) - Richard Myhill [later...]
‣ Solo Steel - Jeremy Wakefield [SpongeBob dragging himself home]
‣ Pre-Hibernation - Pantera [SpongeBob launched out of bed/Extreme Jacks/Sandy and SpongeBob at the Sea Needle]
‣ Holiday Playtime - Cedric King-Palmer [bike ride]
‣ Pre-Hibernation - Pantera [the industrial park]
‣ Vibe Q Sting - Nicolas Carr ["Wait a minute, I gotta talk my way out of this."]
‣ Pre-Hibernation - Pantera [hay in the needle stack/SpongeBob hides of Sandy in Patrick's rock]
‣ Danger Zone - Mike Sunderland ["SpongeBob's tie!"]
‣ Gruesome - The Surfdusters [search party]
‣ Death Trap - Gregor F. Narholz [Sandy looking for SpongeBob]
‣ Rococo Rondo - Tedeusz Rozycki ["Uh, I can explain."]
‣ Death Trap - Gregor F. Narholz [Sandy continues looking for SpongeBob.]
‣ Harp Ding - Nicolas Carr ["SpongeBob?"]
‣ Real Western Steel - Bobby Black [Sandy hugs SpongeBob]
‣ Pre-Hibernation - Pantera ["Sandy, wait!"]
‣ Stack of Leis - Kapono Beamer ["I just can't take the games!"]
‣ Reflections of Honolulu - Daniel J. White [Sandy asleep]
Release
Reception
As of September 9, 2018, The Internet Movie Database (IMDB) gives this episode a rating of 9.0/10 based on 459 ratings by users. [2] TV.com users give this episode a rating of 8.9/10 based on 163 votes. [3]
TV.com users give this episode a rating of 8.9/10 based on 163 votes. "Prehibernation Week" was ranked #28 during the Best Day Ever event on November 9–10, 2006.
Trivia
General
Cultural references
The game "Find the hay in the needle stack" is a switch on "find the needle in the hay stack."
The Sea Needle is a parody of the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington.
During the transition from Sandy's house to the sand hill, somebody shouts "Yippee!" This sound effect is also heard in the game Worms Armageddon.
. SpongeBob's line "They're tearing me apart!" is a reference to James Dean's line "You're tearing me apart!" in the film Rebel Without a Cause.
. When Sandy suggests she and SpongeBob the game "Find the hay in the needle stack," this is a reference to idiom which is said vice versa, and this saying means trying to find something small in an area that's too big.
Errors
When Sandy goes over to paint her fence, the green bikini she wears underneath her skirt is gone.
Even though Sandy paints entirely over SpongeBob's water helmet with white paint, his eyes are still visible.
Throughout the entire episode, Sandy's acorn is black rather than its usual color. This error also occurs in "Wormy."
When SpongeBob and Sandy are in the industrial park, they jump over a metal jaw that is chomping rocks. Sandy and SpongeBob successfully jump over the machine and, although they went flying forward, in the next scene, they are seen falling straight down. This wouldn't make sense due to them going over a ramp.
over a ramp. There were two Nats once. One went into the three-eyed sea elephant and one was standing near Sandy.
When Sandy busts into the Krusty Krab, she points to Frank, the muscular fish, saying that him and whoever is on his side is on Alpha team go look for SpongeBob. However, Frank screams "Gold team rules!"
When Sandy and SpongeBob are playing extreme jacks, Sandy blows the whistle with her helmet on.
There is a column left of "Sunday" on the calendar in Sandy's treedome.
The calendar that Sandy pulls down when she and SpongeBob are frozen in the lake only has 20 days and only has five days a week.
After Charlie asks if he can go home and Sandy looks angry, her neck is the same color as the lower side of her face.
Before Patrick screams "Who are you people?!," his mouth disappears shortly after.
Running gags
A guy on a bike holding a lollipop, having random things happening to him, usually just saying "Uh... I can explain..."
SpongeBob getting hurt from various activities he and Sandy did.
The Bikini Bottomites using various things that are square or yellow to make Sandy think they found SpongeBob.World Bank report calls for action to cut common pollutants such as soot, which could save millions of lives every year
Cleaner cookstoves could save a million lives every year, but costs need to decrease sharply for poor households in developing countries to be able to afford them, according to a World Bank report.
On thin ice: how cutting pollution can slow warming and save lives, published on Sunday evening, calls for action to reduce common pollutants such as soot, known as black carbon, to not only slow global warming, but prevent millions of deaths.
It warns that climate change in the cryosphere – snow-capped mountain ranges, glaciers and vast permafrost regions – could have dire human consequences from the resulting rise in sea levels, increased water stress and more extreme weather. For example, the release of large CO2 and methane stores as a result of melting permafrost could contribute up to 30% more carbon to the atmosphere by the end of the century.
"The health of people around the world will improve greatly if we reduce emissions of black carbon and methane. Limiting these emissions will be an important contributor to the fight against climate change," said Jim Yong Kim, president of the World Bank. "The damage from indoor cooking smoke alone is horrendous – every year, 4 million people die from exposure to the smoke. With cleaner air, cities will become more productive, food production will increase and children will be healthier."
The death toll of from cookstoves using wood, charcoal, dung and crop residues exceeds the World Health Organisation's estimate of annual deaths from HIV and Aids, tuberculosis and malaria combined. Once lodged in the lungs, superfine particles, which include soot, cannot be coughed out, creating the conditions for disease.
Cookstove reduction measures offer by far the greatest potential benefits to human health and in slowing cryosphere warming, said the World Bank.
Improved cookstoves would have the biggest impact in the Himalayas. According to the report, more than 1 million premature deaths may be avoided annually in the region from all methane and black carbon measures combined. About 743,000 of these prevented deaths would arise from cookstoves measures. In terms of agricultural impact, less pollution could result in crop increases of staples such as rice of 15m tons annually, with almost 3m tons in additional crop yields occurring in China alone.
Cleaner cookstoves include those using liquid petroleum gas, biogas, ethanol or fans. The report notes that hundreds of public and private initiatives exist to bring cleaner stoves to women in the developing world. It also suggests that as a first step the world should focus on the four clean cooking solutions. Cost and local acceptance, however, remain major barriers, although the report cites China's clean stove initiative as an example of a successful programme to promote clean cooking.
Reductions in emissions from diesel transport and equipment, meanwhile, could result in more than 16m tons of additional yield in crops such as rice, soy and wheat, especially in south-east Asia; and also avert 340,000 premature deaths. However, gains would be eliminated by the end of this century if not accompanied by strong reductions in carbon dioxide, the report said.
"The role of such reductions is to slow the immediate rate of change, especially in the cryosphere, but cannot replace long-term effects to reduce CO2," the World Bank said.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said in a report in September that if people continued to emit greenhouse gases at current rates, the accumulation of carbon in the atmosphere could mean that within as little as two to three decades the world would face nearly inevitable warming of more than 2C (3.6F), resulting in rising sea levels, heatwaves, droughts and more extreme weather.
• This article was amended on 5 November 2013 to correct a temperature conversion.The eastbound Wilder Road exit from eastbound Highway 24 in Orinda was closed Friday evening because of a motorcycle crash and fire. (Published Friday, Aug. 16, 2013)
A man shot Friday in Orinda by a California Highway Patrol officer during the investigation of a hit-and-run collision has been identified as 32-year-old David Alcairo, the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office said today.
Alcairo, a Concord resident, was shot in the torso Friday on the Wilder Road offramp from eastbound state Highway 24 around 4 p.m., Sheriff's Office spokesman Jimmy Lee said.
His injuries are not life-threatening, but he currently remains at John Muir Medical Center, Lee said. When he is released from the hospital, he is expected to be booked into Alameda County Jail on multiple charges.
The shooting occurred during the investigation of an injury hit-and-run collision involving a motorcycle that occurred around 3:40 p.m. near the Claremont Avenue offramp in Oakland, according to the CHP.
Working from a description provided by an off-duty federal law enforcement officer who witnessed the collision, a CHP officer spotted a suspicious vehicle matching that description parked on the shoulder at the Wilder Road offramp around 4 p.m., Lee said.
The CHP officer stopped behind the vehicle, but at some point during the contact the driver allegedly approached the officer in an aggressive manner and refused to comply with orders, Lee said.
The officer opened fire, injuring the driver. Eastbound lanes of Highway 24 were closed for about two hours during the two investigations on each side of the Caldecott Tunnel, backing traffic up at the height of this evening's rush hour.
The CHP, the sheriff's office and the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office are jointly investigating the officer-involved shooting, Lee said.
Anyone with information about the incident has been asked to call the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office at (925) 646-2441.Everyone loves stickers. By everyone, I mean preschoolers, teachers, and, apparently, John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens. How much does Harbaugh love stickers? He has decided to reward players for effort by placing stickers above their lockers.
ESPN broke this compelling story and provided pictures of the stickers. When I first saw them, I thought, "Whoa! I'd clean the house so much better if I could get a sticker like that afterwards!" Joe Flacco is in the lead with 32 stickers, so I think it is safe to say that he will be even more elite than usual against the St. Louis Rams Sunday.
Defensive end Chris Canty essentially said the stickers are like a time machine, transporting him to happier, more carefree years. Here's what he actually said via ESPN: "It kind of feels like we're back in elementary school a little bit."
Tight end Crockett Gillmore did a better job normalizing the stickers, saying, "That's just the character of the team. If you want to be a Raven, you're going to fly around and you're going to get to the ball. This proves to everybody that not only does it show up on film, but it's going to show up on your locker." Flying around and earning stickers. It must be great to be a Raven.
The Ravens will likely need more than stickers to generate some positive momentum and salvage their season. At 2-7, the Ravens are struggling in the absence of several key players lost to injury and free agency. The offense has floundered under former Chicago Bears head coach and current Ravens offensive coordinator Marc Trestman.
If I were the head coach of a professional team tasked with improving my team's record, I would totally give out stickers for extra motivation. As long as I'm solving big problems, like a 2-7 NFL record, I'd also suggest stickers for motivating government leaders, corporate executives, and even NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.The Verge reported that the news around Ebola was wreaking havoc in Texas towns. It was spreading like wildfire on the social landscape and these were messages from sources that sounded like newspapers. This happened in 2014 and what followed were trails of fake news sending shock waves across the media and user world.
As per The New York Times, just before the presidential elections in the US, fake news and memes became the tools for perpetrators to influence the outcome of elections. Fake news is rearing its ugly head time and time again. Not for nothing are the tech behemoths, Facebook and Google as well as media companies waging war on fake news. Is there a way to differentiate the fake news from the truth?
The trouble begins when too much of information is shared through the internet – information that needs more than a human mind to identify the fake enjoying the status like the original. In this realm, artificial intelligence and big data have emerged as potent tools to track news stories and identify fake news items playing the trick on the user.
Is Artificial intelligence-driven data veracity the lens on misinformation?
Any news becomes a fake news if the information presented is incorrect or information doesn’t represent facts that it is expected to carry. When it comes to information, it is also about assuring the veracity of information as it is about moving, processing and securing information. In short, fake news and information are more of a big data veracity issue.
When it comes to handling fake news, none have put a braver face than Facebook. With trillions of user posts, Facebook realized that manual fact-checking wouldn’t do any good to solve the fake news problem. Facebook turned to artificial intelligence to arrest this problem. Artificial intelligence is being leveraged to find words or even patterns of words that can throw light on fake news stories.
Artificial intelligence is now looked upon as the cornerstone to separate the good from bad in the news field. That is because artificial intelligence makes it easy to learn behaviors, possible through pattern recognition. Harnessing artificial intelligence’s power, fake news can be identified by taking a cue from articles that were flagged as inaccurate by people in the past.
As the volume of data grows bigger by the day, so is the chance of handling misinformation as it challenges the human ability to uncover the truth. Artificial intelligence has turned into a beacon of hope for to assure data veracity, and more importantly, identify fake news.
How to deal with misinformation dynamics?
Spreading misinformation across the social landscape is not wholly about accidental inaccuracies; it is more about intentional misinformation that is dynamic. Misinformation dynamics is all about connecting fake news to the new big data concept called the data veracity.
Borge-Holthoefer and Berti-Équille came up with the staggering revelation that traditional approaches stand unequal to deal with this intentional misinformation. Where misinformation spreads like fire, dealing with fake news calls for sophisticated approaches based on artificial intelligence to determine data veracity and the authenticity of information.
How is fake news unearthed?
As the world gets ready to tackle fake news, technology has set the trend by showing us how to identify fake news. Here are some ways leveraged to fight fake news.Secret Political Donors Find Ways To Stay Anonymous
The latest deadline for the presidential candidates and the major superPACs to disclose their finances was Sunday night. The public and the media can find out who has been giving to the candidates, and how that money was spent. But there's a lot of political spending that isn't being reported.
Outside money groups are spending millions of dollars, and the donors remain anonymous. Two recent court rulings could force those groups to file public disclosures, but there already seems to be a way around that.
Unlike superPACs, these big-spending groups don't disclose their donors. They operate mostly as tax-exempt advocacy organizations under section 501(c)(4) of the tax code. It's a status that lets them hide the sources of their money.
Allison Hayward, vice president of policy at the Center for Competitive Politics, says there may be good reasons donors would give to a superPAC in the primaries but think twice about doing so in the general election.
"People wanted to be known for what they were doing, potentially, in the Republican battle," Hayward says. "Maybe now they're less excited that Obama knows what they're doing for Romney, or something like that."
Top-Spending Groups
Tax law says nonprofit groups cannot have partisan politics as their major purpose. Yet so far, these groups have outspent others in the general election — including President Obama's re-election campaign and both national party committees.
Bowdoin College professor Michael Franz is a co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project, which last month compiled a list of the top-spending groups in the TV political wars.
"What we basically did was say, 'Here are the groups that are airing the ads, and here's where they're airing them.' And we listed the names and the number of ads and the total dollars spent," Franz says.
The Wesleyan list shows 10 groups over the million-dollar mark for the general election. Seven of the 10 are nonprofits that don't disclose their donors. Collectively, they spent $30 million.
"The interests, you know, don't want to be at the center of the debate," Franz says. "They want to make the campaigns the center of the debate. And so the [501](c)(4) vehicle is an easy way to do that, without also having the disclosure drive the narrative."
The top spender was Crossroads GPS, co-founded by Republican consultant Karl Rove. Since the Wesleyan analysis was done, Crossroads GPS has announced a $25 million campaign targeting Obama's record.
A 'Cat-And-Mouse Game'
Proponents of disclosure won two victories recently: First, a federal district judge told the Federal Election Commission to resume requiring disclosure of electioneering communications; and second, an appellate panel left the ruling in place while opponents file their appeal.
"Electioneering communications" is the legal phrase for TV ads when they're run close to Election Day.
But Rick Hasen, an election law professor at the University of California, Irvine, says he's not expecting any sudden outpouring of donor information.
"It's been a cat-and-mouse game that's gone on for a very long time," he says.
As soon as the district judge issued the order to the FEC, nonprofit groups started changing their advertising.
One way to sidestep the court ruling is to switch from electioneering communications to more partisan messages that are not covered by the court order.
Hasen points out that then, the most explicit kind of partisan ads would be financed with anonymous money, which is basically the thing that campaign finance disclosure is supposed to prevent.
"It's quite an ironic outcome," Hasen says, "because the whole point of the electioneering communications rules was to avoid loopholes."
Still, that strategy could bring big risks.
The IRS could question why a nonprofit is spending so much money explicitly attacking candidates when it's supposed to be mainly advocating on issues.
But that would likely be a fight for after the election.Today Hillary Clinton is in Laos for a one day visit. This event will mark the first time in 58 years for a high ranking US official to do so.
What do we actually know about Laos? Reports often start to state that Laos is one of the poorest countries in Asia or in the world. To be more factual, the GDP per capita of Laos is the highest of Asia’s bottom 5 and in the top of world’s bottom 40, a long cry from financial prosperity.
With over 1.8 million tourists annually visiting the republic, tourism has become an important source of income. Although one can quite easily get in and is allowed to freely travel to a large part of the landlocked country, Laos remains one of the least well known countries in Asia.
Along with Cuba, China, Vietnam, and North Korea it is one of the last countries remaining under communist rule.
Like China and Vietnam, Laos is moving from socialism to capitalism, however their regimes are still autocratic. With the Lao press fully under state control, there’s no transparency whatsoever. Arguably there’s as little or even less known about the life of Lao President Choummaly Sayasone than about North Korea’s new leader Kim Yong Un.
Foreign reporters who question the conduct of Laotion authority or seeking contact with opposition factions (See an Al Jazeera documentary of Hmong opposition here), are not tolerated and there’s a large chance to be caught and jailed.
Reporters without borders (RSF) have not updated their records on Laos for over 6 years.
If one leaves out an open letter to the president which has been left unreplied, this is actually nine years, after an incident in 2003 when 2 French reporters and two Laotian assistants were imprisoned.
Although healthcare and sanitary conditions have greatly improved to a point that it has already met its 2015 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target, there’s little substantial evidence that progress has been made on the issue of human rights.
After a request from I-nomad to RSF about their seeming lack of effort to investigate, analogous to the Lao President on their open letter, RSF has chosen not to comment.
Little known facts about Laos
1. The mysterious plain of jars
400 km North-East of the capital Vientienne, the province of Xieng Khouang, boasts 90 sites with thousands of stone jars. The plain of jars is still mystifying archeologists. What culture created the jars, which have a height of 1 till 3 metres and why they are there? Most experts support the theory that they are urns. The jars date back from 500 BC till 500 BCE.
2. Debatebly Asia’s best beer
The country’s most widely recognised product is Beerlao brewn by Lao Brewery Company.
The beer is based on locally grown jasmine rice; the hops and yeast used are imported from Germany.
Beerlao is highly appreciated both locally as well as abroad.
Together with LaneXang beer (Lan Xang is the old name for Laos meaning Million Elephants) by the same brewery it is said to cover 99% of the domestic market. Beerlao is exported to 27 countries.
3. Between 1964 and 1973 the US dropped 50 bombs per Laotion
Laos is the most heavely bombed country in the world. More bombs were dropped on Laos than in the entire WWII. During the secret war between 1964 and 1973, the US |
the giants it was built to stand upon. jp [1:28 PM] You used triple entry accounting in 2005 to inspire blockchain. But instead you credited something not actually used csw [1:28 PM] Yes, the marketplace was far too early. And my design skills are far too poor. [1:28] Using wxHtml was also a mistake. jp [1:29 PM] It is why Ian grigg was heavily undervalued while core Adam back is crook cryptonaut [1:29 PM] the idea for PoW is an iteration/evolution of hashcash so I don't think the citation is off base really csw [1:29 PM] And triple entry accounting was something I stayed away from commenting jp [1:29 PM] It is not too late to comment now csw [1:29 PM] It was something I was introduced to when I was working at BDO, an accounting firm jp [1:29 PM] Yes. Granger did csw [1:31 PM] Again, I never foresaw the world to come as it has come. I did not see the politics. I saw state actors as more the issue than Adam B(l)ack jp [1:31 PM] I Think you should also correct the citation. Adam back himself was surprised when he saw he was credited christophbergmann [1:31 PM] why was Ian Grigg heavily undervalued, @jp? cryptonaut [1:31 PM] what a mind trip adam must have had lol jp [1:32 PM] He was the one kept looking for hmwjo SN was because he was surprised as his name was included in whitepaper while he knew hashcash was not used csw [1:32 PM] It is published. Papers should not be played with [1:32] I am not a god, I am a researcher. I code, I do maths and I am fallible. (edited) jp [1:33 PM] It is not late to correctly credit people whose works you used. [1:33] Adam back is not and should not be on whitepaper because of just an introduction email to Wei Dai csw [1:34 PM] Should not. Is. These are separate concepts. tomothy [1:34 PM] I know you touched on the 1mb cap and mining but can you comment on the idea of the UASF, (user activated soft fork) and your thought on using it to implement segwit? Also general thoughts on segwit? Thanks. csw [1:34 PM] I do not want to be found. I did not want to be found. cryptonaut [1:34 PM] frankly unless csw somehow 100% proves he is satoshi, any whitepaper update wouldn't be taken seriously and probably a waste of time. Plus blockstream is already a thing, too late for that csw [1:35 PM] UASF - Miners are nodes. Nodes are miners. [1:35] There are NO full non-mining nodes. [1:35] Please read the paper. [1:35] It is VERY VERY clear [1:35] If you have issues, look at the code. tomothy [1:35 PM] And then segwit generally? csw [1:36 PM] "Nodes" that are not mining are wallets, these are fat SPV systems and sock puppets [1:36] SegWit centralises the system jp [1:36 PM] What is your plan to stop segwit? A hard fork coming soon? csw [1:36 PM] It means that developers can make further changes without a consensus bdd [1:36 PM] joined #general csw [1:37 PM] There will not be an update. Mistakes on referencing or not tomothy [1:37 PM] To the best of your knowledge, does segwit infringe on any patents? csw [1:38 PM] And I will not prove. I am not here to prove. If you need to listen as you think that I am and this is the sole reason, then it is lost to you in any event. [1:38] Tomothy. [1:38] Yes [1:38] I cannot expand on that here and now. [1:39] That will be addressed soon and in the manner that is requires tomothy [1:39 PM] And is it safe to the assume that the creators of segwit had alterior motives for creating it, introducing it, and refusing to increase 1mb limit? [1:39] Understood. Eagerly await. csw [1:39 PM] I cannot speak for the motivations of others I do not know intimately jp [1:39 PM] What can we do to help? csw [1:40 PM] Law is Law. Cryptographic tools are tools. I know many do not see this, but when it comes to intellectual property, it is rather certain. [1:40] To help... compete. [1:40] Competition and markets are the source of human freedom and innovation. [1:41] Make something. [1:41] Develop jp [1:41 PM] Compete in what way? I see that the SDK is one stone two birds. Kill core and alts csw [1:41 PM] And if you fail for the n-th time... Start and try again. cryptonaut [1:41 PM] amen to that, @jp compete in all ways :stuck_out_tongue: [1:41] getting super late here, I'm out guys. Cheers jp [1:41 PM] Will there be any smart contract applications coming? csw [1:41 PM] I cannot discuss that./ [1:42] I also need to go. I am sorry, but I have a lot to do. jp [1:42 PM] Thank you. tomothy [1:42 PM] Same, thanks for providing so many responses! csw [1:42 PM] Please, all I ask is do not follow me, a developer or anyone based on who they are. Look anytime, everytime on the solution, the effects and the trade-off. bitsko [1:43 PM] thank you for your thoughts! csw [1:43 PM] Please remember, this is a world of scarcity, there is always something that is a trade-off, a cost and we cannot just assume that a change comes without a cost. [1:43] Fair well.Tom Cruise is the quintessential definition of a “movie star,” a term that has been less and less relevant as the millennials make their way to the ages of the 23-30 range. Regardless of what you think of the man personally, there’s no denying his big screen presence is an essential part of cinema history.
The thing is, Tom Cruise is much more than just a good-looking man that runs very well. He’s actually giving some wonderful performances, Oscar-worthy even. They may not be the most popular Tom Cruise movies that general audiences have seen, but believe me, they are out there.
Take Risky Business for example. Early on in Cruise’s career, his adorable charm was the selling point to get teenage girls in seats at the local cinema. An unapologetic unconventional premise should’ve been a disaster. A teenage boy hosting his own brothel? Think if that were to happen today, it wouldn’t. But it wasn’t the “risky” plot that had audiences flying to the theaters in droves, it was the delightful and charismatic performance of Tom Cruise. To this day, Risky Business is held as one of the finest in career defining performances of Cruise’s acting career.
Perhaps the most divisive film in his catalog, is also one of my personal favorite Tom Cruise performances. That film is Cameron Crowe’s audacious, yet awe-inspiring Vanilla Sky. I admit, throughout my first viewings in my younger years, I simply did not get or appreciate the film. Today, it remains the one film I recommend Cruise haters to give a watch in an attempt to showcase how terrific of an actor he truly is. David Aames is a character who has everything, with everything in life handed to him in one way or another.
The unsettling despair Aames goes through from beginning to end are both parts cynical and uplifting. If you are a fan of the movie, you know just how fantastic that elevator scene is. The range Cruise has with the limited movements of his face, while utilizing his eyes, voice and portraying a feeling of self discovery is simply astounding. It’s not a perfect film by any means, but one for sure that will always hold a little place in my heart, and a Blu-ray I revisit more often than not.
Then there’s the big one, the one that got Cruise his most recent best supporting actor nom, Paul Thomas Anderson’s masterpiece, Magnolia. Frank T.J. Mackey, the creator of the “Seduce and Destroy” system, which is manipulating woman into have sex with them. The misogynistic, foul-mouthed pyramid scheme artist is one of the (if not the) most multi-layered characters of the 21st century.
The infamous interview scene, with the equally infamous bedside scene are some of the most beautifully realized moments in a single performance. Cruise range in Magnolia is second to none, and he didn’t run a single inch.
@Nick_CasalettoPhoenix - The Brewers announced Wednesday that Hall of Fame radio voice Bob Uecker will be honored this summer with a statue placed outside of Miller Park in a ceremony on Aug. 31. The statue will be located near the stadium's Home Plate Plaza.
Uecker’s name is synonymous with summertime in Wisconsin as he has brought Brewers baseball to generations of fans listening to games on the Brewers Radio Network. His irreverent style and knowledge of the game are unrivaled, and Uecker’s talents have been known to audiences worldwide for years through his work on television and film projects.
“The joy that Bob has brought to us over the years is priceless, and with 2012 being the 50th Anniversary of his first Major League game, there’s no better time than now to celebrate his achievements,” said Brewers chairman and principal owner Mark Attanasio.
“Bob represents everything that is good about Milwaukee and Wisconsin. He is an iconic figure for the franchise, and his passion for the Brewers is second-to-none. Bob is a national treasure who calls Wisconsin home. I’m proud to have him as a great friend. I couldn’t be happier to add this statue to his legacy.”
Uecker’s resume contains numerous honors, but all feature one common thread - he always leaves the audience laughing. There was no better testament to this than when he was honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame with the Ford C. Frick Award in 2003. Uecker’s acceptance speech has now become legend as he left the audience, which included former President George H. Bush, in tears from laughter.
“I am honored and grateful to everyone in the Brewers organization for this tribute,” Uecker said. “I would especially like to thank Mark Attanasio, who has become a friend and a confidant, his wife Debbie, and the Attanasio family. I would also like to thank our fans for their support. I hope they have enjoyed listening to the games as much as I have enjoyed doing the broadcasts. On behalf of my family and myself, thank you.”
While Uecker’s roots will always be in baseball -- including six seasons as a player and 42 years as a Brewers broadcaster -- his career includes an incredible base of performing and entertaining.
Uecker emerged on the national scene as an entertainer in 1969. A visit with Al Hirt led to Johnny Carson booking Uecker for an appearance on the "Tonight Show." The chemistry between Uecker and Carson was immediate, and it led to approximately 100 encore appearances. Uecker soon became one of the most sought-after guests on the talk show circuit as appearances followed on the “Mike Douglas” and “Merv Griffin” shows, “Late Night with David Letterman” and even a hosting role on “Saturday Night Live.”
Highly respected in the industry, Uecker was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2001. This April, the honors will continue as Uecker takes his place in the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
Uecker's credits go far beyond guest appearances and play-by-play. In 1985, he launched a television acting career as one of the stars of ABC's sitcom "Mr. Belvedere," which put 122 episodes into syndication. He also hosted two syndicated television shows, "Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports" and "Bob Uecker's War of the Stars."
One of Uecker’s most memorable roles came as the anchor of arguably the most successful advertising campaign in the history of television - The “Miller Lite All-Stars.” For years, Uecker served as the captain of the crew that acted in spots promoting Lite Beer from Miller.
As a film actor, Uecker starred in what is widely regarded as one of the best baseball movies of all time, serving as radio announcer Harry Doyle in the film "Major League." He followed that up with a reprised role in "Major League II."
Uecker’s national sports broadcasting experience included serving as color commentator for ABC Sports coverage of Monday Night Baseball, League Championship Series and World Series, and NBC’s Major League Baseball Game of the Week.
A former catcher who spent six seasons in the major leagues, Bob authored a book entitled "Catcher In the Wry," a humorous look back on his years with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies. One of his career highlights as a player came in 1964 when he was a member of the world champion St. Louis Cardinals.
Despite his national attention and success, Uecker has always worked toward helping others. His charitable efforts benefit many organizations, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Uecker will be the fourth person to be honored with a Miller Park statue. Hank Aaron and Robin Yount were the first to be recognized with statues that were unveiled on April 5, 2001, the first year of Miller Park’s existence. The first two statues were donated by the Allan H. (Bud) Selig Foundation. On Aug. 24, 2010, Major League Baseball Commissioner and former Brewers owner Bud Selig became the third honoree when his statue was unveiled in an afternoon program.
The date of the Uecker statue unveiling and related ceremonies will be Aug. 31. Specific details related to the ceremony will be announced at a later date.
The statue will be cast in bronze, measure over seven feet in height not including the base, and is being designed and produced by Brian Maughan, who (along with Douglas Kwart) also created the Aaron, Selig and Yount statues.Deathead Show Canceled By Venue Because Band May Upset Mormons
Tags:
Deathead, mormons
Jason Fisher August 12, 2013
August 12, 2013
Utah based thrash metal band DEATHEAD have been banned from a venue in Idaho for 'looking like a hate group.' Deathead released a shirt design over 10 years ago that features the band on the front and "At Least I'm Not Mormon" on the back. And that was enough to have The Venue in Caldwell, ID ban the band from performing. The venue reportedly stated "I speak for the venue and we believe in music,, all types, but your shirts make u look like a a hate group we do not support that. I/we hope u understand that, and thank u for your interest in the club.""The show was set to take place on September 21 and had been booked for about a month," states the band. "I was informed by the booker, who is a good guy and I have much respect for, that the club was owned by Mormons and they see what we have as a message of hate and we were not welcome. [They] said that they got several letters about us."Deathead was banned in July from performing at The Fifth in Bountiful, UT as "the venue was worried that we would be too heavy and loud for their patrons and has asked the promoter to not include us."Deathead will still be performing at Kamikazes in UT with The Obliterate Plague and Unthinkable Thoughts on Sept 7 so show some support. Also be sure to check out the band's music at bandcamp.com"You've certainly come along in your studies, Twilight," Celestia said as she looked over her student's latest report.
"Thank you, your Highness. It's only because I have such a good teacher."
"Well, as your teacher," Celestia stood and paced around the much smaller unicorn, "I think it's time to try something new. Or rather, it's time to retry something."
"Retry...?"
"I'm sure you remember your first, hmm, encounter with real magical power?"
"Oh... yes." Twilight hung her head. She knew where this was going. "Princess, I don't think I'm ready. I'm not sure I'll ever be-"
"And I certainly don't expect you to be." Celestia nuzzled Twilight on her cheek. "This is merely to see how far you've progressed. I'll be with you the entire time." Her voice dropped to a whisper, as a mother might use towards their child. "I won't let anything bad happen." Twilight looked up at her. She bit her lip, but after a moment, nodded weakly.
Celestia guided her student to the center of the circular study, as far away from its high, heavily adorned walls. She Twilight stood directly in the middle, Celestia facing her. The unicorn tensed as she felt magic, Celestia's very own, reach around hers, nudging it, poking it. Her mentor's magic was always warm, always inviting, but to have even less control made Twilight uneasy.
As Celestia found the lock in Twilight's mind, the unicorn panicked. She tried to shout, to tell her to stop, but she was drowning. Everything was a blinding white. As she searched for her voice, any sound to tell her mentor of the pain, her discomfort eased. Colors she had never imagined bled into the endless brightness. Where had this been before? Had she not been strong enough to make any sense of the cascading energy when she had earned her cutie mark? She craned her neck up to see as much as she could. Flitting in and out of the storm, like fish in a rapid, magic the color of fire guided her own energies.
A soft cheek pressed against Twilight's, and through it all she could hear Celestia ask her, "What do you see?"
"It's... beautiful..."
Alternate response: "My god, it's full of stars!"
Aaaand that's as much fanfiction as I'm going to get into. It actually turned out longer than I expected. As much fun as it is to poke fun at Trollestia and everything, I think Our Little Sun Goddess is a lot better than we give her credit for. Princess or not, the fact that Twilight trusts her so completely implies a powerfully positive relationship.
Done in PS CS4Women having sex changes on the NHS are being given free fertility treatment so they can have babies after they become men.
At least three British men who were born female are ‘on the brink’ of becoming parents using IVF techniques, according to a top doctor.
And dozens more are now having their eggs frozen at NHS clinics before undergoing surgery or hormone therapy to switch sex.
Scroll down for video
A medical first: Thomas Beatie, when pregnant for the first time. He was the first man to give birth and went on to have two more sons
The controversial treatment means that a British transgender man could soon become a parent – all funded by the taxpayer.
In rare circumstances, the man could become pregnant and give birth, although the vast majority of cases would involve implanting an embryo into a surrogate mother, often the man’s partner.
Last night critics said cash-strapped health authorities should not be spending up to £34,000 per patient to help them change sex and have children when they are rationing basic services such as cataract operations, hip replacements and even hearing aids.
Tory MP Peter Bone said: ‘I am not sure why the taxpayer should be funding this. I just sometimes ask if the NHS is getting its priorities right.’
But one of Britain’s leading sex change doctors defended the practice, saying patients undergoing gender reassignment surgery had as much right to preserve their fertility as young people with cancer who freeze their eggs or sperm before having chemotherapy.
Dr James Barrett, of the NHS Gender Identity Clinic in West London, said three of his patients who have transitioned from women to men were close to becoming parents.
He added that, in the last year, he had asked GPs to refer about 50 of his female-to-male patients to have eggs frozen, and about 100 of his male-to-female patients to have their sperm frozen.
‘As a matter of principle, anybody who loses their fertility as a result of standard NHS treatment should be able to preserve their fertility,’ he argued.
THE TRAILBLAZER: AMERICAN WHO BECAME WORLD'S FIRST PREGNANT MAN In 2008 Thomas Beatie proved it is possible for trans-men to physically have a baby themselves if they keep their female reproductive organs. He is pictured with his daughter Susan and son Jensen Most transgender parents who freeze their eggs before fully transitioning from female to male will attempt to have children through a surrogate. But in 2008 Thomas Beatie proved it is possible for trans-men to physically have a baby themselves if they keep their female reproductive organs. The former teen beauty queen from Honolulu had started taking testosterone at 23. In 2002 he underwent surgery to give him a more manly appearance. But he chose not to have a hysterectomy and at the age of 34 he conceived his daughter Susan with the help of an anonymous sperm donor. He went on to have two more sons.
‘Why are people with cancer particularly magic and get this [NHS fertility treatment], and other people don’t? Transgender patients want to live like normal people. They want what everybody else gets as a matter of course.’
Some local NHS authorities had agreed to fund fertility treatment for his patients straight away, Dr Barrett said. Some refused while others took ‘months’ to decide.
According to NHS figures released under the Freedom of Information Act, the average cost of a female to male gender reassignment to the NHS is £29,975 and £13,867 for male to female.
Egg-freezing IVF could add around £2,500, plus £150 a year for storage for up to ten years.
IVF services are already stretched in the NHS, with some areas such as parts of Essex, denying such treatment to infertile couples.
THE CHAMPION: DOCTOR WHO HAS THREE MEN READY TO BE 'MOTHERS' Dr James Barrett, consultant psychiatrist and lead clinician at Charing Cross Gender Identity Clinic, believes that transgender men and women have just as much right as cancer patients to preserve their fertility through the NHS.
One transgender candidate for the treatment is 17-year-old Riley Middlemore, born Rebecca, who wants to freeze eggs before transitioning to a man, so in the future – using donor sperm – his girlfriend would be able to become a surrogate and give birth to their child.
Last night, his mother Carrie said: ‘He’s very passionate about having his own children, but he wants his girlfriend to have the children – he doesn’t want to give birth.’
In 2008, American Thomas Beatie shocked the world by giving birth to a daughter, Susan, after changing gender.
Mr Beatie went on to bear two other children using donor sperm, because his wife had undergone a hysterectomy while he had kept his womb.
But Dr Barrett said that in most cases the child would be born with a surrogate and the role of the transgender man who provided the eggs ‘would be that of father’.
But Michael Nazir-Ali, the former Bishop of Rochester, said the procedure risked upsetting ‘the natural order’ and said children would be ‘confused by not knowing if the parent is a father or a mother’.
He added: ‘Any child is best brought up by knowing the biological father and biological mother.’
THE CANDIDATE: TEENAGER WHO WANTS TO FREEZE HIS EGGS Riley Middlemore hopes to freeze his eggs before making the full transition from female to male. The 17-year-old has revealed that he wants his girlfriend to act as a surrogate with his eggs so he can have his own biological children.
But Dr Barrett said there was no evidence transgender people made worse parents than others, adding: ‘From adoption studies, they seem to be doing fine.’
No female to male transgender patient has yet completed this process in Britain, but Dr Barrett said: ‘There may be some who are on the brink of doing so,’ indicating there were three people in this position.
He told his transgender patients who were freezing their eggs that they had a ‘small, but not zero chance of their own DNA being in some baby in the future’ because fertility treatment was often unsuccessful. But he said egg freezing was about ‘preserving options’
Official figures show a success rate of just one baby for every 29 embryos created from frozen eggs.
About 15,000 people were referred to UK gender identity clinics last year, and since 2004, transgender people have been able to obtain a new birth certificate under their altered gender.
But whether a transgender man whose frozen eggs have been used to create a baby will be legally recognised as the child’s father, rather than their mother, remains to be seen.
Last year High Court judge Mr Justice Hickinbottom ruled that ‘JK’, who had switched from male to female, must be listed as ‘father’ on the birth certificates of her two children, conceived before she started hormone therapy.
JK had wanted to be listed simply as ‘parent’ citing her human right to keep her gender change private.Georgia governor Nathan Deal has until May 3 to reject or sign a new "religious liberty" bill passed by the state legislature. House Bill 757 would allow employers and businesses to deny services or jobs on the basis of behavior that conflicts with religious beliefs, raising concerns about LGBTQ rights.
The NFL has strongly suggested 757's passage would take Atlanta's new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, scheduled to open in 2017, out of consideration to host a Super Bowl.
In 2015, similar legislation in Indiana drew criticism from multiple major sports leagues, including NASCAR, before being amended. An Arizona law threatened the 2014 season's Super Bowl and was eventually vetoed.
Last year, Atlanta was named one of four finalists to host the 2019 and 2020 Super Bowls, with a selection scheduled for this May. Atlanta was considered a favorite to land one, given the working logic that the NFL tends to reward stadium construction.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium has already locked up multiple other big events, including the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2018 and an agreement with the SEC to extend Atlanta as the host of the SEC Championship through 2026.
Both the SEC and the Playoff released statements regarding the potential passage of 757.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey:
Our conference championship events are an extension of our universities which are places of diversity and opportunity. We are attentive to this legislative matter as we continue our policy of considering numerous factors in determining sites for our championship events.
Playoff executive director Bill Hancock:
We deplore discrimination wherever it occurs and note that there is a public debate about this matter and its implications, as well as whether or not it will become law. We will keep an eye on this, but our group's focus is on sports and public policy matters are better left to the experts and voters to resolve.
SB Nation also requested comment from ESPN, a corporate partner of the Playoff:
At ESPN, we embrace diversity and inclusion and we are evaluating our options.
The Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl will still serve as a Playoff semifinal in 2016 and '19. Its organizers have not yet responded to a request for comment. We'll update when they do.
The impact on Atlanta of removing any of these games would be tricky to measure.
Organizations like the NFL and NCAA often tout "economic impact" studies to promote events and stadiums. They tend to be projections of how much money would be spent by fans and event organizers on hotels, food, alcohol, transportation, merchandise, etc., then how that profit would later be spent inside the community. The math tends to be nebulous at best.
The Georgia World Congress Center Authority, part owners of the current and new football stadiums, estimates the SEC Championship created a $1 billion economic impact on Atlanta from 1999 to 2014, a span of 16 sold-out games at $62.5 million per event.
That figure was included in the SEC's official announcement of the partnership's extension.
Using the math offered by the SEC and not counting inflation, Atlanta would stand to gain a $687.5 million economic impact over the next 11 contracted SEC Championships. Throw in the 10 more available through extension, and the SEC title game would be worth $1.3 billion over 20 years, before inflation.
The 2015 Super Bowl brought the Phoenix area anywhere between $30 million and $500 million, depending on whether you believe one economist or the game's committee.
Either way, the SEC impacts Atlanta's economy more than a Super Bowl could.
And sports events aren't even Georgia's biggest potential economic losses.
For comparison's sake, combined economic impact numbers from the SEC and NFL pale in comparison to the film industry's work inside Georgia. The state touted a $6 billion impact number through the 2014-15 fiscal year. Several major television and film studios working in Georgia have threatened to pull production, including Disney.The City of Vancouver's plans to build a bike lane on Commercial Drive is irking businesses along the busy shopping and eating area.
The lane, which is slated to run between First and 14th avenues, was one of 12 the city approved in December to be built in the next five years.
"I'm concerned. I'm really concerned," said business owner Lena Demetrioff. "If you see Commercial Drive and how tight the street can actually be — even the buses have a hard time with parking and pedestrians."
According to the Commercial Drive Business Improvement Society, Demetrioff isn't the only shop owner concerned about the new bike lane. It says a survey it recently sent out to its 650 members revealed 84 per cent of those who responded don't support it.
"The loss of parking could have an adverse effect on the economic viability of businesses on the drive," said the society's CEO, Nick Pogor.
Pogor says the city should consider moving the lane to a nearby residential street instead.
Some businesses in favour
But environmentally-friendly transportation advocate Streets for Everyone disagrees.
The group says it knows of 25 businesses that are in favour of the lane. And it has a petition of 3,000 community members who are also on board.
"Nearly 20 per cent of Grandview-Woodlands needs or uses their bike to do errands, spend money, to go to different services, and they're not being accommodated on the street," said Alex Thumm with the organization.
And many cyclists in the area say the lane will enhance business, not hinder it.
"Cyclists are consumers too and customers of businesses, and you can fit more bikes in front of a business than cars," said cyclist Jordan Bober.
Lane needed for safety: city
The city says it's aware that not everyone agrees, but the bike lane is needed for safety.
"Commercial Drive has particularly high cycling collision rates, so we do want to implement some changes," said Lon LaClaire, the city's acting director of Transportation.
The city says it will consult with businesses and cyclists before it makes the final decision on where exactly the lane will go.Limerick FC’s SSE Airtricity League Premier Division fixture with table toppers Cork City scheduled to take place at Thomond Park this Monday night has been postponed because the pitch at the stadium ‘requires remedial work’.
Limerick FC’s SSE Airtricity League Premier Division fixture with table toppers Cork City scheduled to take place at Thomond Park this Monday night has been postponed because the pitch at the stadium ‘requires remedial work’.
In a statement issued this Saturday evening, the FAI said the decision to postpone the clash of Stuart Taylor’s Limerick and high-flying Cork City had been taken because the playing surface at Thomond Park required work following Munster’s Heineken Cup quarter-final win over Toulouse at the venue earlier in the day.
The FAI statement continued: “Because this (remedial) work cannot be done in time to facilitate the playing of a midweek SSE Airtricity League fixture, the Limerick v Cork City match has had to be postponed. A new date for the fixture will be announced in due course.”
Munster are also due to face the Glasgow Warriors at Thomond Park on Saturday next, April 12, in a crucial RaboDirect PRO12 clash at 6.30pm.
Limerick FC secured a last gasp draw against UCD in the Premier Division on Friday night, thanks to an injury time Jason Hughes goal at Belfield Bowl. The point saw Limerick move up to 10th place in the table, ahead of both Sligo Rovers and Athlone Town.
Cork City are currently top of the Premier Division following their impressive 3-0 home win over Shamrock Rovers at Turners Cross on the same might.The New York Times editorial board has condemned the GOP’s new platform, just authorized at the Republican National Convention, as the “most extreme” in memory. This may well be the case, but the platform is also remarkable for something the Times does not comment on: belligerence and a new cynicism towards China. To show how this really is something new, this article reviews GOP platforms since Nixon’s rapprochement with China and traces the evolution thereafter of GOP disillusionment.
In 1972 the Republican platform boasted, “President Nixon’s visit to the People's Republic of China was... an historic milestone in his effort to transform our era from one of confrontation to one of negotiation.” Relations between the two countries were seen as promoting “an important contribution to world peace,” as the 1976 platform reaffirmed. Despite cultural and political differences, the relationship was based above all on “the need to maintain peace and stability in Asia” as the 1980 platform put it. In 1984, Republicans spelled out what they meant by the euphemistic “peace and stability”: “Despite fundamental differences in many areas, both nations share an important common objective: opposition to Soviet expansionism.” By 1988, when Reagan’s détente with the USSR was in full swing, the platform approved later that year cut out the anti-Soviet rhetoric, basing the U.S.–China relationship instead on “mutually beneficial trade,” and China’s continued economic and political opening up.
1992 heralded an important shift in the GOP’s position on China. Now without any Soviet threat, apparently no longer particularly pulled by the China trade, and certainly reeling from the disillusionment of Tiananmen, the new platform baldly and brusquely declared: “Our policy toward China is based on support for democratic reform. We need to maintain the relationship with China so that we can effectively encourage such reform. We will continue to work toward the day when the Chinese people will finally complete their journey to an open society, free of the deplorable restrictions on personal liberties that still exist.” GOP support for the U.S.–China relationship was solely focused on encouraging democratic reforms in China. The 1996 platform, which hardly mentioned China, concurred, even while promising—for the first time—“vigilance with regard to its military potential.”
The 2000 Republican Convention authorized a platform that put trade back on the agenda, leading the GOP to support China’s entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO). Even so, there was little optimism about China, which was called “America’s key challenge in Asia” and accused of proliferating weapons of mass destruction. Even so, the platform held out hope that China would still achieve a democratic transformation and promised that it would be welcomed into international society if it did. In 2000, the GOP saw China as an illiberal state, a growing security threat, and a valuable trading partner, but still not—overall—a particularly important country.
By 2004, the GOP platform took China much more seriously, offering more details than any platform since Nixon went to China. It is in this platform that the declaration—which since has become a mantra among U.S. government officials—appears: “We welcome the emergence of a strong, peaceful and prosperous China.” But there’s something important to understand here. This GOP welcome has always been conditional, as the following sentence from the 2002 National Security Strategy makes clear: “The democratic development of China is crucial to that future.” The democratic conditional was based on a syllogism that would be repeated for the next eight years: “Eventually, men and women who are allowed to control their own wealth will insist on controlling their own lives and their own country.” Economic freedom was step one; social and religious freedom had to necessarily follow, for freedom is “indivisible,” or so went the idea.
To the now-standard foundation of democratic transformation, the 2004 platform reemphasized the benefits of mutual trade and the wariness of China’s military power originally sketched in 2000. Unlike the United States, which remained committed to maintaining its worldwide network of military bases and unquestioned military supremacy, the U.S. defense platform declared, “In pursuing advanced military capabilities that can threaten its neighbors in the Asia-Pacific region, China is following an outdated path that, in the end, will hamper its own pursuit of national greatness.” In other words, do as we say, not as we do. As for trade, China’s entry into the WTO was promoting openness and the rule of law, while providing export opportunities for Americans. A good deal all in all. The platform, finally, emphasized the importance of cooperation with China on issues ranging from the war on terror to preventing proliferation in North Korea and stopping the spread of infectious diseases.
The 2008 platform was perfunctory in comparison to its predecessor four years earlier, repeating the mantra of welcoming a “peaceful and prosperous China” and “even more the development of a democratic China.” National greatness, it declared, cannot be achieved “while the government in Beijing pursues advanced military capabilities without any apparent need.” Alongside these supposedly unreasonable military expenditures, the platform condemned the “one-child” policy, the suppression of “basic human rights in Tibet and elsewhere” and the erosion of democracy in Hong Kong. Bilateral trade between the United States and China, however, was still held out as positive, and the GOP committed itself to ensuring China fulfilled its WTO obligations. The 2012 platform |
least 80 people. ISIS, also known as Daesh, has attempted to take advantage of the chaos caused by the President’s strikes, launching a powerful offensive on a military base in Al Furqlus, pro-Syrian news site Al-Masdar claimed. Homs governor Talal Barazi claimed the airbase was used to support operations against ISIS.
Trump launches military strike against Syria Fri, April 7, 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump launched 59 Tomahawk missiles against Syria in response to its chemical attack on its own civilians Play slideshow Getty/Reuters 1 of 19 Trump ordered a massive military strike against a Syria
GETTY Trump rained down 59 missiles on the Homs region airbase
GETTY The ISIS assault is reportedly taking place under 20 miles from the airbase strike
It is believed the ISIS assault has not yet made any territorial gains, but the US offensive has provided an opportunity for the terror tyrants to keep pressure on Syrian forces and attack without risking retaliatory air strikes. It comes after Barazi claimed the US strikes “targeted military positions in Syria and in Homs specifically" in order to “serve the goals of terrorism in Syria and the goals of Israel in the long run”. Syrian officials often refer to people opposing the government the government – including western backed rebels – as terrorists.
GETTY Trump's Syria offensive pits him against both the government and ISIS in the region
He added: “Syrian leadership and Syrian policy will not change. “This targeting was not the first and I don't believe it will be the last.” Shortly after the US offensive President Trump revealed he had ordered a targeted military strike on the airfield in Syria from which a deadly chemical attack was launched.
GETTY ISIS insurgents have long used moments of chaos to spread their vile regimeThese kinds of claims of rampant refugee rapists aren’t new, they’ve been circulating between the warp nacelles of the wingnutosphere for some time.
Journalist Ami Horowitz told Fox News people high up in the Swedish government are purposely covering up the prepretrators of rape crimes to protect "vulnerable" migrants. During an explosive interview on Friday, Mr Horowitz claimed the refugee violence crisis was out-of-control but that "European virtues" had put a stop to any discussion on the statistics. His claims sparked Donald Trump to tell a rally in Florida that migration in Europe was out of control.
Except that, of course, it’s wrong.
The problem, though, is that this “rape epidemic” is as fake as the Bowling Green Massacre. Canadian reporter Doug Saunders rigorously investigated the narrative, and concluded that it “falls apart as soon as you speak to anyone knowledgeable in Sweden.” Official Swedish statistics do indeed show a high rate of rape, but that’s because Swedish law has an extremely expansive definition of what qualifies as rape under the law.....These panics about immigration, instead, reflect a long history of sexual panics in the West about non-white immigrants. Etc.
And more as reported by Juan Cole.
Henrik Selin, political scientist and deputy director of the Swedish Institute, a state agency dedicated to promoting Sweden globally, said he was puzzled by Mr. Trump’s remarks. “I do not have a clue what he was referring to,” he said in a telephone interview. “Obviously, this could be connected to the fact that there has been a lot of negative reporting about Sweden, since Sweden has taken in a lot of refugees.” … Mr. Selin said the news reports “ were highly exaggerated and not based in facts,” adding, “Some of the stories were very popular to spread in social media by people who have the same kind of agenda — that countries should not receive so many refugees.” As for the cover-up alleged by Mr. Horowitz, Mr. Selin said: “That kind of claim has been in the political debate for 15 years now. But nobody has been able to prove there is a cover-up. On the contrary, the fact is that crime rates are going down.” He added: “Swedish authorities have nothing to gain from hiding the truth. We are quite keen to ensure that the debate and the story about our country is fact-based and nuanced. We are more than happy to talk about the challenges our country faces as well as the things that are going well.”
This is bigoted bullshit, just like the false claim that Trump started his campaign with the “Mexicans are Rapists, [And] they bring crime.” But that doesn’t mean the xenophobes aren’t going to stop claiming it over and over again.
Contrary to their understanding, the US is a signatory the UN Convention on Refugee and it’s 1967 Protocol which requires us to treat legitimate refugees with the same rights and protections as citizens.I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees Asked the Lord above, “Have mercy now, Save poor Bob, if you please” Robert Johnson, Cross Road Blues
How did it get to Trump?
To put it in Trump terms: you could say it started with a deal. Or more precisely, a big deal with various side deals attached, all of it amounting to one grand, dark bargain whose payment may be coming due at last. If one was inclined to reach for metaphor, you could say it was a deal with the devil. Or you could say it started with this, a plank adopted by the Democratic national convention of 1948:
The Democratic party commits itself to continuing efforts to eradicate all racial, religious, and economic discrimination.
That was enough to bring the devil howling out of his hole, that foot-on-the-neck-of-the-black-man devil of the Jim Crow, hookworm, lynch-prone south – “the solid south” that reliably delivered its votes to the Democratic party every four years.
The phony in American politics: how voters turn into suckers Read more
The year 1948 was a flash that led to a slow burn, a simmering fuse that wouldn’t erupt again for 16 years. The flash was the breakaway States’ Rights Democratic party, aka the Dixiecrats (motto: “segregation forever”), who recoiled from the regular Democrats’ spasm of conscience and put forward their own candidate for president, South Carolina governor Strom Thurmond. Thurmond campaigned on a platform that decried civil rights as “infamous and iniquitous”, “totalitarian” and an attempt by the federal government to impose “a police nation” on the land of the free. That fall, the Dixiecrats took four deep south states and 39 electoral votes from Harry Truman, a rippling of racist muscle that kept the Democratic party’s egalitarian impulse in check throughout the 1950s.
That decade was the slow burn, but it was coming. Occasional aberrations aside, the south stayed solid for the Democrats after Truman, though the devil felt the cracks under his feet, roamed uneasy over the land. Brown v Board of Education was a tremblor. Montgomery, Little Rock, more tremblors. At the Democrats’ 1960 convention, African American delegates walked out in protest over John F Kennedy’s concessions to the southern segs, this at a time when the Republican party, the party of Lincoln and emancipation – and thus a 90lb weakling in most of the south – was welcoming civil rights advocates to its convention. Devil stamped his feet, sniffed the air.
Across the south people were marching and sometimes dying for civil rights, though you didn’t have to march or even reach the age of majority to qualify for murder, as shown by the 1963 bombing deaths of four young African American girls, at church, in Birmingham. After Kennedy’s assassination, Lyndon Johnson, Democrat of Texas and a son of the hardscrabble south, seized JFK’s cautious civil rights agenda and turned it into a juggernaut. “If you get in my way I’m going to run you down,” he told his old Senate mentor, Richard Russell of Georgia, and it’s surely one of the great mysteries not just of American politics but of human nature in general that Lyndon Johnson, a man born and formed in one of America’s most enduring tar pits of xenophobia, would be the crucial force multiplier for civil rights.
He knew better than anyone the political risk. “I think we just gave the south to the Republicans,” he told his staff after ramming the Civil Rights Act of 1964 through Congress. His aide Bill Moyers recalled the moment in more drastic terms: Johnson feared he had delivered the south to Republicans “for your lifetime and mine”, a prediction whose proof, while not yet conclusive – we are happy that Mr Moyers is still with us – has trended ever since toward prophecy. The first hard evidence came in the presidential election that fall, when Johnson’s landslide victory over Barry Goldwater saw only Arizona (Goldwater’s home state) and the old Dixiecrat states, plus Georgia, go Republican. Goldwater had been one of only a handful of Republican senators to vote against the Civil Rights Act, and his nominating convention turned into a raucous revolt against the party’s eastern establishment. Nelson Rockefeller, millionaire governor of New York and the avatar of what’s now known as a country club Republican, was roundly booed, hooted and dissed. Goldwater delegates berated and shook their fists at the press, and African American delegates were “shoved, pushed, spat on and cursed with a liberal sprinkling of racial epithets”. Something new and nasty was afoot; Republicans were acting like a bunch of Dixiecrats. One black delegate had his suit jacket set on fire. The southern caucus at the convention named its hotel headquarters “Fort Sumter” after the starting point of the civil war. Jackie Robinson spent several “unbelievable hours” on the convention floor, and summed up his experience thus: “I now believe I know how it felt to be a Jew in Hitler’s Germany.”
Ex-Dixiecrat Strom Thurmond, now a Democratic US senator and as fiercely segregationist as ever, broke party ranks and declared support for the Republican nominee, not only campaigning with Goldwater in the south but switching his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican in the middle of the race. Goldwater ended up capturing 55% of the white southern vote, making him the first Republican ever to win a majority of white southerners, and the party of Lincoln was transformed, for one election at least, into the party of southern reaction.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Two architects of modern conservative politics: a young Richard Nixon congratulates Strom Thurmond as he is sworn in as a senator in 1955. Photograph: AP
The transformative chemistry went by various names. “White backlash.” “Racial conservatism.” Or the old standby, “states’ rights”, a political term of art that presumed wide latitude on the part of individual states to regulate provincial society, which included, it hardly need be said (though plenty of hot-blooded segs yelled it anyway), the power to grind black people down to the legal and economic equivalent of inmates on a Louisiana prison farm. As channelled by Goldwater, this new force in the Republican party was a disaster. He may have won white southerners, but he was drubbed in the overall popular vote, and Republicans lost more than 40 seats in the House. His support from Wall Street was tepid at best, and he was deserted by establishment Republican constituencies throughout the north-east and midwest.
Clearly, the situation called for serious soul-searching in the GOP. One might have expected the party to reject Goldwater’s white-backlash strategy and return to establishment Republican conservatism. But party pros, and in particular that political genius Richard Nixon, saw in Goldwater’s defeat the makings of an extraordinary coalition. A compact. A combination. A deal.
Mmmm, standin’ at the crossroad, I tried to flag a ride Standin’ at the crossroad, I tried to flag a ride Didn’t nobody seem to know me Everybody pass me by
What was needed was white backlash with a kinder, gentler face. Years later, the Republican strategist Lee Atwater, by then an operative in the Reagan White House, would explain the essence of the “southern strategy” to an academic researcher:
You start out in 1954 by saying ‘nigger, nigger, nigger’. By 1968, you can’t say ‘nigger’ – that hurts you. Backfires. So you say stuff like, uh, forced bussing, states’ rights and all that stuff. You’re getting so abstract now you’re talking about cutting taxes, and all these things you’re talking about are totally economic things and a byproduct of them is blacks get hurt worse than whites. And subconsciously maybe that is part of it. I’m not saying that. But I’m saying that if it is getting that abstract, and that coded, that we are doing away with the racial problem one way or the other. You follow me – because obviously sitting around saying ‘We want to cut this’ is much more abstract than even the bussing thing, and a hell of a lot more abstract than ‘nigger, nigger’.
The problem was mainly one of marketing: how to make racism suitable for prime time. It was Atwater’s mentor and fellow South Carolinian Harry Dent Sr, a former adviser to Strom Thurmond, who helped Nixon perfect the southern strategy, tutoring the future president in the kinder, gentler vocabulary of the new racial politics, a politics that would deliver the White House to Republicans in five of the next six presidential elections.
It wasn’t an accident. It took planning and work. As made plain in the 1969 book The Emerging Republican Majority by Nixon advisor Kevin Phillips, the southern strategy was a considered, premeditated, highly disciplined appeal to southern whites, and more generally to the deep-seated racism of America. In a 1970 interview published in the New York Times, Phillips put it this way:
From now on, the Republicans are never going to get more than 10% to 20% of the negro vote and they don’t need any more than that … but Republicans would be shortsighted if they weakened enforcement of the Voting Rights Act. The more negroes who register as Democrats in the South, the sooner the negrophobe whites will quit the Democrats and become Republicans. That’s where the votes are. Without that prodding from blacks, the whites will backslide into their old comfortable arrangement with the local Democrats.
Well, if that’s where the votes are, then by God, we better get down in that hog wallow and root ’em out! And so the Grand Old Party, the party of New York financiers, thrifty New Englanders, and wholesome midwesterners whose ancestors fought and defeated the Confederate States of America, made a deal with the south. It had taken the better part of 40 years, but Republicans had finally found their answer to the New Deal.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Ronald Reagan and wife Nancy share a chuckle as they try a rocking chair presented during their visit to the Neshoba County Fair. Photograph: Ron Edmonds/Bettmann/Corbis
Goldwater discovered it; Nixon refined it; and Reagan perfected it into the darkest of the modern political dark arts. Where does Trump come in? We’re getting there. It may seem hard to reconcile so congenial a presence as Ronald Reagan with the violent racism behind the southern strategy, but Reagan knew that devil well; knew him and paid him court on his home turf. In August 1980, for his first speech as the Republican party’s newly minted nominee, Reagan traveled to the Neshoba County fair near Philadelphia, Mississippi, and spoke the following words:
I believe in states’ rights. I believe in people doing as much as they can for themselves at the community level and at the private level. And I believe that we’ve distorted the balance of our government today by giving powers that were never intended in the Constitution to be given to that federal establishment. And if I do get the job I’m looking for, I’m going to devote myself to trying to reorder those priorities and to restore to the states and local communities those functions which properly belong there.
The Neshoba County speech is a remarkable moment in American political history, the crystallization of an existential struggle whose outcome is still very much in doubt. Why would Reagan, fresh off the Republican convention with his party’s nomination in hand, travel to a remote, rural county in a poor southern state that possessed all of seven piddly electoral votes? Devil knows why, indeed. It’s in the history, and in particular an episode from the summer of 1964 – the “Mississippi freedom summer”, when scores of civil rights workers travelled to Mississippi to organize and register African Americans to vote. On 21 June, three of these activists – Michael Schwerner, age 24; James Chaney, age 22; and Andrew Goodman, age 20: kids, basically – drove from their base in Meridian to Neshoba County to investigate the burning of tiny Mount Zion AME church, whose congregation had recently agreed to host a “freedom school” on its premises. That afternoon, the three young men were arrested on a speeding charge by Neshoba County sheriff Lawrence Rainey, held in jail for six hours, then released around 10.30 in the evening. They drove off in the direction of Meridian and disappeared.
Mmm, the sun goin’ down, boy Dark gon’ catch me here Ooo ooee eeee, boy Dark gon’ catch me here I haven’t got no lovin’ sweet woman That love and feel my care
For the next six weeks – a span of time that included Johnson’s signing of the Civil Rights Act and Barry Goldwater’s nomination at the Republican National Convention – the country watched as more than a hundred FBI agents fanned out across the state in search of the young men. Walter Cronkite did a special report for CBS; the national press had dozens of reporters on the ground. Mississippi officials insisted that the whole thing was a hoax, a publicity stunt to drum up support for the civil rights movement. Mississippi senator James Eastland alleged that the movement’s Meridian office had reported the three men missing in advance of their disappearance, and he called on President Johnson to launch an investigation into “civil rights fraud”. Leaders of the Mississippi Sovereignty Commission asserted that the young men were regularly being sighted alive and well, most reliably in Alabama. Others claimed that they were hiding out in Cuba, “with Fidel Castro and the communists”.
Eventually the search homed in on an earthen dam on the farm of one Olen Burrage, about five miles south-west of Philadelphia, and on a 106-degree day in August, with FBI agents fighting off swarms of blowflies and a stench so bad that some of the men puffed strong cigars to mask the smell, the bodies of Chaney, Schwerner, and Goodman were dug out of the Burrage dam.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest The burned station wagon car of missing civil rights workers Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney was found in a swampy area near Philadelphia, Mississippi, on 24 June 1964. Photograph: Jack Thornell/AP
In the months and years to follow, the story of their deaths would gradually come to light: their abduction by a Ku Klux Klan posse; the collusion of local law enforcement; the point-blank execution in a clearing in the woods. Far from being the work of a few vigilantes, a quite distinct picture emerges of a brutal, highly organized power structure procuring the murders of these three young men, then spinning hard to keep the truth from coming to light. Elected officials. Citizens councils. Law enforcement. The “community”.
And that’s where Reagan went to speak the words “I believe in states’ rights”, in his first appearance as the Republican nominee. These days we know it as dog-whistle politics, that coded language Lee Atwater was talking about. Reagan did not, by the way, mention Chaney, Schwerner or Goodman, whose bodies had been found a few miles away. That screaming silence, that was a dog whistle too, and to think that Reagan didn’t know what he was doing is to consign him to the ranks of the epically stupid. He’d campaigned for Goldwater. He was a two-term governor of California, and a veteran of national politics. The Neshoba County speech stands as one of the true masterpieces of the Southern Strategy, a dog whistle that blew out the eardrums of every racist reactionary within 3,000 miles.
•••
The story goes that Robert Johnson met the devil at a crossroads one night, and bargained away his soul in exchange for otherworldly musical chops. “Who’s the other guy playing with him?” Keith Richards is supposed to have asked the first time he heard a Johnson record, but it was just Johnson and his guitar. Literal-minded blues fans have burned a lot of gas over the years roving the Mississippi Delta, seeking the actual crossroads where the deal went down, but that crossroads belongs more to myth than any one place. The archetype of the devil at the crossroads waiting to make a deal shows up in cultures all over the world. One naturally wonders what sorts of forces Karl Rove was channeling when he named his Super Pac American Crossroads.
The devil didn’t have to wait long to collect his due. Robert Johnson died at age 27 – poisoned, according to lore, by the jealous husband of a woman he’d been flirting with. The Republican party’s pact with the south has had a much longer run, going on 50 years now, though the deal is looking shaky. It won’t come as a news flash to anyone that the Tea Party, the true believers, “the base” – the core of which is all those white southerners who gave an estimated 70% of their votes to Romney in 2012 – is fed up with the party establishment, the country club and Fortune 500 set that has prospered beyond imagining these past few decades. And how has the base been doing? Lousy, by pretty much every measure – income, longevity, drug addiction, job security, healthcare, education and social mobility.
“Take the bureaucratic shackles off” was Goldwater’s war cry back in 1964, and his laissez-faire economic gospel has echoed down through the years, from Nixon to Reagan to the Bushes and all the way through Romney. Cut taxes and regulation, roll up the social safety net, squash organized labor to nil. It’s worked out wonderfully for the job creators. While the true believers in the base were fighting the Kenyan in the White House over prayer in the schools and immigration and the hetero sanctity of marriage, tidal waves of money have been flowing upstream to their bosses.
No wonder people are pissed off. The south’s been suckered, along with all the other blue-collar and middle-class “Reagan Democrats” who put their faith in the GOP. The deal at the heart of the Southern Strategy is falling apart, and perhaps the modern Republican party with it. At this point it seems only a preternaturally gifted dealmaker could save the situation. Boehner couldn’t do it; he’s someplace warm playing golf. McConnell can’t do it; it’s all he can manage to keep the Senate from sinking into a cesspool of dysfunction. So just when it looks like the deal is beyond saving – lo, unto us a Trump is given.
It’s no fluke that one of the loudest and most persistent of the Obama birthers took the deep south states on Super Tuesday. While the other Republican contenders keep their xenophobia within the bounds of acceptably cruel political discourse, Trump blows it out: his racist rants play like full-fledged operas compared to the dog-whistle stuff, shredding the finely honed code that’s worked so long and so well for the GOP establishment. But that’s why the base loves him; he feels their rage. Even better, he’s beyond the establishment’s control. Nobody is the boss of Trump, not the Kochs, not Sheldon Adelson, and certainly not Reince Priebus, chief functionary of the Republican National Committee.
If Bernie Sanders has caused more than a few McGovern flashbacks for the Democrats, then surely Trump is giving Goldwater night sweats to plenty of old heads in the Republican party. But if Trump is the guy, the south looks solid for at least one more election. At what long-term cost to the party, we shall see. The country grows more colorful, less like that white southern man with each passing year.
You can run, you can run, Tell my friend-boy Willie Brown You can run, you can run, Tell my friend-boy Willie Brown Lord, that I’m standin‘ at the crossroad, babe I believe I’m sinkin’ downThe Visegrad states – Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic – have released a statement to the Bratislava Summit. They dwell on a few key pet points on free movement, migration and clipping the wings of Jean-Claude Juncker’s European Commission, but they’ve avoided anything like the full-blown row that some feared earlier in the week. The Commission softening its line on migration quotas and the impact of more integrated EU defence on the Nato relationship has done the trick.
Key messages:
Less Brussels, more power to national parliaments: It is necessary to strengthen the role of national parliaments underlining respect for the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality. By means of this, the Union will be better equipped to deliver legislation and actions that have added value for the European citizens
Stop ignoring the little guys: It is necessary to work out a solution that will enable all countries to feel comfortable in the EU. For this reason, the Visegrad Countries insist that the European integration is a common project and all negotiations should therefore be inclusive and open to all Member States.
EU defence co-operation, if you must, but Nato first: We should strengthen practical cooperation in defense to give it more substance without duplicating NATO and implement without delay the Global Strategy with particular focus on making the key elements of Common Security and Defense Policy truly functional. The December European Council should decide on implementation plan in this respect.
Free movement is why we joined: Effective EU needs to improve the communication of the benefits of the single market and genuine potential of its four freedoms, including free movement of people. The single market is a project of integration, which benefits all EU countries…This is however taken today for granted…it is necessary to inform more effectively the public opinion about the positive outcomes of the Internal Market meanwhile improving the enforcement of its rules to eradicate intra-EU protectionism.President Barack Obama has yet to say anything publicly about the death of Maj. Gen. Harold Greene, the first American general killed in war since Vietnam.
Greene is believed to have died Tuesday after a man in an Afghanistan military uniform shot Greene and 14 others in an attack near Kabul.
Since his death, U.S. political figures have spoken publicly about the attack.
“I’m deeply saddened by the coldblooded killing of an American hero today,” Senate majority leader Harry Reid said.
“General Greene was a good man, a great leader and a mentor to me and all who knew him,” said former Sen. Scott Brown, who knew Greene. “His death is a reminder that conditions remain very tenuous in Afghanistan, and that the Taliban has sympathizers everywhere and still poses a very real threat.”
On Tuesday, White House press secretary Josh Earnest discussed the attack, saying: “The thoughts and prayers of those of us here at the White House are with the family of the general, are with the soldiers and the family of those who were injured in this attack.”
But Obama himself has still not commented on the attack.
Citing a“national security source,” CNN’s Jake Tapper reported Wednesday that “the administration does not like to signal that the particular rank of a casualty merits a different response – every loss of life is equally tragic; every sacrifice is equally heartbreaking.”
“The source notes that President Obama has tended to go out to comment on military losses based more on when the U.S. loses a significant number of our troops – as when the helicopter was downed in the summer of 2011,” Tapper reported.
The 55-year-old Greene was serving in Afghanistan as the deputy commanding general of Combined Security Transition Command.
Follow Alex on TwitterFerrari, Mercedes and Renault have all expressed doubts, but Horner – as the boss of a high profile customer team – is adamant that the plans are going in the right direction.
He has campaigned for rules that will encourage independent suppliers such as Cosworth and Ilmor to produce engines.
Horner admitted that he was surprised by the negative reaction of the manufacturers, who had been involved in meetings that helped to shape the proposals, but reckons there's a political element to their discontent.
"There's been consultation with all the manufacturers. I don't think there was anything that was presented that was a surprise," Horner told Motorsport.com.
"I'd heard it all before, either in individual consultation, or through what had been discussed in the media.
"What seemed to upset a couple of manufacturers was the press release that came out following the meeting – I think they were upset that it was presented as a fait accompli.
"Inevitably there'll be some filibustering. And I think it's obvious that the commercial side of the proposition is being linked to the technical. So there's a lot of leveraging that inevitably is going on.
"You can see that happening. With Ferrari and Mercedes, sometimes it's hard to recognise which one is which, or who's running which team, but they are particularly aligned."
Horner reckons that, while the plan is not the one he dreamt of, the regulations proposed will create a better product for fans.
"I think the utopia from a personal perspective would have been to go back to normally aspirated, high revving, great sounding engines," Horner said. "But I fully understand the requirement to find a middle ground.
"I actually felt what was presented, whilst it doesn't tick the boxes for everybody at both extremes, was actually a pretty sensible set of proposals and ideology of moving forward.
"Under Ross [Brawn], whose approach has always been to do the analysis and research prior to setting off on a journey, for the first time that I can remember I feel that they've done that.
"They've recruited some good specialists that have done the analysis. From what I saw everything that was presented there was a clear and sensible logic behind it.
"I think ultimately the consumer, i.e. the fan, will end up with a better product – a better sound, more marginal performance differential, a sporting element with the overtake button. I didn't see anything that didn't address the fundamental issues that we are currently experiencing."
Horner urged the sport's new owners to stand firm and follow through with the proposals.
"I just hope that the Liberty guys have got the courage of their convictions to go through with what their research has told them, and I believe they will," he added.
"F1 has a habit of conducting its business through the media, it's all part of the theatre and show that is F1, and part of the intrigue.
"I've been quite impressed with the way they've handled things so far, that they're not rolling over, there are no clandestine discussions and meetings going.
"What their goals and objectives are, are very, very clear."While discussing his latest role, in this week’s new NBC stop-motion animation special, Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas, Hamill shared his opinion on TFA teaser trailer as well as some other bits about the new movie…
From IGN:
IGN: The past two weeks, have you been able to just sit back, smile and enjoy how much speculation people can have about an 88 second trailer? Hamill: Oh my gosh. You know, I’ll tell you, the most moving aspect of them releasing that trailer was watching a video of other people watching it. My daughter put it on for me. It was all these people watching the trailer. Sometimes you get sort of isolated and disconnected because I don’t really follow it as closely as, say, [my son] Nathan does, but to see those people that thrilled, it was moving to me. I actually got a lump in my throat watching that. To see so many people that happy was a thrill. And it’s hard to believe it’s a whole year away that we have to wait but I’m practicing my phrase, “You have to wait and see.” They asked me not to talk about it and I agreed but it’s hard. People want to know! IGN: With the trailer focusing on the new cast, like Daisy [Ridley] and John [Boyega], are you just thinking, “Wait until you see what they’re in store for?”, having gone through all this before?
Hamill: I know! I felt that the minute I met all of them. They’re all wonderful actors. I think they’ve done such a great job of not only the characters themselves, but the people they’ve picked to play them. John Boyega is just wonderful and Daisy, I just think the world of and Adam Driver and Oscar Isaac and Andy Serkis. They’re just… Like I say, this is in very, very good hands. I’m vicariously very proud of them even though I have no justification for being able to be proud!
Hamill also shared his opinion on spoilers. For the full interview go to IGN.
In another interview, this time with E Online Hamill shared even more:
On the Big Three reunion:
“They had a dinner at a restaurant for us,” Hamill said. “They booked a room at a restaurant where we all met the new cast members. The three of us came together. In many ways, it was an out-of-body experience, but within the first five minutes, it felt like we had never been apart…We were all laughing and it was like we were on a break during The Empire Strikes Back.”
On being in another Star Wars film:
“It was the last thing in the world that I ever expected to happen,” he said. “We had a beginning, a middle and an end. I was able to let go.” “I was nervous when the prequels came out,” Hamill continued. “Would it be like a bunch of strangers rummaging through my toy box? Like, ‘Hey, that’s my light saber, that’s my droid, get away from my floating car.’ But by the time the prequels came out I was surprisingly well-adjusted.”
UPDATE!
Mark Hamill also spoke with Yahoo Movies and revealed even more interesting bits:
From YahooMovies:
On his beard:
Yes. That is what I call my contractually obligated beard. Listen: I think they look fine on other people. It’s just not me. I mean, I never got used to it. But face foliage is almost a part of the costume. And it does bring a gravitas, perhaps unearned, but nevertheless, it makes a statement that they wanted to make, and I’m more than happy to oblige them.
On the Big Three absence from the trailer:
This is about the new generation of characters; I think that’s the most important thing. It’s the opening act of a whole new approach to the storytelling. So I never thought that the stories would be – first of all, I never thought I’d be involved in it again, period. And then when George [Lucas] said that they wanted to do more, I rightly assumed that it wouldn’t be our story, because we had a beginning, a middle, and an end. This must be our offspring and the current generation, with us there lending the kind of support that Peter Cushing and Alec Guinness did in the original. I don’t want that pressure! It’s too much pressure! You know, because I said to George, “Have you really thought this through? Because maybe it’s not such a great idea.” But I had a feeling, I said, “You know what – if there’s a weak link, if Carrie [Fisher] or Harrison [Ford] decides they don’t want to do it, there’s an out. Because it’s all or nothing. It should be all of us or none of us.” So I was ready to go either way. And now that we’re all in, we’ll see what happens.
On Harrison Ford:
Well, you know, he was someone that was unpredictable. I hadn’t seen him in years; I didn’t know what his feelings were. I know he’s sometimes grown impatient with people that don’t want to focus on what he’s doing currently and want to go stroll down memory lane. God knows, I’m used to that sort of thing. But who knew? And for him to jump back in so enthusiastically, I was delighted. It’s a wonderful character. Everybody loves Han Solo.
On BB-8:
I’m sure he loved the new little droid that’s a rolling ball. I’m sure he wants it under the tree this Christmas. They never cease to amaze me with what they’re able to come up with, you know? I said, “How are you ever gonna top R2-D2, the most adorable droid in movie history?” And then they have this new one. I can’t even tell you his name, but you saw it in the trailer. [Editor’s note: the name of the droid has been revealed as BB-8.] And when they were demonstrating how they did this thing, live on set — because it’s not CGI, that’s a live prop — I was just amazed. They let me play around with it. [Laughs] I was running it all around at the creature shop up in Pinewood. I’m telling you, it’s an absolute delight. And not having thought that I’d ever go back there, to go back into that world, is just – I get the chills. It’s just so much fun.
For the full interview go to YahooMovies.With just over two weeks left in the regular season it’s looking more and more like the Dodgers will soon be stamping their ticket for playoff baseball. First year manager Dave Roberts has seemed to push all the right buttons (except for the Rich Hill game, but that’s another debate for another day), and he will need to continue making tough team decisions going forward.
Perhaps one of the most difficult decisions he will need to make is compiling his 25-man roster for the postseason. There have been several Dodgers to consider who have made key contributions to the team’s success this season. Assuming the players on the Dodgers’ current 40-man roster remain healthy, the following list is the 25 players I would choose to pencil in for the playoff run.
Position Players:
Yasmani Grandal, C Carlos Ruiz, C Adrian Gonzalez, 1B Chase Utley, 2B Justin Turner, 3B Corey Seager, SS Howie Kendrick, INF/OF Joc Pederson, OF Josh Reddick, OF Enrique (Kike) Hernandez, INF/OF Andrew Toles, OF Yasiel Puig, OF Andre Ethier, OF
Pitchers:
Clayton Kershaw, SP Kenta Maeda, SP Rich Hill, SP Bud Norris, SP Kenley Jansen, RP Adam Liberatore, RP Pedro Baez, RP J.P. Howell, RP Joe Blanton, |
of Mark Twain – has been greatly exaggerated.Next Game: at UNC Wilmington 8/24/2014 | 1 PM
– An 88th minute goal from junior transferpushed Georgia Southern (1-0-0) past Francis Marion (0-1-0) in the 2014 women's soccer season opener for both schools. Next up for the Eagles is a Sunday matinee at UNC Wilmington.Scales, playing in her debut game at Georgia Southern, displayed her eye for goal by posting the game-winning tally and adding to her tab of 73 goals over the last two seasons at Louisburg College (NJCAA). Juniorhad a big impact in the game taking nine shots (the second-highest total in Georgia Southern history) and scored an equalizing goal in the 59th minute."I am proud of our team's ability to come from behind on the road tonight," said Head Coach. "We did not do good enough of a job in establishing a tempo or rhythm in the first half. We just weren't clicking, but we still scraped out a result. It is early in the season, and we need to continue improving and establish a consistent level of play. I'm confident that our players will achieve that."Georgia Southern ruled the run of play in the opening 45 minutes, but was unable to find the net despite six shots. The Patriots struggled to get things going offensively early and did not record a shot in the opening period.Four minutes into the second half, however, Francis Marion was able to score the breakthrough goal to take a 1-0 lead. Channel Harris scooped up a long rebound from five yards out and was able to score the goal off the assist from Elizabeth Asare.Ten minutes later El-Shami posted the equalizer with an unassisted effort. The junior worked the ball up off the right flank and dribbled in, earning space off her marker inside the penalty area. El-Shami shot left-footed and beat the FMU netminder at the far post to level the score at 1-1.With extra time looming close on the horizon, Georgia Southern got the game-winner from Scales with 2:10 remaining in regulation.earned the assist by crossing the ball into the middle of the box where Scales flicked the header. The Francis Marion goalkeeper got her hands on the ball, but she was unable to keep the ball from going into the net.Georgia Southern's netmindermade her return to the lineup after missing the 2013 season due to injury. The senior keeper picked up her 18th career victory in goal and was called on to make three saves off six Francis Marion shots.El-Shami fired early and often for the Eagles, posting nine of the team's 18 shots. The shots total was the second-most in school history, two off Tara Chaisson's 11 shots in 1996 against Georgia State.The Eagles continue their weekend road swing on Sunday afternoon with a trip to UNC Wilmington. The match starts at 1 p.m. from the southeastern coast of North Carolina.Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics and twitter.com/GSAthletics. To purchase tickets call 1-800-GSU-WINS.I love the new C++ 11 smart pointers. In many ways, they were a godsent for many folks who hate managing their own memory. In my opinion, it made teaching C++ to newcomers much easier.
However, in the two plus years that I've been using them extensively, I've come across multiple cases where improper use of the C++ 11 smart pointers made the program inefficient or simply crash and burn. I've catalogued them below for easy reference.
Before we begin, let's take a look at a simple Aircraft class we'll use to illustrate the mistakes.
class Aircraft { private: string m_model; public: int m_flyCount; weak_ptr myWingMan; void Fly() { cout << "Aircraft type" << m_model << "is flying!" << endl; } Aircraft(string model) { m_model = model; cout << "Aircraft type " << model << " is created" << endl; } Aircraft() { m_model = "Generic Model"; cout << "Generic Model Aircraft created." << endl; } ~Aircraft() { cout << "Aircraft type " << m_model << " is destroyed" << endl; } };
Mistake # 1 : Using a shared pointer where an unique pointer suffices!!!
I’ve recently been working in an inherited codebase which uses a shared_ptr for creating and managing every object. When I analyzed the code, I found that in 90% of the cases, the resource wrapped by the shared_ptr is not shared.
This is problematic because of two reasons:
1. If you have a resource that’s really meant to be owned exclusively, using a shared_ptr instead of a unique_ptr makes the code susceptible to unwanted resource leaks and bugs.
Subtle Bugs: Just imagine if you never imagined a scenario where the resource is shared out by some other programmer by assigning it to another shared pointer which inadvertently modifies the resource!
Unnecessary Resource Utilization: Even if the other pointer does not modify the shared resource, it might hang on to it far longer than necessary thereby hogging your RAM unnecessarily even after the original shared_ptr goes out of scope.
2. Creating a shared_ptr is more resource intensive than creating a unique_ptr.
A shared_ptr needs to maintain the threadsafe refcount of objects it points to and a control block under the covers which makes it more heavyweight than an unique_ptr.
Recommendation – By default, you should use a unique_ptr. If a requirement comes up later to share the resource ownership, you can always change it to a shared_ptr.
Mistake # 2 : Not making resources/objects shared by shared_ptr threadsafe!
Shared_ptr allows you to share the resource thorough multiple pointers which can essentially be used from multiple threads. It’s a common mistake to assume that wrapping an object up in a shared_ptr makes it inherently thread safe. It’s still your responsibility to put synchronization primitives around the shared resource managed by a shared_ptr.
Recommendation – If you do not plan on sharing the resource between multiple threads, use a unique_ptr.
Mistake # 3 : Using auto_ptr!
The auto_ptr feature was outright dangerous and has now been deprecated. The transfer of ownership executed by the copy constructor when the pointer is passed by value can cause fatal crashes in the system when the original auto pointer gets dereferenced again. Consider an example:
int main() { auto_ptr myAutoPtr(new Aircraft("F-15")); SetFlightCountWithAutoPtr(myAutoPtr); // Invokes the copy constructor for the auto_ptr myAutoPtr->m_flyCount = 10; // CRASH!!! }
Recommendation – unique_ptr does what auto_ptr was intended to do. You should do a search and find on your codebase and replace all auto_ptr with unique_ptr. This is pretty safe but don’t forget to retest your code! 🙂
Mistake # 4 : Not using make_shared to initialize a shared_ptr!
make_shared has two distinct advantages over using a raw pointer:
1. Performance : When you create an object with new, and then create a shared_ptr, there are two dynamic memory allocations that happen : one for the object itself from the new, and then a second for the manager object created by the shared_ptr constructor.
shared_ptr pAircraft(new Aircraft("F-16")); // Two Dynamic Memory allocations - SLOW!!!
On the contrary, when you use make_shared, C++ compiler does a single memory allocation big enough to hold both the manager object and the new object.
shared_ptr pAircraft = make_shared ("F-16"); // Single allocation - FAST!
2. Safety: Consider the situation where the Aircraft object is created and then for some reason the shared pointer fails to be created. In this case, the Aircraft object will not be deleted and will cause memory leak! After looking at the implementation in MS compiler memory header I found that if the allocation fails, the resource/object is deleted. So Safety is no longer a concern for this type of usage.
Recommendation: Use make_shared to instantiate shared pointers instead of using the raw pointer.
Mistake # 5 : Not assigning an object(raw pointer) to a shared_ptr as soon as it is created!
An object should be assigned to a shared_ptr as soon as it is created. The raw pointer should never be used again.
Consider the following example:
int main() { Aircraft* myAircraft = new Aircraft("F-16"); shared_ptr pAircraft(myAircraft); cout << pAircraft.use_count() << endl; // ref-count is 1 shared_ptr pAircraft2(myAircraft); cout << pAircraft2.use_count() << endl; // ref-count is 1 return 0; }
It’ll cause an ACCESS VIOLATION and crash the program!!!
The problem is that when the first shared_ptr goes out of scope, the myAircraft object is destroyed. When the second shared_ptr goes out of scope, it tries to destroy the previously destroyed object again!
Recommendation: If you’re not using make_shared to create the shared_ptr, at least create the object managed by the smart pointer in the same line of code – like :
shared_ptr pAircraft(new Aircraft("F-16"));
Mistake # 6 : Deleting the raw pointer used by the shared_ptr!
You can get a handle to the raw pointer from a shared_ptr using the shared_ptr.get() api. However, this is risky and should be avoided. Consider the following piece of code:
void StartJob() { shared_ptr pAircraft(new Aircraft("F-16")); Aircraft* myAircraft = pAircraft.get(); // returns the raw pointer delete myAircraft; // myAircraft is gone }
Once we get the raw pointer (myAircraft) from the shared pointer, we delete it. However, once the function ends, the shared_ptr pAircraft goes out of scope and tries to delete the myAircraft object which has already been deleted. The result is an all too familiar ACCESS VIOLATION!
Recommendation: Think really hard before you pull out the raw pointer from the shared pointer and hang on to it. You never know when someone is going to call delete on the raw pointer and cause your shared_ptr to Access Violate.
Mistake # 7 : Not using a custom deleter when using an array of pointers with a shared_ptr!
Consider the following piece of code:
void StartJob() { shared_ptr ppAircraft(new Aircraft[3]); }
The shared pointer will just point to Aircraft[0] — Aircraft[1] and Aircraft[2] have memory leaks will not be cleaned up when the smart pointer goes out of scope. If you’re using Visual Studio 2015, you’ll get a heap corruption error.
Recommendation: Always pass a custom delete with array objects managed by shared_ptr. The following code fixes the issue:
void StartJob() { shared_ptr ppAircraft(new Aircraft[3], [](Aircraft* p) {delete[] p; }); }
Mistake # 8 : Not avoiding cyclic references when using shared pointers!
In many situations, when a class contains a shared_ptr reference, you can get into cyclical references. Consider the following scenario – we want to create two Aircraft objects – one flown my Maverick and one flown by Iceman ( I could not help myself from using the TopGun reference!!! ). Both maverick and Iceman needs to hold a reference to each Other Wingman.
So our initial design introduced a self referencial shared_ptr inside the Aircraft class:
class Aircraft
{
private:
string m_model;
public:
int m_flyCount;
shared_ptr<Aircraft> myWingMan;
….
Then in our main(), we create Aircraft objects, Maverick and Goose, and make them each other’s wingman:
int main() { shared_ptr pMaverick = make_shared ("Maverick: F-14"); shared_ptr pIceman = make_shared ("Iceman: F-14"); pMaverick->myWingMan = pIceman; // So far so good - no cycles yet pIceman->myWingMan = pMaverick; // now we got a cycle - neither maverick nor goose will ever be destroyed return 0; }
When main() returns, we expect the two shared pointers to be destroyed – but neither is because they contain cyclical references to one another. Even though the smart pointers themselves gets cleaned from the stack, the objects holding each other references keeps both the objects alive.
Here's the output of running the program:
Aircraft type Maverick: F-14 is created
Aircraft type Iceman: F-14 is created
So what’s the fix? we can change the shared_ptr inside the Aircraft class to a weak_ptr! Here’s the output after re-executing the main().
Aircraft type Maverick: F-14 is created
Aircraft type Iceman: F-14 is created
Aircraft type Iceman: F-14 is destroyed
Aircraft type Maverick: F-14 is destroyed
Notice how both the Aircraft objects were destroyed.
Recommendation: Consider using weak_ptr in your class design when ownership of the resource is not needed and you don’t want to dictate the lifetime of the object.
Mistake # 9 : Not deleting a raw pointer returned by unique_ptr.release()!
The Release() method does not destroy the object managed by the unique_ptr, but the unique_ptr object is released from the responsibility of deleting the object. Someone else (YOU!) must delete this object manually.
The following code below causes a memory leak because the Aircraft object is still alive at large once the main() exits.
int main() { unique_ptr myAircraft = make_unique ("F-22"); Aircraft* rawPtr = myAircraft.release(); return 0; }
Recommendation: Anytime you call Release() on an unique_ptr, remember to delete the raw pointer. If your intent is to delete the object managed by the unique_ptr, consider using unique_ptr.reset().
Mistake # 10 : Not using a expiry check when calling weak_ptr.lock()!
Before you can use a weak_ptr, you need to acquire the weak_ptr by calling a lock() method on the weak_ptr. The lock() method essentially upgrades the weak_ptr to a shared_ptr such that you can use it. However, if the shared_ptr object that the weak_ptr points to is no longer valid, the weak_ptr is emptied. Calling any method on an expired weak_ptr will cause an ACESS VIOLATION.
For example, in the code snippet below, the shared_ptr that “mywingMan” weak_ptr is pointing to has been destroyed via pIceman.reset(). If we execute any action now via myWingman weak_ptr, it’ll cause an access violation.
int main() { shared_ptr pMaverick = make_shared ("F-22"); shared_ptr pIceman = make_shared ("F-14"); pMaverick->myWingMan = pIceman; pIceman->m_flyCount = 17; pIceman.reset(); // destroy the object managed by pIceman cout << pMaverick->myWingMan.lock()->m_flyCount << endl; // ACCESS VIOLATION return 0; }
It can be fixed easily by incorporating the following if check before using the myWingMan weak_ptr.
if (!pMaverick->myWingMan.expired()) { cout << pMaverick->myWingMan.lock()->m_flyCount << endl; }
EDIT: As many of my readers pointed out, the above code should not be used in a multithreaded environment – which equates to 99% of the software written nowadays. The weak_ptr might expire between the time it is checked for expiration and when the lock is acquired on it. A HUGE THANKS to my readers who called it out! I'll adopt Manuel Freiholz's solution here : Check if the shared_ptr is not empty after calling lock() and before using it.
shared_ptr < aircraft > wingMan = pMaverick->myWingMan.lock(); if (wingMan) { cout < < wingMan- > m_flyCount < < endl ; }
Recommendation: Always check if a weak_ptr is valid – actually if a non-empty shared pointer is returned via lock() function before using it in your code.
So, What's Next?
If you want to learn more about the nuances of C++ 11 smart pointers or C++ 11 in general, I recommend the following books.
1. C++ Primer (5th Edition) by Stanley Lippman
2. Effective Modern C++: 42 Specific Ways to Improve Your Use of C++11 and C++14 by Scott Meyers
All the best in your journey of exploring C++ 11 further. Please share if you liked the article. 🙂For Apple’s former CEO Steve Jobs, the competition with Google and its Android operating system for smartphones and tablets wasn’t merely business rivalry, it was a “holy war,” according to emails revealed in Apple’s patent-infringement suit with Samsung Electronics.
The emails were disclosed by Samsung’s lawyers as the two companies offered opening arguments in the latest round of the long-running feud between Apple and Samsung in U.S. District Court in San Jose, Calif.
In an October 2010 email to Apple’s 100 top employees ahead of an annual retreat, Jobs outlined discussion points for the meeting, including “2011: Holy War with Google.”
In other talking points, Jobs said “Apple is in danger of hanging on to old paradigm for too long (innovator’s dilemma)” and “Google and Microsoft are further along on the technology” to connect and synchronize contacts, calendars, photos, music, videos and bookmarks across all devices using online services.Saints and Eagles Are Both Desperate For A Win On Sunday by Gene Higginbotham
Welcome to the “Pelicans 2015-2016 Season Opponent Preview” series.
Before the season starts, I’m going to take every team in the NBA and preview and predict just how the Pelicans will handle them. Here’s all you need to know about how the Pelicans will matchup with the Chicago Bulls in 2016.
How the Pelicans handled them last season:
If there’s one thing we learned from our two games against the Bulls last season it’s that the minute Anthony Davis leaves the floor we are screwed. In our second game against them on February 2nd we kept it fairly close, until AD fell awkwardly off the rim, left the game and the Bulls went on a 40-11 point run. FOURTY TO ELEVEN.
Remember game 3 against the Dubs in the playoffs? Remember when they came back from being down 20 in the fourth and 17 with just a few minutes to go? As insane as the Warriors were that night the Bulls were even more insane on February 2nd when AD left the floor.
Feb 1, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (13) rebounds over New Orleans Pelicans point guard Tyreke Evans (1) during the second half of a game at the New Orleans Arena. The Pelicans defeated the Bulls 88-79. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
The first time we played them on December 27th AD was fully healthy and dropped a casual 29 and 11 while holding Pau Gasol to just 8 points.
In that game we lost by just seven points, and were closing in towards the end until Butler hit some crazy shots and decided the outcome.
This game took place before the additions of Quincy Pondexter and Norris Cole though, and we still had Salmons, Jimmer and Rivers running the bench. In the first game, Rivers and Salmons combined to play just about 30 minutes, with Rivers shooting 3-11 from the floor and Salmons contributing the most “John Salmons” stat-line of all time.
John Salmons, December 27th Vs. The Bulls: 14 minutes, 0 shots, 0 points, 0 assists, 0 blocks, 0 steals, 1 rebound (What a killer) and 2 turnovers.
Yikes. Good to know we won’t be dealing with that again.
Key offseason additions:
Gained: No one significant
Lost: Head Coach Tom Thibodeau (Hoidberg should be a fine upgrade here)
How the Pelicans will match-up with them in 2016:
When AD was injured Pau Gasol went off for 20 points, but when healthy Noah was held to just 8. That’s not an accident, Davis has Gasol’s number, and has dominated him since his sophomore season. AD’s wingspan is a perfect counter to Gasol’s length and post scoring ability, and Pau is simply way to slow to keep up with AD in transition. As long as Davis can stay on the floor; Noah won’t be a factor.
With Pau neutralized, and Noah looking like a shell of himself the Bulls front court shouldn’t be too much to handle. Additionally, Gibson‘s defense will be less value off the bench since Ryan Anderson will be able to pull him away from the rim.
I’m still worried about Butler and Rose though. Holiday is a perfect player to guard Rose, but our first game against them is December 12th and Jrue will probably still have his minutes restricted. Meanwhile, we really have no answer for Jimmy Butler on the wing. Maybe Cunningham or Pondexter does an okay job on him, but Pondexter sacrifices strength meaning Jimmy can post up, and Cunningham sacrifices speed meaning Jimmy will take him off the dribble.
Dec 27, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) drives to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans forward Luke Babbitt (8) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Offensively, Gentry and Hoidberg will both improve their team’s schematics, so let’s just call that aspect a draw.
Predictions for the 2016 Season:
Our second game against the Bulls takes place in April, in the midst of our easiest month of the year. I bet that the Pelicans take that game easily since they will have Jrue free of minutes restrictions and be rolling with positive chemistry and good vibes.
Our first game makes me slightly more nervous though. We still have no answer for Butler, and Holiday won’t be able to guard Rose for more than 15-20 minutes. The Bulls started the season more groovy than us last year, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we drop that game and get revenge later in the season.
Final predictions:
1. Pelicans go 1-1 vs. The Bulls this season
2. Jimmy Butler has one 30 point game.
3. AD blocks Noah at least 3 times in the second game of the year.Watch ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ Re-Imagined As A 1980’s Cannon Movie
A clever YouTube user going by the handle ChiefBrodyRules (yes, he does) has taken this year’s Marvel-ous superhero blockbuster Captain America: The Winter Soldier and reconfigured it into an awesome fan trailer done in the style of a video preview for a 1980’s Cannon Films action flick.
You can watch the trailer in all its fuzzy glory here below.
As you can see, a great and timely film about a heroic symbol of the American way has become a violent revenge thriller set in the kind of dystopian future all too commonplace in 80’s action and sci-fi cinema. Not only does this trailer contain clips from Cap’s first three adventures in the Marvel Cinematic Universe – Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and The Avengers – but we also get clips from a multitude of some of the most badass action movies of the past thirty years (and a few not-so-badass ones), with some great 80’s-style music to back them up.
Part of the fun of watching this trailer is identifying those movies, one of the best involving a classic Chris Evans performance from his pre-Marvel days. Enjoy!
VideoUniversity of Colorado chancellor Phil DiStefano will serve a 10-day suspension and athletic director Rick George and football coach Mike MacIntyre must donate $100,000 each to benefit domestic violence awareness for their “failures” in responding to allegations against a former assistant coach, the school announced Monday.
DiStefano, George and MacIntyre also will be given letters of reprimand.
The announcements followed a closed meeting of the CU Board of Regents in which members discussed an investigation into officials’ response to a claim of domestic violence by the ex-girlfriend of former assistant football coach Joe Tumpkin.
REPORTS: Read the full reports of the two external investigations released by the university
The investigation concluded three “failures” by the university, according to former U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, a partner at the law firm WilmerHale, one of two law firms that created a report on the incident:
a failure to report domestic violence allegations;
a failure to report the information to law enforcement officials; and
a failure of supervision of coach Tumpkin.
President Bruce Benson said he is ordering an immediate review of “relevant policies and training to make them more clear, more precise and more effective.” In addition, Benson ordered in-person Title IX and domestic violence training for DiStefano, George and MacIntyre, as well as himself and his executive staff.
An 82-page report by the law firm Cozen O’Connor, which previously investigated the Baylor sexual misconduct scandal, was released Monday by the board of regents, along with a 12-page report by WilmerHale, which specializes in Title IX investigations and acted as an outside counsel for the board.
“This has been a difficult time for the university community, and particularly for the woman who brought this to my attention,” MacIntyre said in a statement. “When she reached out to me, my first concern — which I shared with her — was for her safety. I immediately reported to the athletic director for direction.
“All of us involved have learned that we have additional reporting responsibilities, and we will follow those procedures in the future,” MacIntyre said. “I had never been in a situation where one of my coaches was accused of abusing a spouse or partner. But, as the regents and President Benson recognized, I never acted in bad faith.”
Salazar said his firm concluded there was no “bad intent” on the part of DiStefano, George or MacIntyre, but rather “mistakes” were made.
“We didn’t handle this matter as well as we should have,” Benson said. “CU does not and will not tolerate domestic violence or any sort of sexual misconduct.”
The woman who alleges the abuse feels “betrayed and devastated” by the punishments, her attorney, Peter R. Ginsberg, told the Daily Camera. “Punishments are more severe for recruiting violations,” Ginsberg said.
Among the errors DiStefano, George and MacIntyre made, according to the report, was a failure to report the allegations to the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance upon hearing them.
In concluding its report, the O’Connor firm wrote of that failing: “The failure to do so, in and of itself, however, deprived the University of the opportunity to evaluate the report, to make a reasoned, factual determination consistent with University policy and values, to more promptly evaluate any impact on campus constituencies, to provide the Complainant with access to available information about resources and to take appropriate and responsive employment action.
“The failure to share the report with OIEC also gave rise to a negative perception of institutional bias that has the ability to undercut faith and trust in University processes.”
MacIntyre spoke to Tumpkin’s accuser on the phone for 34 minutes on Dec. 9, according to the O’Connor report. The woman documented two years of abuse at the hand of Tumpkin, including an incident that had occurred less than a month earlier. On Nov. 19, according to a document requesting a restraining order, a drunk Tumpkin allegedly pinned the woman against a wall, choked her and dragged her across the ground by her hair.
On Dec. 16, one week after MacIntyre had spoken to the woman, MacIntyre named Tumpkin the acting defensive play caller for CU’s Alamo Bowl game against Oklahoma State in San Antonio. (Former defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt had been hired by Oregon days earlier.) Though the university noted the temporary position for Tumpkin did not constitute a promotion for Tumpkin, the assistant was put in front of the media as a face of the program during the days leading up to the Dec. 29 game. CU lost to Oklahoma State 38-8.
In a statement Feb. 9, MacIntyre explained his reasoning for choosing Tumpkin to call defensive plays in the bowl game: “Tumpkin was made the play caller for the bowl game because, at the time of the decision, there was no police report or legal complaint. This decision was approved by my superiors.”
In an interview with the O’Connor firm that was placed in its report, George said of the decision to allow Tumpkin to call plays in the bowl game: “We had a responsibility to our employee. All we had is an allegation from a lady that we don’t know very well who had one or two phone calls with (MacIntyre) — that was it — I wish we knew then all the information. We were very clear that we were not promoting him, but that he was going to help call the plays.”
Tumpkin’s ex-girlfriend, though, did attempt to let MacIntyre know she planned to obtain a protection order against Tumpkin, according to the O’Connor report. She called MacIntyre on Dec. 15 — the day before Tumpkin was placed in charge of calling defensive plays for the bowl game — and told MacIntyre that she was flying to Denver on Dec. 18 to start the required paperwork.
MacIntyre told the law firm that he had blocked the woman’s calls and did not receive the message. Related Articles February 23, 2019 Why Evan Worthington’s 40-yard dash time could propel him up NFL draft boards
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While Tumpkin was preparing the CU defense before the team’s departure for San Antonio on Dec. 20, his accuser filed a temporary restraining order with the Broomfield Police Department. The restraining order became public when it was reported by the Daily Camera on Jan. 6.
That day, George, the athletic director, who had been alerted of the allegations against Tumpkin by MacIntyre nearly a month earlier, issued a statement that read: “We are still gathering details about the very serious allegations in this filing. Once I’ve reviewed it, I will get together with Coach MacIntyre and we will take whatever action is appropriate and necessary.”
George announced Jan. 9 that Tumpkin was indefinitely suspended. Tumpkin was then asked to — and did — resign Jan. 27, one day after a judge made the restraining order against the assistant coach permanent. Formal charges were filed against Tumpkin on Jan. 31.
Tumpkin’s ex-girlfriend said she did not hear from the CU athletic department after a second, brief phone call with MacIntyre on Dec. 10.
DiStefano, whose suspension came as a result of his own recommendation for punishment, expressed “regret” for his handling of the Tumpkin case.
“I wish to say again that I sincerely regret that I did not immediately contact the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance upon learning of the allegations of domestic violence,” DiStefano said in a statement. “Rather than trying to determine for myself if her complaint fell within our jurisdiction, I should have contacted our campus experts, who would have made sure that she received an immediate response from the university.”For the first time in 17 years, the USB connector we've all come to know and love is set to change with a new plug type proposed by the USB 3.0 Promoter Group. The Type-C connector will break compatibility with all past USB devices, unless an adapter is used, but it will provide a number of advantages over the existing cable.
To start with, the connector will come with an entirely new design that's reversible - similar to Apple's Lightning connector - which will finally stop the issues with not being able to insert the plug correctly the first time. Type-C will also be smaller than the current Type-A plug, similar in size to the microUSB 2.0 connector.
The Type-C connector is currently in development and is expected to be finalized by mid-2014. Brad Saunders, chairman of the USB 3.0 Promoter Group, says the updated connector will "meet evolving design trends" while Intel's Alex Peleg says it will facilitate "an entirely new super-thin class of devices from phones to tablets, to 2-in-1s, to laptops to desktops".
The new connector will go well with USB 3.1, an update to the specification that was finalized earlier this year. USB 3.1 will boost the throughput of USB to 10 Gbps, and allow power delivery of up to 100 watts thanks to new power profiles. The specification will still be backwards compatible through the use of older connectors, but its expected delivery date of late 2014 might mean we'll see Type-C connectors paired with USB 3.1 on new devices towards the end of next year.Please enable Javascript to watch this video
SALT LAKE CITY -- Dec. 20, 2013 was the Salt Lake County clerk’s office busiest day to date. It was the start of a historic and controversial ruling, and the beginning of married life for more than 1,200 same-sex couples in Utah.
“We’re on our way. We’re very excited,” said Lisa and Trudy Hardin-Reynolds, who were the last couple to be married on Dec. 20.
Monday, the couple is celebrating their marriage again. This time, they’re hoping the state officials will actually have to recognize the union, following a federal court ruling ordering Utah to do so.
“We’re excited,” Lisa Hardin-Reynolds said. “I think we’re making progress. We’re ecstatic as a family. It means so much to us to be able further this along and to be recognized as a family.”
The parents of two hopes the ruling is a sign of what’s to come for same-sex couples here and across the country.
“It’s one more step,” Trudy Hardin-Reynolds said. “It’s not a final step. But it’s one more step in the right direction.”
But opponents feel it’s merely a misstep by a federal judge.
“I think the ruling is a mistake. It rewards federal courts for acting without waiting for the full appeals process to go forward and that’s really what should happen here,” said Bill Duncan of the Sutherland Institute.
The conservative group believes marriage is defined as a union between a man and woman. They feel federal judges across the country have been overreaching with their rulings.
“The judge’s ruling says that the state can’t take away marriage that already existed,” Duncan said. “But the marriages only existed because another judge said, ‘The constitution requires it.’ Well, if we go up on appeal and find out the constitution doesn’t require that then these marriages would have been treated as invalid.”
As the debate over same-sex marriage continues, the couples at the center of it all are seeing each fight in court as a way to victory for their family.
“It maybe one step forward and two back but we are on our way, and thank God. Thank God we are on our way,” Lisa Hardin-Reynolds said.
The judge’s ruling will not take effect for 21 days, in order to allow the Utah Attorney General’s Office the opportunity to appeal.The National Shooting Sports Foundation announced on Thursday they will be seeing Massachusetts Attorney Gen. Maura Healey in court over her recent “assault weapon” ban expansion.
On July 19 Healey announced her office was reinterpreting the Commonwealth’s 1998 ban to include gun actions rather than cosmetic features, resulting in an immediate ban on many semi-auto firearms. While some in the state have voiced opinion that her move may be an overstep of her authority, the trade group for the firearms industry advised this week they are seeking redress in the courts.
“With this ‘Enforcement Action,’ the Attorney General’s office has demonstrated how little it understands about firearms and has generated considerable uncertainty and confusion,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel in a statement. “Attorney General Healey and/or her staff have overreached their authority and decided to legislate from her office without the benefit of any public process.”
Healey foreshadowed the prospect of litigation last month in an editorial in which she said plainly, “In the dozen years since the federal assault weapons ban lapsed, only seven states have instituted their own assault weapons ban. Many of those bans have been challenged (unsuccessfully) by the gun industry, and we anticipate our directive may be too.”
The NSSF has retained a heavy hitter in the Commonwealth, former U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts and George W. Bush-era acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Michael Sullivan.
The NSSF has in the past joined with other Second Amendment groups to take on controversial new gun laws but is not discussing potential co-plaintiffs at this time.
In related news, the trade group on Wednesday announced a $500,000 donation from Massachusetts-based Smith and Wesson to their voter education fund. In a joint statement from NSSF and S&W, the trade group and gun maker blasted Healey’s actions.Toronto lawyer Patrick Shea was at the Remembrance Day ceremony at Osgoode Hall when he first heard it.
In early 2013, he wrote to the Law Society of Upper Canada and proposed the idea for the centenary of the First World War — a chance to “provide these men and their families what the fates denied them almost 100 years ago.”
The phrase followed the names of 60 Ontario law students killed in France and Belgium in the First World War.
“With some of them you can tell the family has been through them before,” he says of the records in Ottawa. “Then you find that one file that no one has touched since it was put into the box all those years ago, an envelope that has never |
now, can't you? "This is geo-piracy! They aren't playing by the rules!"And that might be true. But the thing is, if the rules suck, why should you play by them? Take the iTunes example: how in the world, with a globally connected internet and the offering of digital goods, could itmake sense for a consumer in one nation to pay more than a consumer in another? Excluding the false barriers that have been erected (like licensing, geo-restrictions, etc.), where is the logic in this practice? Minus the occasional invalidation of product warranties, there is none, as CHOICE notes.Or, in other words, position global providers to actually compete in a global marketplace, not the artificially segmented anti-consumer marketplace they've constructed for themselves.
Filed Under: australia, digital goods, ip spoofing, pricesA surprise bit of casting news arrived yesterday as Jessica Jones and Luke Cage‘s Mike Colter revealed to Collider that the actor who will portray Danny Rand on Marvel‘s Iron Fist has already been found.
“The actor has been cast,” he said. “But he’s in a basement somewhere. When the time is right, they’ll let him up and tell him where he is.”
Considering the amount of interest and attention the Netflix series based on Marvel characters receive, it’s surprising to hear the part was cast in secret.
Colter went on to say he is unsure if he’ll appear in Iron Fist, but the two will eventually meet when the stars of all four shows join forces on the eventual The Defenders series.
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None foundBehold more amazing Pokemon artwork. Some top notch battles within.
It was only a month ago when I found this awesome artwork from artis Yoshio, that brought Nintendo’s Pokemon into the dark side and now I found some work from another equally talented artist: Alysia.
Alysia is an artist from Chicago, Illinois and is really into Pokemon. I want to give her some credit and share a little of what she’s done with the rest of the world. For much more of her work (including artwork outside of the Pokemon universe), please visit her webiste at Leashe.DeviantArt.com
Altaria vs. Gyarados
Absol vs. Rapidash
Bellsprout
Espeon vs. Jolteon
Espeon vs. Scyther
Altaria vs. Tyrannitar
Seel vs. Tailow
Espeon vs. Vaporeon
Altaria vs. Steelix
Venusaur vs. Grimer
I really dig all of these pieces; whether it’s something very odd like Bellsprout next to a monk to an epic battle between Altaria and Gyarados, Alysia…they’re definitely well done and creative. Good job and here’s to more great anime/video game inspired art in the future. Hmm, now if only one artist out there would draw me in some type of crazy-stylish way. 🙂
No TweetBacks yet. (Be the first to Tweet this post)James Surowiecki, The New Yorker's resident financial columnist, gets to the economic root of the cable news punditry problem, via all those crazy speculations about Malaysia Airlines Flight 370:
... this welter of improbable hypotheses highlights the peculiar economic incentives of punditry. When uncertainty abounds, pundits strive to differentiate themselves from their peers. There's little to be gained from saying what everyone else is saying or, God forbid, suggesting that there isn't enough information on which to base a judgment. Conversely, there can be huge rewards in taking a flyer on an extreme prognosis and turning out to be right. As one recent study of the economics of forecasting put it, "Being the single winner always entails more glory than sharing the prize."
This wouldn't be the case if pundits suffered when their predictions proved wrong. There are forecasting professions where this happens: stock analysts who err are more likely to get fired. But in the media mistaken conjectures tend to be quickly forgotten, so there's little downside to being bold and wrong. This tendency is exacerbated by the demands of cable news. A couple of weeks ago, James (Spider) Marks, a retired general who is a CNN commentator, suggested that, rather than engage in "a cacophony of conjecture" about the plane, people in the studio should "get back to what we know and what we don't know." "You know how cable news works, don't you, Spider?" the host, Bill Weir, said, with a laugh. "We got time to fill here."Getty Images
Bears quarterback Jay Cutler’s predictions regarding the team’s future could end up being a lot more accurate than many of his passes this year.
Cutler recently acknowledged that “everyone could get axed.” There’s chatter in league circles that that could indeed be the case.
By “everyone,” the scuttlebutt includes everyone. From coach Marc Trestman to G.M. Phil Emery to team president Ted Phillips, who has held the position for nearly 16 years.
Cutler could still stay, depending on who gets the coaching job going forward. With Mike Shanahan, who traded up to draft Cutler nearly nine years ago, making it clear that he wants to get back into the NFL, Shanahan becomes the obvious pick to try to turn Cutler around — if ownership decides not to bite the bullet on the millions still owed to Cutler under the contract negotiated by Emery or to give Cutler away to another team to avoid paying the money.
Regardless, big changes could be coming in Chicago after one of the worst seasons the franchise has endured.Employees of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau are surely having one of the odder post-Thanksgiving Mondays in Washington: The six-year-old agency is in a public leadership crisis. Although the bureau’s former director, Richard Cordray, named his deputy, Leandra English, to fill in on an acting basis after his departure last Friday, President Trump dispatched Mick Mulvaney, who heads the White House Office of Management and Budget, to take over.
While the power struggle will be heard in federal court Monday afternoon, restaurateur and Trump critic José Andrés is offering some relief for CFPB workers who don’t know to whom they are supposed to report. To that end, he’s offering a round of free drinks at his Washington restaurants to people who show proof they work at the embattled agency.
@CFPB team members! i know is confusing. To have two bosses? Please bring a proof you work there to any of our DC restaurants and first drink is on us… — José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) November 27, 2017
Trump, Mulvaney, and other Republicans have been critical of the CFPB under Cordray, an Obama Administration holdover who led the agency in punishing financial companies for exploitative or abusive practices, collecting $12 billion in penalties that were refunded to customers. While the 2010 financial-industry reform law known as Dodd-Frank gave the CFPB’s director a wide berth to name an acting successor, the White House is arguing that the appointment of Mulvaney—who would do the job in addition to being the administration’s budget director—is legal under the Vacancies Reform Act, which sets guidelines for presidential appointments.
But if all of this is an unwanted hassle for CFPB’s 1,600 employees, who would rather go about their duties reining in rule-breaking banks, Andrés’s offer should bring a bit of liquid relief. Per the chef’s tweet, the free drinks should be redeemable at any of ThinkFoodGroup’s DC locations, including Jaleo, Zaytinya, Oyamel, and China Chilcano.
Join the conversation!Publisher Kadokawa Shoten revealed on its website that an anime adaptation of Hajime Segawa's Tokyo ESP manga has been green-lit. The science fantasy story begins with Rinka, an extremely poor high school girl who lives with just her father in modern Tokyo. One day, she is going home from school when she chases a "flying penguin" to the top of New Tokyo Tower — only to have "fish swimming in the air" suddenly appear before her. One of the fish goes through Rinka and gives her extraordinary powers beyond those of normal humans, particularly the ability to slip through solid objects.
Segawa launched the "afterschool psychic action" series in Kadokawa's Monthly Shōnen Ace magazine in 2010, shortly after ending The Enchained Spiritual Beast Ga-Rei supernatural action series. Kadokawa is publishing the eighth compiled book volume of Tokyo ESP on May 25.
Ga-Rei's "afterschool underground spirit-hunting action" story inspired the Ga-Rei -Zero- television anime series in 2008. Funimation released this anime in North America.
[Via 0takomu]Share. "If you are a Borderlands fan, you don’t have to be afraid that that’s the end of it.” "If you are a Borderlands fan, you don’t have to be afraid that that’s the end of it.”
Exit Theatre Mode
Gearbox Software head Randy Pitchford has hinted at what the studio has coming next. In interview on the Nerdist podcast, Pitchford suggested that more Borderlands 2 downloadable content is planned, plus a whole new brand for next-gen consoles.
“ Everyone has this expectation that those would be the four DLCs and then that’s it. We’re going to do more. We’re going to do some other things.
“We did a Season Pass for Borderlands 2, and the Season Pass was like, ‘hey, if you buy the Season Pass we’re going to be doing four campaign DLCs, but you can get all four of them for the price of three if you buy upfront,’” Pitchford said about Borderlands. “So everyone has this expectation that those would be the four DLCs and then that’s it. We’re going to do more. We’re going to do some other things. We don’t have details yet about it exactly.”
He added that “I’m not ready to announce what other things are” but that the recently-released Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep “won’t be the end of it.” He concluded by saying, “we’ve got more stuff in the hopper that we’re planning and that we’re getting pretty excited about. So if you are a Borderlands fan, you don’t have to be afraid that that’s the end of it.”
Exit Theatre Mode
Beyond Borderlands, Pitchford also confirmed that Gearbox is building an entirely new brand that it will position for release on Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
“ We are building an original IP for the next generation that we’ll announce sometime later.
“We are building an original IP for the next generation that we’ll announce sometime later,” he revealed. “Obviously we have Borderlands, we’ve got Brothers in Arms, we’ve got Duke Nukem and we acquired Homeworld recently. So we have all of those great brands, but we’re actually creating some new things that we’ll announce. So that will be something to look forward to.”
Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep was released in June and you can read all about it in our review.
For more from Pitchford, see our interview from February about the future of Gearbox.
Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s news editor and has played nearly 200 hours of Borderlands 2. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following @garfep on Twitter or garfep on IGN.India's Right Wing Wants Nuclear War
Mumbai's terrorist outrage of November 26 has found a response truly matching it in madness. A call for a nuclear war - and nothing less - has come as the culmination of warped and warlike reactions to the traumatizing tragedy, which has claimed a toll of 200 lives.
The demented call, which still cannot, unfortunately, be dismissed as inconsequential, is not only a regional war of the said, scary description. It is also one for a global conflict of the kind.
Fittingly, the call has emanated from the real fuehrer of India's far right. He may be relatively unknown to the outside world, and less known even in his country than political leaders of the "parivar," as the far-right "family" labels itself. But Kuppahalli Sitaramayya Sudarshan is the supremo of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the misleading name meaning the National Volunteers' Association.
The RSS holds a commanding position in the parivar, as its patriarch and ideological fountainhead. It has a hold over the political front of the "family," the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as well. Party leaders - even of such notoriety as Narendra Modi, who gloried in the Gujarat pogrom of 2002, and of such national-level ambitions as Lal Krishna Advani, styled as the "shadow prime minister" - have always had to proclaim loyalty of the RSS from time to time.
The RSS, as every political reporter in India knows, has tightened its hold over the BJP in time for the parliamentary elections to be held by May 2009. Sudarshan's clarion call came in the course of an interview with a freelance journalist and was quoted first in a leading Pakistani newspaper on December 12. Asked if India should go for a full-fledged war with Pakistan, 77-year-old Sudarshan said, "If there is no other way left. Whenever the demons start dominating this planet, there is no way other than the war. Tell me if there is any other way out. But war should be the last resort. Before that India should consider other options."
That was his only attempt at sounding reasonable. Asked if such a war would not escalate into a nuclear conflict, he was disarmingly candid, "Yes, I know it will not stop there. It will be nuclear war and a large number of people will perish."
The vision of the apocalypse was not restricted to the region. "In fact, not me alone but many people around the world have expressed their apprehension that this terrorism may ultimately result in a Third World War. And this will be a nuclear war in which many of us are going to be finished. But according to me, as of now, it is very necessary to defeat the demons and there is no other way."
Then came the coup de grace: "And let me say with confidence that after this destruction, a new world will emerge, which will be very good, free from evil and terrorism."
He had hinted at his horrific vision earlier too. In January 2002, when India and Pakistan traded nuclear threats during a terrifying standoff in Kashmir and elsewhere, Sudarshan recalled epic Mahabharata to make his point: "When [the] Mahabharata [war] was fought in Kurukshetra, its repercussions were felt across the country but now India was the Kurukshetra and the battle, if fought, would have its effects across the globe."
In May 2005, in another media interview, he said that Pakistan-controlled Kashmir (Azad Kashmir) should be "annexed by force." What if there is a nuclear war? He said, "If it happens, it'll happen. We can't keep quiet all the time because of the scare of nuclear weapons."
It took a Mumbai, however, for Sudarshan to come out with his blood-curdling call with barely a reservation or qualification.
As Sudarshan acknowledged, he knew what a nuclear war meant - for the region and the world. Every reasonably educated person should know as well, after so many expert studies on the subject.
According to one of the studies, for example, if five cities each of India and Pakistan are hit in a nuclear war, about 1.7 million people will be killed in India and about 1.2 million in Pakistan, or a total of about three million in the region. If 15 cities of the two countries (eight in India and seven in Pakistan) are nuked, according to a classified Pentagon study, the toll could mount to 12 million deaths. Carcinogenic black rain in coastal areas of Hiroshima-like high humidity and the velocity of summer winds and dust storms especially in the India-Pakistan border region will widen the fallout. The global consequences will be no less grim - even if the conflict remains regional and does not become a world war of Sudarshan's vision. Ira Helfand, a US medical specialist, in a study of October 2007, projected "a total global death toll in the range of one billion from starvation alone" as a result of the regional war over a period of time.
Earlier studies have suggested that such a conflict would throw five million tonnes of black soot into the atmosphere, causing a reduction of 1.25 degrees Celsius in the average temperature at the earth's surface for several years. Consequently, the annual growing season in the world's most important grain-producing areas would shrink by between 10 and 20 days. According to Helfand, the world was ill prepared to cope with such a disaster. "Global grain stocks stand at 49 days, lower than at any point in the past five decades. These stocks would not provide any significant reserve in the event of a sharp decline in production. We would see hoarding on a global scale." All this was said quite sometime before the eruption of the latest food crisis.
Yet another study estimates the smoke unleashed by 100 small 15-kiloton nuclear warheads could destroy 30 percent to 40 percent of the world's ozone layer. This is expected to kill off some food crops.
A Third World War with origins in this region may lead to the emergence of a "terror-free" world of Sudarshan's special sense, but it will be a significantly truncated world indeed, to go by all available evidence. Nuclear militarism had always occupied a prominent place on the ultra-nationalist agenda of the RSS and the parivar. The BJP's parent body, the Jan Sangh, had demanded an Indian bomb, even in 1951, a full 13 years before China acquired nuclear weapons. The very first thing the BJP-led government of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee did in May 1998 was to conduct bomb tests and declare India a nuclear-weapon state. The regret in parivar circles is that the bomb is yet to be used.
During the Kargil conflict between India and Pakistan in 1999, the RSS organ in Hindi, Panchjanya, wrote, "Pakistan will not listen just like that. We have a centuries-old debt to settle with this [Islamic] mindset. It is the same demon that has been throwing a challenge at Durga [Hindu goddess] since the time of Mohammed bin Qasim [of Saudi Arabia, eighth century, who conquered Sind and Punjab]."
Panchjanya added, "Arise, Atal Bihari! Who knows if fate has destined you to be the author of the final chapter of this long story. For what have we manufactured bombs? For what have exercised the nuclear option?"
What makes Sudarshan's call scarier is the not so indirect support he is receiving from supposedly apolitical "security" experts. Says one of them, Marroof Raza, "The suggestion of external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee that India could exercise a military option against Pakistan has alarmed the international community, particularly the US, that a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbors could see the first ever use of nuclear weapons by both sides. It is precisely this nuclear nightmare scenario that Pakistan's establishment and its military brass, in particular, have often exploited to blackmail the world each time India wants to take them to task for their many acts of terror...."
This sounds like a repetition of the RSS chief's rhetoric: "How long can we keep quiet all the time because of the scare of nuclear weapons?"
Satish Chandra, a former Indian ambassador to Pakistan and deputy national security adviser in the Vajpayee government, said on December 14, "Terror outfits operating from Pakistan are state supported. Until and unless we inflict pain on Pakistan we are not going to achieve results." He added, "We have a variety of options before us. Water, agriculture, covert action and economy are some of the options before us to get the results. You have other options as well." The last sentence can again sound Sudarshan-like to some.
Meanwhile, the post-Mumbai war of words between New Delhi and Islamabad has served to illustrate the special danger of a nuclear conflict in the specific regional context. What New Delhi described as a "hoax call" was allegedly made to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on November 28 by a man who claimed to be India's External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and spoke in a "threatening" tone. The call threatened eruption of a military conflict, with Pakistan placing its army on high alert and its air force moving aircraft to forward bases on its front with India.
A semblance of normalcy has now been restored with Mukherjee denying the call and Zardari officially accepting the denial. The incident, however, has shown how well-founded are the apprehensions of an accidental nuclear war in the region, voiced by the peace movements in both the countries
Islamabad's official response to war cries from within India has been an attempt to sound reasonable, but not without a counterwarning of the same nuclear kind. Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani told the country's parliament, "We are a nuclear power... we want to act in a graceful manner and we do not want to create an impression that we are an irresponsible nation."
Surprisingly, no political party in India has so far reacted to Sudarshan's call to nuclear arms. Parties and forces opposed to the far right have, perhaps, chosen to treat his declaration with the contempt it deserves, in their view. If they have done so, they are indulging in an egregious error. The nuclear saber-rattling needs to be taken with the utmost seriousness.
Particularly eloquent, of course, is the silence with which the BJP has greeted the beating of the nuclear war drum. The BJP has always found it impolitic to implement the parivar's agenda fully while in power, which it has so far had to share with allies.
This, however, may precisely be the compulsion behind Sudarshan's call. His interview, which the RSS has taken care to authenticate officially, would appear designed to put pressure on the BJP against deviating from the path of the parivar if it returns to power in five months.
There may, thus, be a method in this nuclear madness.
*************
A freelance journalist and a peace activist in India, J. Sri Raman is the author of "Flashpoint" (Common Courage Press, USA). He is a regular contributor to Truthout.
© Scoop MediaRope of climbing of strangulation
The first time you try to use this rope after it levels up, it will leap for your throat and try to strangle you. (It has your HP and defenses, and makes a Grab attack vs. Reflex, using the attack bonus of your best at-will attack. At the beginning of each turn that you are Grabbed, you take damage equal to your surge value. If you avoid or escape the grab, or if the rope is Bloodied, it will coil submissively and, from then on, obey your commands.
My old houserules for leveling magic items mean that every piece of magical treasure has the potential to gain power in ways that the players can’t predict. Furthermore, WOTC recently invented the concept of the “rare magic item,” but haven’t given us lots of examples. While some items may get mechanically better (for instance, a +1 sword becomes a +2 sword), it’s more challenging to improve items that don’t have numeric bonuses. I thought I’d go through the Wondrous Items in the 4e Player’s Handbook and give examples of how each could gain powers that reflect their history.
Once you command the rope, you can order it to strangle people (using your AC, HP, attack bonus, and doing damage equal to your surge value). Under your command, it can only attack people against whom it has combat advantage.
You can repair all HP damage to the rope during an extended rest.
This ancient rope dates from the First Age, a time when the makers of magic items were malicious pranksters and every magical trinket had the potential to be an inescapable deathtrap. Thankfully, few ropes of strangulation have survived to the modern age.
Cam the Cat’s rope of climbing
This rope can lengthen or retract at your will. As a minor action, you can cause it to lengthen or retract at up to 6 squares per turn. This can raise or lower someone holding the end of the rope. It may get as short as 1 foot long or as long as 1 mile. It may also be told to extend or retract to a certain length, either instantly or at any time up to one day in the future. (Example: “Rope! Extend 100 feet so we can climb down the tower, then retract after we all climb down. After one hour, extend 100 feet again so we can climb back up.”)
This rope of climbing was used for years by famous burgler Cam the Cat. It was finally used as Cam’s noose: it was told to retract after an hour so he’d have plenty of time to think about his crimes before it strangled him.
Cunning Rope of Climbing
Besides acting as a rope of climbing, this rope can follow complex orders as if it had an Intelligence of 10. It can travel unattended, wriggling like a snake at a movement rate of 5; pick up and hold items, using either of its ends as a hand; and act independently, using basic problem-solving skills. It has blindsense 3, and the HP and defenses of its owner. It can communicate by twisting itself into cursive script.
This is a pretty useful item, guys. If it had a basic attack, like the Rope of Climbing of Strangulation does, I’d be willing to play it as a PC.Novaya Gazeta reporter says he was beaten after being held at gunpoint
A correspondent for the independent Russian newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, was beaten and briefly detained in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday, reports the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
Pavel Kanygin, a special correspondent for the Moscow-based paper, said he was held for five hours and interrogated by members of the separatist group who refer to the region as the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR).
After his release, Kanygin said he was held at gunpoint and asked whether he was one of them or a “ukropy” (the derogatory term for Ukrainians used by the separatists). “When I told him I am for peace, he hit me in the eye with his fist”, said Kanygin.
Novaya Gazeta’s deputy editor, Sergey Sokolov, told the CPJ that Kanygin had gone to the DNR press office in Donetsk to apply for reporting accreditation.
He was searched and a Ukrainian journalist’s business card was found in his possession. The separatists called him a criminal and accused him of working for Ukrainian media.
The reporter, who has written widely on the conflict in eastern Ukraine, was then forced to undergo a blood test, which the separatists said was positive for drugs. Novaya Gazeta’s editor-in-chief, Dmitry Muratov, said the drug allegations against Kanygin were fabricated.
Kanygin was later driven to a checkpoint on Ukraine’s border with Russia and released.
CPJ’s Europe and central Asia programme coordinator, Nina Ognianova, condemned the DNR’s action. She said: “Obstructing a journalist, attacking him, and throwing him out of the territory only reinforces the notion that the Donetsk People’s Republic has something to hide”.
Novaya Gazeta is part-owned by Alexander Lebedev, owner of the Independent titles. But in March this year, he said he would stop bankrolling the paper, which is regarded as hostile to the president, Vladimir Putin.
Source: CPJThis is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
JUAN GONZALEZ: At the time that this broadcast went on the air, the IOC is about to announce its decision for the site of the 2016 Olympic Games. It’s choosing between Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.
President Obama flew to Copenhagen overnight and went directly to the IOC session and made his play for his adopted home town of Chicago.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: I come here today as a passionate supporter of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, as a strong believer in the movement they represent and as a proud Chicagoan. But above all, I come as a faithful representative of the American people, and we look forward to welcoming the world to the shores of Lake Michigan and the heartland of our nation in 2016.
JUAN GONZALEZ: President Obama is the first American president to attend the IOC vote to promote a bid. He was the final speaker of a ten-person team that included Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and First Lady Michelle Obama, who said she took inspiration from watching the Olympics as a child.
MICHELLE OBAMA: Sports taught me self-confidence, teamwork and how to compete as an equal. Sports were a gift I shared with my dad, especially the Olympic Games. Some of my best memories are sitting on my dad’s lap, cheering on Olga and Nadia, Carl Lewis and others for their brilliance and perfection.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Today’s presentation by the US delegation capped an intense lobbying effort over the past few months. According to the New York Times, President Obama taped five video messages pitching Chicago’s bid. He created an Olympic office within the White House and hosted Olympic athletes on the South Lawn. For the past couple of weeks, he worked the phones, called some heads of state, and lobbied others at the United Nations opening session in New York and the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh last week.
AMY GOODMAN: The White House has said the Olympic Games would showcase the United States and provide a “tangible economic benefit” to the city of Chicago.
But not everyone agrees. Sportswriter Dave Zirin says, to the contrary, the Olympic Games have economically hurt cities. And he writes, “To greater or lesser degrees, the Olympics bring gentrification, graft and police violence wherever they nest.”
Well, Dave Zirin joins us now from Washington, DC, author of a number of books about politics and sports, his latest, A People’s History of Sports in the United States. He’s a regular contributor to The Nation magazine and writes a weekly column called “Edge of Sports.”
Dave Zirin, welcome to Democracy Now! You say that this is Obama’s Olympic error. Why?
DAVE ZIRIN: Absolutely it’s Obama’s Olympic error, because Obama is writing checks with his mouth that the facts do not cash. There’s an old expression in politics that everybody’s entitled to their own opinion, but you’re not entitled to your own facts. If Barack and Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey and Mayor Richard Daley, if they’re of the opinion that the Olympics will bring untold prestige to the city of Chicago, OK, great, that’s their opinion. But if they want to spread the fact that it will bring this tangible economic benefit to Chicago, that it’ll benefit the people of Chicago, that is just a fact that is not borne out by anything in Olympic history.
And I have to speak about the irony of Michelle Obama, who’s from the South Side of Chicago, talking about what a gift the Olympics would be, given the fact that the people of the South Side of Chicago will be at absolute ground zero of Olympic construction, police repression, gentrification and graft, which will accompany the Olympic Games.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Well, Dave, what about some of these past factual examples? Obviously, the Olympics have been here in the United States several times, in Atlanta, Los Angeles, as well as in other parts of the world. What’s been some of the results, after the cameras left and after the athletes left some of these cities?
DAVE ZIRIN: Well, I don’t know about you, but I never take my kids out and say, “Hey, let’s go out and do a fun luge, or what do you say we go out and do some synchronized swimming?” And that’s part of the problem, is that these facilities get built that have no real use after the cameras have gone and people have gone home. And what places are left with is debt.
I mean, let’s — we could go down the list, chapter and verse, on this. But China, for example, they spent as high, according to the LA Times, as $42 billion to get their Olympics there. My favorite example — not favorite — but Athens, Greece, they went 1,000 percent over budget in Athens. That defies my knowledge of math that they went a thousand percent over budget. The city of Montreal, 1976 Olympics, they finished paying off their debt in 2006. It took thirty years to do it.
And the problem is that the budget projections never meet reality. And what you get instead is just this terrible repression in the cities. You get these facilities that are built that have no real use. And you get a kind of corruption that always follows the Olympics wherever they go. And I got to say, whether you’re talking about Chicago or, frankly, Rio, for that matter, as well, graft, the destruction of public housing, and police violence, I mean, these cities have raised those things to an art form, and I would hate to think what the Olympics would bring, as well.
JUAN GONZALEZ: One of the things that’s happened in recent years is that promoters of the Olympics who realize some of the problems with this government financing have been promising that the money will be raised privately, that the local government —-
DAVE ZIRIN: Yes.
JUAN GONZALEZ: —- won’t have to spend much of its own money. What’s your — what are the facts, in terms of those claims?
DAVE ZIRIN: Well, the facts are this. Private sector can only do so much. Like, for example, just to take Chicago as an example, they’ve promised $4.8 billion has been raised privately, and that’s all it would take to put on the Games. The problem is that that would be an exceptionally low number, first of all. I mean, $4.8 billion would only pay for the Games in Shangri-La; it would not happen in the real world.
And the city council of Chicago voted unanimously, after much arm-twisting from Richard Daley, that they would take up any cost overruns, which is why 84 percent of the city of Chicago opposes the Olympics, if it means any kind of cost overruns or any kind of hand in their pocket for tax dollars. And you go down the list, it’s always over budget, with very few exceptions. I mean, Los Angeles 1984 is a lone exception in the history of the Olympics, where you have these huge cost overruns that the city or the state or the country then has to make up.
AMY GOODMAN: Dave Zirin, the issue of police repression?
DAVE ZIRIN: We have to talk about this, because it’s a very uncomfortable topic, but — and I know you’ve talked about it on Democracy Now! a great deal — but the horrible stories of police murder in Brazil or the terrible stories of the death row torture scandals in the state of Illinois, which led to the commutation of the death row by the former Governor George Ryan. I mean, these things happen for a reason. It happened because police brutality is a reality in these places anyway. When the Olympics come, it becomes much worse.
And it’s not just about the police. The favorite paramilitary organization of Democracy Now! viewers, Blackwater, has been a feature at the recent Olympic Games. They patrolled the streets in 2004 in Athens. And without question, they would be under contract if the Games were in the United States. And people have to think about what that would mean, an unaccountable police force roaming the streets to make the city safe for the Olympic Games.
And we’ve seen what this means, in country after country after country. I mean, the worst example, of course, is 1968, the Mexico City Games, where 500 students and workers were killed in a massacre at Tlatelolco Square. And we now know from declassified government documents from Mexico that this was done to make the city presentable for the Olympic Games, that there was a fear that a rising tide of protest would interfere with the Olympic Games.
But that wasn’t just a Mexico City issue. I mean, if you name a place where the Olympics were, I could tell a horror story about what it’s meant to have police there who just were known that there were no rules and that they could do whatever they had to do to make the city safe for the Olympics.
AMY GOODMAN: Talk about the powers in all of these cities that lobby for these Games. Who wants them in their city? I mean, in Nagano — is this right? — the Winter Olympics, they burned their records.
DAVE ZIRIN: Yeah, they burn their records in a lot of places. They burned the records in Atlanta, as well. I mean, you always have a destruction of the records afterwards to find out what actually was done. And the head of the Atlanta bid, a gentleman by the name of Billy Payne — I mean, it’s interesting you said the thing about some people benefit, perhaps, from the Olympics coming. One of the jokes out of Atlanta in 1996 was that the person who benefited the most was Billy Payne, because he got membership at Augusta National Golf Club. The other joke coming out of Atlanta in 1996 was that the only project that was built on time and under budget was the prison that was built specifically for the Olympic Games.
But, no, corruption and graft are as a part of the Olympics as apple pie. I mean, there was even a huge corruption scandal when the Winter Games came to Salt Lake City. I mean, in Utah, for goodness’ sake! So you had a deep amount of corruption even there. But everywhere you go, I mean, it’s a system of bribery, it’s a system of graft. They’ve tried to do reforms in the International Olympic Committee, but only because the stories of hookers and drugs and perks and benefits. Like in Salt Lake City, they had to — they found out that someone had illegally bought a thousand dollars’ worth of Viagra for an International Olympic Committee official for the portion of his stay. I mean, this is the kind of people we’re talking about. This is the kind of, quote-unquote, “business” we’re talking about. And it really is something that’s as dirty as the day is long.
JUAN GONZ |
be sentenced to two years in prison, a $2,500 fine, or both. With two or more convictions of possession prior to this present offense, they can be sentenced to 90 days in prison along with a $5,000 fine.[98] Marijuana is the most popular illegal drug worldwide. The punishment for possession of it is less than for the possession of cocaine or heroin. In some U.S. states, the drug is legal. Over 80 million Americans have tried marijuana. The Criminal Defense Lawyer article claims that, depending on the age of person and how much the person has been caught for possession, they will be fined and could plea bargain into going to a treatment program versus going to prison. In each state the convictions differ along with how much marijuana they have on their person.[99]
United States foreign policy and covert military activities
Public support and opposition in the United States and Mexico
Further information: Arguments for and against drug prohibition An American domestic government propaganda poster circa 2000 concerning cannabis in the United States The War on Drugs has been a highly contentious issue since its inception. A poll on October 2, 2008, found that three in four Americans believed that the War On Drugs was failing.[121] In 2014, a Pew Research Center poll found more than six in ten Americans state that state governments moving away from mandatory prison terms for drug law violations is a good thing. while three out of ten Americans say these policy changes are a bad thing. This a substantial shift from the same poll questions since 2001.[122] In 2014 a Pew Research Center poll found that 67 percent of Americans feel that a movement towards treatment for drugs like cocaine and heroin is better versus the 26 percent who feel that prosecution is the better route.[123] In 2018, Rasmussen Report poll found that less than 10 percent of Americans think that the War on Drugs is being won and that 75 percent found that Americans believe that America is not winning the War on Drugs.[124] Mexican citizens, unlike American citizens, support the current measures their government were taking against drug cartels in the War on Drugs. A Pew Research Center poll in 2010 found that 80 percent supported the current use of the army in the War on Drugs to combat drug traffickers with about 55 percent saying that they have been making progress in the war.[125] A year later in 2011 a Pew Research Center poll uncovered that 71 percent of Mexicans find that "illegal drugs are a very big problem in their country". 77 percent of Mexicans also found that drug cartels and the violence associated with them are as well a big challenge for Mexico. The poll also found that the percentages believing that that illegal drugs and violence related to the cartel where Higher in the North with 87 percent for illegal drug use and 94 percent cartel related violence being a problem. This compared to the other locations: South, Mexico City and the greater area of Mexico City, and Central Mexico which are all about 18 percent or lower than the North on Illegal drug use being a problem for the country. These perspective areas are also lower than the North by 19 percent or more on the issue of drug cartel related violence being an issue for the country.[126] In 2013 a Pew Research Center poll found that 74 percent of Mexican citizens would support the training of their police and military, the poll also found that another 55 percent would support the supplying of weapons and financial aid. Though the poll indicates a support of U.S. aid, 59 percent were against troops on the ground by the U.S. military.[127] Also in 2013 Pew Research Center found in a poll that 56 percent of Mexican citizens believe that the United States and Mexico are both to blame for drug violence in Mexico. In that same poll 20 percent believe that the United States is solely to blame and 17 percent believe that Mexico is solely to blame.[128] At a meeting in Guatemala in 2012, three former presidents from Guatemala, Mexico and Colombia said that the war on drugs had failed and that they would propose a discussion on alternatives, including decriminalization, at the Summit of the Americas in April of that year.[129] Guatemalan President Otto Pérez Molina said that the war on drugs was exacting too high a price on the lives of Central Americans and that it was time to "end the taboo on discussing decriminalization".[130] At the summit, the government of Colombia pushed for the most far-reaching change to drugs policy since the war on narcotics was declared by Nixon four decades prior, citing the catastrophic effects it had had in Colombia.[131] Several critics have compared the wholesale incarceration of the dissenting minority of drug users to the wholesale incarceration of other minorities in history. Psychiatrist Thomas Szasz, for example, wrote in 1997 "Over the past thirty years, we have replaced the medical-political persecution of illegal sex users ('perverts' and 'psychopaths') with the even more ferocious medical-political persecution of illegal drug users."[132]
Socio-economic effects
Allegations of U.S. government assistance in drug trafficking
Efficacy of the United States war on drugs
Legality
Alternatives
See also: Responsible drug use Several authors believe that the United States' federal and state governments have chosen wrong methods for combatting the distribution of illicit substances. Aggressive, heavy-handed enforcement funnels individuals through courts and prisons; instead of treating the cause of the addiction, the focus of government efforts has been on punishment. By making drugs illegal rather than regulating them, the War on Drugs creates a highly profitable black market. Jefferson Fish has edited scholarly collections of articles offering a wide variety of public health based and rights based alternative drug policies.[169][170][171] In the year 2000, the United States drug-control budget reached 18.4 billion dollars,[172] nearly half of which was spent financing law enforcement while only one sixth was spent on treatment. In the year 2003, 53 percent of the requested drug control budget was for enforcement, 29 percent for treatment, and 18 percent for prevention.[173] The state of New York, in particular, designated 17 percent of its budget towards substance-abuse-related spending. Of that, a mere one percent was put towards prevention, treatment, and research. In a survey taken by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), it was found that substance abusers that remain in treatment longer are less likely to resume their former drug habits. Of the people that were studied, 66 percent were cocaine users. After experiencing long-term in-patient treatment, only 22 percent returned to the use of cocaine. Treatment had reduced the number of cocaine abusers by two-thirds.[172] By spending the majority of its money on law enforcement, the federal government had underestimated the true value of drug-treatment facilities and their benefit towards reducing the number of addicts in the U.S. In 2004 the federal government issued the National Drug Control Strategy. It supported programs designed to expand treatment options, enhance treatment delivery, and improve treatment outcomes. For example, the Strategy provided SAMHSA with a $100.6 million grant to put towards their Access to Recovery (ATR) initiative. ATR is a program that provides vouchers to addicts to provide them with the means to acquire clinical treatment or recovery support. The project's goals are to expand capacity, support client choice, and increase the array of faith-based and community based providers for clinical treatment and recovery support services.[174] The ATR program will also provide a more flexible array of services based on the individual's treatment needs. The 2004 Strategy additionally declared a significant 32 million dollar raise in the Drug Courts Program, which provides drug offenders with alternatives to incarceration. As a substitute for imprisonment, drug courts identify substance-abusing offenders and place them under strict court monitoring and community supervision, as well as provide them with long-term treatment services.[175] According to a report issued by the National Drug Court Institute, drug courts have a wide array of benefits, with only 16.4 percent of the nation's drug court graduates rearrested and charged with a felony within one year of completing the program (versus the 44.1% of released prisoners who end up back in prison within 1-year). Additionally, enrolling an addict in a drug court program costs much less than incarcerating one in prison.[176] According to the Bureau of Prisons, the fee to cover the average cost of incarceration for Federal inmates in 2006 was $24,440.[177] The annual cost of receiving treatment in a drug court program ranges from $900 to $3,500. Drug courts in New York State alone saved $2.54 million in incarceration costs.[176] Describing the failure of the War on Drugs, New York Times columnist Eduardo Porter noted: Jeffrey Miron, an economist at Harvard who studies drug policy closely, has suggested that legalizing all illicit drugs would produce net benefits to the United States of some $65 billion a year, mostly by cutting public spending on enforcement as well as through reduced crime and corruption. A study by analysts at the RAND Corporation, a California research organization, suggested that if marijuana were legalized in California and the drug spilled from there to other states, Mexican drug cartels would lose about a fifth of their annual income of some $6.5 billion from illegal exports to the United States.[178] Many believe that the War on Drugs has been costly and ineffective largely because inadequate emphasis is placed on treatment of addiction. The United States leads the world in both recreational drug usage and incarceration rates. 70% of men arrested in metropolitan areas test positive for an illicit substance,[179] and 54% of all men incarcerated will be repeat offenders.[180]
See also
ReferencesCanopy campout: Environmentalists scale Tasmania's tallest trees to raise funds for threatened rainforests
Updated
Tasmanian environmentalists have joined a global campaign to spend their Saturday night perched in some of the state's best-known tree tops.
Over 40 "canopy campouts" were held worldwide to raise funds and awareness for threatened rainforests around the world, and particularly in Borneo.
Participants in Tasmania gathered at two locations — in the Frankland River forest in the Tarkine region on the state's north-west, and on Kunanyi/Mount Wellington in Hobart, in a Eucalyptus regnans, which is recorded as the world's second-tallest tree species and Australia's tallest, as well as being the world's tallest flowering plant.
Those taking part braved the elements, with sub-zero temperatures hitting overnight.
Steve Pearce from Tasmania's The Tree Projects spent the night in the Eucalyptus regnans on Mount Wellington.
"We tried to camp up there on Friday night as well, but the weather was pretty horrible," he said.
"We were camped in a device called a portaledge, which is basically a tent for the trees."
Mr Pearce said he did manage to get some sleep.
"It was pretty breezy and cold, it wasn't what most people consider an ideal experience, but it was an experience all the same," he said.
Mr Pearce said the money he raised would go to the World Land Trust.
"They are purchasing a huge swathe of Bornean rainforest, Borneo has one of the fastest land clearing rates in the world," he said.
The Big Canopy Campout website described the event as "celebrating the beauty and diversity of forests and valuing them through adventure".
The event kicked off across Australia and New Zealand, with other world regions following as the sun set.
Topics: environment, environmental-management, environmental-impact, charities-and-community-organisations, community-and-society, tas
First postedBy
A 47 year old gay man was arrested at San Francisco International Airport after ejaculating while being patted down by a male TSA agent. Percy Cummings, an interior designer from San Francisco, is being held without bail after the alleged incident, charged with sexually assaulting a Federal agent.
According to Cummings’ partner, Sergio Armani, Cummings has “multiple piercings on his manhood” which were detected during a full body scan. As a result, Cummings was pulled aside for a pat-down. Armani stated that the unidentified TSA agent spent “an inordinate amount of time groping” Cummings, who had apparently become sexually aroused. Cummings, who has a history of sexual dysfunction, ejaculated while the TSA agent’s hand was feeling the piercings. The TSA agent, according to several witnesses, promptly called for back up. Cummings was thrown to the ground and handcuffed.
A TSA spokesperson declined to comment on this specific case, but said that anyone ejaculating during a pat-down would be subject to arrest.
Related articles:By Pam Martens: March 14, 2013
When Wall Street wants to sell junk bonds to the public – those corporate bonds trading below an investment grade rating – a BBB rating by Standard and Poor’s or Baa by Moody’s – it simply puts lipstick on a pig by renaming the bond fund a “High Yield” fund.
Since February, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has been providing the same service to the U.S. Senate with his slobbering introductions of the nominees to head the U.S. Treasury and Securities and Exchange Commission without noting any of the high risks to installing these deeply conflicted individuals.
Schumer’s most recent spectacle came this past Tuesday when he grinned and fawned through his introduction of Mary Jo White at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee. Schumer felt it was relevant for the U.S. public to know that the future watchdog to oversee one of the most serially corrupt industries in America “indulged a fondness for motorcycle riding” and “was a fierce competitor in the Women’s Basketball League in New York.” If that isn’t enough to inspire you, Schumer also wanted you to know that White likes a cold can of Bud from time to time and chairs the Board of the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – ergo, a beer drinking animal lover with motorcycle-riding and basketball skills should end all questions regarding her fitness to hold Wall Street accountable.
Schumer neglected to mention, as did the rest of the Senators in the room, that between White and her husband, also a partner at a Wall Street law firm, they represent every too-big-to-fail firm on Wall Street. (Under ethics laws for members of the Executive branch, the conflicts of interest of White’s spouse become her conflicts of interest. And he will remain in his job.)
White appeared without makeup at the hearing – possibly because so many others are willing to cosmetically enhance her. Corporate media did their part by running with headlines like the Washington Post’s “SEC Nominee Mary Jo White to Take Hard Line on Wall Street.” It is now universally accepted wisdom among corporate media that the American people can be easily sold lipstick on a pig if enough headline writers agree on the message.
Schumer was also tapped (perhaps not so coincidentally) to introduce Jack Lew at his confirmation hearing to become U.S. Treasury Secretary. Schumer has exceeded all expectations on behalf of Wall Street for that endeavor, achieving a 71- 26 vote for Lew by the full Senate. In an ethical government, Lew’s shady money deals would have had him thrown out of the executive branch, rather than ushered in. But this is not an ethical government. This is, for the most part, a group of Wall Street lapdogs sitting in the august Senate chambers and following the script determined by their Wall Street overlords.
Also on Tuesday of this week, the very same day that White was frolicking through her love fest with the Senate Banking committee, those junk bonds mentioned earlier were setting new record highs in price – meaning their underlying risks were being ignored by investors. Seeking high yields while ignoring risk played a key role in the subprime mortgage bond/derivative fiasco that collapsed the economy along with century old Wall Street firms in 2008. But the real roots of that date back to 1998/1999 and another lapdog Congress.
On Friday, July 28, 1998, I testified before the Federal Reserve Bank of New York concerning the proposed merger of Citicorp (parent of insured depositor bank, Citibank) with Sandy Weill’s Traveler’s Group, an insurance company which owned an investment bank (Salomon Brothers) and securities brokerage firm, Smith Barney. It was an illegal combination at the time and, if approved, would force Congress to repeal the depression era investor protection legislation known as the Glass-Steagall Act which prevented insured deposit banks from merging with Wall Street casino operations – a combination widely blamed for causing the 1929 – 1932 stock market crash and the ensuing Great Depression. The repeal of Glass-Steagall, which occurred the following year with the passage of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act on November 12, 1999, led just 9 years later to the 2008 to 2010 economic collapse — whose impact is still being felt here and around the globe.
This is an excerpt of my testimony to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on July 28, 1998:
“It is amazing how soon we forget. It was just 60 years ago that 4,835 of America’s banks went broke and closed their doors, leaving shareholders and depositors destitute. The underlying reason that this happened was the lack of moral courage by our regulators and elected representatives to just say no to powerful money interests. Instead of just saying no, Washington handed the banks the equivalent of an ATM card to the Fed’s discount window to speculate in stocks.
“At a time when Japan, the second largest industrialized nation, is reliving the 1930s in America, complete with banking insolvency, it is amazing and preposterous that we should be discussing rolling back Glass-Steagall.
“We also want to remember that the political dynamics that created the backdrop for the banking meltdown in the ‘30s grew from a corrupt cozy culture between Wall Street and Washington. U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, (who knew a thing or two about the matter, having just served as chairman of the young, new SEC, before he went to the Supreme Court) called it what it was, chicanery and corruption.
“Frank Vanderlip, coincidentally, an actual former president of National City Bank, wrote in the Saturday Evening Post at the time that lack of separation of banking and securities contributed to the stock market losing 90 per cent – I’d like to repeat that, 90 per cent – of its value from 1929 to 1933. The public was so sickened by the hubris and corruption that an entire generation stayed away from the stock market. It was not until 1954, 25 years later, that Wall Street once again reached the level it had set in 1929.
“There is a compelling body of evidence that suggests a corrupt cozy culture has once again enveloped the brains of Washington. We can hardly look to the safekeepers of the public trust when they are falling over themselves to reap campaign windfalls from Wall Street.”
I was not the only one to warn of dire ramifications at this Federal Reserve hearing. Amidst the sycophantic calls for approval from politicians and charities on the take, a handful of uncompromised Americans sounded the alarm.
One might accept that our elected representatives could forget the lessons of 1929 and the Great Depression. But how does one explain or justify our President and our Congress forgetting the horrific economic lessons of just five years ago?by
Hardly a day goes by that I don’t thank the Lord for having the courage to second guess the call to serve. Let me explain.
When I turned 19 in the spring of aught-ninety-eight (a show of hands if you’ve never heard the expression), I joined the throngs of other nineteen-year-olds (there may have been three of us at my venerable undergraduate institution) and went to the university clinic for a physical, filled out the paperwork, and submitted my application to serve a mission. A few weeks later I received a call with a reporting date the next fall.
In light of the distance to the Missionary Training Center, missionaries in my stake were traditionally set apart on Sunday to allow them and their families plenty of time to travel to Provo by Wednesday. When the appointed hour came, my twin brother and I were set apart and on Monday we left for the MTC. We arrived in Provo that night, and on Tuesday morning we went shopping for a few last items. While walking through the parking lot to the store, I felt like it was going to be now or never and told my parents: “I’m not going.”
Me and Dad turned around and went back to the car while Mom went ahead with my brother to complete his packing list. Back in the car, Dad calmly asked what the matter was and I simply replied that I just wasn’t ready to go. We talked about my plans. I didn’t really have any, I just knew I wasn’t ready or willing to serve a mission at the moment.
This wasn’t the first time I’d expressed reservations. The summer after my freshman year I had met with my bishop and stake presidency on several occasions after my application had been submitted to let them know I just wasn’t sure about serving a mission after all. Each time we would counsel and pray together, and I would leave feeling like I could do it. But then, just as the rubber was about to hit the road, the realization that it would be me—and not my bishop, stake president, parents or anybody else who cared about me—who would have to serve my mission, caused me to reach for the emergency brake.
If my parents were upset or disappointed, they didn’t show it. The next day we all went to the MTC together, and I stopped at the front desk and let a secretary know I wouldn’t be reporting that day. She thanked me for the heads up and we went in to the farewell ceremony they still did in those days. And then my brother left through the one side and I went with my parents out the other side. And that was pretty much that.
The next Sunday I was back in my old ward, which was a little awkward, especially as I made the rounds of family friends to return the gifts they had given me the week before at my farewell. But I survived and so did they. There was no wailing, gnashing of teeth or rending of garments. I don’t know if it would have mattered much either way at the time—I wasn’t going back!—but in retrospect I am grateful that everyone kept their cool.
I ended up joining a friend in an industrial band and moving to Utah of all places. For the next 18 months a mission was far from my thoughts as I played in bands and worked the graveyard shift to make ends meet. But one winter morning after getting home from work, I reckoned that for being a Mormon, I wasn’t acting much like one. So, in one of those improbable faith-promoting experiences where you flip open the scriptures and find an answer to a question you didn’t know you were asking, I flipped open the scriptures and found an answer to a question I didn’t know I was asking:
But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
I hadn’t been wondering at all if I should consider going on a mission. But in that instant I received what felt like pure inspiration—follow in the footsteps of the apostles by putting the kingdom of God first and the rest of my life would work itself out. It made a lot of sense at the time, so that night I gave my two weeks’ notice to my boss and let my bishop know of my intentions. Three weeks after cracking the Book of Mormon for the first time in months, I was saying goodbye to my family at the MTC. (I don’t know what the usual practice is in such circumstances, but rather than receiving a new calling I received a deferred entry date for my original call).
It wasn’t easy serving in Europe, but I was endlessly grateful that I could fall back on my very own testimony of missionary service that had come to me in my own time. So when a friend shared this story on a popular social media website, I was relieved that the young man who had been left by his parents to fend for himself in a National Park after telling them that he wasn’t going to serve does not appear to be any worse for wear for the experience. After being abandoned, the young man’s grandparents came, picked him up and gave him the encouragement he needed to give missionary service a try. A few days behind schedule, the young man was at the MTC and Elder Alabbas now appears to be serving happily.
So that’s good, and I should probably leave it at that. But the reasoning shared by the young man’s mother gave me pause:
“Our hearts were broken because his future suddenly became so unclear. We knew we weren’t failures, but it was hard in the heat of the moment not to feel that way. The truth was we were less concerned about him not serving, and more concerned with suddenly having no plan and no direction.” Hyatt believes their only choice was to put their son in the hands of the Lord in their creative way. “We felt inspired to step away and reset. Our approach might not work for everyone, but we could see productive communication had broken down.”
I hope the lesson people learn from this story is not to increase reliance on “creative ways” of shaping outcomes that rely on others’ decisions. Rather, I hope parents and guardians will be encouraged to examine the assumptions about life, the universe and everything that they may have tied up with their children’s decisions to serve missions or achieve other milestones in life and resist the urge to act in haste. It’s not easy to revisit expectations and take the long view when it appears that a loved one is veering off course. In fact, it requires faith in no small measure to grant moral agents the space that allows God to work wonders in their lives on His and their timetables. But I think it’s the gospel way.
At any rate, it’s a lesson Elder Alabbas appears to have learned. I’d just like to add my endorsement to some really excellent advice:
His advice for parents of prospective missionaries is simple. “Be patient. Talk to your kids as they’re preparing to serve. Listen. Tell them it’s all right to be afraid. Invite them to try and to trust the Lord and just take one more step, to make one more commitment. And if they serve, love them! And if they don’t serve, love them even more. But if you leave them somewhere,” he finished with a laugh, “make sure they get picked up.”
How have you fared, either as parents or as prospective missionaries?Checkmate, atheists.
Jesus and his mother apparently like to manifest themselves to people on food with some regularity. Or maybe not. But who knows?
Enjoy!
1) The Virgin Mary on grilled cheese
2) Jesus on a banana peel
3) Jesus and his mother on a pancake
4) The Virgin Mary as a piece of dried chocolate
5) Jesus on a chip
6) The Virgin Mary on a pancake
7) Jesus in a half-eaten KitKat bar
8) Jesus on the cross as a Cheeto
9) Bl. Mother Teresa as a bun
10) Madonna and child as a peanut
11) The Virgin Mary as an omelette
12) Madonna and child as a pretzel
13) Jesus on a tortilla
14) Jesus on a cookie
15) Jesus on a breakfast taco
16) Jesus in an orange slice
17) Jesus on a pizza
18) Jesus as a piece of pita bread
19) Jesus in some ice cream
20) Madonna and child as a Funyun
21) Jesus praying as a Cheeto
22) Jesus on some naan bread
23) Jesus on a grapeLet your smartphone take the guesswork out of finding your way around Shinjuku and Tokyo Stations.
Tokyo’s efficient rail system makes getting from one part of the city to another a snap. What’s not always so easy, though, is getting around the stations themselves.
Shinjuku Station, located on the west side of downtown, can be particularly intimidating for the uninitiated. It’s not just the busiest station in the city, but the entire world, with 3.6 million passengers making their way through the train and subway hub every day. Of those, roughly 750,000 are using East Japan Railways’ trains, so the company has released a new smartphone app to help them navigate the JR portion of Shinjuku Station.
The app is actually an updated version of a similar one released last year for Tokyo Station. The new edition can be used in either Shinjuku or Tokyo Stations, and can be configured for either English or Japanese menus and displays.
By utilizing positioning beacons placed throughout the station, the app can give users their approximate location within the structure. This can be a lifesaver for those unfamiliar with JR Shinjuku Station has over a dozen lines and several similarly named exits (the South Exit is different from the New South Exit, for example, just like the East Exit and Central East Exits are located in different places).
▼ Having the app display your current location with a bright blue dot…
▼ …will be a lot easier than trying to figure out where you are on a conventional map of Shinjuku Station.
Knowing where you are is only the first step in getting where you want to be, so the app can also prepare a route for you to in-station destinations, such as specific exits or platforms, with step-by-step directions and distances.
Users can also select from a list of specific amenities, including restrooms, ATMs, information centers, and long-distance ticketing counters, and have all nearby ones shown on the map.
▼ Red marks indicating the search results for wheelchair-accessible restrooms
Travelers with heavy bags will also appreciate the ability to check not only for lockers, but also get information on the size and number of vacant compartments.
▼ As indicated above the colored icons, five small lockers and 10 medium-sized ones are still available, while the large ones are all full.
And finally, if you’ve got an active social life, the ability to send a map of a set position to other users of the app is a God-send, since it lets you substitute a few taps on your smartphone for a half-dozen phone calls to ask “Where are you now?” when rendezvousing with friends.
Apparently, JR East has even more planned for the app’s final edition, which will be released next year. The preliminary version, though, which covers Shinjuku and Tokyo Stations, can be downloaded for free right now on Google Play and Apple’s App Store.
Sources: JR East, The Wall Street Journal Japan via Quartz
Top image: JR East (1, 2) (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: JR East (1, 2)In this undated file photo provided by Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, England, Malala Yousufzai, the 15-year-old girl who was shot at close range in the head by a Taliban gunman in Pakistan, reads a book as she continues her recovery at the hospital. (Photo11: AP)
LONDON (AP) — A Pakistani girl shot by the Taliban has made her first video statement since she was nearly killed, saying Monday that she is recovering.
Speaking clearly but with the left side of her face appearing rigid, 15-year-old Malala Yousufzai said she is "getting better, day by day."
"Today you can see that I am alive. I can speak, I can see you, I can see everyone," she said in the video, made available by a public relations firm. "It's just because of the prayers of people. Because all people — men, women, children — all of them have prayed for me. And because of all these prayers God has given me this new life. a second life. And I want to serve. I want to serve the people. I want every girl, every child, to be educated. For that reason, we have organized the Malala Fund."
CLOSE A Pakistani girl shot by the Taliban has made her first video statement since she was nearly killed. Speaking clearly but with the left side of her face appearing rigid, 15-year-old Malala Yousufzai said she is "getting better, day by day." (Feb. 4) AP
Malala drew the world's attention when she was shot by Taliban militants on Oct. 9 on a school bus in northwestern Pakistan. The Islamist group said it targeted her because she promoted girls' education and "Western thinking" and criticized the militant group's behavior when it took over the scenic Swat Valley where she lived.
The shooting sparked outrage in Pakistan and many other countries, and her story has captured global attention for the struggle for women's rights in her homeland.
In a sign of her impact, the teen made the shortlist for Time magazine's "Person of the Year" for 2012.
Malala was airlifted to Britain from Pakistan in October to receive specialized medical care and protection against further Taliban threats. She is expected to remain in the U.K. for some time as her father, Ziauddin, has received a diplomatic post based in the English city of Birmingham.
The video statement was published Monday, hours after Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital said it had successfully operated to reconstruct her skull and restore her hearing. But the public relations firm Edelman said the video was shot on Jan. 22.
The Malala Fund is a girls' education charity set up in late 2012. It was launched with a $10 million donation from Pakistan.
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/WLWyVDDas Bunker To Cease Weekly Dance Operations
Eight weeks of special events to be capped by closing night on Friday January 31st.
Das Bunker, Mid-City Los Angeles’s industrial dance club is wrapping up its weekly party at the end of January with a special edition of their long running ‘Dance Night” event featuring all of their current resident DJ’s as a selection of soon to be announced guests. Proceeding this party are a selection of Das Bunker’s more popular special events designed to celebrate the culture of DB - starting with this Friday’s “History of Industrial” event.
More information regarding the reasons behind the decision to shut down operations as well as the future of Das Bunker will be released as the final event draws closer, and DB will continue to produce live concerts both large and small in scale in the future.
“We are committed to Industrial Music” says Das Bunker founder Franck “H-Bomb” Huyghe, with co-promoter John “Rev.John” Giovanazzi stating “This is just the next step in our evolutionary process. Now that we no longer have the burden of producing a weekly event, in a set location, on a set night, 52 times a year we can turn our attention to setting in motion the next Episode of the Das Bunker saga. And while we are sad to see such an important part of our history, part of LA’s underground music scene, come to a close, we are also very excited about what we have planned next. “
Das Bunker Event Calendar:
Friday December 13 - History of Industrial Night
Friday December 20 - Dance Night
Friday December 27 - Guest DJ’s Daniel Graves & Black Eyed
Friday January 3 - Free Pass Night
Friday January 10 - Winter White Party
Friday January 17 – Dance Night
Friday January 24 – Shiv-R (live performance)
Friday January 31 – The Last Das Bunker
Friday Feburary 21 – God Module/ The Witch Was Right / Mordacious @ Complex
Sunday April 27 – Combichrist / Suicide Commando / Aesthetic Perfection / Youth Code @ AvalonBikes will not be allowed on trams serving Sheffield, Rotherham and South Yorkshire, in a move cycle campaigners are calling a blow to integrated transport.
South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive has said that calls to allow bicycles on the lower areas of the trams will not be heeded as they will be needed for buggies and wheelchairs.
In a report to the council, Stagecoach, who will operate the trams, adds that there are ‘safety risks’ involved with people carrying their bikes up into the raised sections.
Other risks idetified were the dirtying of other passengers' clothes and that bikes could 'become projectiles' when the trams braked.
Sheffield Central Labour MP Paul Blomfield told The Star that the council needed to think again.
He said: “It’s a disappointing report. Being able to take bikes on to trams is the norm throughout Europe and I regularly see bikes on the London underground.
“There is no reason why we cannot enable tram trains to be able to do the same.
“If not, there is a real risk we will be moving backwards in the promotion of cycling as part of an integrated transport strategy.”
Cycle Sheffield have been campaigning for over a year for a pilot scheme allowing bikes on the new network.
On its website the organisation writes: “CycleSheffield has been campaigning to get bikes on Supertram for a long time.
“We’ve conducted a one-day trial (no problems were encountered) and we’ve chartered trams to get large numbers of cyclists out for a ride on the Trans-Pennine Trail, in fact we hold the record for the largest number of bikes on the tram.
“However, we have yet to persuade Supertram to carry out an extended trial of bike carriage, and when we heard that they rather than Northern Rail would be responsible for Tram-Train, alarm bells rang.
“In June 2012 Sheffield City Council unanimously expressed its wish that bicycles should be allowed to be carried on all trains and that it would make efforts to ensure this service is also on tram-trains.
“It appears that the Council’s wishes and efforts have been ignored.”
A petition begun by one campaigner attracted 850 signatures before it closed last month.
According to the Supertram conditions of carriage, only folding bicycles may be brought onto the trams, although there are occasions where by prior arrangement with Supertram, cyclists can travel together with their bikes on a tram for a special event.
In 2010, it was estimated that a trial period of bicycles on trams would cost £2,000 for new signs and £9,700 for additional staff.
At the time, a separate report read:
Stagecoach Supertram conclude that the carriage of bicycles conflicts to a much greater extent than envisaged on more vulnerable passengers and as such they would prefer to prioritise use of this space by the elderly, infirm, those with shopping or young children, wheelchair users, those with pushchairs and those travelling with such users.
In contrast, heavy rail trains have more spaces available for other users with pushchairs and as trains are level, priority seating does not compete with bicycles for space in the same more limited way it does on trams.
One cyclist commented on the Star article that “SYPTE would do better to apply their risk assessing to carrying drunks, druggies, stinkys, and those who ought to be in an institution.”Nati Harnik / AP file A cell phone tower above downtown Beatrice, Neb |
SEAL_ENABLED which requires GTK 2.18 or higher.
4. What's New for Developers The following changes are important for developers using the GNOME 2.32 developer platform. If you're not interested in changes for developers, you can skip forward to Section 5 ― Internationalisation. As well as the GNOME Desktop, GNOME 2.32 is the latest release of the GNOME Developer Platform, a set of API- and ABI-stable libraries available under the GNU LGPL which can be used for the development of cross-platform applications. Fixing Usage of Deprecated Libraries Starting with GNOME 3.0, various deprecated parts of GNOME will be removed. These deprecated components include libraries such as libart_lgpl, libbonobo, libbonoboui, libglade, libgnome, libgnomecanvas, libgnomeprint, libgnomeprintui, libgnomeui, and libgnomevfs. For applications that ship as part of the GNOME Desktop, a number of cleanup tasks have been carried out to ensure no deprecated code is used. This will ensure a smooth transition to GNOME 3.0. Developers are strongly urged to follow this example in their own applications too. Furthermore, for any developers (or potential developers) who wish to help us out, the GNOME goals wiki page lists the various tasks that are yet to be completed. An automatically created and updated status overview of remaining work for modules that are supported by the jhbuild build tool can be found here. 4.1. Glib 2.26
Glib 2.26 4.2. Anjuta
Anjuta 4.3. Miscellaneous Developer Updates 4.1. Glib 2.26 Glib 2.26 includes support for GSettings, the replacement for GConf as well as GDBus. A new date and time API is available in GDateTime. Glib also includes new support for dtrace and systemtap static markers; GObject property bindings, such as libexo; and proxy support for GSocket. Other improvements include new convenience macros to implement boxe and pointer types in G_DEFINE_[BOXED|POINTER]_TYPE and lastly, a new function g_object_notify_by_pspec which is faster than g_object_notify. 4.2. Anjuta Anjuta, a full featured software development studio and IDE whose features include project management, an interactive debugger, a source editor, a version control GUI designer and more, has been updated with new functionality. Python and Vala are now fully supported in Anjuta including calltips and auto-completion ("IntelliSense"). Anjuta's debugger now supports pretty-printing. When debugging, known objects are shown in a user friendly fashion, such as GObjects or C++-Classes. Lastly, the Symbol-Database has seen a major performance improvement. 4.3. Miscellaneous Developer Updates Other updates in GNOME 2.32's development platform include the addition of libfolks, a library to support Empathy's metacontact functionality. In Devhelp it is now possible to disable specific books. The GTK+ roadmap has been updated and GTK+ 2.22 has added support for the latest accessor functions needed for developers to prepare their applications for GTK+ 3.0.
5. Internationalisation Thanks to members of the worldwide GNOME Translation Project, GNOME 2.32 offers support for more than 50 languages with at least 80 percent of strings translated, including the user and administration manuals for many languages. Supported languages: Arabic
Assamese
Asturian
Basque
Bengali
Bengali (India)
Brazilian Portuguese
Bulgarian
Catalan
Chinese (China)
Chinese (Hong Kong)
Chinese (Taiwan)
Czech
Danish
Dutch
English (US, British)
Estonian
Finnish
French
Galician
German
Greek
Gujarati
Hebrew
Hindi
Hungarian
Indonesian
Italian
Japanese
Kannada
Korean
Latvian
Lithuanian
Malayalam
Marathi
Norwegian Bokmål
Oriya
Polish
Portuguese
Punjabi
Romanian
Russian
Serbian
Slovenian
Spanish
Swedish
Tamil
Telugu
Thai
Turkish
Ukrainian
Vietnamese Many other languages are partially supported, with more than half of their strings translated. Translating a software package as large as GNOME into a new language can be an overwhelming task for even the most dedicated translation team. For this release, we would like to give a special mention to the Indonesian team who reached the full-supported status (raising from 60% to 91%), and the Esperanto team, raising the completeness of their translation by more than 10 points (currently 23% translated). Other teams deserving mention for a special effort in this release are Kazakh and Uighur. Detailed statistics and more information are available on GNOME's translation status site.
6. Installing GNOME To install or upgrade your machine to GNOME 2.32, we recommend you install official packages from your vendor or distribution. Popular distributions will make GNOME 2.32 available very soon, and some already have development versions with GNOME 2.32 available. You can get a list of distributions that ship GNOME and discover the latest versions they ship on our Get Footware page. If you are brave and patient, and would like to build GNOME from source, we recommend you use JHBuild, which is designed to build the latest GNOME from Git. You can use JHBuild to build GNOME 2.32.x by using the gnome-2.32 moduleset. While it is possible to build GNOME directly from the release tarballs, we strongly recommend the use of JHBuild.
7. Looking Forward to GNOME 3.0 Development doesn't stop with GNOME 2.32. Work has already begun on GNOME 3.0, due to be released next April, approximately six months after 2.32. GNOME 3.0 will continue to provide the desktop platform and applications it always has, and will also feature a new user interface in GNOME Shell. GNOME 3.0 also will include new features in accessibility, new user help and documentation, GNOME's first web service in Tomboy Online and more. For developers, GNOME 2.32 deprecates a number of old libraries. GNOME's roadmap details the developers' plans for the next release cycle, the GNOME 3.0 release schedule was released earlier this year and is available on the GNOME wiki. GNOME3.org will be launching in the near future and will provide videos, screenshots and information about GNOME 3.0's new features, applications and more. Watch GNOME.org for more information soon.He also distanced himself from the American presidential race, saying, “Regardless of who is president — male or female — we will work hand in hand together.”
Mr. Sarkozy arrived in Washington without a spouse but with some of the women who reflect the diversity of his cabinet: Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, a former chairman of a Chicago-based law firm, Baker & McKenzie; Justice Minister Rachida Dati, who has a Moroccan father and an Algerian mother; and Rama Yade, his 31-year-old Senegalese-born subminister of foreign affairs and human rights, whom Mr. Sarkozy calls his “Condi Rice.”
At a reception at the French Embassy, he announced that he would take the women to the black-tie dinner in his honor at the White House, saying that they and the rest of his cabinet represent “a new France.”
Among the other members of his party were the chef Guy Savoy, holder of three Michelin stars; Henri Loyrette, director of the Louvre; and several members of the French Parliament.
Mr. Sarkozy awarded the Legion of Honor on Tuesday to seven World War II veterans, including Senator Daniel K. Inouye, Democrat of Hawaii, who, as a 20-year-old lieutenant, lost an arm leading an attack in Italy in 1945.
On Wednesday, Mr. Sarkozy will address a joint meeting of Congress, as his predecessor, Jacques Chirac, did before him, before having lunch and holding a news conference with Mr. Bush at George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon. He will also meet with American Jewish leaders.
The entire visit is to last 26 hours.
“Sarko l’Américain,” as he is called, is considered the most pro-American French president in decades. The son of a Hungarian immigrant and a French-Greek woman whose father was Jewish, he unabashedly confesses his admiration for the United States, particularly its work ethic and popular culture.
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He told the business council that during his presidential campaign, “I said I was a friend of America, and with that, they elected me — not bad.”
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Mr. Sarkozy’s relationship with Mr. Bush is said to be warm, and his tough stance on Iran’s nuclear program — which envisions new punitive sanctions that will hurt French business interests — is welcomed by the White House.
Mr. Sarkozy has brought France closer to the position of the United States on dealing with Afghanistan, where France has troops; the Middle East, where he has called himself a friend of Israel; and Russia. The French leader also supports Washington’s position that the province of Kosovo will eventually become independent of Serbia.
“The tide has really turned in this relationship,” R. Nicholas Burns, under secretary of state for political affairs, said in a speech in Paris last week.
But Mr. Bush is resigned to the fact that Mr. Sarkozy will do nothing to support the American war effort in Iraq. Mr. Sarkozy sidestepped a question at the business council meeting on an American troop withdrawal, saying: “No one is saying that there should be an immediate, unconditional withdrawal. What we want is that as soon as possible, the Iraqi people can decide their future and secure their unity.”
French officials said that Iraq was not even on their agenda.
Nor is France ready to rejoin the military wing of NATO after a four-decade break, despite Mr. Sarkozy’s flirtation with the idea. He has called the possible admission of Turkey into the European Union, which the Bush administration supports, “nonsensical,” saying that 98 percent of Turkey is in Asia Minor, not Europe. He has sharply criticized Mr. Bush for failing to make the environment a high policy priority, a criticism he repeated Tuesday.
Mr. Sarkozy has also faulted the American health care system, which leaves many Americans uninsured, and the fact that much of America knows and cares little about the rest of the world.
“If I was in love with the American model, I’d go and live there,” he wrote in “Testimony,” his 2006 campaign book. “This is not the case.”
Since Mr. Sarkozy’s divorce from his wife, Cécilia, was announced Oct. 18, he has piled even more events onto his already frenetic schedule.
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Cécilia Sarkozy said in interviews following their divorce that she wanted to retreat from the limelight and lead a tranquil life. That doesn’t seem to mean the absence of movement, however. The New York Post on Monday ran a photo of her and her daughter Jeanne-Marie leaving Orsay restaurant on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
Mr. Sarkozy has refused to speak about the collapse of his marriage. He stormed out of a recent interview on “60 Minutes” when pressed, before the divorce was announced, about Mrs. Sarkozy’s whereabouts.
Yet in “Testimony,” he confessed his hurt that his wife had left him for several months in 2005, saying that openness in explaining the trauma was in order.
“This evolution toward transparency in public life, unimaginable only 10 years ago, has become inevitable today,” he wrote. “So you might as well deal with it head on and not try to dodge it.”We're pretty sure Steve Sabol was proud of NFL Films' latest triumph.
Ray Lewis: A Football Life premieres tonight on NFL Network, and it's definitely worth setting your DVR for this one. If America used to love Brett Favre for his seeming childlike love for the game, this show is a window into Lewis' passion for life on the field and off.
NFL Films documented his 2011 season with the Baltimore Ravens -- he became the first player ever to wear a wireless microphone for an entire season -- and takes you well beyond his bone-jarring tackles, injuries, scraps, triumphs and defeats.
"The game will fade one day," Lewis says. "I realize that success is one thing. Impact is another. I live to impact people."
And that's where you'll see Lewis addressing law students at Harvard. You'll see him comforting a terminally ill fan and his family in their Maryland home. You'll see him talking to a soldier who wore Lewis' No. 52 jersey under his battle fatigues and gave the linebacker his Purple Heart.
"That type of interaction with people who really look up to you, that can change a life instantly," Lewis says.
And you'll see him as an active dad in the lives of his six children -- going to games, attending picnics even while injured, playing Monopoly -- embracing a role that most men in Lewis' family have not, including his father.
"I turned pain into my friend," he tells the Harvard students, not really referring to his football injuries. "The only way to ever defeat pain is recognize that pain exists."
There's plenty of football, too, especially surrounding battles with the archrival Pittsburgh Steelers. Lewis owns his legacy while urging his teammates to forge championship memories of their own.
"We've got to savor these moments because they're right now. I couldn't understand that when I was 24 and 25. That's why God had to incarcerate me so I could see how great my blessing was he had for me," he says before the Ravens' team meeting with Pittsburgh at Heinz Field.
Later he adds: "Now I appreciate sitting in meetings, I appreciate going to practice, I appreciate how pure the moments really are."
This is pure Ray Lewis at its best, and NFL Films has beautifully synopsized the essence of a man who seems destined to be remembered for much more than arguably being the greatest linebacker in league history.
And he seemed only too grateful to provide the access to Sabol, who died of cancer Tuesday.
"You can have reservations if you have anything to hide or if you don't trust the people that you're working with," Lewis said this morning on NFL Network's NFL AM.
"But I have worked with those guys for so many years, and I knew that Steve and they had a great vision for what they really wanted to get accomplished. So when they asked me to do it, I was really overwhelmed."
Don't miss the final product. Ray Lewis: A Football Life airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET and will be re-aired throughout the week.Global warming may be under debate, but pollution is a fact -- take that deniers! Cities in China and India are choking with fumes and poisonous gases. Where India's struggling to get its act together, China's tackling the problem with a bang!
Now, buildings covered with trees and plants are already a design philosophy used to reduce their carbon dioxide footprint, but what if you tried that with an entire city? That's what's China's up to...
Images courtesy: Stefano Boeri Architetti
Right now in Liuzhou, building an entire city covered in tree to act like one giant air filter. The complex will span about a kilometre along the Liujiang River, with office buildings, apartments, schools, and hotels, all engulfed by around 40,000 trees and more than a million plants.
The aim is to have the green towers soak up the air pollution in the area and produce clean oxygen, encouraging the growth of other local flora in the process. The gardens have also been planned in such a way that they’ll provide residents with shade from the sun, as well as natural insulation during the winter.
Don't Miss 475 SHARES 219 SHARES 64.9 K SHARES 1.3 K SHARES
The city was designed by Stefano Boeri Architetti, which has also planned two similar ‘forest towers’ eastern China., The Italian firm was commissioned to build the city in order to host 30,000 people, and be connected to nearby Liuzhuo via a fast-rail line and electric cars.
Currently under construction, the forest city is scheduled to be completed by 2020, and is expected to soak up close to 10,000 tons of CO2 per year, while generating 900 tons of oxygen.Since Anthony Ray Hinton was exonerated and released from death row over two years ago, Alabama lawmakers have not only refused to compensate him for the three decades he spent on death row for a crime he did not commit, but also passed legislation changing the appeals process in death penalty cases so that innocent people like Mr. Hinton now face an even greater risk of being executed.
One of the longest serving death row prisoners in Alabama history and among the longest serving condemned prisoners to be freed after presenting evidence of innocence, Mr. Hinton became the 152nd person exonerated from death row since 1983 when he was released on April 3, 2015.
Alabama law provides that compensation may be awarded to a wrongfully incarcerated person if the Committee on Compensation for Wrongful Incarceration finds that he meets the eligibility criteria, but applying for compensation is often a meaningless exercise because the statute requires a legislative enactment to appropriate the necessary funds. Mr. Hinton's application was approved by the committee, and this session, State Senator Paul Bussman sponsored a bill to appropriate the funds to compensate Mr. Hinton. The bill never even made it out of committee.
At the same time, Republican lawmakers introduced the "Fair Justice Act." As Mr. Hinton wrote in an op-ed, had the "Fair Justice Act" been in place when he was convicted, "I would have been executed despite my innocence." Like other men and women sentenced to death in Alabama, where there is no state-funded office to provide counsel for postconviction proceedings, it took years to find volunteer lawyers willing and able to provide the legal assistance Mr. Hinton needed to prove his innocence. Mr. Hinton wrote:
Because the so called "Fair Justice Act" now pending before the state legislature puts time restrictions on how long death row prisoners have to prove their innocence or a wrongful conviction, this legislation increases the risk of executing innocent people and makes our system even less fair.
Indifferent to these concerns, the Alabama legislature passed the new law this spring, making it more difficult to obtain adequate counsel and imposing more unfair filing requirements. By making the state postconviction process even more complicated and arbitrary, the law increases the likelihood that clients on death row will not receive full and fair review of their cases.
"No one knows the hardship created by our inefficient system more than I do," Mr. Hinton wrote. "No one." But rather than pass reforms to prevent another innocent person from being wrongfully convicted and condemned to death, Mr. Hinton cautioned, Alabama is moving in the opposite direction.As I said in one of my earlier posts, there is plenty of trans-related blogging going on out there. I’ve been away from paying any real attention to the trans community, or lack thereof since I lost interest in it about a decade ago, so I felt that I needed to play catch up, and that meant trying to draw myself some kind of map.
If I had been aware of a good canonical authority, I might have turned to it, but as it was, I did things myself (had I known about it, I might have instead just looked at T-Central). Anyway, I wrote a little perl code to do some web crawling through the blogosphere, finding trans blogs and calculating their pagerank (the algorithm is, after all, on wikipedia). It was ugly, and it probably missed a number of blogs, but having compiled a list and ranked them, I took the top 100 and visited them. Below is a list of the blogs with my comments. Being concise takes time and insight, so my descriptions of each blog aren’t good at all, and get both worse and longer as I went further down the list.
But it is what it is. Not everything here resonated with me, but there is enough good stuff that I’m glad to have done the exercise. My plan is to come back and revise this post if/when I have a better sense of what these blogs are about, but I won’t revise their rank. That was the result of some fairly arbitrary computer code, and to change the order gives too much weight to something that is mostly meaningless.
(Yes, I absolutely need to edit some of those down, especially the longer ones. Bad-copy-and-paste, NP. Also, the count stands at well over one hundred now, because I’ve added a few more. I might even add even more since I have plenty more on my list.)
Remember, these aren’t my favorite blogs, they are the favorites of the trans community, as best as I could identify it with some hacked together code and a few starting points to seed the process. Don’t ask me to add a blog to the list, but feel free to draw attention to cool trans-related blogs or talk about your favorites in the comments.
(Also, since you’re here looking for blogs, don’t forget that you can check out mine.)#NeverTrump? More like #NeverMind.
The Republican establishment all but capitulated to Donald Trump on Thursday night, treating the party's frontrunner with kid gloves in the most subdued debate yet of the 2016 primary season.
Read more: Everything You Missed From the GOP Debate in Miami
Gone were the unsparing attacks on the billionaire real estate tycoon's business record, his character and even his credibility as a conservative. Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and John Kasich instead tread carefully around Trump, gently prodding him at times but avoiding a scorched-earth approach against the man who remains overwhelmingly likely to be the party's nominee in the fall.
A man in charge: With a commanding lead in the delegate count and a decent chance of effectively securing the GOP nomination after next Tuesday's delegate-rich nominating contests, Trump needed only to avoid a disastrous performance. Accordingly, he adopted a low-risk approach, steering clear on the vehement attacks he's waged on rivals like Cruz, Rubio and the departed Jeb Bush in previous debates.
Trump's mission on Thursday night: To present himself as a credible standard-bearer who could unite the party's disparate factions, despite his penchant for incendiary rhetoric and relentless counterpunching.
"We're all in this together," Trump said. "We're going to come up with solutions. We're going to find the answers to things. And so far, I cannot believe how civil it's been up here."
Trump seemed to be enjoying himself — and it wasn't hard to see why.
Not biting the bait: After aggressively attacking Trump in recent weeks on everything from the size of his hands to his family inheritance, Rubio mostly stood down on Thursday night, following a string of dismal performances at the ballot box.
Even when Rubio did ding Trump, he did so in a largely mild tone. On entitlement programs, Rubio said, Trump's "numbers don't add up."
Cruz also went after Trump on the issue, noting similarities between Trump's rhetoric on Social Security, which the businessman vows to protect, and that of Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton.
But asked whether he'd just compared Trump and Clinton, Cruz would only say, "I will let Donald speak for himself."
Later in the debate, Cruz did criticize Trump for his past contributions to Democrats — hardly a new line of attack, and one that appears well baked into Republican voters' assessment of Trump.
Not all hands-off: Notably, the sharpest attacks on Trump concerned his harsh rhetoric toward American Muslims and his stance on foreign policy — neither likely to damage Trump with voters, in light of exit poll data showing strong support for his proposed ban on foreign Muslims entering the country, and given that anger at the domestic political establishment is the defining theme of the topsy-turvy 2016 primary.
On Islam, Trump "says the things people want to say," Rubio said. "But presidents can't just say anything they want. It has consequences around the world."
The senator went on to call for working "together with people of the Muslim faith even as Islam faces a serious crisis within it."
Meanwhile, Cruz chided Trump for stating in February that he'd be "neutral" on the Israel-Palestine conflict — but after Trump asserted his staunch support for Israel, Cruz suggested that perhaps Trump's support for a peace deal wasn't "inten[ded]" to be anti-Israel, but that it was in practice.
Cruz also ridiculed Trump's foreign policy as amounting to chants of "China bad, Muslim bad." And later in the debate, he asserted that Trump's nomination would mean victory for Clinton — a sharp departure from the delicate tip-toeing that defined the bulk of the debate.
The road from here: Though the odds of vanquishing Trump are vanishingly small after his strong wins in Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii this week, Cruz remains the only viable threat to Trump still in the race, with a win in Florida next week looking out of Rubio's reach and Kasich with no clear path even if he wins the Ohio primary on Tuesday.
Establishmentarians who fear Trump, then, are left to deal with the awkward reality that their best shot at dislodging him is to prop up a man who rails against his party's leaders as liars and has earned the enmity of his fellow GOP senators.
Basic mathematics essentially foreclosed any other option, but Rubio and Kasich did nothing to change that dynamic on Thursday.Welcome to Unitarian Universalism
We are people of all ages, people of many backgrounds, and people of many beliefs. We are brave, curious and compassionate thinkers and doers. We create spirituality and community beyond boundaries, working for more justice and more love in our own lives and in the world.
Unitarian Universalism affirms and promotes seven Principles, grounded in the humanistic teachings of the world's religions. Our spirituality is unbounded, drawing from scripture and science, nature and philosophy, personal experience and ancient tradition as described in our six Sources.
Get to know us:
Beliefs & Principles - our seven Principles, six Sources and common belief questions
Who We Are - our history, symbols, backgrounds and stories
Religious Practices - what Unitarian Universalists do on Sunday and every day, including holidays and rites of passage
Get Involved - find out how to connect with Unitarian Universalism, no matter where you are
To experience the Unitarian Universalist spiritual tradition online through the WorshipWeb collection and more, visit the Worship & Inspiration section.Gardaí and customs in Cork have foiled a plan to smuggle guns to an organised crime gang after they seized two weapons and arrested a man for questioning about the arms find.
Gardaí together with customs officers raided a number of houses in the White's Cross area outside Cork city early yesterday morning and recovered two handguns and a small quantity of ammunition
Gardaí believe the guns and ammunition had been delivered in recent days to the Cork addresses by legitimate couriers who were unaware of what they were delivering.
Gardaí arrested an Irishman in his 20s at one of the locations and he was brought to Cobh Garda Station for questioning about the firearms and ammunition.
The man was detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act which allows gardaí hold suspects for up to a maximum of seven days.
The two guns and ammunition have been sent for forensic analysis by garda ballistics experts in Dublin but gardaí do not believe they were used in the commission of any offences in Ireland.I’m excited to announce a significant change to our Rewards Store Gift Card options.
Starting March 2nd, you will be able to redeem 2,200 Swag Bucks for one $25 Gift Card OF YOUR CHOICE once a month. This gift card discount only excludes PayPal and Gas Cards.
We will also be introducing a new $3 Amazon Card (for 300 SB). If you like stacking up on Amazon Gift Card credits, this will allow you to get them in nearly half the time.
To accommodate these benefits, we will no longer offer $5 Amazon Gift Cards for 450 SB. They are not going away though, as they will be priced the same as our other $5 Gift Cards at 500 SB. Currently, you are only able to redeem five $5 Amazon gift cards a month. By making these changes we can now remove this limit.
I want to explicitly point out that these changes in no way affect the way you earn Swag Bucks. Nor do they affect how many Swag Bucks you can earn anywhere else on the site.
What these changes do affect, however, is the overall bang for your Swag Buck, which we believe benefit you in 3 main ways:
1. GREATER SAVINGS
Our current pricing discounts the $5 Amazon Card by 10% (450 vs. 500 SB), and also limits the redemptions to 5 per month. So if you redeem 5 Amazon Gift Cards at 450 SB, it will cost you 2,250 SB. Now you can choose to get the same $25 worth of Amazon Gift Cards for 2,200 SB, a 20% higher discount than currently offered.
2. MORE CHOICES
Right now, the only gift card we currently discount is Amazon. This introduction offers you a discount on over 100 gift card choices of your favorite brands, stores, retailers, and restaurants. Gift cards such as CVS, Walmart, Visa, Target, Starbucks, Ebay and Best Buy….the list really could go on and on and on.
3. FASTER REDEMPTIONS
The $3 Amazon Gift Card allows you to get an Amazon Gift Card 33% faster than is currently possible. To expand the options for speedier gift card redemptions, we also plan on offering more low denomination Gift Cards of other brands in the coming months.
I understand that change is sometimes an unwelcome guest. And no matter what I say, some of you will not be in favor of these new discounted gift card options. I hear you. I can also assure you that these changes were made only after surveying and speaking directly with thousands of you regarding your gift card redemption habits, and that every change was made with you in mind.
Swagbucks was founded on the idea of providing smart rewards for good people. For the past 8 years, our focus on achieving that goal has remained fixated on making it easier to get free gift cards online. We remain committed to providing both experiences and rewards that offer unparalleled value for your time. And we intend for our new discounted prices to reinforce our commitment to that pledge. After all, we are only as successful as you are.
On that note, if you have any questions or concerns, our member services team is more than willing to help you out.
Sincerely,
Eron Zehavi
Chief Rewards Officer
Swagbucks.comThe comic is an homage to Initial D much like Peter Jackson’s King Kong was an homage to King Kong. Maybe you don’t like homage or thinly veiled bestiality. But in my mind there are two types of people in this world, those who love drifto, and those that don’t know it exists.
Initial D is about Fujiwara Takumi, a 17 year-old tofu shop delivery boy who drives an ’86 Toyota Sprinter Trueno. Takumi doesn’t care about cars or street racing, just finishing his delivery to the top of Mt. Akina as quickly as possible. The other people that frequent Akina, however, dedicate their lives to illegal mountain racing, as do many other street racers who form teams that proclaim themselves to be the best on various mountains in the region. Eventually Takumi in-advertantly defeats a famous street racer on Mt. Akina, which begins Takumi’s reluctant journey into the street racing world.
The format is this: Takumi shows up to a race and his opponent scoffs at the car; everyone thinks it’s a joke. Then the eurobeat music begins and Takumi pressures his opponent with perfect drift technique. The opponent can’t believe what’s happening. Takumi wins.
For some reason I never got tired of this formula. Each race presents a different obstacle for Takumi. Each driver that challenges Takumi feels they are superior to him in some way.
We all have something we feel we excel at on a small stage. Something at which we consider ourselves better than most people. Every time Takumi wins his opponent seldom feels defeated, and instead is grateful they could finally experience a new challenge.
This drive to overcome has as much to do with Initial D as drifting. Drifting is merely the shit hot medium that Initial D uses to remind us to “rage our dreams.”After a near three-year wait (not including last year’s one-off special The Abominable Bride), Sherlock returned to UK television last night with a bang.
Season 4 of the BBC One series kicked off on New Year’s Day with the 90-minute episode “The Six Thatchers.” Overnight ratings show 8.1 million viewers tuned in to watch the anticipated return of Benedict Cumberbatch’s eccentric detective along with sidekick Dr. John Watson (Martin Freeman), making it yesterday’s most-watched show. Rave reviews claim the wait was definitely worth it, though the numbers were off about 300K viewers in the overnights compared to last year’s one-off Victorian era special Sherlock: The Abominable Bride. It was also down 1.1M from Season 3’s opener “The Empty Hearse,” which aired on New Year’s Day in 2014 and remains the show’s highest-rated episode to date.
“The Six Thatchers,” which also aired yesterday in the U.S. on Masterpiece, picks up following the events of the Season 3 finale His Last Vow, which saw Sherlock exiled from Britain very briefly before being called back as a mysterious “Did you miss me?” message from arch-villain Moriarty appeared all over the UK. It’s packed with modern twists on Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective and Watson, as well as Watson’s wife Mary (Amanda Abbington) and their new baby.
Produced by Hartswood Films, the Season 4 opener was directed by Rachel Talalay and written by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, who both exec produce. The new season will be delivered in weekly installments followed by “The Lying Detective” on January 8 and the finale, “The Final Problem,” on January 15.Description Cell phones and all recording devices will NOT be permitted into the venue. Please leave your phone in your car or at home. Anyone who shows up with a cell phone will need to check it. Everyone is subject to a pat down. Anyone caught with a phone inside the venue will be ejected immediately.
All shows are 18 & over with valid photo ID.
There is a two drink minimum per person.
Cameras and video/audio recording devices are not permitted.
In the spirit of fair access to tickets for fans, this event is WILL CALL ONLY, and there is a 2 ticket limit per customer. You will need to bring your government issued photo ID and the credit card you used to purchase the tickets to the box office on the day of the show to retrieve these tickets. Once your order is picked up you must directly enter the venue and there will be no ins and outs.
** Will call tickets must be picked up by the card holder only. Alternate names for will call will not be allowed.
** LIVENATION AT ITS DISCRETION WILL CANCEL ANY AND ALL ORDERS WITHOUT NOTICE THAT EXCEED THE TICKET LIMIT. THIS INCLUDES DUPLICATE ORDERS HAVING THE SAME NAME OR CREDIT CARD.
MediaThe Perfect Rig For Filming An Overland Motorcycle Death Race
When we set out to design a new kind of support rig, we started not with a blank page, but with a question: If we were tasked with documenting an overland motorcycle death race using only what we could carry, what sort of rig would we want? It would have to be small, versatile, and really strong. It would have to made almost entirely out of metal. And most importantly, it couldn't ever let us down. So we designed and machined and tested. We revised and tested some more until finally, the Pop and Lock was born, and we were ready for our motorcycle death race.
Versatile
The Pop and Lock is not a Swiss Army Knife -- it wasn't desiged to do thirty things poorly. Rather it was designed to perform five functions very well, quickly converting into:
An adjustable-height Top Handle
A Selfie Pole
Shoulder Stock
Pistol Grip
Carry Clip
The Pop and Lock is small enough that it doesn't look ridiculous when used with a GoPro or a cell phone, but it's rigid enough to be used with full-sized DSLRs paired with zoom lenses.
Small
To make the Pop and Lock a traveling cinematographer's dream, we made the rig foldable. When fully collapsed, you can fit the Pop and Lock in your pants pocket. It weighs less than 8 ounces, and it's a single, foldable unit. No parts to remove, nothing to lose.
Really Strong
Versatile is nice and all, but not if it sacrifices strength and dependable performance. The Pop and Lock gets its name from the unique knuckle joint we designed. This joint uses a dog clutch mechanism (an idea we got from the gearboxes used in race cars,) and indexes in 45-degree increments, creating a robust connection at each position. The Pop and Lock joint is easy to adjust and requires almost no finger pressure to lock down. Once locked, this rig will not come loose.
Made By Us... Out of Metal
We started Hondo Garage because we like making things with our minds and our hands. That's why we make all of our products, including the Pop and Lock, right here in Bozeman, Montana. We're a small company of three and we enjoy stirring lots of pots (which is why our logo is an octopus.)
We also like tools that last a long time. So, with the exception of the rubber grip pad and one delrin washer, the Pop and Lock is made entirely out of 6061 aluminum and steel. We set out to create a rig that you'll still be using ten cameras from now. The arms and dog clutches are Type III hard anodized for durability (rather than regular and less durable Type II anodizing.) The Pop and Lock is a well-made tool you'll be using for a long long time |
an individual or a company wants to buy or sell a large quantity of Bitcoins, the transaction can dramatically affect the value of the digital currency.
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To help solve this problem, Kraken, a San Francisco-based Bitcoin exchange, has opened a dark pool for Bitcoin trading. Traders who use the dark pool will be able to make orders for Bitcoin without alerting other traders of their intent. Kraken clients who make dark pool orders will be charged an extra 0.1%. The minimum threshold for making a dark pool order at the time of this reporting is 50 Bitcoins, or about $11,500.
Also in today's PAYMENTS INSIDER:
UNIONPAY'S GLOBAL AMBITIONS
NEARLY HALF OF ATTEMPTS TO OPEN ACCOUNTS ONLINE FAIL
JACK DORSEY SERVING AS INTERIM CEO OF TWITTER
SWEDISH MOBILE WALLET NOW AVAILABLE IN THE US
NEW FUNDING FOR PAYMENTS AND LENDING COMPANIESDonald Trump’s victory in November was not only the most important election result of our lifetimes, but ranks as one of the most significant events in recorded history, on par with the French Revolution or the fall of the Berlin Wall. And I’ll tell you why.
Western society is super-saturated with leftist propaganda. Politically astute non-leftists see it everywhere and complain about it incessantly — because it is ubiquitous. In fact, most of our waking hours are spent noticing, commenting upon, getting outraged by and then futilely combatting the endless, relentless leftist slant to everything in modern culture.
Every news broadcast. Every movie. Every lesson in every classroom. Every social signifier in public. Every poll. Every TV show. Every tribal shibboleth. In ways large and small, overt and covert, subtle and blatant, the society around us is infused with progressive ideals and agendas, whether you realize it or not.
And it’s not just the entire preschool-through-PhD educational system, the entire media/entertainment complex, and most interpersonal environments; increasingly, under Obama especially, the federal government itself has become an inescapable agent of coercive progressive propaganda imposed on us with the full force of the state.
But what is the purpose of all this propaganda?
The Goal of Indoctrination
The culture-wide brainwash we witness with chagrin every day is not designed to ignite a violent overthrow of the American political structure — long experience has proven that violent revolutions simply don’t happen in middle-class first-world countries. We’re too comfortable as a nation for that strategy to ever work. Instead, the ultimate goal of all this brainwashing and social intimidation is to make the general population VOTE as the Left wants us to vote.
Many of the progressives fighting (and seemingly winning) the “culture wars” may not even realize the ultimate purpose of their activism — most naively think that the goal of altering America’s social mores is merely to alter America’s social mores, and nothing beyond that. What other objective could there be?
The answer, of course, is obvious: Political change. While it is possible, I suppose, for a thoroughly left-wing society to accept being forever ruled by a conservative government, such a state of affairs never endures for long in the real world. Indeed, one of the core values at the heart of leftism (aside from the touchy-feely cultural stuff) is that the machinery of the state exists for the very purpose of imposing by force progressive ideology on the populace. So the “culture wars” can never be fully won until leftists have a firm grip on political power.
And how do you get political power in America? You don’t have a bloody revolution. Violent revolutions can only ever succeed in what were called “peasant societies” — czarist Russia, impoverished rural China, etc., where there were large populations of oppressed peasants — but never in industrialized countries, as Marx had incorrectly assumed.
Instead, in the United States of America, you gain power incrementally by winning elections. And the way you win elections is by changing the hearts and minds (and thus the voting patterns) of the hoi polloi.
The term for this process, in Marxist theory, is cultural hegemony, a phrase that was coined by communist philosopher Antonio Gramsci to describe how the political power-structure of a society is always determined by the cultural norms of that society. A conservative-minded populace will always vote for conservative-minded leaders, so the way to achieve communism in advanced nations, he argued, would be to first change the culture so that progressive ideals become dominant, and then people will simply vote themselves into communism without the need for a revolution.
And the way to change the culture, according to the theory, is to slowly infiltrate and then surreptitiously seize control of the “institutions” which shape cultural awareness — most importantly the mass media and the educational system. This process was strongly advocated by the influential leftist philosophers at the Frankfurt School, and was eventually given the catchy name “the long march through the institutions” by ’60s radical Rudi Dutschke.
So, it’s no accident, nor did it simply happen naturally, that everything in society since the 1950s seems to have shifted wildly leftward toward political correctness; it is in fact a decades-long strategic plan to change the underlying nature of society to pave the way for an eventual socialist utopia. And while part of that plan is to deny it even exists, in reality modern academia spends most of its time these days openly discussing and debating how to best implement it.
The point behind Gramscianism and “stealth communism” (as I call it) is that the revolution in the United States should not and can not be a violent revolution, but instead a quiet revolution in which the populace imposes communism on itself willingly — what Bernie Sanders correctly dubs “democratic socialism” — that is to say, by electing socialist leaders democratically.
Which brings us to the main point: The entire purpose of 60 years of slanted media and slanted news and slanted education and social pressure and brainwashing and deception and indoctrination — all of it, everything we complain about every day, all day, for years and years and years — the purpose of all this is to get people to vote for the most left-wing candidate in each presidential election. The goal is to bring about a self-imposed silent revolution in America, a democratically elected socialist government voted in by low-information rubes unaware of what they’re doing.
And it has looked ever since Obama’s ascendancy in 2008 that this long-term strategy had reached a tipping point of success from which there was no return — no conservative could ever win another presidential election. With each passing year, the population was getting younger, more radical, more brainwashed, etc. (Midterm/off-year elections are a somewhat different story, as regional conservative outposts could still elect local representatives — but on a national scale, they were greatly outnumbered by burgeoning young generations of leftists.)
The results of these decades of indoctrination was plainly visible in the college students of today, who are all so left-wing by default that they consider standard Marxism too old-fashioned and conservative. Taking this into consideration, and remembering that the adults of today were the radical students of the recent past, it had seemed that these decades of indoctrination had been resoundingly successful, and that the U.S. electorate had swung wildly to the left, never to swing back, just as the Gramscian brainwashers had been planning and implementing for the last 50 or more years.
Ooops
And then November 8, 2016 happened, and BOOM: It was all revealed to be a lie. Not only did the indoctrination fail, but the general impression that the relentless indoctrination had always been successful was itself a gigantic meta-deception.
All the chatter and statistics and talk show “experts” proclaiming that America had forever swung Democratic? ALL LIES.
All the slanted polls, which were intended to convince everyone that Hillary was inevitable? ALL LIES.
The derision of Trump as a ludicrous fringe candidate and his supporters as wild-eyed extremists? ALL LIES.
And it’s not just that they were all lies — they were lies that had no effect. Somehow, without anyone noticing, a majority of the American populace had evolved a new immunity to progressive disinformation.
It doesn’t even matter what Trump’s actual political beliefs are or what his policies will be. All that matters is that he was the media’s Designated Enemy and yet he won.
This election didn’t merely expose the failure of six months of campaigning by the Democratic Party. This election exposed the failure of SIX DECADES of leftist propaganda to have any cumulative effect at all.
And the earthquake extends deep into the future as well. Thanks to Trump’s history-shattering victory, we now know that the Gramscian model and the Frankfurt School model don’t work. Every single thing the Left has done since the 1950s has been catastrophically wrongheaded and misconceived. It has all backfired. Which means that going into future, when they will (as they surely will) continue their failed strategy on autopilot, it will all be for naught. Why? Because these techniques only work if the victims don’t know they’re being propagandized. Yet the public in recent years has become much more sophisticated. Now we do know. And we can never un-know, once our eyes have been opened.
The Left has to now go back to the drawing board and come up with an entirely new playbook. And once they do, it will surely take decades to implement.
But the best part? The Left doesn’t understand any of this, and they won’t reformulate their playbook. They will stick to the same failed script, as we have already seen just in the last few weeks since the election. Years from now, and likely even decades from now, the Left will still be trying their stealth (and not-so-stealth) propaganda/indoctrination/bullying efforts, and they will continue to fail.
That’s why Trump’s victory is so historically significant: It is a major paradigm shift in the arc of history that completely destroys the leftists’ long-term game plan, past, present and future. To such an extent that now we’re playing an entirely new game with entirely new rules. But the left refuses to acknowledge this, and they will continue to play the old game. So they will lose. And lose. And lose. And lose. Over and over and over again until they too see the futility of the entire leftist worldview.President Trump welcomes a member of the Little Sisters of the Poor at a Rose Garden ceremony. (Reuters photo: Carlos Barria)
Things aren’t quite right for religious liberty — but we’re looking in the right direction.
There’s something about politics and maybe the Donald J. Trump administration in a particular way that seems a constant public-service announcement about original sin. Sometimes even when there’s good, it’s not entirely right. I thought of that not for the first time as I watched the president invite the Little Sisters of the Poor up to his Rose Garden podium on the annual National Day of Prayer to be applauded. It was a perplexing and frustrating day as most days when one pays a moment’s notice to politics is.
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But I’ll give him credit for this: Unlike others, he did not pretend that the Little Sisters religious-liberty “ordeal” unnecessarily prompted by the Obama administration was yet over with the stroke of his pen. He indicated that it may soon be. In truth his executive order didn’t change anything for them though it and his words at the White House on religious liberty were a change of tone for the executive; in the previous administration, the president and his cabinet saw religious freedom as a narrowing thing, something to be curtailed if the believers were deemed archaic or worse in some of their matters of faith and tradition.
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The previous administration’s attitude went almost entirely unnoticed by the media for years. The bewildering sight an administration telling the Little Sisters who have dedicated their lives to God and the service of Him in the elderly poor — among our most forgotten and discarded — to be in the business of providing contraception and abortion-drugs to their staff, went unnoticed for many Americans.
On social media, I’ve been told to drop my obsession with the likes of the Little Sisters. In truth, focusing on them could mean the renewal of our lives and our culture and our politics. They are women who know great love is in sacrifice and making sure that every person knows he is loved. Many you and I may encounter today have no idea they are — and that void is inhumane and affects so much of the inhumanity in our midst. Individuals and communities who insist on making sure people know in the most loving ways make all the difference.
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On his recent visit to Egypt, Pope Francis said: “The greatness of any nation is revealed in its effective care of society’s most vulnerable members — women, children, the elderly, the sick, the disabled, and minorities — lest any person or social group be excluded or marginalized.” And he made clear that religion is never about hatred and violence — that is a perversion and blasphemy.
At a time when the easy thing to do is equate organized religion with violence and evil — the things which are so repulsive to God and His Word — because of so much scandal and pain in the world, the likes of the Little Sisters of the Poor stand as a bright counter example, a beacon of love in the midst of horror and anguish.
The Little Sisters are the peacemakers, and by celebrating them, we celebrate the kind of love we ourselves want, and for those we most love.
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Pope Francis also said in the same address to government officials and diplomats in Cairo that “History... honors men and women of peace, who courageously and non-violently strive to build a better world: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Mt 5:9).”
The Little Sisters are the peacemakers, and by celebrating them, we celebrate the kind of love we ourselves want, and for those we most love. Can we desire that for our enemies, too? For those we never give thought to? That’s what makes the difference in revolutionizing the way we life and act and show ourselves to the world. The Little Sisters don’t ask you to do what they do or believe what they believe, but when you see the radiant light radiating from their hearts and deeds, you want what they have. It’s something other than the anger in the air. It’s nothing like manipulations of religion. So I’m grateful the president called them up to the podium in the Rose Garden. Now, I pray, his administration actually restores freedom from unnecessary regulation for them and so many. And even more so: That we begin to celebrate and participate this kind of love that restores not only human hearts and souls but the health of a people.
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It is said that God works with all things — even bewilderingly unnecessary legal fights. So thank you, Barack Obama. And thank you, Donald Trump. You both wound up getting us thinking about the Little Sisters. And that makes us better especially as things aren’t quite right.
READ MORE:
The Little Sisters of the Poor & the Supreme Court
Donald Trump’s Religious Freedom Half-Measure
Russian Religious Persecution: What Will Trump Do?
— Kathryn Jean Lopez is a senior fellow at the National Review Institute and an editor-at-large of National Review. Sign up for her weekly NRI newsletter here.Donald Trump gets well-deserved blame for much of the 'us vs. them' attitude currently infecting politics, but Speaker of the House Paul Ryan put a chilly edge on divisiveness when he laughed it up with his colleagues over the prospect of cutting health care for tens of millions of people.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, repealing the Affordable Care Act will result in 32 million people losing their health insurance in the first ten years, and to varying degrees, Republicans freely acknowledge that their plan will leave people out.
As angry and fearful constituents flood Republican town halls across the country to oppose the repeal of Obamacare, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan was specifically asked about those constituents at a press conference.
He responded with a joke:
REPORTER: Given what you’re seeing in town hall meetings across the country, and back in Wisconsin, are you — feel that there is a need now for whatever plan you have for health care, that you must include Democrats in that plan? RYAN: Yeah, Democrats will get health insurance just like Republicans, hahaha!
Later in the same press conference, Ryan was asked about his longtime quest to cut safety net programs, and again greeted the prospect of cutting health insurance for millions with laughter, this time joined by his fellow House GOP leaders:
REPORTER: On entitlement reform, are you giving up the dream? RYAN: (laughs) Never, I never give up a dream, Kacie, I never give up dream. I’m a Green Bay Packer fan. So, I never give up dream. By the way, two entitlements are being reformed with repealing and replacing Obamacare right now! That’s two entitlements right there that we’re reforming, just this Spring! So, we are well on our way to reforming entitlements by repealing and replacing Obamacare. So I think that’s a pretty darn good start. Thank you very much. MCCARTHY: (chuckles) Good job!
The two “entitlements” to which Ryan is referring are Obamacare itself, which has decreased the uninsured rate in this country to a record low, and Medicaid, the expansion of which has covered millions. The “darn good start” Ryan references is to his longtime mission to cut Medicare and Social Security, as well.
It is one thing to hold the misguided belief that hard choices on safety net programs need to be made in the name of fiscal responsibility, but quite another to take blatant glee in making those choices, knowing the harm they will bring to so many Americans’ lives. Ryan’s performance is a stark reminder that Donald Trump is not the only government figure worthy of resistance.Because lord knows that there would never be a time where anyone would have to backtrack from that, right? Like if your next film was universally hated by critics?
Yahoo, Uproxx
We bet DC is wishing Damage Control wasn't a Marvel property right about now.
It's almost as if the people making these DC films have no fucking clue what they're doing. Meanwhile, in a faraway land where movies aren't terrible, we're seeing other filmmakers use the Internet more and more to communicate with fans. That isn't to say they should do everything we ask, but when Michael Bay & Friends were faced with insurmountable online backlash for trying to make the Ninja Turtles into space aliens, they actually went back in and changed it. Did it make a perfect film? Yeah, no. But thanks to fan feedback, the upcoming sequel is actually making efforts to steer the franchise in the right direction with a sane-looking Shredder and more focus on the turtles as main characters. Also, fucking Bebop and Rocksteady driving a goddamn tank.
Paramount Pictures
If we're not careful, we may actually see this movie on purpose.
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It's a tank, you guys. In what looks like fucking whitewater rapids. What the fuck are they doing in all that whitewater rapids? Who gives a fuck? I know I've gone on and on about the reality disconnect of CGI, but this is the fucking Ninja Turtles -- a series for children that gets more disturbing the more photoreal it gets. Isn't it nice to know that when audiences said that Shredder looked like crap, they actually did something about it? Isn't it nice to know that when Neill Blomkamp told everyone about the Alien film he wanted to do, we made enough Twitter chatter that the studio seriously considered it?
I know it sounds cynical to say that these reboots and adaptations are all just pandering to fan bases and escapism, but they kind of are. So if we're gonna make a Superman film every damn year, they might as well ask us what we want to see first. Because I guarantee the popular vote isn't "a confounding jumble of rubble and torment in perpetual darkness." We're already gonna get enough of that if Trump wins.
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David is a Cracked columnist, researcher, and editor. Hit him up on the Twitter.
What do Chuck Norris, Liam Neeson in Taken, and the Dos Equis guy have in common? They're all losers compared to some of the actual badasses from history whom you know nothing about. Come out to the UCB Sunset for another LIVE podcast, April 9 at 7:00 p.m., where Jack O'Brien, Michael Swaim, and more will get together for an epic competition to find out who was the most hardcore tough guy or tough gal unfairly relegated to the footnotes of history. Get your tickets here!
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A few days ago, we got a bit of a fright: Page Six reported that George Miller, the brilliant Australian helmer behind Mad Max: Fury Road, would not be involved with the Mad Max franchise going forward. The quote they had suggested that Miller was tired of the exhausting production schedule that comes with mounting big movies like Fury Road, which is more than reasonable for a man of Miller’s age. Heck, for any age, really.
But today brings news that this news from Page Six was, in one sense or another, complete bunk, as Miller is now saying that he was misquoted by the writer and that he is, indeed, ready with at least two more installments in the venerable series. Here’s what he had to say, via The Wrap:
“That was a completely garbled interview. I was in New York and it was so noisy and the journalist was asking me questions on a red carpet at the National Board of Review…She completely got the wrong fragments of information that were just not true. I said no, [another ‘Mad Max’ movie] will not be next, and she took that to mean I never wanted to make another ‘Mad Max.’ It won’t necessarily be next, but I have two more stories.”
It’s not entirely surprising that this would come right after Miller nominations from the DGA and the Academy Awards, but the news that he was off the films never seemed right in the first place. The mad ecstasy of Fury Road comes primarily from the direction of the film, from how Miller orchestrated all this lunacy into a visual concerto, with a wildly rhythmic sense of editing and thoroughly thoughtful compositions that still felt alive, messy in ways that directors like Christopher Nolan can’t pull off. There’s passion beyond technique and intelligence in Mad Max: Fury Road that comes directly from Miller, and I can’t imagine he’d just turn his back on such an important part of his career. Nonetheless, it begs the question: what might he be making next, if not the new Mad Max, and when, oh when, can I see it?In 2008, François-Henri Boissel was leading a charmed life. He was a young, successful investment banker working in Tokyo, Japan. And then the market crashed.
He thought of sticking it out, waiting until things improved, but then he remembered a conversation he’d had with his father, Jean-Pierre, in the summer of 2007, and it started gnawing at him.
His father had had a long career in clinical research and had always dreamed of using mathematics to "find truly innovative therapies and dramatically improve patient outcomes," François recalls. The pair had discussed the idea of using mathematical modeling to improve innovation in the pharmaceutical industry, but François had put that idea to the side because he was enjoying the banker's life and the pharmaceutical industry seemed risky. But in 2008, things changed.
"After having spent a number of years analyzing companies through financial statements and market research reports, I was curious to actually get my hands dirty," François says. He was 28, single, and had no kids. "It was the ideal setup to take on serious risk."
The result was Novadiscovery, a startup founded in 2010. In essence, this fledgling company is trying to build a community of virtual patients that scientists and drug companies can use as on-demand digital lab rats. Its goal isn’t to understand how patients interact or behave, but to help curb the costs of discovering new drugs by providing a means of screening potential drug candidates – and screen them quickly – using mathematics and intelligent algorithms.
"This is going on before you get anywhere near a person. It’s the first point of research," François told Wired. "It’s a major disruption."
In 2008, when he first left the banking game, François moved back to France and spent the next year brainstorming with his father on how they would try to solve some of the inefficiencies that had plagued the drug pharmaceutical industry for decades. “Our skill-sets were very complementary. [My father] would bring the fundamental science, and I would contribute my business expertise,” François says.
After several months spent ironing out concepts, and recruiting scientists and engineers, Novadiscovery was born. Nova is part of a growing group of companies that are turning to model-based approaches to circumvent some of the inefficiencies that have plagued the pharmaceutical industry in recent years. Pfizer, for example, published a paper in May on the cost benefits of incorporating predictive quantitative modeling into their R&D pipeline.
"This won’t replace [clinical] trials in humans and animals, but it will inform much earlier in the process which [molecules] are worth spending on and which ones should be cut," François says.
Currently, pharmaceutical companies can invest 10 to 15 years and billions of dollars in basic research before they know whether their drug candidate is a dud. There isn’t a reliable way to predict how well a potential drug will work in people so a majority of funding pays for failure. The end result is an industry rife with wasted resources, little innovation, mediocre products and astronomical prices.
Novadiscovery’s approach is an attempt to fix that problem by making biological research more predictive, says Bernard Munos, founder of the InnoThink Center for Research in Biomedical Innovation, a think tank that focuses on innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. In Europe, he says, Nova is helping lead the shift from a business model that relies heavily on serendipity to one driven by mathematics, analytics and computation.
The company is modeling the human body and its diseases using a similar integrative, data-rich approach other researchers have used to device computer models of much simpler organisms like bacteria. The human body is a much more complex system, so the challenge is exponentially greater. Nova's goal is not to simulate every protein or cell in the body, but instead to build a model with enough detail to be able to accurately represent "the fundamental fabric of disease," François says. His objective is clear and specific: to identify new therapies from which patients can benefit.
To do so, Nova scientists and engineers are building a population of virtual patients using real-world data from epidemiological studies, clinical trials, census information and the wealth of disease-related knowledge buried in scientific publications. They've turned this unstructured human data into functional relationships represented by mathematical equations that capture the mechanisms of human diseases. These equations are then turned into computer code that can compute probable outcomes.
Currently, the company is focusing on developing a library of models for cancer, cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases, and immunology, but in theory, their platform could be applied to other conditions, assuming they have the relevant data.
The company has piloted their technology in small proof-of-concept studies with some promising results, but it hasn’t yet applied its algorithms to a large R&D program. That will be its next big challenge.
If Nova's technology –- and others like it – is shown to work and is more widely adopted, it could bring drug development squarely into the personalized-medicine era. These types of algorithms should eventually be able to take into account individual risk factors like smoking, weight, diet, age, gender, geographic location, and previous medical history. Basically, patients would have a digital version of themselves which clinicians could use to assess possible treatments, lowering the chances patients will suffer from side effects.
François is confident that will indeed be the future. "This feels," he says, "like it’s just the beginning of our journey to accelerate the industry’s transition to a model of sustainable innovation."At Truthout, we don’t pull any punches when it comes to criticizing the forces in power. Don’t wait to hold the next president’s feet to the fire: Make a donation to independent media today!
Ever since it became evident that Donald Trump would win the presidency, progressives have been dreading what a Trump cabinet may look like, with each scenario seemingly scarier than the last. There are only so many synonyms for “frightening” and “racist,” but they have all been used a million times over in the last two weeks.
As the reports and speculation have continued to dominate the news cycle, the prospects have grown more ominous and include several unambiguous bigots. For attorney general, for instance, Trump has named Jeff Sessions, whose racism was so undeniable it cost him a judgeship under Ronald Reagan. The new CIA director, Mike Pompeo, is a Tea Party Republican who called a political opponent a “turban topper” in 2010. Rudolph Giuliani, among others, is being floated as a top choice to be the nation’s top diplomat. Newt Gingrich is literally proposing the revival of a McCarthy-era House Un-American Activities Committee. Sarah Palin may be the secretary of the Interior Department. And, in a global crisis of epic proportions, droves of climate deniers will be staffing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at a time when the United State’s actions on climate change may determine the fate of our species.
Since before the election, the prospects for Trump’s nightmare cabinet have been met with fear and even some gallows humor. “Buckle up for this basket of deplorables,” remarked Cenk Uygur of the Young Turks.
“Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion,” Kurt Vonnegut once said. We laugh in self-defense. But it isn’t funny.
Trump’s true governing philosophy and core ideological beliefs are hard to know given his incoherence, lack of policy specifics and long record of deceit. But the names on his short list for top positions don’t share this ambiguity; some are brazen about their divisive, reckless beliefs.
Watching this increasingly tumultuous transition unfold can provide clues and insights into what Trump’s America may look like. Early signs are not promising.
Trump and the Washington Establishment
In selecting his cabinet members, it quickly became clear that the president-elect was relying, as Politico described it, on “veterans of the GOP establishment as well as [on] lobbyists for the fossil fuel, chemical, pharmaceutical and tobacco industries.” This route contrasts mightily with Trump’s fiery anti-establishment language. Liberals have rightly used this as an opportunity to call Trump out for using populist rhetoric as merely as a political tool that does not reflect any core beliefs.
“We’re watching Trump’s greatest con ever unfolding right before our eyes,” said Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, who issued a report highlighting many of the typical DC insiders who were playing an integral part of Team Trump.
“You already broke your promise,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren in a tweet to Trump. “You stacked your transition team with Wall Street elites, insiders [and] lobbyists.” This was not long after Bloomberg reported Trump was considering former Goldman Sachs executive Steven Mnuchin as treasury secretary.
As of early Monday morning, the conservative Daily Caller is reporting Trump will indeed offer him the job. If the report is correct, this makes him the third president out of the last four to appoint a Goldman executive to head the department. It is hard to imagine a more “establishment” pick.
We’re watching Trump’s greatest con ever unfolding right before our eyes.
But choosing from the establishment certainly does not mean avoiding extremist, racist and misogynist picks.
Jeff Sessions and Mike Pompeo may be inside the beltway, but they are well-known for their xenophobic, anti-Black and Islamophic views. And of course, one of Trump’s few outside-the-beltway picks is Breitbart News’ notorious Stephen Bannon.
And, as is life in the Trump era, the story continued to take dramatic turns. Amid reports of “transition turmoil,” NBC News reported on Thursday that Vice-President Elect Mike Pence,
who is leading the transition, was engaging in a “Stalinesque purge” of lobbyists and associates of Chris Christie, who was said to be exiled from the administration for a time.
“This would bring the transition more in line with Trump’s campaign-trail pledge to ‘drain the swamp’ of veteran politicians and special interests in Washington,” the report said. Not that this news was likely to assuage his critics. The lobbyists are being replaced with loyalists. And the constant turnover was among several reasons why the transition was “in disarray,” according to The New York Times, “marked by infighting, firings,” and various breaches of protocols with foreign leaders.
Trumpism Meets Neoliberalism
Trump’s first weeks as the President-elect have bolstered many of the fears of his critics. Chief among them was his decision to hire the racist, Islamophobic and anti-Semitic Steve Bannon, former editor of Brietbart.com, as chief advisor. The move was loudly condemned by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Anti-Defamation League and even Glenn Beck, who called him a “terrifying man.” If Trump’s initial coziness to the DC establishment provided any illusion otherwise, Bannon’s hiring removed any doubt that Trump is indeed different from past Republican candidates.
This distinction is important to remember. The normalization of Trump, argues Steve Maher, a political economist from York University, would be a mistake. “We cannot allow things to simply ‘go back to normal,'” Maher told Truthout. “It is important to maintain a sense of the upheaval that is actually occurring, and the very real dangers this poses to the basic foundations of American political democracy.”
Maher fears that we may be witnessing an ugly merger between two dangerous ideologies: Trump’s racial nationalism and the GOP’s brand of neoliberalism.
We cannot allow things to simply ‘go back to normal. It is important to maintain a sense of the very real dangers this poses to the basic foundations of American political democracy.
“The foundations of neoliberalism have included, for instance, right to individual self-expression, multiculturalism, free press, etc. — all things Trump has expressed strong antagonism toward,” Maher said. But as the Republican leadership warms to Trump, “the capitalist class may be moving closer to accepting a far-right ‘solution’ to the social crisis of neoliberalism, accommodating an ideology previously regarded as unacceptable.”
Under such a scenario, the best case may be neoliberalism with “an alarmingly authoritarian and chauvinistichue.” Should Trumpism start to dominate the centers of power in the GOP, Maher fears, neoliberalism may shift in a seismic way, “moving closer to something we might identify as neo-fascism.”
Speculation is a key word here; Trumpism itself is still largely undefined. But the more Republican power brokers (and industrial elites) embrace it, the more dangerous it becomes.
Trump Meets the Rest of the World
The foreign policy of the Trump presidency has been the subject of much debate, and the names being reported as possibilities for key diplomatic and military posts may help clarify things. Americans aren’t the only ones keeping a close eye on this.
“World gasps in collective disbelief following Trump’s election,” declared a Washington Post headline from November 9, 2016 — day one of the post-Trump Era. Indeed, the US president has access to 4,500 stockpiled nuclear weapons, and a military budget larger than then the rest of the world’s military budgets combined. US imperial ambitions — for better or worse — affect the entire globe on issues such as war, intelligence, security, energy and the environment.
Given all of this, there is much interest the world over in who will be taking over numerous key positions at the Defense and State Departments, the CIA, the United Nations and almost 200 ambassadorships in embassies across the country that Trump will likely spend as political currency.
Trump has already chosen Michael Flynn as his national security advisor, a controversial figure who has called for the imprisonment of Hillary Clinton, has a closeness with Russia that worries even Republican legislators and has been described by Vox as a “retired military officer who sounds just like Donald Trump.”
Politico called him “America’s angriest general,” while former Secretary of State Colin Powell referred to him as “right-wing” and said he was “abusive with staff.” Flynn’s appointment, the Times reports, elevates a retired intelligence officer “who believes Islamic militancy poses an existential threat on a global scale.”
Some names that have surfaced as possibilities for secretary of state are former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, John Bolton (a neo-con recess appointment as US ambassador to the UN from the second Bush administration), and Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Bizarrely, after a bitter public feud with Trump lasting a year, Mitt Romney has also been added to the list of potential candidates, after the two met last week.
Giuliani would be a divisive choice for any key position involving foreign policy. Even the dominant media have used drastic language to describe his lack of qualifications. “Giuliani’s temperament, his hyper-partisan threats during the campaign (he led the “lock her up!” chants), his cesspool of shady foreign clients, his alleged misuse of funds as mayor, his rotten judgment of character and his lack of actual national-security experience would be more than enough grounds to oppose him,” opined Jennifer Rubin in the Washington Post. She also noted that his confirmation would be far from assured. With 48 “no” votes guaranteed from Democrats and the likelihood that Republicans such as Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul may join them, Finner argues, members of Congress may “take issue with Giuliani’s formulation that in war ‘anything’s legal,’ a frightful fallacy that would play into concerns about Trump.”
John Bolton’s possible appointment to a key diplomatic post would be no less worrisome. Bolton has contempt for the rest of the world, the United Nations and the idea that the US should answer to international law of any kind. He once described his role in |
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Volunteer Opportunities | Support the PeabodyThe Final Fantasy VII Remake Runs On The Unreal Engine 4
By Jenni. December 7, 2015. 9:00am
More details have come in on what’s going in to the Final Fantasy VII Remake to make it a reality. It turns out Square Enix is using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 4 to create the game. This means Square Enix has worked with Epic to ensure the game is running properly.
Final Fantasy VII Remake won’t be Square Enix’s first game to work with the Unreal Engine 4. It is using it for Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue and Kingdom Hearts III as well. Some other recent and forthcoming releases running on the Unreal Engine 4 include Alone in the Dark: Illumination, Fable Legends, Street Fighter V, and Tekken 7.
Square Enix is currently developing the Final Fantasy VII Remake for the PlayStation 4.(CNN) — Paris and Rome are lovely this time of year, but they're also packed with summer travelers.
For something a little quieter, consider Lonely Planet's latest list of top European destinations that offer café culture, history and outdoor adventures outside of Europe's most popular cities.
This year's Europe list, developed by Lonely Planet's editors and writers, includes the next hot spots to visit as well as longtime favorites with something new to enjoy.
"We try to point out what's the next hot thing, what's been overlooked and deserving of more attention and places that people have heard about forever but may not know have been revitalized in recent years," said Andy Murdock, Lonely Planet's U.S. digital editor. "It's food for thought for travelers looking to explore Europe more deeply."
1. Porto & the Douro Valley, Portugal
Portugal's second-largest city has so much going for it, Murdock says. The birthplace of port, this picturesque hilly town in northern Portugal also has a thriving arts scene and up and coming culinary reputation. And it's a good value destination right now. (Many of the Port houses offer tastings and tours for free or a small fee.)
"Porto is really the best in show for this year," Murdock said. "Porto is a great value for people interested in food and the arts."
2. Budapest, Hungary
Budapest is starting to steal the cool from Berlin right now, Murdock said, with unique summer pop-up bars in old buildings and gardens. (The city's architecture is an eclectic testament to its previous rulers, showing the influence of the Ottoman Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Soviet regime.)
"There are a variety of different looks to them: Some are hipster weed patches with drinks, and others are manicured gardens," he said. "It's a unique type of bar you're not going to find most other places."
These "ruin bars" are mostly open in the summer, although some are starting to winterize their locations, so they can be open for more than the May-to-September season. Although some bars often switch locations, Szimpla Kert is one of the oldest, and visitors can find other bars on the same strip.
Sometimes known as "the City of Baths," Budapest has thermal spring-filled baths and traditional Turkish baths to choose from. Murdock recommends the Turkish-era Racz Baths, which recently reopened attached to the modern luxury Racz Hotel.
The Museum of Music History also had a recent update.
3. Northern Iceland
While everyone seems to know that Iceland is a cool weekend for U.S. East Coasters, Reykjavik, the Blue Lagoon Spa and the Golden Circle are the popular stops on that quick trip. For a look beyond those spots, take a quick flight north to check out the Northern Lights in Akureyri, Iceland's second-largest town (population 17,000).
"Explore lava fields, waterfalls like you've never imagined, horseback rides and great whale watching out of Husavik (an hour from Akureyri)," Murdock said.
Myvatn Nature Spa offers a mini version of the Blue Lagoon -- without the tourists.
4. Cinque Terre, Italy
The five villages of Italy's popular Cinque Terre are ready for visitors again. Repairs to the cliffside villages after the devastating floods of 2011 were made more difficult because of the Cinque Terre's remote, mountainous location. The towns are connected by trains and are served within the villages by public buses. A national park and UNESCO site, the villages don't allow cars or motorbikes.
"It's very well-known but hard to reach," Murdock said. But it's worth it if you're ready to walk, he says. "They rebuilt the paths, the stone terraces are back, the vineyards are replaned, and the drainage is improved for the next flood."
The small, isolated beaches below the towns are also worth a visit. "They have a sense of fishery stewardship, allowing line-caught fish only. There is really lovely seafood coming out of the waters in Cinque Terre."
5. Moravia, Czech Republic
If you've been to Prague or shy away from popular cities that have been overtaken by tourists, try Moravia. It's known locally for bike tours and wine tasting, especially big robust reds. "It's a lot slower pace (than Prague) and gives you a much different feel of the country," Murdock said.
For a mini version of Prague, head to Olomouc, home of the country's second-oldest university, a lovely town square and the Holy Trinity Column (an 18th-century baroque sculpture on UNESCO's World Heritage list). For Gothic charm, head to Telc, which is also on UNESCO's list. The region's capital, Brno, has great museums.
6. Bern, Switzerland
When travelers land in the capital of Switzerland, they tend to head out into the mountainous region of Bernese Oberland, but the city itself is worth a visit. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its medieval architecture, Bern is also home to one of Albert Einstein's homes and a Paul Klee museum designed by Renzo Piano that includes other artists' works.
"We're trying to call attention to Bern itself," Murdock said, calling it a very interesting mix of "historical, modern and edgy" things to do. Although people think of Swiss food as a bit stodgy, Murdock raves about the locavore restaurants on the river than runs through town.
Try visiting in August, when the streets of Bern are filled with musicians, puppeteers, jugglers and other entertainers for the Buskers Bern Festival.
7. Marseille, France
This year's European Capital of Culture, "Marseille is one of those incredibly historic seaport towns along the Mediterranean," Murdock said, and he's not kidding. The town dates to 600 B.C., when Greeks first settled in the area.
France's second-largest city is trying to shake off its reputation as a "gritty, dangerous seaport town," Murdock said. With the cultural capital designation, "a lot of money has been poured into new museums and public transportation."
Foodies can enjoy the city that's home to bouillabaisse at the Old Port, where maritime culture and fresh seafood mix.
8. Croatia
In some ways, Croatia's popularity is old news to American travelers, but a lot of people are seeing the coast. There will be a lot more attention on the country if it enters the European Union in July
"Zagreb is an interesting and underrated European capital, with a huge coffee and café scene," Murdock said. "If you have that image of Italy or Paris, sitting at a café and watching the world go by, that's preserved in Croatia.
"There's also an extension of northern Italian cuisine because the border in Istria (now Croatia) has jumped around, and the cuisine doesn't abide by the border," Murdock said, pointing to Croatians' "same Italian love of cured meats and cheeses," and there's seafood on the Adriatic as well.
9. Northern Ireland
If you're addicted to "Game of Thrones," Northern Ireland should be on your itinerary, too. A lot of the scenery is in Northern Ireland, including the Causeway Coast and the Glens. The sites on the self-guided and tour-guide-led tours are so magnificent that fans and non-fans alike can appreciate their majesty.
The Giant's Causeway is Northern Ireland's only UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it can be very crowded. Although its basalt columns can appear to look constructed by the might of giant Finn McCool, the causeway is actually the result of ancient volcanic activity. A new visitor's center opened last year.
The truly adventurous can walk the 16-kilometer route from Giant's Causeway to Ballycastle, taking a moment to cross the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. It's a 20-meter walk on the bridge to the island of Carrick-a-Rede, swaying 30 meters above the rocky waters below. It's not for those with a fear of heights, says Murdock, who loves it all. "There are all these inlets, islands, castles and ruins and sea birds and stunning scenery," he said.
Also not to be missed is Derry/Londonderry, this year's UK City of Culture. Remembering the religious strife in Northern Ireland, the walk and cycle Peace Bridge across the Foyle River opened in June 2011. It's considered a symbolic handshake across the river, connecting historically Catholic and Protestant sides of town.
10. Copenhagen, Denmark
The Danish capital of Copenhagen is the place to visit for ecotourists and foodies. The city is a poster child for the green movement, where almost half of the residents commute to work by bicycle and hotels brag about their green construction.
In the two-Michelin star Noma, the city boasts the No. 2 restaurant in the world (according to Restaurant magazine's annual rankings). "It's the new Nordic cuisine with very clean and local experimental flavors," Murdock said.The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV) is calling on the National Rifle Association (NRA) to remove Ted Nugent from its board after the rock star made what critics say are anti-Semitic remarks about gun control advocates.
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“It is sickening that the NRA continues to give this bigot a seat at the table among their leaders,” CSGV Executive Director Josh Horwitz said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The fact that Nugent is a featured player at virtually every national event the organization conducts also suggests that they not only condone his views, but also agree with them,” Horwitz added. "If they want to clarify that record, they had better remove him from their board of directors immediately.”
Know these punks. They hate freedom, they hate good over evil, they would deny us the basic human right to self defense... Posted by Ted Nugent on Monday, February 8, 2016
Nugent sparked controversy Monday with a series of Facebook posts that identified Jewish American leaders who support gun control — such as former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Sen. Chuck Schumer Charles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerBrennan fires back at'selfish' Trump over Harry Reid criticism Trump rips Harry Reid for 'failed career' after ex-Dem leader slams him in interview Harry Reid: 'I don't see anything' Trump is doing right MORE (D-N.Y.) — and called them “punks.”
He also posted a picture of Nazis rounding up Jewish people during the Holocaust.
The Anti-Defamation League called Nugent’s remarks anti-Semitic.
Nugent responded to the criticism by saying, “My dad killed Nazis & saved Jews in WWII.”
Nugent has also been criticized for perceived racist comments directed at President Obama and other African-Americans.Looking for news you can trust?
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When Donald Trump, the reality show tycoon turned GOP front-runner, appeared on Meet the Press this past Sunday, host Chuck Todd asked him, “Who do you talk to for military advice right now?” At first, Trump had no direct answer. He replied, “Well, I watch the shows. I mean, I really see a lot of great—you know, when you watch your show and all of the other shows and you have the generals and you have certain people that you like.” Todd pressed him: “But is there a go-to for you?” Trump said he had two or three “go-to” advisers. He named John Bolton, one of the most hawkish neoconservatives, and retired Army Col. Jack Jacobs, who is a military analyst for MSNBC and NBC News. “Col. Jack Jacobs is a good guy,” Trump said. “And I see him on occasion.”
There’s just one problem with Trump citing Jacobs as a national security adviser: Jacobs says he has never talked to Trump about military policy.
“He may have said the first person who came to mind,” Jacobs tells Mother Jones. “I know him. But I’m not a consultant. I’m not certain if he has a national security group of people. I don’t know if he does or if he doesn’t. If he does, I’m not one of them.”
Jacobs, who received a Medal of Honor (and two Silver Stars, three Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts) for his service in Vietnam, notes that he has attended numerous charity events where Trump was present. “I’ve seen him at a number of functions,” he says. But Jacobs adds that he has had no discussions with Trump about national security affairs—at those events or anywhere else.
Jacobs says he assumes Trump has watched his appearances on television. But does Jacobs see his on-air comments reflected in what Trump has been saying as a candidate? “I talk about a wide variety of things on television,” Jacobs remarks. “Who knows what anybody absorbs? But I’m delighted to hear that he’s a fan of MSNBC.”
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to an inquiry about why Trump cited Jacobs as a military policy adviser.Republicanism in the United Kingdom is the political movement that seeks to replace the United Kingdom's monarchy with a republic. For those who want a non-hereditary head of state, the method by which one should be chosen is not agreed upon, with some favouring an elected president, some an appointed head of state with little power. Others support something akin to the Swiss model, with a directorate functioning as a collective head of state.
A republican government existed in the mid-17th century, between the Parliamentarian victory in the English Civil War and the Restoration.
The main lobby group that campaigns for the abolition of the monarchy is Republic.
Context [ edit ]
Within Britain, republican sentiment has largely focused on the abolition of the British monarch, rather than the dissolution of the British Union or independence for its constituent countries.
In Northern Ireland, the term "republican" is usually used in the sense of Irish republicanism. While also against monarchical forms of government, Irish republicans are against the presence of the British state in any form in Ireland and advocate creating a united Ireland, an all-island state comprising the whole of Ireland. Unionists who support a British republic also exist in Northern Ireland.
There are republican members of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in Scotland and Plaid Cymru in Wales who advocate independence for those countries as republics. The SNP's official policy is that the British monarch would remain head of state of an independent Scotland, unless the people of Scotland decided otherwise.[1] Plaid Cymru have a similar view for Wales, although its youth wing, Plaid Cymru Ifanc, has an official policy advocating a Welsh republic.[citation needed] The Scottish Socialist Party and the Scottish Green Party both support an independent Scottish republic.
History [ edit ]
Since the 1970s, early modern English republicanism has been extensively studied by historians, to the point where monarchism and absolutism have now become neglected fields. James Harrington (1611–1677) is generally considered to be the most representative republican writer of the era.[2]
Cromwellian Commonwealth [ edit ]
The countries that now make up the United Kingdom, together with the present Republic of Ireland, were briefly ruled as a republic in the 17th century, first under the Commonwealth consisting of the Rump Parliament and the Council of State (1649–1653) and then under the Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell (1653–1658). The Commonwealth Parliament represented itself as a Republic on the classical model, with John Milton writing an early defense of republicanism in the idiom of constitutional limits on a monarch's power.[citation needed] Cromwell's Protectorate was less ideologically republican and was seen by Cromwell as restoring the mixed constitution of monarchy, aristocracy and democracy found in classical literature and English common law discourse.[citation needed]
First the Kingdom of England was declared to be the Commonwealth of England and then Scotland and Ireland were briefly forced into union with England by the army. This decision was later reversed when the monarchy was restored in 1660. In 1707 the Act of Union between England and Scotland was signed; the two countries' parliaments became one, and in return Scotland was granted access to the English overseas possessions.
A Dutch satirical view of Cromwell as a usurper of monarchical power
Many of Cromwell's actions upon gaining power were decried as "harsh, unwise, and tyrannical".[citation needed] He and General Thomas Fairfax were often ruthless in putting down the mutinies which occurred within their own army towards the end of the civil wars (prompted by Parliament's failure to pay the troops). They showed little sympathy for the Levellers, an egalitarian movement which had contributed greatly[citation needed] to Parliament's cause but sought representation for ordinary citizens. The Leveller point of view had been strongly represented in the Putney Debates, held between the various factions of the Army in 1647, just prior to the King's temporary escape from army custody. Cromwell and the Grandees were not prepared to permit such a radical democracy and used the debates to play for time while the future of the King was being determined. Catholics were persecuted zealously under Cromwell[citation needed]. Although he personally was in favour of religious toleration – "liberty for tender consciences" – not all his compatriots agreed. The war led to much death and chaos in Ireland where Irish Catholics and Protestants who fought for the Royalists were persecuted. There was a ban on many forms of entertainment, as public meetings could be used as a cover for conspirators; horse racing was banned, the maypoles were famously cut down, the theatres were closed, and Christmas celebrations were outlawed for being too ceremonial, Catholic, and "popish".
Much of Cromwell's power was due to the Rump Parliament, a Parliament purged of opposition to grandees in the New Model Army. Whereas Charles I had been in part restrained by a Parliament that would not always do as he wished (the cause of the Civil War), Cromwell was able to wield much more power as only loyalists were allowed to become MPs, turning the chamber into a rubber-stamping organisation. This was ironic given his complaints about Charles I acting without heeding the "wishes" of the people. But even so he found it almost impossible to get his Parliaments to follow all his wishes. His executive decisions were often thwarted – most famously in the ending of the rule of the regional major generals appointed by himself.
In 1657 Cromwell was offered the crown by Parliament, presenting him with a dilemma since he had played a great role in abolishing the monarchy. After two months of deliberation, he rejected the offer. Instead, he was ceremonially re-installed as "Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland" (Wales was a part of England), with greater powers than he had previously held. It is often suggested that offering Cromwell the Crown was an effort to curb his power: as a King he would be obliged to honour agreements such as Magna Carta, but under the arrangement he had designed he had no such restraints. This allowed him to preserve and enhance his power and the army's while decreasing Parliament's control over him, probably to enable him to maintain a well-funded army which Parliament could not be depended upon to provide.[citation needed]
The office of Lord Protector was not formally hereditary, although Cromwell was able to nominate his own successor in his son, Richard Cromwell.
Restoration of the monarchy [ edit ]
Although England, Scotland and Ireland became constitutional monarchies, after the reigns of Charles II and his brother James II and VII, and with the ascension of William III and Mary II to the English, Irish and Scottish thrones as a result of the Glorious Revolution of 1688, there have been movements throughout the last few centuries whose aims were to remove the monarchy and establish a republican system. A notable period was the time in the late 18th century and early 19th century when many Radicals such as the minister Joseph Fawcett were openly republican.[3]
American and French Revolutions [ edit ]
an ass for a lion."[4] Thomas Paine (1737–1809): "One of the strongest natural proofs of the folly of hereditary right in kings is that nature disproves it, otherwise she would not so frequently turn it into ridicule, by giving mankind."
The American Revolution had a great impact on political thought in the British Isles. According to Christopher Hitchens, the British–American author, philosopher, politician and activist, Thomas Paine was the "moral author of the American Revolution", who posited in the soon widely read pamphlet Common Sense (January 1776) that the conflict of the Thirteen Colonies with the Hanoverian monarchy in London was best resolved by setting up a separate democratic republic.[5] To him, republicanism was more important than independence. However, the circumstances forced the American revolutionaries to give up any hope of reconciliation with Britain, and reforming its 'corrupt' monarchial government, that so often dragged the American colonies in its European wars, from within.[4] He and other British republican writers saw in the Declaration of Independence (4 July 1776) a legitimate struggle against the Crown, that violated people's freedom and rights, and denied them representation in politics.[6]
When the French Revolution broke out in 1789, debates started in the British Isles on how to respond. Soon a pro-Revolutionary republican and anti-Revolutionary monarchist camp had established themselves amongst the intelligentsia, who waged a pamphlet war until 1795. Prominent figures of the republican camp were Mary Wollstonecraft, William Godwin and again Thomas Paine.[7]
Paine would also play an important role inside the Revolution in France as an elected member of the National Convention (1792–93), where he lobbied for the invasion of Britain to establish a republic after the example of the United States, France and its Sister Republics, but also famously opposed the execution of Louis XVI, which got him arrested.[5] The First French Republic would indeed stage an Expedition to Ireland in December 1796 to help the Society of United Irishmen set up an Irish republic in order to destabilise the United Kingdom, but this ended in a failure. The subsequent Irish Rebellion of 1798 was utterly crushed by the British Army. Napoleon also planned an invasion of Britain since 1798 and more seriously since 1803, but in 1804 he relinquished republicanism by crowning himself Emperor of the French and converting all Sister Republics into client kingdoms of the French Empire, before calling off the invasion of Britain altogether in 1805.
Revolutionary republicanism, 1800–1848 [ edit ]
[8] British Republican Flag, originated in 1816, in use until at least 1935.
From the start of the French Revolution into the early 19th century, the revolutionary blue-white-red tricolour was used throughout England, Wales and Ireland in defiance of the royal establishment. During the 1816 Spa Fields riots, a green, white and red horizontal flag appeared for the first time, soon followed by a red, white and green horizontal version allegedly in use during the 1817 Pentrich rising and the 1819 Peterloo Massacre. The latter is now associated with Hungary but then it became known as the British Republican Flag. It may have been inspired by the French revolutionary tricolour, but this is unclear. It was however often accompanied by slogans consisting of three words such as "Fraternity – Liberty – Humanity" (a clear reference to Liberté, égalité, fraternité), and adopted by the Chartist movement in the 1830s.[8]
Besides these skirmishes in Great Britain itself, separatist republican revolutions against the British monarchy during the Canadian rebellions of 1837–38 and the Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848 failed.
Parliament passed the Treason Felony Act in 1848. This act made advocacy of republicanism punishable by transportation to Australia, which was later amended to life imprisonment. The law is still on the statute books; however in a 2003 case, the Law Lords stated that "It is plain as a pike staff to the respondents and everyone else that no one who advocates the peaceful abolition of the monarchy and its replacement by a republican form of government is at any risk of prosecution", for the reason that the Human Rights Act 1998 would require the 1848 Act to be interpreted in such a way as to render such conduct non-criminal.[9]
Late 19th century [ edit ]
During the later years of Queen Victoria's reign, there was considerable criticism of her decision to withdraw from public life following the death of her husband, Prince Albert. This resulted in a "significant incarnation" of republicanism.[10] During the 1870s, calls for Britain to become a republic on the American or French model were made by the politicians Charles Dilke[11] and Charles Bradlaugh, as well as journalist George W. M. Reynolds.[10] This republican presence continued in debates and the Labour press, especially in the event of royal weddings, jubilees and births, until well into the Interwar Period.[10]
Some members of the Labour Party, such as Keir Hardie (1856–1915), also held republican views.[12]
20th-century republicanism [ edit ]
In 1923, at the Labour Party's annual conference, two motions were proposed, supported by Ernest Thurtle and Emrys Hughes. The first was "that the Royal Family is no longer a necessary party of the British constitution", and the second was "that the hereditary principle in the British Constitution be abolished".[13] George Lansbury responded that, although he too was a republican, he regarded the issue of the monarchy as a "distraction" from more important issues. Lansbury added that he believed the "social revolution" would eventually remove the monarchy peacefully in the future. Both of the motions were overwhelmingly defeated.[13][14][15] Following this event, most of the Labour Party moved away from advocating republican views.[13] In 1936, following the abdication of Edward VIII, MP James Maxton proposed a "republican amendment" to the Abdication Bill, which would have established a Republic in Britain. Maxton argued that while the monarchy had benefited Britain in the past, it had now "outlived its usefulness". Five MPs voted to support the bill, including Alfred Salter. However the bill was defeated by 403 votes.[16][17]
In 1991, Labour MP Tony Benn introduced the Commonwealth of Britain Bill, which called for the transformation of the United Kingdom into a "democratic, federal and secular Commonwealth of Britain", with an elected President.[18] The monarchy would be abolished and replaced by a republic with a written constitution. It was read in Parliament a number of times until his retirement at the 2001 election, but never achieved a second reading.[19] Benn presented an account of his proposal in Common Sense: A New Constitution for Britain.[20]
In January 1997, ITV broadcast a live television debate Monarchy: The Nation Decides, in which 2.5 million viewers voted on the question "Do you want a monarch?" by telephone. Speaking for the republican view were Professor Stephen Haseler, (chairman of Republic), agony aunt Claire Rayner, Paul Flynn, Labour MP for Newport West and Andrew Neil, then the former editor of the Sunday Times newspaper. Those in favour of the monarchy included author Frederick Forsyth, Bernie Grant, Labour MP for Tottenham, and Jeffrey Archer, former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party. Conservative MP Steven Norris was scheduled to appear in a discussion towards the end of the programme, but officials from Carlton Television said he had left without explanation. The debate was conducted in front of an audience of 3,000 at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, with the telephone poll result being that 66% of voters wanted a monarch, and 34% did not.[21]
21st-century republicanism [ edit ]
MORI polls in the opening years of the 21st century showed support for retaining the monarchy stable at around 70% of people, but in 2005, at the time of the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, support for the monarchy dipped, with one poll showing that 65% of people would support keeping the monarchy if there were a referendum on the issue, with 22% saying they favoured a republic.[22] In 2009 an ICM poll, commissioned by the BBC, found that 76% of those asked wanted the monarchy to continue after the Queen, against 18% of people who said they would favour Britain becoming a republic and 6% who said they did not know.[23]
In February 2011, a YouGov poll put support for ending the monarchy after the Queen's death at 13%, if Prince Charles becomes King.[24] However, an ICM poll shortly before the royal wedding suggested that 26% thought Britain would be better off without the monarchy, with only 37% "genuinely interested and excited" by the wedding.[25] In April 2011, in the lead up to the Royal Wedding, an Ipsos MORI poll of 1,000 British adults found that 75% of the public would like Britain to remain a monarchy, with 18% in favour of Britain becoming a republic. In May 2012, in the lead up to the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, a Ipsos MORI poll of 1,006 British adults found that 80% were in favour of the monarchy, with 13% in favour of the United Kingdom becoming a republic. This was thought to be a record high figure in recent years in favour of the monarchy.[22]
The main organisation campaigning for a republic in the United Kingdom is the campaign group Republic. Formed in 1983, Republic is frequently cited by much of the UK media on issues involving the royal family.[26][27][not in citation given]
In September 2015, Jeremy Corbyn, a Labour MP with republican views, won his party's leadership election and became both Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party. In 1991, Corbyn had seconded the Commonwealth of Britain Bill.[28] However, Corbyn stated during his 2015 campaign for the leadership that republicanism was "not a battle that I am fighting".[29][30]
At the swearing of oaths in the Commons following the 2017 general election, Republic reported that several MPs had prefixed their oath/affirmation of allegiance with broadly republican sentiments.[31]
Supporters [ edit ]
Advocates of republicanism in the UK [ edit ]
Political parties [ edit ]
As of 2019, none of the three major nationwide British political parties – the Labour Party, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrat Party – have an official policy of republicanism. However, there are a number of individual politicians who favour abolition of the monarchy (see above). Tony Benn of the Labour Party introduced a Commonwealth of Britain Bill in Parliament in 1991.[86] Jeremy Corbyn, who became leader of the Labour Party in 2015, is a republican, but has stated that he will not seek to abolish the monarchy whilst he remains leader.[87]
The Green Party of England and Wales, with one MP in the 2017–2022 Parliament, has an official policy of republicanism.[88] The Irish republican party Sinn Féin has seven MPs, but they do not take their seats.[89] The Scottish Green Party, with six MSPs in the 2016–2021 Scottish Parliament, supports having an elected Head of State in an independent Scotland.[90]
Lobby groups [ edit ]
The largest lobby group in favour of republicanism in the United Kingdom is the Republic campaign group, founded in 1983. The group has benefited from occasional negative publicity about the Royal Family, and Republic reported a large rise in membership following the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles. Republic has lobbied on changes to the parliamentary oath of allegiance, royal finances and changes to the Freedom of Information Act relating to the monarchy, none of which have produced any change. However, Republic has been invited to Parliament to talk as witnesses on certain issues related to the monarchy such as conduct of the honours system in the United Kingdom.
In 2009 Republic made news[91] by reporting Prince Charles's architecture charity to the Charity Commission, claiming that the Prince was effectively using the organisation as a private lobbying firm (the Commission declined to take the matter further). Republic has previously broken stories about royals using the Freedom of Information Act. The organisation is regularly called up to comment and provide quotes for the press, national and local radio and national TV programmes, with much criticism as to the portrayal of the monarchy by the BBC which has been accused of celebrating the monarchy rather than keeping its politically neutral stance on issues related to it.
Labour for a Republic is the Labour Party's campaign for an elected head of state, and acts as a pressure group made up of members and supporters of the party. It advocates abolition of the monarchy in favour of a democratic republic.[92]
Media [ edit ]
The Guardian, Observer and Independent newspapers have all advocated the abolition of the monarchy.[93] In the wake of the 2009 MPs' expenses scandal, a poll of readers of the Guardian and Observer newspapers placed support for abolition of the monarchy at 54%, although only 3% saw it as a top priority.[94]
Arguments in favour of a republic [ edit ]
The benefits of a republic [ edit ]
Republicans suggest that republicanism is a constitutional step which answers a number of key issues.
The advocacy group Republic argues:
The monarchy is not only an unaccountable and expensive institution, unrepresentative of modern Britain, it also gives politicians almost limitless power. It does this is in a variety of ways: Royal Prerogative: Royal powers that allow the Prime Minister to declare war or sign treaties (amongst other things) without a vote in Parliament.
The Privy Council: A body of advisors to the monarch, now mostly made up of senior politicians, which can enact legislation without a vote in Parliament.
The Crown-in-Parliament: The principle, which came about when Parliament removed much of the monarch's power, by which Parliament can pass any law it likes – meaning our liberties can never be guaranteed.[95]
Republicans also want to see a constitution that they claim will inspire aspiration (by allowing anyone to become head of state) and political responsibility (by introducing popular sovereignty, the notion that the people are "in charge"). They also claim that they want what is "best for Britain", which includes the best democracy.[96]
Arguments against monarchy [ edit ]
Republicans assert that hereditary monarchy is unfair and elitist. They claim that in a modern and democratic society no one should be expected to defer to another simply because of their birth. Such a system, they assert, does not make for a society which is at ease with itself, and it encourages attitudes which are more suited to a bygone age of imperialism than to a "modern nation". Some claim that maintaining a privileged royal family diminishes a society and encourages a feeling of dependency in many people who should instead have confidence in themselves and their fellow citizens.[96]
Further, republicans argue that "the people", not the members of one family, should be sovereign.[96]
Monarchy contradicts democracy Monarchy denies the people a basic right Republicans believe that it should be a fundamental right of the people of any nation to elect their head of state and for every citizen to be eligible to hold that office. It is argued such a head of state is more accountable to the people, and that such accountability to the people creates a better nation.[97] Monarchy devalues a parliamentary system Monarchical prerogative powers can be used to circumvent normal democratic process with no accountability, and such processes are more desirable than not for any given nation-state.[95]
Arguments in favour of constitutional monarchy [ edit ]
Monarchy can be complementary to rather than a replacement for democracy [ edit ]
Some argue that the current system is still democratic as the Government and MPs of Parliament are elected by universal suffrage and as the Crown acts only on the advice of the Parliament, the people still hold power. Monarchy only refers to how the head of state is chosen and not how the Government is chosen. It is only undemocratic if the monarchy holds meaningful power, which it currently does not as government rests with Parliament. However, it was revealed in October 2011 that both the Queen and Prince Charles do have the power to veto government legislation which affects their private interests.[114] The Queen attended a cabinet meeting on 18 December 2012 – the first Monarch to have done so since George III in 1781.[115]
Provides a safeguard against government instability [ edit ]
Some argue that the Monarch's constitutional position (with the little-used power to dissolve or refuse a government) could safeguard against Britain ever becoming a dictatorship; however, Republic has denied claims that the monarchy has this sort of power. Examples of this argument being used often include the 1981 April Fool's Day Coup in Thailand and the El Tejerazo coup in Spain when King Bhumibol and King Juan Carlos I respectively stepped in to restore democracy in their countries. There are however also counterexamples. Monarchy in Italy did not prevent the advent of fascism and the dictatorship of Mussolini.
According to the Democracy Index 2014, seven of the ten most democratic countries in the world are constitutional monarchies.[116]
Safeguards the constitutional rights of the individual [ edit ]
The British constitutional system sets limits on Parliament and separates the executive from direct control over the police and courts. Constitutionalists argue[117] that this is because contracts with the monarch such as the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Rights, the Act of Settlement and the Acts of Union place obligations on the state and[118] confirm its citizens as sovereign beings. These obligations are re-affirmed at every monarch's coronation. These obligations, whilst at the same time placing limits on the power of the judiciary and the police, also confirm those rights which are intrinsically part of British and especially English culture.[119] Examples are Common Law |
White," the first full-length animated feature film, was the No. 1 movie in 1938, and it entertained the broadest possible audience. So when I sat there and saw "Star Wars," I was thinking that animation could do this too. Winning - and losing - a dream job "I think he benefits from being on the other side in the early part of his animation career," says Andrew Stanton, vice president of creative at Pixar and the director of "Finding Nemo." "He knows what it's like to be reminded that you're a subordinate, that you're inferior, that you're replaceable, and that it's not about you." That first class of animators graduated from Cal Arts in 1979, and we all were about to achieve our dream of working for Disney. But what we found when we got there was a crushing disappointment: The animation studio wasn't being run by these great Disney artists like our teachers at Cal Arts, but by lesser artists and businesspeople who rose through attrition as the grand old men retired. This was before Michael Eisner and Frank Wells came to Disney in 1984 and revived animation. We were so on fire and constantly giving suggestions. It was all constructive, but the people running animation seemed to resent us. One of the directors told me, "You put in your time for 20 years and do what you're told, and then you can be in charge." I didn't realize it then, but I was beginning to be perceived as a loose cannon. All I was trying to do was make things great, but I was beginning to make some enemies. And then in 1980 or 1981 I saw some video of the very beginnings of computer animation, and it was like a revelation. I wasn't really looking for them but just came across some tapes from one of these new computer-graphics conferences. When I saw this stuff I thought, Wow, this is cool. Even though it was just spheres floating around and stuff like that. Around that time Disney made a deal to do a live-action movie called "Tron," with some computerized special effects. I didn't work on it, but some friends did, and I saw the very first dailies, and what I saw - the potential I saw - blew me away. Walt Disney had always tried to get more dimension in his animation and when I saw these tapes, I thought, This is it! This is what Walt was waiting for! But when I looked around, nobody at the studio at the time was even halfway interested in it. Tron was made by a different part of the studio, unrelated to animation. This young live-action executive named Tom Willhite picked me out of the group because I kept talking to him about how we could use this new technology in animation. So he let me and a colleague put together a 30-second test, combining hand-drawn, two-dimensional Disney-style character animation with three-dimensional computer-generated backgrounds. I was so excited about the test, and I wanted to find a story that we could apply this technique to in a full-blown movie. A friend of mine had told me about a 40-page novella called "The Brave Little Toaster," by Thomas Disch. I've always loved animating inanimate objects, and this story had a lot of that. Tom Willhite liked the idea, too, and got us the rights to the story so we could pitch it to the animation studio along with our test clip. When it came time to show the idea, I remember the head of the studio had only one question: "How much is this going to cost?" We said about the same as a regular animated feature. He replied, "I'm only interested in computer animation if it saves money or saves time." We found out later that others had poked holes in my idea before I had even pitched it. In our enthusiasm, we had gone around some of my direct superiors, and I didn't realize how much of an enemy I had made of one of them. I mean, the studio head had made up his mind before we walked in. We could have shown him anything and he would have said the same thing. Ten minutes after the studio head left the room I get a call from the superior who didn't like me, and he said, "Well, since it's not going to be made, your project at Disney is now complete. Your position is terminated, and your employment with Disney is now ended." So, yeah, I was fired. But you have to understand, I never told anybody, because this was my identity. The only thing I'd ever wanted to do was work for Disney. I was so excited, and pushing, and I didn't play the political game. I was devastated. I now realize all this stuff happened for a reason. As I put together my pitch for "The Brave Little Toaster," I had started looking for people who could do computer animation. That led me to Lucasfilm, because they had this computer division that had some of the world's best computer scientists. I even went up to San Rafael and visited Ed Catmull and Alvy Ray Smith, the two guys who started the group. Ed and Alvy had approached Disney Studios to try get them interested in computer animation, without much success. But now they saw me inside the studio starting to talk seriously about making films with computers, and they got excited that finally Disney might be interested. What they didn't realize was that it was really just me pushing to try to get something going. Soon after I was fired, I went down to a computer graphics conference at the Queen Mary in Long Beach. I'll never forget it. I saw Ed give his talk, and when he saw me he came up all excited and asked, "How's Toaster?" All I could say was, "It got shelved." I didn't have the guts to tell him I got fired. So he asked what I was doing next, and I told him I wasn't sure. A little later that same day I ran into him again. He was lurking behind a column at the back of the ballroom whispering, "John, John, c'mere, c'mere." Some boring talk was going on, so I went over to see what he wanted. And he popped the question: "How would you like to come up and help us on a project?" I couldn't believe it. I went up to Lucasfilm for a week in December of 1983, and we started planning a cartoon called "The Adventures of Andre & Wally B", our first short film. I thought the characters would be animated by hand and that only the background would be done by computer. But Ed challenged me. "We're developing this new system, so why not have the computers do the characters too?" I said, "I hadn't thought of that." So that's how I came to direct what turned out to be the very first character-animation cartoon done with a computer. A new medium is born Pixar's early productions were about as close to handmade as computer-generated can be. The first shorts were made by Lasseter and a handful of associates, some of whom had to design the software before Lasseter's images could be created. " Don't forget how visionary John was as an artist back then," says Ed Catmull. "Remember, it was only 1981 when the IBM PC first came out. Back then no one really knew what to do with them." There's that funny saying: "I'm sorry this letter is so long, but I didn't have time to write a shorter one." And it's so true. My older brother Jim, who passed away six or seven years ago, was a brilliant interior designer who studied Japanese design. What he loved about their approach is that they'll design something and then they take away until they can take away no more. We have adopted that same philosophy here in our films. Jim influenced me in other ways too. One day he said something that really hit me: "You know, what I think makes sense in fashion design is to take a really wild fabric and then make a classic pattern or piece of clothing with it. Either that, or you take a classic fabric and make a crazy pattern with it." He said if you design things that way, there is something familiar for people to relate to. But if you do both - take a crazy fabric and make a crazy pattern - people can't make any sense of it. I never forgot that. When I started working with computer animation, the medium had such a unique look to it. The guys who were writing the software were also making the demo art, and they loved mixing crazy imagery and then putting computer music to it. So you'd watch this stuff, and it's like "boop-beep-bo-beep-beep," you know, and as cool as it is, audiences just couldn't relate to it. I quickly realized that this medium had a lot to offer someone like me. To do Disney-quality hand-drawn cartoons, you have to be a master of two art forms. Seriously, you have to be able to draw like a Leonardo da Vinci or a Michelangelo. But also you have to know movement and timing and control that through 24 frames a second. My drawing ability was good, but it wasn't great, and I found myself concentrating so much on a single drawing or frame that I wasn't thinking about animated movement, with this fourth dimension of time. The computer changed all that, because instead of a drawing, you have a model within the computer that you just move around. It's like the difference between typing on a typewriter when you have to use whiteout to make changes, and writing on a word processor where you can cut and paste and do all that editing so effortlessly. I also learned how to do things that you simply couldn't do before. The classic example was our short film from 1986 called "Luxo Jr." It's only a couple minutes long, and we were so limited by the lack of computer power that we couldn't even give the characters a background. We just locked the camera down and had this wood floor that faded off to nothing. But what intrigued everybody was that for the first time, a computer-animated film focused on the characters and the story. Sure, they were simple desk lamps with only a minimal amount of movement, but you could immediately tell that Luxo Jr. was a baby, and that the big one was his mother. In that short little film, computer animation went from a novelty to a serious tool for filmmaking. The Toy Story story Through the late '80s and early '90s, Lasseter and his team made about one short film a year and added commercials to their repertoire. Pixar paid the rent selling animation software, and Disney was its biggest customer. One thing led to another, and in 1991 the larger studio took a flyer and backed Lasseter's idea to make a full-length feature. When Disney decided in 1991 to back us on "Toy Story," it was in their heyday, and they were too busy to come up to visit us [in the San Francisco Bay Area]. So we would go down to them, and take our storyboards and show them the reels and do everything to get their approval. We were naive. All we had done was make these short films and TV commercials. We didn't know big movies. What was interesting is that Disney kept pushing us to make the characters more edgy. That was the word that they kept using. We soon realized this was was not a movie we wanted to make - the characters were so "edgy" they had become unlikable. The characters were yelling, they were cynical, they were always making fun of everybody, and I hated it. When we told the Disney people, they were about ready to pull the plug, or at least move our entire story department down there to Burbank because clearly we didn't know what we were doing. But we asked them for one more chance to fix the story. So we called all hands on deck, stayed up all night, and redid the whole first act of "Toy Story" within two weeks. When we showed it to Disney, they were stunned. That taught us a big lesson. From that point on, we trusted our instinct to make the movie we wanted to make. And that is when I started really giving our own people creative ownership over things, because I trusted their judgment more than the people at Disney. Dream job regained Since then Pixar has invented a brave new animated world every other year, producing nothing but blockbusters, populating Disneyland with a host of new residents, and generating enough toys to practically earn its own aisle at Toys "R" Us. Now that he's been rehired by his former employer, Lasseter has a whole new kingdom to sprinkle with Pixar dust. I can't tell you how thrilled I am to have all these new roles. I do what I do in life because of Walt Disney - his films and his theme park and his characters and his joy in entertaining. The emotional feeling that his creations gave me is something that I want to turn around and give to others. I believe in the nobility of entertaining people, and I take great, great pride that people are willing to give me two or three hours out of their busy lives. I don't want anyone to feel they wasted any of their time or money to see one of our films or ride one of our rides or go see one of our shows. Why? Because I love taking my family to a movie or to Disneyland. I love it. Let me tell you a funny story. I took the family to see this film one weekend - I'll go to see almost any film that's good for the whole family. And so we're sitting there watching this film, which I won't name, and there are long stretches that are just not very entertaining. My little son - he was probably 6 at the time - was sitting next to me, and right in the middle of this dull section, he turns to me and says, "Dad? How many letters are in my name?" I must have laughed for five minutes. I thought, Oh, man, this movie has lost this little boy. His mind has been wandering, trying to figure out how many letters there are in his name. So I told my wife, Nancy, what he said, and she started laughing, and then the story went down the row through my whole family, our four other sons, and we're sitting there as a family giggling and laughing. And I thought to myself, If ever a child anywhere in the world leans over to their daddy during one of my movies and asks, "How many letters are in my name?" I'll quit. REPORTER ASSOCIATE Christopher Tkaczyk FEEDBACK [email protected] SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | | REPRINT More News JPMorgan dramatically slashes Tesla's stock price forecast
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Europe is preparing another crackdown on Big TechI was just stopped at a red light and a bum was there. I was at the intersection of Westheimer and Voss. I didn’t read his sign, I just rolled down the window to give him my spare change. Usually, when I do this, the guy will talk to me for some reason. I said “you’re welcome” when he thanked me and his eyes kind of lit up and he said “You have a lovely voice!” I said thank you and smiled real big, and he smiled in return. I bet he hasn’t smiled that big in a long time; his teeth were not in the best shape and he kind of covered his mouth a little but continued to smile. Then, he came back and asked me to roll down the window again. I did, and he said “That voice would sound funny on me!” And we both laughed. Since he was a gruff sounding, middle aged White dude and I am me, I’m sure it would be funny if we switched voices. But it was nice to share a laugh, give away some spare change, and have an authentic interaction with a stranger. Maybe something like this will happen to you today, too. Happy Saturday, meat bags.How do I make my car backfire safely with a loud bang. I don't want the VRUMRUMRUMMMMMMM kind of backfire they use at rallys, I mean the "Uncle Bucks car" kind in which the fuel is mistimed and misfired into the ignition system. I don't know much about cars though. My car is a 1986 Ford-Escort...
How do I make my car backfire safely with a loud bang. I don't want the VRUMRUMRUMMMMMMM kind of backfire they use at rallys, I mean the "Uncle Bucks car" kind in which the fuel is mistimed and misfired into the ignition system. I don't know much about cars though.
My car is a 1986 Ford-Escort 5-speed with distributor ignition if that helps. Can I just mess around with the spark plugs to achieve a nasty backfire, I wish to make it sound really bomby for a surprise "home visit" to my dad to show how I'm doing in life.“What’s the point of being in politics, if you can’t speak up for the people who can’t speak up for themselves?”
John Smith was fond of repeating that simple truth. His life was defined by its purpose.
As we remember his tragic death 22 years ago we recall a nation paused in grief. John had achieved that rare thing in politics. He had inspired ordinary people up and down our country to invest their trust in him. Labour lost a leader and the country lost a potential Prime Minister. Working people lost a champion.
Growing up in Ardrishaig, then a busy port village in the West of Scotland, it would be 12 years before John ventured as far east as Glasgow where he would later spend his university years immersed in debate and activism. This tightly knit upbringing grounded his politics in the lives and values of community. It instilled that resolute belief that it is incumbent on those blessed by fortune to make a contribution through public service.
In 1971, he defied the party whip in order to serve the country’s interest. He joined 68 of his Labour colleagues whose votes were decisive in Britain joining the Common Market. As he told the Commons that day, “economic forces must somehow be brought under popular control and be fashioned towards social and political ends that the people determine.” I will be remembering his words and that spirit when I cast my vote in the EU referendum.
He will be remembered for reforming and uniting our party, forging consensus around a pragmatic and positive case for our place in Europe, and his vision of a Scottish Parliament that would in time be finally realised. These were achievements fuelled by a burning passion for social justice, but we should also remember his warm humour and devastating wit.
Though he never lived to see the Labour government that he helped make possible, he left a tremendous legacy and his life was characterised by a fundamental decency which shone through a remarkable political career.
My own memories of the day he died are of shock and sorrow, but also clarity. A vivid sense that we must not squander what he had worked to build. Inspired by his profound decency, his death prompted me to join the Labour Party and made me realise that I wanted to play my small part in delivering the change that he and the British people had worked to make possible. He helped me recognise the importance of the ethos of public service; something we must recapture today if we are to collectively meet the challenges of tomorrow.
John also always stood up for what he knew to be right. Reflecting on his life serves as a timely reminder of how we best conduct ourselves during today’s fractious debates. I believe we should all be mindful to emulate that decency and respect for those he disagreed with, recognising them as opponents, not enemies. We can disagree without being disagreeable. A respectful tone should guide us through the heat of the debate. Otherwise, the danger for our politics is that those who feel no one is listening to them will simply stop listening to us.
This matters because too often in my time in Parliament I have found our politics to be too small. People feel frustration precisely because they know politics matters to their families. Yet too often they don't feel it works in their interests. The challenges we must overcome are great: What is our place in a rapidly changing world and how does this shape our shared identity? How do we restore trust in institutions and overcome that feeling of powerlessness in modern life? These are big, difficult questions. When confronting them we would do well to remember that bigger purpose John spoke of the night before he died: “to serve our country.”
That must be our task today. To demonstrate the same courage in speaking for the interests of people who can’t speak up for themselves. Sharing John’s optimism for what politics can achieve so that we realise “our capacity as a nation to set our own objectives for the society in which we live, and to set about achieving them in a spirit of resolute determination.”
That enduring mission should define Labour’s path to once again earn the trust of the British people. As we continue on that journey, we are once again reminded by Labour’s lost leader of our duty to build a better kind of politics.Westminster Abbey is one of Britain’s most popular tourist attractions, but the vast majority of visitors have never seen its best feature: the view of the interior from the triforium, a space used as an attic in the upper levels of the Abbey. It was called "the finest view in Europe” by Sir John Betjeman, former poet laureate of Great Britain. That space is being remodeled into a museum, and in the process of cleaning it out, reports Maev Kennedy at The Guardian, researchers discovered 30,000 shards of stained glass from over the course of centuries of changes at the Abbey. Those shards have since been conserved and are being reconstituted into new displays for a recently built tower.
Kennedy reports that archaeologist Warwick Rodwell first noticed the shards of glass glittering among dust and dirt while sifting through deep cone-shaped pits in the Abbey's attics. “Once I saw the glass, the penny dropped,” he said. “I realized this was treasure, not rubbish, and we would have to go through every inch of it. The workmen thought I was mad.”
In fact, Rodwell and his team conducted a full-on archaeological dig, taking out every cubic inch of soot and dust in buckets and poring through the mess looking for glass and other artifacts. The glass fragments were sorted and taken to the stained glass studio at Cantebury Cathedral, which creates, restores and cleans stained glass from around Great Britain. There restorationists have photographed every fragment and tried to piece what they can together.
“There are puzzles upon puzzles upon puzzles,” Leonie Seliger, who is leading the project, tells Kennedy. “We have one piece of Victorian glass, all the rest is Medieval including thousands of pieces of flower-painted grisaille from windows which nobody knew had been in the abbey – the 19th-century antiquarians who crawled all over the place made no reference to it, so they must have already vanished without trace by then.”
Westminster Abbey, the gothic building in the heart of London, began as a Benedictine Abbey in the 10th century and has served as the place of coronation for kings and queens of the England and the United Kingdom since 1066. In 1245, Henry III began renovating the grand space into the Abbey seen today. It also serves as the resting place for 3,300 notables from the United Kingdom including kings, queens, politicians, scientists and writers, such as Charles Dickens and Rudyard Kipling, who rest in the Abbey's "Poet's Corner." While the Abbey had a previous museum, it closed in 2015 and will be replaced by the new space in the attic which will be called the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries.
The glass is not the only awesome find made while cleaning out the triforium. John Bingham at The Telegraph reports that historians exploring the space have removed and catalogued thousands of artifacts while preparing for the museum construction. There were old oak doors, throne-like chairs, dozens of statues and lots of pieces of broken stone that had fallen off the Abbey over the centuries.
In another article, Kennedy reports that royal armor, a memorial to the author of “The Beggar’s Opera” and the world’s oldest-known stuffed parrot were also found. Many of the artifacts will be on display in the museum when it opens, scheduled for June, 2018.
While the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Gallery will highlight the history of the Abbey’s stained glass windows, other windows are still evolving. Many of the 16th-century stained glass windows in the Lady Chapel, which houses the tombs of Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots, were destroyed in World War II during the Blitz, and in recent years, Westminster Abbey has been replacing them with new art. In 2000, stained-glass artist Alan Younger contributed new windows and, in 2013, the chapel added more designed by Hughie O’Donoghue.
Editor's note, January 2, 2017: This story incorrectly reported that Jane Austen is buried in the Westminster Abbey's "Poet's Corner." In fact, the writer is buried in Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire. A small tablet was dedicated in her honor in the Poet's Corner in 1967. Additionally, this piece incorrectly referred to the Abbey as a cathedral. It is a "Royal Peculiar."If you’re one of the people who got all nostalgic at yesterday’s news about Nickelodeon’s new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, prepare to take another trip down memory lane. Nickelodeon’s TeenNick channel has announced a plan to show reruns of ’90s shows like Pete & Pete and Rugrats as part of a new programming block. Read more details after the jump.
Entertainment Weekly reports that TeenNick (formerly known as The N), has scheduled a two-hour block from midnight to 2 AM called The ’90s Are All That — sort of a retro TGIF for people who grew up with the original TGIF, I guess. The block will include old programs like Rugrats, Kenan & Kel, Pete & Pete, The Amanda Bynes Show, All That and Clarissa Explains it All. TeenNick plans to eventually use the block to show other ’90s shows and films as well.
TeenNick came up with the idea after they noticed how often ’90s Nickelodeon shows were being passed around and discussed on social media sites like Facebook:
“At the time, we were completely devoted to that audience ages 9, 10, and 11,” Keith Dawkins, senior VP and general manager of TeenNick, tells EW. “It was ground-breaking and for the young viewers, a powerful and pivotal time in their lives. Those kids who are now 22, 23 and 24 want to bring that back.”
Dawkins’ math is just a bit off for some of the shows; the kids who enjoyed Clarissa Explains It All and Pete & Pete at 10 or 11 would be in their late 20s by now. But as I’ve seen 22-year-olds waxing nostalgic about the ’80s — you know, the decade they were alive for one year of — I doubt it matters.
Discuss: What ’90s shows would you like to see Nickelodeon bring back?If your company has a matching program, please please please submit your donation information for a match. This is a fantastic way to make your gift even more powerful.
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The following shopping programs will donate a percentage of your purchases to NYCSR.CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Space shuttle Endeavour and its crew of six left the International Space Station and headed home to close out NASA’s next-to-last shuttle flight, pausing just long enough Monday to perform a victory lap and test equipment for a future interplanetary ship.
“Endeavour looks real nice out there,” space station resident Ronald Garan Jr. called out.
The space station crew beamed down video of the departing shuttle, the last-ever shot of Endeavour in orbit. It was a dark, solitary image against the blue, cloud-covered Earth and grew increasingly smaller.
NASA’s youngest shuttle — the baby of the fleet with just 25 space voyages — is due back in Florida early Wednesday. Its next stop after that will be a museum in Los Angeles for what some consider to be an early retirement.
Endeavour undocked close to midnight Sunday, ending 11½ days of joint flight. The two spacecraft were soaring more than 200 miles above Bolivia when they parted.
By the time they were over Eastern Europe, the shuttle astronauts could see the $2 billion cosmic ray detector they installed on the space station, as well as the new platform holding spare parts.
“We’re the ones that get to see this incredible view, but you’re all with us in spirit, and this is really a new day for science aboard the space station,” Navy Capt. Mark Kelly, the shuttle’s commander, told Mission Control.
Endeavour and its crew left behind a space station that now has a mass of 905,000 pounds and is 100 percent complete, at least as far as NASA’s share of the 12-year project. On the fourth and final spacewalk of the mission Friday, the astronauts attached an extension pole and declared the construction effort over.
The Russian Space Agency still intends to add another compartment or two, but the other partners have all the major items they need already up there for the decade ahead.
Atlantis will make one last supply run to the space station this summer to close out the 30-year shuttle program.
Endeavour’s final job in orbit was to provide a platform for a navigation experiment, designed to assist future spacecraft that may fly to an asteroid or Mars one day. The shuttle and its astronauts hung around a few extra hours to accomplish the task after photographing the station from all sides.
“We’re closing another chapter on the flight,” astronaut Andrew Feustel radioed when the experiment ended. He asked if flight controllers got enough data.
“We’ve got a roomful of happy people down here,” Mission Control replied.
The lead shuttle flight director, Gary Horlacher, praised Capt. Kelly and his crew for their “absolutely flawless” 16-day mission. He wished them “a safe voyage” and said he’d meet them on the runway at Kennedy Space Center.
Capt. Kelly promised to see him there, although he noted that stiff crosswind might postpone the touchdown.
Endeavour will aim for a rare middle-of-the-night touchdown. Landing time is 2:35 a.m. Wednesday.
Just four hours beforehand, Atlantis will begin the three-mile trek from the hangar to the launch pad one last time. Hundreds if not thousands of Kennedy Space Center employees will be on hand for the double-header events.
Built to replace the lost Challenger, Endeavour will have racked up 123 million miles by flight’s end, beginning with its first journey in 1992, and circled Earth more than 4,670 times. NASA’s launch director has mentioned on more than one occasion that Endeavour still looks new.
“It’s kind of sad to see it ending, but it’s time to move on to the next chapter,” Mr. Horlacher told reporters Monday morning.
One person missing all the fanfare in Florida will be Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Capt. Kelly’s wife. She attended the May 16 launch but underwent skull reconstruction two days later in Houston. She’s recuperating, but Capt. Kelly said the landing will occur at an inconvenient hour and the nighttime views will be limited.
Capt. Kelly got a special musical send-off Sunday from Mrs. Giffords.
The wakeup call was a song by a Tucson, Ariz., band. Capt. Kelly said the song, “Slowness” by Calexico, is about two people reaching across a distance and references places in Tucson, his wife’s hometown.
“I know she really, really wants to get back there,” Capt. Kelly said. “It’s an appropriate song because that’s coming soon.
Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC.Canada's Immigration Website Goes Down For Hours After U.S. Election
Canada's Immigration and Citizenship website was down for hours Tuesday and Wednesday — apparently due to a spike in searches by Americans reacting to Tuesday's presidential election. Access was cut off on Election Day; the site was brought back online shortly after 10 a.m. ET.
Search traffic for "Canada immigration," "Canada" and "move to Canada" has increased in the United States relative to the past seven days, according to Google Trends. Google reports that the search terms were particularly popular in Oregon, Washington, Vermont and California.
Meanwhile, Business Insider reported that a story called "How to move to Canada and become a Canadian citizen" was the top story on the site Tuesday night.
The Wayback Machine has an archive of the currently inaccessible site, if you're curious, including the page with information on "how you can immigrate to Canada."
Will anyone actually do it?
NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben took a long look at that question earlier this year.
"Every election, there's that chorus of people who insist they are moving to Canada if candidate so-and-so wins. Everyone knows these people. They're tweeting and Googling about it as you read this," she wrote. (Which is undoubtedly true right now.)
Determining how many people actually follow through is surprisingly difficult, Danielle found. The short answer is: a few, but probably for reasons more complicated than pure politics.“You know what I have found- NOTHING works all the time. I hear people saying that peaceful parenting doesn’t work and I hear people saying that spanking doesn’t work. Frankly, I can’t think of anything that is 100% fool proof and works for every child all the time.”
– Mama Birth
I hear (or read) statements like Mama Birth’s all the time. It doesn’t matter what school of child care thought or the specifics of the discussion, someone always concludes “there isn’t a method that can work for every child because each baby is unique.” And that usually ends the discussion.
Although I couldn’t agree more about each child being unique, I disagree about there not being a universal, one-size-fits-all child care approach — because I know one. It’s summed up perfectly by RIE Associate Elizabeth Memel when she welcomes new parents to her Parent/Infant Guidance Classes: “I’m not your teacher — your child is your teacher.” (Wish I’d said that.)
Our unique babies are the only people on the planet who can teach us all we need to know about raising them. So one-size-fits-all parenting is about learning how to become better students. Here’s infant expert Magda Gerber‘s foolproof way to do that…
1. Trust
We need a basic trust in our babies as capable communicators and initiators — fully human and active participants in life. The expression “seeing is believing” has to be reversed. Young children, especially the most immobile, pre-verbal ones can’t show and tell us unless we believe they can and give them room.
2. Observe
Sensitive observation, focused attention, really taking the child in without interference is the key to understanding babies and responding appropriately. Through observation we can detect everything from the early stages of tiredness (and be able to prepare children for sleep ahead of the curve) to what they might be learning while they play, when not to interrupt. Magda Gerber’s story illustrates…
“Once many years ago, I saw an infant lying on the floor who was trying to catch something in a very dreamy, beautiful way. I didn’t see anything, but I knew that the child saw something. Only as I walked around did I realize that the dust in the air was creating a rainbow, and that’s what the child saw. That experience stayed with me as a symbolic reminder, so that now when people do things, I want to say, “That child may just see the rainbow — don’t interrupt. Wait.”
(from Dear Parent, Caring For Infants With Respect)
This story is also about trust, trusting that our baby’s choice of activity has value and is “enough”.
3. Listen
If I had it to do over, I’d definitely try the Dunstan method for decoding baby language…it fascinates me! I know, I know, someone’s bound to tell me it doesn’t work for every baby. But listening does. True listening means finding the strength to hear babies when they cry, since that’s the way they communicate a variety of needs and feelings. It means making the effort to understand before responding, especially when those responses mean placing something in the baby’s mouth, because that discourages further communication.
Lu Hanessian (from Parent2ParentU) provided a vivid illustration recently when she suggested substituting the word ‘communicate’ for ‘cry’. And yet, there are experts who will tell you not to let your baby ‘communicate’.
When our goal is to prevent babies from crying, we end up assuming needs, doing well-intentioned but misdirected things like feeding them when they’re tired or playing with them when they’re over-stimulated. Observe and listen. Really listen. Your baby is listening to you, and she deserves the same respect.
Keeping the lines of communication open becomes even more vital as our children grow. These lines are delicate. |
297521 * Can changing repr break code? ** Guido: when we randomized hash, a lot of tests failed * Add a "-" prefix for negative result: -timedelta(seconds=1)? * (Related) Should repr(timedelta(seconds=60)) returns 'timedelta(minutes=1)'? ** NO, Guido: "I'm sure that one often catches people by surprise. However, I don't think we can fix that one without also fixing the values of the attributes -- in that example days is -1 and seconds is 86340 (which will *also* catch people by surprise). And changing that would be much, much harder for backwards compatibility reasons-- we'd have to set days to 0 and seconds to -60, and suddenly we have a much murkier invariant, instead of the crisp" ** NO, Guido: "Then please just trust me. If the repr() shows different numbers than the attributes things are worse than now. People will casually look at the repr() and assume they've seen what the attributes will return, and spend hours debugging code that relies on that incorrect assumption." ** NO, R. David Murray : "I'm with Haypo: the repr should show the *actual* value of the attributes." ** NO, Victor Stinner: "Don't make repr() implementation overcomplicated (...) use str()" Another remark of Alexander Belopolsky: * "Furthermore, "seconds=28747" is not that user-friendly. A friendlier representation would be "hours=7, minutes=59, seconds=7" and similar information is displayed when you print a timedelta: (...)" ** IHMO you should use str() and not repr() to format a value for humans. repr() is more designed for developers, to debug. Another interesting remark: the documentation of the constructor is incomplete and should be document parameters.
msg299149 - (view) Author: STINNER Victor (vstinner) * Date: 2017-07-25 21:51
New changeset cc5a65cd9025280ea67ef4bbc2a8bfe31ced6c30 by Victor Stinner (Utkarsh Upadhyay) in branch'master': bpo-30302 Make timedelta.__repr__ more informative. (#1493) https://github.com/python/cpython/commit/cc5a65cd9025280ea67ef4bbc2a8bfe31ced6c30
msg299152 - (view) Author: STINNER Victor (vstinner) * Date: 2017-07-25 22:00
Do you think that repr(datetime.timedelta) should be documented in the Porting section of What's New in Python 3.7? https://docs.python.org/dev/whatsnew/3.7.html#porting-to-python-3-7 It was proposed in the middle of the python-dev thread. I have no opinion on that... or just a little -0 vote, if someone is impacted, it should be easy to notice it anymore, no? -- While we don't have an obvious consensus, I took the responsability of merging Utkarsh Upadhyay's contribution. He wrote that he is interested to pursue the effort by also enhancing the docstring: please, go ahead, write a new PR, I will help you! It was discussed to rewrite datetime.timedelta: only accept keywords in its constructor, store seconds=60 as minutes=1, etc. The problem is that it's too late to change the design. So I suggest to not waste time on discussing that, but focus the energy on making tiny changes to enhance the implemenatation without risking of breaking the world. While developers using regulary timedelta knows what means the 3 numbers, it seems clear that the other developers have to check for the documentation. IMHO having to check the documentation is an issue: adding keywords to repr() reduces the need of documentation, and so makes Python more usable. Sorry about the longer repr(): use str() or write your own formater? By the way, if you need a formatter working on Python 2.7-3.7: >>> def format_td(td): return 'timedelta(%s, %s, %s)' % (td.days, td.seconds, td.microseconds)... >>> format_td(datetime.timedelta(seconds=1)) 'timedelta(0, 1, 0)' If someone disagree with my merge, I suggest to reopen a thread on python-dev.
msg299381 - (view) Author: Utkarsh Upadhyay (musically_ut) * Date: 2017-07-28 12:00
Thanks for the merge haypo! \o/ I've also created a PR for adding an entry to 'Porting to Python 3.7' in the documentation; I see no harm in including it in the documentation just-in-case.
msg299384 - (view) Author: STINNER Victor (vstinner) * Date: 2017-07-28 12:42
New changeset 8e45318b0d8df9340ac41b1d0447ffc83c7f5102 by Victor Stinner (Utkarsh Upadhyay) in branch'master': bpo-30302: Update WhatsNew and documentation. (#2929) https://github.com/python/cpython/commit/8e45318b0d8df9340ac41b1d0447ffc83c7f5102
msg305111 - (view) Author: Berker Peksag (berker.peksag) * Date: 2017-10-27 11:25
New changeset 843ea47a034307c7b1ca642dd70f0269255b289a by Berker Peksag (Utkarsh Upadhyay) in branch'master': bpo-31545: Update documentation containing timedelta repr. (GH-3687) https://github.com/python/cpython/commit/843ea47a034307c7b1ca642dd70f0269255b289a
msg305113 - (view) Author: Berker Peksag (berker.peksag) * Date: 2017-10-27 11:28The video will start in 8 Cancel
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Frank Bruno has announced his return to the boxing.
The former heavyweight champion revealed in an appearance on This Morning that he would be heading back into the ring.
He told Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield that he needed to burn off energy and start boxing again.
"I've been in the gym all the time, that's why I want to come back into boxing.
"I'm going back into boxing as well."
Phillip asked: "Is that a good idea?
With Frank responding: "I haven't got a choice. I train everyday."
Read more: Was Frank Bruno well enough to be on TV? Viewers react to interview
Bruno, who recently celebrated his 54th birthday admitted he didn't like being challenged by younger boxers and didn't want to be "mugged off" when he was still alive and well.
"I can't sit down and let these so called promoters, say Anthony Joshua can knock me out in two rounds when I'm not even dead."
The boxing legend also revealed his medication for his bipolar disorder was causing him problems: "They made me suicidal. They mess up my head. I can't sleep. I have so much energy."
Bruno, famed for his distinctive laugh, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2003.
He famously conquered the world when he won the WBC heavyweight belt from Oliver McCall at Wembley in 1996.Claire Jones, 32, a food laboratory technician, became pregnant after having a brief affair with Marcus Bazerra, 35, a work colleague.
She kept the pregnancy a secret from her boyfriend of 11 years, David Stoneman, and told him she was putting on weight because of a wheat allergy.
On the night of Dec 28 last year Jones gave birth alone in the bathroom of Mr Stoneman's parents' house but the baby was stillborn.
She wrapped the body in plastic bin bags then drove back to the house she shared with Mr Stoneman, 33, and acted as if nothing had happened.
Cardiff Crown Court heard Jones failed to attend ante-natal appointments and police were later contacted by Mr Bezerra who became concerned.
Jones told officers the baby was stillborn and she had flushed it down the lavatory. But forensic officers searched the house and her car and found the dead baby concealed in the boot.
Jones pleaded guilty to endeavouring to conceal the birth of a child. She was sentenced to 48 weeks in prison, suspended for two years.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, Mr Stoneman said he was "absolutely devastated" and had been left "emotionally broken" by the incident.
"I struggle to connect the Claire I knew with the Claire who has done this," he said.
Mr Williams said: "Mr Bezerra spoke in similar terms."
Andrew Heyward, defending, said a psychiatrist had not found her to be suffering any particular mental illness.
He said she was currently suffering from severe depression and had attempted an overdose.
Judge John Curran told Jones: "Your campaign of lying had a devastating effect on two young men who loved and believed in you."
The judge also ordered that Jones be placed under the supervision of the probation service.Updated at 6:25 p.m. ET
Could New Hampshire voters be choosing a 2012 GOP presidential nominee... in early December?
New Hampshire Secretary of State William Gardner raises the possibility in a memo that also puts pressure on Nevada to push back its GOP presidential caucuses from Jan. 14 to Jan. 17 or later.
If not, Gardner writes, "it leaves New Hampshire no choice but to consider December of this year." He says the Granite State's "realistic options" would be Dec. 6 or Dec. 13.
"Right now, the problem is the date of Nevada," Gardner writes. "We will respond as we need to in order to honor New Hampshire's tradition, and to keep our primary relevant."
The 2012 political calendar has been on a bit of a roller coaster ride since Florida set its primary for Jan. 31. The Sunshine State, like Arizona before it, flouted rules set by the Republican National Committee barring states except Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina from holding a nominating event before March 6.
Iowa, Nevada and South Carolina all rescheduled in response to Florida to preserve their "first in the nation" status, while New Hampshire still hasn't set a primary date. State law gives Gardner sole authority to do so, and mandates that its election be seven days or more before any other "similar election."
The Iowa caucuses, which are tentatively set for Jan. 3, are not considered a "similar election" in the eyes of New Hampshire law because Iowa delegates for the presidential nominating convention are chosen at a different time.
Gardner argues that the New Hampshire primary has "meaning and relevance" in American politics, and allows candidates who don't have large campaign staffs or a lot of money to get out their message in a state where voters like to meet their candidates face to face.
Stay tuned.After the rumors and speculations, DR Music has finally confirmed�RaNia's U.S. venture.
Managed under DR Music in Korea, RaNia's representatives revealed on October 26th that Empire Records (which is reported to be a subsidiary of Universal Records) will be handling the girls' distribution while Fireworks handles their American management.
Empire Records is described to be a formidable hip hop and R&B label of the West side. CEO Mike Williams is the current marketing director of Chris Brown, as well as the former promotion marketing manager for Interscope, helping launch stars like Eminem to the top.
Empire Records lawyer Brett Lewis said after the contracts were signed, "Gangnam Style Korean ladies, RaNia, will break into the American music market. We'll be watching over them as they grow from a K-Pop girl group to one with a worldwide audience, starting with America. It's about time that a Korean artist with a brand new sound has come to America."
Representatives of DR Music stated, "A lot of people in the American music market are taking an interest in K-Pop. It was surprising to find out that they know a lot more about K-Pop than we think. They have so many unexpected promotional ideas which we will slowly reveal as they become confirmed. We're nervous with this new challenge up ahead of us but we're going to do our best until the end to make sure we earn great results."
RaNia will be leaving for America in early November.
Source + Photos: E-Daily via NaverUNDERTAKER AT WRESTLEMANIA UPDATE
The Undertaker was telling those backstage after his match with Bray Wyatt that he felt great and intended to work next year's Wrestlemania in Dallas, Texas.
Given how strong Taker looked in the ring and how well he was moving around before and after the show, a lot of people noted that he really must have been concussed far worse than anyone really understood the year before against Brock Lesnar.
Undertaker shared a locker room backstage with Sting and the two actually shared the same flight back to Texas. There was a lot of "if we do this" talk between the two about a potential match. The original idea when Sting came in was to eventually lead to the Undertaker bout at a Wrestlemania, although WWE management has cooled on long-term plans for the former WCW World champion.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more, right now for THREE DAYS free by clicking here!The United States has more immigrants than any other country in the world. Today, more than 40 million people living in the U.S. were born in another country, accounting for about one-fifth of the world’s migrants in 2016. The population of immigrants is also very diverse, with just about every country in the world represented among U.S. immigrants.
Pew Research Center regularly publishes statistical portraits of the nation’s foreign-born population, which include historical trends since 1960. Based on these portraits, here are answers to some key questions about the U.S. immigrant population.
How many people in the U.S. are immigrants?
The U.S. foreign-born population reached a record 43.7 million in 2016. Since 1965, when U.S. immigration laws replaced a national quota system, the number of immigrants living in the U.S. has more than quadrupled. Immigrants today account for 13.5% of the U.S. population, nearly triple the share (4.7%) in 1970. However, today’s immigrant share remains below the record 14.8% share in 1890, when 9.2 million immigrants lived in the U.S.
What is the legal status of immigrants in the U.S.?
Most immigrants (76%) are in the country legally, while a quarter are unauthorized, according to new Pew Research Center estimates based on census data adjusted for undercount. In 2016, 45% were naturalized U.S. citizens.
Some 27% of immigrants were permanent residents and 5% were temporary residents in 2016. Another 24% of all immigrants were unauthorized immigrants. From 1990 to 2007, the unauthorized immigrant population tripled in size – from 3.5 million to a record high of 12.2 million. During the Great Recession, the number declined by 1 million and since then has leveled off. In 2016, there were 10.7 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S., accounting for 3.3% of the nation’s population.
The decline in the unauthorized immigrant population is due largely to a fall in the number from Mexico – the single largest group of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. Between 2007 and 2016, this group decreased by more than 1 million. Meanwhile, there was a rise in the number from Central America.
Do all lawful immigrants choose to become U.S. citizens?
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Not all lawful permanent residents choose to pursue U.S. citizenship. Those who wish to do so may apply after meeting certain requirements, including having lived in the U.S. for five years. In fiscal year 2017, 986,851 immigrants applied for naturalization. The number of naturalization applications has climbed in recent years, though the annual totals remain below the 1.4 million applications filed in 2007.
Generally, most immigrants eligible for naturalization apply to become citizens. However, Mexican lawful immigrants have the lowest naturalization rate overall. Language and personal barriers, lack of interest and financial barriers are among the top reasons for choosing not to naturalize cited by Mexican-born green card holders, according to a 2015 Pew Research Center survey.
Where do immigrants come from?
Mexico is the top origin country of the U.S. immigrant population. In 2016, 11.6 million immigrants living in the U.S. were from there, accounting for 26% of all U.S. immigrants. The next largest origin groups were those from China (6%), India (6%), the Philippines (4%) and El Salvador (3%).
By region of birth, immigrants from South and East Asia combined accounted for 27% of all immigrants, a share equal to that of Mexico. Other regions make up smaller shares: Europe/Canada (13%), the Caribbean (10%), Central America (8%), South America (7%), the Middle East (4%) and sub-Saharan Africa (4%).
Who is arriving today?
More than 1 million immigrants arrive in the U.S. each year. In 2016, the top country of origin for new immigrants coming into the U.S. was India, with 126,000 people, followed by Mexico (124,000), China (121,000) and Cuba (41,000).
By race and ethnicity, more Asian immigrants than Hispanic immigrants have arrived in the U.S. each year since 2010. Immigration from Latin America slowed following the Great Recession, particularly from Mexico, which has seen net decreases in U.S. immigration over the past few years.
Asians are projected to become the largest immigrant group in the U.S. by 2055, surpassing Hispanics. Pew Research Center estimates indicate that in 2065, Asians will make up some 38% of all immigrants; Hispanics, 31%; whites, 20%; and blacks, 9%.
Is the immigrant population growing?
New immigrant arrivals have fallen, mainly due to a decrease in the number of unauthorized immigrants coming to the U.S. The fall in the growth of the unauthorized immigrant population can partly be attributed to more Mexican immigrants leaving the U.S. than coming in.
Looking forward, immigrants and their descendants are projected to account for 88% U.S. population growth through 2065, assuming current immigration trends continue. In addition to new arrivals, U.S. births to immigrant parents will be important to future U.S. growth. In 2016, the percentage of women giving birth in the past year was higher among immigrants (7.4%) than among the U.S. born (5.9%). While U.S.-born women gave birth to over 3 million children that year, immigrant women gave birth to more than 750,000.
How many immigrants have come to the U.S. as refugees?
Since the creation of the federal Refugee Resettlement Program in 1980, about 3 million refugees have been resettled in the U.S – more than any other country.
In fiscal 2017, a total of 53,716 refugees were resettled in the U.S. The largest origin group of refugees was the Democratic Republic of the Congo, followed by Iraq, Syria, Somalia, and Burma (Myanmar). Among all refugees admitted in that fiscal year, 22,861 are Muslims (43%) and 25,194 are Christians (47%). California, Texas and New York resettled nearly a quarter of all refugees admitted in fiscal 2016.
Where do most U.S. immigrants live?
Roughly half (46%) of the nation’s 43.7 million immigrants live in just three states: California (24%), Texas (11%) and New York (10%). California had the largest immigrant population of any state in 2016, at 10.7 million. Texas and New York had more than 4.5 million immigrants each.
In terms of regions, about two-thirds of immigrants lived in the West (34%) and South (33%). Roughly one-fifth lived in the Northeast (21%) and 11% were in the Midwest.
In 2016, most immigrants lived in just 20 major metropolitan areas, with the largest populations in New York, Los Angeles and Miami. These top 20 metro areas were home to 28.3 million immigrants, or 65% of the nation’s total. Most of the nation’s unauthorized immigrant population lived in these top metro areas as well.
How do immigrants compare with the U.S. population overall in education?
Immigrants in the U.S. as a whole have lower levels of education than the U.S.-born population. In 2016, immigrants were three times as likely as the U.S. born to have not completed high school (29% vs. 9%). However, immigrants were just as likely as the U.S. born to have a college degree or more, 32% and 30% respectively.
Educational attainment varies among the nation’s immigrant groups, particularly across immigrants from different regions of the world. Immigrants from Mexico (57%) and Central America (49%) are less likely to be high school graduates than the U.S. born (9%). On the other hand, immigrants from South and East Asia, Europe, Canada, the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa were more likely than U.S.-born residents to have a bachelor’s or advanced degree.
Among all immigrants, those from South and East Asia (52%) and the Middle East (47%) were the most likely to have a bachelor’s degree or more. Immigrants from Mexico (6%) and Central America (9%) were the least likely to have a bachelor’s or higher.
How many immigrants are working in the U.S.?
In 2016, about 28 million immigrants were working or looking for work in the U.S., making up some 17% of the total civilian labor force. Lawful immigrants made up the majority of the immigrant workforce, at 20.6 million. An additional 7.8 million immigrant workers are unauthorized immigrants, the first time since 2006 that the number was significantly below 8 million. They alone account for 4.8% of the civilian labor force, a dip from their peak of 5.4% in 2007. During the same period, the overall U.S. workforce grew, as did the number of U.S.-born workers and lawful immigrant workers.
Immigrants, regardless of legal status, work in a variety of jobs and do not make up the majority of workers in any U.S. industry. Lawful immigrants are most likely work in professional, management, or business and finance jobs (38%) or service jobs (21%). Unauthorized immigrants, by contrast, are most likely to be working in service (31%) or construction jobs (17%).
Immigrants are also projected to drive future growth in the U.S. working-age population through at least 2035. As the Baby Boom generation heads into retirement, immigrants and their children are expected to offset a decline in the working-age population by adding about 18 million people of working age between 2015 and 2035.
How well do immigrants speak English?
Among immigrants ages 5 and older, half (51%) are proficient English speakers – either speaking English very well (35%) or only speaking English at home (16%).
Immigrants from Mexico have the lowest rates of English proficiency (32%), followed by Central Americans (33%) and immigrants from South and East Asia (54%). Those from Europe or Canada (76%), sub-Saharan Africa (72%), and the Middle East (61%) have the highest rates of English proficiency.
The longer immigrants have lived in the U.S., the greater the likelihood they are English proficient. Some 44% of immigrants living in the U.S. five years or less are proficient. By contrast, more than half (55%) of immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for 20 years or more are proficient English speakers.
Among immigrants ages 5 and older, Spanish is the most commonly spoken language. Some 43% of immigrants in the U.S. speak Spanish at home. The top five languages spoken at home among immigrants outside of Spanish are English only (16%), followed by Chinese (6%), Hindi (5%), Filipino/Tagalog (4%) and French (3%).
How many immigrants have been deported recently?
Around 340,000 immigrants were deported from the U.S. in fiscal 2016, slightly up since 2015. Overall, the Obama administration deported about 3 million immigrants between 2009 and 2016, a significantly higher number than the 2 million immigrants deported by the Bush administration between 2001 and 2008.
Immigrants convicted of a crime made up the minority of deportations in 2016, the most recent year for which statistics by criminal status are available. Of the 340,000 immigrants deported in 2016, some 40% had criminal convictions and 60% were not convicted of a crime. From 2001 to 2016, a majority (60%) of immigrants deported have not been convicted of a crime.
How many immigrants are apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border?
The number of apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border has sharply decreased over the past decade or so, from more than 1 million in fiscal 2006 to 303,916 in fiscal 2017. Today, there are more apprehensions of non-Mexicans than Mexicans at the border. In fiscal 2017, apprehensions of Central Americans at the border exceeded those of Mexicans for the third time since 2014.
How do Americans view immigrants and immigration?
While immigration has been at the forefront of a national political debate, the U.S. public holds a range of views about immigrants living in the country. Overall, a majority of Americans have positive views about immigrants. Six-in-ten Americans (65%) say immigrants strengthen the country “because of their hard work and talents,” while just over a quarter (26%) say immigrants burden the country by taking jobs, housing and health care.
Yet these views vary starkly by political affiliation. Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, 84% think immigrants strengthen the country with their hard work and talents, and just 12% say they are a burden. Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, roughly as many (44%) say immigrants are a burden as say immigrants strengthen the country because of their hard work and talents (42%).
Americans also hold more positive views of some immigrant groups than others, according to a 2015 Pew Research Center immigration report. More than four-in-ten Americans expressed mostly positive views of Asian (47%) and European immigrants (44%), yet only a quarter expressed such views of African and Latin American immigrants (26% each). Roughly half of the U.S. public said immigrants are making things better through food, music and the arts (49%), but almost equal shares said immigrants are making crime and the economy worse (50% each).
Americans were divided on future levels of immigration. Nearly half said immigration to the U.S. should be decreased (49%), while one-third (34%) said immigration should be kept at its present level and just 15% said immigration should be increased.
Note: This is an update of a post originally published May 3, 2017.
Topics: Immigration Trends, Population Geography, Global Migration and Demography, Population Trends, Migration, ImmigrationMany in the media are working with progressive interests to undermine and remove the president by using mass manipulation cloaked as reporting, according to five-time Emmy Award winner, author and investigative journalist Sharyl Attkisson.
“Transactional journalism” is clinically defined by Attkisson as “reporters making inappropriate deals with the people they’re reporting on,” the phenomenon seems more like political warfare to those with an ideological lens.
Attkisson swims in the waters she writes and speaks of as the feature of her own Sunday investigative show, “Full Measure,” and a former CBS investigative reporter.
She retells the story of Marc Ambinder in this exclusive interview with The Daily Caller News Foundation. Ambinder sold his journalistic soul for an advance copy of a speech in 2009 by then Secretary of State Clinton’s staff.
The self-admitted, left-leaning “journolist” member propagated the description of Clinton’s speech across mainstream media to manipulate public opinion in accordance with the elites’ dictates.
Attkisson, while seeing offenders on both sides, admits that part of what she describes has been “rooted in an ideological motive to unseat candidate Trump, and now to try to harm President Trump. News organizations have admitted to such,” she says.
Media entities she has admired, such as the New York Times, Washington Post and CNN, have suspended their journalistic rules, and made excessive reporting mistakes and errors, because they have decided President Donald Trump is antithetical to their beliefs.
Using emails exposed from FOIA requests or the WikiLeaks dump of emails leaked in 2016, Attkisson’s new New York Times bestseller, called “The Smear: How Shady Political Operatives and Fake News Control What you See, What you Think and How You Vote,” is a damning indictment of the media.
Attkisson believes many mainstream news organizations, had they been provided leaked emails as given to WikiLeaks last year, would not have released them to the public. In her mind, “WikiLeaks did what news organizations used to do when newsworthy leaks were given to them.”
She calls Trump “the anti-smear candidate” and explains why, in her new book, he “is Kryptonite to the smear.” She says, “Every smear tactic used against him kind of bounces off of him.”
In fact, she says, he was able to “grab it, co-opt it and turn it around, in most every case,” doing the opposite of what seems intuitive to politicians. The more the media and smear merchants tried to manipulate antagonism towards Trump, “the public liked him.”
As an example, what began as a progressive project to censor conservative news as “fake news,” has been hijacked by Trump, who embraces the term against the mainstream media. Now, Attkisson says the initiators want to stop discussing “fake news.”
For more on Attkisson, see her website, see both of her Facebook pages, follow her on Twitter @SharylAttkisson or get her books, “The Smear,” and “Stonewalled.”
Meghan Flynn is credited with the video work for this piece.
Mrs. Thomas does not necessarily support or endorse the products, services or positions promoted in any advertisement contained herein, and does not have control over or receive compensation from any advertiser.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected] Rivers plans on getting Apple’s iPhone 6, even if she won’t ever be able to use it.
The late comedy legend’s Facebook page was updated on Friday morning with a post raving about a “beautiful” and “badass” iPhone she purchased in 2010, which she planned to replaced with the iPhone 6 — a product Apple introduced to consumers on Sept. 9, five days after Rivers died.
Also read: Apple Stock Holds Steady After iPhone 6 Unveiling
“This badass is being replaced by an iPhone 6 (not the fat one),” the Facebook post read. “I got this one in 2010, and after 4 years, my only complaint is that apps are now designed for bigger screens, and the battery is getting tired. Never had a case for it, since it was the most beautiful on its own. Great achievement in design. Great product.”
The post was quickly deleted, but not quick enough to evade screenshots.
Also read: Apple CEO Tim Cook Responds to Hollywood’s Nude Photo Leaks, Promises Security Fix
Apple has not yet responded to TheWrap‘s request for comment.University of Alabama men’s basketball coach Avery Johnson was available for a sit-down interview with Tuscaloosa News sports editor Cecil Hurt on Tuesday afternoon and touched on several topics ranging from the anticipation for the 2017-18 season to the status of freshman forward Braxton Key, who has still made no announcement about whether he will return for his sophomore season. Here is a transcript of that interview.
Q: First, has Braxton Key given you any update on his status recently?
A: This is exactly how things have gone. Braxton came to me after the season and shared with me that he wanted to declare for the draft without signing with an agent. We supported that 100 percent and we supplied Braxton and his family with all the information available. We shared with him exactly what would happen in the process. In our last conversation, he confirmed that what I had said would happen has happened, exactly as I told him. As of now, he is still in a holding pattern for his final decision.
He has been to at least one draft tryout camp (Boston) and he has been working out a lot in Charlotte (Key’s hometown) with some of his old high school teammates. He did well academically for the spring semester. So we’re just waiting on him, and he has to make a decision by May 24.
Q: Pending that decision, what is your roster situation for next year?
A: ArMond Davis, as you know, has had a change of heart and decided to come back for next year. That leaves us with a scholarship and we are looking at a transfer who could sit out and be eligible next year (2018-19). If Braxton decides not to come back, then we might look at the possibility of a graduate transfer who would be eligible right away but we are not at that point yet.
Q: Moving on to your staff, could you discuss the decision not to renew Bob Simon’s contract (as associate head coach) for the upcoming year?
A: Coach Simon was here for two years and did a really solid job for us. I enjoyed working with him but I did make the decision not to renew his contract. We wish him all the best in his coaching career in the future.
Q: What was the process that led to hiring Yasir Rosemond from the Georgia staff to fill that position?
A: We were contacted by a tremendous number of candidates. You then narrow that down to 10 or 15 coaches, you take your list of about seven different things you are looking for in a new coach and you see who checks the most boxes. Yasir checked all of the boxes. Obviously, recruiting is critical and you ask yourself ‘what can he bring to the table? How can he help us? How can we help him?’ Because recruiting isn’t one guy, it’s all of us (on the staff) working together. With that said, he’s going to have a great deal of success. He has a great attitude, a great work ethic. He has great chemistry with the players. J.J. Frazier was tweeting today about Coach Rosemond, how much he would miss him. He has some very strong connections overseas that can help open up our recruiting in that way.
If the job is 90 percent recruiting, the other 10 percent also counts. You’re looking for chemistry. You’re looking for an individual that represents the institution in a class manner. You’re looking for that right fit. I think Antoine Pettway, John Pelphrey and Yasir will be a dynamic staff. A lot of where we are today is because of Antoine’s growth as a young coach. He’s had an incredibly accelerated growth in the past two years and he is our No. 2 assistant now. But I think he’ll be a head coach somewhere in the near future.
This hiring completes our staff although we are still looking into the possibility of hiring a coaching consultant for basketball. We’ll let everyone know when we’ve explored that a little more thoroughly.
Q: Have you confirmed your dates for a foreign tour this summer?
A: Yes, we will be playing three games in Canada starting on August 2. We’ll play two games in Ottawa and one in Montreal and that should give us 10 days of practice that will benefit our team tremendously. Those contracts are signed.
We are still finalizing our non-conference schedule but if we can get a couple of the games we are negotiating, it should be one of the best non-conference schedules we’ve seen around here in a long time.
Q: Two questions in one about your recruiting class after the All-Star game circuit. Do you expect everyone to report and do you foresee playing Collin Sexton as a point guard?
A: We expect everyone to be on campus May 28. As far as who will play what position, I’m looking at it more as guards, forwards and centers rather than breaking it down as 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Collin can play along with Dazon Ingram, or John Petty or Avery (Johnson) Junior and I’m not going to worry about calling one of them a point guard and one of them a shooting guard. We’ve got guards. That’s how I look at it.
Q: Since the Final Four, there has been a tremendous amount of excitement about the upcoming season in the SEC and now several schools, notably Kentucky and Missouri, continue to add top recruits. What do you foresee?
A: I like where the SEC is going. I always thought this could be a premier league, we just needed to recruit a little better as a conference, not just Kentucky. Now you are seeing that. Missouri is recruiting well, and Florida, Mississippi State and a lot of others. We think we have a potentially strong class. I think we are well-poised as a league to get seven or eight teams in the NCAA Tournament next year, maybe more. There are a lot of ways in which we are going to have to stay competitive in the future, whether that is recruiting or facilities.
Q: A final question on a different note — how has the passing of Coach (Ben) Jobe (Johnson’s college coach at Southern University) continued to affect you over the last few months?
A: I think about him every day. In the (assistant) coaching search, I received a nice note from a young coach at Talladega College telling me how much Coach Jobe had meant to him. He told |
record. ‘For example, the trend toward larger size was not seen in all of the extinct side-branches, some of which actually reversed direction and became smaller’ (p. 199). Also, ‘Miohippus actually appears in the fossil record before Mesohippus, though it persists after it’ (p. 199).
Some of the trends can be explained by the action of gene switches turning on and off the information for extra toes, and this could have been a factor with tooth types as well.19 It is also likely that the development of high crowned teeth was the result of gene loss rather than adaptation to any diet.19
In the same way that dogs, dingoes, wolves, coyotes, and so on, descended from a single dog kind after the Flood, so too could all the various horse varieties, zebras, donkeys, etc., have originated from an original horse kind. Like Darwin’s finches, it is probable significant genetic variety had been designed in the original animal ‘kinds’, able to be fragmented quickly among descendants. There is simply no need to explain variation as the result of random mutations creating novelty, acted on by natural selection.
Icon 10: From ape to human
For over 40 years the Piltdown fraud had persuaded the leading scientists a missing link had confirmed man’s descent from ape-like ancestors. The skull belonged to a true human and the jaw fragment from a modern orang-utan. It turned out that the latter had been chemically treated to make it look like a fossil and its teeth had been deliberately filed down to make them look human. It took that long to discover this none-too-elaborate hoax because evolutionists thought they had evidence which they very much wished to believe.
Fossil fragments of various human races and monkeys have been found, in different locations and strata. Some appear to be extinct apes. The difficulty arises due to preconceptions, allowing the fragments to be reconstructed in many ways. Several palaeontologists recall discussing how drastically different the famous Kenyan ‘Skull 1470’ could be made to look, depending on where one chose to place the jaw with respect to the rest of the skull.
The subjectivity involved can be illustrated by four artist’s rendering of a female Homo habilis figure from casts of seven fossil bones, requested by National Geographic.20 It is apparent from the results that one could easily fit such a reconstruction anywhere in the ape-to-human sequence.
There is considerable interpretative freedom in the absence of qualitative and quantitative evidence. Dates are frequently re-evaluated. One can consider how diverse pygmies and two-meter-tall weight lifters are today. Include the effects of disease; harsh environmental conditions; jaw-muscle—demanding diets, and greater genetic variety in the past, to appreciate how subjectively the handful of fragments could be interpreted.
In a closing chapter entitled ‘Science or Myth?’, Wells discusses the fact that in America billions of taxpayer dollars are being spent annually without their consent to finance evolutionary origins research. Funds from NASA, the NIH (National Institute of Health) and NSF (National Science Foundation) fund research projects headed up by those already committed to an evolutionary mind-set21,22 and the resulting papers are used to gain professorship tenures. Students must buy evolution-oriented textbooks and attend schools and universities where only evolution is taught, presented as ‘science’, as ‘established fact’.
If all biology teachers and students were to digest a book like this, or Dr Jonathan Sarfati’s Refuting Evolution,15 and agree to throw out the 10 icons of evolution just examined, very little would be left to justify the claims we are bombarded with daily: ‘the evidence for evolution is overwhelming’; ‘no serious scientist questions the truth of evolution anymore’; ‘the creationists will destroy modern society with their opposition to science’, etc. Ironically, it is common to meet agnostics and atheists in countries like China and France who state candidly they are not willing to consider the possibility of a Creator, but acknowledge the materialist theories being taught in schools and universities don’t work.
Wells correctly recognises there is a battle going on, to control what is acceptable material for discussion in the schools; to manipulate who gets access to research funds; and who gets to join the ‘inside club’ of those claiming to speak with the authority of science to inform society where we come from and the role of humans in nature.
Alas, many skeptical reviews of Icon have refused to admit the main point, that students are being fed false information. Instead, they have raised red herrings such as ‘the scientific literature is the place for criticism, not popular books’, ‘disproving these icons doesn’t prove Creation’, ‘Wells ignores the "overwhelming evidence" for evolution [in which case, put this alleged evidence in the textbooks instead of the fallacies and frauds exposed in Icon!].’
The exciting challenge
Once a scientific theory has been shown to be inadequate, it opens a golden opportunity for novel avenues to be explored. The evidence does not support an evolutionary model whereby complex biological novelty arose over millions of years via random mutations. Wells could have made this book more effective by stating the need for a paradigm shift: multiple and unrelated lineages are found and do not originate from one common ancestor, in spite of sharing a common genetic code. Rich variety within independent classes is found but these have not produced new biological organs. The missing millions of transitional generations is inconsistent with random, natural processes and necessitates questioning all those notions derived from the flawed evolutionary framework.23,24Posted on August 19, 2012
Politico's Martin Defends Use Of Unnamed Sources
“We were candid about the sourcing on that, as you mentioned, Howie, and basically say to our readers, ‘Look, folks don’t want to put their names [on] the charges,’” Martin said. “If you don’t want to read Politico, that’s fine. But that is a conversation happening in the political community. We as reporter want to capture that conversation. The challenge for us is trying to do so in a way that you can get it in print, but you respect people who don’t want to have their names used, it’s a question of do you not report what’s happening right now in the political operative community or do it in a way that you have to do a lot of blind quotes? We choose the chose the latter, because it’s such a hot issue going on right now.” (via Jeff Poor/Daily Caller)Hunger pains: Kurtley Beale and Hames O'Connor with a fan at Hungry Jack?s in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Credit:Daily Mail A Wallabies spokesman told the Daily Mail the pair were not consuming alcohol. ''There has been a full and thorough investigation of the information. The two players were out last night, but they were not drinking - 10 witnesses we have spoken to corroborated that,'' the spokesman said. ''The players went to the Rebels v Lions game with their teammates and after the game they went back to a function at a club, with other Rebels guys. Lions players were there as well. After leaving, they stopped off to pick up some food on the way home and had pictures taken with some fans. ''Both players are adamant that they didn't drink and we have checked that out thoroughly. James O'Connor was driving. They have not broken any team protocols. Today is a day off for the squad and there were no commitments until late afternoon.'' At a news conference on Tuesday morning, O'Connor said he was jumping out of his skin about the opportunity to hit back against the Lions after the Wallabies' 23-21 loss in Brisbane last weekend.
Kurtley Beale and James O'Connor during a Wallabies training session. Credit:Getty Images ''I'm taking this game as the biggest one of my life,'' he said. ''Brisbane was huge, it's an atmosphere I haven't experienced before. I've experienced over in Europe how passionate the crowd is and definitely saw it in the World Cup but that was another level up. I remember running out on the field and I got goosebumps and chills. This game is do or die. We will be up for it. This is our game.'' Beale has only just returned to Test rugby after spending two weeks in a rehabilitation clinic. Beale's teammates remain confident that he is one of the team's go-to men in clutch situations, teammate Ben Mowen said on Wednesday. Beale missed two kicks in the final stages of the loss, the second moments before full time, when he slipped as he struck the ball. Beale, who started on the bench, took on the duty after first-choice kicker Christian Lealiifano was knocked out in the first minute and James O'Connor's boot proved off-target. While Lealiifano reclaims the kicking duties if he plays in Saturday's second Test, Mowen said Beale's reputation had not been tarnished. ''He was unlucky with the last kick, but if you're in the same situation again you'll definitely throw him the ball because he's a proven performer,'' Mowen said. ''I think Kurtley's a very strong bloke and people don't give him enough credit.Mallory Ortberg. Sam Breach
Mallory Ortberg, aka Dear Prudence, is online weekly to chat live with readers. An edited transcript of the chat is below. (Sign up below to get Dear Prudence delivered to your inbox each week. Read Prudie’s Slate columns here. Send questions to Prudence at [email protected].)
Readers! Ask me your questions on the voicemail of the Dear Prudence podcast. Just leave a message at 401-371-DEAR (3327), and you may hear your question answered on a future episode of the show.
Mallory Ortberg: Good morning, everyone! Are you ready for some good times? I promise you clear skies and safe passage.
Q. Mompocalypse now: My mother is a very emotionally sensitive person and struggles particularly with her birthday. She never wants a party and sends mixed messages on gifts; if I ask what she wants she says “nothing,” but the one year I didn’t get her anything she was visibly upset and shut herself in her room until I left. More than anything I think she wants to feel appreciated by our scattered family—both my sister and my father spend most of their time at least a six-hour plane ride away from our family home. I live in an adjacent city. This year we took a family trip to a destination of her choice a few weeks before her birthday as a celebration of a milestone year. She had a good time on a trip, and a few days after our return I gave my mother a few small, personal gifts and my best wishes. On her actual birthday, I was admittedly rushed and not thinking, so I didn’t contact her until I got out of work. She ignored all of my calls and text messages. The next day she notified me that she has nothing to say to me and has resisted any attempt to contact her since. Through my sister I know that she’s upset that I waited until later in the day to call and also that my father got her a thoughtless present she’ll never use—all of which, combined with her usual birthday malaise, have triggered a mompocalyptic rage that I don’t know how to defuse. I feel like it’s all my fault for not trying harder. When my mother gets like this, I get stuck on the image of her being upset and alone while my father and sister are away, and know that she relies on me to feel appreciated. The guilt is unbearable. Please help.
A: I think I have an idea why your sister and your father spend most of their time so far away. Your mother does not—should not—“rely” on you to feel appreciated. It is a good thing to show appreciation, but it is not your responsibility to manage your mother’s feelings of value and self-worth. Anyone who insists she wants nothing for her birthday, then locks herself in her room when she receives precisely what she asked for is a person who is determined to be disappointed by the people around her, no matter how hard they try. If your mother is upset, it is because she has refused all opportunities to be consoled. What she wanted for her birthday, more than anything else, was to feel aggrieved and misunderstood, to refuse to be comforted, to remind the people around her that they have once again failed to live up to her standards. She wanted that state of martyrdom more than any phone call or present, and that’s why she’s refused to hear your apology. I promise that you could spend the rest of your life trying to make your mother’s birthday perfect every year, and she would still find a way to make you feel guilty. I think you would benefit immensely from taking the space your mother has recently granted you and seeking therapy to figure out how to assert healthy boundaries with a parent who throws tantrums like a child.
Q. Boyfriend’s rude daughter: My boyfriend’s adult daughter routinely treats me poorly at family functions and gatherings. I have always been polite, friendly, and supportive of her and her children. However, most of the time she just refuses to acknowledge my presence or ignores me when I attempt to engage in conversation. However, since my boyfriend and I have moved in together and are planning to get married, she has taken to making rude statements in front of me to anyone around. Stating she would like her father to move in with her (now) so she can take care of him when he gets older. She will make sure he gets a “hot nurse” or “conjugal visits.” And he should move in with her now so she can feed him—because clearly I don’t take care of him properly. I know it’s petty, but her behavior is really starting to bother me, especially when she is so dismissive of our relationship. I normally sit in silence and I can deal with the cold-shoulder treatment, but I’m tired of hearing her rude comments in front of others. How can I address her without making it worse?
A: Either your boyfriend’s daughter waits until he has left the room to make these comments, in which case you should let him know immediately so he can speak to her privately, or she’s been saying things like, “Dad, move in with me and I’ll procure a hot nurse for you” (which is just creepy from start to finish) in front of both you and your boyfriend, and he’s said nothing. I’m not sure which possibility I find more unsettling—a secret campaign of whispered sabotage, or a man who thinks nothing of being promised “conjugal visits” procured by his own daughter. (Now that I see them written out, I find the former far more unsettling.) Whichever situation is the case, you need to have a conversation with your boyfriend. It’s supremely not OK that his daughter announces her plans to start nursing her still-healthy father in order to interfere with his romantic relationships, and he needs to put a stop to it immediately. If he’s unwilling to, you should seriously reconsider this marriage. This isn’t standard-issue cold-shouldering, this is deeply creepy and inappropriate behavior, and if your husband-to-be tries to dismiss these comments with “that’s just how she is” or “she doesn’t mean anything by it” (she clearly does), you should be very concerned about how invested he is in your comfort and well-being.
Q. The rudest sister: Last weekend was my mother’s birthday, and my family agreed to meet on Sunday, which was the day that my sister was free. Usually we try to work with her schedule, because she has a busy schedule. It got pushed back by an hour, so my sister comes rushing into the house saying that she has to leave in 15 minutes. She had the time to come earlier and help cook, but she didn’t. While everyone in the house is cooking and getting ready, she reminds us again she has to leave soon and sits at the dinner table where my dad has left some steaks on the table while he finishes barbecuing them all. Because she was leaving soon, she started eating the steak at the table before anyone had sat at the table or finished cooking. She then eats most of it, gets up and says that someone can finish her half-eaten steak, and leaves before we even finish cooking. I was so appalled by her rudeness and have lost the respect that I had for her hard work ethic. My parents didn’t even notice, because they are so used to her ungratefulness. If I bring things up with her she just gets defensive. I find that I’m avoiding seeing her because I’m still disgusted by her behavior. How can I get past this?
A: I must be missing something from your letter, because I can’t quite figure out what grievous sin your sister has committed that would merit this level of resentment. Your sister had to leave the party early because she had to get to work. You knew this. She did not show up early to help you cook—I suppose that is mildly thoughtless, but you don’t say that you asked her to, merely that you are disappointed she did not read your mind and volunteer. She ate some of the food that was currently ready, rather than refuse her dinner if she could not take it with the rest of the family. She left before you finished cooking because she had to go to work, not because she took some perverse pleasure in eating before you got the chance and leaving you with a kitchen full of dirty dishes. I think you should perhaps consider that your parents didn’t notice anything unusual about your sister’s behavior because there was nothing especially unusual about your sister’s behavior.
Q. Redecorating: My grandfather-in-law passed away this spring—he was 90 and died peacefully in his sleep. My husband and I inherited the house after buying out his siblings’ shares. We moved in May, but most of our stuff is still boxed up in the garage. The house was filled with antiques and dust-collecting junk (an entire closet of broken board games, etc.). After the wake, I organized everyone and gave them color-coded dots to put on the items in the house they wanted that wasn’t in the will. All the important pieces like the family jewelry had already been dispersed—items of sentimental value rather than monetary. Most of the small stuff has been picked up, but we have been stuck for months with furniture, clothing, old tools, and a broken down VW Bug that people want but can’t find the time to pick up. We have remodeled a bedroom and part of the kitchen but are stuck on the rest of the house. My husband and I are trying to be sensitive, but my mother-in-law started crying when she saw that we had torn down the ugly old wallpaper. I don’t want to upset her anymore, but my husband and I are tired of living like this. He wants to give his siblings and cousins an ultimatum to come get their stuff or we are giving it to Goodwill.
A: Give your siblings and cousins a deadline to come get their stuff before you give it away to Goodwill. Grant them a reasonable amount of time, but pick a date a month or so in the future, and make sure everyone knows that if they don’t haul away the busted VW or antique ball-peen hammer within 30 days, then it’s lost and gone forever, like tears in rain.
Q. Annoying table manners: My mother-in-law has been staying with my wife and I for about two weeks, after my wife had surgery. This allowed me to keep working, so I’m grateful. While she is usually a nice person, and helpful, she has one habit that drives me mad: After every meal and snack, she loudly licks her fingers before using a napkin. I said that there are plenty of napkins, and she insists that she has always both licked her fingers and used napkins her entire life. While my wife agrees this is annoying, she doesn’t try to talk to her mother, nor does my wife understand how annoying the noise and sight of MIL doing this is for me. (I’m very introverted and sensitive to sound.) To be fair, there are class differences; my MIL grew up and remained in or just above poverty for most of her life. I don’t expect everyone to always use the correct fork, but isn’t eating somewhat quietly a universal idea? What should I do for future visits?
A: I think you should learn to shrug off this minor annoying habit. You’ve already spoken to your mother-in-law and wife about it without success, and post-meal finger-licking falls well below speaking-while-chewing or nose-picking on the list of etiquette violations. Resist the urge to psychoanalyze your mother-in-law’s habit as a sign of an unbridgeable social divide, and find a way to distract yourself for the few seconds it takes for her to lick her fingers after meals. You might offer to clear everyone’s plates, and get busy in front of the sink, where the sounds of the faucet will surely drown out whatever noise she’s capable of making.
Q. I’ve got something I need to tell you: After the birth of my third child, I had a vasectomy. That was eight years ago, and since then I’ve gotten a divorce. Now I’ve fallen in love with a younger woman who wants children eventually. We have only been together for a little bit, but we both realize our relationship is becoming serious. We’re starting to talk about what our future could look like. I need to tell her about my vasectomy soon, and what’s more, I need to tell her that I plan on reversing it. I don’t know if we’ll end up getting married and starting a family, and I don’t want to put pressure on her. But I don’t want this to be one of the reasons we don’t end up together. How do you start this conversation?
A: If your girlfriend wanted to leave you because you got a vasectomy eight years ago, before the two of you even met, she wouldn’t be much of a girlfriend. This is a fairly simple conversation, I think. Tell her you got a vasectomy after your third child was born, that you had not planned on having more children, but you’re reconsidering the procedure now that the two of you are getting serious. You’re not admitting some painful secret or character-compromising failure; you’re just talking about what the two of you want.
Q. Stick it out or cut my losses?: My BF and I have been together on and off for about three years. I’ve been divorced, so I know that I’m more jaded about relationships than he is. About three months ago he quit his first full-time job right after we moved in together. My first husband never worked, so I’ll admit that this threw me into a panic. We discussed it before he quit, and I agreed to support him if he would immediately start looking for a job. He didn’t. He loafed around for the next two months and used up the money he had been saving to buy me a ring. Now it’s been three months and he’s still unemployed. To be clear: He is the one who wants to get married. I’m fine with simply being together without a legal commitment or expensive jewelry/a wedding. I have a steady job, but I can’t afford to cover all of our joint bills and my personal bills by myself. We don’t live extravagantly—I’m talking rent, utilities and food for expenses, plus I cover my own insurance, school, phone, and car bills. His parents pay for his. I’m also simply falling apart under the pressure. I have a history of anxiety issues and depression, and this experience has taken those problems to new heights. BF doesn’t struggle with those issues, so it’s difficult to get him to be supportive or understand what I’m going through. This past weekend out of the blue a man he is acquainted with called him about a job opportunity that seems too good to be true. Here’s the clincher: It’s three hours away from where we live now. We would have to somehow (probably via his parents) come up with the money to get out of our current lease and move to this new place. I would have to quit my job and find something else, though he assures me with his new salary he could take care of all of our bills and give me a rest. I love him and have chosen to stay with him this long, but I am terribly uneasy about taking this step. My trust bank is extremely low right now with his behavior over the past few months. How do I know he won’t simply decide to quit again, and I’ll be stuck trying to pick up the pieces? Should I let him go and just cut my losses?
A: Let him go. Anyone who announces his intention to look for work, then promptly gives up and uses up the remaining savings he’d planned for something as expensive (and useless) as an engagement ring is, at best, impractical and untrustworthy, and at worst, trying to guilt you into a deeper commitment than you’re ready for so that you won’t feel like you’re able to leave him. Add to that the fact that you have already broken up repeatedly over the past three years and that he does not support or understand your experience with depression, and I think a breakup is exactly what this situation calls for.
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Click here to read Part 2 of this week’s chat.LOVE TRUMPS HATE: Women’s March Protesters Booed Trump Hotel Staffers Who Aided Woman Having Heart Attack.
Hotel staffers who crossed protest barricades to treat a heart-attack victim outside the Trump International Hotel in Washington this weekend were treated to jeers and anti-Trump slogans by protesters.
Around 4 p.m. Saturday, a woman protester suffered a heart attack on the street outside the Trump hotel. The medical emergency sent a hotel staffer sprinting outside with an automated external defibrillator.
Protesters held back by crowd control barricades loudly booed the staffer before the man passed the defibrillator to law enforcement.
As video exclusive to Heat Street shows, officers expressed displeasure to the protesters over the jeering: “One of the protesters had a heart attack,” a police officer told a protester. “They are trying to help.”
“You [are] booing…” the officer continued. “They are trying to save one of y’all’s life.”The Toronto Maple Leafs are the first NHL team worth $1 billion US, according to Forbes magazine.
The Leafs, who have not won a Stanley Cup since 1967, are worth $250 million more than the next most valuable franchise, the New York Rangers. The Montreal Canadiens are worth $575 million.
What will $1 billion buy you? 83 Sidney Crosbys
100,000,000 Maple Dogs from Burkies Dog House at Air Canada Centre
15 CN Towers
3 Air Canada Centres
13 F-35 fighter jets (depending on the figure you trust)
250,000,000 Big Macs
16 Love Gurus —CBCSports.ca
The Chicago Blackhawks ($350 million), Boston Bruins ($348 million) and Detroit Red Wings ($346 million) round up the top six, meaning the league's six original franchises are also its most valuable.
The Vancouver Canucks are the next Canadian team on the list, in seventh at $342 million. The Calgary Flames are in 12th at $245 million, the Edmonton Oilers are ranked 14th at $225 million, the Ottawa Senators 16th at $220 million and the Winnipeg Jets 20th at $200 million.
The Jets saw their value jump after their first full season in Winnipeg. Forbes valued the franchise at $164 million last year and at $135 million in 2010, before the team moved north.
Least valuable of the 30 teams are the St. Louis Blues at $130 million and the Phoenix Coyotes at $134 million.
The Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings are worth $276 million, 10th overall.
Forbes says the NHL's total revenues were $3.4 billion for the 2011-12 season. Fuelled by that nine per cent increase, the average NHL team is worth $282 million, 18 per cent more than a year ago.
With the players locked out by owners, the NHL already has cancelled 422 regular-season games. Forbes reports that 13 teams lost money last season.
The Leafs, Rangers (last Stanley Cup in 1994) and Canadiens (last title in 1993) account for 83 per cent of the league's income, with Toronto the most profitable franchise at $81.9 million, followed by the Rangers at $74 million and Montreal at $51.6 million.Poland’s new foreign minister has proposed forming an army out of the Syrian men arriving in Europe which could then return to their homeland to fight for freedom.
Witold Waszczykowski said it would be better to send them rather than for Poland to send troops to the Middle East that were needed to “guard the borders” at home.
“If there are hundreds of thousands of young Syrians coming to Europe then we can create an army,” said Mr Waszczykowski during an interview for TVP, Poland’s public broadcaster. “Can you imagine a situation when we send an army to fight in Syria while hundreds of thousands of Syrians sit and drink coffee on Berlin’s Unter den Linden and watch us fight for their safety?
“They can go to fight to liberate their country with our help,” continued the minister, who took office on Monday following the victory of his conservative Law and Justice party in last month’s Polish general election.
• France to call for effective suspension of Schengen open borders
The idea of an army of migrants also made sense, the minister explained, because Poland could ill-afford to send its troops to the Middle East. He said the Polish army was needed at home to guard the eastern border in case the Ukraine war flared up again and there was threat to national security.
Photo: Getty Images
Taking a sceptical stance on the motives behind Syrians coming to Europe Mr Waszczykowski also added that the “young men disembark from their rubber dinghies with iPad in hand and instead of asking for drink or food, they ask where they can charge their cell-phones.”
In the wake of the Paris attacks the minister said that Poland would now vet all asylum applicants for security threats and any “shadow on their CVs” will result in their claims being rejected.endA pillar of the classic LEGO Space community, Mark Neumann has emerged from myth and legend to bring us Universal Explorer LL2016. This 11-foot-6-inch behemoth of a ship is complete with giant guns, a science module, a motorized ring, interior lights, a huge cargo bay big enough to fit most official LEGO sets, and over a dozen smaller vehicles stored on board. We’ve sat down with Mark to learn a bit more about this incredible creation and Mark’s journey to build it.
The Brothers Brick: Mark, thanks for taking the time to speak with us. The Universal Explorer LL2016 is amazing!
Mark Neumann: Thanks! I am really proud of this ship.
TBB: Tells us a bit about your Adult Fan of LEGO (AFOL) history.
Mark: I re-entered the world of Lego from childhood around 1999. I was shopping in Fred Meyers and saw Star Wars LEGO. The inner child in me cheered with joy as my partner (not quite wife yet) watched in puzzlement as I scooped up five or six LEGO sets. I spent that evening putting the sets together, admiring the new parts and wondered how soon I could acquire my childhood LEGO stored at my parents house.
Always a fan of the Battletech miniatures war game and the Mechwarrior video games, I set out to build LEGO mechs with the new click hinges. I spent some time honing my LEGO Mecha skills for a while.
Spending a lot of my extra time in research of LEGO builders I surfed LUGNET and Brickshelf. I gathered some courage and emailed a builder to ask some questions. Mark Sandlin turned out to live nearby and he invited me to come with him to a SEALUG meeting.
Many LEGO MOCs were had.
Around 2002, SEALUG started a LEGO fest in the Pacific Northwest. I spearheaded the organization for it. We were tired of going to Washington D.C. for BrickFest and there were quire a few of us AFOLS in the Pacific Northwest region. We would be competing with Bricks West (a now-defunct convention), so we scheduled 6 months opposite of it. When it was conceived it was called NWBrickCon. Today you know it as BrickCon.
Many more LEGO MOCs were had.
After several years—ten or so—I started to slow down. I’ve built a boat load of MOCs, mostly space and mecha. A little burned out? Perhaps. Distracted? Absolutely. I have been refocusing my time on my family. My son has recently become a teenager and this year or next he will be coming to Brickcon along with me with his own badge. But don’t worry—I am not done building. I call my LEGO collection my retirement plan; it is what I plan to do when I retire.
TBB: What was the time frame to build the Universal Explorer LL2016?
Mark: I have been wanting to do another big ship for some time. The idea has been percolating in my brain for a year or so. I started this ship in January. I worked on it when I could, weekends mostly. I have around 120 hours into LL2016. She is done. Mostly. Probably. Let us be honest, I’m going to keep fiddling around with bits on it until BrickCon most likely. Heck, I may make it bigger.
TBB: How long is it, and how many pieces are in it?
Mark: LL2016 currently sits at 11 feet, 6 inches long. I should mention that LL2016 is modular. I could keep adding modules to make it bigger. I could subtract modules and make it shorter. It has well over 15,000 pieces.
TBB: Did you already have most of the pieces to build this ship, or did you acquire them specifically for this creation?
Mark: One of my goals on this build was not to buy any more pieces. I have a lot of LEGO. I did not meet my goal. I had to buy 1 section of monorail track and I ended up buying some extra pieces. I probably spent around $30 in parts specific for this build. I spent far more on the lights.
TBB: This ship is liveried in Classic Space colors. What draws you to the Classic Space theme?
Mark: I actually just started building when making the SHIP. I had the idea for the front cannon and I was going to light it up. That’s how it started. I did have a napkin sketch of a rough design, but nothing solid. As the ship started to come together I looked at my bins of brick. I had lots of grey and blue. I said to myself, “Right! Classic Space it is!” I have a lot of fond memories of my old Classic Space sets so it was an easy decision to make.
TBB: What inspired the physical design of the ship?
Mark: I let my models talk to me. I like to think I am simply the vehicle to place the bricks together where they need to go. So there is kind of a rough vision and I see where the brick takes me. It is all very emotional. When I get it right and I can see it coming together, I feel really giddy and laugh. I laughed a lot during the LL2016 construction. Wooshing noises too. Lots of wooshing noises. Those are important.
TBB: What features does the ship have? What’s your favorite feature?
Mark: There were several design guidelines for LL2016; no interior, lights, and modularity.
First, no interior. I did not want a model that I was going to spend a lot of time at each convention assembling and disassembling to show off a detailed interior that is hard to get at. I have been there and done that. I have listened to other builders complain about it. So no detailed interior. Instead I would do windows. Visitors can peer into the ship and see what is going on. But beyond the vignettes you can see, there isn’t any interior.
Second is lights. I have interior spaces for visitors to view through windows, and it’s dark in there. I have two different lights for LL2016. I found some simple LEDs from the dollar store. They create a kind of decent ambient light. I also have these little shop lights from Wal-Mart. They have magnetic backs and are ridiculously bright. Those light the cargo bay, bridge, engines, front cannon and miscellaneous windows.
Third is modularity. Around January, I was brainstorming with another AFOL, Roger Hill. We were talking about a modular system for building SHIPs as a community project. I came up with an interlock design for modularity. This was my proof of concept. LL2016 breaks down in to 8 distinct modules: fore/mid-ship/living/science/ring/lander/cargo/engines. I can swap, remove or add sections at will. It also makes LL2016 transportable. This proof of concept kind of works. The interlock is a solid connection method and is scale-able. This design, however, is a little big and gets really heavy fast. It can be unstable if not properly supported. I have a sample interlock as an example to show off with the LL2016. Roger and I are working on another design for modular SHIP building. It has a smaller cross section and I think it’ll work better for multi-builder participation. This will be a topic I think needs discussion with other builders at BrickCon to see the true feasibility of it.
The motorized functions came later. I got the idea that moving bits on the engines would be cool, so I did that. Then later I came up with the idea for a rotating ring, and I figured that out too. Since the LL2016 is modular, it’s pretty easy to add onto when you have an idea.
Other features include a large cargo bay with doors on either side. It took some time to design the doors so they would sit level when open. In this way they become a shelf for minifigs and models. The cargo bay is pretty big, It can fit Benny’s Spaceship inside.
LL2016 has two landing craft. They are mounted on the lander module. There are docking clamps that hold the ships in place. Once released, the landers come right off. I have one lander set up for passengers and one for cargo.
There is also the Hopper. It is a Classic Space exploration vessel. It is meant to go planet-side and see what’s there.
The mid-ship has 10 smaller utility craft for whatever use may be needed. The original design was to have them as escape pods, but I think they are too cool for that.
The cargo module holds 12 containers. I made a space truck to carry a container. I call it the Space Pork Chop Express, named |
opportunity to be the smartass meta-soap that was too often masked by Marissa’s weekly crises. It was a creative renaissance, but not a commercial one, and The O.C. followed Marissa into the dark after an abbreviated fourth season.
11. Valerie Harper and Cloris Leachman, The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Archie Bunker may have outmatched Mary Richards in terms of ability to shepherd other characters into their own shows, but All In The Family never lost characters that were as crucial to its ensemble as Rhoda Morgenstern and Phyllis Lindstrom were to The Mary Tyler Moore Show. In a feat of tremendous TV fortitude, the most important female-driven comedy of the ’70s lost two of its bedrock actresses (Valerie Harper and Cloris Leachman) to spin-offs without stumbling. The key to Mary Tyler Moore’s continued success post-Rhoda and Phyllis were mid-series acquisitions Betty White and Georgia Engel. The energy and comic presence White and Engel brought to the show (White as vixenish TV host Sue Ann Nivens, Engel as sweet-but-naive Georgette Franklin) meshed with the brash personalities played by Harper and Leachman—but were also distinct enough to minimize the impact of Rhoda’s and Phyllis’ exits. White even managed to continue Mary Tyler Moore’s tradition of Emmy dominance, picking up the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy prize in 1975 and 1976—a category that was Harper and Leachman’s (and, in a one-time-only tie with All In The Family, Sally Struthers’) for the four prior ceremonies.
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12. Denise Crosby, Star Trek: The Next Generation
It would be unfair to blame Denise Crosby for the mediocre quality of Star Trek: The Next Generation's first year, but her tenure as Tasha Yar is one of the many low points of the series’ debut season. Inconsistently written, Yar seemed grossly incompetent and undercut the show’s progressive vision of the future. The lack of attention paid to her character was Crosby’s reason for leaving the show, and after Tasha's death, the producers shuffled around the cast and eventually retooled the series, giving Michael Dorn’s Worf and LeVar Burton’s Geordi larger, more interesting roles, both of which contributed some of Star Trek: TNG’s strongest ongoing plotlines.
13. Katherine Heigl, Grey’s Anatomy
While Grey’s Anatomy was initially built as an ensemble show centered on the hellish lives of a group of new doctors, as the show aged, it gradually took on more and more characters. Older actors came on as colleagues and love interests, and younger actors showed up as a newer, more naïve crop of interns. That’s why it wasn’t that big of a deal when Katherine Heigl got fed up with the behind-the-scenes drama and demanding schedule of the show and asked for the departure of her character, Izzie Stevens. Though Heigl seemed like one the more promising stars on Grey’s at the time, what with the success of films like Knocked Up and 27 Dresses, it turned out that the show was strong enough to withstand the loss of one of its key players—especially one whose character had taken such a turn for the annoying.Build Your Own Raspberry Pi Litecoin Supernode
LAST UPDATED JUNE 29, 2015
Disclaimer: I cannot guarantee these steps will work 100% of the time. Like all DIY tutorials they make assumptions about things and are subject to external libraries and software being updated or changed. I periodically test and update these steps for changes or additions, but I can't guarantee that some troubleshooting won't be needed to get your node up and running.
PRELIMINARIES
This tutorial is to install Litecoin on a Raspberry Pi 2. These steps will install version 0.10.2.2. If you wish to install 0.8.7.5 (the previous version) instead, you can find DIY steps here. Options are given to install the GUI and wallet or not. The blockchain is currently around 4.6GBs and so a minimum 16GB microSD card should be used unless the blockchain is to be stored externally (like on a USB drive).
If you run into any Raspberry Pi problems while going through these steps, the Raspberry Pi Docs are a good source for help:
http://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/
FULL STEPS
EQUIPMENT FOR NODE
Raspberry Pi 2
Case fitting Raspberry Pi B+ form
Power supply (micro USB, 5V, at least 2A)
USB wifi adapter -or- Ethernet cable for direct connect to your router
16GB MicroSD card (class 10) or larger
PURCHASE OPTIONS
You can find what is needed to build a Litecoin raspnode for less than $100.
The CanaKit Raspberry Pi Starter Kit costs $70 (plus tax and shipping) and comes with everything you need except an Ethernet cable (if you wish to cable directly to your router) and it comes with an 8GB microSD instead of the required 16GB.
EQUIPMENT FOR SETUP
HDMI cable
Monitor with HDMI in or adapters to convert HDMI to your monitor
USB keyboard
Router and a connection to the Internet
Separate PC which needs to be able to read a microSD card
ASSEMBLY
How to assemble your Raspberry Pi will depend on the case purchased. Once assembled, plug in your USB keyboard, HDMI cable to your monitor, and either your USB Wifi adapter or an Ethernet cable going to your router.
The device will automatically power on once you plug in the micro USB power cable.
INSTALLING THE RASPBIAN OS
If your Raspberry Pi came with a microSD card preloaded with NOOBS you can insert the microSD card into your Raspberry Pi, plug in your power cable and it will walk you through your setup. Make sure you select Raspbian as your OS choice, which should be the first on the list. It will take a few minutes to install. Once that is finished, reboot and jump to Raspbian config options.
If you have a brand new microSD card, you will need to download a Raspbian image to your PC and image your microSD card. This tutorial will assume you are using a PC running Microsoft Windows. Instructions for imaging using Mac or Linux can be found in the Raspberry Pi documents:
http://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/installation/installing-images/README.md
You can find the latest on the Raspberry Pi downloads page:
http://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/
Or directly download the latest here:
http://downloads.raspberrypi.org/raspbian_latest
Once downloaded, unzip the file. If you don't have an application installed for unzipping files, you can use the open source 7zip:
http://www.7-zip.org/
The unzipped folder will have a large.img file. In order to put this image on your microSD card we'll need to use the open source Win32DiskImager which can be found on sourceforge:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/
Or directly download the latest here:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/files/latest/download
Once downloaded run the installer, this will install Win32DiskImager.
Insert your microSD card into your PC. Launch Win32DiskImager. Select the Raspbian.img file as the 'image file' and select your microSD card as your 'device'. Make sure what is selected is your microSD card and nothing else, especially your hard drive. Click 'write'. This will take a few minutes.
Once finished, eject your microSD card. Insert your microSD card into your Raspberry Pi and plug in the power cable and wait while it boots up.
RASPBIAN CONFIG OPTIONS
When you first boot Raspbian you will be prompted with the raspi-config menu shown below:
If you used NOOBS to install Raspbian your file system will already be expanded to fill your full microSD card. However if you installed a Raspbian image you'll need to expand it now.
Select “1 Expand File System" which will expand the file system to fill the card.
OPTIONAL
If you won't be using Litecoin-Qt (the GUI) then you can run it 'headless' and we can allocate a little more RAM to the CPU. Select "8 Advanced Options" then select "Memory Split" Change 64 to 16 Select "OK" If you want to be able to SSH into your Raspnode, you can enable the SSH server here. Select "8 Advanced Options" then select "SSH" Select "Enable" Change hostname. The default hostname is set to "raspberry". We'll change ours to "raspnode" and the rest of the tutorial will assume this. If you leave yours as "raspberry" or change it to something else, anytime you see the hostname mentioned, use that instead of "raspnode". Select "8 Advanced Options" then select "Hostname" Edit the hostname to “raspnode" without quotes (or to your desired hostname) Select "OK" Here you can also change the default user (which is "pi") and password (which is "raspberry"). We'll leave these as is for the tutorial. If you change your username, make sure to use that instead of "pi" when it shows up in this tutorial. You can overclock your Raspberry Pi in order to give it a little more processing power. This may make the initial verification of the blockchain quicker, but is not needed for normal node operations. Select "7 Overclock" Choose the desired level of overclocking Select "OK" To set your timezone: Select "4 Internationalisation Options" Select "Change Timezone" Go through the selection process to select your timezone, then select "OK"
Once done, select "Finished" and your Raspberry Pi will reboot.
When you get the "login" prompt, enter your username "pi" and it will prompt you for your password. Enter your password (which won't show up) and hit <enter> to log in (the password will be "raspberry" if you didn't change it in the raspi-config).
EDITING FILES
We'll be using the command line to edit files. If you are not familiar with a command line this may be a little tricky. Raspbian comes with a few editors. Nano is a relatively friendly editor and this tutorial will use that, but Raspbian also has vi for users who prefer it and can be used instead. If you have not used vi before, you should stick with nano.
For those not familiar with Linux, some actions we take will require root privileges. We get that by using the command “sudo" before our desired command. This will only work if you are logged in as a user with sudo rights, which the default Raspbian user (“pi" in our case) has. Sudo can be set to require a password, but the default Raspbian user should be set to not need one.
You may want to change the default keyboard layout. Edit /etc/default/keyboard
pi@raspnode~$ sudo nano /etc/default/keyboard
Change the line
XKBLAYOUT="gb"
to equal your desired country code, so for US keyboard layout change it to
XKBLAYOUT="us"
Then save and exit. Reboot to have it take effect. Reboot with
pi@raspnode~$ sudo shutdown -r now
ENLARGE SWAP FILE
A swap file allows the microCD card to be used as extra memory if needed. It is slower and heavy use will shorten the life of a microSD card. Raspbian defaults to a 100Mb swap file which is not actually needed to build and run Litecoin under normal operating conditions. However if you are expecting to download the whole blockchain on the raspnode or the blockchain gets significantly behind, the downloading of extra blocks to catch up can exceed the built in memory and cause Litecoin to crash (possibly corrupting data). Enlarging the swap file by a little bit protects against this possibility.
Edit /etc/dphys-swap:
pi@raspnode~$ sudo nano /etc/dphys-swapfile
And change the default size of 100
CONF_SWAPSIZE=100
To 1000
CONF_SWAPSIZE=1000
Save and exit. Then run:
pi@raspnode~$ sudo dphys-swapfile setup
pi@raspnode~$ sudo dphys-swapfile swapon
NETWORKING ON THE RASPBERRY PI
If you are using an Ethernet cable and plugging directly into your router and DHCP is turned on, you can plug that in and you should have access to the Internet. You can check by pinging out:
pi@raspnode~$ ping google.com
If you start to see pings you are good. Hit <ctrl> + c to stop the pings. If you are using a wifi adapter and have a password set for your router, there are a few more steps to take. Setting up and troubleshooting wifi on the Raspberry Pi is beyond the scope of this tutorial, so if the basic setup shown here doesn't work, you can reference the Raspberry Pi documentation for help:
http://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/wireless/wireless-cli.md
To setup your wifi, edit the file /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf:
pi@raspnode~$ sudo nano /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
Add this to the bottom of the file:
network={ ssid="<your wifi ssid here>" psk="<your wifi password here>" }
For example, if your wifi network is named myHomeWifi and your wifi password is mySuperSecret then wpa_supplicant.conf should look something like:
ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev update_config=1 network={ ssid="myHomeWifi" psk="mySuperSecret" }
Then restart your wifi interface:
pi@raspnode~$ sudo ifdown wlan0
pi@raspnode~$ sudo ifup wlan0
If you need to set a static IP, that is currently out of the scope of this tutorial.
DOWNLOADING LITECOIN DEPENDENCIES
In order to install Litecoin we need to install a few tools and software packages. First let's make sure everything is up to date and update it if it isn't:
pi@raspnode~$ sudo apt-get update
pi@raspnode~$ sudo apt-get upgrade -y
This one liner will download and install the packages we will need for Litecoin 0.10.2.2:
pi@raspnode~$ sudo apt-get install autoconf libtool libssl-dev libboost-all-dev libminiupnpc-dev -y
That should take just a couple minutes. If you plan on using litcoin-qt (the GUI and wallet) then you'll have to install additional dependencies:
pi@raspnode~$ sudo apt-get install qt4-dev-tools libprotobuf-dev protobuf-compiler libqrencode-dev -y
Make a directory to download required files:
pi@raspnode~$ mkdir ~/bin
pi@raspnode~$ cd ~/bin
Litecoin 0.10.2.2 uses version 4.8 of the Berkeley database so we'll need to download, build, and install that. If you wish to run your Litecoin node without a wallet, you can skip to Installing Litecoin.
Download the Berkeley database source code, unzip it, then build the BerkeleyDB.
pi@raspnode~/bin$ wget http://download.oracle.com/berkeley-db/db-4.8.30.NC.tar.gz
pi@raspnode~/bin$ tar -xzvf db-4.8.30.NC.tar.gz
pi@raspnode~/bin$ cd db-4.8.30.NC/build_unix/
pi@raspnode~/bin/db-4.8.30.NC/build_unix$../dist/configure --enable-cxx
pi@raspnode~/bin/db-4.8.30.NC/build_unix$ make -j4
The "make -j4" command should take around 5 minutes to complete. If you get errors, then remove the "-j4" and just execute "make". This will take around 20 minutes.
pi@raspnode~/bin/db-4.8.30.NC/build_unix$ sudo make install
INSTALLING LITECOIN
Download the Litecoin 0.10.2.2 source code from github and build it:
pi@raspnode~/bin/db-4.8.30.NC/build_unix$ cd ~/bin
pi@raspnode~/bin$ git clone -b master-0.10 https://github.com/litecoin-project/litecoin.git
pi@raspnode~/bin$ cd litecoin/
pi@raspnode~/bin/litecoin$./autogen.sh
If you plan on using litecoin-Qt (the GUI and wallet) then use this command:
pi@raspnode~/bin/litecoin$./configure CPPFLAGS="-I/usr/local/BerkeleyDB.4.8/include -O2" LDFLAGS="-L/usr/local/BerkeleyDB.4.8/lib" --with-gui
If you don't need the litecoin-Qt (GUI) and will run your raspnode 'headless', then use this command instead:
pi@raspnode~/bin/litecoin$./configure CPPFLAGS="-I/usr/local/BerkeleyDB.4.8/include -O2" LDFLAGS="-L/usr/local/BerkeleyDB.4.8/lib"
If you don't need the litecoin-Qt (GUI) and don't need wallet functionality (and so you didn't install the Berkeley DB) then use:
pi@raspnode~/bin/litecoin$./configure --disable-wallet
The '-O2' arguments above are a capital letter O, not the number zero. Make sure there is a space after /include and -O2.
If you want litecoin to use UPnP to try to automatically forward port 9333 from your router than add "--enable-upnp-default" as another argument for configure.
Once that completes, then run:
pi@raspnode~/bin/litecoin$ make -j2
The "make -j2" command should take around 60 minutes to complete if running without including the GUI, and around 75 minutes if being run with the GUI. Don't use "-j4" for this build. If you get errors using "-j2", then just run "make" (it will take longer).
pi@raspnode~/bin/litecoin$ sudo make install
CONFIGURE AND RUN LITECOIN
Move to your home directory:
pi@raspnode~/bin/litecoin$ cd ~/
If you want to run litecoind, then you'll need to create a config file. First run litecoind with:
pi@raspnode~$ litecoind -daemon
Some text will return that gives you an rpcuser and rpcpassword to use. You don't have to use these, but it is recommended.
Press <ctrl> + c to stop litecoind and get the prompt back. This will also create the hidden.litecoin directory in your home directory which is where you need to add the config file. Create the new file and edit it with:
pi@raspnode~$ nano.litecoin/litecoin.conf
And add in a rpcuser and rpcpassword, it should look something like this if you use the one suggested by litecoind:
rpcuser=litecoinrpc
rpcpassword=21Hy2d5kycuoLzWxdJjQoVN1jtL7Q5kzqhHz3ZfuYNCU
THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE, DO NOT USE THIS PASSWORD!
Save and exit and now you can run litecoind with:
pi@raspnode~$ litecoind -daemon
If you want to run Litcoin-Qt (the GUI with wallet) then you'll have to first launch the desktop:
pi@raspnode~$ startx
Once the desktop has launched, open a terminal window:
Then run:
pi@raspnode~$ litecoin-qt
Downloading and verifying the full Litecoin blockchain on the raspberry pi takes around 12 hours as of June 2015 (a significant reduction from using 0.8.7.5 which took around 36 hours, this is probably due to header first improvements). If you already have a copy of the blockchain on another computer, you can transfer the contents of the litecoin data directory (except for wallet.dat, unless you wish to move your wallet over as well) to the.litecoin directory.
If you choose to download the full blockchain on your raspnode, be sure to increase the swap size as shown above or you will likely get "bad_alloc" errors and litecoin will crash. If this happens, it can corrupt the database, which you'll know if when you try to restart it gets stuck on the "loading wallet" stage. To fix this issue you can run litecoin again with the "-reindex" parameter. This will reindex the blockchain so it is sort of like starting over and will take time. Even with an extended swap I have had litecoind stop responding and need to be killed and restarted during the downloading of the blockchain. However, after you are caught up, there shouldn't be any more significant issues.
CONFIGURE HOME NETWORK TO SYNC WITH THE LITECOIN NETWORK
In order to act as a supernode and upload blocks to requesting nodes your router will need to forward port 9333 to your raspnode. If you configured litecoin with upnp on by default, then litecoin will try to tell your router to forward the port automatically. If your router does not support UPnP or you didn't configure litecoin with it on, you'll have to forward the port yourself. To do this you'll need your raspnode's IP address which you can get by running ifconfig:
pi@raspnode~$ ifconfig
If you are cabled into your router directly the IP address will be under "eth0", if you are on wifi it will be under "wlan0".
CONFIRM YOUR NODE IS REACHABLE BY THE NETWORK
To confirm that you are seeding the Litecoin network you can check and see if you have more than 8 connections by running:Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.
June 22, 2017, 6:29 PM GMT / Updated June 22, 2017, 6:29 PM GMT By Erik Ortiz
The North Carolina man who fired a rifle inside a Washington, D.C., pizzeria as he chased down an internet rumor related to Hillary Clinton was sentenced Thursday to four years behind bars.
Edgar Maddison Welch, 28, had pleaded guilty in March to two charges stemming from the Dec. 4 incident at the Comet Ping Pong restaurant. Prosecutors say he was self-investigating an online conspiracy theory — dubbed "Pizzagate" — that claimed the pizzeria was harboring a child sex-trafficking ring with connections to influential Democrats. Washington police and the FBI denied the theories had any substance.
Federal Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson said Thursday that even though Welch didn't harm anyone, his unsound actions "literally left psychological wreckage," according to The Associated Press.
Jackson added that Welch still went ahead with his "ill-conceived plot" when others warned him not to, and that he should have simply contacted law enforcement if he believed the restaurant was engaged in something illicit — instead of driving the more than 4-1/2 hours from his home to the nation's capital to "rescue" the nonexistent children.
Edgar Maddison Welch appears in federal court in December 2016. Art Lien / NBC News
Welch apologized for his actions and told the judge that he "cannot undo or change what already happened," the AP added.
Welch's attorney sought a sentence of 1-1/2 years, while prosecutors asked the judge for as much as 4-1/2 years.
Related: Five Tips on How to Spot Fake News Online
He had initially been arraigned on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a pistol without a license and other crimes. Prosecutors say he was armed with an AR-15 rifle and a.38 caliber handgun during the bizarre episode.
An evidence photo showing the AR-15 assault weapon Edgar Maddison Welch of North Carolina brought in to a District of Columbia pizza restaurant on Dec. 4, 2016. Metropolitan Police Department / via AP
Witnesses told police that they heard Welch fire three times inside the restaurant. He surrendered peacefully after finding no evidence of sex trafficking.
The New York Times reported in November that Pizzagate appeared to have come from the email hacking of Hillary Clinton's former presidential campaign chair, John Podesta, who casually knows the owner.
Podesta and he previously shared emails about a fundraiser, which in turn ramped up speculation about a child-abuse ring that gained momentum on internet message boards despite there being no validity to it.The iconic West Side Market has survived fires, urban flight, the Great Depression and the Great Recession, but now it faces its most serious threat since it opened its doors in 1912:
Success.
The city's most venerable vendor of victuals needs a major Hiemlich maneuver before it chokes to death on the crowds and the cars -- and a parking crunch created in part by a lack of planning and an aversion to change.
Enter Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman, who represents the market district, along with officials from Ohio City Inc., the neighborhood development group, and key players in the Jackson administration.
Together, they are launching a logistical makeover that will create more parking spaces, more days and hours when the market is open and even the opportunity to imbibe while wandering the aisles.
These are smart and necessary improvements if the market wants to remain vital and relevant into the next century, particularly in a neighborhood attracting a new generation of gourmands hungry for its market-to-table ambience.
Even better, some of these changes are already in play at the West Side Market.
Last year, the city regained control of the market parking lot - which had been leased to the vendors - and plans to merge that lot, off Lorain Avenue, with an adjacent lot that could create more than 100 new spaces, Ken Silliman, the mayor's chief of staff, told Plain Dealer business reporter Michelle Jarboe McFee.
Parking at the market is now free. That, too, will change -- but only for those who use the lot for longer-term parking, Cimperman said for this editorial.
Options under discussion include free parking for the first 60-to 90-minutes, and then $1 an hour after that. The idea is to encourage "churn," Cimperman said.
Customers in. Customers out. No lollygagging.
Now, Cimperman said, people park their cars in the market lot, or along West 25th Street, all weekend.
To discourage the parking-space freeloaders on West 25th Street, Cimperman said he plans to introduce legislation that would activate parking meters throughout the market district on Saturdays and Sundays. The meters would be active from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
About our editorials Editorials express the view of the Editorials express the view of the editorial board of The Plain Dealer and Northeast Ohio Media Group -- the senior leadership and editorial-writing staff. As is traditional, editorials are unsigned and intended to be seen as the voice of the newspaper. * Talk about the topic of this editorial in the comments below. * Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication. * Email general questions or comments about the editorial board to Elizabeth Sullivan, opinion director for the Northeast Ohio Media Group.
A portion of that parking revenue would be used to create a fund to cover maintenance and improvement costs at the market, Cimperman said.
Again, an innovative win-win for the emporium of edibles and the entrepreneurs who staff the stands.
Other options - such as more Bike Boxes and a partnership still under consideration between the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority and local businesses to help subsidize monthly RTA passes for the 4,000-plus employees who work in the market district - are positive steps in creating a greener city.
A public meeting to discuss the parking recommendations is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 7, at Franklin Circle Christian Church, 1688 Fulton Road, in Cleveland, Cimperman said.
In conjunction with the parking initiatives, there also are some welcome operational changes in the works.
As the landlord, the city can tweak the days and hours the market is open in the leases it signs with vendors. The changes under discussion, according to Cimperman, include expanding the days the market is open from four days - Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday - to five days by adding Sunday to the mix.
Sunday, Cimperman said, is the busiest grocery-shopping day of the week.
Also on the table are possible expanded hours on Wednesdays to keep the market open until 9 p.m., Cimperman said.
The expanded hours and days of the week when the market is open seem like a no-brainer: They increase access for customers and offer a competitive, cost-effective and healthy alternative to supermarket chains.
Another potentially palate-pleasing attraction would involve the consumption of beer and wine on the premises. Cimperman said he has been talking to Mayor Frank Jackson about converting the market into an open-container space that would permit sip-and-shop.
None of these operational changes would occur before January 1 when the current lease expires. Vendors should embrace them.
"Inertia is not acceptable," Cimperman said. He's right.
Cleveland awaits the West Side Market 2.0.BRADENTON -- Police are asking for the public's help in identifying and finding a man who dropped off a burrito with a heroin-filled syringe inside at Blake Medical center, according to the Bradenton Police Department.
The man then thanded the Blake employee a bag of food he said was for the patient. When the employee checked the food inside the bag, a syringe was found hidden inside a burrito.
The Bradenton Police Department was immediately called.
The liquid inside the syringe was tested by police with a field test kit, and it tested positive for the presence of heroin.
Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to the Bradenton Herald
The man was said to be between 6 feet to 6 feet 4 inches tall, with a thin build and "bleach blonde" hair.
Anyone who recognizes the man or has any information about this incident can call officer Mike McNamee at 941-932-9300 or to remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000, call Crime Stoppers (toll free) at 1-866-634-8477 (TIPS).MEXICO CITY — When a devastating earthquake rocked Mexico City on Tuesday Sept. 19, 32 years to the day after another deadly temblor, the city’s traumatized inhabitants struggled to understand why disaster had struck twice on the same date.
Just two hours after a city-wide seismic drill to mark the earlier tragedy, Mexico City was shaken by a magnitude 7.1 quake, its second major tremor in less than two weeks, which killed at least 100 people in the capital and 230 nationwide, according to Reuters.
The annual drill is a legacy of the 1985 quake, a harrowing disaster imprinted on the national psyche after claiming over 5,000 lives in Mexico City.
In a country with a long history of supernatural beliefs, the timing of the quakes triggered conspiracy theories and reopened old wounds.
“It seems like a thing of the devil,” said Luis Pastrana, a 52-year-old industrial designer who lived through both tremors.
“Another Cursed September 19,” Mexican daily El Economista proclaimed on its front page on Wednesday.
In Tlatelolco, a modernist housing project, residents gather every Sept. 19 for morning mass at the site where two tower blocks collapsed 32 years ago, killing hundreds.
On Tuesday, when the ground began to shake several hours after the service, locals swarmed the historic plaza where they congregate after each quake, crying and praying. Some suffered panic attacks.
Some were positing that the Mexican government must have known the temblor was coming, and others speculated that North Korea was involved, said Antonio Fonseca, 66, a local history expert.
“They believe fantastical things,” he said. “Since there is no explanation, there are lots of rumors.”
Situated at the intersection of three tectonic plates, Mexico is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, and the capital is particularly vulnerable due to its location on top of an ancient lake bed.
Tuesday’s quake striking on the 1985 anniversary appeared to be purely coincidental, said Jana Pursley, a geophysicist with the United States Geological Survey, noting that the epicenters were hundreds of kilometers apart.
But for some Mexico City residents, the timing may have made lingering anxieties more acute, said Elizabeth Willems, a local psychologist who has treated patients coping with post-traumatic stress disorder from the 1985 disaster.
In a phenomenon known as the “anniversary effect,” distress levels can spike as the date of a traumatic event approaches, Willems said. The repetition of the event would have compounded the stress, she added.
Willems said she had heard from some of her patients who were rattled by the latest quake. The trauma of the 1985 tremor frequently arises, she said.
“It’s almost like working with someone who was in Manhattan during the events of September 11. It’s almost a question I ask automatically: Where were you that day?” she said.
Maria del Carmen Herrera, a 60-year-old resident of the Juarez neighborhood who survived the 1985 quake, said she was struck by a premonition during the earthquake drill on Tuesday morning.
“I was afraid. I thought, it’s going to shake,” she said. “Those of us who survived 1985, we’re left marked forever.”
For Fonseca, nothing can compare to the devastation of the 1985 quake. But as he watched the ceiling trembling in his 10th-floor apartment on Tuesday, he feared the worst.
“I say that coincidences don’t exist,” he said. “This was something I don’t know how to classify.
Source: reuters.com
Comments
commentsRole reversal: Comey now praised by Trump supporters, hit by Clinton backers
FBI Director James Comey (Photo11: Evan Vucci, AP)
It's a Through the Looking Glass-type world for James Comey.
The FBI director now has new-found supporters among Donald Trump and his followers and new-found critics among Hillary Clinton and her backers -- the exact opposite of the position he found himself in just three-and-a-half months ago.
Democrats are attacking Comey over his announcement -- less than two weeks before the election -- that agents are reviewing new information concerning Clinton emails, and former Republican critics are now rushing to his defense.
"Astonished by the all-out assault on Comey by Team Clinton," tweeted Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway on Saturday. "Suggesting he is a partisan interfering with the election is dangerous & unfair."
Astonished by the all-out assault on Comey by Team Clinton. Suggesting he is a partisan interfering with the election is dangerous & unfair. — Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) October 29, 2016
.
She did try to explain how times have changed.
This is easy.
1st investigation: Through statement & cong'l testimony, Comey publicly undercut his conclusion
2nd investigation: new info — Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) October 29, 2016
That's a switch from early July, when Trump accused Comey of being part of a "rigged system" after he announced the FBI would not recommend charges against Clinton. In a fundraising e-mail that month, Trump said Comey "let her off the hook," and "this is a disgusting example of just how badly the career politicians have rigged the system."
Of course, back then, Democrats criticized Trump's party for going after Comey. Donna Brazile, now the interim chair of the Democratic National Commitee, tweeted out a Washington Post editorial in July that "Republicans are damaging rule of law by attacking FBI Director Comey."
This weekend, Brazile has tweeted out several criticisms on "the damage Comey’s bad timing could do."
The damage Comey’s bad timing could do https://t.co/RkNkyoVTer — Donna Brazile (@donnabrazile) October 29, 2016
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2eZ32SCPhoto: istock/Getty Images.
By Clay Routledge Sept. 13, 2017 6:50 p.m. ET 27 COMMENTS
Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro is scheduled to speak Thursday at the University of California, Berkeley, and school officials are prepared. A campuswide announcement promised “support and counseling services for students, staff and faculty” who feel Mr. Shapiro’s presence threatens their “sense of safety and belonging.”
You don’t have to be a psychologist to see the absurdity of an elite American university offering mental-health services in response to a talk no one is required to attend. But such political theatrics aren’t objectionable only for free-speech reasons. A minority of students on college campuses legitimately struggle with mental illness, and they deserve support. They are collateral damage of psychology’s abuse for ideological purposes.
For one, the misappropriation of psychology contributes to the snowflake narrative. It is hard for people to appreciate that there are students who genuinely suffer from mental illness when they see so many academics, administrators and student activists making a pretense of psychological trauma in their quest to purge the campus of any ideas or experiences that do not conform to leftist orthodoxy.
The students we need to worry about usually aren’t the ones demanding safe spaces, obsessing over so-called microaggressions, or claiming words are violence. Many of those grappling with real mental illness do not seek or receive any mental-health services. That includes those at risk of suicide, the second leading cause of death among Americans between 15 and 34. One large national survey found that less than 20% of suicidal students were receiving treatment.
Mental-health professionals working on college campuses have noted an increased demand for services from students. There are reasons to debate the extent to which we are experiencing an increase in the prevalence of mental illness, as opposed to a decrease in college students’ preparedness for normal life stressors. Do young adults need mental-health services or more experience independently navigating the world? This issue is complex, and experts have diverse opinions.
Researchers have, however, identified |
have a very well organised control system with well over 1,000 control checks being carried out every year." The company said it had received tipoffs that it had been using forced labour, but had taken insufficient action against the claims.
"We took steps to ensure that prisoners were not used in production, but it's now clear to us that these were not decisive enough," Betzel added. Gossler, who as a prisoner made sheets, aprons and table cloths for companies other than Ikea including leading west German clothing and household catalogues, welcomed the company's announcement that it planned to donate funds to research projects on forced labour in the former GDR.
"There were many companies involved in this practice," she said. "And finally they should all be named and shamed. Ikea has put its head above the parapet and admitted its guilt but there are plenty of others who should also be approached for compensation.""Marvel's The Defenders" stars, from left, Mike Colter, Scott Glenn, Finn Jones, Krysten Ritter, and Charlie Cox. Sarah Shatz/Netflix There isn't a moment to breathe between the ending of the spring television season and the beginning of the summer one. We've never asked for year-round programming, but here it is.
Summer used to be a time when fans could catch up on shows they missed via reruns, but we have streaming-TV services and On Demand for that.
It also used to be a time when networks aired shows that wouldn't have a chance during the proper fall/spring schedules, but now summer shows are getting big ratings and netting awards (see: "Mr. Robot," which has actually graduated to the fall season).
From "Marvel's The Defenders" to "South Park," these are the coolest picks for the hot months.
Here are the 34 new and returning summer shows we're most excited about:LUCKNOW: Alleging “differential treatment”, the Bharatiya Janata Party questioned Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's discretion over distribution of compensation saying why Rs 45 lakh, three flats and jobs were doled out to Akhlaq's family members while family members of Gaurav received only Rs 10 lakh compensation.It may be recalled, 50-year-old Akhlaq was lynched over allegations of storing and consuming beef at Dadri in Greater Noida on September 28, while 22-year-old youth Gaurav succumbed to bullet injuries on Friday after violence broke out in Aligarh on Diwali night over bursting of crackers. According to chief medical officer SAH Zaidi, “Gaurav could have been saved if blood loss was prevented by bringing him here on time.”Even when both incidents were similar in nature, why were Gaurav's family members not given compensation at par with Akhlaque's kin, BJP's Aligarh MP Satish Gautam said, speaking to TOI.“I am writing a letter to the chief minister demanding Gaurav's family members be given compensation at par with Akhlaq,” Gautam added. A chief minister is of the state, not of any particular community, he said.Etah MP Rajveer Singh, son of Rajasthan governor Kalyan Singh told TOI he has taken time with Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on this and other issues on November 18.“The chief minister has assured me he would give full cooperation to the family members of Gaurav,” Rajveer Singh added.Aligarh Mayor Shakuntala Bharti said why there was so much bias between Hindu and Muslim, adding that a chief minister vows to remain unbiased while taking charge. She hoped the chief minister would adhere to the demand of the BJP leaders. If the CM fails to adhere to the demands, further course of action would be decided as per the directive of the state unit of the BJP, Bharti told TOI.State BJP also hit out at the SP government claiming that communal clashes in Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Aligarh and Agra took place because of failure of government machinery. BJP not only condemns but protests against biased distribution of compensation, BJP spokesman Manoj Misra said, adding that undue favours to members of a particular community resulted in anti-social elements having a field day. The police and administration failed to set up their authority in the state in general and western UP in particular, said Misra.Uber, facing a backlash in the aftermath of President Trump’s executive order, helps a driver reunite with his wife and son. But another child, left behind in Kenya, might be impacted by the travel ban.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals had not yet issued its ruling that continues to block President Trump’s travel ban, but a party was already under way at Somali Community Services.
Over a lunch of spicy rice, chicken and salmon, about 20 Somalis on Thursday afternoon welcomed Nasteho Aden and her 4-month-old son to the U.S. Like many of their countrymen, the president’s order had left them stuck at an airport — in their case, in Nairobi. They were due to travel here to join Aden’s husband, Elias Abdi, an Uber driver and naturalized American citizen who lives in West Seattle, when the order came down.
Seattle federal Judge James Robart’s stay of the travel ban made it possible for Abdi to reunite with his wife and son this past weekend; he flew to New York to meet them after the first leg of their journey.
Tell us your experience Has President Trump’s executive order suspending the admission of refugees reminded you of a personal or family connection to refugees, past or present? Has it led you to discover a connection you didn’t know you had? The Seattle Times wants to hear from you. If Trump’s refugee ban has prompted you to delve into your own history or your family’s history, call reporter Daniel Beekman at 206- 464-2164, or send him a short note at [email protected]. Please share a phone number where you can be reached.
But the ultimate fate of Trump’s executive order — which many expect to be determined by the Supreme Court — still looms large for the family. Aden and Abdi have a 2-year-old son who remains in Kenya with his grandmother.
Confusion over documentation prevented the boy from traveling with his mother and brother. The toddler was born in Uganda, where Abdi had visited, met and married his wife. He was not yet an American citizen.
He applied for his wife and child to join him, a process that dragged on for years. His wife finally got authorization for a green card, and a second son, born after Abdi naturalized, an American passport. But no one seemed sure about the proper paperwork for his oldest child, both Abdi and an attorney helping him said Thursday.
“I am so happy,” Abdi said, with Aden and baby Mohamed by his side. And yet, he and Aden both said that leaving one child behind had been agonizing.
After fearing that all his family members would be blocked, he got news of Robart’s ruling from an Uber lawyer.
The company faced a backlash over a perception that it failed to honor a taxi boycott in New York protesting the travel ban and CEO Travis Kalanick’s participation in a Trump advisory council. Uber said it had not meant to “break the strike,” and Kalanick later backed out of the council. Yet, Uber also quickly offered free legal advice to its many immigrant drivers impacted by the travel ban.
For three evenings this past week, Uber had an attorney available for consultation at its Tukwila center for drivers and at other such facilities around the country, according to a company spokesperson. Abdi came to the Tukwila center for help and was soon connected with San Francisco attorneys.
On the night of Robart’s ruling, Abdi turned off his phone and went to sleep. When he woke up, he said, he found a series of missed calls and emails from one of the lawyers.
“All night, she called,” he said.
After the two connected, she and her colleagues moved fast to get Aden here. They had to. Her visa was to expire in little more than a day.
“One of the reasons we are here today is to ask other companies to follow suit,” said Abdul Yusuf, manager of Eastside for Hire taxi company, at the Somali Community Services celebration. He said he would like to see Boeing, Amazon and others donate legal advice or other support to those affected by the ban.Violence against women is a permanent feature of all capitalist societies, including US capitalist society. It is one of the most abhorrent aspects of patriarchy, the evil institution of women’s oppression. Patriarchy in the US has its own specific characteristics that are particular to capitalism, such as the widespread commodification of women. The term “commodification” refers to the transformation of women by the capitalists into objects for sale, a process in which ordinary men also participate.
Violence against women also shows up within self-proclaimed revolutionary organizations and revolutionary movements in the US. This includes rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, unwanted sexual pressure, other forms of physical and verbal abuse, and other forms of violation of consent. Recently, two major Trotskyist organizations, one in Britain [1] and one in the US [2], were rightly subjected to public exposure and condemnation for the liberalism (meaning the unprincipled lack of struggle) of their members in failing to oppose rape culture.
Another communist organization in the US was also exposed less than a year ago for sheltering a rapist member, disciplining him by merely having him write an essay for “self-criticism.” [3] At the height of the Occupy movement, there were accounts of sexual assault at protest camps in New York, Cleveland, Dallas, Baltimore, Lawrence, Portland, New Hampshire, and Glasgow. [4] It is also well known that rape culture is widespread among anarchist collectives and the broader anarchist milieu. [5] For every revolutionary organization and trend, the same question of women’s emancipation is on the table: which side are you on?
This is one of the most important political questions that must be resolved today for the revolutionary movement to move forward. In certain specific circumstances, it is the single most important political question. The fact that there is increasing debate on this question and growing disorder within the ranks of organizations is a good thing that must be encouraged to develop further. There needs to be more of it: more debate, more disorder, more turmoil, and more people raising their voices. Some have pointed out the causal link between the British Trotskyists’ class reductionist line and male chauvinist practice.
Others have highlighted the weak organizational forms of anarchists and their employment of “accountability processes” guided by “restorative justice” frameworks that very often turn out to be shams for the women involved. [6] However, this is too simple of an understanding of the problem if left at this level. In reality, violence against women within revolutionary organizations and revolutionary movements is a phenomenon with a wide expanse. It is not narrowly rooted in any specific trend.
No ideology or -ism will make an organization immune from this problem. There will be groups and individuals claiming all sorts of political positions who at the same time always relegate women’s emancipation to a secondary and unimportant place, or combine feminist discourse with male chauvinist conduct. Therefore, the most important question here is how an organization addresses the problem of violence against women when it arises in practice, as chances are it will at some point within its ranks. Certain guiding principles can be derived from the positive aspects of the Leninist-Comintern historical experience and from the comprehensive whole of today’s ideology of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism.
Maoism must be emphasized here, because of its breakthroughs in developing the trend of proletarian feminism and on the organizational question. Proletarian feminism is a trend of women’s emancipation generated in practice out of the Maoist-led People’s Wars and revolutionary mass movements around the world. [7] The Maoist party concept is also something fundamentally new in its nature and methods of work. [8] The guiding principles outlined here should determine the formulation of organizational policies in the US on anti-women violence. Without the correct policies based on the correct principles, revolutionary organizations in the US will never be able to organize increasing numbers of women as militants and leaders, as they have so far failed to do in the way that history demands of us.The domination of the NGO opportunists and their petty-bourgeois identity politics will remain uncontested. The masses of proletarian women will be left to follow the leadership of different non-proletarian trends, without the weapon of independent class politics.
1. Revolutionary organizations, if they are genuine, must automatically expel any member who engages in anti-women violence and abuse. Organizations that fail to do this cannot be taken seriously and must be publicly exposed for their liberalism in failing to oppose male chauvinism. The “restorative justice” framework and the “accountability process” used by anarchists and other activists more often than not merely reproduce in practice the dynamics of patriarchy.
For Marxist-Leninists, “rectification” and “criticism / self-criticism,” without a policy of expulsion, often becomes the same liberal process with a different name. In contrast, zero tolerance for male chauvinist violence and abuse must be the principle, meaning automatic expulsion and, depending on the circumstances, public exposure. This is the only way to forge organizations that are developing the actuality of women’s emancipation, not just talking about it as an appealing idea.
2. During investigations by an organization in the US into incidents of anti-women violence and abuse, the word of the victim alleging that violence and abuse has been committed against them must be given more weight than the word of the accused. If there is a factual dispute, the guiding principle must be to adopt policies and enact decisions based principally on the victim’s account of events. Victims of domestic violence often have their reality denied or manipulated consistently by their abusers.
This must be taken into account when investigating the facts and when coming to a decision about the accused. The revolutionary organization in the US, which is not a court of justice with a court’s material powers of investigation and presumptions, cannot allow the accused to simply deny the victim’s account in part or wholesale, call into question the victim’s motives, and mobilize their social network to pressure the victim and the organization.
Revolutionary organizations in the US are not states making decisions on punishment and rehabilitation, which would operate according to different standards. They are voluntary associations that must make a call – generally based on limited and conflicting verbal or written accounts – on how to respond to an incident, taking into consideration the need to advance the struggle for women’s emancipation, to develop women as militants and leaders, and to protect the organization’s work and reputation.
3. Rectification of individuals who have engaged in anti-women violence must be encouraged, but can take place only after their expulsion from the ranks of an organization, as a condition of re-admission at a future time. Certain acts, such as rape or sexual assault, must result in a lifetime ban without question. For organizations struggling in the imperialist countries, the Communist Party USA’s expulsion, subsequent mass public trial in 1931, and eventual rectification of Yokinen, a Finnish CPUSA member who denied several African Americans entry to a dance at the Finnish Workers Club in Harlem, remains the best example in the US of what a successful rectification process looks like in practice, in this case for white chauvinist conduct. [9]
Rectification in this regard does not mean uttering some words in an organizational meeting, writing an apology essay, engaging in mediation, participating in accountability circles or victim impact panels, or getting counseling and treatment. Are white chauvinists supposed to be counseled and treated as well? Rectification means conducting self-criticism widely before the masses, submitting the fullest account of one’s conduct and history to public scrutiny, and following through on a course of political activity of struggle against women’s oppression, which must include ongoing transformation of the individual person, similar to what Yokinen successfully carried out under the leadership of the CPUSA.
Recognizing that there is no organization in the US today with the necessary base, prestige among the masses, and scale to conduct such a process means that in the current objective and subjective conditions, successful rectification of individuals for male chauvinism should generally be pursued, but will inevitably continue to be the exception rather than the rule. The most important thing is to struggle against the small-group dynamics that are a soil for male chauvinism and prevent the organization of women. Violence against women will not end without the organization of women.
4. The ideological and political line of a revolutionary organization might be outlined in its documents, but ultimately becomes a material force among the masses only through the conduct and actions of its members. This is one of the new contributions of the Maoist party concept, which emphasizes the importance of revolutionary attitudes among the cadres. Revolutionary organizations must instill in members the need to practice the constant remolding of their thinking and actions to create the actuality of women’s emancipation.
5. Putting the proletarian feminist line in command requires a continuous engagement in criticism and self-criticism, or CSC. CSC in this particular instance involves studying the concept and history of patriarchy, discussing its manifestations in thinking, conduct, and actions through facilitated group settings, and coming to collective decisions on how to fight it. At the same time, CSC that takes place without an existing policy of expulsion for male chauvinist violence and abuse ends up being a toothless ritual that paralyzes rather than strengthens organization. The party building movement of the last phase, the 1960s and the 1970s, largely failed the masses of toiling women in this country.
Those who imagine that a communist organization with proletarian feminist politics at its core can be built or that a revolutionary proletarian feminist movement can be developed today from the ground up – without first confronting the pressing issue of male chauvinism in the existing organizations and circles, including determining the proper guiding principles and policies to do this – are thoroughly deluding themselves. This view amounts to the liquidation of the struggle for women’s emancipation and a kind of economism that refuses to address the real political question at hand of the involvement of women in organizations. We welcome dialogue with feminist-oriented collectives and individuals who are working on this issue in practice and interested in mutual learning through the discussion of organizational principles and policies:
Center for Marxist Leninist-Maoist Studies 16/8/2013
Endnotes
1. Shiv Malik and Nick Cohen, “Socialist Workers Party leadership under fire over rape kangaroo court,” guardian.co.uk, March 9, 2013. (http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/mar/09/socialist-workers-party-rape-kangaroo-court).
2. “Rape, Sexual Assault, and the U.S. Socialist Organization Solidarity.” (http://www.thenorthstar.info/?p=9350).
3. For more information, see the blog Necessary Means: Confronting patriarchal violence. (http://necessarymeansfight.blogspot.com/).
4. “Occupy Wall Street: How About We Occupy Rape Culture?” (http://persephonemagazine.com/2011/11/04/occupy-wall-street-how-about-we-occupy-rape-culture/).
5. See, for example, Betrayal: A critical analysis of rape culture in anarchist subcultures, Words to Fire Press (“It would seem that throughout the anarchist milieu, wherever you turn, there is a community being ravaged by rape, by sexual assault, and by abuse.”).
6. Ibid. (“[T]internal workings of the accountability process itself have the potential to be hijacked and used against a survivor. … In some cases [perpetrators] are allowed to make demands of the survivor or else place criteria on their own participation. Perpetrators, or their apologists, all too commonly respond to being called out by making defensive ‘callouts’ of their own. As discussed earlier, they will accuse the survivor of any wrongdoing they can think of, or else make some up when actual misdeeds are not forthcoming. Rather than recognize these pathetic attempts at slander as the manipulative transgressions they are, the false supporters usually join the perpetrator in absurd calls for ‘accountability’ from the survivor. From this newfound position of righteousness, and with the complicity of the false supporters, the perpetrator is free to alter the very character of the accountability process.
What began as a callout becomes more like a negotiation, as a perpetrator’s cooperation becomes contingent on the survivor addressing their concerns. Perhaps some of these concerns might even be valid, but of course what’s important is not their validity but their role in undermining the survivor’s struggle. The survivor must now earn not only the accountability they get from the perpetrator, but also the support they get from the community. Those survivors who are unwilling or unable to jump through all the hoops will be written off. In a final perversion of the accountability process, the survivor will be the one blamed for its failure, the one who was unwilling to ‘work things out’. By this point the so-called ‘Restorative Justice’ framework has been so distorted that it succeeds only in ‘restoring’ the power dynamics of a Rape Culture which had been otherwise compromised by the survivors’ struggle.”).
7. See, for example, Avanti, “Philosophical Trends in the Feminist Movement.”
8. See, for example, Ajith, “The Maoist Party.”
9. Harry Haywood, “The Struggle for the Leninist Position on the Negro Question in the United States,” The Communist, September 1933, available at: http://www.marxists.org/archive/haywood/1933/09/x01.htm.Republican Ralph Norman is projected to win the South Carolina House special election, keeping the seat in Republican hands.
The Associated Press projected that Norman, a former state lawmaker, will win against Democrat Archie Parnell, according to The Associated Press.
Republicans were not expected to have a problem holding the seat. But while Parnell is projected to lose, he appears to have pulled it much closer than experts had predicted.
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There has been little attention paid to the race by either side since the more contested Georgia special election runoff is occurring on the same day. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee sunk just $275,000 in the district, compared to the $5 million it spent in Georgia.
In 2016, then-Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R) won the seat by 19 points. President Trump's decision to tap Mulvaney to head the Office of Management and Budget opened the seat for the special election.
Democrats had hoped that Trump's low favorable ratings and opposition to the GOP's plan to repeal and replace ObamaCare could put the race into play.
Norman held less than a 3-point advantage when the AP called the race. That's a far closer margin than the November results, which will boost some Democratic hopes. But yet another close failure in a special election is likely to frustrate the party and could perhaps spark questions about why the national party didn't devote more time and resources to the race.Several weeks ago we invited Governor Romney to address several questions about his Mormon religion. Our invitation was our second attempt because four years ago Helen Whitney, the producer of the four-hour PBS series "The Mormons," attempted to ask him the same questions in a calmer, less politicized period, but to no avail. We do not raise these questions again in an attempt to entrap him or to embarrass the Church. Rather, we continue to ask them because, in our opinion, they allow him to address crucial unanswered issues at the intersection of his religion and his governance, in the event that he is elected President.
The "Mormon Moment--Postponed" remains postponed, for Romney neither responded to our questions nor gave any of the press detailed access to that part of his life that arguably was most important in shaping his overall character. In a radio interview in Iowa, he exploded when pressed to discuss his faith: "I am not running as a Mormon!" and abruptly ended the interview. Clearly, Governor Romney does not understand that this is an unprecedented moment in American history. Why? Because it is the first time that an ordained minister is a major party's candidate for president. As we said in our earlierHuffPost article, Romney's ordination to the offices of Bishop and Stake President obligates him to answer questions more fully than other candidates never ordained to the ministry.
Reviewing Romney's statements - and "inelegant misstatements" - throughout this campaign, we have now come to feel that full disclosure about the shaping influence of religion on his character is of even greater urgency to the voter. It is no longer about the postponed Mormon Moment, for that has been lost. It is about Romney himself. Who is this man? What settled convictions does he have? Is Romney the face of Mormonism? Or, as some Mormons have come to feel, has he so far distanced himself from core values of his religion that they feel constrained to emphasize that he is not that face?
We therefore posit a list of five questions that Romney never addressed--some of which we asked in our earlier column--along with our observations as to why he should have addressed all of them.
1. How have your early experiences within the Mormon Church--particularly your two-year proselytizing mission to France and your service as Bishop and Stake President--shaped your character and your worldview? This question remains as we asked it, and we see his failure to address it as a great opportunity lost. The most poignant speeches at the Republican National Convention were those by his former parishioners, who gave moving accounts of the compassion and generosity that he showed to them while he was their ecclesiastical leader. But those speeches were buried in the early evening schedule, never making it to prime time television coverage, and Governor Romney has consistently shied away from discussing the few periods of his life when he came closest to personal ministry.
2. Given that your church's highest leadership councils consist entirely of white males and deny its lay priesthood to women, how can you assure the American public that the status of women in this country would advance rather than retreat? While Governor Romney has never addressed this question in depth, his apparently unrehearsed comment in the second presidential debate, when he spoke awkwardly of "binders full of women" as proof of his inclusion of women in his administration as Governor of Massachusetts (and the percentage of women in senior positions actually dropped during his administration), raised legitimate concerns as to whether he even understands women's issues, much less is willing to address them equitably. Such concerns are not lessened by his apparent willingness to regulate bedrooms but not banks. Given the subordinate role that women play in the Mormon Church, it is tempting to see Romney's statement as merely reflecting his patriarchal Mormon culture.
3. Are Governor Romney's values concerning material wealth on the one hand, and the 47% on the other, reflective of Mormonism? An unresolved debate as to whether Mormonism is a Christian religion was skewed in one direction when Governor Romney, in a lengthy, apparently off-the-record exposition of what appeared to come as close to his core values as one is likely to see, wrote off nearly half the population of this country: "My job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives." Simultaneously, he has never shied away from holding up his immense wealth -- hundreds of millions of dollars -- as a quintessential success story of capitalism. How does he reconcile both values with the core messages of Jesus, who consistently pleaded with his disciples to take care of the poor who are "always with you," and leveled some of his harshest condemnation towards those who sought "treasures upon earth"? Do Mormon values and Christian values diverge on these points? As one who has been obliged by his political party to wear his Christianity on his sleeve, Governor Romney takes a moral obligation to explain the dissonance.
4. What would be the relationship between a President Romney and the LDS Church hierarchy in Salt Lake City? Credible reports of discussions between then-Governor Romney and the LDS hierarchy about social issues and the limits within which Romney might act and still have the nod of approval of the Church suggest that the question is highly relevant to the presidential campaign. We do not seek to deny Romney or any other elected official from consulting with spiritual leaders, but Romney's former position as a high-ranking ecclesiastical officer--equivalent to Catholic bishop--coupled with his prior consultations begs a statement of clarification.
5. Has Governor Romney resuscitated the long-disavowed Mormon tradition of "Lying for the Lord"? While politicians are well known for bending the truth on the campaign trail, Governor Romney's recent claims about the automobile industry were so outrageously untruthful that they elicited unprecedented condemnations from Chrysler and GM--in the former instance causing CEO Sergio Marchionne to call him out personally, and in the latter eliciting from GM spokesman Greg Martin the charge of "campaign politics at its cynical worst." A New York Times editorial this week used what may have been unprecedented harsh language in chastising Governor Romney for the episode: "It takes an especially dishonest candidate to simply turn up the volume on a lie and keep repeating it." LDS Church members who qualify to enter a Mormon temple--and Romney is so qualified--must first certify to their bishops that they are, among other things, "honest in their dealings." Those with even a cursory knowledge of Mormon history are aware of the Senate hearings accompanying the seating of Mormon Apostle and Senator Reed Smoot a century ago, during which some church leaders intentionally gave false testimony and later boasted that they had "lied for the Lord." Is Governor Romney a product of an earlier age of Mormonism that is now strenuously disavowed by the institutional church in its qualifications for temple admittance, or is he merely a cynical politician for whom truth is a commodity?
Click through the slideshow to see most and least Mormon states in the United States:WINNIPEG, Manitoba/BUFFALO, New York (Reuters) – Refugees in the United States fearing a worsening climate of xenophobia in the wake of a divisive U.S. presidential campaign are flocking to Canada in growing numbers.
Manitoba‘s Welcome Place refugee agency helped 91 claimants between Nov. 1 and Jan. 25 – more than the agency normally sees in a year. Most braved the freezing prairie winter to walk into Canada.
“We haven’t had something before like this,” said Maggie Yeboah, president of the Ghanaian Union of Manitoba, which has helped refugees get medical attention and housing. “We don’t know what to do.”
A temporary restraining order by a U.S. judge of President Donald Trump‘s executive order that blocked nationwide the implementation of key parts of the travel ban has provided a reprieve for refugees trying to come to the United States.
WATCH: Justice Department begins legal fight in appeal of Trump travel ban ruling
But Canadian advocacy organizations are bracing for a greater influx of asylum-seekers, driven in part by the contrast between the ruling Liberal government’s acceptance of Syrian refugees in Canada with Trump‘s anti-foreigner rhetoric.
“They will make a dash for Canada, whether they are going to go through cold weather to die or not,” said Abdikheir Ahmed, a Somali immigrant in Manitoba’s capital Winnipeg who helps refugees make claims.
Since late summer, 27 men from Ghana walked to Manitoba from the United States, Yeboah said. Two lost all their fingers to frostbite in December and nearly froze to death.
READ MORE: Ghanaian community in Winnipeg comes together to help frostbitten refugees
More than 7,000 refugee applicants entered Canada in 2016 through land ports of entry from the United States, up 63 percent from the previous year, according to Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
Over 2,000 more entered “irregularly” during a similar time period, without official authorization, such as across unmonitored fields.
Four hundred and thirty asylum seekers crossed Manitoba’s border irregularly in the first nine months of 2016-17, up from 340 the entire previous year, CBSA said.
“The U.S. presidential campaign, putting undocumented immigrants and refugees in the spotlight, terrified them,” said Ghezae Hagos, counselor at Welcome Place. “The election and inauguration of Mr. Trump appears to be the final reason for those who came mostly last month.”
WATCH: Torontonians protest Trump’s travel ban at U.S. consulate
In Quebec, 1,280 refugee claimants irregularly entered between April 2016 and January 2017, triple the previous year’s total.
In British Columbia and Yukon, 652 people entered Canada irregularly in 2016, more than double the previous year.
More of these people would enter at border crossings, advocates say, if Canada didn’t have a policy of turning many of them away when they do. The 2004 Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement requires people to apply for asylum in the first of the two countries they arrive in. Advocates argue the agreement inadvertently encourages people to dangerously sneak into Canada and make a claim rather than be rebuffed at the border.
If the government doesn’t abandon this agreement, they say, it could find itself in court.
The number of refugee applicants crossing the land border under exceptions to the Safe Third Country Agreement has risen by 16 percent in the first nine months of 2016 compared to the same time period the year before.
READ MORE: 872 refugees to be allowed into US this week despite Trump travel ban, document shows
In Buffalo, New York, hundreds of people are streaming through Vive, a shelter that helps refugee applicants to Canada.
Vive’s client numbers, including long-time U.S. residents and refugees, spiked last summer and have stayed consistently high since – two or three times what they’d normally see a year or two ago. Vive’s Canadian service manager Mariah Walker expects to see even more.
“Clients are definitely spooked by (Trump‘s) executive orders,” said Walker.
CANADIAN WELCOME
Prime Minister Trudeau took office in 2015 on a commitment to admit tens of thousands of Syrian refugees.
“While the majority of the world is turning their backs and building walls, the fact that Trudeau took this bold humanitarian goal put [Canada] on the map,” said Chris Friesen, director of settlement services at Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia.
But this year, Canada plans to take only 7,500 government-assisted refugees – less than half last year’s number. People eager to sponsor refugees find themselves waiting years to do so.
READ MORE: Justin Trudeau tweets messages of welcome to refugees as Trump travel ban sets in
Anisa Hussein, 20, and Lyaan Mohammed, 19, hired a smuggler to take them from Somalia to Minneapolis in August, where they planned to settle in a large Somali community. But Trump‘s anti-refugee rhetoric frightened them into traveling to Manitoba days later.
“(Trump) said he would turn away the refugees and we would go back to Somalia,” said Mohammed, peeking timidly from behind the hood of a thick parka she received in Canada for winter. “We were so scared. We just wanted to be [in] a safe place.”
They rode a bus and taxi to North Dakota, then walked for hours into Emerson, Manitoba and filed refugee claims.
They might have been able to cross at a port of entry if Canada’s policies were different, says Canadian Council for Refugees executive director Janet Dench.
READ MORE: Western Law takes part in nationwide ‘research-a-thon’ for refugees affected by US travel ban
Her organization, as well as Amnesty International and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, are demanding Canada abandon the Safe Third Country Agreement: Trump‘s United States is no safe haven, they argue.
The government is standing by the agreement, Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen told the House of Commons last week.
If the government doesn’t act, Dench said, her group will sue.
“We are talking about people’s charter rights. … So, yes, we would expect to see something in the courts.”Advertisement
After returning home from a trip, many tourists may find themselves wishing that they could go back as soon as possible.
That may not be the case for some of those who visit these not-so-happy holiday destinations.
In the modern socialist-capitalist town of Huaxi Village, China, 300 families now live in row upon row of identical houses after the village was turned into a private company.
Although all the villagers have shares in the company on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, there is little professional opportunity in the town and only one member of each family can take a holiday each year.
The slums of Bossaso, Somalia and Calcutta, India offer residents - and visitors - a similarly bleak reality, albeit in a different way.
Unsightly urban sprawl is plaguing the city centres of Detroit, Michigan, Houston, Texas, and Brisbane, Australia.
And overcrowding in cities like Sao Paulo, Brazil, is guaranteed to frustrate tourists almost immediately.
From Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, voted the ugliest town in Britain by Crap Towns Returns, to the desolate wasteland of Pripyat, Ukraine, these are the cities you will want to avoid.
Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire was voted the ugliest town in Britain by Crap Towns Returns
Guayaquil, Ecuador claims to be one of the country's 'economic powerhouses' and is complete with loads of concrete and pollution
The slums of Bossaso, Somalia are rampant with piracy, drug smuggling and people-trafficking
Traffic in Tijuana, Mexico, home to the busiest border crossing with the US, is an absolute nightmare
In the densely populated socialist-capitalist town of Huaxi Village, China, all 300 families live in identical houses
Papua New Guinea's capital city, Port Moresby, is known for its lawlessness and frequent gun battles
The desolate urban sprawl of downtown Detroit, Michigan, is anything but appealing
The Caranavi province in Bolivia is the epicentre of cocaine production
In Tegucigalpa, Honduras there is so much crime that residents and tourists alike are advised not to walk on the streets after dark
Brisbane, Australia, developed very quickly - and with poor city planning - resulting in a city of ugly skyscrapers and expressways
In Guatemala City, the fume-filled capital of Guatemala, buildings look on the verge of collapse
The capital city of the Solomon Islands, Honiara, is anything but idyllic. The beach is mediocre and the architecture unsightly
The abandoned Ukrainian town of Pripyat was evacuated following the Chernobyl disaster
Bangui in the Central African Republic has almost non-existent roads and infrastructure
The overcrowded city of Sao Paulo, Brazil regularly experiences massive traffic jams, as well as flooding and blackouts
Houston, Texas, may be the fourth largest city (by population) in the United States, but its cityscape has no formal zoning regulationsBy Kai Tabacek: Digital Producer
Suppliers of biohazard suits have said they are selling out fast due to fears of an outbreak of Ebola in the |
a team of inspectors. The agency, which regulates the oil and gas industry, also asked the operators of five disposal wells in the area to run pressure tests. Scientific studies have linked oil and gas operations to a string of earthquakes near Reno and Azle.
Ramona Nye, a spokeswoman for the state agency, said tests on the wells in Johnson County are still being conducted, but since there are no disposal wells in Dallas County, there are no plans to dispatch inspectors to the area of Monday’s quake.
This report includes material from the Star-Telegram archives.THE Aussie hip hop group that was on stage when a man performed a sickening sexual assault on a woman in the crowd has launched a stinging attack of the perpetrator.
Victorian police are on the hunt for a man who ejaculated onto the back of a woman in the mosh pit while Thundamentals were performing at the St Kilda Festival on February 8.
The band said they were “shocked and disgusted” to learn about what happened during their gig.
RELATED: Victim of disgusting sex act at festival speaks out
“In light of those events, we would like to think that any true fan of Thundamentals that has understood the message in our music and followed our journey as a band would never commit such a disgusting and predatory act against another human being,” they said in a Facebook post, which has been liked more than 2000 times.
“Furthermore, if any of our fans were to witness something like this happening (we hope) that they would at least notify someone who could help assist the victim.
“Everyone should have the right to feel safe, no matter what.
“We 100 per cent support the young lady who suffered and hope that she is OK.”
The victim spoke out yesterday in the hope one of the crowd members who saw the incident would come forward.
“I feel violated but I’m lucky it wasn’t worse,” she said.
Senior Detective Carin Wood said “surely someone has seen something or knows who this person is”.
The suspect is described as being of Indian appearance and aged between 18 and 30, with a dark brown complexion, average build, short black hair and brown eyes with acne scars on his cheeks. He was wearing a black, long-sleeve shirt at the time.
Thundamentals have encouraged people with information about the assault to phone 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report to Crime Stoppers.The Philadelphia 76ers expect Ben Simmons to take care of business in the 2017-18 season, but his sister wants him to handle her personal grudge on the court.
Simmons’ sister, Olivia, used Twitter on Thursday to blast LaVar Ball and tell her brother to dunk on Lonzo Ball when they meet next season in the NBA.
I hope my brother dunks on lonzo ball so hard next year that his daddy runs on the court to help him up……… — Olivia Simmons (@livvalice) May 18, 2017
Hey @Lavarbigballer can I get some women's leggi….. oh wait u don't cater to everyone. You're a marketing genius. — Olivia Simmons (@livvalice) May 18, 2017
I'm thinking it'll be a top 4 play if his dad isn't at the game……. but an all time greatest moment if papa is there — Olivia Simmons (@livvalice) May 18, 2017
Olivia Simmons’ salvo came in the aftermath of LaVar Ball’s controversial appearance on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” in which he declared he doesn’t market his Big Baller Brand apparel to women and also was completely dismissive of the show’s co-host, Kristine Leahy.
Ben Simmons, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, missed last season due to a foot injury.
LaVar Ball’s words have raised expectations for Lonzo ahead of his rookie season. Olivia Simmons might have raised the stakes for her brother with just a few tweets.
Thumbnail photo via Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports ImagesAuthor Message
NeOMG
I dodge bullets.
26 Posts: 477
Joined: 05 Jan 2007
Last Visit: 24 Jul 2009
LD count: 17
Location: The Matrix
Joined: 05 Jan 2007Last Visit: 24 Jul 2009LD count: 17Location: The Matrix Does chocolate affect Dreaming? Posted: Tue 16 Jan, 2007 </mod> moved from quest forum
A day or two ago, I went to bed after eating a bunch of See's chocolate. That night, I had 6 dreams that I could remember, 3 of them I could remember very well. Two of them even turned into LD's!!! I just want to know if any of you have ever experienced something like this. A day or two ago, I went to bed after eating a bunch of See's chocolate. That night, I had 6 dreams that I could remember, 3 of them I could remember very well. Two of them even turned into's!!! I just want to know if any of you have ever experienced something like this.
Pokle
Novice dreamer
44 Posts: 11
Joined: 15 Jan 2007
Last Visit: 13 Dec 2007
Location: Sandy, Bedfordshire, UK
Joined: 15 Jan 2007Last Visit: 13 Dec 2007Location: Sandy, Bedfordshire, UK Posted: Tue 16 Jan, 2007 I have heard that it can affect your dreams in a similar way to cheese can. I have touched closer to lucidity after drinking hot chocolate or cocoa before bed, but that usually makes me sleep heavier too and I often wake up with a cracking headache so I rarely drink it except when I feel like I need a good night's sleep. Perhaps it's because I sleep better and longer that I have more dreams as I stay in bed past my usual getting up time
kingoflight
Novice dreamer
1934 Posts: 39
Joined: 15 Dec 2006
Last Visit: 20 Mar 2007
Location: uk
Joined: 15 Dec 2006Last Visit: 20 Mar 2007Location: uk Posted: Tue 16 Jan, 2007 Strange to see this topic i had a bunch of LD's last night and i also ate a chocolate fudge cake that my mum bought for my brother as it was his birthday a couple of days ago.
To say this was the chocolate could be a possiblity because i was feeling knocked out after i ate it i went to bed early, my dad also felt shattered after he had his. Then i mentioned to my mum this afternoon that the cake slayed me last night and she told me that it was ment to go in th microwave before we ate it lol.
anywhoo i went to bed 3 hours earlier than i normally would have done which could of explained my LD's.
Ithuriel
Savage Wonder Tone
28 Posts: 222
Joined: 23 Oct 2005
Last Visit: 25 Oct 2011
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Joined: 23 Oct 2005Last Visit: 25 Oct 2011Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posted: Tue 16 Jan, 2007 When I eat chocolate before bed it makes me awake and aware... and it tastes so good, but I can not properly sleep sometimes, I toss and turn. The times I do fall asleep after eating chocolate though I do have increased Dream vividness, and the dream is a bit strange.
NeOMG
I dodge bullets.
26 Posts: 477
Joined: 05 Jan 2007
Last Visit: 24 Jul 2009
LD count: 17
Location: The Matrix
Joined: 05 Jan 2007Last Visit: 24 Jul 2009LD count: 17Location: The Matrix Posted: Wed 17 Jan, 2007
See you in the morning. I am going to test this out tonight. I will eat the rest of my See's candy drink loads of hot chocolate, and whatever else I can eat that is chocolate in my house and go to bed earlier.See you in the morning.
wnvoss
Let it down
26 Posts: 846
Joined: 23 Oct 2006
Last Visit: 28 Apr 2017
Joined: 23 Oct 2006Last Visit: 28 Apr 2017 Posted: Wed 17 Jan, 2007 I guess I could try it tonight too - we have lots of chocolate at my house. Might have some trouble falling asleep with al that sugar! I'll report back here tommorow
Kit
Astral Explorer
Posts: 390
Joined: 17 Dec 2006
Last Visit: 15 Oct 2008
Joined: 17 Dec 2006Last Visit: 15 Oct 2008 Posted: Wed 17 Jan, 2007 I dunno. I woke up and had a chocolate bar and some milk earlier, fell asleep and had two lucid dreams plus a bunch of fragments of me becoming lucid. It just might.
don20853
Astral Explorer
65 Posts: 416
Joined: 07 Jun 2006
Last Visit: 17 Apr 2008
Location: Worms, Germany
Joined: 07 Jun 2006Last Visit: 17 Apr 2008Location: Worms, Germany Posted: Wed 17 Jan, 2007 That might be just the thing, WBTB with chocolate. Chocolate does have something in it that can help with dreams, and the sugar could help keep your mind more alert. With WBTB, it could help enough to get you into an LD.
I will try it tonight.
don
Wissam
Change is good
28 Posts: 836
Joined: 09 Apr 2006
Last Visit: 17 Nov 2018
Location: Middle East
Joined: 09 Apr 2006Last Visit: 17 Nov 2018Location: Middle East Posted: Wed 17 Jan, 2007
1- It increases dream recall
2- it increases the chances of having a sexual related dream
3- it does something else which i forgot
the problem is i forgot where i read this so i can't back this up with evidence. Choclate does affect dreaming, i read it here somewhere when i first joined. It affects dreaming in 3 ways :1- It increases dream recall2- it increases the chances of having a sexual related dream3- it does something else which i forgotthe problem is i forgot where i read this so i can't back this up with evidence.
foo fighter
Lucid Initiate
Posts: 61
Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Last Visit: 17 Jan 2007
Location: mid Wales, UK
Joined: 07 Feb 2005Last Visit: 17 Jan 2007Location: mid Wales, UK Posted: Wed 17 Jan, 2007 Wissam wrote: Choclate does affect dreaming, i read it here somewhere when i first joined. It affects dreaming in 3 ways :
1- It increases dream recall
2- it increases the chances of having a sexual related dream
3- it does something else which i forgot
the problem is i forgot where i read this so i can't back this up with evidence.
I think maybe chocolate (like cheese, and maybe for kinda similar reasons) is perfect for lucid dreaming provided you don't eat too much!!.. it acts as a stimulant, which might help keep your brain more aware while you're sleeping/ dreaming, but if you binge on it you'll probably be too stimulated & find it hard to even sleep.
Here's something I found about this:
Quote: Chocolate contains phenylethylamine, a naturally occurring amino-acid which some consider to have aphrodisiacal effects and is even said to be able to "cure" hangovers. Phenylethylamine is a substance which is released naturally in the human body when you're in love. Other stimulants present in chocolate are dopamine and serotonin, which alleviate pain and encourage a good mood. Serotonin produces feelings of pleasure in a similar way to sunlight. Chocolate also contains theobromine, a chemical stimulant frequently confused with caffeine, but has very different effects on the human body. It is a mild, lasting stimulant with a mood improving effect. Its presence is one of the causes for chocolate's mood-elevating effects.
Dopamine & Serotonin seem to be really important for LDing.. Dopamine levels stay really high while you're asleep, & it's probably Dopamine which gives you all the vivid, hallucinatory stuff dreams are made of... Serotonin levels plummet when you sleep, but if you can boost these up, this will help you become more conscious/ aware while you're dreaming, and also help you remember your dreams better (it's high levels of Serotonin ~ & also Noradrenaline ~ which are the reasons why we're able to think logically, & also remember things that happen to us, while we're awake). That's my understanding anyway....
[Sorry I forgot to say, the quote before is from this page: I think maybe chocolate (like cheese, and maybe for kinda similar reasons) is perfect for lucid dreaming provided you.. it acts as a stimulant, which might help keep your brain more aware while you're sleeping/ dreaming, but if you binge on it you'll probably bestimulated & find it hard to even sleep.Here's something I found about this:Dopamine & Serotonin seem to be really important for LDing.. Dopamine levels stay really high while you're asleep, & it's probably Dopamine which gives you all the vivid, hallucinatory stuff dreams are made of... Serotonin levels plummet when you sleep, but if you can boost these up, this will help you become more conscious/ aware while you're dreaming, and also help youyour dreams better (it's high levels of Serotonin ~ & also Noradrenaline ~ which are the reasons why we're able to think logically, & also remember things that happen to us, while we're awake). That's my understanding anyway....[Sorry I forgot to say, the quote before is from this page: http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/9-13-2005-76683.asp
wnvoss
Let it down
26 Posts: 846
Joined: 23 Oct 2006
Last Visit: 28 Apr 2017
Joined: 23 Oct 2006Last Visit: 28 Apr 2017 Posted: Thu 18 Jan, 2007 - it worked! Last night I ate handfulls of chocolate chips until i felt a little sick, and had my longest lucid dream yet. I still can't believe it... how well the chocolate worked out! Holy cesar salad- it worked! Last night I ate handfulls of chocolate chips until i felt a little sick, and had my longest lucid dream yet. I still can't believe it... how well the chocolate worked out!
NeOMG
I dodge bullets.
26 Posts: 477
Joined: 05 Jan 2007
Last Visit: 24 Jul 2009
LD count: 17
Location: The Matrix
Joined: 05 Jan 2007Last Visit: 24 Jul 2009LD count: 17Location: The Matrix Posted: Thu 18 Jan, 2007 Thanx wnvnoss for the help with the testing
But anyways.....
don20853 wrote: That might be just the thing, WBTB with chocolate. Chocolate does have something in it that can help with dreams, and the sugar could help keep your mind more alert. With WBTB, it could help enough to get you into an LD.
I will try it tonight.
don
That is what I did when I posted this. I just remembered now. It was saturday and I went to sleep after loads of See's candy. I had two or three dreams and then I woke up at like 6:30 or something. I went back to sleep really fast after jotting down notes on the and Then I had two LD's and another dream. Sorry guys, I screwed up the test. I guess I shouldn't have taken that nap cuz I didn't have much sleep last night.Thanx wnvnoss for the help with the testingBut anyways.....That is what I did when I posted this. I just remembered now. It was saturday and I went to sleep after loads of See's candy. I had two or three dreams and then I woke up at like 6:30 or something. I went back to sleep really fast after jotting down notes on the and Then I had two's and another dream.
MyrTheSeeker
Creation Intern
40 Posts: 123
Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Last Visit: 07 Nov 2016
LD count: 9 LDs so far!
Location: Fussa, Japan
Joined: 19 Dec 2006Last Visit: 07 Nov 2016LD count: 9 LDs so far!Location: Fussa, Japan Posted: Thu 18 Jan, 2007
I didn't remember a thing when I woke up I don't think I'm getting enough sleep. Boy, I just tried the same thing last night with a few herseys kisses.I didn't remember a thing when I woke upI don't think I'm getting enough sleep.
wnvoss
Let it down
26 Posts: 846
Joined: 23 Oct 2006
Last Visit: 28 Apr 2017
Joined: 23 Oct 2006Last Visit: 28 Apr 2017 Posted: Thu 18 Jan, 2007 I tried it again last night, but only remembered two normal dreams, no LDs. It may have been because I ran out of chocolate chips...
NeOMG
I dodge bullets.
26 Posts: 477
Joined: 05 Jan 2007
Last Visit: 24 Jul 2009
LD count: 17
Location: The Matrix
Joined: 05 Jan 2007Last Visit: 24 Jul 2009LD count: 17Location: The Matrix Posted: Fri 19 Jan, 2007
If anyone finds a great or perfect way to make chocolate help your dreams out LD or otherwise, feel VERY free to do so here. I have to wait till I get more chocolate and get better from my sickness I got yesterday before I can start again on my chocolate tests. lol same here. I didn't have any more of my See's candy.If anyone finds a great or perfect way to make chocolate help your dreams outor otherwise, feel VERY free to do so here. I have to wait till I get more chocolate and get better from my sickness I got yesterday before I can start again on my chocolate tests.“If there is one place on the face of earth where all the dreams of living men have found a home from the very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India.” - Romain Rolland
We love India and came across few beautiful pictures of India/ Indians from yesteryears. Pictures that made us proud, pictures that made us smile and pictures that left us speechless. Here are some of them:
1. Gandhi ji leaves the home of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, en route to the Viceroy’s Lodge in Delhi, 24th November 1939
2. Nathuram Vinayak Godse, bottom right, on trial for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in the red fort, Old Delhi, 27th May 1948.
3. Delhi 1955, a beggar in Connaught Place, Delhi
4. Dara Singh with a Trophy
5. The Beatles In India 1968
6. Jesse Owens in India 1955
7.Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehur and his Daughter Indira in Moscow – 1956
8.Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Dimple Kapadia
9.Reita Faria in 1966. She was also the first Asian to win the title.
10.Amitabh Bachchan padded up for a charity match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India circa 1980
11.The daughter of an Indian Maharaj seated on a panther she shot. Early 1920s
12.Air India Receptionist in Sari – 1971
13.A group of British tennis players photographed in India about 100 years ago.
14.Gandhi Ji addressing people
15.Dharmendra, Hema Malini and Amitabh bachchan on the set of sholay
16.A hairdresser giving a ‘Hindustani haircut’ (pudding bowl), on Strand Road South, Kolkata
17.2nd April 1947, the Viceroy of India, Lord Mountbatten meets Prime Minister Pandit Nehru in the Moghul Gardens in New Delhi
18.Family Planning Contraceptive Hoarding – Delhi 1967
19.The picture dates back to the time when Amitabh Bachchan resumed work on the sets of Coolie after the life threatening accident and Amjad Khan had come to visit the actor on the sets
20.Tagore in his bed in a railway compartment at Howrah Station (Kolkata) on 22 November 1940
Not sure if this is from India, but the Air India sign left us wondering. This one is for the love of ‘The Doors’.
Images source @IndiaTasveer
Comments
commentsBattle of the best quadcopter cameras – RunCam 2 vs Foxeer Legend 1
Yesterday it was a cold but nice sunny day so I thought it would be time for the first flight of 2016 🙂
I have planed this side by side camera test for a while but only now I found the right time and also had the mood to do it.
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I prepared my X380 quadcopter for this test. Firstly I wanted to install both cameras on the same 2 axis gimbal but the gimbal calibration was not a success. I applied B plan so I leaved aside the brushless gimbal and used a simple camera mount with 4 vibration reduction damping balls. Finally, the cameras where installed one above the other, note side by side.
While the Foxeer Legend 1 is equipped with a 166° wide-angle lens, the RunCam2 has 120° lens, so the field of view for these two cameras are a bit different.
These two small cameras are very popular because there are extremely lightweight (about 50 g ) and allows 60 fps at FULL HD video resolution (1080p). Both cameras came with FPV cables and they can be easily used on a racing quadcopters as first person view camera.
RunCam 2 vs Foxeer Legend 1 – Video file properties
Both cameras where set to default factory settings and 1080p@60fps video resolution.
RunCam 2 HD test video file
Video length: 15:26;
File size: 3,640,717,117 bytes;
Codec: H264 – MPEG-4 AVC (part 10) (avc1);
Resolution: 1920×1080;
Frame rate: 60 fps;
Decoded format: Planar 4:2:0 YUV;
Content bitrate: 28000-33000 kb/s;
Audio: Stereo, 44100 HZ, 16 bit.
Foxeer Legend 1 test video file
Video length: 15:37;
File size: 3,438,955,325 bytes;
Codec: H264 – MPEG-4 AVC (part 10) (avc1);
Resolution: 1920 x 1080;
Frame rate: 59.94 fps;
Decoded format: Planar 4:2:0 YUV full scale;
Content bitrate: 25000-35000 kb/s;
Audio: Stereo, 48000 HZ.
RunCam 2 vs Foxeer Legend 1 – Sample photos
The sample images are snapshots from the videos (made with VLC player) and are in PNG format without being resized or post processed.
RunCam 2 vs Foxeer Legend 1
Features/Camera RunCam 2 Foxeer Legend 1 Weight 49g 49g Lens 120 degree 166 degree Max video resolution 1440p@30fps 1296p@30fps 1080p@60fps latency ~60ms ~100ms FPV out Yes Yes HD FPV / HDMI out No Yes USB connector Micro USB Mini USB Servo cable with remote control No Yes Removable battery Yes No Mounting accessories Yes No Lens cap No (integrated lens hood) No Reset button No Yes WIFI connection Yes No Remote APP with Live view Yes No
Which one is better quadcopter camera? I will let every one to decide by them self based on the sample images and the test video. Those who are not convinced, there are many other test and comparison videos with these two cameras on YouTube.
The certain thing is that the Foxeer Legend 1 has a much wider field of view but the RunCam 2 has a more sharper image quality and also has a better video out latency.
RunCam 2 and Foxeer Legend 1 comparison videoHey y'all! I got my PayPal set up, and I want to do a test commission to see if that’s something I want to do in the future. I’m mainly thinking of animations and drawings, but for now, I want to try doing a single flipnote commission, since I’m always drawing anyway, and it’s quicker than Adobe Animate. For the flipnote, I will exclusively do OK K.O. If this interests you, send me a PM.
RULES:
-No NSFW.
-No audio that includes slurs or hateful language, but swears are fine.
-Ships are okay, but nothing involving children or incest.
-I will not be doing OCs, but I may accept AUs at my discretion.
-Length of the animation must be less than 1 minute due to time constraints within the software, potentially less if done in color.
-I have the right to refuse a commission for any reason I see fit, but I will never do it to be rude or to spite anyone. If I decide against a commission, I will express my reason for doing so.
-There are some exceptions to these rules. Send an ask or PM if you aren’t sure.
PRICES (in USD)
-Black and white: $2 per second of animation at 12 frames per second, $3 at 18fps, and $3.50 at 24fps
-Colored: Add $1.50 per second, all frame rates
-For an animation that loops or repeats (i.e. the Ponysoft Remover flipnote I recently posted), I will only charge $1.50 per second for black and white, or $3 for color. This applies to any frame rate.
(Note: Cost will be estimated to the nearest second.)
Upon deciding on an animation, I will create and send a rough or a work in progress. After that, I will wait until I have received payment to continue working on it.
I will only be doing the first commission that I receive and can confirm, but may accept more commissions of other types in the future if it is successful. If you have any questions, send me an ask, and if you’re interested in commissioning me, send me a PM telling me what audio you want, provide the source, and what time frame you want (Example: Echo, Gumi version, from 0:47 to 1:01). Then tell me which characters you want, and if applicable, the narrative (Example: Shannon lamenting over Rad a la Rad Likes Robots).
Thank you, and have fun!Colgate University was placed on lockdown after witnesses mistook a student's glue gun for a real firearm.
The university in Hamilton, New York, issued an alert on Twitter at around 8 pm on Monday after witnesses reported seeing an armed person at the campus center.
But an investigation found a student using the crafting tool for an art project and the all-clear was issued shortly before midnight.
A lockdown at Colgate University was lifted after a student thought to be armed with a gun was found using a glue gun for an art project
Witnesses reported seeing a person enter the O'Connor Campus Center carrying a weapon.
The liberal arts school 35 miles southeast of Syracuse issued the lockdown, warning students to 'find a safe space and remain indoors.'
Those who were off-campus were advised to'stay away'.
But police arrived on campus and searched the school, only to find a student using a glue gun for an art project.
Shortly before midnight, the school said that state police had issued an 'all-clear.'
The false alarm prompted an array of responses, ranging from anger at the person behind the mistaken reports, to relief the students were not in danger
The false alarm prompted an array of responses, ranging from anger at the person behind the mistaken reports, to relief the students were not in danger.
Kristen Max, who identified herself as an alum, wrote on Facebook: 'I have to ask how everyone freaks out about a glue gun? Owning a glue gun, I can say it looks about as much like a gun as an ear of corn looks like an ear.'
Penny Schader Dunn also said: 'Are you going to have a mandatory session about what a REAL gun looks like? EDUCATE your students Colgate, they look like ignorant fools.'
Some questioned how anyone could mistake a glue gun (file photo) for a real firearm
Another social media user Bill-Jamie Wengert wrote: 'I am happy that students had a sense of vigilance. Sadly, the world needs it. I feel awful for the kid who was simply carrying a glue gun, however.'
Robert A. Brand IV echoed the sentiment, saying: 'Great job Colgate, took it seriously, investigated and resolved the issue. Thanks for protecting the kids.
'My son will be a student next year and I am very happy how this situation was handled. Better to be safe than sorry in today's world.'
College officials say they'll investigate the events leading to the lockdown.ANALYSIS: Honda's turn to be angry, Kimi feeling the heat and good news for Sauber - it's the Bahrain GP Debrief
Carlos Sainz Jr. believes that Formula 1 race stewards will never allow drivers to appeal decisions and penalties because they are too proud and do not want their credibility undermined.
Sainz was handed a three-place grid penalty for the Russian Grand Prix after tangling with Lance Stroll during Sunday's race in Bahrain, the stewards adjudging the Toro Rosso driver to have been at fault.
"I obviously was quite surprised with the grid drop. I thought they were going to consider it a racing incident," Sainz explained.
"Obviously in F1 when you are fighting for position, for the points, there are a lot of racing battles going on. It was, for me, a racing incident. Lance simply didn't see me and maybe a guy with a bit more experience would have seen me and left me enough space on the corner."
Despite being disappointed in the decision, Sainz has no right to appeal or talk to the stewards about their call which is final, and the Spaniard doubts this will ever change.
"You go home with the penalty, you get it, you cannot appeal, nothing. That's how it is," Sainz said.
FEATURE: How McLaren is saving itself off track if it can't win on it
"Even for pride, they wouldn't change their opinion. I don't think it would change nothing. Even if you had the opportunity to appeal, it's not like suddenly the stewards are going to decide the contrary.
"They take a decision, they go with it, they understand they wouldn't change their decision because they would lose some credibility. They will never change. But there you have it. First incident, fighting for position, first penalty."
F1 race director Charlie Whiting had announced earlier in the year that the stewards would be handing out less penalties through 2017, but Sainz is the third driver in the past two races to have received a grid drop for an on-track infringement.
Romain Grosjean and Jolyon Palmer were both demoted five places on the grid in China for allegedly failing to slow under yellow flags after a crash for Antonio Giovinazzi. Grosjean tweeted his data from the lap, showing he backed off by over a second, but the decision was final despite Whiting himself admitting to the Frenchman that the penalty was unfair.
Latest Tweets from Crash.net & GPF1rstThe upcoming Android Wear 2.0 experience will introduce standalone apps, expanding your potential reach to both Android and iOS audiences with Wear devices. Users will be able to search, install, and use apps without ever leaving their device. See how other developers are enhancing their user experience with standalone apps for messaging, travel & local, and health & fitness.Having a watch app further simplifies video messaging with Glide. Using the Wear Complications API, Glide is now able to live broadcast directly from the watch face. By tapping contact shortcuts from the watch face, you can now launch directly into a conversation. This experience brings speed and intimacy to the world of messaging, making wrist-based communication more accessible and effortless.Travelers around the world use Foursquare's Android Wear app to discover hidden gems and be in the know about the best places to eat, drink and explore. With their upcoming 2.0 app, the team has a clean new canvas for rich notifications giving users an immersive experience with Foursquare content."The standalone nature of the Android Wear 2.0 app will offer a big boost in search performance and app responsiveness so you spend less time staring at the screen and more time exploring the world around you," said Kyle Fowler, Software Engineer at Foursquare. Lifesum helps users make better food choices, improve their exercise, and reach health goals. The upcoming 2.0 experience complements the existing Lifesum mobile app and as a standalone app, it will allow users to more easily track water and meals throughout the day."It's all about increasing access and being there for the user in a quick and simple way. We believe a simplified way of tracking meals and water will make it easier for our users on their journey of becoming healthier and happier," said Joakim Hammer, Android Developer at LifesumCheck out g.co/wearpreview for the latest builds and documentation about the recently released Android Wear Developer Preview 4.Coming Soon
Bulbul
A man returns home after years to find his brother’s child bride now grown up and abandoned, and his ancestral village plagued by mysterious deaths.
The Willoughbys
In this animated feature, four kids who are abandoned by their selfish parents learn how to adapt their old-fashioned values to the contemporary world.
Shadow
Haunted by a tragic loss, an ex-cop with a rare inability to feel pain strikes out on his own to catch offenders who've eluded Johannesburg police.
ReMastered: The Lion's Share
A journalist seeking the author of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" discovers the story of Solomon Linda and finds his family living in the slums of Soweto.
Hit and Run
In this political espionage thriller series, a man's life is turned upside down when his wife is killed in a mysterious hit-and-run accident.
Wonderland
Just out of prison and investigating a twisted murder, Spenser is sucked back into Boston’s underbelly. Based on the popular books; Mark Wahlberg stars.
Space Force
A comedy series about the people tasked with creating Space Force, a new branch of the U.S. military. From Greg Daniels and star Steve Carell.
Daybreak
Navigating a post-apocalyptic world full of zombies and Mad Max-style gangs, a teenage outcast searches for his lost love in this humorous drama series.Pyre is a sporting event with unprecedented mechanics that align to create a real-time, turn-based RPG inside of tightly-woven, character-centric visual storytelling. The way the game grounds itself in rituals and the way the characters are introduced blend together an experience with a lenient learning curve that grows in complexity and depth.
The video contains visual aids, context, and a lovely crow. There are no story spoilers.
The Stars Align
Now, what if I told you there was a game out there where unprecedented mechanics aligned to create a real-time, turn-based RPG sporting event inside of tightly-woven, character-centric visual storytelling?
You’d call me crazy, and you’d be right.
Pyre is real-time because everything and everyone moves at the same time. Except for the majority of the characters…
Which is why it’s also turn-based (or at least pseudo-turn-based), because you can only move ONE of your three characters, or Exiles, at a time.
So combine this strange combination of aspects and you got yourself an entirely new sport, except instead of the traditional sportsmanship and overall good vibes, we have triumvirates conducting Rites and banishing one another using their wrongdoing as a weapon and an Orb that absorbs said weapon that can quench the opposing team’s fire. Oh, sorry, I meant Pyre. (Get it?)
Triumvirates Have Their Roles
So the genius of this new sport is how each team’s role — whether offensive or defensive — is completely flipped on its head.
The offensive team is, rather surprisingly not the Cleveland Browns at an NFL game, but rather the team who currently holds the Orb and trying to score by diving into the opposing team’s Pyre.
The offensive team, ironically enough, has no offensive power. Whichever team holds the Orb is left vulnerable by removing the banishing Aura around them (and into the Orb), but passing also leaves them vulnerable since the defensive team can Aura Cast freely and the offensive team cannot. The defensive team can just knock out idle characters, but if they’re not careful, diverting their attention like that could allow Exiles to slip past with the Orb and score.
Offensive (Orb) Triumvirate:
Vulnerable.
Able to score.
Defensive Triumvirate:
Can attack (Aura & Aura Cast) freely.
So this is what I mean by flipping the team’s roles on their heads. Mobility and attack options are completely flipped to the point where the only way the offensive team can banish the defensive team is either by dropping the Orb and becoming neutral, or if by chance a defensive Exile runs straight into one of your idle Exiles.
Different Sports?
You have to give cultists credit where credit’s due. The 8 founding fathers (Scribes) of these cults gave these poor Exiles hope and a future in a real-time, pseudo-turn-based sporting event that has more depth and skill than any other sport out there.
But hey, that’s not fair for me to say. I can at least make some comparisons to other sports.
For instance, Ultimate Frisbee, except the disc holder is the only one who can’t move.
In basketball, the |
Audi will unveil a custom RS4 Avant model at the Geneva Motor Show with modern day performance and retro style.
Build to commemorate 20 years since the launch of the RS2, the RS4 Avant Nogaro is powered by one of the few naturally aspirated engines left in the Audi lineup – and perhaps the best – a 4.2-liter V8 that delivers 450 hp at a rev-happy 8250 rpm. Torque comes on strong from 4,000 rpm with 317 lb-ft available, enabling a 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 174 mph.
A surprisingly un-retro move, the Nogaro won’t be offered with a six-speed manual, but rather the brand’s new 7-speed S-tronic dual-clutch unit.
SEE ALSO: Audi RS5 Review – Video
With standard quattro all-wheel drive, power is distributed 40:60 front-to-rear, though up to 70 percent of the torque can be shifter forwards for maximum grip, or up to 85 percent to the rear wheels for serious performance driving. An optional sport differential that splits the power between the left and right rear wheels is also available.
A tribute to the RS2, the original Audi RS model, the RS4 Nogaro gets its name from the paint color used on the 1994 car. Additional retro-inspired flares include gloss black used for the grille, window trim and roof rails. An RS sports exhaust also gets a dark black finishing.
Other exterior highlights include 20-inch wheels with red-painted brake calipers with RS emblems, while front carbon ceramic brakes can be ordered as an option.
Perhaps the most dramatic styling update on the Nogaro model is on the inside with custom blue leather and Alcantara on the seats and door inserts, with blue stitching on the interior. There’s even blue threads running through the carbon fiber inserts. For those with more subtle tastes, Audi will also offer an all-black option.
The RS4 Avant Nogaro will go on sale in Europe soon, with no plans to be offered in North America.
GALLERY: 2014 Audi RS4 Avant Nogaro
Discuss this story at our Audi forum.This March 5, 2008 file photo shows then-Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) in Tucson. Renzi has been sentenced to three years in prison for convictions on public corruption, money laundering and other charges. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
The Supreme Court passed on a chance to expand the constitutional protections enjoyed by members of Congress.
The justices on Monday declined without comment the case of former congressman Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.), who recently began a three-year federal prison term after being convicted on 17 counts including wire fraud, extortion and money laundering. Prosecutors said Renzi, who served from 2003 to 2009, used his office to press parties involved in a federal land deal to do business with a friend who owed him hundreds of thousands of dollars, thus allowing the friend to pay Renzi back. Separately, Renzi was accused of raiding $400,000 from the insurance agency he owned to illegally bankroll his 2002 congressional campaign.
[Arizona's Rep. Renzi is indicted in land deal]
In the course of gathering evidence in the case, prosecutors tapped Renzi's cellphone, interviewed his aides and gathered documents from his office. Those moves, Renzi's lawyers argued, infringed on his rights as a congressman to conduct "fact-finding" under the Constitution's "Speech or Debate" clause, which is meant to shield lawmakers from politically motivated harassment by the executive branch. (The friend who owed Renzi money, James Sandlin, also appealed, arguing that if Renzi is let off the hook, he should be as well.)
After the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected those arguments last year, Renzi's lawyers asked the Supreme Court to review several questions regarding the Speech or Debate Clause, arguing for a more expansive reading that would invalidate much of the evidence used to indict and convict their client. Because the high court declined to hear the case, the circuit court ruling stands.
The decision isn't just bad news for Renzi; it's also a blow to members of Congress now facing investigation -- or who will be facing investigation in the future.
The Speech or Debate Clause has figured into the investigations and prosecutions into numerous members of Congress, including former Reps. William J. Jefferson (D-La.) and Tom Feeney (R-Fla.). It also figures to play a crucial role in the pending prosecution of Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), who stands accused of using his office to benefit a campaign donor, Salomon Melgen.
[Corruption case against Sen. Robert Menendez could be tough to make]
Lawyers for Menendez have already argued to federal judges that the clause should bar Menendez aides from having to testify before grand jury. The outcome of that litigation, which is presently under seal, is unknown. But Renzi's bid to broaden the clause's protections, had it succeeded, could have aided Menendez's defense.Canada’s self-described “Prince of Pot” is expanding his chain of illegal marijuana dispensaries into Montreal as of Thursday, according to sources.
A blogger made the announcement on marijuana advocate Marc Emery’s online magazine last week. His wife, Jodie, posted a cryptic tweet on Dec. 8, counting down the days until the dispensary’s Montreal debut.
Two sources close to Emery have confirmed his intentions to open as many as three dispensaries in the Plateau-Mont-Royal neighbourhood.
“I’ve known (Emery) for some time and when he says something, he means business,” said Marc-Boris St-Maurice, who runs the Fondation Marijuana dispensary on St-Laurent Blvd.
Unlike St-Maurice’s dispensary — which, while unlicenced, sells pot only to patients with a prescription for medical marijuana — Emery’s chain of Cannabis Culture dispensaries is open to recreational users. The only requirement is that customers be over 19 years old.
Emery has aggressively expanded his business this year, opening locations in Toronto, Hamilton and Port Coquitlam, B.C. He also has dispensaries in Vancouver — which carry playfully named strains like Moby Dick, Sticky Fingaz, Love Potion #1 and Pink Death.
Police raided the Toronto, Hamilton and Port Coquitlam stores last summer and in November, but most have since reopened. St-Maurice, whose dispensary was raided twice, says Montreal police will take notice of Emery’s activities.
“My experience with law enforcement in our wonderful city, they won’t respond well to this type of thing,” he said. “Especially people coming from out of town making a big show. Who knows what’s going to happen, but I can’t see it ending well.”
The Montreal police did not return the Montreal Gazette’s phone calls about the dispensary.
According to a report by La Presse, the dispensaries might open on St-Laurent Blvd. near Roy St., on Mont-Royal Ave. near Papineau Ave. and on Amherst St. near Ontario St.
While a task force has been studying how to implement Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s promise to legalize and regulate marijuana, it remains illegal for recreational purposes. Ottawa will release the task force’s report on Tuesday, the federal health department said.
Adam Greenblatt has been advocating for legal but regulated access to marijuana in Montreal since 2010. He says Emery’s bold action could provoke a “political backlash” that would compromise efforts to regulate distribution of the drug in Quebec.
“There is indeed a real need in terms of both public health and consumer demand for retail cannabis distribution,” said Greenblatt, the head of Quebec engagement for Tweed, a medicinal cannabis manufacturer. “But the proliferation of dispensaries in the absence of regulation is problematic. There is no transparency in the dispensary supply chain; nothing is properly tested or handled.”
Emery has never shied away from brushes with the law. In a 2015 blog post, the “Prince of Pot” wrote that he had been arrested 28 times for cannabis-related offences. He also served a five-year prison sentence in the United States, beginning in 2009, for selling marijuana seeds online.
After his release in 2014, Emery said he would campaign for Trudeau in the 2015 federal election — praising the Liberal leader’s stance on marijuana legalization. But Emery’s public support of the Liberals waned last February, when he criticized Trudeau’s appointment of former Toronto police chief Bill Blair to oversee the legalization process.
“I am merely the most notable Canadian cannabis prisoner of the drug war,” Emery wrote in a 2015 column for The Georgia Straight. “But hundreds of thousands of Canadians have experienced the trauma of arrest, stigma and suffering under Canada’s three-generation reign of cannabis prohibition.”
Emery could not be reached for comment on Monday.
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Twitter.com/titocurtisFor a Michael Bay movie, Pain & Gain is getting remarkably good reviews and positive buzz — even its negative notices are full of phrases like “the most charming Michael Bay movie in a long while.” The primary question that the film’s pro and con critics seem to be arguing over is whether Bay is satirizing the flashy excesses and over-the-top elements of the narrative or reveling in them; it’s a story about the quest for conspicuous consumption, from a filmmaker as obsessed with the idea as his characters. Complicating that question is Pain & Gain’s roots as a true story; it happened in Miami in 1994 and 1995, in the world of bodybuilding and fitness clubs. And how accurate is it to that world? I decided to find out by seeing the movie with a bodybuilder and personal trainer.
Louis Guarino, 25, is a certified personal trainer who works primarily out of Hoboken, New Jersey. He’s been lifting and building since he was 18, and spends most of his day in gyms (the morning after our movie-going voyage, he had clients every hour on the hour from 6 am forward). “Not gonna lie,” he told me in an email before our press screening, “waited a year for this movie.”
Mark Walhberg stars as Daniel Lugo, first seen on the run from police. “My name is Daniel Lugo,” he tells us, in voice-over, “and I believe in fitness.” Daniel is the head personal trainer at a health club in Miami, but he longs for the Good Life — and when he meets Victor Kershaw (Tony Shaloub), a particularly obnoxious millionaire client, he thinks he’s got a shortcut to it. With the help of fellow employees and musclemen Paul Doyle (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) and Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie), he kidnaps Kershaw and gets him to sign over all of his assets. And that’s when it gets complicated.
Guarino’s spent a little time in Miami, so I asked first of all about the film’s fidelity to that particular scene. “There’s cultures in every pocket,” he told me, “everybody wants to lose fat, everybody wants to look a certain way… And being down in Miami, look, it’s hot. Virtually all year. Everybody wants to be in bikinis, everybody wants to be in shorts, nobody wants to look like crap. So there’s definitely a culture down there that I’ve seen.” And what about how Bay’s frames are filled with ridiculously good-looking, perfectly sculpted bodies? Guarino says that for Miami, that’s about right. “When I go to the beach, it’s very rare that you see anybody genuinely look bad.”
So what about the characters? Those ring true as well, our guide says. With Wahlberg’s Lugo, the ripped gym rat, “you will find that in the most hardcore gyms… these are the guys who take bodybuilding seriously.” Johnson’s Paul, the most ripped of the trio, is also a kindhearted soul who is sternly religious (at the beginning, anyway) and almost apologetic for his toughness (“Jesus Christ himself has blessed me with many gifts,” he tells one victim. “One of them is knocking people the fuck out”). This, too, was very familiar to Guarino. “In real life, that’s generally how it works,” he told me. “The biggest guys usually are the biggest softies.”
Mackie’s Adrian is newer to the world of fitness, and when he first meets Paul, he inundates him with questions about proteins, shakes, amino acids. During that scene, I heard Guarino mutter, “Always got one of those,” and after the movie, he explained: “This is your average Joe. Everybody wants to know what supplements you take, what kind of protein do you take? You take amino acids, what kind of amino acids do you take? Do you take ‘em in pills or do you take ‘em in powders? … it’s never-ending.”
The portrait of their place of employment, which Guarino dubbed a “big box gym,” also struck him as just about right, even though the film was set nearly two decades ago (“some things never change”). But the thing he found most accurate and true? “People see personal trainers literally like a therapist. Kershaw, at the beginning of the movie, was speaking about every single one of his problems… and even Lugo said, ‘I sit here, I spot, I give them a sense of confidence, that’s all I do.’ Unfortunately, that’s the mentality of a lot of personal trainers. That I have my clientele, I’m going to spot them, give them a high-five, and call it a day.” Guarino prides himself on working harder than that. But has he ever had a client as irritating as Kershaw? “Of course! It’s human nature. You’re not gonna get along with everybody. And the learning process is literally learning to bite your tongue.”
Obviously, once the crime element takes over, the film is less true to Guarino’s experiences — though it should be noted that Bay and his writers reportedly stay fairly faithful to the real events. (One of the biggest laughs comes very late in the film, during a particularly grisly scene, which Bay interrupts with the onscreen text “THIS IS STILL A TRUE STORY.”) Still, something about it doesn’t sit right. When the story gets dark, Bay plays the violence too straight and too graphic — especially considering how quickly he shifts into snickering at a dead woman and her breast implants. Maybe he’s trying to do GoodFellas-style dark comedy (the copious voice-overs would certainly suggest it), but put as charitably as possible, Bay is no Scorsese. He wants to have it both ways: get the shock of the sudden violence, and then laugh at the victims. But the whole movie is like that; the line between satire and self-parody is so thin that it’s hard to believe this iteration of his swooping-camera, glistening-abs aesthetic is comic, just because it’s being sold as such (especially when so many of the “jokes” are of the misogynist, homophobic, fat, dick, rape, and little-person variety — much like the comic relief in his action movies). There are funny moments, particularly in the first act. But it’s still a pretty ugly movie.
That’s just my take, though, and Louis and I agreed to disagree. His review: “The Rock genuinely was hysterical. The movie’s entertaining. In a very sick, twisted way, it was funny… If you love bodybuilding, if you love fitness, if you’re into the whole Miami scene, go see it. It’s a good movie. And the story itself is crazy. You can’t make that up.”
Pain & Gain is out today in wide release.In a series of interviews that Shimon Peres granted for Israel's Independence Day, just before completing his seven-year term, the president of the State of Israel made sure to supply one significant diplomatic headline. In an effort to maintain his public relevancy in his next job as head of the Peres Center for Peace, in which he will continue to promote the diplomatic process with the Palestinians, Peres said that he reached a series of understandings with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas three years ago. These understandings, he said, should have enabled the signing of an agreement. But according to him, “[Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu stopped it.”
In the interviews, Peres said that during Netanyahu’s second term, Abbas agreed to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, to compromise on the issue of refugees and to show flexibility in the matter of borders. Instead of insisting on a return to the 1967 lines, he was prepared to negotiate on the territory of the Palestinian state. Peres revealed that he was acting with Netanyahu’s knowledge. However, when he went back to the prime minister with the agreement, Netanyahu led him to understand that the Middle East Quartet’s envoy to the Middle East, Tony Blair, had a better proposal. With that, said Peres, Netanyahu dissolved a historic agreement.
The sense that the president attempted to convey before moving to his new office at the Peres Center in Jaffa is that peace with the Palestinians was within reach, and that between Netanyahu and Abbas, it is the Israeli prime minister who is rejecting peace. This fascinating and important story could have easily been the opening shot in a negative political campaign targeting Netanyahu, with Peres uniting a coalition of all the centrist and leftist parties against him. But the president, who will celebrate his 91st birthday in August, has already announced that he has no more political ambitions. The option of returning to politics always seems to hover around Peres, but it looks like this time, he is serious about staying away.
But even without a political platform, Peres plans to continue influencing politics. He has said in interviews that he doesn’t intend to take a single day of vacation. Relaxing at the beach bores him. And so, with a single headline, Peres is beginning to remove the mantle of national and official consensus under which he has worked as president and dive back into the sullied waters of local politics, thus inviting doubt about his credibility.
It was only a matter of time before someone got up to contradict him. Netanyahu’s office spent the holiday mulling its response to his claims and decided that it would avoid attacking Peres directly out of respect for the presidency. Despite the damage to Netanyahu's image, the real arrows were aimed at Abbas again. Then on May 7, in an interview with Army Radio, the tone began to change. Maj. Gen. Yaakov Amidror (res.), who served as national security adviser during the period in question, completely contradicted the president’s description of the agreement that Netanyahu supposedly scuttled.
“Never happened,” said Amidror, when asked to respond to the story. “The whole thing seems strange to me,” he added, and even as someone who was intimately acquainted with the most highly classified diplomatic matters, he said he was unaware of any agreement in which Abbas compromised on the matter of refugees or was willing to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. In other words, Amidror said that the president wasn’t telling the truth. Hearing that might be disconcerting to the president of the State of Israel, especially since it was said by a professional who, to the best of everyone’s knowledge, is innocent of any significant political interest.
The result is that the only thing to come of all the festive interviews that Peres granted to the media is doubt about his credibility. But this was also a sensitive point throughout most of his time as a politician. It is not at all clear why Peres and his people couldn’t have waited until the end of his term before starting to roll about in the political arena. And if he felt it was urgent to say what he did, why didn’t he do it before?
But that’s not the only disturbing thing about this story. Though Peres claims that he acted transparently as an envoy of the prime minister of Israel, it is not at all clear what mandate he received to conduct these negotiations. While it is reasonable to assume that Netanyahu granted Peres the authority to operate some channel of communication, it is hard to believe that he intended for the president to be his lead envoy to the main negotiations channel. A deep diplomatic chasm separates the two men. Even after the Bar Ilan speech of 2009, in which Netanyahu declared his support for a two-state solution, he remained the leader of a right-wing government, bound within a party that has become more extreme and committed both politically and morally to a right-wing electorate.
Furthermore, the very idea that Netanyahu scuttled an agreement formulated by Peres is problematic. It is the prime minister — and not the president — who has the political power and authority to implement or avoid diplomatic moves. Peres may be a great statesman who enjoys popularity on the world stage, but he can still only advise and recommend. The final decision and its implementation remain in the hands of Netanyahu, who acts in accordance with the will of his electorate and the interests of the people as he sees them.
It seems that in this particular instance, Peres followed the same patterns that were characteristic of his behavior in his previous political positions. There were a few cases in which Peres served in various senior positions alongside different prime ministers, and operated channels of negotiations that exceeded his authority. It was this pattern of behavior that earned him the reputation of being subversive.
In 1987, Peres was foreign minister in the national unity government headed by Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir. He held clandestine negotiations with King Hussein of Jordan, promised him the government’s support for the “Jordanian option” and signed an agreement with him that came to be known as the London Agreement. While Shamir knew about these contacts, he did not support the Jordanian option, and the contacts eventually ended in disappointment.
This kind of thing happened again in 1990, when Peres brought down Shamir’s national unity government and tried to create a narrow, left-wing, ultra-Orthodox government (in a political maneuver known as the “dirty trick”), in order to advance an initiative by then-US Secretary of State James Baker to resolve the conflict with the Palestinians. It took Peres years to recover from the damage he suffered when that effort failed, and he went back to being chairman of the opposition.
Peres served twice as prime minister for very brief periods. The first time was from 1984 to 1986, as part of the rotation agreement between the Likud and Labor parties, after the elections between the two blocs ended in a deadlock. Those were two very successful years in Peres’ political career. Inflation was brought under control and the IDF retreated from most of Lebanon, apart from the strip of land known as the security zone. The second occasion came on Nov. 4, 1995, the night Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated. In that instance, Peres served in the position for just seven months until he was defeated by Netanyahu in the next election.
In neither of those times was Peres actually elected prime minister. He entered the position by dint of circumstance. Nothing about this should detract from his unique abilities or his achievements as a groundbreaking statesman who is able to get things done. Nevertheless, there is some significance to the fact that he never received a mandate from the Israeli public to sit in the captain’s seat and make pivotal decisions affecting the fate of the country. Even in the midst of the current political turmoil, it is worth remembering that Netanyahu was the person elected to lead the country during these years, and that any decision he made to avoid some agreement or other was both democratic and legitimate.Photo: Getty Images
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Pessimists are fond of saying that no good deed goes unpunished. An Australian teenager who reported a security vulnerability in a government website and now faces legal troubles probably agrees. Joshua Rogers, a 16-year-old Victoria native, discovered a security hole that gave him access to a database containing the full names, addresses, home and mobile phone numbers, e-mail addresses, dates of birth, and nine of the 16-digit credit card numbers for about 600 000 commuters who paid for fares via the Metlink website run by the Transport Department. When he stepped forward in late December to tell the site’s operators about the vulnerability, they never bothered to respond. Two weeks later, Rogers told his story to The Age; when the newspaper asked the Transportation Department about it, officials there reported Rogers to the police.
“It’s truly disappointing that a government agency has developed a website which has these sorts of flaws,” Phil Kernick, of cyber security consultancy CQR, told The Age. “So if this kid found it, he was probably not the first one. Someone else was probably able to find it too, which means that this information may already be out there.”
I guess the Transportation Department, knowing that it will face scrutiny over leaving its customers’ data so open to misappropriation, is trying to appear serious about security by taking a preemptive strike—albeit against someone who attempted to notify them of the hole instead of exploiting it.
Target's Data Breach Diagnosis Off Target
I’m shocked—shocked!—to find out that Target wildly underestimated the number of people whose personal data was stolen in a data breach that occurred between 27 November and 15 December. Target came out today and retracted the 42 million figure it had been sticking to since news of the breach broke on 19 December. The retailer announced today that names, mailing addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of roughly 70 million people fell into the hands of cybercriminals. Much of the data newly identified as having been accessed by the hackers was supposedly stored on a separate part of the company’s internal networks from the one Target knew was hacked.
Few Plaudits for Yahoo's Belated Security Update
Yahoo finally made HTTPS the default setting for its e-mail service this week, years after rivals such as Google made the move. But if it was expecting handshakes and pats on the back, it has another thing coming. Security experts say that after Yahoo finished inexplicably dragging its feet, it has come up with a scheme that is not likely to keep users’ communications away from prying eyes. The “new configuration leaves a lot to be desired,” Ivan Ristic, director of application security research at security firm Qualys, told Security Watch. Ristic and other observers are scratching their heads about Yahoo’s decision not to support Perfect Forward Secrecy, which ensures that communications are secured by randomly generated ephemeral public keys. “Without Forward Secrecy, even encrypted data is feasibly at risk from private key compromise,” Ristic warns.
In Other Cybercrime News
Photo: Getty ImagesA disturbing new report from CBS News reveals that nearly 100 percent of pregnant women in Iceland whose babies test positive for Down Syndrome wind up aborting their children.
“My understanding is that we have basically eradicated, almost, Down syndrome from our society—that there is hardly ever a child with Down syndrome in Iceland anymore,” said Kari Stefansson, a geneticist and the founder of deCODE Genetics, a company that has studied nearly the entire Icelandic population’s genomes.
Hulda Hjartardottir, the head of the Prenatal Diagnosis Unit at Landspitali University Hospital, where around 70 percent of Icelandic children are born, offered an eerie explanation of how a few Down syndrome babies slipped through the nets of prenatal screening and were born despite the best efforts to the contrary.
“Some of them were low risk in our screening test, so we didn’t find them in our screening,” she said.
Iceland is on pace to virtually eliminate Down syndrome through abortion. #CBSNOA learns more, tonight at 10pm ET/PT https://t.co/EB6BKgQFN3 pic.twitter.com/SOKU7oe6a3 — CBS News (@CBSNews) August 15, 2017
Prenatal screening tests were introduced in Iceland in the early 2000s, and by law, all expectant mothers must be informed about the availability of prenatal testing. While the tests do not actually detect Down syndrome in unborn babies, they do indicate the likelihood of chromosome abnormality, and almost all Icelandic women abort once they receive a positive outcome from the test.
Since Down syndrome cannot be cured or prevented, the only way to eradicate the condition is by eliminating any child that might have it before they are born.
“We don’t look at abortion as a murder,” said Helga Sol Olafsdottir, who counsels women who have a pregnancy with a chromosomal abnormality at Landspitali University Hospital. “We look at it as a thing that we ended.”
Olafsdottir tells women who are wrestling with the decision whether or not to abort their child or feelings of guilt after doing so: “This is your life — you have the right to choose how your life will look like.”
CBS reported that the abortion rates for babies suspected of having Down syndrome are high almost everywhere, though nowhere as high as Iceland. In the United States, about 67 percent of fetuses with Down syndrome are aborted; in France, it is around 77 percent; and in Denmark, a stunning 98 percent of Down children are killed before birth.
The handful of children born with Down syndrome in Iceland—an average of just one or two a year—are often the result of “inaccurate test results,” CBS reported.
One such case was that of Thordis Ingadottir, who took the screening test when she was pregnant with her third child at the age of 40. The results suggested that it was highly improbable that her child had Down syndrome (chances of 1 in 1,600), so she went ahead with the pregnancy.
Ingadottir’s daughter Agusta, who is now 7, was born in 2009 with Down syndrome. Despite the circumstances surrounding her pregnancy, since the birth of her daughter, Ingadottir has become an activist for the rights of people with Down syndrome.
I hope that Agusta “will be fully integrated on her own terms in this society. That’s my dream,” Ingadottir said. “Isn’t that the basic needs of life? What kind of society do you want to live in?”
Iceland’s 100 percent termination rate “reflects a relatively heavy-handed genetic counseling,” Kari Stefansson said. “And I don’t think that heavy-handed genetic counseling is desirable.”
“You’re having impact on decisions that are not medical, in a way,” he said.
Last year, a popular BBC documentary questioned the rationale behind a controversial new pregnancy screening program for the UK that indicates the presence of Down syndrome in unborn babies.
Titled “A World Without Down Syndrome?” the documentary was hosted by English actress Sally Philips, whose 11-year-old son, Olly, is a Down child.
“In the last ten years, the number of people terminating for Down syndrome has gone up by 40 percent,” Phillips noted. “Now nine out of ten British women terminate when they receive a positive diagnosis.”
The result is that only 40,000 people with Down syndrome are left in the UK.
“What’s so very dreadful to the world about Down syndrome?” Phillips asked, noting how her own life was improved by the birth of her son, despite what doctors had told her.
“I expected tragedy and got comedy,” Phillips said, adding that “a majority of people with a Down syndrome family member are really happy with their lot.”
According to the actress, the question comes down to: “What sort of world do we want to live in and who do we want in it?”
Follow Thomas D. Williams on Twitter Follow @tdwilliamsrome.DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings throughout the season showed the ability to roll four lines, mix and match parts with instant success and get scoring from many sources.
That potent offense -- only the Vancouver Canucks scored more goals during the regular season -- was missing in the first two games of the Western Conference semifinals against the San Jose Sharks.
The Red Wings have scored two goals, only one by a forward. That is why they are down 0-2 heading into Wednesday’s Game 3 at Joe Louis Arena.
Coach Mike Babcock shuffled his lines Tuesday in practice and appeared ready to make at least one lineup change. And he issued a challenge to his forwards.
"I want more out of our forwards," Babcock said. "I want us to spend more time in the offensive zone and sustain pressure. I think we can back-check harder and I think we can be harder on 50-50 pucks just all over.
"That’s a challenge to all our forwards, and it doesn’t matter who’s playing with who."
Detroit’s forwards must exert their will on the Sharks, be harder to play against, wear on the defense and apply more pressure on goaltender Antti Niemi. That is what San Jose’s forwards, with their ability to hang onto the puck and cycle, have done to the Red Wings and goalie Jimmy Howard, whose strong play has given his team a chance to win both games.
"We need more than one goal," Detroit forward Pavel Datsyuk said. "We need to make more traffic on (Niemi). They so far have had it easy playing against us. We need to shoot the puck more and make more traffic.
"We’re pushing, but we’re not finishing. We’re too casual. We need more shots going to the net."
Datsyuk has been terrific, controlling the puck like he usually does and setting up both goals. Every other forward can step up. With Johan Franzen, Danny Cleary, Todd Bertuzzi and Tomas Holmstrom, the Red Wings have enough bulky forwards with scoring ability who can make it harder on the Sharks.
"We’ve got to get some consistent pressure in the offensive zone, be good defensively," Cleary said. "Our focus is to get back to the way we’re capable of playing.
"You got to at least generate more offensive opportunities, which can lead to them taking a penalty or a momentum swing."
Babcock on Tuesday split up Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, who looked better in Game 2, his second game back after suffering a sprained knee on April 6. Zetterberg was practicing with Cleary and Bertuzzi. Datsyuk was flanked by Franzen and Holmstrom.
The Red Wings also need more physical play and energy from their third and fourth lines. Kris Draper, a healthy scratch the first two games, will make his series debut in Game 3.
"We’re not playing how we have to play," center Darren Helm said. "From top to bottom, we’re not doing a good enough job getting the puck deep, getting shots at net and being hard at the net. It’s hard scoring goals when you’re playing in you’re own zone the whole game.
"We’re just not playing as physical as we should be."
The Sharks, who went 3-0 on the road in the first round against the Los Angeles Kings, expect a huge push from the Red Wings.
"They’re going to try to play more in our end, get on our D quicker," forward Logan Couture said. "We’ve been able to break out pretty quickly on them."
The Sharks have won 10 of their past 12 games against the Red Wings, including six of seven in the playoffs.
"They seem to get up for us," Red Wings defenseman Brad Stuart said. "We need to use that as a bit of a wake-up call. Enough’s enough. The time is now."
Couture said his team isn’t in Detroit’s head.
"They’re a veteran team, they know how to win championships," Couture said. "It’s just the way it goes sometimes, where you kind of have a team’s number. But things can change so quickly in this game."BARABOO, Wis. (AP) -- The pachyderm was a startling sight for residents of one small Wisconsin neighborhood.
A full-grown elephant sauntered through Baraboo early Friday morning on a brief walk of freedom. The mammoth creature more suited for the 'big top' clashed with the quiet residential neighborhood.
Law enforcement officers quickly got in touch with the nearby Circus World Museum, home to the wandering pachyderm. A trainer arrived and led the elephant back to the circus complex.
Circus World spokesman Dave Saloutos says the elephant, named Kelly, was freed by her pachyderm partner, Isla, who used her trunk to disengage a restraint.
Saloutos says Kelly lumbered across the shallow Baraboo River and wandered into a neighboring backyard where she unlatched a gate and munched on some marigolds during her couple hours of freedom.Ben & Jerry’s is using its ice cream for social change yet again.
In an effort to promote the legalization of same-sex marriage in Australia, Ben & Jerry’s has banned its scoop shops there from selling same-flavor double scoops — saying “love comes in all flavors.”
“Imagine heading down to your local Scoop Shop to order your favorite two scoops of Cookie Dough in a waffle cone,” Ben & Jerry’s wrote in a statement last week. “But you find out you are not allowed – Ben & Jerry’s has banned two scoops of the same flavor.”
“But this doesn’t even begin to compare to how furious you would be if you were told you were not allowed to marry the person you love,” the company continued. “So we are banning two scoops of the same flavor and encouraging our fans to contact their MPs to tell them that the time has come – make marriage equality legal!”
The Vermont-based ice cream shop has 26 locations in Australia, and the company encouraged customers to stop in at one of the stores to write postcards to their members of Parliament in favor of same-sex marriage legalization.
About two-thirds of Australians support the legalization of same-sex marriage. Legislation to hold a plebiscite on same-sex marriage did not pass Parliament last year as more politicians supported a more conclusive vote on the issue. Like same-sex marriage advocates in Australia, Ben & Jerry’s came out against a plebiscite and in favor of a free vote.
“But after a 14-month debate, the Senate saw it for what it was – an expensive and unnecessary exercise that could endanger the LGBTQI community and wouldn’t even guarantee marriage equality,” Ben & Jerry’s said.
The final gathering of Parliament is June 13, Ben & Jerry’s notes in its statement.
Ben & Jerry’s is no stranger to politics. The ice-cream brand has consistently voiced support for a number of issues, including the legalization of same-sex marriage, efforts to combat climate change and advocating for the ethical treatment of animals.Eddie Jones has stated that captain Dylan Hartley is their first choice hooker despite the form of substitute number two Jamie George.
George has been in sensational form for club and country of late and his performance against Wales in England’s 21-16 victory has led to speculation whether George might start ahead of Hartley in upcoming fixtures.
Jones has vehemently denied that George will take the captain’s place and added that Hartley’s leadership had made a massive contribution to their impressive winning record.
“It’s great that people have different opinions, but if I listened to the opinions of different people then I wouldn’t be here,” Jones told reporters.
“It’s |
Nations High Commission on Refugees that was not necessary.
Jean-Nicolas Beuze, the UNHCR’s Canadian representative, said the agency is focused on providing for the immediate needs of Rohingya refugees, with an eventual return to their homes in Myanmar as the “best solution.”
Canada’s three-year immigration plan would see immigration rise by 40,000 to 340,000 people annually in 2020. That is below an increase to 450,000 by 2021 recommended by the advisory council, to offset an aging population and strains on the social safety net.Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi with sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at an election rally in Raebareli on Friday. (PTI Photo)
Priyanka Gandhi’s first election rally speech in 2017 was disappointing. Much like the speeches of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, it was more rhetoric, less substance. And even some lies. Not only this, it didn’t appear that Priyanka was very much interested in participating or addressing the rally. Her speech lacked the passion of a seasoned politician as she barely spoke for a few minutes, as if obliging the party. Two more things Priyanka conveyed with her speech were — a) She is not very much interested in politics. b) Even if she decides to join politics, she won’t be any better than her sibling and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi.
Prior to her speech in Rae Bareli today, there was much expectation. Congress workers, as well as sympathisers, hoped she would give a new direction to the Congress campaign. So far, Rahul Gandhi’s speeches in the state have failed to create any sort of wave, or even a ripple, in the state in favour of Congress. Had it not been for Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav’s popularity in the state, Congress would have been probably wiped out of the state even before the elections, unless, of course, it managed to bring paid crowd to its rallies. Reason: Rahul comes with a lot of baggage, of Congress’ own corrupt past during the 10-year of UPA government. When he launches personal comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his words end up as mere jokes, not political weapons to take down the charisma of the PM.
#WATCH: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says, “PM Modi claimed that UP has adopted him, but does UP need to adopt an outsider for development?” pic.twitter.com/ukoyPUPCWx — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 17, 2017
The Prime Minister has settled himself on a morally high position among masses in the battle of perceptions. Especially in states like Uttar Pradesh which has widespread poverty and constitutes mostly of “aam aadmis”, it doesn’t matter how low a politician stoop to attack the opponent. What matters is if he or she is seen in action or perceived to be the one who can act. PM Modi has an edge over the rest of his critiques in UP and Rahul certainly can never match him.
Read: UP Elections: With Priyanka Gandhi joining ‘UP ke Ladke’, will alliance’s youth plank pay off against old guard?
However, Priyanka Gandhi has been argued by many to be possessing the charisma of late PM Indira Gandhi. Many congress workers and sympathisers continue to believe that she can match and beat PM Modi in every aspect. After listening to her speech today, one can easily say that either she is a reluctant politician or overrated. During her speech, Priyanka did the same mistake which Rahul continues to do, and enjoys it as well — that is attacking PM Modi with personal remarks against him.
Commenting on Modi’s Thursday remark that he is the “adopted” son of Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka said that the state doesn’t need an “adopted son” for development. Probably she forgot that the same state offered 71 out of 80 seats to PM Modi in 2014. Priyanka’s second swipe was against the PM was on the latter’s frequent comments against atrocities against women in Uttar Pradesh. Priyanka said PM Modi committed the biggest atrocity against women by making them stand in queues for money after announcing demonetisation. Drawing parallels between rape/molestation of women with standing in queues for money after note ban is the most foolish thing a politician can do. One could have expected that from Rahul, but hearing such argument from Priyanka shows she is no better than her brother as a politician.
Congress’ biggest enemy is not PM Modi or the BJP. Its biggest enemy is its hypocrisy and tendency to take the voters for a ride. This is what you would also feel when you would find Rahul complaining against underdevelopment in Rae Bareli, which has been Congress’ home constituency for several decades, or Priyanka calling note ban bigger atrocity against women than rape. One hopes the grand old party makes a course correction or continue to stagnate the way it already is.(RTTNews) - Fitch downgraded Venezuela's credit rating to 'CC,' from 'CCC,' claiming that the risk of a default on the Venezuelan debt increased after the imposition of economic sanctions by the United States government.
"The sanctions prohibit U.S. persons or entities based in the U.S. from a series of financial transactions with the government and PDVSA, including any dealings in new debt as well as dealings in certain existing bonds owned by the Venezuelan public sector and dividend payments to the government of Venezuela," the agency noted.
Fitch affirmed that before the sanctions Venezuela already had a low external liquidity, with the international reserves and the foreign assets of the country corresponding to only 33% of the Venezuelan debt with maturity in a year or less. "U.S. sanctions should exacerbate that weakness in external liquidity," Fitch added.
The rating agency noted that the Venezuelan government has shown over the last few years willingness to pay debt interest even in the face of economic problems and political tension in the country, but that the current situation must put that resilience into a test.
"The sovereign faces nearly USD3.7 billion in external amortizations in 2018 (USD2 billion in bond amortizations). External financing needs for 2018 are expected to remain high in the context of a current account deficit and amortization needs," Fitch said.Google's Project Zero, announced last year as a way to bolster internet security, had Google engineers identifying "zero day" vulnerabilities in software and services — previously unknown security flaws that developers have had no time to patch or fix. When its engineers found such vulnerabilities, Google would originally give the developers a strict 90-day window to issue a fix, before making an exploit or security hole public. At the time of launch, the search giant believed the timeframe would give developers enough time to cook up a fix, but in the face of criticism, it's now extended that 90-day period.
If developers contact Google and indicate that a fix is being put together, but won't be ready in time for the 90-day window, then they can receive another 14-day grace period in which to put a patch out without the security hole being made public. Google has also agreed to move deadlines that fall on weekends or national holidays to the next concurrent working day, and has said in extreme circumstances, it will move deadlines forwards or backwards.
Microsoft criticized Google for outing a security flaw in Windows 8.1 two days before a patch
The change comes a month after Microsoft openly criticized Google for publishing information on a Windows 8.1 vulnerability two days before it was scheduled to be fixed. Microsoft said Google's approach was "less like principles and more like a 'gotcha,'" arguing that customers would suffer as a result. After making details of another security flaw in Windows 8.1 public before Microsoft could ready a fix in December last year, Google defended its 90-day period, telling Engadget that its disclosure deadlines were "currently the optimal approach for user security."
The slight tweaks to the policy now give developers slightly more time to complete their work, but Google is by no means the most demanding of all security research groups when it comes to zero day discoveries. Google says its 90-day policy is a "middle-of-the-road deadline timetable" in comparison with its industry peers. The Zero Day Initiative — a program that rewards researchers for spotting zero day vulnerabilities — offers a more lenient 120-day window in which developers can issue a fix, while Carnegie Mellon's CERT only gives developers 45 days before spilling the beans on security holes."CO2" redirects here. For other uses, see CO2 (disambiguation)
Carbon dioxide (chemical formula CO 2 ) is a colorless gas with a density about 60% higher than that of dry air. Carbon dioxide consists of a carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It occurs naturally in Earth's atmosphere as a trace gas. The current concentration is about 0.04% (410 ppm) by volume, having risen from pre-industrial levels of 280 ppm. Natural sources include volcanoes, hot springs and geysers, and it is freed from carbonate rocks by dissolution in water and acids. Because carbon dioxide is soluble in water, it occurs naturally in groundwater, rivers and lakes, ice caps, glaciers and seawater. It is present in deposits of petroleum and natural gas. Carbon dioxide is odorless at normally encountered concentrations. However, at high concentrations, it has a sharp and acidic odor.[1]
As the source of available carbon in the carbon cycle, atmospheric carbon dioxide is the primary carbon source for life on Earth and its concentration in Earth's pre-industrial atmosphere since late in the Precambrian has been regulated by photosynthetic organisms and geological phenomena. Plants, algae and cyanobacteria use light energy to photosynthesize carbohydrate from carbon dioxide and water, with oxygen produced as a waste product.[6]
CO 2 is produced by all aerobic organisms when they metabolize carbohydrates and lipids to produce energy by respiration.[7] It is returned to water via the gills of fish and to the air via the lungs of air-breathing land animals, including humans. Carbon dioxide is produced during the processes of decay of organic materials and the fermentation of sugars in bread, beer and wine making. It is produced by combustion of wood and other organic materials and fossil fuels such as coal, peat, petroleum and natural gas. It is an unwanted byproduct in many large scale oxidation processes, for example, in the production of acrylic acid (over 5 million tons/year).[8][9][10][11]
It is a versatile industrial material, used, for example, as an inert gas in welding and fire extinguishers, as a pressurizing gas in air guns and oil recovery, as a chemical feedstock and as a supercritical fluid solvent in decaffeination of coffee[12] and supercritical drying. It is added to drinking water and carbonated beverages including beer and sparkling wine to add effervescence. The frozen solid form of CO 2, known as dry ice is used as a refrigerant and as an abrasive in dry-ice blasting.
Carbon dioxide is the most significant long-lived greenhouse gas in Earth's atmosphere. Since the Industrial Revolution anthropogenic emissions – primarily from use of fossil fuels and deforestation – have rapidly increased its concentration in the atmosphere, leading to global warming. Carbon dioxide also causes ocean acidification because it dissolves in water to form carbonic acid.[13]
Background [ edit ]
Carbon dioxide was the first gas to be described as a discrete substance. In about 1640,[14] the Flemish chemist Jan Baptist van Helmont observed that when he burned charcoal in a closed vessel, the mass of the resulting ash was much less than that of the original charcoal. His interpretation was that the rest of the charcoal had been transmuted into an invisible substance he termed a "gas" or "wild spirit" (spiritus sylvestris).[15]
The properties of carbon dioxide were further studied in the 1750s by the Scottish physician Joseph Black. He found that limestone (calcium carbonate) could be heated or treated with acids to yield a gas he called "fixed air." He observed that the fixed air was denser than air and supported neither flame nor animal life. Black also found that when bubbled through limewater (a saturated aqueous solution of calcium hydroxide), it would precipitate calcium carbonate. He used this phenomenon to illustrate that carbon dioxide is produced by animal respiration and microbial fermentation. In 1772, English chemist Joseph Priestley published a paper entitled Impregnating Water with Fixed Air in which he described a process of dripping sulfuric acid (or oil of vitriol as Priestley knew it) on chalk in order to produce carbon dioxide, and forcing the gas to dissolve by agitating a bowl of water in contact with the gas.[16]
Carbon dioxide was first liquefied (at elevated pressures) in 1823 by Humphry Davy and Michael Faraday.[17] The earliest description of solid carbon dioxide was given by Adrien-Jean-Pierre Thilorier, who in 1835 opened a pressurized container of liquid carbon dioxide, only to find that the cooling produced by the rapid evaporation of the liquid yielded a "snow" of solid CO 2.[18][19]
Chemical and physical properties [ edit ]
2 carbon dioxide molecule. Upper left: symmetric stretching. Upper right: antisymmetric stretching. Lower line: degenerate pair of bending modes. Stretching and bending oscillations of the COcarbon dioxide molecule. Upper left: symmetric stretching. Upper right: antisymmetric stretching. Lower line: degenerate pair of bending modes.
Structure and bonding [ edit ]
The carbon dioxide molecule is linear and centrosymmetric. The carbon–oxygen bond length is 116.3 pm, noticeably shorter than the bond length of a C–O single bond and even shorter than most other C–O multiply-bonded functional groups.[20] Since it is centrosymmetric, the molecule has no electrical dipole. Consequently, only two vibrational bands are observed in the IR spectrum – an antisymmetric stretching mode at 2349 cm−1 and a degenerate pair of bending modes at 667 cm−1. There is also a symmetric stretching mode at 1388 cm−1 which is only observed in the Raman spectrum.[21]
In aqueous solution [ edit ]
Carbon dioxide is soluble in water, in which it reversibly forms H
2 CO
3 (carbonic acid), which is a weak acid since its ionization in water is incomplete.
CO
2 + H
2 O ⇌ H
2 CO
3
The hydration equilibrium constant of carbonic acid is K h = [ H 2 C O 3 ] [ C O 2 ( a q ) ] = 1.70 × 10 − 3 {\displaystyle K_{\mathrm {h} }={\frac {\rm {[H_{2}CO_{3}]}}{\rm {[CO_{2}(aq)]}}}=1.70\times 10^{-3}} (at 25 °C). Hence, the majority of the carbon dioxide is not converted into carbonic acid, but remains as CO 2 molecules, not affecting the pH.
The relative concentrations of CO
2, H
2 CO
3, and the deprotonated forms HCO−
3 (bicarbonate) and CO2−
3 (carbonate) depend on the pH. As shown in a Bjerrum plot, in neutral or slightly alkaline water (pH > 6.5), the bicarbonate form predominates (>50%) becoming the most prevalent (>95%) at the pH of seawater. In very alkaline water (pH > 10.4), the predominant (>50%) form is carbonate. The oceans, being mildly alkaline with typical pH = 8.2–8.5, contain about 120 mg of bicarbonate per liter.
Being diprotic, carbonic acid has two acid dissociation constants, the first one for the dissociation into the bicarbonate (also called hydrogen carbonate) ion (HCO 3 −):
H 2 CO 3 ⇌ HCO 3 − + H+ K a1 = 6999250000000000000♠ 2.5 × 10−4 mol/L ; pK a1 = 3.6 at 25 °C.[20]
This is the true first acid dissociation constant, defined as K a 1 = [ H C O 3 − ] [ H + ] [ H 2 C O 3 ] {\displaystyle K_{a1}={\frac {\rm {[HCO_{3}^{-}][H^{+}]}}{\rm {[H_{2}CO_{3}]}}}}, where the denominator includes only covalently bound H 2 CO 3 and does not include hydrated CO 2 (aq). The much smaller and often-quoted value near 6993416000000000000♠4.16×10−7 is an apparent value calculated on the (incorrect) assumption that all dissolved CO 2 is present as carbonic acid, so that K a 1 ( a p p a r e n t ) = [ H C O 3 − ] [ H + ] [ H 2 C O 3 ] + [ C O 2 ( a q ) ] {\displaystyle K_{\mathrm {a1} }{\rm {(apparent)}}={\frac {\rm {[HCO_{3}^{-}][H^{+}]}}{\rm {[H_{2}CO_{3}]+[CO_{2}(aq)]}}}}. Since most of the dissolved CO 2 remains as CO 2 molecules, K a1 (apparent) has a much larger denominator and a much smaller value than the true K a1.[22]
The bicarbonate ion is an amphoteric species that can act as an acid or as a base, depending on pH of the solution. At high pH, it dissociates significantly into the carbonate ion (CO 3 2−):
HCO 3 − ⇌ CO 3 2− + H+ K a2 = 6992469000000000000♠ 4.69 × 10−11 mol/L ; pK a2 = 10.329
In organisms carbonic acid production is catalysed by the enzyme, carbonic anhydrase.
Chemical reactions of CO 2 [ edit ]
CO 2 is a weak electrophile. Its reaction with basic water illustrates this property, in which case hydroxide is the nucleophile. Other nucleophiles react as well. For example, carbanions as provided by Grignard reagents and organolithium compounds react with CO 2 to give carboxylates:
MR + CO 2 → RCO 2 M where M = Li or Mg Br and R = alkyl or aryl.
In metal carbon dioxide complexes, CO 2 serves as a ligand, which can facilitate the conversion of CO 2 to other chemicals.[23]
The reduction of CO 2 to CO is ordinarily a difficult and slow reaction:
CO 2 + 2 e− + 2H+ → CO + H 2 O
Photoautotrophs (i.e. plants and cyanobacteria) use the energy contained in sunlight to photosynthesize simple sugars from CO 2 absorbed from the air and water:
n CO 2 + n H
2 O → (CH
2 O)
n + n O
2
The redox potential for this reaction near pH 7 is about −0.53 V versus the standard hydrogen electrode. The nickel-containing enzyme carbon monoxide dehydrogenase catalyses this process.[24]
Physical properties [ edit ]
Pellets of "dry ice", a common form of solid carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is colorless. At low concentrations the gas is odorless; however, at sufficiently-high concentrations, it has a sharp, acidic odor.[1] At standard temperature and pressure, the density of carbon dioxide is around 1.98 kg/m3, about 1.67 times that of air.
Carbon dioxide has no liquid state at pressures below 5.1 standard atmospheres (520 kPa). At 1 atmosphere (near mean sea level pressure), the gas deposits directly to a solid at temperatures below −78.5 °C (−109.3 °F; 194.7 K) and the solid sublimes directly to a gas above −78.5 °C. In its solid state, carbon dioxide is commonly called dry ice.
Liquid carbon dioxide forms only at pressures above 5.1 atm; the triple point of carbon dioxide is about 5.1 bar (517 kPa) at 217 K (see phase diagram). The critical point is 7.38 MPa at 31.1 °C.[25][26] Another form of solid carbon dioxide observed at high pressure is an amorphous glass-like solid.[27] This form of glass, called carbonia, is produced by supercooling heated CO 2 at extreme pressure (40–48 GPa or about 400,000 atmospheres) in a diamond anvil. This discovery confirmed the theory that carbon dioxide could exist in a glass state similar to other members of its elemental family, like silicon (silica glass) and germanium dioxide. Unlike silica and germania glasses, however, carbonia glass is not stable at normal pressures and reverts to gas when pressure is released.
At temperatures and pressures above the critical point, carbon dioxide behaves as a supercritical fluid known as supercritical carbon dioxide. In this state it is starting (as of 2018) to be used for power generation.
Isolation and production [ edit ]
Carbon dioxide can be obtained by distillation from air, but the method is inefficient. Industrially, carbon dioxide is predominantly an unrecovered waste product, produced by several methods which may be practiced at various scales.[28]
The combustion of all carbon-based fuels, such as methane (natural gas), petroleum distillates (gasoline, diesel, kerosene, propane), coal, wood and generic organic matter produces carbon dioxide and, except in the case of pure carbon, water. As an example, the chemical reaction between methane and oxygen:
CH
4 + 2 O
2 → CO
2 + 2 H
2 O
It is produced by thermal decomposition of limestone, CaCO
3 by heating (calcining) at about 850 °C (1,560 °F), in the manufacture of quicklime (calcium oxide, CaO), a compound that has many industrial uses:
CaCO
3 → CaO + CO
2
Iron is reduced from its oxides with coke in a blast furnace, producing pig iron and carbon dioxide:[29]
Carbon dioxide is a byproduct of the industrial production of hydrogen by steam reforming and the water gas shift reaction in ammonia production. These processes begin with the reaction of water and natural gas (mainly methane).[30] This is a major source of food-grade carbon dioxide for use in carbonation of beer and soft drinks, and is also used for stunning animals such as poultry. In the summer of 2018 a shortage of carbon dioxide for these purposes arose in Europe due to the temporary shut-down of several ammonia plants for maintenance.[31]
Acids liberate CO 2 from most metal carbonates. Consequently, it may be obtained directly from natural carbon dioxide springs, where it is produced by the action of acidified water on limestone or dolomite. The reaction between hydrochloric acid and calcium carbonate (limestone or chalk) is shown below:
CaCO
3 + 2 HCl → CaCl
2 + H
2 CO
3
The carbonic acid (H
2 CO
3 ) then decomposes to water and CO 2 :
H
2 CO
3 → CO
2 + H
2 O
Such reactions are accompanied by foaming or bubbling, or both, as the gas is released. They have widespread uses in industry because they can be used to neutralize waste acid streams.
Carbon dioxide is a by-product of the fermentation of sugar in the brewing of beer, whisky and other alcoholic beverages and in the production of bioethanol. Yeast metabolizes sugar to produce CO 2 and ethanol, also known as alcohol, as follows:
C
6 H
12 O
6 → 2 CO
2 + 2 C
2 H
5 OH
All aerobic organisms produce CO 2 when they oxidize carbohydrates, fatty acids, and proteins. The large number of reactions involved are exceedingly complex and not described easily. Refer to (cellular respiration, anaerobic respiration and photosynthesis). The equation for the respiration of glucose and other monosaccharides is:
C
6 H
12 O
6 + 6 O
2 → 6 CO
2 + 6 H
2 O
Anaerobic organisms decompose organic material producing methane and carbon dioxide together with traces of other compounds.[32] Regardless of the type of organic material, the production of gases follows well defined kinetic pattern. Carbon dioxide comprises about 40–45% of the gas that emanates from decomposition in landfills (termed "landfill gas"). Most of the remaining 50–55% is methane.[33]
Applications [ edit ]
Carbon dioxide is used by the food industry, the oil industry, and the chemical industry.[28] The compound has varied commercial uses but one of its greatest use as a chemical is in the production of carbonated beverages; it provides the sparkle in carbonated beverages such as soda water, beer and sparkling wine.
Precursor to chemicals [ edit ]
In the chemical industry, carbon dioxide is mainly consumed as an ingredient in the production of urea, with a smaller fraction being used to produce methanol and a range of other products,[34] such as metal carbonates and bicarbonates.[citation needed] Some carboxylic acid derivatives such as sodium salicylate are prepared using CO 2 by the Kolbe-Schmitt reaction.[35]
In addition to conventional processes using CO 2 for chemical production, electrochemical methods are also being explored at a research level. In particular, the use of renewable energy for production of fuels from CO 2 (such as methanol) is attractive as this could result in fuels that could be easily transported and used within conventional combustion technologies but have no net CO 2 emissions.[36]
Foods [ edit ]
Carbon dioxide bubbles in a soft drink.
Carbon dioxide is a food additive used as a propellant and acidity regulator in the food industry. It is approved for usage in the EU[37] (listed as E number E290), US[38] and Australia and New Zealand[39] (listed by its INS number 290).
A candy called Pop Rocks is pressurized with carbon dioxide gas[40] at about 4 x 106 Pa (40 bar, 580 psi). When placed in the mouth, it dissolves (just like other hard candy) and releases the gas bubbles with an audible pop.
Leavening agents cause dough to rise by producing carbon dioxide.[41] Baker's yeast produces carbon dioxide by fermentation of sugars within the dough, while chemical leaveners such as baking powder and baking soda release carbon dioxide when heated or if exposed to acids.
Beverages [ edit ]
Carbon dioxide is used to produce carbonated soft drinks and soda water. Traditionally, the carbonation of beer and sparkling wine came about through natural fermentation, but many manufacturers carbonate these drinks with carbon dioxide recovered from the fermentation process. In the case of bottled and kegged beer, the most common method used is carbonation with recycled carbon dioxide. With the exception of British Real Ale, draught beer is usually transferred from kegs in a cold room or cellar to dispensing taps on the bar using pressurized carbon dioxide, sometimes mixed with nitrogen.
Wine making [ edit ]
Dry ice used to preserve grapes after harvest.
Carbon dioxide in the form of dry ice is often used during the cold soak phase in wine making to cool clusters of grapes quickly after picking to help prevent spontaneous fermentation by wild yeast. The main advantage of using dry ice over water ice is that it cools the grapes without adding any additional water that might decrease the sugar concentration in the grape must, and thus the alcohol concentration in the finished wine. Carbon dioxide is also used to create a hypoxic environment for carbonic maceration, the process used to produce Beaujolais wine.
Carbon dioxide is sometimes used to top up wine bottles or other storage vessels such as barrels to prevent oxidation, though it has the problem that it can dissolve into the wine, making a previously still wine slightly fizzy. For this reason, other gases such as nitrogen or argon are preferred for this process by professional wine makers.
Stunning animals [ edit ]
Carbon dioxide is often used to "stun" animals before slaughter.[42] "Stunning" may be a misnomer, as the animals are not knocked out immediately and may suffer distress.[43][44]
Inert gas [ edit ]
It is one of the most commonly used compressed gases for pneumatic (pressurized gas) systems in portable pressure tools. Carbon dioxide is also used as an atmosphere for welding, although in the welding arc, it reacts to oxidize most metals. Use in the automotive industry is common despite significant evidence that welds made in carbon dioxide are more brittle than those made in more inert atmospheres. It is used as a welding gas primarily because it is much less expensive than more inert gases such as argon or helium.[citation needed] When used for MIG welding, CO 2 use is sometimes referred to as MAG welding, for Metal Active Gas, as CO 2 can react at these high temperatures. It tends to produce a hotter puddle than truly inert atmospheres, improving the flow characteristics. Although, this may be due to atmospheric reactions occurring at the puddle site. This is usually the opposite of the desired effect when welding, as it tends to embrittle the site, but may not be a problem for general mild steel welding, where ultimate ductility is not a major concern.
It is used in many consumer products that require pressurized gas because it is inexpensive and nonflammable, and because it undergoes a phase transition from gas to liquid at room temperature at an attainable pressure of approximately 60 bar (870 psi, 59 atm), allowing far more carbon dioxide to fit in a given container than otherwise would. Life jackets often contain canisters of pressured carbon dioxide for quick inflation. Aluminium capsules of CO 2 are also sold as supplies of compressed gas for air guns, paintball markers/guns, inflating bicycle tires, and for making carbonated water. Rapid vaporization of liquid carbon dioxide is used for blasting in coal mines.[citation needed] High concentrations of carbon dioxide can also be used to kill pests. Liquid carbon dioxide is used in supercritical drying of some food products and technological materials, in the preparation of specimens for scanning electron microscopy[citation needed] and in the decaffeination of coffee beans.
Fire extinguisher [ edit ]
2 fire extinguisher. Use of a COfire extinguisher.
Carbon dioxide can be used to extinguish flames by flooding the environment around the flame with the gas. It does not itself react to extinguish the flame, but starves the flame of oxygen by displacing it. Some fire extinguishers, especially those designed for electrical fires, contain liquid carbon dioxide under pressure. Carbon dioxide extinguishers work well on small flammable liquid and electrical fires, but not on ordinary combustible fires, because although it excludes oxygen, it does not cool the burning substances significantly and when the carbon dioxide disperses they are free to catch fire upon exposure to atmospheric oxygen. Their desirability in electrical fire stems from the fact that, unlike water or other chemical based methods, Carbon dioxide will not cause short circuits, leading to even more damage to equipment. Because it is a gas, it is also easy to dispense large amounts of the gas automatically in IT infrastructure rooms, where the fire itself might be hard to reach with more immediate methods because it is behind rack doors and inside of cases. Carbon dioxide has also been widely used as an extinguishing agent in fixed fire protection systems for local application of specific hazards and total flooding of a protected space.[45] International Maritime Organization standards also recognize carbon dioxide systems for fire protection of ship holds and engine rooms. Carbon dioxide based fire protection systems have been linked to several deaths, because it can cause suffocation in sufficiently high concentrations. A review of CO 2 systems identified 51 incidents between 1975 and the date of the report (2000), causing 72 deaths and 145 injuries.[46]
Supercritical CO 2 as solvent [ edit ]
Liquid carbon dioxide is a good solvent for many lipophilic organic compounds and is used to remove caffeine from coffee. Carbon dioxide has attracted attention in the pharmaceutical and other chemical processing industries as a less toxic alternative to more traditional solvents such as organochlorides. It is used by some dry cleaners for this reason (see green chemistry). It is used in the preparation of some aerogels because of the properties of supercritical carbon dioxide.
Agricultural and biological applications [ edit ]
Plants require carbon dioxide to conduct photosynthesis. The atmospheres of greenhouses may (if of large size, must) be enriched with additional CO 2 to sustain and increase the rate of plant growth.[47][48] At very high concentrations (100 times atmospheric concentration, or greater), carbon dioxide can be toxic to animal life, so raising the concentration to 10,000 ppm (1%) or higher for several hours will eliminate pests such as whiteflies and spider mites in a greenhouse.[49]
It has been proposed that CO 2 from power generation be bubbled into ponds to stimulate growth of algae that could then be converted into biodiesel fuel.[50]
Medical and pharmacological uses [ edit ]
In medicine, up to 5% carbon dioxide (130 times atmospheric concentration) is added to oxygen for stimulation of breathing after apnea and to stabilize the O
2 /CO
2 balance in blood.
Carbon dioxide can be mixed with up to 50% oxygen, forming an inhalable gas; this is known as Carbogen and has a variety of medical and research uses.
Oil recovery [ edit ]
Carbon dioxide is used in enhanced oil recovery where it is injected into or adjacent to producing oil wells, usually under supercritical conditions, when it becomes miscible with the oil. This approach can increase original oil recovery by reducing residual oil saturation by between 7% to 23% additional to primary extraction.[51] It acts as both a pressurizing agent and, when dissolved into the underground crude oil, significantly reduces its viscosity, and changing surface chemistry enabling the oil to flow more rapidly through the reservoir to the removal well.[52] In mature oil fields, extensive pipe networks are used to carry the carbon dioxide to the injection points.
Bio transformation into fuel [ edit ]
A strain of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus has been genetically engineered to produce the fuels isobutyraldehyde and isobutanol from CO 2 using photosynthesis.[53]
Refrigerant [ edit ]
Comparison of phase diagrams of carbon dioxide (red) and water (blue) as a log-lin chart with phase transitions points at 1 atmosphere
Liquid and solid carbon dioxide are important refrigerants, especially in the food industry, where they are employed during the transportation and storage of ice cream and other frozen foods. Solid carbon dioxide is called "dry ice" and is used for small shipments where refrigeration equipment is not practical. Solid carbon dioxide is always below −78.5 °C at regular atmospheric pressure, regardless of the air temperature.
Liquid carbon dioxide (industry nomenclature R744 or R-744) was used as a refrigerant prior to the discovery of R-12 and may enjoy a renaissance due to the fact that R134a contributes to climate change more than CO 2 does. Its physical properties are highly favorable for cooling, refrigeration, and heating purposes, having a high volumetric cooling capacity. Due to the need to operate at pressures of up to 130 bar (1880 psi), CO 2 systems require highly resistant components that have already been developed for mass production in many sectors. In automobile air conditioning, in more than 90% of all driving conditions for latitudes higher than 50°, R744 operates more efficiently than systems using R134a. Its environmental advantages (GWP of 1, non-ozone depleting, non-toxic, non-flammable) could make it the future working fluid to replace current HFCs in cars, supermarkets, and heat pump water heaters, among others. Coca-Cola has fielded CO 2 -based beverage coolers and the U.S. Army is interested in CO 2 refrigeration and heating technology.[54][55]
The global automobile industry is expected to decide on the next-generation refrigerant in car air conditioning. CO 2 is one discussed option.(see Sustainable automotive air conditioning)
Coal bed methane recovery [ edit ]
In enhanced coal bed methane recovery, carbon dioxide would be pumped into the coal seam to displace methane, as opposed to current methods which primarily rely on the removal of water (to reduce pressure) to make the coal seam release its trapped methane.[56]
Minor uses [ edit ]
Carbon dioxide is the lasing medium in a carbon dioxide laser, which is one of the earliest type of lasers.
Carbon dioxide can be used as a means of controlling the pH of swimming pools,[57] by continuously adding gas to the water, thus keeping the pH from rising. Among the advantages of this is the avoidance of handling (more hazardous) acids. Similarly, it is also used in the maintaining reef aquaria, where it is commonly used in calcium reactors to temporarily lower the pH of water being passed over calcium carbonate in order to allow the calcium carbonate to dissolve into the water more freely where it is used by some corals to build their skeleton.
Used as the primary coolant in the British advanced gas-cooled reactor for nuclear power generation.
Carbon dioxide induction is commonly used for the euthanasia of laboratory research animals. Methods to administer CO 2 include placing animals directly into a closed, prefilled chamber containing CO 2, or exposure to a gradually increasing concentration of CO 2. In 2013, the American Veterinary Medical Association issued new guidelines for carbon dioxide induction, stating that a displacement rate of 10% to 30% of the gas chamber volume per minute is optimal for the humane euthanization of small rodents.[58] However, there is opposition to the practice of using carbon dioxide for this, on the grounds that it is cruel.[44]
Carbon dioxide is also used in several related cleaning and surface preparation techniques.
In Earth's atmosphere [ edit ]
Carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere is a trace gas, currently (mid 2018) having a global average concentration of 409 parts per million by volume[59][60][61] (or 622 parts per million by mass). Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide fluctuate slightly with the seasons, falling during the Northern Hemisphere spring and summer as plants consume the gas and rising during northern autumn and winter as plants go dormant or die and decay. Concentrations also vary on a regional basis, most strongly near the ground with much smaller variations aloft. In urban areas concentrations are generally higher[62] and indoors they can reach 10 times background levels.
2 : In the 1960s, the average annual increase was 37% of the 2000–2007 average |
quick education on the new Gears of War developer.
Microsoft Game Studios Vancouver is better known as Black Tusk. For a first-party, AAA game developer, it's fairly unknown... for now. The new Gears of War studio is about to become a household name. The team's debut game, a still untitled sci-fi action game, was revealed in an E3 2013 teaser trailer. That game's future remains uncertain in the wake of Microsoft's acquisition of the Gears of War IP.
The unknown studio holds the future of Microsoft's second most recognizable shooter series (next to Halo, of course) in its hands. But who is Black Tusk?
Exit Theatre Mode
Black Tusk occupies two floors of a brick building in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia. It opened in 2010 as Microsoft Game Studios Vancouver, and received its new moniker in 2012, around the time its Project Columbia was canceled. Its staff is, for the most part, industry veterans with an average of 12 years experience. At the top is studio manager Rod Fergusson and general manager Hanno Lemke.
Fergusson spent a decade at Microsoft before working in various production roles to get Gears of War off the ground at Epic Games. He spent some time at Irrational Games finishing up BioShock Infinite, and a hot minute at a new 2K Games studio that may or may not be working on Mafia III.
Lemke, meanwhile, has been in charge of Microsoft's bigger properties' business -- Forza, Fable, Ryse, and more -- for a few years. He was also the general manager of EA's Black Box during its Need for Speed and Skate era.
The development team itself has a rich history of excellent games. The combined resume of Black Tusk's team includes Splinter Cell: Conviction, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, Crysis 2, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, God of War III, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, The Saboteur, and more.
Black Tusk also recruited plenty of ex-employees of other Vancouver studios, including the shuttered Propaganda Games, Slant Six, and Black Box.
Exit Theatre Mode
While Black Tusk doesn't have many household names among its ranks, the history is impressive and reassuring. Microsoft's Phil Spencer claimed the new IP -- the game we saw in Black Tusk's teaser trailer -- isn't shelved, merely that it was a "concept." The plan was to make "the next Halo," in terms of AAA, first-party importance.
Time will tell if Black Tusk will still get that opportunity.
For more on Black Tusk's future, including its Gears of War game, stay tuned to IGN.
Mitch Dyer is an associate editor at IGN. He's trying to read 50 books in 2014. These are the 50. Talk to Mitch about books and other stuff on Twitter at @MitchyD.Ni-Oh announcement might happen this year
"It takes time to rebuild a game system."
Remember Ni-Oh? It was a PlayStation 3 game Koei Tecmo announced in 2005. It never came out, but was eventually handed off to Team Ninja. It was still “very much in development” as of November 2014. It’s probably not a PlayStation 3 game anymore. But whatever it is now, we might hear about it at some point this year.
“We’ve been working for many years on a game called Ni-Oh,” said Koei Tecmo founder Kou Shibusawa on the latest episode of TVK Yokohama’s Kanagawa Business Up to Date. “It takes time to rebuild a game system, but we’re working to create a new action game. I’ll probably be able to announce details about it sometime this year.”
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Wayne Rooney has been pictured without his knee brace for the first time since sustaining an injury in the 2-1 defeat to Sunderland last month.
The United striker has missed the last six games with knee ligament damage, leaving manager Louis van Gaal short of striking options.
But having recently returned from a warm-weather break in Dubai with his wife Colleen, he was spotted in Manchester this weekend free from his protective brace and it looks increasingly likely he could return to action by the end of March.
Rooney was injured during the game at the Stadium of Light but continued and played the full 90 minutes - something Van Gaal admitted afterwards may have exacerbated the problem.
"That’s also typical Wayne," said the Dutchman. "He’s a guy who wants to go until the end and if he’s feeling a pain and he doesn’t want to go off.
"And certainly when you are in a drawn match he wants to win. That’s a fantastic attitude but sometimes it’s also bad for his body.
"You cannot say (he made it worse) because he didn’t know when it happened. That’s the difficulty."
It's good news for both United and England. The Old Trafford side are currently embroiled in a battle to qualify for the Champions League, while England's preparations for this summers European Championships are continuing with games against Germany and Holland scheduled for the end of the month.
United suffered their first defeat in five on Sunday when they were beaten by West Brom – with Van Gaal relying on teenager Marcus Rashford to lead the line.
Rooney's return will alleviate some of the strain of United's debilitating injury list.
Watch Van Gaal's reaction to Mata's red cardIn March 2015, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission announced bold new regulations that change the way Canadians select, consume and pay for cable television. Starting this year, providers have to begin offering unbundled, pick-and-pay television packages — dubbed “skinny” basic — costing no more than $25 a month. These packages would have to include a certain number of mandatory Canadian channels, though the consumer would have the option of tacking on additional channels à la carte, or as part of small, pre-packaged bundles chosen by the provider. “Today’s decision is not about making choices for Canadians,” CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais said at the time. “We are forcing the industry to finally face that the world is changing.”
The industry complied, as required, releasing its mandated skinny basic packages by the March 1 deadline. And the packages were, as promised, priced at $25. But as anyone who has ever paid a mobile, Internet or cable bill could have predicted, the basic packages aren’t all that “skinny” when you add the cost of all the additional fees.
Each à la carte channel is priced at a minimum of $3 a month and as much as $18 a month for premium bundles. Then there’s the cost of renting the cable box receiver, which is priced anywhere from $5 to $15 a month, depending on the provider and whether the customer opts for high definition. Next there’s the installation fee. Plus tax. By the time the final bill is tallied, $25 looks like an adorable CRTC-conceived daydream.
For most people who already subscribe to Internet or mobile phone services, and therefore have the option of bundling services for added discounts, these new cable packages offer little, if any, advantage in terms of savings. For those who are not already customers, yet still reserve hope for a truly affordable cable package, well, best of luck to them if they plan to subscribe to multiple sports channels and expect to keep their monthly cost significantly below $100. Indeed, the “skinny” on these skinny packages is essentially that no one will want them — and that, paradoxically, is exactly what the cable providers want.
It’s difficult to fault commercial enterprises for behaving like commercial enterprises: the CRTC gave cable-TV providers defined instructions, and the companies are working within and around them to ensure they can still turn healthy profits while obeying the rules. They were unlikely to see much gain by offering comprehensive $25 cable packages, so they made “skinny basic” cable as undesirable as possible. It’s remarkable that CRTC bureaucrats couldn’t see that coming.
It speaks to the futility with which Canada’s broadcast regulator attempts to keep up with changes in consumer technology: as more and more Canadian consumers cut the cord and switch to online streaming television services such as Netflix, the CRTC is attempting, futilely, to make cable TV slightly more accessible. The problem is, it is operating two steps behind: those who have cancelled their cable are unlikely to hook it back up again — especially not to pay nearly as much for fewer channels they still don’t want. Also, young Canadians who have never paid for cable to begin with won’t want to pay four times the cost of a monthly Netflix subscription for local TV news and the legislative channels. For many cable-TV subscribers, live sports is the only carrot still offered by their cable boxes. When that goes online, swathes of once-cable-subscribers likely will, too.
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The CRTC seems oblivious to these changes. Ushering in a new “era of choice for Canadian television viewers,” Blais hailed the skinny basic packages as an opportunity for them to “choose services according to their needs, their realities and their budgets.” Which is all true. Except they are unlikely to find their needs and realities satisfied by stripped-down packages of unpopular channels. It’s more likely they’ll just end up turning off the TV.
National Post
Robyn Urback • [email protected] | robynurbackby David Beer
Walter Benjamin’s Archive,
Edited by Ursula Marx, Gudran Schwarz, Michael Schwarz, Erdmut Wizisla. Translated by Esther Leslie,
Verso, 311pp.
Walter Benjamin’s Archive, which has just been published in paperback to mark the 75th anniversary of his untimely death, has left me thinking that Benjamin might just have been a blogger in the making. The way that he organised and archived his work suggests that he would have embraced the classification, archiving and tagging facilities typical of blogging – he seemed to have a certain enthusiasm for metadata on his own works. We can then add to this his eagerness to share his work and his interest in capturing the everyday fragments and ephemera of modernity. And then we also have his non-linear approach to thought and expression.
I arrived at this conclusion whilst delving into this book’s revelations about the backstage processes that fed into Benjamin’s outputs. The unfinished book The Arcades Project has always given a flavour of these working practices, with its accumulating constellations of ephemera and ideas, but the guided and curated tour of the archives provided by this book show us his craft much greater detail. Seeing inside his working practices shows us the type of processes that he went through – from the type of paper, the size of the writing, the use of notepads, the collating of images, the classificatory overviews, the realisation of connections and patterns. These are all put on display in this book. We see, for instance, as his life became increasingly peripatetic, how Benjamin used whatever paper he could lay his hands on. We have Benjamin writing on hotel paper and prescription pads alongside more professional bound and durable notepads. The very paper became tellingly valuable. Benjamin’s scraps were far from scrappy though, they were full of thoughts on the world, serious thoughts from anything on the built environment to Kafka. We see how he used up every tiny bit of his precious notebooks with ordered yet kaleidoscopic ideas, that he liked to re-arrange and to cross-cut his thoughts, to find new connections and enable the pieces to fall into new and perhaps neglected, or otherwise invisible patterns.
As the editors of the collection have put it, “knowledge that is organized into slips and scraps knows no hierarchy”. Removing such a hierarchy opens up new possibilities for thought to escape convention. Benjamin’s work and working practices display the type of poles of order and disorder that he himself wrote about when describing the life of the collector. His practices enabled him to maintain some sense of organization whilst also allowing the pieces to fall together in unpredictable ways, revealing new connections and thus subverting existing and established patterns of knowledge. We particularly see this non-linear way of working embodied in the diagrams and scattered notes that can be found in Chapter 9, which is headed ‘constellations’. This set of images shows Benjamin’s notes subverting the usual ordered lines of parallel writing and substituting them with displaced and apparently disordered words, phrases and sentences.
As this suggests, his sociological interest in collecting is reflected back onto his own work. We see how he meticulously assembled and catalogued his own writings. Producing tags that enabled him to cross reference materials. This also enabled him to disperse his writings amongst his friends for safe-keeping, which was of course motivated by the obvious risks that his life and his written ideas faced in Europe during the 1930s. He wanted his work to be retrievable, and for the whole to be understood despite the archive being broken up into component parts for distribution.
Beyond the insights into Benjamin’s craft and thinking offered by this book, there is also a more aesthetic dimension that is opened up here. By seeing Benjamin’s changing handwriting, his marginalia, the pictures he thought were interesting or useful, the dog eared and flaking notebooks, we get a more visual and sensory account of the materiality of his life. Indeed, in probably his most famous essay, Benjamin wrote of the concept of aura and of how mass reproduction depletes the special and unique auratic properties of the original. I’m sure that reading this book is not the same auratic experience as holding the actual residues of his life within the archive, but there is something of the aura preserved in these facsimiles. It is particularly striking that there is a handwritten note about the concept of aura to be found in Figure 2.7 in the book. His, note, tellingly, is on a sheet of paper imprinted with an advert for ‘Acqua S.Pellegrino’ replete with an image of a bottle. Here the idea of the aura of objects is elaborated in a way that exemplifies the point that Benjamin was himself exploring.
This book then is as much an aesthetic experience and visual illumination of Walter Benjamin’s craft as it is a detailed excavation of his ideas. In opening chapter 8, which focuses very specifically on technique and practice in idea formation, the editors include this quote from Benjamin’s piece One-Way Street: ‘Working on good prose has three steps: a musical phase when it is composed, an architectonic one when it is built, and a textile one when it is woven’. Here Benjamin reflects on the processes of realising ideas. From composing, to building, to weaving. This reveals Benjamin’s interest in craft – and even draws upon craft based metaphors to think through the processes he was engaging in, giving them the feeling of being hands-on and material. What we have in this book are a set of insights into this tripartite craft. In these images and translations we see Benjamin composing his thoughts, moving the bricks around into the most stable structure and, finally, we see him connecting the disparate parts together in the warp and weft of the final textile. It was his archival approach to his work and his acceptance of the need to maintain some flexibility of disorder within the careful categorical order of his writings that enabled this craft to emerge and succeed. This book shines a light upon Benjamin the composer, the architect/builder and the weaver. I expect that today his notepads would have kept their tactile importance for him, but I also wonder if he was a blogger waiting for media to catch up with him.
Archive images via
About the Author:
David Beer is Reader in Sociology at the University of York. His publications include Punk Sociology, Popular Culture and New Media: The Politics of Circulation and New Media: The Key Concepts (with Nicholas Gane). He has just finished a book called Metric Power which will hopefully be published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2016. You can find him on Twitter @davidgbeer.PRS Guitars Brings Back A Classic With Unveiling of CE 24 Bolt-On January 6, 2016
Since the dawn of rock and roll, the snap and response that comes from a bolt-on neck guitar has been an essential part of the mix. These attributes have, in turn, become essential to many players trying to tell their story through music. The CE 24 brings the bolt-on platform back to the main PRS lineup with some significant updates.
—
The CE 24 pairs PRS’s traditional body combination of the mahogany back and maple top with a bolt-on maple neck and rosewood fretboard. The neck sports a Pattern Thin carve and satin nitro finish for a natural feel. To further maximize the guitar’s inherent tone and clarity, the CE 24 features PRS 85/15 pickups, which Paul designed to have remarkable clarity as well as extended high and low end. The electronics consist of a volume and push/pull tone control with 3-way toggle switch for a total of six classic sounds.
The original CE was introduced in 1988 and offered players PRS design and quality with the added snap and sparkle of traditional bolt-on guitars. Returning after nearly a decade of being out of the lineup, the CE 24 is back re-envisioned.
“After 30 years of guitar making, we’ve learned a lot, and we have used all that knowledge to update our original CE bolt-on model. Most notably we updated its sound by adding our new 85/15 pickups which have more musical high end than the original “HFS” pickups, and we also made it slimmer so it is very comfortable to play,” stated PRS founder Paul Reed Smith.
CE 24 Available Finishes: Amber, Dark Cherry Sunburst, Grey Black, McCarty Tobacco, Ruby, Trampas Green, Vintage Sunburst, Whale Blue (natural binding, toned nitro finish on necks).
To see and hear the new CE 24, click here!With the launch of PlayStation 4 in our region only a few hours away, we wanted to give you a quick update on what to expect from PSN when you finally get your hands on your PS4.
Following the successful launch of PS4 in North America on the 15th November, we have seen an unprecedented influx of players onto PSN. When we launch in Europe on Friday, once again, we are expecting record sales and record numbers of people logging onto PSN at similar times, alongside the North American players already on PSN.
We want to make sure that your online experience is positive. To help ensure that this happens, we have made the decision to switch off a couple of features for European customers on day one. These features will then be switched back on a few days later, once the intensity of launch day calms down.
The features we are temporarily disabling are:
What’s New – Discover and engage with all of your friends’ PS4 related activity
Discover and engage with all of your friends’ PS4 related activity Content Information Screen – See friends’ activity and information specific to the title you are looking at
Not to worry, all of the other features of PSN will be fully available on day one. You’ll be able to play online multiplayer games with friends and your gaming community, get trophies, make friends and share videos and live broadcast your games so you can have a great online gaming experience.Northern Territory's improving weather services
In October 2014, the Bureau of Meteorology upgraded its forecasts and warnings services in the Northern Territory. From November 2014, MetEye™ will be a doorway to maps of temperature, rainfall, winds and weather—all designed to make weather-based decision-making easier across the whole of Australia.
Changes to Forecasts
Regional Northern Territory will now have access to the type of detailed forecasts previously only provided for Darwin and Alice Springs.
96 locations in the Northern Territory will get a 7-day forecast. This includes Darwin and Alice Springs, plus new forecast locations at Palmerston, Tennant Creek, Nhulunbuy, Katherine, Wadeye, Maningrida, Jabiru, Yulara and Wurrumiyanga which will all receive their own 7 day forecast.
National park forecasts: 3 national parks will receive 7 day forecasts. These are Kakadu, Litchfield and Uluru Kata-Tjuta national parks. The 7-day forecasts are presented as a combination of text and graphics and will be available from a new clickable map.
The Darwin and Alice Springs forecast will include a day 1 forecast of the probability of any measurable rain and a forecast of the likely rainfall range.
The Northern Territory forecast will be updated and continue to be provided.
See Brochures for more details and examples of the new forecast formats.
Changes to the Marine Weather services
Improved coastal waters forecasts will provide information on winds, seas and swells out to 4 days including forecasts of thunderstorms, fog and heavy rain. The forecast will have an improved layout for easier reading, particularly for VHF broadcasts.
Marine Wind Warnings for the current day and the next day will now be incorporated in the coastal waters forecast. No separate warning will be issued.
For more information please see the Changes to the Northern Territory's Coastal Waters Forecast.
Improvements for Agricultural Services
The 7-day forecasts will be provided for more rural locations.
Wind speed and wind variations will be described in more detail in km/h, as will temperatures for planning activities such as crop spraying, crop dusting and controlled burning.
In addition, the current day forecast will include fire danger and UV information.
Technical Information for Web Developers
Forecasts and warnings will also be available in a number of formats including XML.
See the Weather Data Services webpage for more information.
Issue times of Northern Territory forecasts
Forecast Name Issue Times State Forecast 5:00am & 4:30pm Coastal Waters Forecasts 4:45am & 4:00pm Darwin Forecast 5:20am & 4:20pm Kakadu, Litchfield and Uluru Kata-Tjuta Forecasts 5:20am & 4:20pm Town Forecast 5:30am & 4:30pm
Note that, if required, forecasts are updated between the standard issue times.Published: Mar 27, 2015 13:11pm EDT
Please Note: This article was updated Mar 27, 2015 @ 01:11pm EDT
The Federal Trade Commission has proven in federal court that a company called “FTC Credit Solutions” has used a false affiliation with the Commission to take advantage of Spanish-speaking consumers seeking credit repair services.
In the 59-page case file, a federal court in California has halted the operations of First Time Credit Solutions, Corp., which also conducts business as “FTC Credit Solutions”, “1st Consumer Credit”, and “Doctor de Credito”. The owner/operator and Marketing Director of First Time Credit Solutions, Corp. is listed as Guillermo Leyes.
In the 21-page complaint filed with the court on March 16, the FTC alleges:
Defendants prey on Spanish-speaking consumers who seek to modify burdensome debts or to improve low credit scores. They falsely pose as affiliates or licensees of the federal government, namely the Federal Trade Commission, claiming that these credentials enable them to remove negative information from consumers' credit reports, eliminate debts, and guarantee consumers a credit score of 700 or higher within six months or less. Defendants are bilking consumers on a daily basis, charging each victim approximately $2,000 for their fraudulent services.
“Peddling lies under the name of the Federal Trade Commission to target consumers who are in difficult financial situations is appalling,” said Jessica Rich, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, in a statement. “This scam used the promise of a fresh start to hurt consumers when they most needed help, so we are pleased the court has taken a first step to ending it for good.”
The FTC’s smoking gun, one of many it seemed, came from a radio advertisement hosted by defendant Guillermo Leyes. In those radio advertisements, Leyes falsely stated FTC Credit Solutions had a license from the FTC and that is how the company could guarantee any consumer a credit score of 700 or higher within four months.
An undercover FTC investigator also placed calls to the company posing as a consumer in need of credit repair services. Defendant Maria Bernal, an employee of the company, said that the company “works under the Federal Trade Commission, which is a law that was signed by the President in 2010.” She also falsely promised that the company could “delete” and “get [the investigator] a pardon” for $19,000 in debt.
Under the terms of the temporary restraining order granted by the court, the company has temporarily ceased operations and the defendants’ assets are frozen.
In a cached version of the FTC Credit Solutions website, as the site has gone offline since the temporary restraining order went in effect, the company lists multiple services and certifications which are false.
Services and certifications claimed include:
· Services
· FTC Certifications
An advertisement embedded on the original version of the website offers testimonials of the great service the company provides and targets Spanish-speaking consumers specifically.
In addition to unlawfully charging consumers fees in advance of providing the promised credit repair services, the FTC alleges the company sent major credit bureaus letters with false information on behalf of numerous consumers.
A complaint posted on Yelp from user “Cindy R.” said:
This is absolutely the worst company anyone can ever work for or do business with. The owner claims to be Christian. He is nothing but a thief. He takes advantage of low income families that are looking to improve their credit. By falsely sending letters to credit bureau stating identity theft and playing with the system. He pays his employees salary so that he may over work them and less than minimum wage. Anyone who has even lasted at that company for more than a month is definitely getting some side advantages because I have never worked for or seen such horrible working conditions in an office setting. Please be aware of this company.
The company describes itself as the best bad credit removal solutions company in Southern California and as being established in 1999.
The FTC states the company, along with the employees Leyes, Bernal, Jimena Perez and Fermin Campos, violated the FTC Act and Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) by making false promises about removing negative information from consumers’’ credit reports, making false promises about improving consumers’ credit scores and by misrepresenting their services.Over recent years, without much media fanfare, something fascinating occurred, a reminder that for all the ways in which we seem to be sliding backward, we’re lurching forward, too.
The developing world turned a corner — thanks to medical advances, rising wealth and more — and communicable diseases like malaria and AIDS now kill fewer of its people than noncommunicable ones like heart disease, strokes, respiratory ailments and diabetes do.
But awareness of this progress lags far behind it. According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, noncommunicable diseases were responsible for 67 percent of deaths in low- and middle-income countries in 2015, but only about 1 percent of the foreign aid and donations dedicated to health care was aimed at preventing and treating them.
That discrepancy is showcased in an open letter that Michael Bloomberg publishes every year to explain the direction of Bloomberg Philanthropies, which gives away hundreds of millions of dollars annually, much of it to promote health.Seagate and Western Digital are cutting back on hard drive warranties, in some instances from five years to one, in order to save money or redirect it to product development.
Seagate's warranties on certain drives will be reduced as of Dec. 31, and WD will follow beginning Jan. 2. All drives shipped prior to those dates will continue to carry the current warranty term associated with the products.
The warranty period reductions, first reported by The Register, mean some of Seagate's and WD's most popular drives for desktops and laptops will no longer carry three- or five-year warranties.
In an email response to Computerworld, Seagate said it was reducing warranty periods as a way to standardize its terms "to be more consistent with those commonly applied throughout the consumer electronics and technology industries.
"By aligning to current industry standards, Seagate can continue to focus its investments on technology innovation and unique product features that drive value for our customers," the company said.
In other words, Seagate is redirecting money previously spent on upholding longer warranties in order to invest in product development.
Seagate is even cutting back the warranty on its hybrid drive, The Momentus XT, which combines NAND flash-based solid state storage with spinning disk.
Seagate's new warranties apply to internal hard drives designed for laptops, desktops and consumer electronics devices. Seagate said there is no warranty change to "mission-critical enterprise drives," such as its Cheetah line, or to Seagate external drives.
Seagate said it is reducing its warranty periods from five years to three years for nearline products, such as the Constellation 2 series. Even Seagate's new hybrid drive, the Momentus XT, is seeing its warranty period cut from five to three years.
In a more radical move, Seagate will also be changing its warranty policy from five years to one year for certain desktop and notebook drives, such as the Barracuda and Barracuda Green 3.5-in. drives and the Momentus 2.5-in. (5400 and 7200rpm).
Seagate's nearline drives, the Constellation 2 and ES.2 drives, are moving from five- to three-year warranties.
A WD spokesperson, meanwhile, said the company "is continually evaluating the best mix of product and service features that benefit our customer base as a whole."
WD would not give a reason for its warranty change, but the spokesperson denied it had anything to do with flooding in Thailand, which has severely affected the company's ability to manufacture products.
WD is reducing the warranties on its Caviar Blue, Caviar Green and Scorpio Blue drives from three years to two.
"Standard PC warranties are one year. Even so, WD will continue to maintain five-year warranties on its premium desktop/notebook products, including the WD Caviar Black, WD Scorpio Black and WD VelociRaptor products," a spokesperson wrote in an email reply.
The company is also expected to begin charging for extended warranties, according to a WD distributor's letter to customers.
Lucas Mearian covers storage, disaster recovery and business continuity, financial services infrastructure and healthcare IT for Computerworld. Follow Lucas on Twitter at @lucasmearian or subscribe to Lucas's RSS feed. His e-mail address is [email protected]'s roster for the upcoming Major
The roster EHOME will use to participate in the upcoming Major will consist of only two players from their TI5 roster.
This season's EHOME roster will consist of mostly of newer Chinese players as opposed to last season's team of three Chinese scene veterans and two new players. Players from last season who have left the roster are offlaner, Bai 'rOtk' Fan, support player, Leong 'ddc' Fat-Meng and Carry player Yang 'YJ' Pu. Filling in these gaps will be three players from various Chinese teams such as EP and HGT.
EHOME's new roster:
Zhang 'LaNm' Zhi Cheng
Chen 'CTY' Tian Yu
Wang 'oldchicken' Zhi Yong
Hu 'KAKA' Liang Zhi
Ren 'eLeVeN' Yang Wei
This EHOME roster reflects an increasingly popular trend in the Chinese Dota2 scene where a well known team such as EHOME or LGD picks up a few new talents in the scene. This trend is most likely an indication that the Chinese scene is slowly transitioning to their next generation of players as the tier one teams are making space for the newer players by mixing them with the veteran players; in EHOME's case LaNm is mixed with the players. This slow but steady transition is good news for the Chinese Dota scene that was struggling with finding new blood to replace the veteran players who were retiring a few years ago.
Source: 178.com
More content on GosuGamersThere are several motorcycle arcade style games out there already, and although many are really fun (everybody remembers Elastomania!) some lack depth. So with Urban Trial Freestyle, we decided to add high quality graphics and a modern social experience to the gameplay to bring this genre to a whole new level.
We wanted Urban Trial Freestyle to provide players with the highest level of competition as possible, so we are including about 100 different leaderboards. Players can compare their best score and best time depending on two different game modes. For example, in stunt mode, players can compete to be named “Best Stuntman” on every track. There are 20 tracks, and five kinds of stunts to perform on each track – and each one of them has its own leaderboard – all making Urban Trial Freestyle more unique and more competitive!.
Arcade games are great for quick competitions so we also gave Time Attack mode a boost by storing the ghost of the best player on PlayStation Network so everyone can challenge him/her (it’s possible to choose worldwide best player or among your friends).
With the PSN version of the game, we wanted to take advantage of the high-end graphics and the power the Cell processor provides. So we developed a live background and enhanced the gameplay with secondary events like police chases, barricades, and all the demolition you can imagine when you put a crazy guy on a motorbike and let him jump over the motorway. Urban Trial Freestyle really breaks the gravity rules with the trial biking.
We heard from Julian Dupont, the godfather of urban trial racing, that he is capable of doing most of the tricks, but I think there are quite a few in Urban Trial Freestyle that he wouldn’t dare, right? ;)
At first we wanted to keep the game visual design tight, as we thought that this would help us keep high quality. But then, developing proper tools helped us to speed up the process and we designed five totally different environments. Having that helped us to create a more varied riding experience, and to create lots of different conditions for stunts so each one of them is worth conquering. Social competitiveness is one of our main goals!
Urban Trial Freestyle is crazy challenging and crazy fun. You can race against the ghost, beat the record in Stunt Mode or focus on beating one particular stunt out of almost one hundred. It’s all your choice. And you can repeat it again and again if you like it or race along – depends on the style of the player you are.
We’ll be updating you soon with more details, so make sure you continue checking it out!FEATURING:
Leela Ginelle, frequent contributor to PQ Monthly (including the podcast PQ Mouthy) and Bitch Media on issues of trans justice, speaking about the history of anti-trans discrimination in feminist and gay/lesbian activist communities. Some radical feminists, sometimes referred to as TERFs (trans-exclusionary radical feminists), deny that trans women are truly women (often misgendering them), and advocate for the creation of controversial "woman born woman" spaces that exclude trans women. We also discuss alarming rates of violent assault and murder of trans women, as well as high rates of economic instability, homelessness, suicide, poor health outcomes and more.
AND:
Dan Handelman, head of Portland Copwatch, speaking about the city's recent vote to rejoin an FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force and share information with the federal government in potential terrorism cases. Portland had stood out for ten years as the only major US city that didn't assign full-time officers to JTTF. City council's close vote to rejoin, with Mayor Hales casting the decisive yes vote, has drawn sharp criticism from the Muslim community and police accountability/civil liberties advocates, who say participation could damage community trust and make Muslims more hesitant to report crimes. We also discuss the now-underway wrongful death suit against the city on behalf of Brad Lee Morgan, a suicidal man who was fatally shot by Portland police in 2012 when, police say, he drew a toy gun with the intention of provoking police to shoot him. Attorneys for Morgan's family, who seek $3 million in economic damages, argue that the officers' negligence and failure to adhere to training and policy guidelines escalated the situation and played a role in their son's death.so some personal insight into HL2VR dev process for all those "this kills passion! You don't need that money to make a living!" crowd
our mod will be depreciated in about 3 months. As in, it will no longer work. OVR is dropping direct X 9 support, meaning our only option is to switch to an OpenGL renderer. This is tantamount to essentially a complete rewrite of a very significant portion of our mod.
Now, all 3 members of our team got together explicitly to try and start a career in VR development. Our artist, Jaz, lives in the UK, and, without violating his trust here, he is in dire times financially. For the past year and a half, one of the only things keeping him sane is looking ahead to potentially getting a paycheck by landing a job thanks to his mod work. To really drive the point home about how dire some of our finances are, two of us had to pitch in to buy one of us a $25 invite to a tech demo we needed to work with. That individual couldn't afford $25.
I am in the process of setting up my own development studio through private funding. I have reached out to Jaz to try and get him to relocate to the US to try and get him making some money here. Setting up my own studio, managing a project, then actually going through with development is a massive undertaking. Nate, our project lead, has a career in Austin now. We all have social lives and day jobs. We estimate the work it'll take to get HL2VR going without Direct X 9 will be hundreds of hours of coding for Nate and I. Any time I put into HL2VR comes at the expense of my day job, which I truly work around the clock.
We have had serious discussions about whether or not we can afford to personally keep HL2VR going. The knowledge that we could eventually sell the mod has been an enormous factor in keeping us going. Speaking of which - this has been known for a good year and a half now. I find it funny that those bemoaning what this means to the "community" apparently aren't apart of said community because they had an entire seminar about this at Dev Days. Black Mesa is releasing under this model. This has been known for so long.
So, about that talk of the death of free mods and all that shit - we could have started monetizing our mod with Valve's blessing a long time ago. We have discussed selling our mod for ages now. We haven't, though. Why? Well, as professionals, we take pride in our work, and we do not want to sell something that is still a work in progress. Thus, for almost 2 years, this mod that we could have sold, has |
palitbise rally – on March 23, 2017, Jimmy Bondoc’s group hid from the press the fact that the organizers were actually raising money for the rally through the crowdfunding platform, Gava Gives.
In the March 23 press conference, Contreras did say that they had already gathered money amounting to P1.6 million through crowdfunding. But he failed to mention the crowdfunding platform, which was exactly my point.
Perhaps because Contreras was afraid that publicity in the professional media would result in further hacking of Gava Gives.
Others have sneered that nothing was hidden since Gava Gives was “public” and viewable online by anyone.
My answer is, those who said that do not know how the Internet works. There are almost a billion websites online today. See – How many websites are there?
At that time, Gava Gives – a start-up – was as public as a star at the edge of the universe. It’s there, yes, but if it isn’t specifically mentioned, along with its URL, it is invisible.
There are people from the Middle East who have insulted me saying they knew about it and they gave donations.
My reply to them is, why did only 1,122 contribute to Gava Gives when President Rodrigo Duterte has supporters in the hundreds of thousands in the Middle East? Is it because they did not care or they were hard-up? Or – perhaps – they did not know about Gava Gives?DENVER — Drive for Life XVII, Bonfils Blood Center’s 17th annual Denver Broncos Community Blood Drive, will take place on Tuesday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. This year’s Drive for Life features the new donor-exclusive Bonfils Fan Zone, where blood donors will have the opportunity to meet Broncos players, alumni and cheerleaders and join in interactive games and activities.
In a change from previous years, Denver Broncos players will be on-site throughout the day in various roles including escorting donors to the donor beds, distributing refreshments and T-shirts to donors, and more.
Interactive games and activities will be on-site in addition to the Super Bowl trophies. Donors will receive a goodie bag filled with a commemorative T-shirt and lapel pin, enjoy free stadium food and entertainment, and have a chance to win great raffle prizes, including footballs signed by current Denver Broncos.
Fans will have the opportunity to take a guided behind-the-scenes stadium tour for a $20 tax-deductible donation benefitting Bonfils Blood Center. Stops on the tour include the visitors’ locker room, production control room, Thunder’s stall, and more.
Drive for Life is Colorado’s largest single-day community blood drive, with nearly 31,000 donors translating to assistance to more than 90,000 patients over its 16-year span. The annual event put on by Bonfils Blood Center is sponsored by the Broncos in conjunction with 9News, The Denver Post and Sports Radio 104.3 The Fan.
Blood donors do not need an appointment but are strongly encouraged to check to see if they are eligible to give blood by calling Bonfils’ Donor Relations Department at 303-363-2202 or visiting www.bonfils.org prior to attending Drive for Life on Tuesday.
Parking is free and available on the west side of the stadium. Donors should enter the stadium through Gate 2 located on the west side of the stadium.President Obama has already demonstrated a willingness to “use the instruments of power” to target his political opponents, so Loretta Lynch’s acknowledgment the Justice Department is exploring legal action against global warming skeptics isn’t surprising, Charles Krauthammer said tonight.
“We know that in principle it will do it and has done it,” Krauthammer said on Thursday’s Special Report.
Krauthammer also expounded on the strategy behind using the term “climate denier”:
The left already has won this argument just on the basis of syntax. Denial is used with the Holocaust. Holocaust is a historical fact; if you deny it, yes, you are doing something extraordinary. Climate change is a projection into the future. The idea that it is the equivalent of, say, consideration of the Holocaust is absurd, but the left has captured the language. So, you, first of all, call them deniers, the moral equivalent of Holocaust deniers and then you look to see if the Justice Department could find a way to go after them? As if the objective is to find them guilty of something, i.e., shut them up and to find a statute of some kind like RICO, under which you could do it.
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If it does happen, Krauthammer said, ”It would be an impeachable action.”Today we begin a serial novel by Callista Fox, called Suite Dubai. Recalling her childhood as a Third Culture Kid in the Middle East, Callista had a story in her head that wouldn’t go away: “There was this girl, young, vulnerable, naive, walking along a concourse in an airport, among men in white robes and checkered scarves and woman in black gauzy material. Where was she going? What would happen to her there?” Sounds tantalizing, doesn’t it? On that note, here’s the very first part of Episode 1…with 7 more parts to come. (Warning: Highly addictive!)
—ML Awanohara
When Rachel walked through the sunlit terminal at the Dubai airport, her student-loan payment was a month past due; her credit card, maxed. She had thirty-six dollars in her bank account and twenty-three in her purse, minus the ten she’d converted to euros to buy a stale ham-and-cheese croissant from a vendor at the Charles de Gaulle Airport. Now she couldn’t find the name of the man sent to pick her up. She’d printed the e-mail back in her mother’s office, folded it into a neat square. But where was it? Not in her purse or her carry-on bag. She’d checked them twice. It was a man’s name, something that started with an S. Her phone was no help. When she turned it on, the word ROAMING flashed across the screen. She was definitely roaming. At least Sallie Mae couldn’t reach her here. Not for a few weeks, anyway. And when they did, Rachel would finally have the money to make a payment. Unless her new boss realized she was a fraud and sent her home.
They wouldn’t have hired you if they thought you couldn’t do it. That’s what she’d been telling herself since Paris, since before Paris, really. Since she’d gotten the job offer.
You will do it, she whispered.
Down an escalator and along a series of moving walkways, she followed a family she recognized from her flight: a man in loose-hipped pants and long tunic, his wife in a bright green sari, the end of her scarf trailing behind her sequined shoes. Between them, holding their hands, a tiny girl in a yellow dress kept bending her legs, lifting her feet off the floor and letting her parents carry her along. The little girl shrieked and giggled, and in spite of the strain on their arms, her parents smiled down at her. In front of them, two men wore long, floor-length dress shirts. Checkered scarves flipped away from their faces like long hair. To her right, in the aisles of a duty-free shop, a woman covered in black gauze moved like a shadow among the perfume displays.
Rachel switched both bags to her other shoulder and smoothed the front of her wrinkled t-shirt. Her pants were no better. All those hours of travel had left a dull film on her skin and her head felt like it was filled with cotton.
She needed something. A trip to the bathroom to splash more water on her face. Something to eat. Several hours of real sleep—not the kind you did while trying to sit straight up until, desperate to finish your dream, your head slipped down and found a comfortable spot on the shoulder of the man sitting in 32F. “Excuse me…miss…”
She handed her passport to a man behind a high counter, who studied her picture then thumbed through the pages to her visa.
“You are here for work?” He asked.
“Yes,” she said. “The Al Zari Hotel.”
“The Al Zari Hotel,” he repeated. He looked at her t-shirt, her pants and then down at her tennis shoes. “Housekeeper?”
The customs line was long but it moved quickly. A man straightened his black beret before motioning for her to put her suitcase on the counter and open it. “Medications?” he asked. She shook her head. “Cash over ten thousand dollars?” She laughed. No. “Gifts over three thousand AED?” She had exactly no gifts worth any AED, as far as she knew.
“You have nothing to declare?” He said, looking annoyed.
“No,” she said. “Nothing to declare.”
“You are in the wrong place.”
She stared at him, not sure what to do next.
He pointed across the room to the Indian family who was waiting for their luggage to travel along a conveyor belt through an x-ray machine. “There,” the man said.
She grabbed her suitcase first, then her carry-on by the strap, tipping it over and spilling an envelope of pictures onto the counter. Together she and the customs man began to scoop them into a pile. He lifted one and squinted at it. Then he turned it around so she could see it. It was her with Truman, taken by a stranger while they stood in front of the roller coaster at Dollywood. They were doing that couples pose they’d perfected the one with their heads tilted toward each other. She was holding a mass of fluffy cotton candy and his face was scribbled out with a black marker.
“Oh, yeah.” She took the picture from him. “I should just throw this away.” She turned and slipped the picture into the side pocket of her bag.
On the other side of customs some sliding doors parted to reveal a crowd. People craned their necks to see who was coming through. Some held signs in Arabic. Some in Chinese or Japanese. The only English sign had the name Mr. Duncan written in marker. She walked along, looking for someone looking for her. The family from the airplane walked past her, the man pushing a luggage cart and the woman carrying the girl, who had fallen asleep on her shoulder.
Someone touched her arm.
“Rachel, eh, Lewis?” A short man with a horseshoe of black hair on an otherwise bald head, wearing delicate gold spectacles, stood a few feet from her. “You arrre Rachel Lewis?” His rolled rs made the question sound dramatic.
“Yes,” she said, and gave him a smile that remained on her face against her will. This was not the professional look she’d practiced but the face of a girl watching a friend of her father’s pretend to pull a quarter from behind her ear. “I’m Rachel Lewis.”
“I am Sayeed,” he said. “The car is outside.” He picked up her suitcase and headed for the exit.
Outside there was no sky, just the sun’s glare. It stung her tired eyes and she had to blink just to see where she was going. The heat felt thick as fur against her skin, too thick to breathe in all at once. Sayeed crossed a road and led the way along a row of cars, finally stopping at a white Mercedes.
The city looked nothing like she’d hoped. She saw no ancient markets shaded with draped fabric, no tents, no camels. It was as modern as downtown Atlanta with silver skyscrapers and wide, smooth multi-lane highways and perfectly painted crosswalks. A Rolls-Royce passed them on the right, then a big truck hauling men like cargo. They were packed tight on benches bolted to the truck bed; the ones on the end braced with their feet to stay seated. Their faces sagged, their shoulders, their arms and hands. They looked as tired as she felt....
* * *
So, readers, would you like to hear more? Let us know in the comments… And if you can’t wait until next month, you can always download the complete episode of “Arriving” (this is just the beginning) —as well as the next episode, provocatively entitled “Party on Palm Island”—from Amazon.
Callista Fox moved to Saudi Arabia when she was eight and lived there off and on until turning 19. she went to boarding schools in Cyprus and Austria. She has written two travel books and a travel column in the Sunday Oklahoman. Currently, she writes proposals for a consulting firm that provides technology and management solutions to governments and nonprofits around the world.
STAY TUNED for tomorrow’s post, some musings on Thanksgiving from an expat point of view, by Anthony Windram.
If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to register for The Displaced Dispatch, a round up of weekly posts from The Displaced Nation, with seasonal recipes, book giveaways and other extras. Register for The Displaced Dispatch by clicking here!
Related posts:
Image: Top: Book cover & author image (supplied by Callista Fox); bottom: By vahiju (Morguefiles).
AdvertisementsIslamic extremism and the rise of Islamic State may seem like disturbingly modern phenomena, but according to historian John Merriman, today’s terrorists have a lot in common with the anarchists and nihilists of the 19th century. Matt O’Neil reports.
What can history’s earliest terrorist movements teach us about the psychology of modern day groups such as ISIS?
Historian John Merriman believes there are some ‘interesting comparisons’ between the make up and tactics of today’s jihadists groups and the anarchist and nihilist rebel movements who fought against the centralisation of state power in the United States and Europe in 19th and early 20th century.
To me what is really happening in the Middle East and North Africa is more like the Reformation and the Thirty Years War that Christendom went through. Professor John Merriman, historian
‘Anarchists believed that dynamite would level the playing field, and for terrorists now, it’s roadside bombs that level the playing field,’ he told Saturday Extra.
‘Both anarchists and terrorists now believe that they can bring down the superstructure, of capitalist states in the case of the anarchists, or the United States and their allies in the case of terrorists now.’
Professor Merriman has authored a number of books on violent anti-establishment movements, including The Dynamite Club, which focuses on French anarchist Emile Henry, who bombed the Gare Saint-Lazare railway station in Paris in 1894.
‘Emile Henry… he’d killed before, but he was the first to just go out say, “I’m going to kill you… because you are Bourgeois,”’ he said.
Read more: How real are claims of an Islamic caliphate?
Professor Merriman told Geraldine Doogue that today’s jihadists come from similar backgrounds to 19th century anarchists. Those European anarchists, like notorious French terrorist Ravachol, were often unsuccessful young men.
'A lot of them were people who had nothing,’ said Professor Merriman.
‘Ravachol who was guillotined … he was a down and out son of a Dutch mule hand who had abandoned his family. [Auguste] Vaillant, who threw a little pack bomb into the Chamber of Deputies, he couldn’t make ends, he couldn’t feed his family.’
‘The anarchist attacks came during what we used to call the long depression … but it was an economic downturn, and now in the Middle East you find the same thing.’
Retired Australian Major General Michael Smith agreed ‘some comparisons’ can be made between anarchist groups and modern jihadist terrorists.
IS in perspective Saturday 20 September 2014 Listen to this episode of Saturday Extra to find out more. More This [series episode segment] has image,
However, he pointed out that while anarchists wanted to destroy the state, today ISIS is trying to create a new one.
‘Their ends are a caliphate state,’ Smith said.
‘To me what is really happening in the Middle East and North Africa is more like the Reformation and the Thirty Years War that Christendom went through.’
‘That’s why we have to be very careful in sending big coalitions with a military flavour into a Muslim area, where the Muslims are not really in the lead’.
With a focus on international politics and business, Saturday Extra talks to expert commentators about the things that matter to Australians.Two middleweights hope to rebound when they meet at UFC Fight Night 40 in Cincinnati.
Constantinos Philippou (12-4 MMA, 5-3 UFC) and Lorenz Larkin (14-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC), who are both coming off recent losses in high-profile bouts, will meet at the event, UFC officials today announced.
UFC Fight Night 40 takes place May 10 at Cincinnati’s U.S. Bank Arena. The main card is expected to air on FOX Sports 1 following prelims on UFC Fight Pass. A headliner hasn’t been announced.
Philippou vs. Larkin will likely be part of the main card.
Philippou, who’s ranked No. 12 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA middleweight rankings, had won five straight UFC fights before a recent pair of setbacks. The 34-year-old New Yorker’s title hopes took a hit with a decision loss to Francis Carmont in September, which was followed by a TKO defeat to Luke Rockhold in January’s UFC Fight Night 35 headliner.
He now meets Larkin, who’s dropped two of three since his arrival in the UFC from Strikeforce, where he went 4-0 (with one no-contest). After a UFC-debut loss to Carmont (via controversial decision), the 27-year-old rebounded with a unanimous-decision victory over Chris Camozzi in October. But that led him to UFC Fight Night 35, where he Brad Tavares outpointed him in the night’s co-headliner earlier this year.
The latest UFC Fight Night 40 card now includes:
Daron Cruickshank vs. Erik Koch
Johnny Eduardo vs. Eddie Wineland
Lorenz Larkin vs. Constantinos Philippou
Justin Salas vs. Ben Wall
Ed Herman vs. Rafael Natal
Soa Palelei vs. Ruan Potts
Manny Gamburyan vs. Nik Lentz
Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Darrell Montague
Chris Cariaso vs. Louis Smolka
Yan Cabral vs. Alexander Yakovlev
For more on UFC Fight Night 40, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.On exit interview day in Columbus, John Davidson shared his thoughts on the defensive future of the Blue Jackets: "we feel stronger about our back end with Seth Jones, in particular.”
In January, a true 'hockey trade' brought Jones to Columbus. Jones is only 21 years old, but expectations are high for what he can achieve; so, after playing in Columbus for exactly half of the regular season, how did he respond to a bigger role, a new team and a new defensive partner?
Let’s take a look.
As the above chart illustrates, just before Jones arrived in Columbus, Ryan Murray was beginning to eat big minutes with the Blue Jackets. With the arrival of Jones, the two quickly grew into a top-pairing role for the Jackets.
Playing a lot of minutes is one thing. Performing during those minutes is another - especially when being on the top pair is a new challenge as it was for Jones.
The two charts below illustrate the competition that Jones faced during his time in Nashville and his time in Columbus. The red line marks “average” ice time for each forward and defenseman based on their place in the lineup. The red bars indicate Jones’ time on ice within the lineup.
With the Predators (chart on the left), Jones played more in the middle pair and faced offensive competition that was predominantly in the bottom six of teams’ forward line-ups.
In the chart on the right, we see Jones immediately stepped into a top-pairing role as far as his time on ice, and he was facing an overall higher level of offensive competition.
So we know Jones was facing more time and a higher level of competition, how did he do?
And how did Murray’s contributions change, if at all?
The below chart shows a 10-game rolling average of shot attempts against the Blue Jackets when Murray and Jones were on the ice at even strength (5v5, 4v4 or 3v3). You can see that after an initial increase in shot attempts allowed, the pairing was able to build a trend of reducing the number of shot attempts against them.
While it's still early in Jones’ tenure in Columbus, given the shift in his time on ice and responsibilities, the response to the challenge is worth noting.
And at the other end of the ice? Both Murray and Jones saw a positive impact in their offensive play.
This graph shows score-adjusted Corsi for per 60 minutes (SA CF/60) and score-adjusted scoring chances for per 60 minutes for Murray and Jones, as well as for the Jackets as a team before Jones joined the team compared to after.
In each offensive category (post-trade), Jones and Murray showed improvement and also exceeded the team’s rate totals.
Considering both Murray and Jones were cited by Davidson and GM Jarmo Kekalainen as players who are significant pieces of the Blue Jackets' future, the outlook is encouraging.
“We work pretty well together,” Jones said about Murray. “We were communicating very well, and I enjoyed playing with him a lot.”
Time and usage charts courtesy of Micah Blake McCurdy
All data via War-on-ice.com unless otherwise noted
Rolling charts courtesy of Corsica.hockeyback to news News Attention! This news was published on the old version of the website. There may be some problems with news display in specific browser versions. Still Waters Download wallpaper: 1280x1024 | 1920x1080 | 2560x1440 Pilots,
we have received a new assignment. The enemy has stolen our encoding device and are already preparing to send it back home. If they succeed, it will be a costly disaster. It does not matter by what means or how much sacrifice it takes, we need to quickly rectify this mistake. Before our airstrip was captured, I flew through these mountains and know there is a way to reach our target. Fly along the watercourse to find the target. The enemy also knows of this route, but doesn’t consider it important. It is also almost impossible to gain a foothold there, so with a bit of luck, we will encounter only their unsuspecting and complacent anti-aircraft crews. It is important to stay away from patrol boats and to destroy the enemy mobile radio station located somewhere in that area. The task at hand is a suicidal mission. Take light and fast aircraft. There will be no second attempts at this. Volunteers, step forward. From 14:00 GMT on 20th of October to 07:00 GMT on 23rd of October Participate in the multiplayer PvE Event “Still Waters” (Realistic Battles/Simulator Battles) Mission task Infiltrate the well-guarded enemy airfield by following the river and destroy the transport aircraft carrying the device. For this task, you will be sent in with a squad of 3 other players. Victory will be awarded for destroying the transport aircraft. Conditions: You may take part in the event if you have at least one vehicle of ranks 2-5.
Players will be allocated the Lagg-3-66 aircraft in the mission.
No respawns
Map of the operation Pilots, listen to useful advice. Take care about altitude! Difficult terrain preventing enemy organization of tight defense, but light anti-aircraft guns guard this area. Don’t climb over 40 metres and anti-aircraft guns will not be able to target you. Avoid guards. Light reconnaissance ships are patrolling the route, but in the darkness we have an opportunity to slip past. The main consideration is not to approach or get close to them. Provide for secrecy. In this area is a mobile enemy radio station. If you are able to destroy it, the enemy will not be able to report our location if we are detected. This mission has been created by our players who used the War Thunder CDK. Join the community of authors, create your missions and share them on War Thunder Live! Thanks Alexey aka _Gilard_, Vyacheslav aka Gyts and Kirill aka Ontt for creating this mission! The War Thunder Team- meaning they are custom items we have stock of or have a defect that is noted. Please check the description carefully. Specials are not returnable. View All of Our Specials Here
We are showing what the TRL Lasers can do
yes we can take custom orders for your image on any of these materials or anything else we sell that can be engraved.
Packaged in bulk - amount purchased ships in 1 pkg per product.
Laser Special B - Hematite Triskelion
Z-LZ-B Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$0.38 US$0.50 Min. Purchase: 2 EACH
Stock: 835 EACH (0.02 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: 20mm hematite bead
0.8" diameter, Lens shape 0.22'' thick at center, tapering to 0.080'' thick at edge
hole fits up to 19G wire
made with the Fiber laser
custom designs available at no extra charge with a 100 piece min. Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$0.38 US$0.50 Min. Purchase: 2 EACH
Stock: 835 EACH (0.02 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: 20mm hematite bead
0.8" diameter, Lens shape 0.22'' thick at center, tapering to 0.080'' thick at edge
hole fits up to 19G wire
made with the Fiber laser
custom designs available at no extra charge with a 100 piece min.
Laser Special C - Hematite Triskelion Multi-color
Z-LZ-C Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$0.41 US$0.55 Min. Purchase: 4 EACH
Stock: 528 EACH (0.02 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: 20mm hematite bead multi-color
0.8" diameter, Lens shape 0.22'' thick at center, tapering to 0.080" thick at edge
hole fits up to 19G wire
made with the Fiber laser
custom designs available at no extra charge with a 100 piece min. Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$0.41 US$0.55 Min. Purchase: 4 EACH
Stock: 528 EACH (0.02 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: 20mm hematite bead multi-color
0.8" diameter, Lens shape 0.22'' thick at center, tapering to 0.080" thick at edge
hole fits up to 19G wire
made with the Fiber laser
custom designs available at no extra charge with a 100 piece min.
Laser Special D - Wood Trees
Z-LZ-D Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$0.75 US$1.00 Min. Purchase: 1 EACH
Stock: 200 EACH (0.04 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: 13 colors to choose from! You can ask for your favorite in comments when checking out or I'll send random colors
1.5" diameter and lens shaped (0.22 thick as the center, 0.09" thick at the edge)
great for wrapping with persian weaves
the engraved wood can be painted - just dab on paint then wipe clean with a sponge
made with the CO2 laser
custom designs available at no extra charge at 100 or more Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$0.75 US$1.00 Min. Purchase: 1 EACH
Stock: 200 EACH (0.04 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: 13 colors to choose from! You can ask for your favorite in comments when checking out or I'll send random colors
1.5" diameter and lens shaped (0.22 thick as the center, 0.09" thick at the edge)
great for wrapping with persian weaves
the engraved wood can be painted - just dab on paint then wipe clean with a sponge
made with the CO2 laser
custom designs available at no extra charge at 100 or more
Laser Special E - Glass Cab
Z-LZ-E Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$1.12 US$1.50 Min. Purchase: 2 EACH
Stock: 327 EACH (0.02 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: Glass cabochons with Gear Design
25mm x 18mm (1'' x 3/4'')
The fiber laser goes through the glass to engrave a bronze plate, bronze is boiled off the plate and sticks firmly to the glass
custom designs available at no extra charge at 50 or more Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$1.12 US$1.50 Min. Purchase: 2 EACH
Stock: 327 EACH (0.02 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: Glass cabochons with Gear Design
25mm x 18mm (1'' x 3/4'')
The fiber laser goes through the glass to engrave a bronze plate, bronze is boiled off the plate and sticks firmly to the glass
custom designs available at no extra charge at 50 or more
Laser Special F - Tri-Color Triskelion Bracelet blanks
Z-LZ-F Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$3.00 US$4.00 Min. Purchase: 2 EACH
Stock: 46 EACH (0.03 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: Solid stainless Laser engraved bracelet blanks
Engraved in the 3 standard colors we can engrave on stainless
size is 3/8 wide x 6 long x 1/16 thick
shipped flat - can be hand bent or bend with our Bracelet Bender Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$3.00 US$4.00 Min. Purchase: 2 EACH
Stock: 46 EACH (0.03 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: Solid stainless Laser engraved bracelet blanks
Engraved in the 3 standard colors we can engrave on stainless
size is 3/8 wide x 6 long x 1/16 thick
shipped flat - can be hand bent or bend with our Bracelet Bender
Laser Special G - Stainless Flask
Z-LZ-G Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$11.25 US$15.00 Min. Purchase: 1 EACH
Stock: 29 EACH (0.36 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: 6 Oz solid stainless
dark engraving on one side, light engraving on the other
custom designs welcome Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$11.25 US$15.00 Min. Purchase: 1 EACH
Stock: 29 EACH (0.36 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: 6 Oz solid stainless
dark engraving on one side, light engraving on the other
custom designs welcome
Laser Special H - Celtic Cross Dog Tags
Z-LZ-H Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$1.50 US$2.00 Min. Purchase: 2 EACH
Stock: 119 EACH (0.03 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: Set of 5 laser engraved dog tags
mix of colors - no 2 will be the same colors
custom designs available at no extra charge at 50 or more Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$1.50 US$2.00 Min. Purchase: 2 EACH
Stock: 119 EACH (0.03 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: Set of 5 laser engraved dog tags
mix of colors - no 2 will be the same colors
custom designs available at no extra charge at 50 or more
Laser Special J - Bronzed Glass Pentacle
Z-LZ-J Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$1.50 US$2.00 Min. Purchase: 1 EACH
Stock: 38 EACH (0.02 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: Glass 1.5'' diameter x 0.25'' thick
The fiber laser goes through the glass to engrave a bronze plate, bronze is boiled off the plate and sticks firmly to the glass
custom designs available at no extra charge at 50 or more Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$1.50 US$2.00 Min. Purchase: 1 EACH
Stock: 38 EACH (0.02 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: Glass 1.5'' diameter x 0.25'' thick
The fiber laser goes through the glass to engrave a bronze plate, bronze is boiled off the plate and sticks firmly to the glass
custom designs available at no extra charge at 50 or more
Laser Special - Metal Bracelet Blank
Z-LZ-L Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$1.50 US$2.00 Min. Purchase: 2 EACH
Stock: 30 EACH (0.03 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: For use with our Bracelet bender
1.08'' wide x 8' long anodized aluminum and stainless
You get a random select of colors and patterns (all cool)
custom designs at no extra charge for 50 or more. Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$1.50 US$2.00 Min. Purchase: 2 EACH
Stock: 30 EACH (0.03 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: For use with our Bracelet bender
1.08'' wide x 8' long anodized aluminum and stainless
You get a random select of colors and patterns (all cool)
custom designs at no extra charge for 50 or more.
Laser Special - Anodized Trees
Z-LZ-M Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$4.50 US$6.00 Min. Purchase: 1 EACH
Stock: 33 EACH (0.06 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: 1.5'' diameter x 0.032 thick with 1/8'' hole
bag of 10 trees, 2 colors each in 5 designs
Great for wrapping
custom designs available at $65/100 Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$4.50 US$6.00 Min. Purchase: 1 EACH
Stock: 33 EACH (0.06 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: 1.5'' diameter x 0.032 thick with 1/8'' hole
bag of 10 trees, 2 colors each in 5 designs
Great for wrapping
custom designs available at $65/100
Laser Special - Zodiac Rings
Z-LZ-O Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$2.25 US$3.00 Min. Purchase: 1 pkg of 10
Stock: 195 pkg of 10 (0.03 lbs / pkg of 10)
Special Notes: All 12 Zodiac signs are laser engraved around the edge of this Square wire 16G 3/8'' anodized rings
Bag of 10 rings in random mixed colors
custom designs available at no extra charge for 100 pieces (10 sets of 10) Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$2.25 US$3.00 Min. Purchase: 1 pkg of 10
Stock: 195 pkg of 10 (0.03 lbs / pkg of 10)
Special Notes: All 12 Zodiac signs are laser engraved around the edge of this Square wire 16G 3/8'' anodized rings
Bag of 10 rings in random mixed colors
custom designs available at no extra charge for 100 pieces (10 sets of 10)
Laser Special - Large glass Cab
Z-LZ-R Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$1.50 US$2.00 Min. Purchase: 1 EACH
Stock: 154 EACH (0.05 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: 40mm x 30mm (1.56x1.16'')
The fiber laser goes through the glass to engrave a bronze plate, bronze is boiled off the plate and sticks firmly to the glass
custom designs available at no extra charge at 50 or more Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$1.50 US$2.00 Min. Purchase: 1 EACH
Stock: 154 EACH (0.05 lbs / EACH)
Special Notes: 40mm x 30mm (1.56x1.16'')
The fiber laser goes through the glass to engrave a bronze plate, bronze is boiled off the plate and sticks firmly to the glass
custom designs available at no extra charge at 50 or more
Laser Special - Sterling Bat Links
Z-LZ-T Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$4.12 US$5.50 Min. Purchase: 1 pkg of 10
Stock: 21 pkg of 10 (0.03 lbs / pkg of 10)
Special Notes: Laser cut from 0.013'' sterling silver
0.22''x0.33''
custom designs available
Please note these are shipped as cut and will need polishing. See large image for unpolished. A wire brush in a dremel works great. Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$4.12 US$5.50 Min. Purchase: 1 pkg of 10
Stock: 21 pkg of 10 (0.03 lbs / pkg of 10)
Special Notes: Laser cut from 0.013'' sterling silver
0.22''x0.33''
custom designs available
Please note these are shipped as cut and will need polishing. See large image for unpolished. A wire brush in a dremel works great.
Laser Special - Sterling Bat plates
Z-LZ-U Show Discounts Volume Discounts are NOT Mix & Match Wholesale --> US$3.38 US$4.50 Min. Purchase: 1 pkg of 10
Stock: 10 pkg of 10 (0.03 lbs / pkg of 10)
Special Notes: Laser cut from 0.013'' sterling silver
0.156''x0.275''
holes fit 24G rings
custom designs available
Please note these are shipped as cut and will need polishing. See |
many of us felt under assault.”
Sunshine Sachs represents screen stars from Natalie Portman to Leonardo DiCaprio, and also works with major tech companies like Facebook.
The firm spends big to host holiday parties in New York City and Los Angeles, usually attended by the journalism and Hollywood elite. But the election of Donald Trump marked a change for the company.
In lieu of its its annul parties, the firm will donate the budgets to pro-abortion, LBGT rights, and immigration organizations like Planned Parenthood, the Human Rights Campaign and the Immigrant Defense Fund. Sunshine Sachs will also donate money to gun control advocacy groups like Everytown for Gun Safety, as well as the Environmental Defense Fund and Muslim Aid America.
Later this week, Sunshine Sachs, which has offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Austin, Texas, and New York City, will shut down for a “day of service.” Following the community service work, the firm’s employees will participate in an intimate holiday gathering.
The move by Sunshine Sachs comes as another public relations firm, New York City’s fashion-focused LaForce, also cancelled its annual holiday celebrations due to the presidential election results.
LaForce similarly donated the proceeds from its scheduled party to progressive groups including Planned Parenthood, Housing Works and the Stonewall Foundation.
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter @jeromeehudsonThis week, the New Times republishes covers from Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical magazine that was the target of a massacre by Islamic terrorists. Editor-in-chief Larry Dietrich explains why.
Maybe it’s impossible to find rational motives in something as irrational as an attack on cartoonists. But this is certain: If the goal of the gunmen who killed 12 people in an attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo was to silence the satirical magazine and intimidate journalists, they failed spectacularly.
In the icy cold and wind of Clinton Square on Saturday night, reporters and editors – and some people with no connection to the media – gathered at a candlelight vigil for the dead in Paris. It was a night to stay warm at home; these people didn’t, because they thought it was important to do something to express their solidarity with the slain journalists.
The vigil in Syracuse was inspired by one in San Antonio. And these two were just a taste of the marches, vigils, rallies, statements, editorial cartoons and commentary from across the globe in support of freedom of expression. Millions rallied Sunday in France. It’s not a cause that usually inspires such anger, sorrow and passion.
And it’s about the cause, not about Charlie Hebdo. Two weeks ago, you would have been hard-pressed to find people in Central New York who could tell you what Charlie Hebdo was or why it might be the target of murderers. Even in the aftermath, many media outlets – the New York Times, the Associated Press, PBS – chose not to republish the material that brought the killers to Rue Nicolas-Appert; if they were the sources of your news, you still might not know.
The New Times will display some of the content that led the Islamic attackers to execute their death sentences. We’ll give you some of the flavor of the magazine to give you context: It wasn’t just Muslims that Charlie Hebdo offended. And you’ll find some of the powerful images created by the world’s cartoonists in reaction to the killings.
The media outlets that have chosen not to republish the cartoons say they don’t fear more reprisals. Rather, they say, the materials would offend some of their readers and viewers.
That’s a valid concern, one that we at the New Times weighed, too. We don’t doubt that some of our readers will be offended. Frankly, there were cartoons that we thought were beyond the bounds of what we would consider republishing; it’s an understatement to say Charlie Hebdo pushed the envelope of good taste.
But isn’t that always the way it is? It’s not Citizen Kane that calls us to the ramparts to defend freedom of expression; it’s The Interview. It’s not the Washington Post and Ben Bradlee for which we stand in defense of press freedom; it’s Hustler and Larry Flynt. It’s not the eloquence of Mario Cuomo that calls us to protect freedom of speech; it’s Nazis in Skokie, Ill., and the Westboro Baptist Church.
We apologize to those who may be offended by the images that follow. We don’t mean to offend, but we think it’s important to air the material at the heart of this tragedy.
Charlie Hebdo
Charlie Hebdo (hebdo is short for hebdomadaire, which means weekly) was born in 1970 from the ashes of another satirical weekly, L’Hebdo Hara-Kiri.
On Nov. 9, 1970, the iconic French leader and former president and prime minister Charles de Gaulle died at his home in Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises. Eight days earlier, a fire at a nightclub killed 146 people. You can imagine which event dominated the news columns. So L’Hebdo Hara-Kiri commented on the apparent relative value of these lives with the headline: “Tragic ball at Colombey, one dead.”
It got the weekly banned. They could do that in France.
In response to the ban, Charlie Hebdo was born. The “Charlie” was said to be a reference to the Peanuts cartoon and to Charlie Brown. It was also understood to be a joking reference to Charles de Gaulle.
The new weekly was published until 1981, then closed. It was reborn in 1992. Wikipedia describes it as “a French satirical weekly newspaper, featuring cartoons, reports, polemics and jokes. Irreverent and stridently non-conformist in tone.” Indeed.
It’s published on Wednesdays, and it has a circulation of about 45,000 (which happens to be similar to the New Times).
In 2005, the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten solicited cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad. The point, its editors said, was to see if Danish cartoonists — knowing the likely displeasure of Muslims, and extremists — were afraid to create such cartoons.
Editor Flemming Rose wrote that the demand by Muslims of “special consideration of their own religious feelings … is incompatible with contemporary democracy and freedom of speech, where one must be ready to put up with insults, mockery and ridicule.”
On Sept. 30, 2005, Jyllands-Posten published the cartoons it received.
All hell broke loose.
It outraged Muslims. Some newspaper vendors refused to sell it. There were lawsuits. There were death threats. Others rallied to defend the right of the press to print what it saw fit. About 200 people died in demonstrations around the world against the cartoons, the New York Times reported. Embassies were attacked. Politicians lost their jobs based on the position they held on the controversy.
The cartoons were republished, both in Islamic and non-Islamic countries. On Feb. 9, 2006, Charlie Hebdo reprinted them. On the cover was Muhammad under the headline “Muhammad overwhelmed by fundamentalists.” The prophet, hands over his face, says, “It’s hard to be loved by jerks.”
Muhammad has since appeared on more Charlie Hebdo covers, as have the pope, Jews and people representing other faiths. The weekly does not target only Muslims for its satire.
And that’s reflected in some of the reaction to the killings. Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, condemned the violence, but added in his statement:
“Those who work at this newspaper have a long and disgusting record of going way beyond the mere lampooning of figures, and this is especially true of their depictions of religious figures. For example, they have shown nuns masturbating and popes wearing condoms. They have also shown Muhammad in pornographic poses. … Stephane Charbonnier, the paper’s publisher, was killed today in the slaughter. It is too bad that he didn’t understand the role he played in his tragic death. In 2012, when asked why he insults Muslims, he said, ‘Muhammad isn’t sacred to me.’ Had he not been so narcissistic, he may still be alive.”
Donohue’s remarks were widely criticized. But given Charlie Hebdo’s commentary about such things as the Roman Catholic Church’s child abuse scandal and its doctrine on such issues as contraception and homosexuality, they couldn’t have been a surprise.
The main focus of Charlie Hebdo is politics, not religion. Usually, it skewers French politicians and other Europeans, of course. But U.S. politics sometimes falls into its crosshairs.
In this cover, Mitt Romney speaks. Behind him is a banner that reads, “No to votes for immigrants.” And Romney says, “For a truly white White House.”
There will always be something akin to censorship within journalism. That’s what editors do: They choose what will be covered, and how; they’re gatekeepers for the flow of information. For example, the New Times chose not to print some images from Charlie Hebdo that we felt crossed the line, even for this look at material published by the French weekly.
But those are our choices, not choices imposed on us by a government or a bunch of thugs.
Perhaps it’s because journalists already make choices like this that the reaction to the slaughter in Paris has included suggestions that Charlie Hebdo should have been self-policing, that its editors should have made sure that what it printed wouldn’t bring down on the staff the sort of reaction we saw last week.
We reject that. There may be limits on the expression of free speech — child pornography must be stopped and prosecuted, for example — but the notion that intimidation should curtail commentary, even through self-censorship, is wrong. If the cartoonists had chosen to pull their punches out of fear of what extremists might do, the extremists would have won.
And that’s unacceptable. It makes a mockery of freedom of expression, which is what gives journalism much of its power and importance.
The Syracuse New Times isn’t just a beneficiary of that freedom. We believe in it.
Je suis Charlie.
Nous sommes tous Charlie. (We are all Charlie.)
commentsALBUERA, Leyte – Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. and his family have been placed under police custody at the municipal police station here.
Chief Insp. Jovie Espinido, Albuera police chief, said the mayor is now staying at the police station after he sought “protective custody” due to reported threats after his son Kerwin’s lawyer Rogelio Bato Jr. and his teenage female companion were shot dead by unidentified men last Wednesday in Tacloban City.
Espinido said that Mayor Espinosa and his family had earlier been staying at the municipal hall.
Police officials have provided a double bed for the mayor and his relatives and an air-conditioning unit would be installed in their room at the police station, a source added.
This developed as the mayor and two of his alleged goons were ordered by the city prosecutor’s office in Ormoc City to answer the murder charges filed against them for the killing of a retired policeman.
The two other suspects are Alfred Christian Batistis and Leonardo Bolinio de la Cruz alias Daot, the alleged gunmen who shot retired Senior Police Officer 4 Alfredo Bucabuca Sr. in Barangay Macabug, Ormoc City last May 23.
Rita Judy Pedoy, the city prosecutor’s office process server, said Espenido had volunteered to serve the subpoena to the mayor.
An eyewitness and an accomplice to the ambush have pinpointed the mayor and the two suspects as being behind Bucabuca’s death.
Barangay Binolho village councilor Nelson Pepito Jr., also Espinosa’s driver, in his affidavit said that for political reasons, Espinosa ordered him and the two suspects to find a way to kill Bucabuca sometime in the second week of May.
The witness Pepito said that when they received a tip that Bucabuca went to Ormoc City, the plan was hatched to ambush him at Barangay Macabug where there was a bottleneck due to a bridge construction.
The witness said he was the lookout and gave the signal to the two men that Bucabuca’s car was approaching.
He added that the killers went into hiding after the murder.
Bucabuca was the bodyguard of the former town mayor whom Espinosa defeated.
He was also the complainant against former town councilor Sergio Batistis Jr. who was caught in an entrapment in Davao City for selling fake Philippine Councilor’s League official receipts and certificates of attendance.
The subpoena on the two alleged hitmen were served by the prosecutor’s office at Barangay Binolho here.Companii
Portland Trust va construi o nouă clădire de birouri pentru Oracle. Gigantul IT îşi extinde echipa din Bucureşti cu încă 2.000 de oameni
Autor: Cristian Hostiuc 6501
Gigantul american Oracle a ajuns la o înţelegere cu dezvoltatorul imobiliar Robert Neale, de la Portland Trust, pentru construcţia unei noi clădiri de birouri unde compania americană va închiria peste 20.000 de metri pătraţi, au declarat pentru ZF surse din piaţă.
Clădirea va fi construită în zona Barbu Văcărescu, din Bucureşti, în spatele Skanska Towers.
Oregon Park, cum este denumit proiectul, va fi gata peste 1 an. Aceasta este una dintre cele mai mari tranzacţii imobiliare de închiriere din acest an şi arată revenirea spectaculoasă a pieţei de birouri.
Robert Neal este unul dintre cei mai vechi şi cei mai mari dezvoltatori imobiliari de pe piaţa românească. Prima clădire de birouri pe care a construit-o a fost Opera Center, din piaţa Eroilor.
Robert Neal a lucrat în această tranzacţie cu Horaţiu Florescu, de la The Advisors - Knight Franks, brokerul lui imobiliar de peste 10 ani.
Oracle arată prin noua tranzacţie de închiriere că vrea să-şi extindă echipa din România.
Aceasta nu este o relocare, ci Oracle îşi va extinde echipa de la Bucureşti cu încă 2.000 de oameni.
*MedLife susține informarea și educarea ca sursă principală de dezvoltare a unui business sănătos. De aceea, recomandăm informarea continuă cu ajutorul articolelor din secțiunea Companii!The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Gerry Broome/AP)
For years, students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have been asking school leaders to change the name of Saunders Hall, named after a former trustee who was a leader of the Ku Klux Klan.
Last month, some stood outside the building with nooses around their necks and signs such as “THIS is what SAUNDERS would do to ME.”
On Wednesday, the public university’s board of trustees responded, with an invitation: It asked to hear from students, faculty, alumni and others. A student leader wrote this:
I think today's #UNCBOT meeting was the most interesting and authentic policy discussion I've seen in public during my time at unc — Kyle Villemain (@KyleVillemain) March 25, 2015
At many colleges, officials are struggling with how to balance a school’s history with the views of the people who live and work there now.
William Saunders was a colonel in the Confederate army; when he later served as secretary of state he took steps to publish the colonial records of North Carolina. Decades later, UNC officials decided to honor that contribution by naming a new building housing its history department after him. In 1922, perhaps it was his gift to scholars that resonated with people. But for many students today it is jarring, to say the least, to have such a prominent monument to a leader of a violent hate group.
As at every campus where similar issues have been debated, some see a name change as a simple fix that could have a profound effect. Others see empty symbolism, or a whitewashing of history.
But with national events such as the shooting in Ferguson, Mo., setting off strong emotions about race, those campus protests have picked up urgency.
Students recently protested at Clemson University, where its iconic Tillman hall was named for a politician who was a powerful white supremacist.
Last month, Clemson University Board of Trustees Chairman David H. Wilkins announced it would not rename the building, saying there were more concrete ways to ensure that all students feel welcome and included on campus.
“We believe that other, more meaningful, initiatives should be implemented that will have more of an impact on the diversity of our campus than this symbolic gesture,” he said in a statement. “Every great institution is built by imperfect craftsmen. Stone by stone they add to the foundation so that over many, many generations, we get a variety of stones. And so it is with Clemson. Some of our historical stones are rough and even unpleasant to look at. But they are ours and denying them as part of our history does not make them any less so. For that reason, we will not change the name of our historical buildings. Part of knowledge is to know and understand history so you learn from it.”
The issue isn’t limited to the South, where many schools have tributes to Confederate leaders.
For example, Brown University, founded by a slave owner, recently took on its complicated past with a series of initiatives.
At UNC, student protesters proposed that Saunders Hall be renamed in honor of the writer Zora Neale Hurston, who was the first black student at Carolina before integration.
A UNC student holds a message for board members (Tasia Harris)
For Tasia Harris, a senior from Brooklyn, it’s just one more reminder that black students are not always welcome there. “There is a lot of pushback, on Yik Yak, online; people will say hurtful things about this campaign or about students of color in general.
“That goes to show it’s not about Saunders or some kind of past history,” she said, adding that it shows racism is part of the foundation of the school, something that continues into the present.
“Students have been talking about this issue a long time,” she said, but from school officials “there has been an unwillingness to acknowledge how hateful and violent these sites are.” Because the board has so many older white men on it, she said, it may be difficult for it “to really conceive what it’s like to be a student of color or woman of color on campus and walk past Saunders Hall.”
On Wednesday, UNC leaders made the debate much more public, in the board meeting — where some speakers defended the name and others called for it to be changed — and online:
UNC History Dept: "We must call the Klan for what it was– a terrorist organization" #UNCBOT — hannah doksansky (@HannahDok) March 25, 2015
"I'm not too old to have forgotten what it was like to be a student, a black male student at UNC … it was not always easy" Fulwood #UNCBOT — Bradley Saacks (@SaacksAttack) March 25, 2015
Hey #UNCBOT, keeping Saunders' name doesn't facilitate recognizing his violent racism. It glorifies his violent racism. #HurstonHallBOT — DANIELLE (@DNAllyn) March 25, 2015
The board suggested that people share their thoughts here from now until April 25.How Coal Industry Jobs Coexist With Rising Sea Levels In Virginia
Enlarge this image toggle caption Steve Helber/AP Steve Helber/AP
Skip Stiles stands on the edge of a small inlet known as the Hague, near downtown Norfolk, Va. The Chrysler Museum of Art is nearby, as are dozens of stately homes, all threatened by the water.
"We've got...[a] lot of old buildings around here: this apartment building, that church over there, been around since the turn of the last century," says Stiles, the executive director of Wetlands Watch, a Virginia-based environmental group. "You can sort of mark where the storms have come over the years, and you can see the progress of these storms as they come farther and farther up onto these buildings."
Climate change may be an abstract concept to many people, but in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, it's very real: Sea levels are rising, and the area is increasingly subject to flooding. At the same time, Virginia is a coal-producing state, and the nation's largest coal shipping port is in the region.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Brian Naylor/NPR Brian Naylor/NPR
The church that Stiles mentioned is the Unitarian Church of Norfolk, likely one of the few houses of worship in America with a link to a tide chart on its website. The sea levels have been causing the church and its members some problems, says the Rev. Jennifer Slade, the church's minister.
"People literally cannot get to church or may decide not to come because high tide is going to be at a certain time and they may not be able to get out," she says.
No one has been stranded yet, but Slade says a memorial service over the weekend was carefully planned. "We actually had to time the memorial service and the reception to make sure that the service and the reception could happen... before high tide."
The Unitarian Church is considering moving to a new building; there are a number of reasons, but a big one is the flooding. Repeated high water forced the Chrysler Museum of Art to move its heating and cooling systems out of the basement to an upper level.
Such problems are repeated throughout the region, says Larry Atkinson, co-director of the Climate Change and Sea Level Rise Initiative at Old Dominion University.
"When there's a higher high tide and there's a heavy rainstorm, there's just no place for water to go, so there's been a lot of stormwater management, a lot of roads being raised," Atkinson says. "Downtown Norfolk, there's a big seawall with tide gates to protect the downtown financial district."
Not all of Hampton Roads' flooding problems can be blamed on climate change: Atkinson says the region is also slowly sinking, making the low-lying areas that much more vulnerable to flooding.
But there is also no doubt that sea levels in the area have been rising, as much as a foot over the past 80 years or so; a Virginia Institute of Marine Science report predicts another foot-and-a-half rise over the next 50 years. The government says the region, historically dependent on the sea for centuries, is the most vulnerable to sea level rise on the East Coast.
Along with the world's largest naval port, Norfolk is also home to Pier 6, the hemisphere's biggest coal terminal, where long trains full of coal from throughout Appalachia empty their loads into waiting ships for export around the world.
But that also makes Norfolk the nexus of the debate between coal and climate.
"There is a bit of an irony that Norfolk has the largest coal export facility in North America and we've also got the highest rate of sea level rise on the East Coast," says Skip Stiles of Wetlands Watch. "Can't escape that irony."
The irony isn't going away: Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia says his state has to protect the jobs coal produces and deal with the harm caused by putting carbon in the air.
"We're going to continue to use coal," Kaine says. "I mean, nobody is saying, 'Just throw a brake on the 35 or 40 percent of American energy production that's coal.' So in Virginia, we have coal to worry about. We also have sea level rise to worry about."
In Tidewater, Va., that worry is a day-to-day thing. The city of Norfolk is considering a multimillion-dollar plan to erect new flood barriers, but it's unclear where that money will come from.I have in my possession a symbol of why computing hardware manufacturers have had such a hard time in recent years. It's a desktop computer made up of a circa 2009 i7-920 processor, and over the years has been updated to possess a 2012 GPU, and a new dose of memory and SSD storage from 2014.
And frankly, the only times I am reminded of its age are when it comes to recent gaming and doing large amounts of compilation.
Despite the wishing of Microsoft, OEM vendors, and other associated hardware suppliers, recent versions of Windows have not pushed consumers to new purchases of PC hardware like they used to.
special feature VR and AR: The Business Reality Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are going to be useful for far more than just gaming. We explore the ways the technology will be used for training, marketing, product design, and much more. Read More
This isn't surprising when one of hyped features of Windows 10 is the ability to log in without a password, hardly something that drives hardware upgrades.
In the time since my 2009 desktop first turned on, chips have got faster and better with power usage, memory bandwidth has improved, and storage has come along in leaps and bounds. But for everyday usage, the sort that happens in the lower end of the market, there's been no application that has pushed that seven-year-old hardware.
At the recent Computex event earlier this month, there was a nice surprise. After years of trying virtual reality headsets and walking away disappointed by tearing, a frame rate that wasn't quite there, or simply watching a pre-rendered scene because the hardware couldn't keep up with real-time interaction, in 2016 it looked as though VR was finally ready for prime time.
Powered by the latest GPUs, and coupled with a number of handset options incorporating handheld controllers, from this point on the hardware is in place to make VR an option for the masses. To which there is no lack of interest, over the past 18 months at computing conferences across the globe, there have been few things that punters will line up for to give it a try. One is electric cars, and the other is to experience virtual reality.
While VR usage is currently residing with the enthusiast and gamer crowd, as other applications of the technology slowly appear, mainstream users will need updated hardware to get on board.
For the first time in years, a use case exists that requires new equipment. It's a return to the former mindset of knowing that if you use hardware that is more than a couple of years old, you will not even get close to the minimum recommended specifications.
Take note at how the term "VR ready" will be bandied about by all manner of hardware makers -- some of which make devices that will have no impact on a VR experience. OEMs have waited a long time for an actual reason to get users to buy hardware with a purpose, so they will do their best to milk it for all it is worth.
It may not be full-fledged VR that many users find themselves using first, as augmented reality could be encountered in some industries before VR hits the mainstream.
In what has been a more or less stagnant industry for a number of years, the uptake of virtual reality looks to be a rare bright spot.
ZDNet's Monday Morning Opener is our opening salvo for the week in tech. As a global site, this editorial publishes on Monday at 8am AEST in Sydney, Australia, which is 6pm Eastern Time on Sunday in the US. It is written by a member of ZDNet's global editorial board, which is comprised of our lead editors across Asia, Australia, Europe, and the US.
Previously on the Monday Morning Opener:Even in Seattle, one of the bluest cities in the country, just about everyone’s got a neighbor or two who voted for Donald Trump. Most likely they are in hiding.
When I told Tod Steward that seven people in his Seattle neighborhood voted for Donald Trump, he was shocked.
Not because that’s such a tiny number. He figured he had to be the only one.
“I’ve never met anyone up here, not a single person, not friends, family, anyone, who said they were voting for Trump,” says Steward, who lives in a condo on First Hill. “I guess now I can walk around on my block and know I’m not completely alone.”
It’s no surprise that Seattle was hostile territory for the president-elect. A precinct analysis by Seattle Times data guru and reporter Justin Mayo found that Trump is on track to get only 8 percent of the vote in the city — a historic low for a major-party presidential candidate.
Even the liberal-loathed George W. Bush got 20 percent and 18 percent in Seattle the two times he ran, in 2000 and 2004.
Seattle’s distaste for Trump ran deeper than in most any other big American city, including San Francisco (where Trump got 10 percent), Chicago (13 percent), Philadelphia (15 percent) and New York (18 percent). A few cities — such as Washington, D.C. (Trump’s new home!) and Detroit — did top Seattle for Trump animosity, blasting him by 93 to 4 percent and 95 to 3 percent, respectively.
But despite all that, it’s also true that there are Trump backers everywhere in Seattle. With the vote still only partially tabulated, 18,372 Seattleites have voted for Trump — enough to fill KeyArena plus another 1,000 waiting outside.
Of the city’s 962 voting precincts, only two contain no Trump voters at all. The biggest anti-Trump vote so far, 153 to 0, took place in Wallingford (it’s SEA 43-1379, if you’re looking for bragging rights as the most Trump-free part of town).
Precincts are areas of five to 10 blocks with 300 to 500 voters each. Five of the precincts recorded just a lone Trump vote. In my own precinct, in Madrona, 10 people backed Trump. I have to admit that as I walk or jog around now I find myself wondering: Who could they be?
Steward, who has been out and proud about his Trump support for months, said the postelection environment in Seattle is surreal. He’s a lifelong Seattleite, but at age 52 he says he’s never felt so alien.
“It’s always been a liberal city, which is great,” he said. “But the vitriol right now is off the charts. People are completely pissed off.”
He said he hears it wherever he goes, like in the line at the grocery store. When people start venting, they assume he must agree with them.
“I’ve been hiding out in my house,” he said. “Other than to go to work, I haven’t gone out. I’m waiting until the hard feelings die down a little bit. Then maybe I’ll go back out to the pub.”
The highest percentage Trump got in the city, 28 percent, was in Madison Park, in the apartments built out over Lake Washington next to Madison Park beach. Even the city’s one consistently red precinct of Broadmoor, the gated community near the Arboretum, turned deep blue this time, voting against Trump by 42 percentage points.
Still, on average there are 19 Trump voters per precinct in the city. This means that even in homogeneous Seattle, most people have at least one or two Trump voters as neighbors.
The precinct totals also show we have our own swath of Trump Country right here in King County. May Valley, a past hotbed of anti-government protest outside Renton, voted for Trump. Of 39 cities in King County, two voted for Trump — the towns of Enumclaw and Black Diamond, down in the southeast corner.
Rich Elfers, a history teacher who writes about politics for the Enumclaw Courier-Herald, said his town fits the Trump demographic pretty well.
“I wouldn’t say it’s that conservative here, but we’re mainly white and we’ve got a more rural mentality,” he said. “I think there’s a feeling there’s been too much cultural change, too fast. I think that likely includes some discomfort about a woman president.”
He said the towns aren’t suffering that much economically. So Enumclaw and Black Diamond are not King County’s “Rust Belt,” so much as our Kansas.
When I covered politics for a South King County newspaper in the early 1990s, these areas tended to vote Democratic. We used to joke that the Democrats of South King were more conservative than the Republicans of Bellevue.
Now, there are scarcely any liberal Republicans left. Bellevue, once the state’s capital for the moderate GOP, voted for Hillary Clinton by a whopping 45 percentage points. And what conservative Democrats were still hanging around in the South End probably went for Trump.
Meanwhile, as recently as 2004, Sammamish was the state’s “swing town,” an exact 50-50 mix. This year it went dark blue by 42 points. The new swing towns are in places like Maple Valley, Pacific, or Pierce County.
Elfers, of Enumclaw, said that for a populist uprising it was strangely quiet. There were maybe three signs up for Trump, total.
“Nobody went around talking about it, maybe because they thought they’d be judged,” Elfers said. “If we continue being so separate, we’re heading toward civil war.”
The good news is that if the two sides really want to talk, they don’t have to go much farther afield than their own blocks.I remember sitting in the sterile, barren room in the mental health hall of my local emergency room. My journey there was both astoundingly clear and extremely muddy in my mind. I stared at the clock, feeling blood from my newly installed IUD and breastmilk dripping from me. It had been hours since I had fed my daughter, hours since I'd seen her or held her. I both loved that and hated that. Loved that I didn't have to see her, didn't have to bend to her every demand. Didn't have to listen to the screaming ringing in my ears as I fed her again, for the third time in an hour. As I checked her diaper again. As I put in her binky again. As I bounced her again. I hated myself because I loved it. The clock kept ticking. I bunched my hands in my sweat pants, tried to remember to breathe. Earlier in the day, I'd been to my six week postpartum appointment. I'd been diagnosed with Postpartum Depression before I'd even made it out of the hospital after having my daughter. One night I started crying, and I couldn't stop. They gave me an evaluation that ranked me as “high” for depression. It was only ten out of thirty. That didn't seem so bad. My partner and I had known I was high risk. At my intake appointment right after we'd discovered I was pregnant (well, less discovered and more like peed on three sticks and made and cancelled an abortion appointment and cried and screamed and fought and finally decided we were going to do this together), they told me I was high risk. I already had Seasonal Affective Disorder, and depression ran very high on both sides of my family. My mother herself suffers from a major depressive disorder. So does my brother. But up until this event, I was pretty much okay. I was well controlled.
I'd laughed off being high risk. This was the best thing that ever happened to me. What did I have to be sad about? What was there to make me sad? Sure, I hated being pregnant. I had hyperemesis the whole time and had UTIs all the time. But that would all change once I had the baby. Once I held her and saw her face, I just knew there was no way I could ever be depressed. Looking back, maybe I was stupid. Maybe I was naive. More likely, I was in denial. They gave me another evaluation at the six week appointment. By then, I had stopped showering and quit combing my hair, brushing my teeth, or answering my text messages. I didn't do anything but lay in my bed with my daughter, staring at her and hating every minute I was breathing. I thought I was getting better. After all, I was on a low dose of antidepressants now. I hit 30 out of 30 on this evaluation. After my IUD was installed, they sent in a personal coach to talk to me. She ushered me back into a conference room with my mother while my partner sat with the baby in the waiting room. It was there that I shared my darkest secret. I had been passively suicidal for awhile. My therapist was aware of the fact. Passively suicidal is a fancy way of saying that while I did not have a plan, I would have been perfectly fine dying. I wouldn't have cared if I just didn't wake up one day. I had now moved from being passively suicidal to more actively suicidal. I didn't want to live one more minute, I didn't want to have to take one more step. Worse than that, I was having “homicidal ideation.” I had murderous thoughts. They were directed toward my tiny six-week-old-daughter. They started when I was walking with her up the stairs one night. I almost slipped and thought, “You know... I could slip, slam her head against the banister, and it would just look like an accident. No one would ever have to know that I really did it. And then this would be over. I would never have to do any of this again. I'd be better then.” I confessed to those thoughts. I said I thought it was pretty likely that I would kill one of us, or both of us. Most likely both of us. I spent over two hours in that conference room while they made calls and decided what they were going to do with me. “We're either sending you to crisis housing or to the hospital for inpatient mental health.” I stared. “For how long?” “That depends.” “I don't want to go.” I swallowed. My mother shook her head, reached out for my hand. “Mom, you won't make me go, will you?” “Yes,” she said softly. “Yes. To protect you, to protect my granddaughter. If you don't sign in voluntarily, I will petition.” I felt my skin grow hot. It was like betrayal, but a betrayal I guess I could understand. “Let me ask you.” the social worker folded his hands on the table. “Do you love your daughter?” “No,” I whispered, feeling the shame and guilt and the relief that came from speaking it out loud. “I don't love her at all.”
They sent me to the emergency room. They let my mother sit with me. I was allowed my phone then and kept texting my boyfriend that I'd made a horrible mistake. I didn't want |
the US:
Damascus University student Hussein Chalhoum reported many of his friends, especially young men, have cited the enhanced screening requirements as a reason to pursue study in France or Canada instead. “There is already a feeling that there is some discrimination against Arabs in the U.S. because of September 11, and so something like this makes it harder to get the courage to go there,” he said. Omar Kahwaji, a masters student, criticized the measures as discriminatory. “If the measures were applied on everybody it would be kind of reasonable. But applying them on holders of (only) certain nationalities is not acceptable.”
“Whole Yemeni People are Penalized by Being Put on the Blacklist”
Deputy Foreign Minister Mohyadeen al-Dhabbi expressed concerns to a group of ambassadors on January 18. Upset about the designation of Yemen, he said, “Twenty-three million people, wherever they’re traveling, whatever they’re doing, they are wanted … The whole Yemeni people are penalized by being put on the blacklist.” Dhabbi recounted “successful efforts against al Qaeda” and how the Yemen government had killed and arrested many extremists. This was why he was furious with the “collective punishment” being “inflicted” on the people of Yemen by the new procedures.
“We don’t know who these (procedures) serve. We need the Yemeni people with us in the fight against terrorism,” Dhabbi stated. “The procedures create the impression that the international community regards all Yemeni travelers as potential extremists, leaving the Yemeni public mistrustful of counterterrorism efforts.” US ambassador Stephen Seche tried to explain the procedures were not meant to “target the citizens of any nation” but to address “gaps in aviation security.” Dhabbi responded, “There is a better way.”
When the ambassador was met with the reaction, the designation had not been reported in the Yemeni press. Seche believed this new designation could become a “sticking point” in US-Yemen relations and suggested, “The planned visit of an ATA team to Sana’a International Airport to assist in upgrading the airport’s security procedures presents an opportunity to put a better face on USG efforts to improve aviation security in Yemen.”
The “Shoe Bomber” Was from Britain. Why Wasn’t the UK Put on a List After That Incident?
The country where Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was born, Nigeria, did not like the designation either. Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe believed it would “mar the image of the nation during the lead-up to Nigeria’s 50-year anniversary.” He blamed what happened on the actions of a “stupid young man” and, according to a cable sent out on January 21, 2010, he asked Deputy Homeland Security Jane Holl Lute to reconsider the designation.
Despite that, authorities in charge of security were much more willing than other countries on the list to advance security cooperation. Lute discussed aviation security with Harold Demuren, Director General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). Demuren, a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), was sad about the events. He told Lute all options were on the table and indicated a willingness to work with DHS to establish a US air marshals program in Nigeria. Demuren also gave Lute a “package of documents” with information on Abdulmutallab’s activities prior to the attempted bombing. (A package of material was also passed on to the FBI.)
Following the incident, former President George W. Bush and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke with Acting President Goodluck Jonathan on February 21. Jonathan raised the issue of the designation and talked about Abdulmutallab:
Jonathan joked that “Nigerians don’t want to die” and that suicide bombers like Abdulmutallab possessed “traits alien to the nation,” which were usually inculcated from abroad. He observed that most extremists since September 11, 2001, have not come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and “had stayed in some of the best cities in the world, but received some bad influences while they were there.” Former President Bush observed that it was never the leaders who were suicide bombers, but “some poor kid” whom the leaders had brainwashed into committing the attack… … Acting President Jonathan decried the effect Nigeria’s inclusion on the TSA watch list would have on foreign investment, economic development, and job creation. “No investor will want to be associated with a country without free movement,” he lamented. Jonathan said, although he recognized Bush as a former President, he remarked that he still retained influence as a former leader. The former President declared that “I don’t have anything to do with Government any longer” and, turning to the Ambassador, quipped that “It’s her job now.” He added that “I’m sure that our diplomats will work through these issues.” He explained that the best aspect of retirement was that he was not responsible for these difficult and sensitive issues anymore
Even more fascinating are the views Muslim scholars, government officials, politicians, professors, students and civil society representatives expressed. During a visit by officials to the northern Nigerian state of Sokoto, residents explained Nigerian Muslims felt they were now being “harshly judged and discriminated against by the US, which has led people to become angry and suspicious.”
Muslim scholar Khalid said the Abdulmutallab incident is “strange” to Nigeria since suicide bombing is not part of Nigerian culture, which contributed to skepticism and conspiracy theories. Khalid expressed skepticism over the ability of Abdulmutallab to pass through the various security screenings if he had had the bomb materials on him at the time. He asserted the possibility that Abdulmutallab had undergone “hypnosis” after which someone had planted the bomb on him. He even wondered whether the U.S. might have set up the incident as an excuse to invade Yemen. Echoing arguments heard from other Nigerian interlocutors, Khalid questioned why the U.S. had not placed Great Britain on a security watch list after the “shoe bomber” incident or after learning that Abdulmutallab had received much of his higher education in London.
Sokoto State Secretary Athair Mohammed of the Opposition Democratic People’s Party (DPP) claimed the inclusion would do “irreparable” damage to US-Nigeria relations. He added the “US should not place names of individuals on any watch list, as he feared that persons with similar names would suffer.”
A professor called the listing a “miscarriage of justice” and said 150 million Nigerians should not be held “accountable for one person’s actions.” The professor suggested the US extradite Abdulmutallab to Nigeria for “prosecution and sentencing.”
Several students doubted accounts of the incident involving Abdulmutallab. They thought the incident could have been a conspiracy. A director of a university center of peace studies offered to organize a discussion with students but told an official arranging the discussion “some people had become suspicious of his intentions and asked if he was CIA.” Professors refused to meet with the officials and added the Muslim scholars said people, who support development programs, are seen by some as US agents.
US Ambassador Robin Renee Sanders considered these “suspicions and skepticisms” to be the product of “paranoia and disinformation frequently promoted by extremist websites and other Islamist portals.” She blamed the reactions on “low literacy, underdevelopment and relative isolation.” And, she concluded that the people she talked to her were just the kind of people who needed to be watched because they could easily be manipulated by extremists.
Conclusion
For what it’s worth, here’s the cable Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent out to diplomats, which they were to use in meetings with officials that were angry over the listing. If one goes by the cables, it doesn’t look like they worked, but then do they need to? The US was probably able to get away with the designations because at the end of the day leaders would get over it because what would they do? Quit accepting military or economic aid? Abandon their role as partners in the global war on terror? No way.Technology make life easier for everyone, but when it comes to shaving, there is an exception.
Every year, the razors companies are rolling out new features with the 4,5,6 blade razors, lubricating strip, new handle in different colors and more recently, razors with a vibrating head. I wouldn’t be surprised if they come out with a 20 blade razor!
While these features are cool, it does your skin and wallet no good for a few reasons.
That is why we urge you to switch from the disposable or multi-blade razors to a safety razor in our eBook. By the way, if you haven’t signed up for the eBook yet, click the link below. You will also get a 50% off coupon.
Give Me The eBook & Coupon!
There are many reasons to consider making the switch. I know it may be hard for you cause you are loyal to those pivoting head razor with the 12 blades, but here is something you probably don’t know.
The multi-blade cartridge is not good for your skin. According to an article in Esquire magazine,
Cartridges take off extra skin that can cause a lot of irritation for guys with sensitive skin. The safety razor takes off the exact amount you need,” Chris Ramos, a barber at Baxter Finley Barber & Shop in L.A. says. And come winter, you’ll need those extra layers to protect you when frosty winds are licking the moisture off your face.
Another downside to the cartridge razors is that the blades go dull quickly and accumulate bacteria and if you don’t change it often, you are exposing yourself to razor burns and other after shave skin damage. Lastly, the cartridge blades are pretty damn expensive (you probably know this).
When it comes to shaving, old fashion is better than new and flashy. The classic safety razor has been around for over a century and it delivers the cleanest shave with only one blade because it is sharper. The replacement blades are cheap too. You can buy a pack of 100 blades for $10 on Amazon and it will last a whole year.
When I switched to the safety razor, it took me a while to master it. I slaughtered my face (see below) the first few times but I when got it down, the shave is cleaner with no skin irritation.
I had this little spot of ingrown hair and razor bump on my neck that finally disappeared after making the switch. I wish I started using the safety razor sooner!Nintendo has always been awesome...well, at least since 1987. The Nintendo Switch is living up to the hype and effectively filling big shoes the Big N commands. That's why we're happy to be giving away one of these amazing gaming systems. Being the big fans of Nintendo (and gaming in general) that we are, we are not only giving away a Switch, but also other Nintendo and other gaming apparel (like Atari ). These include a Nintendo hat, bi-fold wallet, several Nintendo shirts, as well as an Atari shirt. This is a dream come true for all gamers, especially those of us who've been into gaming since the 80's
Grand Prize - Drawing April 26th
$300 Nintendo Switch Gaming System
Daily Drawing from April 15th - April 26th
Giving Away Gamer T-Shirts, Accessories & Swag
Win These & More Each Day
No purchase necessary. Must be 13 years old or older to enter. Prize will ship for free within the USA; winner must cover shipping cost if located outside of the USA. TVstoreonline.com is not responsible for any manufacturer defects. Contest entries are being managed by a third-party tool called gleam.io. TVstoreonline.com is not responsible for any technical issues in the entry process that cannot be resolved by gleam.io. Void where prohibited.
All entries are verified for validity; contestants with invalid or fraudulent entries in any way, shape, or form will automatically be disqualified from the contest. Winners who do not respond to the email to claim their prize within 48 Hours are subject to forfeit.
Winners will be announced via email daily. You must give a valid email address and you must open the email to see if you are the winner.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTERTouchArcade Rating:
It’s the first of August, and it’s a perfect time to look back at some of the absolutely amazing games that were released in July. Unbelievably great ports, totally original games no one expected, and more. These are the sorts of things that make being an iOS gamer awesome.
Here is a collection of our top reviewed games in July, 2014:
5 Stars
Fates Forever, Free [Review] – The MOBA scene in the PC world has been absolutely exploding, with DOTA 2 recently hosting a tournament where $10,000,000 in prizes awarded and League of Legends’ LCS in full swing. …But, there hasn’t really been a great one for mobile, at least, until Fates Forever hit for the iPad. It plays great on the iPad, and hopefully will see similar long-term support that make MOBAs great with new heroes and other fun stuff added throughout the lifespan of the game.
MONSTER HUNTER FREEDOM UNITE for iOS, $14.99 [Review] – When people talk about looking for “full" and “premium" games with loads of depth, it basically does not get any better than Monster Hunter. This is, no joke, a game that you could play for thousands of hours. (And people do!) It’s a great game, and a great port as well. Mobile versions of Monster Hunter have been somewhat notorious for “the claw" needed to control them on the PSP, well, two virtual analog sticks handle all that funny business making playing this game a dream come true.
Traps n' Gemstones, $4.99 [Review] – We’ve talked about it on the podcast, but what makes Donut Games great is you can pretty much blindly download anything they make. Typically, they’re pretty simple, but they’re always fun games. Traps n’ Gemstones bucks that trend with a surprisingly involved Metroidvania-style game that still features all the fit and finish of your typical Donut Games title. Don’t miss this one.
4.5 Stars
Desert Fox: The Battle of El Alamein, $9.99 [Review] – Continuing the trend of super-complex games with depth for days released in July is Shenandoah Studio’s most recent installment in their Crisis in Command series. Not a whole lot has changed between this game and Battle of the Bulge or Drive on Moscow, but if you’re in to deep strategic gameplay, all three of them are worth picking up.
Hellraid: The Escape, $2.99 [Review] – If you were expecting a half-assed mobile counterpart to the upcoming PC game Hellraid, guess what, that’s not what Hellraid: The Escape is at all. It’s a first person puzzler set in the Hellraid universe, with great puzzles, amazing graphics, and a hint system should you get stuck.
Modern Combat 5, Free [Review] – Gameloft’s Modern Combat 5 has been the obsession of several of our forum members since it was originally announced ages ago. The Modern Combat series historically has been great, and the latest installment doesn’t disappoint. If your primary focus is multiplayer, you’re going to love this game. It’s got a single player campaign, but where it truly shines is in getting in gunfights with actual real players online.
Sky Force 2014, Free [Review] – Originally released back in 2004, Sky Force 2014 is an amazing reboot of the original game which not only is free to play with a pretty agreeable payment model, but also totally spruced up to today’s graphical standards. Don’t let the free thing dissuade you, Sky Force 2014 is definitely worth a download.
World of Tanks Blitz MMO, Free [Review] – The massive (No, seriously, I don’t think you understand how huge it is.) tank-based PC shooter World of Tanks finally had its free to play mobile companion launch last month, and it’s arguably a pretty perfect bite-sized helping of the World of Tanks universe. It’s also got one of the best free to play systems we’ve seen, where all the IAP truly feels optional.
Additionally, we reviewed a bunch of other games last month. As always, you can dig into all of our reviews by clicking here. Alternatively, you can hit up specific scores by using these links:5 February, 2015. 12:06
ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
A LIGHT aircraft pilot has been arrested on the tarmac at Alice Springs airport after allegedly performing a “touch and go” on the top of Uluru.
The 27-year-old man from Yaraka, in central western Queensland, was granted bail by Alice Springs Magistrates Court as his legal team arrives in the red centre over the weekend.
The tyres on the aircraft left two long marks on the surface of the famous landmark, which is expected to cost millions to remove.
He has been charged with a string of aviation and criminal offences, which include operating an aircraft while intoxicated, endangering the safety of an aircraft and criminal damage to a sacred site.
The man’s six-seater, single-engine Piper Saratoga has been seized by Northern Territory Police for forensic examination.
Detectives are trying to establish what motivated the man to try to land his plane on the monolith and he’s chosen to remain silent on the matter.
Local media have dubbed the pilot “The Red Centre Barron” but have been placed under a gag order – effectively blacking out coverage from mainstream media.
Dayle Wap-Johns is a cleaner at the nearby Ayers Rock Resort and saw the action unfold.
“He coming in hot. Like real hot,” said Mr Wap-Johns.
“He done flown right over [sic] my head and straight on for the rock,”
“I heard the ‘squeak’ from they tires, too – when he put ‘er [sic] down.”
As The Betoota Advocate is independently owned and run, we are not subject to the gag order and can report on the story accordingly.
The alleged aviation criminal is set to reappear in court later this month.Step One: Find a frame you like (I went to the Range and found the one in the picture for approx £5).
Step Two: Find a book of Maps. Because all of my hearts were based in the UK it didn’t cost me a fortune buying a map. I found one for the Works for £2 down from £7.
Step Three: Find a heart stencil (or draw it from free hand) and cut out the areas on the map in the heart shape.
Step Four: Work out the exact design you want. I wanted 4 hearts as I like the symmetry but it also coincided with my parter having a say in the hearts. He chose his home town and where we live now, I chose my home town and the University we went to. So it just fitted nicely.
Step Five: I needed to have something written on the poster as the hearts weren’t big enough to fill the frame I had chosen. I settled on ‘Home is where the heart is’. Chose a font from the computer and traced it out. This was easier said than done so I’d recommend finding a pen that can do thin or thick styles and trace it in pencil first. It took me a couple of attempts!
Step Six: Once happy with the font, align the hearts where you want them to be and glue.Image caption ARV would have a conical re-entry capsule and a more capable service module
European countries will soon be asked if they wish to press on with design work to upgrade the ATV space truck.
What we want to do is re-use to the maximum extent possible our expertise on ATV. It is a unique spacecraft Simonetta Di Pippo, Esa human spaceflight director
The robotic craft takes supplies to the International Space station (ISS), but could be enhanced to return cargo to Earth and even carry a human crew.
Further feasibility work will cost some 150m euros, and nations are likely to decide by the end of the year whether to continue or shelve the project.
Much may depend on how they view future plans for human space exploration.
More freighters are needed to keep the station operational up to 2020, but beyond that date the prospects for the orbiting platform and the ships that service it are not yet fully defined.
This means that states belonging to the European Space Agency (Esa) may be reluctant to commit to an expensive upgrade to a vehicle that may have a limited use.
Luigi Maria Quaglino from Thales Alenia Space (Italy), one of ATV's manufacturers, said he believed the Italian Space Agency (Asi) would be reluctant to approve the enhancement programme.
Image caption The ATV is destroyed when it comes back through the atmosphere at the end of its mission
"Asi is not supporting the ARV idea because they think it is a lot of money for a programme which does not have a future," he told reporters.
"Their position is to support the maximum utilisation of the space station, and that includes ATV production because it is part of the logistics treaty [between the space station partners]."
Luigi Maria Quaglino was speaking at this week's International Astronautical Congress in Prague, in the Czech Republic.
The congress is one of the key meetings in the year when the global space community gets together to discuss current issues.
Spaced trucks
The 20-tonne ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) flew a maiden voyage to the ISS in 2008. A second truck will launch next year.
The ship has sophisticated automatic rendezvous and docking technology - it can find its own way to the ISS and attach itself without any human intervention.
What it cannot do, however, is return to Earth at high speed through the atmosphere. At present, it simply burns to destruction.
Image caption ATV has sophisticated systems to find its own way to the ISS
An Advanced Re-entry Vehicle (ARV) would have that survivability. It could be a significant asset for the space station which, when the US space shuttle retires next year, will have limited means of getting heavy cargo - including science experiments - back to Earth.
Esa initiated a 21m euro feasibility study in 2009 to specify the basic requirements for an ARV. On the basis of that "phase A" work, officials now expect to go to member states to ask for 150m euros to develop the concept further.
Phase boundary
On the table for discussion currently is the idea that the procurement of two future ATVs be dropped in favour of getting the ARVs flying before the end of the decade.
And with the chance that ISS operations could yet be extended deep into the 2020s, there would then be ample time to exploit the new capability.
"If I get 'phase B' approval by the end of the year or the beginning of next year, I can then present an informed proposal for 'phase C/D', the development phase, at the next Ministerial [Council of Esa]," Simonetta Di Pippo, Esa's director of human spaceflight, told BBC News.
"In that way, I can be confident to launch ARV by 2018. But for sure, what we want to do is re-use to the maximum extent possible our expertise on ATV. It is a unique spacecraft."
Image caption The re-entry capsule would be cone-shaped
Esa officials, though, are likely to face some tough talking from member states, a number of which are having to operate in very tight fiscal circumstances. Others say ARV is simply not a top agenda item at the moment.
"I represent one of the states that is very much in favour of ARV because this is the future, and Europe should be active in all areas of human space," commented Professor Jan Woerner, chairman of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR).
"However, the priority for Germany is full exploitation of the ISS; and if, within this full exploitation, we have some space for ARV, we would be very happy. But full ISS exploitation has to be the priority."
The ARV has drawn particular attention because it is being designed in such a way that it could eventually be converted to carry astronauts.
At the moment, Europe has no independent crew transportation system, and relies on the US and Russia to get its people into orbit.
But a manned capability for the ARV is not something that is being considered seriously just yet.
Flexible concept
The ARV phase A study describes a vehicle that superficially looks very similar to the ATV. It is of similar length, width, height and mass and launches on an Ariane 5 rocket.
However, the blunt cylindrical cargo carrier on the front would be replaced by a conical capsule with a heatshield for re-entry. And the service and propulsion module that drives the cargo capsule through space would be more versatile than the existing ATV unit.
It could carry unpressurised as well as pressurised cargo, transport new modules to the ISS, and even move elements around in orbit like a tug.
"The ARV service module will be much more versatile, much more flexible, than the ATV service module; and we are assessing options to transport a much broader range of payloads," said Cristian Bank, who leads the ARV study at EADS Astrium.
"That would provide us with many more mission scenarios, some of which would even go beyond the ISS lifetime, because ARV only makes sense if it is doing other missions in parallel or after the ISS," he told BBC News.
If the phase B study were to be approved, it could allow testing of some critical technologies such as the parachute system that would slow the returning capsule just before its ocean splashdown.
[email protected] of us have great memories of the TV show, Friends, but trust someone to step all over those special moments and be that one Friend that everyone hates.
The greedy one.
A while back, a couple of Singaporean entrepreneurs decided that they wanted to open a Friends themed cafe in Singapore. Naturally, many wondered if they managed to secure the rights for this endeavour.
We can’t say for sure what has happened behind the scenes but it seems that there is a price to be paid for being a faithful supporter of a sitcom that has been off the air for over a decade.
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SGD1,000 (USD720).
Yes, Gunther won’t serve you coffee and we doubt that Joey, Chandler, Ross, Monica, Phoebe and Rachel will ever show up, but you can be a proud member of a relic of American TV for a cool grand.
*Cue the canned laughter*
This is just about the worst way to honour a TV series, and an even more disgusting way to milk money from the ones who made the show popular in the first place.
No one went to Central Perk for their great food or drinks (Monica remained slim remember?), and the actor who played Gunther, James Michael Tyler, was only hired because he could work the espresso machine.
But he won’t be in the Singapore store will he?
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So if you’re a fan, here’s what you can do with S$1,000:
Buy Friends: The Complete Series Blu-ray Box Set. And take the remaining money and get some good coffee. The kind that won’t leave a sour taste to your mouth, or make you feel that a Friend just stabbed you in the back.
Drop a Facebook comment below!In our last article on keeping your AR running we went over nomenclature, a simple field strip and the cycle of operations. Prior to that was a history lesson on the AR platform in the first part of this series. We’d encourage everyone to read the first two articles before diving into this one, as these are building blocks.
Today we’ll be conducting an LTI or Limited Technical Inspection and show you how to assess each component for damage and replacement. Knowing how to properly inspect your AR is paramount in ensuring the platform functions correctly each time you pull the trigger.
Some will argue that the AR platform is nowhere near as maintenance free and reliable as the AK Platform; there’s no doubt that the AK platform is an extremely reliable platform, but we’re here to tell you that by following along with the information we’re presenting in this series, you can achieve maximum performance out of one of the most popular weapons platforms out there today.
There are thousands of AR owners out there and the platform isn’t going away any time soon, so let’s get right into it!
Limited Technical Inspection
The goal of the LTI is fairly self-explanatory; it’s essentially “limited” because most everyone out there isn’t a trained armorer that can take an AR through a full inspection, but the LTI does a pretty good job. In our opinion it will expose most, if not all of the issues your AR may be having and can even prevent those that haven’t happened yet.
There’s a lot to check on your weapon, even before field stripping it. In an attempt to help better illustrate the LTI we’ve not only listed the steps below, but created a YouTube video embedded below the step-by-step instructions.
ENSURE A SAFE AND CLEAR WEAPON!!
!! Check Flash Suppressor for alignment/tightness and that the peel washer is in good shape (no hairline cracks).
Check that the gas tube roll pin is still in place and flush. The gas tube should not be in contact with your rail or handguards.
Check that front sight taper pins are flush.
Check tightness on any screws that your rail system and accessories might have. Use witness marks!
Take a look at your front and rear sights, whether fixed or BUIS (Back Up Iron Sights) and ensure all detents are working properly. Also check for BUIS tightness.
Check that the “C” clip is installed on the ejection port cover pin and that the pin isn’t going anywhere.
Check that the ejection port cover securely closes and keep it closed.
Pull the charging handle to the rear, ensuring that the ejection port cover pops open smartly. Instead of letting the charging handle go, allow it to go forward slowly and “feel” the close of the bolt carrier to receiver extension.
At this time also check the ejection cover port spring legs and ensure they haven’t become damaged.
As you’re working the charging handle further, note that it not only works, but that the action spring is providing enough tension to close the bolt into the barrel extension. We’ll be inspecting the charging handle in detail later after the field strip.
Check that the forward assist is working and that the roll pin is in place and flush.
Check for proper movement, unnecessary play and locking function of sliding buttstock.
Check that the castle nut is properly staked, optimally in three places.
If your stock has a top vent hole, ensure it’s clear of any obstructions to allow for proper air pressure and water release.
Check that buttplate screws are tight.
Manipulate safety selector and leave on safe, ensure correct operation and that the detent is catching it.
Check that hammer and trigger pins are flush with the outer surface of the lower receiver.
Check trigger guard roll pin is in place and flush.
Work the magazine release to check tension, insert magazine and push/pull ensuring the magazine catch locks in. Depress the magazine release and ensure the magazine drops free.
With magazine reinserted, pull back on charging handle ensuring that the bolt locks to the rear and push charging handle in. Depress the bolt catch and send it home. Additionally you can check this function without a magazine.
Last step before the field strip is to check the pistol grip for tightness and any gaps. As you’re checking the tightness with a screwdriver, ensure the lock washer is there as well.
Field Strip Your Weapon at this Point
Check front pivot pin and rear take down pin for proper function of springs/detents
Move the safety selector to fire and with your finger in place, test the function of the hammer, trigger and disconnector (see video).
Check buffer retainer and buffer spring for proper function and tension.
An optional step before you strip the bolt carrier group is to test the gas rings by pulling the bolt forward and standing the BCG up on the bolt. It should not fall under the weight of the bolt carrier group. (see video)
Visually inspect buffer and action spring for damage. We’ll get into more detail with action springs later.
Visually inspect charging handle for damage, hairline fractures and that the latch roll pin is installed and spring is working when the latch is manipulated.
Visually inspect bolt carrier for any damage and proper staking in carrier key bolts (see video)).
Visually inspect firing pin for damage or bending.
Visually inspect bolt (especially lugs), extractor, extractor pin and cam pin for any hairline fractures or damage.
*More on gas ring position and alignment below*
Ensure ejector roll pin is in place as well as checking the ejector for proper function and tension.
Check firing pin retaining pin for damage and proper tension.
Grab extractor and drag your finger across the extractor spring feeling for a “bite” (you want this). More on proper extractor springs and inserts in the next article.
Reassembly and Functions Check
This completes the LTI for the most part and all that’s left is a functions check to ensure you’ve properly put the weapon back together properly and everything is working well.
Functions Check
After assembling the AR, re-ensure that the weapon is clear and safe. With the safety engaged, depress the trigger and the hammer should not fall. Rotate the selector to fire and depress the trigger and listen to the hammer fall. Keep the trigger depressed and rack the charging handle; slowly release the trigger and you’ll feel and hear the disconnector click.
Common occurrences when putting the weapon back together again are either improperly installing the firing pin retaining pin or completely forgetting the action spring and buffer. First off, the weapon won’t work without the firing pin retaining pin properly installed and you’ll notice that you forgot the the action spring and buffer as soon as you get into the functions check.
The firing pin issue is the reason you should always test-fire your weapon before depending on it in a real-world situation. To solve the issue that’s occurred from pulling back on the charging handle when there’s no action spring and buffer, simply hit the weapon on the flash suppressor and the bolt carrier should move forward again allowing you to put that action spring and buffer back in, dummy.
What Now?
First thing’s first. We’ll quickly cover the single most important step in keeping your AR running; Lubrication! We won’t spend too much time on it other than to say ditch the CLP and use SLiP 2000 EWL (Extreme Weapon’s Lubricant). You won’t go wrong, trust us!
The next thing is to take a look at the results of your LTI and with the steps outlined in our next article, come up with what needs to be replaced and what spare parts to carry on you to ensure reliability.
For now we’ll leave you with a teaser image of what’s to come on ITS. Running along with our how to keep your AR running series we’ll be introducing a step-by-step series on building a direct-impingement AR from the ground up. We’re super excited to be announcing this series and have already begun outline our ITS Tactical Build!The government of Botswana has terminated diplomatic and
consular relations with North Korea, it has been revealed. The decision to end
links with Pyongyang comes after this week’s publication of the findings of the
UN Commission of Inquiry into human rights abuses by the North Korean
authorities.
A brief statement published on the website of Botswana’s
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation explained, “[Botswana]
wishes
to announce that it has decided to terminate, with immediate effect, diplomatic
and consular relations with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North
Korea).”
The statement adds that the decision was “informed by the
recently released report of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human
Rights in North Korea which details systematic, widespread and grave human
rights violations by North Korean authorities,” noting, “The Government of
Botswana does not wish to be associated with a Government which continues to
display such total disregard for the human rights of its citizens.”
It goes on to harshly criticize the authorities in
Pyongyang, pointing out that any government is obliged to take responsibility
for the welfare of its people and their human rights, but asserts that this has “been
seriously lacking in that country” for many years.
In a particularly scathing final sentence, the statement
concludes: “Botswana wishes to convey its heartfelt sympathies to the people of
North Korea who are currently subjected to inhuman treatment under the
leadership of Kim Jong Eun.”
The Republic of Botswana is among the most prosperous states of Southern Africa, and home to one of the region’s most entrenched multi-party democracies.
Commenting on the decision by the government of Botswana, a
North Korea expert told Daily NK this morning, “The UN COI report designated
North Korea’s human rights abuses as a crime against humanity, something which
has no small degree of international significance. The South Korean media and
people may underplay this decision by Botswana, but it has meaning.”Dozens of rush-hour attacks across Iraq on Monday killed at least 37 people and injured some 273, just days before the country's first elections since US troops withdrew from the country. Two of the blasts targeted Baghdad’s international airport.
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Car bombs and blasts in cities across Iraq, including two explosions at a checkpoint outside Baghdad’s international airport, killed at least 37 people on Monday, just days before provincial elections.
No one claimed responsibility for the attacks in Baghdad, Kirkuk, Tuz Khurmato and other towns acro
ss the country, but al Qaeda’s local wing is waging a campaign against Shiites and the government to stoke sectarian confrontation.
Iraqis will vote on Saturday for members of provincial councils in a ballot that is seen as a test of political stability since the last US troops withdrew from the country in December 2011.
The ballot for nearly 450 provincial council seats will also be an important measure of Shiite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s political muscle against his Sunni and Shiite rivals before a parliamentary election in 2014.
A dozen candidates have already been killed so far in campaigning, including two moderate Sunni politicians over the weekend.
Monday’s attacks were mostly car bombs, including two blasts that killed two passengers at a checkpoint as they were on their way into the Baghdad airport site. Attacks on the heavily guarded airport and the fortified International Zone housing many embassies are rare.
“Two vehicles managed to reach the entrance of Baghdad airport and were left parked there. While we were doing routine searches, the two cars exploded seconds apart. Two passengers travelling to the airport were killed,” a police source said.
The most deadly attack was in Tuz Khurmato, 170 km (105 miles) north of Baghdad, where four bombs targeting police patrols killed at least five people and wounded 67, officials said.
Later on Monday, 10 people were killed by a bomb at a car market in the Baghdad Shiite district of Sadr City and a blast outside a cafe in Khalis, a Shiite district in Diyala province.
Sur |
15-minutes of fame, but primarily to rail into this new crop of Big Brother lab rats!
Looking back at how my pre-show cast assessment from last season ended up alarmingly accurate in many regards, I (with Big Brother Network’s blessing) decided to have another stab at predicting the future through unwarranted judgment and opinion. Let’s get this BB16 train a-rollin’…
See the Big Brother 16 cast interview videos here that Matt Hoffman is referencing.
Brittany Martinez
Give this interview a little time. I also started off immediately not liking Brittany (I say “also” because I assume you share my same view that Brittany is as engaging as a wall of drying paint). Then she lost a lot of superfan points by saying she’s a recruit and had never seen an episode of Big Brother before. But Brittany started to turn things around when the interviewer aborted the impossible task of coaxing a personality out of her and, instead, began focusing on her strategy. This girl seems ruthless and sharp…two excellent qualities to have. I see a game barely fueled by emotions, and a lack of knowledge of Big Brother could help her to not overplay. I’m picking Brittany to make it far. I’m also very excited to hear your collective taunts to me on Twitter when she’s voted off first.
Christine Brecht
Christine would be my favorite contestant this season…IF she never talked or played Big Brother. What I love about her is that, for the first time on Big Brother, we’re finally getting what I consider to be a truly genuinely, nerdy, awkward female who will not ultimately do anything pornographic post-season. What turns me off about her is that I believe that she is one of those people who thinks that she is funnier than the people around her think that she is. The reason I believe this to be true is because we can smell our own.
Donny Thompson
Let me introduce you to Donny Thompson. Settle down, ladies – he’s taken. Don’t let the “Orlando” hat fool you…he’s from North Carolina, and that’s just one of his many ruses. Donny says that he’s too old to win physical competitions, so his strategy is to “make people feel comfortable”. That should be no problem for this good ol’ boy, since there’s nothing more welcoming than a dude with more hair on his face than on his head wearing a full-on badass camouflage top that makes Season 15 Judd’s bear shirt look feminine. If he wins, Donny says he’s going to use the money to get “laser surgery” on his eyes. And, really…is there anything more awesome than Donny Thompson with laser eyes? I rest my case.
Derrick Levasseur
Derrick is a cop. Derrick doesn’t want anyone in the house to know he’s a cop. Someone needs to tell Derrick really soon to stop talking, looking, thinking, behaving, and sounding exactly like a cop. I know a thing or two about reality television lies, and I predict that this one will blow up in his face before the first week is over. We also learn that Derrick is one of those honesty/integrity/family-man/blahblahblah types. Being that I watch reality TV primarily for its most vile deviancies, Derrick is not my cup of tea.
“Joey” Van Pelt
Joey Van Pelt (no acknowledged relation to Linus or Lucy) is Season 16’s less-interesting, less-tattooed, less-drama-inducing Lydia Tavera (Season 11). Joey says that America should cheer for her because they won’t expect her to win. Ain’t that the truth! Maybe we’d have more confidence in her if, in the previous breath, she didn’t mention how she will invariably suck a nut at every competition and try to stay safe by “being fun”. Joey also has a GREEEAT (is that how you convey sarcasm on the internet?) plan to form an all-girls alliance…which, as any Big Brother fan knows, works FLAWLESSLY nearly EEEEVERY season! Joey feels this strategy will work perfectly for her because she says she gets along best with women, so she will not get into any cat fights. Joey fails to realize that, historically speaking, there will only be one or two females at most who are mentally-stable enough to form this peaceful, rational, girl-power coalition with.
Nicole Franzel
Curse you, Big Brother, for casting two “chicks with glasses”!…thus, I now have to remember names instead of vague, superficial generalities. Here is an easy mathematical equation to describe Nicole:
Jordan (S10/13)
– Cute southern accent
+ Irritatingly thick midwestern accent
+ Aaryn (S15)
– Racism
—————–
= Nicole Franzel
The highlight of this video, by far, is Nicole awkwardly fumbling around a way to explain to everyone how she is definitely not racist like some people may have been in the past ** wink ** wink **! Honestly, I like Nicole…she is a live-feed-viewing, t-shirt-making superfan, and she seems to just genuinely be excited about having fun and making the most out of the entire experience. I hope she does well, but she won’t.
Amber Borzotra
Ahhh, what to say about Amber?…no, seriously – what to say about Amber? She’s a model/esthetician, and I would give her a half-million dollars myself if she could spell “esthetician”. Amber SAYS “I try to steer clear of drama and confrontation”, but what I HEAR Amber saying is, “I’m a loony bitch and will be flying off the handle in no time”. Mark my words on this one…she’s just got that crazy look in her eyes. Amber also wants to form a tight-knit female alliance, so maybe we’ll see her and Joey fail together, hand-in-hand, a la Thelma and Louise.
Paola Shea
I have to imagine that some feminist organization had a heavy hand in casting this season, as we now have the THIRD contestant who is adamant about forming an all-girls alliance and sticking together. Failure works best in threes, I’ve been told. Meet Paola…or “Pao Pao”, as she calls herself. I call her “Bye Bye”. Pao Pao reminds us multiple times that she is proud to be the first female DJ ever to play Big Brother. Wow…THERE’S a stat for Wikipedia. Pao Pao goes on to say that she will not do well in memory competitions because her “brain doesn’t work like that”. Yeah…”like that”.
Victoria Rafaeli
Victoria is one of several recruits this season, but she is a different breed…because coincidentally, she also happens to be a huge fan of Big Brother both nationally and internationally! Based on the fact that Victoria is a superfan who got approached with no initiation on her part and was offered a dream chance to play, I have to assume that Victoria has a horseshoe wedged rather deeply up her ass. Luck like that could take her at least to jury…then she’s going to have to start playing. If she can pull off her “secret alliance” strategy, it could be fun to watch.
Zach Rance
I was fascinated just watching Zach talk. I can’t really even explain it or put my finger on it, but I know it was odd. I imagine that Zach is the guy who bangs a lot of chicks and is totally brazen about it, yet chicks keep banging him anyway and have nearly instant regret. In the scheme of Big Brother, he is the character love-child of Dr. Will and Dan Gheesling, but with zero strategy. I believe we’ll be seeing a lot of Zach, however, because he is my prime suspect for a showmance.
Caleb Reynolds
Caleb reminds me of some nightmarish hybrid between Jeff Schroeder (S10/13) and Chef Joe (S14). Maybe it’s the soul patch…I dunno. I believe that Caleb is the first military man that we’ve seen since Jerry back in Season 10. Another thing Caleb and Jerry have in common?…the inability to speak coherent thoughts at length. This is pristinely illustrated when Caleb describes to us his “bobber, hook, and sinker effect” theory that you would not be surprised to learn he came up with the night before this interview. His theory has something to do with him being a bobber so that fish don’t get mad at him…very confusing, but at least Caleb said that “the bobber plays a big role in the depth of your hook”, which sets us up for a fantastic “…that’s what she said”.
Cody Calafiore
Two things stood out to me about Cody. 1) He has a young Ralph Macchio vibe. 2) He will not last long in Big Brother. Cody is quite boring and seems to just be going through the motions. He doesn’t appear to be enough of a gamer to even make it to jury, but the interviewer is still polite enough to ask him funny questions like what he’d do with the $500,000 and how he’d handle the jury in the Final 2. Cute.
Frankie Grande
As soon as this video started, I wanted it to stop. Big Brother Network, however, has the same sadistic tendencies as Big Brother itself, and decided to make this the longest interview segment for me to sit through. Frankie Grande describes himself as an “actor/social-media-influencer/YouTube-personality”. That last sentence alone should be enough to explain why I can’t take any more of this. One of Frankie’s biggest worries is that people will recognize him in the house from his YouTube videos, causing him to have to change up his strategy. This is more comically delusional than maybe anything I’ve ever heard out of a contestant’s mouth pre-season. Frankie will be lucky if people recognize him AFTER being on Big Brother, let alone before. Finally, Frankie really sells the “please-hate-me-as-much-as-possible” vibe by ending his interview telling all of his adoring fans to “shine bright like a Frankie”.
Devin Shepherd
Ugh. This is a tough one. I feel bad that Devin even has to be evaluated by a dickwad like me. Devin appears to be a really REALLY genuinely good dude…the kind of guy you would love to have as your buddy, but that will be drab as can be to watch on TV. Someone needs to fly a banner in the backyard that just says, “RUN, DEVIN!” to try and save this guy from devolving into whatever demonized version of himself he may end up becoming after being trapped with the 15 other nutjobs this summer. I truly do wish him the best of luck, and although I don’t think he will win, Devin is certainly the contestant that I would most like to want to see win. Also, Devin is an ex-St. Louis Cardinal which could lead to a potentially awesome reality-check if Devin gets recognized in the house as a pro athlete before Frankie gets recognized for his stupid internet videos!
Hayden Voss
Hayden Voss describes himself in the way that you would expect any unkempt bicycle cab driver dressed in safari gear to describe themselves…as a “hustler” who “knows what it takes to get to the top”. Look, let’s just address the big pink elephant in the room here right now…seriously what the $*#@ are the odds that Big Brother would cast a Hayden Voss only a few years after casting Season 12 winner Hayden Moss?!? Never in my life did I think I’d have to use the phrase “which Hayden?”, but I feel like that will become commonplace amongst the BB fan community now. In order to clear things up for you, I’ve whipped up this handy table:
Hayden Moss Hayden Voss Played college baseball Played college hockey Long, flowing, silky golden locks of hair Long, unwashed, lice-infested golden locks of hair Winner of Season 12 Loser of Season 16 Has $500,000 Works for tips to pay for ramen noodles “The Animal” in the Brigade alliance Genetically part animal
Jocasta Odom
Wow. This was an exhausting video, to say the least. Jocasta likes to talk a lot without saying much of anything. Her casting story played out like Chunk’s confession to the Fratellis in Goonies. After rambling on about her husband and her sister and her nail tech and her college roomate’s kid, Jocasta is asked what she will bring to Big Brother 16 that no one else will. This is where she really goes off the deep end talking about some “secret symbol” that she has which will give her powers of some sort that she will reveal at some point but not now. If this sounds insane, it is…and I assure you that, as confusing as that last sentence sounded, I did as good of a job of describing it as was possible. Jocasta also becomes the FOURTH female to insist on forming a rock-solid all-girls alliance. If/when this plan doesn’t work with all of these women dead-set on its success, can we please finally just collectively agree to abandon this concept forever? Finally, Jocasta tells us that a vote for her is a vote for Jesus. Not to get all theological here, but I can’t imagine that Jesus (or any supreme being, for that matter) has any vested interest in Big Brother. Although when Jocasta gets voted out first or second, I may change my tune.
Well, that’s it for me this year. Thanks again to Big Brother Network for giving me the opportunity to dissect my fellow future Big Brother alumni before they ever even step foot into the house. If you enjoyed what I wrote here, then you may be a prime candidate to follow my sarcastic, cynical brain-dumps over on Twitter @HeadOfHOFFhold…so go do that now, because a follow for me is a follow for Jesus.A potentially life-saving drug, that can be used to reverse an overdose, is now available without a prescription at pharmacies across New York State.
This is the statement from CVS: "Naloxone is a safe and effective antidote to opioid overdoses. And by expanding access to this medication in our New York pharmacies by the use of a physician's standing order for patients without a prescription, we can help save lives”.
Recovering heroin addict Tatiana Green credits Naloxone also known as Narcan as one of the reasons why she's here today.
“April 19th, 2011 is my recovery date. So almost five years” Green said. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Opiate abuse has become a national epidemic and overdoses have quadrupled in the last decade. Now for the first time in history, New York State will be working with nearly 500 CVS pharmacies to provide Narcan to customers without a prescription.
“The bottom line is it's going to save lives period” Green said.
Narcan has been available to first responders in the form of a needle. Upon request, people can order it through a CVS pharmacy to be picked up the next day. It comes in an aerosol nose spray for $40-50. While it won't stop the addiction, Steve Chassman, with Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependance, says it's about risk reduction by regulating what could be a lethal dose of heroin.
His organization provides free Naloxone kits and training. He says having it available on a larger scale is a huge leap forward. He hopes other pharmacies will join in.
“If you're an active user or you have a loved one using, it's better to have and not need than need and not have” Chassman said.
According to statistics, last year in New York, 1500 users were revived with Narcan. While many are all for it being readily available, others question whether the quick fix could encourage drug use.
And while Tatiana no longer needs Narcan, she has her kit ready in case someone else does.
“They were never given Narcan and they died. They weren't go to get clean, right? They're dead. So if they live, there's a chance” Green said.
In a statement, CVS Health says Naloxone is a safe and effective antidote to opioid overdoses. Even though Narcan is available over-the-counter it's important to still get checked out by a professional after using it.So, here’s the news from the Senate. Martha Johnson was nominated to head the General Services Administration, and was confirmed by a nearly unanimous vote — but only after having had her nomination held hostage for nine months by Senator Kit Bond, who wanted more pork for Kansas City. And now Senator Richard Shelby has placed a hold on — are you seated — all, all, Obama administration nominees, until he gets some pork for Alabama.
What’s going on? The Senate has rules based on the idea that it was a chamber of gentlemen who would find ways to work together. But now, 41 Senators belong to a party that has no interest in a working government, no desire to work with the majority in good faith.
There’s a precedent for all this. In effect, we’ve now become 17th-century Poland:
… with the rise of power held by Polish magnates, the unanimity principle was reinforced with the institution of the nobility’s right of liberum veto (Latin for “I freely forbid”). If the envoys were unable to reach a unanimous decision within six weeks (the time limit of a single session), deliberations were declared null and void. From the mid-17th century onward, any objection to a Sejm resolution — by either an envoy or a senator — automatically caused the rejection of other, previously approved resolutions. This was because all resolutions passed by a given session of the Sejm formed a whole resolution, and, as such, was published as the annual constitution of the Sejm, e.g., Anno Domini 1667. In the 16th century, no single person or small group dared to hold up proceedings, but, from the second half of the 17th century, the liberum veto was used to virtually paralyze the Sejm, and brought the Commonwealth to the brink of collapse.
“Brink of collapse”: get used to that concept.Lewis Hamilton took aim at IndyCar competitors before the 101st Indianapolis 500, and the prestige of the greatest spectacle in racing by association.
Former Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has become a bit of a polarizing character in motorsports. From his prioritization of his social life over support of racing overall, to his utmost desire to win at all costs, he’s the world championship’s version of NASCAR driver Kyle Busch. Ahead of the Indy 500, won by Takuma Sato, Hamilton stirred up another controversy.
In an interview with France’s L’Equipe, Hamilton took aim at the IndyCar Series regulars, and their competitiveness in the wake of Fernando Alonso’s strong qualifying run:
I looked at the times and, frankly, for his first ever qualifying for Fernando to be fifth — what does that say about Indy?
The comments from the Mercedes driver have certainly lit a fire under a number of open-wheel fans in the United States. The controversy is two-fold on Hamilton’s, first not understanding the true awesomeness of the speed and power of IndyCar racing, and second underestimating the abilities of his former teammate Fernando Alonso.
If Lewis Hamilton were to compete in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing”, perhaps he would understand better what the race truly means. It is the grandest open wheel race in the United States, bringing out the best racers in the world. People from all around the globe tune in to see the race, including many of the drivers who race earlier that day in the F1 Monaco Grand Prix. Finally, one has to consider the prestige of winning the race, and the weight that carried not just in the United States but in racing overall.
On the other side, while Hamilton continues to show great reverence for his former teammate Fernando Alonso’s abilities in racing, he clearly underestimates them when compared to other IndyCar drivers. While few could qualify fifth in their first ever oval event, much less one of the most prestigious race in open wheel racing, it would take a driver of great accomplishment to do so. Fernando Alonso certainly fits that bill.
It would behoove Lewis Hamilton to learn more about other racing series around the globe, rather than slapping them around as if they are inferior to solely where he races. Besides, many would love the prospect of seeing Hamilton cross over to another racing series to try something new and challenging.It’s a week of love in Old School. The Lumbridge Cook has a new girlfriend and wants your help to impress her. You may even get a new tasty treat if you help him out. The big questions are, who is his girlfriend and is she real? This is the internet after all.
The Valentine's event will be around for one week and all the rewards will disappear then.
We also have a few bug fixes this week:
We have done work on the game engine which should allow for faster item switching, we would love to get your feedback on how well this is working for you.
The log out timer will now kick you from the game if you have been logged in for 6 hours whether or not you are in combat.
The slayer masters now understand the concepts of agility and quest requirements properly and will no longer assign Earth Warriors and Spiritual creatures with checking these first.
The Suq-A-Nother One reward for slayer now gives more monsters to kill, not less.
Clicking on the minimap orbs no longer closes some cut scenes.
The biggest update of the week was moving the castle wars mage hat 5 pixels higher in your inventory! WOO go us!
Join us on our stream tonight on Twitch.TV at 5pm GMT where you will get a first a look at some of the Wilderness updates.
To be among the first to find out about new content, follow us on twitter. @jagexAsh, @jagexJohnC, @jagexMatK, @jagexReach.
To discuss this update, post here.A few weeks ago I decided to dive a bit into google go and write a little URL shortener. So far go feels very dynamic and lightweight, while it does not need an 800 pound gorilla of a runtime environment. It still has not reached a 1.0 release and in some parts of the standard library you see, that it is work in progress, but the language is here to stay.
One of the nice properties of go is the super-fast compilation speed, which must have been an answer to this. My development setup for go is vim, git and a makefile, which are great text based tools all the way down.
Given the fact that the compiler is so fast and I was getting a bit tired of typing make, I looked for a better solution to compile my code continuously while working on it. I wanted something automatic, like in an IDE, while sticking to the tools I have.
Luckily the good Linux operating system has everything I needed to implement that, so doing a full build every time I save my code is as simple as the following commandline.
Now let’s look at what that does: The inotifywait command is from the inotify-tools package, which uses inotify to watch for file-system events. The nice thing about inotify is, that the kernel informs you about file-system events and you don’t have to poll for changes yourself. You should really add all of inotify to your toolbox, it can be a great technology for solving part of different bigger problems, like automatic image resizing.
The command as shown here sets up recursive ( -r ) file system watches on the src directory and waits for close_write events, which are fired, as soon as I save any file in vim or any other tool. The -m switch puts inotifywait in monitor mode, which means it will run forever in the foreground and emit one line of text for each event. Every time one line is emitted, bash will read it and call make to build my project. Pretty simple and pretty powerful and the best thing is, that inotifywait does the right thing, meaning it will start watching new files as they appear in the src directory.
Since I am using vim, I could have used a combination of :makeprg and :errorformat, :quickfix and :autocmd, but I wanted something portable, that I could easily reuse under other circumstances.
Happy hacking!Very recently, we have been seeing the Congress party celebrating acquittal of Raja in the 2G scam and relief to Ashok Chavan in the Adarsh scam. But the nation is largely unaware of the attitude of the most celebrated Congressman, Jawaharlal Nehru towards national resources. The anecdote that I am about to share comes from an unexpected source; a book about Subramanian Swamy written by his wife Roxna Swamy.
In the first chapter of the book : “Evolving with Dr Swamy”, Roxna Swamy narrates an anecdote from her father (an ICS officer)’s career. The chapter is titled “The Precursor To Swamy : Daddy”. Mrs Swamy doesn’t write her father’s name in the book, therefore I am forced to use the phrase ‘Roxna Swamy’s father’.
She recounts her father’s experience with Nehru in early fifties regarding an order to make available a defence plane to an American lady journalist. There had been floods in Bihar at the time of the journalist’s interview of Nehru. After it was done, she lady journalist had expressed her wish to view the floods in Bihar from air. Our hero Nehru, declared that he would make her wish come true.
Nehru directed the Defence Ministry to make arrangements. The file came to the junior secretary in the ministry (Roxna Swamy’s father). The man refused to accept this request and returned the file. He got a call from M.O. Mathai, Nehru’s private secretary, who pointed out that the request came from the Prime Minister himself. Here I quote from the book ( page 9 ):
“Nehru has no authority to requisition a defence plane for this purpose”; and when Mathai persisted, my father (using what every seasoned bureaucrat knows is the ultimate Sudarshan Chakra, to be used only at your peril) told him, “Give it to me in writing.” Mathai went and reported to Nehru
Apparently, her father presented himself before Nehru and received a long lecture on the freedom movement. “You people still think that you are working under the British“, he reportedly said. And then, Nehru went on to ask him to sign the requisitioning papers. Again, Roxna Swamy’s father asked for a written request. Eventually, Nehru did not give the order in writing and her father was transferred to Bombay from Delhi.
Of course this is no scam, but the tendency of the Congress to treat national resources as petty objects that can be used for personal benefit or enhance one’s own image is a very old and deeply rooted attitude. The same attitude has blossomed into a patronage based corrupt polity where embezzlement of public resources is not an exception but a norm. This episode, if accurate, also makes us think about the unholy nexus between journalists and politicians (especially Congressmen).
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WhatsAppMargaret L. Andersen (B.A., Georgia State University; M.A., Ph.D. University of Massachusetts, Amherst) is the Edward F. and Elizabeth Goodman Rosenberg Professor of Sociology at the University of Delaware, where she has also served in several senior administrative positions, including most recently as Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Diversity. She holds secondary appointments in Black American Studies and Women and Gender Studies. She is the author of several books, including (among others) THINKING ABOUT WOMEN, recently published in its tenth edition; the best-selling anthology, RACE, CLASS, AND GENDER (co-edited with Patricia Hill Collins, now in its ninth edition); LIVING ART: THE LIFE OF PAUL R. JONES, AFRICAN AMERICAN ART COLLECTOR; and ON LAND AND ON SEA: A CENTURY OF WOMEN IN THE ROSENFELD COLLECTION. She is a member of the National Advisory Board for Stanford University's Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, the Past Vice President of the American Sociological Association, and Past President of the Eastern Sociological Society, from which she received the ESS Merit Award. She has also received two teaching awards from the University of Delaware and the American Sociological Association's Jessie Bernard Award.
Howard F. Taylor has taught at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Syracuse University, and Princeton University, where he is presently Professor of Sociology and former director of the African American Studies Center. He has published over fifty articles in sociology, education, social psychology, and race relations. His books include THE IQ GAME (Rutgers University Press), a critique of hereditarian accounts of intelligence; BALANCE IN SMALL GROUPS (Van Nostrand Reinhold), translated into Japanese; and the forthcoming RACE AND CLASS AND THE BELL CURVE IN AMERICA. He has appeared widely before college, radio, and TV audiences, including ABC's Nightline. Past president of the Eastern Sociological Society, Dr. Taylor is a member of the American Sociological Association and the Sociological Research Association, an honorary society for distinguished research. He is a winner of the DuBois-Johnson-Frazier Award, given by the American Sociological Association for distinguished research in race and ethnic relations, and the President's Award for Distinguished Teaching at Princeton University. Raised in Cleveland, Ohio, he graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Hiram College and has a Ph.D. in sociology from Yale University.Travelers who do not require visas for the United States - such as most citizens of Europe, including Germany, as well as Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan - must pay a $14 tax (11 euros) starting Wednesday.
Travelers from so-called Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries "must pay operational and travel promotion fees" when applying for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, US authorities announced.
ESTA is an electronic registration form for overseas visitors and has been required for travelers from VWP countries since January, 2009.
EU set to challenge new US rules
The European Union Home Affairs Commissioner, Cecilia Malmstroem, has warned that the new US fees amounted to introducing visas through the backdoor.
Fee is "inconsistent with transatlantic mobility," says Malmstroem
"I have repeatedly raised concerns about this fee and I remain convinced that these new requirements…are inconsistent with the commitment of the US to facilitate transatlantic mobility and will be an additional onus for European citizens traveling to the US," Malmstroem said in a statement.
Malmstroem also said that the EU would carry out a comprehensive evaluation of the ESTA program, once the US authorities publish the final rules.
But, Elmar Brok, a German member of the European Parliament, speaking to Deutsche Welle, said on Wednesday that if the US didn't drop the fee, the EU might take other action.
"I think we can only talk to the Americans that they get rid of it; that we convince them, or, that we come up with retaliation measures," he said.
Under pressure, US parries criticism
Jacqueline Bednarz, from the US Homeland Security Agency, defended the new practice at a press conference on Wednesday.
Europeans have grown accustomed to visa-free travel
"We're very confident that the system is fast and easy and very user-friendly for travelers applying for an ESTA to come to the US through the Visa Waiver Program. We certainly are ready and see this as a great way to promote tourism to our country," Bednarz said.
Questions on the ESTA form include whether a passenger has a communicable disease, a physical or mental disorder, abuses drugs, has been convicted a certain crimes, or been involved in espionage, terrorism or genocide.
In Europe, the system is viewed as invasive and bureaucratic
Contrary to US opinion, Europeans view the system as an oversized bureaucratic annoyance. And the new tourist tax adds insult to injury for Europeans wanting to go to the US, said Iris Bellingrodt, a German travel agent in Kerpen near Cologne, in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
"It's another point they do to make people angry to go to the US. ESTA is a thing people don't like anyway, because they have to answer so many questions. And now, they have to pay for what the government wants them to do," she said.
Bellingrodt said she didn't think the new fee would keep people from going to the US because it was minimal compared to the total cost of such a trip. But she does think it means more paperwork for her business.
"In our travel agency, it's service for our customers that we fill out the ESTA form, but now, since it costs money we will go on doing this, but only with their own credit cards because if we charge the amount with our card we have to print an invoice or something. This all makes much more paperwork, so we would have to take another fee for this," said Bellingrodt.
Author: Gregg Benzow
Editor: Nancy IsensonLast week I wrote a post about how Nikon really needs to jump on the 4k bandwagon. I got a few comments that basically said; "Why do you care about 4k? nobody even owns a 4k TV at this point." They were right, 4k TVs aren't very popular, but I have no interest in producing 4k videos right now. I want to shoot 4k footage to enhance my 1080p videos.
Sharper 1080P footage
You may think that HD footage is a universal standard and anything shot in "HD" will look ultra sharp but that isn't true. "High Definition" footage can mean 720i/p or 1080i/p footage. Most HD cameras today will shoot in 1080p (the highest level of HD footage) but there is no regulation at all on a camera's bit-rate.
To save money on processors and memory buffers, cheaper cameras typically output HD footage at a relatively low bit-rate (megabits per second). This causes your footage to look soft, pixelated, and muddy.
In the example below I've taken a Jpeg image using the Nikon D750 and have shrunk it down to 1080p and I've also taken a still from a video clip of the exact same scene. I've then cropped in so that you can see the pixels at 100%. The D750's video footage is actually quite good compared to other DSLRs but the image below shows you just how far 1080p video footage still has to improve.
4k footage, named because it has 4000 pixels horizontally (4096x2160), is approximately the size of 4 standard 1080p (1920x1080p) video files. Shrinking down 4k footage to be 1080p is a night and day difference in detail and quality. Down-sampling can also help cut down on noise and grain making the footage appear to be cleaner as well.
In theory it is possible for a high end 1080p camera to film higher quality footage than a cheap 4k camera, but in my experience most 4k cameras are significantly sharper than 1080p cameras.
Shooting 4k video footage to get a sharper 1080p final export is the ultimate reason to shoot 4k but I've got 5 other uses for 4k that make it even more useful.
Stabilizing Footage in Post
While Hollywood has a team of people and an unlimited budget to produce flawless camera moves, I don't have that luxury and sometimes I'm forced to shoot hand-held. Even if I am standing perfectly still with a optically stabilized lens on my camera, you're going to be able to see camera shake. If I have to start walking, the footage becomes unusable.
Video effects like Premiere's "Warp Stabilizer" can save shaky footage, but it requires that the footage be "zoomed in" to work. If your 1080p footage is already soft, cropping in another 20% will make it unusable.
Shooting in 4k will give you enough pixels to play with so that effects like video stabilization will have no discernible effect on your finished video.
Cropping Footage In Post
You've heard photographers say for the last 10 years: "I like having more megapixels because it gives me more cropping options." Now that same luxury is available for film makers. When we were filming our landscape photography tutorial we used a Dji Phantom 2 with a Gorpo 4 Silver at 2.7k (2.7k is larger than 1080p but smaller than 4k).
Since I didn't have a vision downlink system I had to fly the drone and guess what I was filming. Back in post I was able to crop the footage to be the best composition without losing any quality in the final 1080p export.
Chances are, you've never considered cropping your video footage because it wasn't an option. Once you've experienced the flexibility of recomposing a shot after you've shot it, you'll never want to go back.
Perfect Pans and Zooms
Have you ever tried to film a perfectly smooth pan with a video camera? It's almost impossible. Have you ever tried to film a perfectly smooth zoom with a manual lens? It's literally impossible.
If you shoot 4k, small pans and zooms have never been easier. Simply zoom out, grab a few seconds of your scene and then add a pan or a zoom once you get back to the computer.
Adding these movements to your video in post will actually look better than anything you can do in the field and because 4k gives you so many extra pixels to work with, your finished product will look flawless.
Shooting A and B Roll Shots At The Same Time
If you've ever filmed an interview with someone you know that you will need to run a minimum of 2 cameras. A 5 minute video might have around 20-100 cuts in it and to mask each of them, you will need to jump from camera to camera to avoid the dreaded "jump cut." Shooting 4k and exporting in 1080p gives you a lot of room to play and basically can give you 2 or even 3 different looking shots (wide, medium, and tight).
For many of our videos we end up setting 2 cameras in almost an identical position, one shooting wide and the other shooting tight. One 4k camera could easily replace this 2 camera setup.
4k Footage Is Good Enough To Pull Still Frames
Most 1080p video footage looks so low res that still frames really aren't even good enough for web use. If it's not good enough for a website, you certainly wouldn't consider printing |
pass to rust_greeting. The result of that function is another C pointer, which we then need to convert to a back into a String. Using the JNIEnv transfers the ownership of the object to Java, but there is still a reference hanging around held by our Rust code. That memory will be freed as world_ptr goes out of scope. Then we return our String.
We declared that we needed the jni crate, that means we need to include the crate in the Cargo.toml file. Open it up and add the following between the [package] and [lib] declarations.
[target.'cfg(target_os="android")'.dependencies] jni = { version = "0.5", default-features = false }
We also need to tell the compiler what type of a library it should produce. You can specify this in the Cargo.toml file’s [lib] section:
[lib] crate-type = ["dylib"]
We are now ready to build our libraries. Unlike with iOS, there is no handy universal Android library that we can make so we have to create one for each of our target architectures. We can then create symlinks to them from the Android project. You will need to use absolute paths to your libraries here, not relative ones, otherwise Android Studio will not be able to follow the link. Navigate to your cargo directory and run the following commands:
cargo build --target aarch64-linux-android --release cargo build --target armv7-linux-androideabi --release cargo build --target i686-linux-android --release cd../android/Greetings/app/src/main mkdir jniLibs mkdir jniLibs/arm64 mkdir jniLibs/armeabi mkdir jniLibs/x86 ln -s <project_path>/greetings/cargo/target/aarch64-linux-android/release/libgreetings.so jniLibs/arm64/libgreetings.so ln -s <project_path>/greetings/cargo/target/armv7-linux-androideabi/release/libgreetings.so jniLibs/armeabi/libgreetings.so ln -s <project_path>/greetings/cargo/target/i686-linux-android/release/libgreetings.so jniLibs/x86/libgreetings.so
Now, head back to Android Studio and open GreetingsActivity.java. We need to load our Rust library when the app starts, so add the following lines below the class declaration and before the onCreate method.
static { System. loadLibrary ( "greetings" ); }
This looks for a library called greetings.so inside the jniLibs directory and picks the correct one for the current architecture.
Open res/layout/activity-greetings.xml. In the Component Tree panel, highlight the TextField and open the Properties panel. Change the ID in the Properties panel to greetingField. This is how we are going to refer to it from our Activity.
Reopen GreetingsActivity.java and amend the onCreate method to call our greetings function and set the text on the greetingField TextField to the response value.
@Override protected void onCreate ( Bundle savedInstanceState ) { super. onCreate ( savedInstanceState ); setContentView ( R. layout. activity_greetings ); RustGreetings g = new RustGreetings (); String r = g. sayHello ( "world" ); (( TextView ) findViewById ( R. id. greetingField )). setText ( r ); }
Build and run the app. If this is your first time in Android Studio, you may need to set up a simulator. When choosing/creating your simulator pick one with API 26. When the app starts, Hello world will be printed on your screen.
You can find the code for this on Github.The owner of a shuttered Lincoln Park gas station is pursuing a plan to construct a new mixed-use, transit-oriented apartment development at 2670 N. Lincoln Avenue. While the station’s wedge-shaped lot was the center of previous redevelopment schemes, the latest plan would also incorporate the adjacent single-story former Lincoln Park Medical Supply building at 2662 N. Lincoln Avenue.
As proposed, the new four-story building would contain 45 rental units, 6500 square feet of ground floor retail space, and just 17 parking stalls due to its proximity to the Diversey CTA stop. Property owner Zafar Hussein is seeking a zoning bump for the development from B3-2 to a B3-3 designation.
An upcoming public meeting to be hosted by 43rd Ward Alderman Michele Smith and the Wrightwood Neighbors Association will discuss the proposal. The presentation is scheduled for the evening of Monday, December 4th at 6:00 p.m. at New Life Church at 1110 W. Lill Avenue, according to a notice from Smith’s office.
If approved, 2658-70 N. Lincoln Avenue would become the second Lincoln Park apartment project to take advantage of the city’s expanded 2015 Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Ordinance. It would join the 191-unit Elevate Lincoln Park apartment complex currently under construction one block to the southeast.HYDERABAD: The height of Mount Everest will soon be "re-measured" by the Survey of India to determine whether the world's tallest peak has really shrunk following a devastating earthquake in Nepal two years ago.An expedition from the Survey of India would depart for Nepal in two months to conduct the exercise that comes in the backdrop of doubts expressed by section of the scientific community about the shrinking of the towering mountain peak. Mount Everest officially stands at 8,848 metres (29,028 feet) above sea level.The project, for which required sanctions have been obtained, would help the future scientific studies as well, Surveyor General of India Swarna Subba Rao said here today."We are sending an expedition to Mount Everest. Everest's height was declared, if I remember correctly, in 1855. Many others also measured it. But the height given by Survey of India, even today, is taken as the correct height. It is 29,028 ft," he said."We are re-measuring it. It is almost two years since the major Nepal earthquake. After that, there is a doubt in the scientific community that it is shrinking. That is one of the reasons. Second reason is, it helps in scientific studies, plate movements etc," he said.All the necessary approvals have been obtained for the expedition and the effort should begin in a month, he said on the sidelines of a meeting of the Geospatial World Forum."I have got all the approvals. MEA ( Ministry of External Affairs ) also done. If the Surveyor General of Nepal has come here (for the conference in Hyderabad), I will have a meeting with him. As I see it, we plan to send (the expedition team) in two months," he said.The endeavour would take about a month for observation and another 15 days for computation and declaration of data, Rao added.Rao told PTI the height of Mount Everest is planned to be measured this time by two methods-- using Global Positioning System(GPS) and a ground method."There are two methods. One is GPS. It is a survey instrument. It looks like a transistor. If you put it on the summit, say for 10 minutes, it tells you the height. That is one."The Second is, ground method. Triangulation. We observe. The height can be calculated from ground," he added.Rao said the measurement is being done by the two methods for better confirmation of the findings."We are doing at the same time by both methods for better confirmation," he added.A deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal in 2015, killing thousands of people and altering the landscape across the Himalayan nation.Five-star senior M.J. Walker committed to Florida State on Wednesday morning.
He announced his decision during a news conference at his high school.
Walker chose the the Seminoles over UCLA, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and Ohio State. He took his recruitment much slower than nearly every other 2017 prospect, taking only one official visit (Florida State) last fall. Walker took multiple unofficial visits to Georgia Tech, and went on official visits to Virginia Tech, Ohio State and UCLA in the past month.
Leonard Hamilton has now landed a five-star prospect in three straight recruiting classes, with Walker following Dwayne Bacon in 2015 and Jonathan Isaac in 2016. Florida State's recruiting class was ranked in the top 20 entering the week, and Walker will join ESPN 100 center Ikey Obiagu, four-star prospects Raiquan Gray, Wyatt Wilkes and Anthony Polite, and three-star guard Bryan Trimble Jr. in the 2017 group.
Walker, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Jonesboro High School (Georgia), is ranked No. 25 in the ESPN 100 for 2017.
He averaged 27.8 points and 6.5 rebounds this past season at Jonesboro. Walker put up 20.7 points for Atlanta Xpress on the Under Armour Association circuit last spring and summer. A McDonald's All-American, he also won a gold medal with USA Basketball at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship last summer.Trailing Mahendra Singh Dhoni as a reporter for over a decade gave me numerous opportunities to get a peek into the life and ways of this gifted cricketer. He is not just a sportsman but a symbol of endurance and determination. As a player, he enjoys doing the impossible and scaling the heights of glory, nonchalantly.
Though born in Ranchi in Bihar, now Jharkhand, a state hardly know for its cricketing talents, he went on to become one of the world’s most admired wicketkeepers and batsmen, and one of the great captains in the game.
Once Dhoni took the reins of Team India as captain, talking to him before and after every international match became routine. Often I would wait for him outside the boundary for his comments on the match along with other journalists, as he warmed up by playing football. It was on one such occasion that I realised he was a good football player too. Later, during conversations with him, he remarked that football and badminton were the two sports he excelled in at school in Ranchi. He was considered an agile goalkeeper, he said.
On another occasion, he revealed that it was a sports journalist who changed the course of his life. It was Chanchal Bhattacharya, a reporter at Ranchi Express, who made a request to Dhoni’s football coach Kesava Ranjan Banerjee, asking for a wicketkeeper to play for the Commando Cricket Club in the Ranchi league. That’s how India got its most successful wicketkeeper, batsman and captain. Though Bhattacharya was hesitant to use a goalkeeper as a wicketkeeper, Banerjee convinced him and the team benefitted from Dhoni’s agility and sharp eyes.
Dhoni, known among his friends as Mahi, took up the challenge of playing cricket despite there being few facilities for the game in his town. In fact, he initially played with canvas balls since cricket balls or tennis balls were not available there. His skill as a wicketkeeper was natural, but once he fell in love with cricket, he developed his skills as a batsman. His talent as a batsman came to the fore when he hit an unbeaten 213 runs for his school DAV Jawahar Vidya Mandir in an inter-school tournament.
In 2001, he got a job as a travelling ticket examiner in Southern Eastern Railway. Once during a trip with him, Dhoni spoke about his days as a ticket examiner in Kharagpur. He used to participate in tennis ball cricket tournaments held in this railway town, and more than 20,000 people used to turn up to watch him in action. He revealed that he played his unique shots, especially the famous ‘helicopter’ shot during those matches.
Spotting the talent in Dhoni, Bhattacharya, who also coached youngsters, shaped him to play in the Vinoo Mankad Under-16 tournament in New Delhi. He excelled in those matches and got selected for the Bihar Under-19 team. By 1999, he was in the Ranji Trophy team, and made his international debut in a One Day Match against Bangladesh at Chittagong in 2004.
A string of low scores followed in the next three matches, but then he hit a stupendous 148 runs against Pakistan at Visakhapatanam in 2005. There was no looking back after this knock, and Dhoni stamped his class as India’s wicketkeeper-batsman.
Speaking to Gulf News he had said: “I did not dream of becoming an international cricketer. All I wanted was to play cricket all the time. I hardly expected to play for my country.”
So what would he consider a turning point in his career?
“It was during India’s tour of Zimbabwe and Kenya that I realised I can make it to the main team. During the latter part of that tour while playing in the one-dayers against Kenya and Pakistan, I got a few centuries and won the man-of-the-series award,” he said.
Though Dhoni performed consistently in international cricket, it was his knock in 2005 at Jaipur’s Mansingh Stadium that got people to accept him as one of the finest wicketkeeper-batsmen in the world. Chasing a target of 299 runs set by Sri Lanka, he hit 183 runs from 145 balls, with 120 of those runs coming from boundaries alone. This was the highest individual score in One Day International cricket history from a batsman in a second innings. He won the man of the series with an aggregate of 346 runs.
While reporting on the India-Pakistan 2006 series in Pakistan, I had the chance to speak to him regularly. During that tour he overtook Australia’s Ricky Ponting as number one batsman in the ODI ranking. That was a time when many crickets fans too began to grow their hair long like Dhoni, prompting even then Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to request him to never cut his hair.
Fans were always on the look out to know more about Dhoni; so whenever possible I tried to ask about his likes, dislikes, weaknesses and strengths, all of which made good copy for Gulf News.
Along with fame, money too started pouring in for Dhoni. Within a year of his international debut he purchased four motorbikes and used to talk about how he enjoyed riding them on the Ranchi highways. Today, he owns 16 bikes. He also used to talk about his pet dogs Zara, the black Labrador, and Sam, the pug. Dhoni also enjoys playing on his PlayStation.
In 2007 after India’s tour to England, Dhoni became the ODI team captain and then went on to captain the T20 team to a World Cup triumph in the inaugural World Twenty20 championship in South Africa. From then on it was a steady climb for becoming the Test captain too in 2008. Once when he was asked about his ability to fight against all odds, he had said: “When you come from a small town where facilities are not as good as that in a city, you struggle a lot. This way one learns to struggle and perform well.”
Today Dhoni is the richest cricketer with Forbes magazine releasing details of his yearly earnings as $26.5 million (Dh97.3 million); from endorsements alone he earns $23 million. His reputation reached its peak when he led India to victory in 50 over World Cup in 2011 and ensured Chennai Super Kings repeatedly won the Indian Premier League.
For captains around the world, he is Captain Cool. When he was asked what makes him so, his response was: “I always remain positive, never get depressed and never allow myself to get disappointed. The adulation from my fans reminds me that I have to work hard. I know that if I fail I will be criticised. So I try and give hundred percent all the time.”
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M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story releases in the UAE on September 29.Smoke burned Diath’s throat as he sprinted across the street’s uneven cobbles, a trio of bandits hot on his heels. He vaulted an upturned cart, blindly threw a dagger at the height of his jump, and hit the ground running; the roar of the fire around him drowned out any indication of whether he had found a mark. Moments later, he leaped aside just in time to avoid the avalanche of sparks and timber as the building next to him collapsed, gutted by fire. The entire village was burning.
Diath landed in a roll and sprung to his feet to face his pursuers. To his surprise, none remained. Though it would have been poetic justice if they were buried beneath the rubble, he suspected they had instead chosen to go after easier prey. All the more reason for him to hurry; he needed to get back to the town’s chapel, where Strix and Evelyn were helping to protect the few villagers who had been given enough warning to run. Getting separated had been a mistake, and on his own he would be far too easy for a group of any size to pick off.
Diath turned a corner to see a man standing in the middle of the street, staring dazedly up at the burning buildings. Though he was both armed and armored, none of his weapons were drawn, and though he swayed on his feet, Diath could see that he was uninjured. Shock, then; a village militiaman who had never seen battle, suddenly faced with the destruction of his home. Diath’s heart went out to him, but there was no time for either of them to delay.
“You!” he shouted, stepping out into the man’s line of sight. “Can you use that sword?”
The man blinked and, after a moment, tore his eyes from the flames to stare through Diath instead, his gaze just as unfocused as before. Over the roar of the fire, Diath heard the shouts of angry men; they were both rapidly running out of time.
“Listen, we need to go.” Diath said urgently, stepping forward to grab the man’s arm. “I can take you to the chapel where my friends will keep you safe. But you need to move.”
Agonizingly slowly, the man looked down at Diath’s hand, then back up. “Huh.” he said quietly. Then, as though broken from his stupor by his own voice, he asked, “Well, what are we waiting for?”
Without another word Diath began to run toward the chapel, the man stumbling along somewhat close behind. Luckily, they didn’t run into anyone else along the way; the man was so unsteady on his feet that Diath wasn’t entirely sure he would be an asset in a fight. He kept tripping over cobblestones and bits of rubble, to such an extent that Diath was sure he must be concussed or drunk, or possibly both. Finally, with some difficulty, they emerged into the open square where the chapel stood unburnt as the village’s only stone building.
All the windows had been smashed by a group of bandits who, having found them barricaded, were now trying to break in the door. The village militia fired crossbow bolts into the fray through gaps in the barricades, and Strix scuttled up and down the chapel’s sloped roof, a dark smudge throwing flames at whoever she could get an angle on. From behind the building came the clash of metal on metal, above which Diath could just hear Evelyn invoking Lathander’s name. He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding; they were both alive, at least for now, and by the looks of it they had bought enough time for the villagers to put together a defense.
Such was Diath’s relief at seeing his friends unhurt that he didn’t notice the armored hulk until it was already upon him. An enormous mailed fist smashed into the side of his head and sent him tumbling to the ground; he rolled on impact and just managed to avoid the follow-through with the most enormous sword he had ever seen. Diath sprang to his feet, bleeding, and turned to face an armored woman nearly eight feet tall. Her skin was gray and craggy, as though she had been carved from stone, and she held in one hand a sword that was nearly as tall as Diath. He danced backward as she swung again, wary of the fight still going on behind him, and retaliated with a thrown dagger which bounced harmlessly off her armor. Her reach far outstripped his, and he quickly realized that this wasn’t a battle he was going to be able to win alone.
“You need to fight!” he called to the man who still stood, motionless, at the edge of the square. “Please!”
The woman laughed, not even bothering to turn to see who he was talking to. Maybe, Diath thought as he ducked another swing of her sword, she knew a lost cause when she saw one. He sidestepped around her arm and managed to deal a glancing blow to the back of her hand; he wasn’t entirely sure she even felt it. She whirled to face him and kicked him in the knee with an iron boot, sending him stumbling back again. Before he could find his balance, she sprang forward, grabbed him by the throat, and hoisted him into the air. He couldn’t breathe; the woman was throttling him to death.
Through his graying vision, Diath saw the man take a half step closer, sword still sheathed. His lips were moving, and Diath felt as much as heard strange words flit around the edge of his consciousness, seeming to float just beyond his understanding. The woman screamed and dropped him, ears bleeding, and he wasted no time in stabbing her in the gap her armor left between her neck and shoulder, scampering back when he realized the blow had failed to down her. He had expected retaliation, but to his great surprise the woman spun to face the other man instead.
“Traitor!” she screamed, rushing him. Diath froze in shock, sure he couldn’t have heard her right.
The man threw his hands up, eyes wide. “Wait hold on”–
Whatever explanation he had been planning to give was cut short by her sword. The man, less coordinated and not as fast as Diath had been, was only just able to leap out of the way of the worst of it and took a wound that sliced through his armor, spraying his blood onto the wall behind him. He stumbled backward, alive but bleeding heavily.
“Should have known you’d turn on us,” the woman growled as she advanced on him, “You always were a coward, Seppa.”
“Wow. Hurtful.” He gasped, leaning on the wall for support. Diath could tell that he wouldn’t be able to dodge another swing; he looked like he could barely stand.
Whoever he was, whatever side he was on, he had saved Diath’s life, and he intended to return the favor. Diath sprinted toward the woman, vaulted up onto her shoulder, and stabbed down toward her throat, his dagger digging in behind her collarbone. Before he could jump away, she reached up and grabbed his arm in a grip so painfully strong he was sure his wrist would break. Over the woman’s shoulder Diath saw the man, slumped against the wall, raise a blood-soaked hand.
A loud boom shook the shook the square, sending both Diath and the woman flying backward. She landed atop him with a painful thud, and Diath found himself pinned beneath her bulk. She wasn’t moving, and Diath fervently hoped that she was finally dead.
“The signal!” someone shouted above, followed by the rush of many booted feet. Moments later, Diath heard the whizz of crossbow bolts from behind him, followed by the screams of many men. He managed to push enough of the woman’s body off of him to get a look; it seemed as though the village's militia, firmly entrenched in the chapel, was holding off the ill-advised charge of the last of the bandits. By the time he completely freed himself and reached his feet, all of them save the man he’d found in the village were either dead or fleeing.
“Diath, are you all right?” Evelyn flew into him so quickly she nearly knocked him over again. Beside him, Strix materialized out of a cloud of gas.
“He’s fine. Some guy saved him and then he fell over.” said Strix, who, despite her words, was eyeing his injuries as though she could glare them out of existence. She reached into her robes and pulled out something unidentifiable. “You should probably eat this.”
“Maybe later.” Distracted, he looked to the man by the wall. Evelyn, following his gaze, flew to him before he could stop her.
“You’re injured!” she cried, her hands aglow as she reached down to him. She pulled him to his feet, his wounds healing, and immediately pulled him into a hug. “Thank you so much for saving my friend Diath, that was so brave and w”–she gasped and Diath tensed, sure for a moment that he had attacked her, but instead she spun around to look at something on his back. “What is that?”
For the first time, Diath noticed that the man had an odd-looking bag slung over his back. Wordlessly, he swung it around and blew into one of several pipes sticking out of it, producing one of the worst noises Diath had ever heard. Evelyn gasped, her face lit up with a huge smile, and Diath heard Strix groan a miserable “oh no” beside him.
“Diath, he’s a bard!” Evelyn enthused, “Lathander sent a bard to save you, isn’t that wonderful?”
Diath goggled wordlessly at her, incredulous. Surely what he thought was happening couldn’t actually be happening. “He was with them,” he croaked, “He came here with the bandits. He was on their side!”
Evelyn gave no indication that she even heard him; in fact, she looked so infatuated that Diath was sure she hadn’t. She took one of the man’s hands in both of hers, shook it vigorously, and said “I’m Evelyn Marthain, humble servant of Lathander, and these are my very best friends Diath and Strix and it’s such a pleasure to make the acquaintance of someone so blessed with the Light of the Morning Lord!”
The man looked between Evelyn, who was positively starstruck, Strix, who was sitting on the ground with her face in her hands, and Diath, who was beginning to regret every decision he had ever made.
“Paultin Seppa,” he replied with a grin, “And the pleasure is all mine.”I've been sitting on this interview for a while, but after viewing the latest BBC piece on WTC7, I feel the time has come to release it in its entirety.
After locating Barry in mid 2007, Jason and I visited him and he graciously granted us an interview during a lunch break. He had agreed to grant us an interview under the conditions that we, at no time, associate his interview with his place of employment.
Jason and I were so thrilled with the content of the interview that we decided to release a few bits and pieces of it on both our show and Alex's.
A few months later, as the film was nearing completion, I called Barry again to touch base and see how things were going. It took him a bit to remember who I was, but as soon as he did, he began complaining about phone calls to his place of employment and that he was in danger of losing his job. He requested to have his interview pulled from Loose Change, and I honored his request.
Fast forward to February, 2008, where I'm doing an interview with the BBC, and I'm informed by their crew that Barry told them the reason he asked for it to be pulled was because of the article on Prisonplanet claiming he was stepping over dead bodies, which he denies saying. I call Barry to attempt to rectify the situation, and he is adamant that he did not use the phrase "we were stepping over people"
Fast forward one more time to two days ago, when the BBC piece finally aired. I now feel an obligation to release his interview, in its entirety, into the public where it belongs for three reasons:
1) To see the difference between the interview he gave us, and the interview he gave the BBC.
2) To establish Barry's timeline in his own words.
3) To preserve his testimony, in his own words, for the historical record.
I have remained true to my word and kept his interview out of the film, however, I can no longer keep it from the public. They deserve to hear Barry's story, out of his own mouth.
As I say in the end of the video, I would appreciate it if Barry could enjoy his privacy and live his life in peace. My intention with releasing this is so his story can be told, not to cause him any further grief or suffering.English Harbour rums are produced by Antigua Distillers on the Caribbean Island of the same name. English Harbour is a port on the island. Its name was given by the Royal British Navy when they set up a naval base there in the 18th century.
Outside of the Caribbean, Antigua Distillers are best recognised for their English Harbour rums. The 5 year old is regularly held up as being a classic (I didn’t share that view in my review though). Within the Caribbean they are best known for their Cavalier brand of rums. Less expensive rums used mostly for mixing. Much like St Lucia Distillers produce Bounty for their own domestic and more localised market.
The Antigua Distillery has been producing rum in its own right since the mid fifties. 1981 is a significant date in Antiguan history as it was the year the nation gained independence from the UK. I assume that this event influence the production of this rum.
English Harbour 1981 was aged for 25 years from 1981 to 2006 when it was finally bottled. The rum is now getting quite scarce and the price, should we wish to take the plunge is around £150 per bottle. It is bottled at 40% ABV.
As you can see from the photo’s Antigua Distillers have really pushed the boat out presentation wise. A beautiful leather case houses the rum which comes in a classic stubby style bottle, complete with authentic cork stopper. The labels provide some information on the rum and its heritage and all in all its a very classy package. The distillery also have a website which has some nice information about rum in Antigua and beyond.
English Harbour is a classic, almost Bajan like style of gold rum. It has an air of authenticity about it and as I have mentioned earlier their 5 Year Old is highly regarded in the Rum Community. I will say at this point that this particular rum caused a bit of a storm when it was revealed that despite 25 years of ageing – sugar had been added to the spirit. There is no mention of this on the their website.
In the glass English Harbour 1981 presents itself as a good golden to dark brown colour which confirms many years ageing (or if you’re a conspiracist the addition of caramel).
If you didn’t know any better when nosing the rum you would assume this was something from Barbados. It has all the classic hallmarks of the lighter Bajan style. Vanilla, caramel and a some very nice well aged oaky notes. It’s all very well balanced and very inviting. I might be detecting an extra sweetness level but this may be just because I know its there. It’s still very good nonetheless.
Tasting this rum is also a very pleasant experience. It’s nicely balanced though it is possibly a little too sweet for my palate. It has a good balance and despite the 25 years ageing the rum is not overly oaked. The sweetness of the vanilla and toffee notes work well with the aged oak notes and there is a sweet nuttiness present adding extra depth to the overall profile.
There is quite a bit going on with this rum and it really is very easy to drink. The added sugar ( I won’t labour this point) has definitely smoothed out the rum, making it both sweet and smooth. Personally I would have liked to have tired it minus the sugar but that is just me. I wouldn’t mark the rum down based on the additives. Oak chips are also added to each rum barrel during ageing.
Rumour has it that rum was produced using some rum they originally intended to use in their domestic mixer Cavalier. In turned out the rum was felt to be too good and was further aged till they decided what to do with it. There were only 5712 bottles of this ever produced.
English Harbour 1981 reminds me a little of Barbancourt in its overall delivery – it exhibits an almost cognac like smoothness and has sweet almost wine like notes. It is super smooth and there is virtually no burn on the finish.
Which is where I kind of fall out of love with English Harbour 1981. Despite 25 years ageing I can’t help feeling I should be getting a little more rum for my money. A little more “oomph” to really excite me. This is a tasty, reasonably complex rum but overall its just a little bit too soft for my liking. It doesn’t have that extra bit of “oomph” that I so enjoy. When I’m sipping a 40% spirit I really don’t expect it go down almost like a liqueur.
This is a very good rum but I think it could have been better and I suppose what I’m saying is that I would have enjoyed it more without the added sugar. Yes I’m pretty sure I would. This isn’t rum that will put hairs on your chest nor is it Pyrat or Zacapa – it does a lot of things very well but ultimately lets itself down when really it had no need to.Residents of San Antonio march through the East Side for peace and unity
Members of the community march during The Stand Up SA Stop the Violence Block Walk on the East side of San Antonio, on Saturday, July 9, 2016. Members of the community march during The Stand Up SA Stop the Violence Block Walk on the East side of San Antonio, on Saturday, July 9, 2016. Photo: BRITTANY GREESON, San Antonio Express-News Photo: BRITTANY GREESON, San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 38 Caption Close Residents of San Antonio march through the East Side for peace and unity 1 / 38 Back to Gallery
San Antonio residents gathered on the city's East Side to march for peace and unity in the wake of multiple shootings across the United States.
Chanting "Stand Up, Guns Down," and "Stop the shooting, stop the killing" a few dozen marchers started at Antioch Baptist Church in the 1000 block of N. Walters.
Their numbers grew as they marched and according to San Antonio about 150 people were soon marching.
The mood of the marchers was calm, peaceful and even jovial at times as the crowd walked the streets of the East Side.
RELATED: Local leaders urge unity, communication after ambush slayings of Dallas cops
They were greeted by motorists honking in unison with the marchers as they drove by. Several families who lost their loved ones also joined to advocate against the violence.
The family of Marquise Jones, who was fatally shot by off-duty officer Robert Encina at an area restaurant in February 2014, joined the walk.
His mother, Cheryl Jones, said the violence needs to stop also with police officers who are quick to resort to such measures.
The Stop the Violence Block Walk is being put on by Stand Up S.A., a program of the City of San Antonio Metro Health. Groups including SATX4, Moms against violence and the Black Panthers were among the community marchers.
The march comes a day after the killing of five Dallas police officers during a protest over the officer involved killings of two black men, Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota.
But the march was planned weeks ago said march organizer Mycheryl Price, StandUp SA Program Manager, and not as a response to the recent shootings as reported here earlier.
Jada Wilson said she joined the walk because it's the community her dad was raised in.
"Black lives matter not outside of us if they don't matter within ourselves," Wilson said. "Our own black lives don't matter if we can't appreciate our own black lives."
On Friday city leaders including, Mayor Ivy Taylor, urged civic duty and unity among residents of San Antonio.
"We all know that our city of San Antonio is a city with a deep heart, and today our heart aches with the victims and their families," Taylor said. "I want to remind all of my fellow San Antonians that the way we stay safe is by staying engaged."
WATCH LIVE: East Side community members are coming together for a peace walk with Standup San Antonio Stop the Violence at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church. Posted by My San Antonio from the Express-News on Saturday, July 9, 2016
Marchers seemed to heed that call Saturday as they marched, some arm in arm.
Mike Lowe, organizer with SATX4, said the block walk is a great way to build trust and unity in the community, adding that it's something the San Antonio Police Department and other city leaders need to do all the time.
"You don't build trust by over policing a community," Lowe said, noting that there was a greater police presence at a Black Lives Matter march that was held earlier Saturday downtown.
SAPD Lt. Troy Torres, one of two uniformed officer at the walk said he came out when he heard it was happening.
He said SAPD knew of and supported the walk, asking to keep it to one lane of the street.
"We want the violence to stop too," Torres said. "It's great for the community to come together."
The March ended where it began, at about 8:30 p.m. with a barbecue in the Antioch church parking lot.
Staff writers Elizabeth Lepro and Kate Carlson contributed to this report.Tired of looking all over for the top video game deals? Shop Jet.com to save on all the coolest video game consoles and hot new video games!
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that there's not a whole lot of free will out there, and if there is, it's in the least interesting places and getting more sparse all the time. But there's a whole new realm of neuroscience which I've been thinking about, which I'm starting to do research on, that throws in another element of things going on below the surface affecting our behavior. And it's got to do with this utterly bizarre world of parasites manipulating our behavior. It turns out that this is not all that surprising. There are all sorts of parasites out there that get into some organism, and what they need to do is parasitize the organism and increase the likelihood that they, the parasite, will be fruitful and multiply, and in some cases they can manipulate the behavior of the host. Some of these are pretty astounding. There's this barnacle that rides on the back of some crab and is able to inject estrogenic hormones into the crab if the crab is male, and at that point, the male's behavior becomes feminized. The male crab digs a hole in the sand for his eggs, except he has no eggs, but the barnacle sure does, and has just gotten this guy to build a nest for him. There are other ones where wasps parasitize caterpillars and get them to defend the wasp's nests for them. These are extraordinary examples. The parasite my lab is beginning to focus on is one in the world of mammals, where parasites are changing mammalian behavior. It's got to do with this parasite, this protozoan called Toxoplasma. If you're ever pregnant, if you're ever around anyone who's pregnant, you know you immediately get skittish about cat feces, cat bedding, cat everything, because it could carry Toxo. And you do not want to get Toxoplasma into a fetal nervous system. It's a disaster. The normal life cycle for Toxo is one of these amazing bits of natural history. Toxo can only reproduce sexually in the gut of a cat. It comes out in the cat feces, feces get eaten by rodents. And Toxo's evolutionary challenge at that point is to figure out how to get rodents inside cats' stomachs. Now it could have done this in really unsubtle ways, such as cripple the rodent or some such thing. Toxo instead has developed this amazing capacity to alter innate behavior in rodents. If you take a lab rat who is 5,000 generations into being a lab rat, since the ancestor actually ran around in the real world, and you put some cat urine in one corner of their cage, they're going to move to the other side. Completely innate, hard-wired reaction to the smell of cats, the cat pheromones. But take a Toxo-infected rodent, and they're no longer afraid of the smell of cats. In fact they become attracted to it. The most damn amazing thing you can ever see, Toxo knows how to make cat urine smell attractive to rats. And rats go and check it out and that rat is now much more likely to wind up in the cat's stomach. Toxo's circle of life completed. This was reported by a group in the UK about half a dozen years ago. Not a whole lot was known about what Toxo was doing in the brain, so ever since, part of my lab has been trying to figure out the neurobiological aspects. The first thing is that it's for real. The rodents, rats, mice, really do become attracted to cat urine when they've been infected with Toxo. And you might say, okay, well, this is a rodent doing just all sorts of screwy stuff because it's got this parasite turning its brain into Swiss cheese or something. It's just non-specific behavioral chaos. But no, these are incredibly normal animals. Their olfaction is normal, their social behavior is normal, their learning and memory is normal. All of that. It's not just a generically screwy animal. You say, okay well, it's not that, but Toxo seems to know how to destroy fear and anxiety circuits. But it's not that, either. Because these are rats who are still innately afraid of bright lights. They're nocturnal animals. They're afraid of big, open spaces. You can condition them to be afraid of novel things. The system works perfectly well there. Somehow Toxo can laser out this one fear pathway, this aversion to predator odors. We started looking at this. The first thing we did was introduce Toxo into a rat and it took about six weeks for it to migrate from its gut up into its nervous system. And at that point, we looked to see, where has it gone in the brain? It formed cysts, sort of latent, encapsulated cysts, and it wound up all over the brain. That was deeply disappointing. But then we looked at how much winds up in different areas in the brain, and it turned out Toxo preferentially knows how to home in on the part of the brain that is all about fear and anxiety, a brain region called the amygdala. The amygdala is where you do your fear conditioning; the amygdala is what's hyperactive in people with post-traumatic stress disorder; the amygdala is all about pathways of predator aversion, and Toxo knows how to get in there. Next, we then saw that Toxo would take the dendrites, the branch and cables that neurons have to connect to each other, and shriveled them up in the amygdala. It was disconnecting circuits. You wind up with fewer cells there. This is a parasite that is unwiring this stuff in the critical part of the brain for fear and anxiety. That's really interesting. That doesn't tell us a thing about why only its predator aversion has been knocked outwhereas fear of bright lights, et cetera, is still in there. It knows how to find that particular circuitry. So what's going on from there? What's it doing? Because it's not just destroying this fear aversive response, it's creating something new. It's creating an attraction to the cat urine. And here is where this gets utterly bizarre. You look at circuitry in the brain, and there's a reasonably well-characterized circuit that activates neurons which become metabolically active circuits where they're talking to each other, a reasonably well-understood process that's involved in predator aversion. It involves neurons in the amygdala, the hypothalamus, and some other brain regions getting excited. This is a very well characterized circuit. Meanwhile, there is a well-characterized circuit that has to do with sexual attraction. And as it happens, part of this circuit courses through the amygdala, which is pretty interesting in and of itself, and then goes to different areas of the brain than the fear pathways. When you look at normal rats, and expose them to cat urine, cat pheromones, exactly as you would expect, they have a stress response: their stress hormone levels go up, and they activate this classical fear circuitry in the brain. Now you take Toxo-infected rats, right around the time when they start liking the smell of cat urine, you expose them to cat pheromones, and you don't see the stress hormone release. What you see is that the fear circuit doesn't activate normally, and instead the sexual arousal activates some. In other words, Toxo knows how to hijack the sexual reward pathway. And you get males infected with Toxo and expose them to a lot of the cat pheromones, and their testes get bigger. Somehow, this damn parasite knows how to make cat urine smell sexually arousing to rodents, and they go and check it out. Totally amazing. So on a certain level, that explains everything. Ah ha! It takes over sexual arousal circuitry. This is utterly bizarre. At this point, we don't know what the basis is of the attraction in the females. It's something we're working on. Some extremely nice work has been done by a group at Leeds in the UK, who are looking at the Toxo genome, and we're picking up on this collaboratively. Okay, Toxo, it's a protozoan parasite. Toxo and mammals had a common ancestor, and the last they did was God knows, billions of years ago. And you look in the Toxo genome, and it's got two versions of the gene called tyrosine hydroxylase. And if you were a neuro-chemistry type, you would be leaping up in shock and excitement at this point. Tyrosine hydroxylase is the critical enzyme for making dopamine: the neurotransmitter in the brain that's all about reward and anticipation of reward. Cocaine works on the dopamine system, all sorts of other euphoriants do. Dopamine is about pleasure, attraction and anticipation. And the Toxo genome has the mammalian gene for making the stuff. It's got a little tail on the gene that targets, specifies, that when this is turned into the actual enzyme, it gets secreted out of the Toxo and into neurons. This parasite doesn't need to learn how to make neurons act as if they are pleasurably anticipatory; it takes over the brain chemistry of it all on its own. Again that issue of specificity comes up. Look at closely related parasites to Toxo: do they have this gene? Absolutely not. Now look at the Toxo genome and look at genes related to other brain messengers. Serotonin, acetylcholine, norepinephrine, and so on, and you go through every single gene you can think of. Zero. Toxo doesn't have them, Toxo's got this one gene which allows it to just plug into the whole world of mammalian reward systems. And at this point, that's what we know. It is utterly cool. Of course, at this point, you say well, what about other species? What does Toxo do to humans? And there's some interesting stuff there that's reminiscent of what's going on in rodents. Clinical dogma is you first get a Toxo infection. If you're pregnant, it gets into the fetal nervous system, a huge disaster. Otherwise, if you get a Toxo infection, it has phases of inflammation, but eventually it goes into this latent asymptomatic stage, which is when these cysts form in the brain. Which is, in a rat, when it stops being anything boring like asymptomatic, and when the behavior starts occurring. Interestingly, that's when the parasite starts making this tyrosine hydroxylase. So what about humans? A small literature is coming out now reporting neuropsychological testing on men who are Toxo-infected, showing that they get a little bit impulsive. Women less so, and this may have some parallels perhaps with this whole testosterone aspect of the story that we're seeing. And then the truly astonishing thing: two different groups independently have reported that people who are Toxo-infected have three to four times the likelihood of being killed in car accidents involving reckless speeding. In other words, you take a Toxo-infected rat and it does some dumb-ass thing that it should be innately skittish about, like going right up to cat smells. Maybe you take a Toxo-infected human and they start having a proclivity towards doing dumb-ass things that we should be innately averse to, like having your body hurdle through space at high G-forces. Maybe this is the same neurobiology. This is not to say that Toxo has evolved the need to get humans into cat stomachs. It's just sheer convergence. It's the same nuts and bolts neurobiology in us and in a rodent, and does the same thing. On a certain level, this is a protozoan parasite that knows more about the neurobiology of anxiety and fear than 25,000 neuroscientists standing on each other's shoulders, and this is not a rare pattern. Look at the rabies virus; rabies knows more about aggression than we neuroscientists do. It knows how to make you rabid. It knows how to make you want to bite someone, and that saliva of yours contains rabies virus particles, passed on to another person. The Toxo story is, for me, completely new terrain — totally cool, interesting stuff, just in terms of this individual problem. And maybe it's got something to do with treatments for phobias down the line or whatever it is to make it seem like anything more than just the coolest gee whiz thing possible. But no doubt it's also a tip of the iceberg of God knows what other parasitic stuff is going on out there. Even in the larger sense, God knows what other unseen realms of biology make our behavior far less autonomous than lots of folks would like to think. With regard to parasite infections like Toxo in humans, there is a big prevalence in certain parts of the world. There's a higher prevalence in the tropics, where typically more than 50 percent of people are infected. Lower rates in more temperate zones for reasons that I do not understand and do not choose to speculate on. France has really high rates of Toxo infection. In much of the developing world, it's bare feet, absorbing it through soil, where cats may have been. It's food that may not have been washed sufficiently and absorption through hands. It's the usual story that people in the developing world are more subject to all sorts of infectious stuff. A few years ago, I sat down with a couple of the Toxo docs over in our hospital who do the Toxo testing in the Ob/Gyn clinics. And they hadn't heard about this behavioral story, and I'm going on about how cool and unexpected it is. And suddenly, one of them jumps up, flooded with 40-year-old memories, and says, "I just remembered back when I was a resident, I was doing a surgical transplant rotation. And there was an older surgeon, who said, if you ever get organs from a motorcycle accident death, check the organs for Toxo. I don't know why, but you find a lot of Toxo." And you could see this guy was having a rush of nostalgic memories from back when he was 25 and all because he was being told this weird factoid... ooh, people who die in motorcycle accidents seem to have high rates of Toxo. Utterly bizarre. What is the bottom line on this? Well, it depends; if you want to overcome some of your inhibitions, Toxo might be a very good thing to have in your system. Not surprisingly, ever since we started studying Toxo in my lab, every lab meeting we sit around speculating about which people in the lab are Toxo-infected, and that might have something to do with one's level of recklessness. Who knows? It's very interesting stuff, though. You want to know something utterly terrifying? Here's something terrifying and not surprising. Folks who know about Toxo and its affect on behavior are in the U.S. military. They're interested in Toxo. They're officially intrigued. And I would think they would be intrigued, studying a parasite that makes mammals perhaps do things that everything in their fiber normally tells them not to because it's dangerous and ridiculous and stupid and don't do it. But suddenly with this parasite on board, the mammal is a little bit more likely you go and do it. Who knows? But they are aware of Toxo. There are two groups that collaborate in Toxo research. One is Joanne Webster, who was at Oxford at the time that she first saw this behavioral phenomenon. And I believe she's now at University College London. And the other is Glenn McConkey at University of Leeds. And they're on this. She's more of a behaviorist, he's more of an enzyme biochemist guy. We're doing the neurobiology end of it. We're all talking lots. There's a long-standing literature that absolutely shows there's a statistical link between Toxo infection and schizophrenia. It's not a big link, but it's solidly there. Schizophrenics have higher than expected rates of having been infected with Toxo, and not particularly the case for other related parasites. Links between schizophrenia and mothers who had house cats during pregnancy. There's a whole literature on that. So where does this fit in? Two really interesting things. Back to dopamine and the tyrosine hydroxylase gene that Toxo somehow ripped off from mammals, which allows it to make more dopamine. Dopamine levels are too high in schizophrenia. That's the leading suggestion of what schizophrenia is about neurochemically. You take Toxo-infected rodents and their brains have elevated levels of dopamine. Final deal is, and this came from Webster's group, you take a rat who's been Toxo-infected and is now at the state where it would find cat urine to be attractive, and you give it drugs that block dopamine receptors, the drugs that are used to treat schizophrenics, and it stops being attracted to the cat urine. There is some schizophrenia connection here with this. Any time Toxo's picked up in the media, and this schizophrenia angle is brought in, the irresistible angle is the generic crazy cat lady, you know, living in the apartment with 43 cats and their detritus. And that's an irresistible one in terms of Toxo psychiatric status: cats. But God knows what stuff is lurking there.Nov 9, 2016 | By Benedict
After being diagnosed with Marfan syndrome, a disorder which affects the body's connective tissues, engineer Tal Golesworthy refused to undergo invasive and risky preemptive surgery. Instead, he recruited two doctors to 3D print a replica of his heart and make a special corrective device.
British engineer Tal Golesworthy
For over 30 years, British engineer Tal Golesworthy lived with Marfan syndrome, a life-threatening condition affecting his aorta. For most healthy people, the aorta stretches to accommodate blood flow before relaxing back to its previous size; for Golesworthy, doctors warned that his aorta would struggle to shrink back to size and would continue to enlarge over time—one day, they said, it might burst. In 2000, doctors told Golesworthy that the time had come to perform preemptive surgery.
Doctors told Golesworthy that the stretched section of his aorta would need replacing with an artificial graft, with metal valves possibly required. After the operation, Golesworthy would have to take blood-thinning drugs which could put him at a high risk of bleeding. Faced with this daunting proposition, Golesworthy simply declined, and went home to think about other solutions. The engineer, with no medical experience, decided that there must be a better way.
Incredibly, Golesworthy did in fact come up with a solution—by simply putting his engineering experience to use. The Gloucestershire resident thought about how his aorta was a lot like a garden hose, and how, when a hosepipe is bulging, you wrap insulation tape around the outside to prevent it from expanding further. By the same logic, Golesworthy wondered whether surgeons could not simply wrap something around his aorta to prevent it from expanding too much. The engineer convinced two London doctors that the idea was plausible, and five years later the team had developed a medical “sleeve” that would perform the job of constricting the damaged aorta.
3D printed model of Golesworthy's heart (above) and medical aortic sleeve / Images: The Independent
After obtaining CT scans of Golesworthy’s insides, doctors were able to create a 3D model of his heart area, eventually creating a 3D printed replica. Using this 3D printed model of Golesworthy’s aorta, the doctors were able to create a perfectly fitting sleeve for the real aorta from medical-grade mesh. During what turned out to be the scariest day of Golesworthy’s life, surgeons fitted the sleeve to his aorta, and the patient has been fit and healthy since.
Although Golesworthy initially came up the 3D printing and surgical sleeve ideas for his own sake, the success of the operation prompted the engineer and a number of surgeons to promote the process for wider medical use. In the ensuing years, the process (now called PEARS, which stands for “personalized external aortic root support”) has been used on over 70 other patients, many of whom have reported similar success stories. In 2011, the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence passed positive judgment on the PEARS technique, pending further evidence.
There are advantages and disadvantages to the PEARS process when compared with other treatment options, but the incredible story of Golesworthy and his game-changing idea shows how virtually anybody with a creative mind can come up with revolutionary solutions to difficult problems. Credit must also go to 3D printing, which has helped surgeons create perfectly fitting medical devices for Golesworthy and other patients suffering from Marfan syndrome, and which will no doubt be used for countless future medical innovations.
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I.AM.Magic wrote at 11/9/2016 11:21:53 AM:Great job!“I was born poor, I have lived poor, I wish to die poor”...Pope St. Pius X In keeping with his vision of a Church “of the poor and for the poor” Pope Francis met with and suspended the Bishop of Limburg, Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst last week. The bishop had been in the news for the better part of a month due to costly renovations of his residence totaling upwards of forty million dollars. The German Bishops’ Conference is currently conducting an investigation into the affair and no punishment will be permanently set until that time. However, Vatican observers are predicting that if the Bishop is found guilty, he will not be reinstated as the Bishop of Limburg. This episode is noteworthy, as Tebartz-van Elst was previously appointed by Pope Benedict to allegedly, “combat ‘progressive’ tendencies in the German church.” Capitalizing on the Pope’s emphasis on the poor, auxiliary Bishop Robert McElroy of San Francisco, in an October 21st article in America Magazine, suggested that poverty was an equivalent moral issue to abortion. He stated: If the Catholic Church is truly to be a “church for the poor” in the United States, it must elevate the issue of poverty to the very top of its political agenda, establishing poverty alongside abortion as the pre-eminent moral issues the Catholic community pursues at this moment in our nation’s history. In addition, Bishop McElroy also implied that opposition to certain progressive government welfare programs and tax policies is a sin: …choices by citizens or public officials that systematically, and therefore unjustly, decrease governmental financial support for the poor clearly reject core Catholic teachings on poverty and economic justice. Policy decisions that reduce development assistance to the poorest countries reject core Catholic teachings. Tax policies that increase rather than decrease inequalities reject core Catholic teachings. Along these same lines, Bishop Robert Lynch of St. Petersburg, Florida lashed out at Pro-Life groups in August, equating the issue of abortion to the issue of “food aid” as well as immigration and the death penalty: I am convinced that many so called Pro-Life groups are not really pro-life but merely anti-abortion. We heard nothing from the heavy hitters in the prolife movement in the last week when Florida last night executed a man on death row for 34 years having been diagnosed as a severe schizophrenic. Which personality did the state execute? Many priests grow weary of continual calls to action for legislative support for abortion and contraception related issues but nothing for immigration reform, food aid, and capital punishment. Also, just this month Dr. Candida Moss, Professor of New Testament Studies at Notre Dame University, argued on The O’Reilly Factor that Jesus was a socialist. As evidence of this premise she cited examples of Jesus and his followers giving away “free health care” as well as Jesus’ “insistence that the wealthy give away their possessions.” It goes without saying that few Catholics, Traditional or otherwise, would look kindly on a bishop spending forty million dollars to upgrade his residence. Similarly, few Catholics would deny that we have an obligation to assist those in genuine material need. To do so would be to deny the very teachings of Christ Himself regarding the corporal works of mercy. However, with all of the recent focus and elevation of poverty as the premiere issue in the Church, we would do well to remember that the mission of the Church is not to eliminate poverty on earth, but to save souls. Christ Himself told us that the former mission is impossible: “The poor you will have with you always”; while the latter mission is essential. We also should remember that the Communists, especially in Latin American democracies, have historically exploited the problem of poverty. Fundamental Marxist tactics have always involved stirring up anger at the injustice of poverty and directing it towards the affluent ruling classes. The infiltrating Communists then foment a class-war with the intention of overthrowing the existing government, promising a worker’s paradise to those who assist in the effort. As we have seen, however, once the Communists seize power, they have no need of their former impoverished workers. They then live just as their former affluent rulers did, except with poverty further expanded instead of eradicated. In implementing their ideology over the last century, Communists have unfortunately found friends in idealistic Catholic priests who, inspired by the Communist’s false affection for the poor, have developed an entire “liberation theology” around the issue. Even assuming the best of intentions on their part, these priests have often served as unwitting facilitators of Communist propaganda. For “Liberation Theology” caricatures true Catholicism, transforming it into a mere religious arm of Marxism. This Marxist “god” of poverty should be examined even more closely in the United States. In this country, those considered below the “poverty line” and worthy of assistance by the government, often have a higher standard of living than the middle class and even the “rich” in some third world countries. According to a U.S. Census Report released in September, the following was true of American households in “poverty” in 2011: 97.8% had refrigerators, 96.6% had gas or electric stoves, 96.1% had televisions, 93.2% had microwaves, 83% had some sort of DVR, 80.9% had cell phones along with their landline phones, and 58.2% had computers. With these statistics in mind, can we, as Catholics, truly argue that these “impoverished” individuals are entitled to the same victim status as aborted children? Similarly, can we say that failure to support government welfare programs for these people is the moral equivalent of supporting pro-abortion politicians? In addition to poverty, the virtue of humility has been focused on recently to a great degree. The message has been clear that humility and poverty are intertwined. The idea has been put forward that, to be a truly humble churchman, one must eschew everything of value to the point of refusing the natural accoutrements of one's office; even to the point of refusing those things donated and sacrificed for that office by Catholics over the span of two millennia. In contrast to this narrative, I’d like to propose a different Catholic view of humility and poverty. I’d like to do so by telling a story. There once was a boy who grew up as the son of a postman. He was very poor and one of eight children. Knowing that his parents had no money to afford new shoes, he carried his own shoes on his back during long commutes to and from school to save them from wear. This boy would later become a simple country priest before eventually being elected pope over his own protests. Afterwards he would be embarrassed by the pomp of the papal court. “Look how they have dressed me up,” he would say in tears to an old friend. To another, “It is a penance to be forced to accept all these practices. They lead me around surrounded by soldiers like Jesus when he was seized in Gethsemane.” Yet accept them as penances he did. He knew that all of this pomp was not for him, but for the office of Christ’s vicar to which the faithful longed to show their generosity and adulation. For by honoring Christ’s vicar they honored Christ Himself. In this same vein, he spared no expense on his Divine Lord as he encouraged giving Him only what was most beautiful in art, architecture, and music. Though very generous to the poor, at one time filling the Apostolic Palace with refugees from an earthquake, poverty was not the focus of his pontificate. Instead his focus was the eradication of error from the Church as well as purity of doctrine and worship. For he knew these things were essential to the Church’s mission of saving souls and must always take priority. Nevertheless he lived such an interior life of poverty and humility, it inspired him to write the words, “I was born poor, I have lived poor, I wish to die poor” on his last will and testament. This great man was Pope St. Pius X.NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who has been looking into investments of U.S. President Donald Trump and other matters related to the Trump administration, on Monday said he has hired two lawyers with federal government experience.
In a memo to his staff on Monday, Schneiderman said he had hired former federal prosecutor Howard Master as senior enforcement counsel. Master was previously deputy chief of the criminal division of the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan. He left the U.S. attorney’s office on March 8.
In addition, Eric Haren, chief counsel to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, will join the office as special counsel and senior adviser on Monday, the memo said. Feinstein is the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Master will lead “complex affirmative investigations and litigation as well as advise on important investigations and prosecutions in the criminal division,” Schneiderman wrote. A person familiar with the matter said that includes issues involving the Trump administration.
Under U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, Master prosecuted public integrity cases, including the case against former New York assembly speaker Sheldon Silver on corruption charges. Bharara was fired by Trump earlier this month.
Haren has experience in civil rights, constitutional law, data privacy, and security and criminal law, Schneiderman’s memo said. He will provide experience in federal law and the internal workings of Congress and federal agencies, according to the memo.
Master did not return a call for comment and Haren could not be reached. A White House spokeswoman did not immediately comment Monday.
Schneiderman last month told reporters in Washington that his office was researching Trump’s business investments.
“As a general matter, it is not sustainable for him to refuse to divest from all of these vast holdings and refuse to disclose what those holdings are,” the attorney general said.
“It is so far beyond the bounds of anything that anyone has ever attempted that people are having trouble coming up with a clear legal strategy to address it,” Schneiderman said.Schneiderman also has joined lawsuits against Trump’s travel ban, which temporarily bars the entry of people from six Muslim-majority countries and refugees to the United States.
In addition, he has been probing Trump’s charitable foundation, which came under increased scrutiny following reports by The Washington Post of possible improprieties. In November, the foundation filed forms saying it violated a ban on so-called self-dealing.
In 2013, Schneiderman brought a fraud case against Trump over “Trump University,” a series of real estate seminars. Trump agreed to settle that case in November.Wide receiver Mike Williams was a surprise healthy scratch in Buffalo yesterday. It sounds like he would prefer to play elsewhere.
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday that Williams' agent Hadley Engelhard was given permission to "gauge interest" from other teams to seek a trade, according to a source involved in the situation. Williams was not on the injury report last week, so the Bills chose to keep him on the bench in favor of Chris Hogan and Marquise Goodwin.
Bills general manager Doug Whaley said Monday the team is "not actively shopping" Williams, but confirmed that a trade was requested.
"If he gets me compensation worthy of a No. 1 receiver, which he claimed he is," Whaley said, "then we would entertain it."
Ouch. Williams responded to his benching for Sunday's 37-22 loss to the Patriots with an Instagram post (since deleted) that wished his teammates good luck with the hashtag "#wastedjersey." Rapoport reports that the team needed more help on special teams Sunday because of injuries, so Williams wasn't active.
Williams topped 950 yards receiving in two of his first three seasons in the league with Tampa, earning himself a huge contract extension. But he hasn't been productive or reliable since 2012, and Buffalo finds itself in a tough spot. Whaley's comments indicate that the Bills know they will probably have to salvage their relationship with Williams because they don't have great options.
It's hard to imagine Williams having any market. He's due $5.2 million next year, which is a huge number for a guy that has 358 yards in 11 games since the start of the 2013 season. Williams isn't going anywhere; he's a sunk cost for Buffalo.
We recap all the Week 6 action on a jaunty edition of the "Around The NFL Podcast." Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.Allegiancy, a commercial real estate asset management company headquartered in the Boulders office park, on Monday began a push to sell shares to potential investors, becoming among the first handful of businesses in the U.S. to run a public stock offering using new federal capital raising rules known as Regulation A+.
The process, which has been dubbed a mini-IPO or IPO-lite, was created through the JOBS Act in 2012 and finalized by the SEC last year. It’s designed to make it easier, cheaper and faster for smaller companies to raise capital through limited stock offerings and allow average investors to buy in.
Previously, most equity offerings from smaller companies were limited to accredited investors and capped at lower dollar amounts. The new rules also lift restrictions on advertising an offering, most of which are typically policed by state and federal regulators.
Allegiancy, founded in 2013 by brothers Steve and Chris Sadler, the new rules allow anyone to buy a piece of a company that manages about 5.5 million square feet of mostly Class-A office buildings in the U.S.
“We can get out there and tell our story to anybody who will listen,” said Steve Sadler, who presented the company’s Reg A+ ambitions on Monday at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas.
Allegiancy’s unveiling at the popular festival coincided with it receiving its qualification letter from the SEC, which allowed it to begin accepting money from investors as of 10 a.m. Monday.
It has an initial per-share price target of $14 and will look to sell about 2.5 million shares. It must hit a minimum of $15 million to close the offering and has the ability to go up to $35 million. If its raise is successful, Allegiancy’s shares will be listed on the OTCQX stock exchange. The company will apply for the ticker symbol ALLC.
Hitting its goal, which could take 60-90 days, would make Allegiancy’s offering the largest Reg A+ offering in the country to date, Sadler said.
“Boldly assuming we’re successful, at $30 million we’ll be the biggest.”
The company, which oversees property management, leasing, construction, financing and other day-to-day operations of commercial buildings across the country, has been among the fastest-growing companies in Richmond in recent years. Following on a more traditional $5 million capital raise last year, this latest raise is designed to fuel that continued growth, giving it the funds to acquire property management portfolios and expand into new markets.
Allegiancy will hit the ground running with a three-pronged approach to getting the offering out to the public, Sadler said.
It’s taking the traditional IPO avenue of hiring an investment banking firm – in this case, WR Hambrecht out of San Francisco – that will take the offering to networks of broker-dealers. It’s also doing marketing campaigns on crowdfunding and social media sites. The third step is hiring New York-based Weild & Co. to call on institutional investors, mutual funds and private equity investors.
That will all cost the company about $500,000 in direct expenses, Sadler said, including legal fees, PR and advertising costs.
When it does call on those institutional investors, Sadler said the Reg A+ offering allows he and his brother and other insiders to maintain their controlling interest, rather than giving up equity in a more traditional private placement offering.
“That’s the beauty of Reg A+: you have an opportunity to raise capital and still maintain control,” he said, adding that he and his brother will own about 2.5 million shares of the company after the offering. “You’re really bypassing most of the old guard gatekeepers.”
“What’s happening is very much viral. People start to pick up on this as an option,” he said. “I think you’re going to see a snowball, and there’s enough entrepreneurial spirit in Richmond that I don’t think Richmond is going to be slow to it.”
Rob Kaplan, a founder and managing partner of Richmond law firm Kaplan Voekler Cunningham & Frank who has built a practice around the burgeoning Reg A+ scene and recently published a book on the topic, agrees with Sadler that it won’t take long for this new way of raising money to catch on.
“I think you’re going to see a big wave happening in the next 45 days,” Kaplan said.
Kaplan said most companies will likely look to raise $7 million, up to the federally mandated $50 million cap. Companies are limited to raise $50 million in any trailing 12-month period. He said Reg A+ will attract younger companies, but likely those that are considered growth-stage or late-growth-stage companies.
“I don’t believe the Reg A+ is the realm of the true startup. You’re going to have an element of maturity to the company,” he said.
Among the challenges as the Reg A+ matures, Kaplan said parts of the finance industry such as analyst coverage and trading portals must still be developed to handle this new wave of stocks.
“This is a market that I think for the foreseeable will be dominated by retail investors or smaller institutional guys with a different set of priorities,” he said.
Since the rules were enacted, Kaplan said he’s seen filings with the SEC from companies in life sciences, biotech, real estate and software – even a professional soccer team is trying out a Reg A+ raise.
“We’re really seeing stuff all over the board here,” Kaplan said.
His firm is working with a couple other local companies that are pushing toward Reg A+ offerings and sees the Richmond market as having a draw for Reg A+ offerings in real estate and consumer oriented businesses. On the consumer side, he sees potential for companies in industries that are able to build a fan base and could raise money while allowing customers to own a piece of their favorite brand.
“There are a lot of microbreweries that aren’t going to be the next Bud |
in Table. Table 1 Reference Subjects THC/CBD Results Remarks Di Forti et al. (47) “First-episode” psychiatric patients (n = 280) Self reported frequency and type of cannabis used The chance that high-potent cannabis (THC) has been used is higher among “first-episode” psychotic patients than among non-psychotics Also more frequent use in “first-episode” psychotic patients Morgan and Curran (45) Cannabis users (n = 154) Grouping based on presence of THC and/or CBD in hair More psychotic symptoms among THC group in comparison with no THC group and in group with THC and CBD in hair THC might be psychotogenic and CBD might protect against this effect Schubart et al. (48) Websurvey among cannabis users (n = 1877) Grouping based on self reported preference for type of cannabis Less psychotic symptoms in cannabis users who use cannabis with high level of CBD (hash) Personal communication with author (Schubart) Morgan et al. (46) Cannabis users, at least once a month (n = 134) Choosing cannabis by cannabis user Acute effects on mood, psychotic symptoms, and cognition CBD attenuates the THC-induced memory impairment; CBD does not affect psychotomimetic symptoms Morgan et al. (49) Recreational cannabis users (n = 54) versus daily users (n = 66) Measuring THC and CBD in hair THC increases possibility of negative psychotic symptoms, CBD antagonizes (part of) THC-induced effects Open in a separate window Longitudinal studies that have investigated the relationship between chronic cannabis use and the occurrence of psychosis have shown that cannabis use increases the risk of later psychotic symptoms and disorders by a factor of 2–3. The magnitude of the risk depends on the degree of exposure, the age of onset of cannabis use and the “vulnerability” of the user (50–52). No longitudinal studies have distinguished between the type of cannabis having been used, and no studies give an indication of the THC/CBD ratio. One case-control study has shown an association between the occurrence of a first psychotic episode and the use of high-potency cannabis (skunk or sinsemilla) (47). Patients with psychotic symptoms had more frequently used skunk or sinsemilla cannabis instead of hashish than had non-patients. Patients experiencing first-episode psychosis were also more likely to be daily users of high-potency cannabis than were controls. This finding suggests that both the daily use and consumption of cannabis with a high-THC and low-CBD content increase the risk of developing psychosis. Cannabis use can lower the age of a first psychotic episode (53, 54). Epidemiological and clinical studies suggest an adverse effect of cannabis use on the course of the disease in terms of relapse, exacerbation of symptoms and number of hospitalizations (38, 55–57). With the exception of a study by Di Forti et al. (47), no study has investigated the use of different types of cannabis in patients with a psychotic disorder. The extent to which the presence or absence of CBD in cannabis will influence the early occurrence of a first-episode psychosis or to what extent it will affect the course of the disease is, therefore, unknown. Anxiety and panic attacks are the most commonly reported adverse reactions following the use of cannabis. Inexperience and use in a foreign environment play a major role (58). Though anxiety and panic attacks are often reported, many users take cannabis for its fear-inhibiting effects [for a review, see Ref. (59)]. THC seems to be responsible for the anxiogenic effects of cannabis [e.g., Ref. (58, 60, 61)]. By the early 1980s, it had been shown that THC led to a significant increase of acute anxiety symptoms, while CBD had no effect (42). When CBD and THC were administered together, the anxiogenic effect of THC was halved. This was an important indication that the anxiety-inducing effects of THC could be antagonized by CBD. The results from later studies, however, were inconsistent; the anxiety-reducing effect of CBD was not found in all subsequent studies. Ilan and colleagues investigated the contribution of THC and CBD to the subjective and behavioral effects of smoked marijuana (62). In their study, 23 healthy marijuana users were randomly assigned to a low- or a high-THC group and low or high levels of CBD. In the four sessions under blinded conditions, subjects smoked marijuana cigarettes containing placebo (no active cannabinoids) or cigarettes containing THC with low or high levels of CBD. Compared with the placebo, cannabis caused a slight short-term increase in anxiety symptoms (VAS). These effects were greatest in the high-THC condition and appeared to diminish when the CBD content was high, but this latter effect was not statistically significant. Because this increase in anxiety was generally mild and because not all subjects responded with fear, a follow-up analysis with only the anxious subjects was performed. There was a non-significant trend for less anxiety in the high- versus the low-CBD condition in subjects who reported higher levels of anxiety after smoking the joints. A reason for the absence of significant results in this study might be that neither the THC nor the CBD concentrations were high enough to have significant effects. In the studies in which anxiety-reducing effects were reported, high oral doses of CBD typically were involved. Cannabis that is used for recreational purposes does not contain such high amounts of CBD. People with cannabis dependence are more likely to suffer from an anxiety disorder and, in particular, from social anxiety disorder [for a review, see Ref. (58)]. So far, studies investigating the relationship between cannabis dependence and anxiety disorders have not clarified the nature of the relationship in question: does cannabis use lead to anxiety disorders or do anxiety disorders lead to the (over-) use of cannabis? There are no studies in which the relationship between cannabis use and anxiety disorders is examined and in which an inquiry about the type of cannabis used or its THC/CBD ratio is included. In two experiments using patients suffering from social anxiety disorder along with healthy volunteers as controls, the subjects had to speak in front of a video camera, regardless of whether they were under the influence of CBD. In this experimental situation, CBD was effective in preventing symptoms of anxiety, both in healthy volunteers and in patients with social anxiety disorder (41, 63). CBD suppressed the symptoms of anxiety, similar to the action of the sedatives diazepam and ipsapirone. The main features of the studies on humans that have investigated the psychological effects of administering CBD (singularly or in combination with THC) are summarized in Table. Table 2 Reference Subjects Dosing THC/CBD Results Comments Karniol et al. (64) Healthy volunteers (n = 40) 30 mg THC (oral); 15, 30 of 60 mg CBD (oral) or in combination with 30 mg THC (both oral) Antagonizing (part of) the THC-induced effects CBD decreased the anxiety component of THC effects; no effect of CBD alone Hollister and Gillespie (65) Healthy volunteers (n = 30) 20 mg THC + 40 mg CBD (both oral) CBD delays onset of the effect of THC and prolongs the effects of THC Dalton et al. (66) Healthy volunteers (n = 15) 25 μg/kg BW THC and 150 μg/kg BW CBD via smoking a joint CBD reduces euphoric effect of THC Only effective when CBD and THC are administered simultaneously Hollister (67) Healthy volunteers (n =?) CBD 5–30 mg i.v. No effects Carlini and Cunha (68) Healthy volunteers Acute 600 mg CBD; 10 mg/kg/BW CBD 20 days CBD does not have psychological or physical effects Light drowsiness after CBD administration Zuardi et al. (42) Healthy volunteers (n = 8) 0.5 mg/kg BW THC + 1 mg/kg BW CBD (both oral) CBD antagonizes psychological effects of THC (anxiety) CBD itself has no effect and does not antagonize the physical effects of THC (HR, BP) Zuardi et al. (69) Treatment resistant schizophrenic patients (n = 3) CBD during 29 days upwards from 40 to 1280 mg/day (oral) CBD does not antagonize symptoms No side effects of CBD reported Crippa et al. (70) Healthy volunteers (n = 10) CBD 400 mg oral Anxiolytic effects; light mental sedation SPECT results: effects in left amygdala-hippocampus complex radiating to hypothalamus Leweke et al. (71) Psychiatric patients (n = 43) CBD oral 800 mg/day; during 4 weeks CBD more effective as antipychotic than amsulpride Less side effects of CBD than with amsulpride Zuardi et al. (72) PD patients with psychoses CBD 150 mg/day; during 4 weeks CBD possibly effective for treatment of PD patients suffering from psychoses No significant side effects of CBD reported Borgwardt et al. (73), Fusar-Poli et al. (74), Fusar-Poli et al. (75), Bhattacharyya et al. (76)a Healthy volunteers (n = 15) CBD oral 600 mg; 10 mg THC (not simultaneously); in comparison with placebo No effect in contrast with THC; CBD activates other brain areas than THC no effects of CBD in verbal learning task and no induction of psychotic symptoms No sedation and no inhibition of locomotion by CBD; THC induces psychotic symptoms, anxiety, and sedation Zuardi et al. (77) Patients with bipolar disorder (n = 2) CBD oral 600 – 1200 mg/day during 25 days CBD has no effect on symptoms No side effects of CBD reported Bhattacharyya et al. (43) Healthy volunteers (n = 6) CBD 5 mg i.v. immediately followed by 1.25 mg THC i.v. CBD antagonizes THC-induced psychotic symptoms CBD and THC have opposite effects on regional brain function Bergamaschi et al. (78) Healthy controls (n = 12) and patients with social phobia (n = 24) CBD oral 600 mg Reduction of anxiety scores in patients, no effect in controls No physical effects or side effects of CBD reported Crippa et al. (79) Patients with social phobia (n = 10) CBD oral 400 mg No effect on psychological scores No physical effects; SPECT: CBD exerts its effects via limbic and paralimbic areas Nicholson et al. (80) Healthy volunteers (n = 8) CBD 5 mg + THC 5 mg; CBD 15 mg + THC 15 mg, via mouth spray THC (15 mg) increases drowsiness, antagonized by CBD (15 mg) Hallak et al. (81) Schizophrenic patients (n = 28) CBD oral 300 and 600 mg acute No positive effects in Stroop Color Word Test No significant side effects of CBD reported Hallak et al. (82) Healthy volunteers (n = 10) CBD oral 600 mg and ketamine i.v. CBD increases activating effects of ketamine (BPRS); reduction of ketamine-induced depersonalization (CADSS) No effect of CBD on HR and BP Open in a separate window Several studies have shown that cannabis and THC dose-dependently cause cognitive and psychomotor function impairments along with memory, (selective) attention, locomotion, perception, and response impairments (83–85). The effects occur most strongly during the first hour after smoking a joint and between 1 and 2 h after oral intake. Little experimental research exists on the effects of CBD alone or in conjunction with THC on cognitive and psychomotor functions. The studies performed so far show few “protective” effects of CBD on cognitive functions. Morgan and colleagues identified a few such effects on memory functions, but the research on this aspect of CBD has inconsistent findings (45, 49). Although no human studies have specifically investigated the long-term effects of the combined effect of THC and CBD on cognitive functioning, there are indications that CBD may have some neuroprotective properties. In some neurodegenerative diseases that are often associated with declines in cognitive functioning, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, CBD may have some role in treatment or prevention (86–89). The ratio of THC to CBD may play a role in the risk of addiction (90). Morgan and colleagues examined whether there is a difference in attentional bias between users of cannabis having a relatively high CBD/THC ratio versus cannabis having a low-CBD/THC ratio. Much weaker attentional bias for cannabis-related stimuli was found for users of cannabis with a high CBD content than for users of cannabis with a low-CBD content. Furthermore, the extent to which both groups appreciated the self-selected drug and the strength of the desire for their drug (“wanting”) were investigated. High CBD content led to diminished appreciation and weaker desire for the drug relative to low-CBD content. The researchers concluded that cannabis with a high CBD content confers less risk for developing an addiction than cannabis with a low-CBD content (90). Whether smoking hashish in practice diminishes addiction risk in comparison with smoking highly potent marijuana should be further investigated.
Conclusion Cannabis is not a safe drug. Depending on how often someone uses, the age of onset, the potency of the cannabis that is used and someone’s individual sensitivity, the recreational use of cannabis may cause permanent psychological disorders. Many recreational users of cannabis will never be faced with serious or permanent health deficits. However, for some users, the use of cannabis may cause undesirable psychological side effects, such as cognitive impairment, anxiety and paranoia, and an increased risk of developing chronic psychosis and addiction. Despite all of the publicity surrounding cannabis, remarkably few studies have been performed that examined the relationship between a possibly harmful effect of THC and a possibly protective effect of CBD. The few studies that exist on the effects of CBD show that this cannabinoid can counteract some of the negative effects of THC, although their results have not always been consistent. The question remains how the findings from laboratory studies, often employing high doses of CBD and high CBD/THC ratios, can be extrapolated to the typical practices of the recreational cannabis user. Few or no adverse effects of CBD have been proffered, and where CBD has been found to have an effect, it is usually in a “positive” (i.e., salubrious) direction. The evidence favoring a beneficial effect of CBD therefore merits further investigation in studies in which the amounts and ratios of CBD and THC correspond to the daily practices of recreational cannabis use.When Trump heads to Florida to play golf conduct government “business,” financial prospects for businesses at the nearby Lantana Airport take a nosedive. When Trump is in town, there’s a 10-mile circle of restricted airspace around Trump’s Florida playground, which means that no small aircraft can be in the air (the larger and closer Palm Beach airport is still open for commercial traffic).
According to a story in the Chicago Tribune:
The Secret Service closed Lantana Airport on Friday for the third straight weekend because of the president's return to his Palm Beach resort, meaning its maintenance companies, a banner-flying business and another two dozen businesses are also shuttered, costing them thousands of dollars at the year's busiest time. The banner-flying company says it has lost more than $40,000 in contracts already.... The airport and its 28 businesses have an economic impact of about $27 million annually and employ about 200 people full-time, many of them making about $30,000 a year. They don't get paid when the airport is closed. [Jonathan Miller, the contractor who operates the Palm Beach County-owned airport,] is already losing a helicopter company, which is moving rather than deal with the closures. That will cost him $440,000 in annual rent and fuel sales.... Marian Smith, owner of Palm Beach Flight Training, said her 19-year-old business is losing 24 flights daily when closed and three students cancelled. She lost $28,000 combined the last two weekends and will lose $18,000 on this President's Day weekend. She estimates her 19 instructors are each losing up to $750 a weekend. "What's frustrating is that we get little notice when this is going to happen," she said. David Johnson, owner of Palm Beach Aircraft Services, said his 27-year-old repair and maintenance business generates $2 million in sales annually, but has taken a hit over the last month and he fears it will cascade if flight schools like Smith's close.
Here’s what a New York Times story reported on how Trump’s visits were affecting the local Florida economy:
$200,000 in lost fuel sales at a large local airport in a single four-day visit this month.
75 no-shows at a new restaurant in just one night.
$60,000 a day to pay overtime to sheriff’s deputies who guard the many closed roads, a tab that is about $1.5 million overall since the election.
250 private flights grounded every day.
Some in South Florida think the visits are just peachy. Some, but not all. Again, from the Times story:
Although economic development officials are ecstatic over the free publicity provided by news reporters’ live waterfront shots — and the excited buzz in the area is palpable — others are exasperated over the drain on small businesses and the circuitous routes residents have to drive to avoid two miles of closed roads.... St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church, in West Palm Beach at the western end of the Southern Boulevard Bridge, was holding its 42nd annual Greek Festival this weekend. “If they see the road closed, they will find something else to do,” said the Rev. Andrew Maginas, who said the festival was a critical fund-raiser. “We pray for him at every service to do right by our country, but we are sad that his visit comes during our festival. “We are hoping he can build a helipad soon on Mar-a-Lago grounds.”
The cost estimates for Trump’s weekly Florida vacations are based on what it cost taxpayers when President Obama spent a weekend in South Florida. From a CBS News story:
Four years ago, a weekend Mr. Obama spent in South Florida cost taxpayers $3.6 million. The Pentagon spent about $2.8 million for Air Force One plus support aircraft and military personnel. The Secret Service and the Coast Guard added nearly $800,000. During his eight years in office, Mr. Obama racked up about $97 million in travel costs. Mr. Trump is on pace to eclipse that by the end of his first year.
No one would argue that a sitting president and his family don’t deserve security, and Americans realize Secret Service protection and the associated personnel and equipment come with a price tag. No matter who the president is or where or when the president travels, it costs money and causes inconvenience to the local community. It costs $180,000 per hour to fly Air Force One, and it’s a four-hour round trip from Washington. Protecting an open beachfront resort such as Mar-a-Lago also costs extra—a lot extra.
But traveling every weekend is beyond what other presidents have done. One month of Trump travel is costing as much as the average of what President Obama spent on travel for an entire year. You might say this much travel is “unpresidented.”
And don’t forget that throughout the campaign, Trump repeatedly criticized Obama for every golf game. Trump has played golf six times since his inauguration. Trump left Washington three weekends in a row, yet during the campaign, he said:
“I would rarely leave the White House because there’s so much work to be done,” Trump told a reporter in 2015. “I would not be a president who took vacations. I would not be a president that takes time off… You don’t have time to take time off.”
There have been claims that the costs of protecting Melania and Barron while they stay in Trump Tower will be $300 million a year, or twice the budget of the National Endowment for the Arts, which was $148 million in 2016 and which Trump is making noises about dismantling. While Politifact rates that claim “mostly false,” it also says that no one knows if or when the rest of the first family actually will move into the White House, so costs will continue, even if they can’t be estimated accurately. More recent reports put that total at $50 million a year, assuming Trump doesn’t make it to New York very much.
New York City businesses felt the pinch immediately after the election, with street closures and increased police presence. Said Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer: "I've met with some of these business owners, and they've told me that since their street was dead-ended, deliveries have become nearly impossible and customers have stayed away, costing them anywhere from 30% to 70% of their business." Some of that has since eased as streets have reopened, but businesses lost a lot of holiday sales.
The conservative group Judicial Watch was one of the first to blow the whistle on the high costs of Trump travel. From the CBS story:
“If he’s going down there every weekend, the costs are going to add up pretty quickly,” said Tom Fitton, president of watchdog group Judicial Watch. Fitton is pressing the administration to release Mr. Trump’s travel costs. “He doesn’t need to go to Florida every weekend. He can work at the White House or up at Camp David,” Fitton said.
What about Camp David, the Maryland presidential retreat that was good enough for all of 45’s predecessors? According to a story in The Washington Post, this is what Trump said in a pre-inauguration interview:
“Camp David is very rustic, it’s nice, you’d like it,” Trump said in an interview with a European journalist just before taking office. “You know how long you’d like it? For about 30 minutes.”
The Washington Post (among other news organizations) carries a running total of Trump’s lies since he became president, and they’re adding up quickly. Maybe they can start a new feature adding up his travel expenses, too.
Back to Trump’s $1-per-year salary. Since Trump is never going to release his taxes—for past years or the current one—how will America know if he’s reneging on that promise, too? A site that lists all White House salaries, year by year, will be able to tell us, if the Trump White House ever gets around to making that information public. The official White House page that lists salaries in the Trump administration is still “being updated.”
In other words, don’t hold your breath on finding out any of that information.The state of some of the country's waterways have gone beyond a tipping point, according to a report from the Prime Minister's chief scientist.
Photo: RNZ / Hans Weston
Some will take more than 50 years to recover, and even then they will never get back to their original state.
The report said the science was clear: New Zealand's fresh waters were under stress because of what we did in and around them.
While some water bodies were in a good state, others have been significantly compromised by agricultural intensification, urban expansion and industrial pollution, hydroelectric development, or the effects of drought.
Sir Peter Gluckman said his report was designed to explain the complexities of the issue, as well as the multiple trade-offs and decisions that were needed.
"We all want [the water system] to be clean but then we all want to be able to have hydroelectric power, we want to have economic growth around farming and so forth.
"There's all sorts of contradictions in here."
Restoration activities, such as riparian planting and fencing waterways, were being undertaken on many catchments but may take more than half a century to reach the desired outcome, because there were often legacy effects, exacerbated by new urban or agricultural developments.
Where restoration had occurred, this was generally not to the original state, nor could it be, the report said.
Sir Peter said how far waterways could be improved would be a function of time, effort and resource.
"Land use has irreversibly changed large hunks of New Zealand in ways which will effect the ecosystems that the water's running through, but we can certainly get the water to a high level of quality and with very functional ecosystems within them."
Green Party water spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said Sir Peter's report highlighted the problems with current land uses, particularly agricultural.
"It's clear that he acknowledges that we have gone beyond the tipping point in some of our river systems and that further agricultural development is going to exacerbate poor water quality and it could take a long time to rectify."
The Labour Party's environment spokesperson, David Parker, said the report showed that the problem with deteriorating water quality was not under control.
"The report as a whole is another acknowledgement we've got these serious challenges for water quality, not just in our rivers but also our lakes."
Submissions on the government's clean water policy close at the end of this month and Sir Peter hoped this report would help inform public thinking on the issues facing freshwater.A congressional ban on CDC research of gun violence actually was lifted by an executive order from President Barack Obama in early 2013, after the massacre of 20 children and six adults in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. But Congress has since blocked funding for such research.
Stack said that "an epidemiological analysis of gun violence is vital so physicians and other health providers, law enforcement and society at large may be able to prevent injury, death and other harms to society resulting from firearms."
The AMA noted it has "numerous, long-standing policies that support increasing the safety of firearms and their use, and reducing and preventing firearm violence."
The group said it "recognizes that uncontrolled ownership and use of firearms, especially handguns, is a serious threat to the public's health inasmuch as the weapons are one of the main causes of intentional and unintentional injuries and deaths." The AMA has also supported legislation calling for a waiting period before purchasing any form of firearm in the U.S. and requiring background checks for all handgun purchasers.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the type of rifle used in the Orlando mass shooting.Review BlackBerry has looked into the abyss and seen... a vintage BlackBerry staring back. Two years on from a catastrophic “modernisation”, BlackBerry has finally made a modern BlackBerry that people who used and liked a classic QWERTY keyboard BlackBerry will feel right at home with. Which accounts for the name. Natch.
Design classic? BlackBerry revisits former glories
This, it must be stressed, is not a “classic Blackberry” - it doesn’t require a special SIM, doesn’t support BIS push email, and it uses the latest version of the new BB10 operating system. But because BlackBerry has restored the classic controls of an optical trackpad and four dedicated function keys, your hands need never move. Or put another way, you won’t be juggling it like a hot potato.
For the most part, the Classic delivers on the promise of making a modern BlackBerry a lot easier to use. It’s quite strange - “hey, you mean the Phone app has its own button?" - and really for the most part thoroughly agreeable.
Home sweet home
Your main problem, if you’re interested in buying one for yourself, will be finding one. It exists for quite unsentimental reasons: as a “secure end point” for BlackBerry’s range of business services, such as secure voice and mail, VPN and meetings. Which is the slickest meetings software I’ve seen, by the way, but something only currently feasible through a corporate server.
(While in time you may be able to obtain BlackBerry’s add-on services as a civilian - what’s called “multi tenant hosting” will allow operators to offer civvy street consumer versions of these services - but not yet.)
Which leaves you to get a SIM free version from BlackBerry itself or Amazon, or scour Carphone Warehouse. None of these three has it yet.
No slim Jim
Why get a Classic? It’s quite slanderous to suggest that it’s nostalgia. For not everybody needs a bling smartphone. Some people yearn for a deterministic or thoroughly predictable device that does one or two things well, and a vintage BlackBerry does that.
When over 1 billion phones get sold a year, surely 10 million want something that fits the bill? This device attempts to recreate the predictably and reliability of an old BlackBerry, but with an excellent modern browser, and modern apps.
Active frames task switcher (left), rapid selection/deselection of items using the touchpad and keyboard (right)
Overall I found it works, with one or two considerations.
It isn’t cheap, since BlackBerry is the only game in town for QWERTY keyboard phones. If you’ve been lovingly holding on to a battered Bold or Curve, the size of the Classic might surprise you. While it retains the familiar shape, it's much larger, and heavier too - although this is well distributed. I didn’t find it uncomfortable, but then even a “Compact” - like this 4.6-inch one - feels small to me now.David Gans
This Supreme Court is badly out of touch with the Constitution and political reality. Last week, in a 5-4 ruling in McCutcheon v. FEC, the Roberts Court dealt another blow to our Constitution's promise of democracy, striking down aggregate contribution limits designed to prevent massive campaign contributions to candidates, parties and PACs.
Four years ago, in Citizens United v. FEC, the Roberts Court turned our Constitution's system of democracy of, by, and for the people on its head, ruling that money is speech, corporations are part of "We the People," and the government's anti-corruption interest only extends to preventing bribery. In an opinion by Chief Justice John Roberts, McCutcheon doubles down on Citizens United, making that ruling even worse.
In McCutcheon, the justices struck down federal campaign contribution regulation for the first time in history, opening the floodgates and allowing Sheldon Adelson, the Koch brothers and fat cats across the political spectrum to contribute millions of dollars to elect candidates to do their bidding. Justice Clarence Thomas would have gone even further, voting to strike down all contribution limits.
As in Citizens United, the court's five conservative justices buried their collective heads in the sands, proclaiming that there is no risk of corruption, or threat to democracy, in a system that allows the wealthiest of Americans to cut million-dollar checks to candidates, parties and PACS. The court's ruling, as Justice Stephen Breyer explained in a powerful dissent, "eviscerates our Nation's campaign finance laws" and devalues "the importance of protecting the political integrity of our governmental institutions."
This Supreme Court does not understand corruption, but the framers did. Preventing corruption is at the very core of our Constitution. Our Constitution's framers were intensely concerned that government of, for and by the people could be corrupted by improper dependence on the few.
Rather than simply prohibit bribery, the framers wrote into our Constitution safeguards to limit opportunities for corruption and ensure that the government was "dependent on the people alone." Ours was a government, in the words of James Madison, "not for the rich more than the poor."
These arguments were presented to the Court, but Chief Justice Roberts simply ignored them. The result is a cramped view of corruption that cannot be squared with our Constitution's text and history.
Rather than follow the Constitution, Chief Justice Roberts' opinion relied on a selective reading of the court's precedents, downplaying the court's many past decisions that upheld contribution regulations, including aggregate limits, and playing up Citizens United.
Chief Justice Roberts' key move was to take the stingy definition of corruption developed in Citizens United and apply it to strike down the challenged contribution limits. Citizens United involved limits on campaign spending, not cash payments to candidates and parties. But in McCutcheon, Chief Justice Roberts concluded that this same understanding of corruption also applies to limits on campaign contributions. This throws open the door to a whole host of new challenges to state and federal contribution limits, including federal limits on soft money previously upheld by the justices.
This is just the latest assault on our democracy from the Roberts Court. In the past two terms, the Supreme Court has made it easier for Americans to spend and harder to vote, with our democracy suffering as a consequence.
Last June, in Shelby County v. Holder, Chief Justice Roberts wrote the majority opinion striking down a critical section of the Voting Rights Act and turning a blind eye to Congress' explicit constitutional power to prevent racial discrimination in voting. As a consequence, we have seen a host of efforts — in Texas, North Carolina and other places — to make it harder for racial minorities and other citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote. McCutcheon continues the Roberts' Court assault on campaign finance law, undermining a key feature of our system of democracy designed to ensure the integrity of elections.
This gets the Constitution exactly backward. The Constitution protects the right to vote in no less than six different amendments and contains a host of provisions designed to prevent corruption of the political process. During the past 225 years, Americans have repeatedly voted for amendments that ensure a democracy inclusive of all; they have never written into the Constitution the right to contribute unlimited sums of money to buy elections. That right is entirely of the Roberts Court's invention.
Chief Justice Roberts' opinion in McCutcheon opened with a ringing endorsement there "is no right more basic in our democracy than the right to participate in electing our political leaders," but no one should be fooled. In ruling after ruling, this Supreme Court is undermining our Constitution's promise of democracy.
David H. Gans is director of the Human Rights, Civil Rights and Citizenship Program at the Constitutional Accountability Center and a co-author of the center's brief in McCutcheon v. FEC.
Read or Share this story: http://cjky.it/PA0vQsPublished on 08/09/2017
SUBJECT(S): evolution, fossil, Kenya, primate, infant, Alesi, Miocene, ape, Isaiah Nengo, Napudet
The Leakey Foundation is proud to have funded the discovery of the most complete Miocene ape skull in the fossil record. The Foundation has awarded a total of 29 research grants to the international research team led by Isaiah Nengo.
The discovery in Kenya of a remarkably complete fossil ape skull reveals what the common ancestor of all living apes and humans may have looked like. The find, announced in the scientific journal Nature on August 10th, belongs to an infant that lived about 13 million years ago. The research was done by an international team led by Leakey Foundation grantee Isaiah Nengo of Stony Brook University-affiliated Turkana Basin Institute and De Anza College, U.S.A.
Among living primates, humans are most closely related to the apes, including chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and gibbons. Our common ancestor with chimpanzees lived in Africa 6 to 7 million years ago, and many spectacular fossil finds have revealed how humans evolved since then.
In contrast, little is known about the evolution of the common ancestors of living apes and humans before 10 million years ago. Relevant fossils are scarce, consisting mostly of isolated teeth and partial jaw bones. It has therefore been difficult to find answers to two fundamental questions: Did the common ancestor of living apes and humans originate in Africa, and what did these early ancestors look like?
Now these questions can be more fully addressed because the newly discovered ape fossil, nicknamed Alesi by its discoverers, and known by its museum number KNM-NP 59050, comes from a critical time period in the African past. In 2014, it was spotted by Kenyan fossil hunter John Ekusi in 13 million year-old rock layers in the Napudet area, west of Lake Turkana in northern Kenya. “The Napudet locality offers us a rare glimpse of an African landscape 13 million years ago,” says Craig S. Feibel of Rutgers University-New Brunswick. “A nearby volcano buried the forest where the baby ape lived, preserving the fossil and countless trees. It also provided us with the critical volcanic minerals by which we were able to date the fossil.”
The fossil is the skull of an infant, and it is the most complete extinct ape skull known in the fossil record. Many of the most informative parts of the skull are preserved inside the fossil, and to make these visible the team used an extremely sensitive form of 3D X-ray imaging at the synchrotron facility in Grenoble, France. “We were able to reveal the brain cavity, the inner ears and the unerupted adult teeth with their daily record of growth lines,” says Paul Tafforeau of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. “The quality of our images was so good that we could establish from the teeth that the infant was about 1 year and 4 months old when it died.”
3D animation of the Alesi skull computed from the ESRF microtomographic data. It shows first the skull in solid 3D rendering, then transparent surface rendering is used to show the endocast shape (light blue), the internal ears (green) and the permanent teeth germs (grey and brown). © Paul Tafforeau / ESRF
The unerupted adult teeth inside the infant ape’s skull also indicate that the specimen belonged to a new species, Nyanzapithecus alesi. The species name is taken from the Turkana word for ancestor “ales.” “Until now, all Nyanzapithecus species were only known from teeth and it was an open question whether or not they were even apes,” notes John Fleagle of Stony Brook University. “Importantly, the cranium has fully developed bony ear tubes, an important feature linking it with living apes,” adds Ellen Miller of Wake Forest University.
Alesi’s skull is about the size of a lemon, and with its notably small snout it looks most like a baby gibbon. “This gives the initial impression that it is an extinct gibbon,” observes Chris Gilbert of Hunter College, New York. “However, our analyses show that this appearance is not exclusively found in gibbons, and it evolved multiple times among extinct apes, monkeys, and their relatives.”
That the new species was certainly not gibbon-like in the way it behaved could be shown from the balance organ inside the inner ears. “Gibbons are well known for their fast and acrobatic behavior in trees,” says Fred Spoor of University College London and the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology, “but the inner ears of Alesi show that it would have had a much more cautious way of moving around.”
“Nyanzapithecus alesi was part of a group of primates that existed in Africa for over 10 million years,” concludes lead author Isaiah Nengo. “What the discovery of Alesi shows is that this group was close to the origin of living apes and humans and that this origin was African.”
The work was supported by The Leakey Foundation and trustee Gordon Getty, the Foothill-De Anza Foundation, the Fulbright Scholars Program, the National Geographic Society, the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility and the Max Planck Society.
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Nengo, I., Tafforeau, P., Gilbert, C.C., Fle |
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Blind spots: When you are behind the line of the driver and closer than 4 or 5 feet on the side, assume that you are invisible. For this reason, I always fall behind when riding abreast of a car and there is an intersection coming up. You never know which way it's going to decide to turn.
When you are behind the line of the driver and closer than 4 or 5 feet on the side, assume that you are invisible. For this reason, I always fall behind when riding abreast of a car and there is an intersection coming up. You never know which way it's going to decide to turn.
Potholes, sinkholes and sewer grates: It is widely believed that hell is actually located beneath the streets of New York City. In most cities potholes are just little bumps in the road. In New York they are gaping holes with no bottom in sight (technically, these are called sinkholes). Wheels, bikes, and bicyclists have been lost to the world below. In the summer, bike-sinks spring up randomly overnight. Please report dangerous potholes and sinkholes to 311 immediately and save a fellow cyclist.
It is widely believed that hell is actually located beneath the streets of New York City. In most cities potholes are just little bumps in the road. In New York they are gaping holes with no bottom in sight (technically, these are called sinkholes). Wheels, bikes, and bicyclists have been lost to the world below. In the summer, bike-sinks spring up randomly overnight. Please report dangerous potholes and sinkholes to 311 immediately and save a fellow cyclist.
Metal plates: Construction workers use large metal plates to cover up temporary entrances to the underworld. The plates have sharp edges, are fixed with huge nails, and often there is are gaping slits in the asphalt right at their edges. Your bike's wheel can get stuck between two plates with predictable consequences. In wet weather, the plates are like ice. Don't even think about changing direction when riding over them. Recently, a cyclist got killed just this way [ref].
Construction workers use large metal plates to cover up temporary entrances to the underworld. The plates have sharp edges, are fixed with huge nails, and often there is are gaping slits in the asphalt right at their edges. Your bike's wheel can get stuck between two plates with predictable consequences. In wet weather, the plates are like ice. Don't even think about changing direction when riding over them. Recently, a cyclist got killed just this way [ref].
Road markings, oil, sand, discarded food, and cobblestones: In the rain, pedestrian crossings and cobblestoned patches of road become frighteningly slippery. This also applies to the markings and pretty detailing on the bikepath by the West Side Highway. Ride across these straight and at a lower speed. Oil is of course a killer. There are specific spots by the river where sand washes up creating another hazard. Finally dropped food has also been a cause of accidents.
How to not get killed Wear a helmet. The majority of bike fatalities as well as a large fraction of serious injuries are a result of head trauma [ref]. Wearing a helmet doesn't eliminate this mode of injury, but it reduces the risk. This is a no-brainer.
The majority of bike fatalities as well as a large fraction of serious injuries are a result of head trauma [ref]. Wearing a helmet doesn't eliminate this mode of injury, but it reduces the risk. This is a no-brainer.
Don't ride against traffic. I don't know why people do this. It is actually a major source of accidents.
I don't know why people do this. It is actually a major source of accidents.
Behave as a "normal" vehicle. There is a whole theory of "vehicular cycling" advocated by John Forester [link] based on the premise that if you behave like a respectable vehicle, other vehicles are going to treat you as such (in other words, if you can't beat them, join them). I think the theory is about half valid. In general, behaving assertively but predictably and respecting traffic laws just as you expect cars to respect them does help. On the other hand, the whole point of cycling is that you can do things that cars can't do, like slip through between rows of standing traffic, [editor's note: more exciting bits removed from here]. The trick is to know when to switch between the two types of behavior: the serious no-nonsense vehicle and the stealthy but lithe creature slipping through the night (well, almost).
There is a whole theory of "vehicular cycling" advocated by John Forester [link] based on the premise that if you behave like a respectable vehicle, other vehicles are going to treat you as such (in other words, if you can't beat them, join them). I think the theory is about half valid. In general, behaving assertively but predictably and respecting traffic laws just as you expect cars to respect them does help. On the other hand, the whole point of cycling is that you can do things that cars can't do, like slip through between rows of standing traffic, [editor's note: more exciting bits removed from here]. The trick is to know when to switch between the two types of behavior: the serious no-nonsense vehicle and the stealthy but lithe creature slipping through the night (well, almost).
Use lights, even on the front. The city is well-lit, but it's full of visual distractions. It is easy to miss a cyclist. A powerful flashing light really helps to draw attention to you and your bike. The front light is essential to avoiding the "left turn without yielding to oncoming bike" type of accident. Side reflectors mounted on the wheels are important in intersections. reflectors and lights are also mandated by law, which means that if you ever get into a night accident they are going to make the world of difference in court irrespective of how stupid the driver who hit you was. In erms of actual safety, a high visibility vest with large retroreflective surfaces might make even more of a difference.
The city is well-lit, but it's full of visual distractions. It is easy to miss a cyclist. A powerful flashing light really helps to draw attention to you and your bike. The front light is essential to avoiding the "left turn without yielding to oncoming bike" type of accident. Side reflectors mounted on the wheels are important in intersections. reflectors and lights are also mandated by law, which means that if you ever get into a night accident they are going to make the world of difference in court irrespective of how stupid the driver who hit you was. In erms of actual safety, a high visibility vest with large retroreflective surfaces might make even more of a difference.
Know your rights and know what to do in an accident. Take a look at this brilliant little book [link]. Also read what to do in case you get doored [link].
Resources Transportation Alternatives --- the NYC cycling advocacy group [link]
Time's Up --- not just advocacy but activism here! [link]
The New York Bike Messenger Association [link]
The official NYC cycling map [front] [back]
The Manhattan Waterfront Greenway map [front] [back]
NYC bike path mashup [link]
Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute [link]
NYC pedestrian and bike crash maps [link]
The official NYC bike fatalities report (1996-2005) [pdf]
Video Cycling on the streets of Manhattan [youtube] [72M.mov file]ONE of the richest clubs in Asia has been knocked back in its pursuit of Tony Popovic, despite presenting the Wanderers boss with a multimillion-dollar offer.
The Daily Telegraph has learnt that Shanghai Shenhua held lengthy talks with Popovic over the past week, having identified the former Socceroo as one of a shortlist of three candidates including Roberto Mancini and Laurent Blanc.
Chinese media has reported that Mancini ruled himself out early on, and this newspaper understands that Popovic became the preferred candidate due to his experience of coaching in Asia — not just winning the Asian Champions League, but beating the continent’s richest club, Guangzhou Evergrande, on the way.
But Popovic has made clear to various suitors that he needs absolute control over players and backroom staff, and after Shenhua officials flew to Sydney this week to continue talks, Popovic eventually declined the opportunity.
It is believed Shenhua have now turned their attention to Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers and will make the former Liverpool coach a similarly lucrative offer to move to Shanghai.
Though Popovic is contracted to Western Sydney for another two seasons beyond the current campaign, having signed a lucrative new deal in May 2015, the club has always made clear it would not stand in his way if a genuinely substantial opportunity was presented to him.
Western Sydney CEO John Tsatsimas confirmed to The Daily Telegraph that they were aware of Shenhua’s interest in Popovic, and were delighted that he had chosen to remain at the club.
“Tony’s been hugely successful since he and we started and it’s only natural that success will attract other clubs,” he said. “It’s not the first and it won’t be the last.
Tony Popovic has spurned a big money offer and will remain with the Wanderers. Source: Getty Images
“Tony, myself and chairman Paul Lederer have a transparent relationship and if something came up he was interested in, of course we’d talk about it.
“But his only focus now is the team and building more success this season.”
The 43-year-old has made no secret of his intentions to coach in Europe eventually, with a period in Asia seen as the most obvious stepping stone.
Shenhua sacked Spanish coach Gregorio Manzano last week, claiming his ambitions were not in synch with the club’s after finishing fourth in the Chinese Super League last season.
The club is bankrolled by the Greenland real state group, with ambitions to dominate Asian football.
In a recent interview, Shenhua president Wu Xiaohui said the club was seeking a young and energetic coach, with knowledge and experience of Asian football.
Popovic’s agent Bernie Mandic — for many years Harry Kewell’s agent — could not be contacted for comment, but was seen in Sydney at the start of this week in talks with Popovic at a Double Bay hotel.
According to reports in Italian media, Mancini was offered 12 million euros but couldn’t agree terms over player targets, while former Tottenham and Chelsea coach Andre Villas Boas joined Shanghai SIPG last week on a deal worth 12 million euros.
Given the advanced point that talks with Popovic reached, it’s unlikely that the three-year deal on offer would have been dissimilar in financial size.An 8x5 tactile array provides gram-level sensitivity in hardware created from MEMS barometers and standard manufacturing processes. (Photo courtesy of Leif Jentoft.)
Cambridge, Mass. - April 18, 2013 - What use is a hand without nerves, that can't tell what it's holding? A hand that lifts a can of soda to your lips, but inadvertently tips or crushes it in the process?
Researchers at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have developed a very inexpensive tactile sensor for robotic hands that is sensitive enough to turn a brute machine into a dextrous manipulator.
Designed by researchers in the Harvard Biorobotics Laboratory at SEAS, the sensor, called TakkTile, is intended to put what would normally be a high-end technology within the grasp of commercial inventors, teachers, and robotics enthusiasts.
“Despite decades of research, tactile sensing hasn’t moved into general use because it’s been expensive and fragile," explains co-creator Leif Jentoft, a graduate student at SEAS. "It normally costs about $16,000, give or take, to put tactile sensing on a research robot hand. That’s really limited where people can use it. The traditional technology also uses very specialized construction techniques, which can slow down your work. Now, Takktile changes that because it's based on much simpler and cheaper fabrication methods."
TakkTile takes an existing device—a tiny barometer, which senses air pressure—and adds a layer of vacuum-sealed rubber to it, protecting it from as much as 25 pounds of direct pressure. Jentoft and co-creator Yaroslav Tenzer, a postdoctoral fellow, say that the chips can even survive a strike from a hammer or a baseball bat. At the same time, Takktile is sensitive enough to detect a very slight touch.
The result, when added to a mechanical hand, is a robot that knows what it's touching. It can pick up a balloon without popping it. It can pick up a key and use it to unlock a door.
Beyond robotics, Jentoft and Tenzer suggest that the TakkTile sensor could be used in a range of electronic devices. A toy manufacturer could make a stuffed puppy that responds to petting; a medical device designer could create a laparoscopic gripper that's gentle enough to tease apart tissue during surgery.
“Not everyone has the bandwidth to do the research themselves, but there are plenty of people who could find new applications and ways of using this,” says Tenzer.
The sensors can be built using relatively simple equipment; the patented process relies on standard methods used in printed circuit board fabrication, along with access to a vacuum chamber. The tiny barometers are available cheaply because they have been widely used in cell phones and GPS units that can sense altitude.
Along with their adviser, Robert D. Howe, Abbott and James Lawrence Professor of Engineering at SEAS, Jentoft and Tenzer are pursuing commercial opportunities with help from Harvard's Office of Technology Development. Harvard plans to license the technology to companies interested in offering prefabricated sensors or in integrating TakkTile sensing into products such as robots, consumer devices, and industrial products.He was drafted, traded and before he knew it, was hopping on a jet to Rio de Janeiro. In the span of two and a half months, Domantas Sabonis has faced more than the typical rookie summer whirlwind, but as he ducked his head under the doorway at the INTEGRIS Thunder Development Center, he looked calm, comfortable and surefooted.
After competing in the Olympics for Lithuania, the Thunder rookie forward has been in Oklahoma City, working out with fellow big men like Steven Adams, as the staff tries to get him up to speed before training camp begins in a couple of weeks. With no chance to play at Summer League because of his national team commitments, Sabonis has been committed to preparing himself by meeting with Thunder coaches, staying in top condition and getting to know his teammates.
“Everyone has brought me in with open arms. Everyone has been very helpful since the first day of practice,” Sabonis said. “I feel like a part of the team already. It’s awesome to be here.”
If Sabonis’ name looks familiar to NBA fans, there’s good reason. His father is Arvydas Sabonis, a legend in European basketball and an inductee to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. The elder Sabonis was dominant as a member of the Soviet Union’s national team, helping lead the USSR to a victory over the United States and an eventual Gold Medal in the 1988 Olympics. Many contend Sabonis and the USSR’s win in Seoul was the impetus for the United States to field the “Dream Team” four years later in Barcelona.
Arvydas Sabonis played for the Lithuanian national team after the fall of the Soviet Union, played professionally for three different European clubs and won countless awards before coming to the NBA to play for the Portland Trail Blazers, where he earned NBA All-Rookie team honors as a 31-year old and averaged 12.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while dazzling fans ( WATCH: Arvydas Sabonis Career Retrospective ) with his all-around skill, unprecedented for his 7-foot-4 frame.
“My dad is my idol. I’m very proud of him,” Sabonis said. “Every day he gives me some tips of what I can do.”
WATCH: 1-on-1 With Domantas Sabonis
The connection off the court and on it between Domantas and his father is striking but also important. Arvydas attended Lithuanian practices and games, helping Domantas with his development. Much like his father, who laid it all on the line for Lithuania throughout his playing days, Domantas has been fully committed to representing his country since he was 16 years old.
That dedication was rewarded this summer with an invitation to play in the Olympics, where the 20-year-old Sabonis played in all six games for his country, averaging 18.5 minutes, 5.5 points, 4.5 rebounds 1.2 steals and 0.7 assists per game.
“I was practicing with pros all summer and fighting for my country,” Sabonis explained. “That’s very important to me.”
His August experience was yet another step forward after two strong seasons at Gonzaga University, where he helped lead the Bulldogs to appearances in the Elite Eight and Sweet 16 in back-to-back seasons. During his freshman year, Sabonis performed at a high level by averaging 9.7 points on 66.8 percent shooting to go with 7.1 rebounds per game, but started just one time during the season. His second season in Spokane was when he truly broke out, averaging a double-double of 17.6 points and 11.8 rebounds to go with 1.8 assists per game.
The production, tenacity and basketball IQ Sabonis showed propelled him to the 11th overall selection in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic. The Thunder traded for Sabonis on draft night, along with Victor Oladipo and Ersan Ilyasova, helping to continue to pipeline of fresh, young talent onto the roster. Now, it’s up to the 6-foot-11, 240-pounder to work on every aspect of his game – including his strengths as a scorer, rebounder, passer and defender.
“I have to improve everything to play with the best athletes in the world,” Sabonis admitted, noting the rookie learning curve.
Being devoted to improving his game will be a great start for Sabonis, who has joined an organization that is known for its player development. The young big man’s skills will grow, his role on the team will take shape and his understanding of the dynamics of the NBA will advance throughout this upcoming season. Most important, however, will be his spirit in the locker room, on the sideline and on the court as he embodies the culture the Thunder has created in Oklahoma City.
“It’s a great organization, everything I believe in,” Sabonis observed. “Teamwork, having your brothers’ back on the court and being a team.”I’m going to cross America barefoot
Mark Baumer Blocked Unblock Follow Following Sep 29, 2016
On October 13, 2016 I will leave my house in Providence Rhode Island and begin another journey across America. I will do it barefoot. My goal is to reach California at some point in late December. I’ll do some running and some walking. The entire journey will be completed entirely on my own two bare feet.
Six years ago, I made a similar journey across America on foot, but for that journey I used shoes. I went through three pairs of shoes. It took me eighty-one days. While walking I kept a blog. I also wrote a book about the trip called: “I am a Road.” You can buy a copy of it here. Printed copies will only be for sale until October 7, 2016. You will not be able to buy printed copies after October 7, 2016. Now is your only opportunity to get a printed copy of “I am a Road.”
Since walking across America in 2010, I have thought a lot about crossing America on foot again. This second trip will obviously be different. I am no longer the same human I was in 2010. Here are a few differences between the trip in 2010 and the trip in 2016:
Anyway, that’s all for now. I’m sure I forgot some things. If you have specific questions about the trip either ask them below or here.TWO brothers carried out a brutal ‘honour attack’ with a baseball bat and hammer as a family dined at a pizza shop.
Burnley Crown Court heard Khalil Hussain, 24, and Munir Ali Hussain, 35, burst into Planet Pizza in Croft Street, Burnley, to settle an ‘honour feud’.
Prosecutor Andy Evans said the sustained attack on several members of another family left one man unconscious and others ‘fearing for their lives’.
The brothers, both of Colne Road, Brierfield arrived at the restaurant, opposite Burnley bus station, by car, leaving it abandoned in the middle of the street.
The court heard they entered the shop on March 3 last year wearing hoods and with their faces covered by scarves, shouting abuse at those inside and upturning tables and chairs.
Mr Evans said: “They burst in to the pizza restaurant, Khalil Hussain wielding a baseball bat and Munir Hussain a hammer.
“They targeted members of another family who were hosting a farewell celebration for one family member who was going on a trip overseas.
“They lashed out with a hammer and baseball bat and hit one man on the head.”
The court heard one victim sustained three cuts to his head and severe bruising to his back and had to have treatment at the Royal Blackburn Hospital.
Others were also injured during the disturbance which lasted several minutes.
CCTV footage of the men leaving the restaurant with the weapons was shown to the court. Mr Evans said after the attack the brothers smashed the window of a parked car.
The court was told at the time of the attack Munir Hussain was on bail, along with a third man, Yasir Hussain, 32, of Pine Street, Nelson, for a ‘highly sophisticated’ bank scam which had netted them £10,697.
The court heard on November 25, 2014, Yasir Hussain’s bank account had been used to extract cash from a woman who was persuaded over the phone to transfer her life savings.
The prosecution said Munir Hussain then obtained cash over the counter from the account at banks in Nelson, Burnley and Accrington.
Munir Hussain was jailed for 12 months after admitting to affray, possession of an offensive weapon and money laundering. Yasir Hussain was jailed for 12 months for money laundering.
Jailing Munir Hussain, Judge Beverley Lunt, said on the Planet Pizza incident: “This was clearly pre-meditated and pre-planned.
“You left the car thrown across the street. You didn’t care who saw you and you didn’t care that there were people who might be upset inside.”
And passing sentence on Yasir Hussain, Judge Lunt said: “It must be clearly understood that anyone who opens a bank account and let’s other people use it to take money from a victim in this way will go to prison.
“Without people who did what you did, there would be no confidence tricks like this.” Khalil Hussain will be sentenced for affray and possession of an offensive weapon on February 24.Page Content
As prepared for delivery at
The Evolving Structure of the U.S. Treasury Market: Third Annual Conference
View the slide deck
Introduction
Good morning. Let me begin by thanking the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for co-hosting this important conference on the evolving structure of the U.S. Treasury Market. This conference is a critical forum for communication among the official sector and private sector Treasury market participants, which is a necessary ingredient for well-informed policy decision making. This morning I will provide an update on Treasury's initial analysis of the TRACE data. I will also review a few other important work streams at Treasury, including Treasury's recent report outlining ways to streamline and reduce burdens of capital market regulation.
It is an honor to represent the U.S. Treasury every day – but that is particularly true today given this opportunity to address such an important group of stakeholders of the Treasury securities market. I know Secretary Mnuchin feels the same way and greatly appreciates the opportunity to address you this afternoon. I also want to acknowledge and thank my colleagues from the Treasury engaged in the critical function of debt management – many of whom are here today – without their contribution our markets could not function as smoothly as they do.
The Treasury staff is dedicated to strong market functioning to ensure that the Treasury market remains the deepest and most liquid market in the world. Fostering an efficient and liquid Treasury market helps us to minimize debt service costs. This lowers benchmark rates for other instruments, like corporates, agencies, and mortgages, providing cost benefits to all borrowers. In addition, a robust and liquid Treasury market reduces frictions and provides significant benefits for market participants that use Treasury securities for hedging or as collateral.
However, the structure of the U.S. Treasury market has evolved in recent years with the increased use of electronic trading and the shifting roles of market intermediaries and end investors. This evolution was most apparent on October 15, 2014, when the market for U.S. Treasury securities experienced a very high level of volatility and a rapid round-trip in prices. Such significant volatility within minutes with no obvious catalyst called for a deeper analysis of the conditions that contributed to the volatility and of the market structure in general. In response to this, staff at Treasury, the Federal Reserve Board (Board), the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued a report analyzing the events of the day, the Joint Staff Report.
The JSR highlighted the ways in which advancements in technology and growth in high-speed electronic trading are changing the structure of the Treasury market. To learn more about these changes, Treasury issued a Request for Information on the Evolution of the Treasury Market Structure last year. This sought public comment on the need for more comprehensive official sector access to Treasury market data. Nearly all commenters who addressed official sector collection of Treasury cash market data agreed that the official sector should have access to more information about cash market activity. Many commenters broadly encouraged Treasury to leverage existing infrastructure to collect Treasury market trade data to minimize the compliance burden associated with trade reporting. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's (FINRA) Trade Reporting and Compliance Engine (TRACE) was cited most often as the preferred tool for doing so. In October of last year, the SEC issued an order approving FINRA's amendment to its rules for TRACE to require its members to report certain transactions in Treasury securities starting July 10, 2017.
The post-trade data on Treasury security transactions collected in TRACE provides the official sector with comprehensive data. Today I am going to share some initial findings from Treasury's analysis of the data that we have been receiving since July. It is important to note that Treasury has just begun to analyze the new data and although we are in the early stages, I will relay a few initial observations that we have found most interesting from a market structure perspective.
Presentation of the Data
Slide 2
Our first graphic provides a stylized depiction of Treasury market trading. As can be seen in this diagram, dealers facilitate trades with customers and affiliates either directly or through request for quote (RFQ) platforms. Dealers trade directly with each other. They also trade on interdealer broker (IDB) platforms with other dealers as well as principle trading firms (PTF). The TRACE data allows us to size the market among its various participants and trading venues such as IDB, dealer-to-dealer (DtD), and dealer-to-customer (DtC) or affiliate markets. Understanding the changing architecture of the market structure and flows between these parties is integral to developing the best policies for the Treasury market and ultimately the most appropriate and effective use of the TRACE data.
Slide 3
In this figure the daily trading volumes by venue are presented. According to our analysis of the data, the more than $500 billion average daily Treasury market volume is roughly split between trades that occur on IDB platforms and those that do not. These other venues include DtC or DtA markets, with a small remainder in the DtD channel. While there has been a growing presence of non-dealers in IDB platforms, particularly PTFs, the dealer-dominated trading volume occurring outside of IDB platforms is still about half of the total market represented in the TRACE data. Therefore, despite the many changes in technology and regulation that may have impacted the Treasury market in recent years, it is safe to say that dealers are still at its center and continue to play a critical role in its smooth functioning.
Slide 4
Let's now look at daily volume by security type. When looking at trading among certain securities, most of the aggregate volume is in nominal Treasury coupons, with lower but not insignificant volumes in Treasury bills, Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS), Floating Rate Notes (FRNs), and Treasury Separate Trade of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities (STRIPS). Since coupons represent the largest category in terms of trading volumes and amount outstanding, we can use the data to dig down further into trading activity among different tenors and on-the-run versus off-the-run status.
Slide 5
Cutting the data by maturity bucket presents another view of activity. We see that the average daily volume among coupon securities is divided roughly evenly between the buckets of 0 to 2 ½ years, 2 ½ to 5 ½ years, and 5 ½ to 10 ½ years, with smaller volumes for 10 ½ to 30 years in maturity. The longer-dated bucket still trades on average over $30 billion per day, while the shorter-dated buckets each trade over $100 billion per day on average.
Slide 6
A significant question answered by the initial review of the TRACE data is the relative volume of on-the-run and off-the-run securities trades by venue. Treasury's analysis finds that although on-the-run Treasury securities account for a majority of transactions, off-the-run Treasury securities still trade in significant volumes. Off-the-run trades account for almost one third of total nominal coupon trades. Even with the growth in electronic trading in recent years, it appears that most of this off-the-run activity is intermediated by dealers. This further underscores the critical role that dealers play in promoting liquidity in the Treasury market.
Slide 7
Taking a deeper dive in the off-the-run market trading segment, we can see from this chart that there is significant volume in seasoned securities. Volume is divided about 1/3 to 2/3 in between the 1st off-the-run and the 2nd and older off-the-run – that is, deeper off-the-run securities.
Now, as a reminder, the data analysis shown today is preliminary. We see the first stage of our analysis of the TRACE data as cleaning and verifying the market sizing, primarily by matching trades across reporting types. The next stage of the analysis will be more focused on liquidity metrics and pricing, including price impact and dispersion across trading venues and market participants.
While our initial analysis has yielded valuable insight, it has also uncovered areas that need to be improved to make the data more useful. For example, the granularity and accuracy of the timestamps on trades reported to TRACE may need to be modified. Likewise, as Treasury's recent report on capital markets in response to the President's Executive Order on the Core Principles for Financial Market Regulation has noted, gaps in the Treasury securities transaction data available to the official sector still exist. In particular, PTFs and investment fund trading activity is not easily identified in the TRACE data because they are generally not FINRA broker-dealer members. For banks that conduct a government securities business but are not broker-dealers and FINRA members, trading activity in Treasury securities is also not reported to TRACE. We are now exploring the means to close these gaps with our colleagues at the Board and the SEC. Recently the Board has indicated that it is continuing to work through the details of collecting Treasury transaction data from certain depository institutions.
Another topic that often arises when discussing the TRACE data is public dissemination. At this initial stage the trade-level data on Treasury securities transactions are only available to the official sector. The policy concerning public dissemination of the data is actively being considered. While support for official sector data collection was nearly unanimous in the RFI comment letters last year, support for public dissemination of Treasury market trading data was far more mixed. Multiple commenters, including the Securities Industry Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) and several dealers and buy side firms, argued that public post-trade reporting would impair liquidity in the Treasury market, especially for less frequently traded securities. Nonetheless, we understand the importance of transparency and the potential value of making certain data broadly available for public use.
Slide 8
Looking at the historical evolution of collection and public dissemination of TRACE data for other key markets is a useful benchmark. In the case of corporate bonds, a phased in approach spanned four years from 2002 to 2006. There were multiple phases with multiple components to each phase, in which the reporting time was slowly decreased from 75 to 15 minutes and the eligible assets were slowly broadened to less liquid bonds. Public dissemination was also phased in based on the size and ratings of corporate bonds, with 2 and 4 day dissemination delays at first for less liquid bonds. After four years of phased implementation, dissemination delays were eliminated in January 2006. However, caps on trade sizes disseminated remain to this day, capped at $5 million for investment grade corporates and $1 million for high yield.
We are carefully analyzing the issues before considering how to proceed with any policy proposals regarding the appropriate level and form of data about Treasury market activity that may be made available to the public. In order to inform such a policy proposal, Treasury is taking a data-driven approach. We do not anticipate making any announcements until the official sector has had time to conduct a thorough analysis.
Slide 9
Let's focus for a moment on the high level principles that outline key considerations to guide our thinking in developing a policy on the public dissemination of the TRACE data:
First, recognizing that the Treasury market is the deepest and most liquid market in the world and that it is critical for funding the Federal Government, our paramount concern is to "do no harm" to the market.
Second, in deciding whether to disseminate data, it should be clear that Treasury's primary objective is to fund the U.S. Government at least cost to the taxpayer over time. The data must be used in ways that are consistent with this objective, and that enhance liquidity in the Treasury market.
Third, and consistent with the objective of funding the deficit at least cost to the taxpayer over time, we must consider the interests of all our investors and not unduly favor one group. The data should be used in ways that encourage the broadest Treasury securities investor base possible.
Fourth, Treasury more generally intends to use the data to improve Treasury market structure and technological evolution, with an eye toward developing policies, if needed, to protect the Treasury market from significant disruptions.
Fifth, we will foster cross-agency understanding of important characteristics of the Treasury market structure and validate findings via the Inter-Agency Working Group.
Finally, Treasury believes it is important to gather current views from market participants on TRACE data dissemination. I am announcing today a kick off of a robust period of outreach to gather the views of many of you at this conference and others in the coming weeks on this important issue. This will be an important undertaking with participation at the most senior level of Treasury. As with our outreach on other policy development, such as work on the Executive Order on the Core Principles, we are interested in hearing from the broadest range of constituents and understanding the granular implications and issues. We very much appreciate the active involvement of market participants in this exercise.
Treasury Report on the Core Principles for the Financial System: "A Financial System That Creates Economic Opportunity"
I would also like to take this opportunity to discuss a few other important work streams that are going on at the Treasury Department, which I think would be of interest to this audience, particularly the Second Report to the President on Core Principles of Financial Regulation, pursuant to Executive Order 13772, covering the breadth of U.S. capital markets including equity, fixed income and derivative markets. This builds on the initial review of the current regulatory landscape for depository institutions – banks and credit unions – that was released in mid-June.
The President directed Treasury to identify statutes and regulations that inhibit the operation of the financial system under the Core Principles -- essentially core values that align the performance of the financial system with the needs of consumers and businesses.
The Core Principles include:
Empower Americans to make independent financial decisions and informed choices
Prevent tax-payer funded bailouts
Foster economic growth through vibrant financial markets with rigorous regulatory impact analysis
Enable America's financial service companies to be competitive with foreign firms
Advance American interests in international financial standard setting bodies
Make regulation efficient, effective and appropriately tailored
Restore public accountability within the regulatory agencies and rationalize the financial regulatory framework
Our work to study the changes that are needed included canvassing a large number of stakeholders. Through a series of industry, academic and advocacy gatherings and bilateral meetings we have sought to understand how regulation is impacting the financial system and how best to address the goals of the Core Principles.
Like the Treasury market, the U.S. capital markets are the largest, deepest, and most vibrant in the world and of critical importance in supporting the U.S. economy. The United States successfully derives a larger portion of business financing from its capital markets, rather than the banking system, than most other advanced economies. U.S. capital markets provide invaluable capital resources to our entrepreneurs and owners of businesses, whether they are large or small, public or private. Both our equity and debt markets provide investment opportunities to a broad range of investors, from large institutions to individuals saving for retirement.
Certain elements of the capital markets regulatory framework are functioning well and support healthy capital markets. For some elements, more action is needed to guard against the risks of a future financial crisis. Other elements need better calibration and tailoring to help markets function more effectively for market participants. There are significant challenges with regulatory harmonization and efficiency, driven by a variety of factors including joint rulemaking responsibilities, overlapping mandates, and jurisdictional friction.
In order to help maintain the strength of our capital markets, we need to constantly evaluate the financial regulatory system to consider how it should evolve to continue to support our markets and facilitate investment and growth opportunities, while promoting a level playing field for U.S. and global firms and protecting investors. Treasury has identified recommendations that can better align the financial system to serve issuers, investors, and intermediaries to support the Administration's economic objectives and drive economic growth.
In summary, our Report made recommendations in the following areas:
Promoting access to capital for all types of companies, including small and growing businesses, through reduction of regulatory burden and improved market access to investment opportunities;
Fostering robust secondary markets in equity and debt;
Appropriately tailoring regulations on securitized products to encourage lending and risk transfer;
Recalibrating derivatives regulation to promote market efficiency and effective risk mitigation;
Ensuring proper risk management for central counterparties (CCPs) and other financial market utilities (FMUs) because of the critical role they play in the financial system;
Rationalizing and modernizing the U.S. capital markets regulatory structure |
image toggle caption Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images
But, as we've written, human rights groups have accused the then-mayor of either permitting or outright encouraging death squads to conduct hundreds of extrajudicial killings of alleged criminals.
Duterte has variously denied and confirmed ordering execution-style street killings in Davao City — at times he has even claimed to have personally killed criminals. In a TV interview, when the interviewer asked about the 700 extrajudicial killings during his tenure, he corrected the record: It was 1,700, he said.
Asia Philippine Presidential Candidate Accused Of Using Death Squads Philippine Presidential Candidate Accused Of Using Death Squads Listen · 3:36 3:36
His tough-on-crime message was popular during the presidential campaign, and Duterte won in a landslide.
After election, concerns about crackdown
As soon as he took office, Duterte initiated a broad crackdown on the drug trade — and observers quickly noticed a rise in extrajudicial killings.
Philippine news outlet ABS-CBN tracked an increase in reports of drug-related deaths that began after Duterte's election and spiked upward when he took office.
Not everyone has been opposed to the crackdown, as Michael Sullivan reported for NPR. It was, after all, exactly what Duterte had promised to do. Many Filipinos, perceiving a culture of impunity, are impressed that Duterte takes a hard line against corrupt cops as well as against street criminals, Sullivan says.
But human rights advocates were worried from the very beginning of Duterte's term.
"Few doubt his sincerity or resolve" to fight crime, Sullivan says. "It's his methods that have brought opposition."
The alleged extrajudicial killings are carried out without a trial. Some purported dealers and users are killed by police; in other cases, bodies are found on the street, sometimes with cardboard signs from apparent vigilantes declaring that the deceased was a drug dealer, The New York Times reports. The newspaper highlighted one case in particular — where a father and son were both killed while in police custody — that has captured attention in the Philippines.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Dondi Tawatao/Getty Images Dondi Tawatao/Getty Images
Archbishop Socrates Villegas, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, brought up the killings of drug suspects in a homily two weeks ago. He said fighting drug addiction couldn't justify the deaths.
"Are we providing our children a safe haven, by teaching them by our tolerance of murders, that killing suspected criminals without fair hearing is a morally acceptable way to eradicate crime?" he asked. "From a generation of drug addicts shall we become a generation of street murderers?"
Now a Senate justice committee led by Sen. Leila de Lima is investigating the killings. De Lima has said she's worried that Duterte's crackdown is enabling "murder with impunity" by police and vigilantes, the AP reports.
In response to the inquiry, Duterte accused de Lima of personal connections to the drug trade.
Standing firm against criticism
The Associated Press reports that more than 4,000 people have been arrested for allegedly dealing drugs since Duterte took office. "Nearly 600,000 people have surrendered to authorities, hoping to avoid getting killed," the wire service writes. "The arrests have further overwhelmed the Philippines' overcrowded jails."
Duterte and National Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa have both said they do not condone extrajudicial killings, the Philippines' ABS-CBN News reports.
Duterte said police should kill only in self-defense, but also said "the fight against drugs will continue unrelenting," Reuters reports.
And the president made international news in his response to criticism from the United Nations.
toggle caption Noel Celis/AFP/Getty Images
Agnes Callamard, U.N. Special Rapporteur on summary executions, said in regard to the Philippines that "claims to fight illicit drug trade... do not shield state actors or others from responsibility for illegal killings."
In response, Duterte threatened to leave the U.N.
"Maybe we'll just have to decide to separate from the United Nations. If you're that rude, son of a bitch, we'll just leave you," he said, according to the AP.
Asked about possible repercussions of making such a claim, Duterte said: "I don't give a shit about them. They are the ones interfering."
He highlighted the war in Syria as a failure of the "stupid" U.N.
The Philippines' foreign minister later said the country would not be leaving the U.N. and that Duterte was just expressing frustration.
The U.S., a major ally of the Philippines, has also expressed concern over the wave of extrajudicial killings. In response, the AP reports, Duterte asked the U.S. to answer for police shootings of black people.In all my years covering Westminster, I have never witnessed a backlash amongst MPs quite like the one which happened yesterday against Theresa May.
From the malcontents to uber loyalists, there was a collective outpouring of anger - and profanities - over the promotion of the chief whip Gavin Williamson to defence secretary.
There was anger that this ruthless party manager had been awarded such a huge job on so little experience - he has no military background and no ministerial experience.
But the real anger was directed at the Prime Minister for what most MPs regarded as a terrible blunder.
Image: Gavin Williamson outside the Ministry of Defence this week
She had an opportunity to bring in some fresh blood - Penny Mordaunt, Tobias Ellwood, Ben Wallace - and even (in the words of Ruth Davidson) "clear out the stables", but she blew it.
The risk-adverse Prime Minister again played safe, picking a person she has clearly come to deeply rely on. Never mind that Ms Mordaunt was a former defence minister, Mr Ellwood a current one and Mr Wallace a senior minister and former military man, she picked Mr Williamson because it was he she trusted best.
Colleagues read it as her being simply too weak to lead, allowing herself to be led instead by a tight cabal around her. Before the election it was co-chiefs of staff Fiona Hill and Nick Timothy in total command. Now, say MPs, the new chief of staff Gavin Barwell and Gavin Williamson call the shots.
Tory anger over Fallon replacement
"She is so weak she has allowed the inexperienced chief whip to appoint himself," was how one minster put it to me. "The real damage is that impression of weakness, the limited [pool of] people she can trust and a lack of vision. Deadly."
It does feel rather terminal: after the general election debacle Mrs May was described as mortally wounded, yet she has soldiered on, propped up by a band of loyal MPs. Their loyalty was sorely tested on Thursday and their morale knocked further still. How their anger will manifest remains to be seen.
But what is clear is that party management just got a lot harder. The backbenchers could well mete out their punishment on Mrs May - and their disdain for the meteoric rise of the former chief whip - in the House of Commons.
Image: Sir Michael Fallon resigned as Defence Secretary over allegations against him
One staunch Remainer (and loyalist) told me yesterday that they were now minded to throw in their lot with the dozen or so Tory rebels on the Brexit bill when it returns to Parliament in mid-November. And what of the budget or Universal Credit?
Meanwhile, Mr Williamson's first task will be to push through defence cuts. Will the party fall into line over that? I suspect not. Plymouth MP Johnny Mercer has been very vocal in his warnings that he'll make it politically impossible for the Government to reduce the capability of British amphibious forces by scrapping HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark. I suspect others will join him.
The majority of MPs were prepared to prop her up until the Brexit deal was concluded but her unforced errors of judgement and failure to grasp the nettle is unnerving some of those who were once loyal.
Dissenting benches, possibly further resignations and an expected wipeout at the ballot box in the London elections next spring, the next few months for Mrs May look tortuous at best, terminal at worst.Hark at Tripwire vice president and former modder Alan Wilson, waxing apoplectic on the subject of university games courses:
“We’ve been jumping up and down for about the last five years, going, ‘It’s all very well learning bits of CE and Java, but the industry uses engines’,” he said. “We want people to come out of universities with skills, creativity, to get working. I don’t want to spend the first months teaching them what an FPS engine actually does.”
Staffordshire University run four different games courses, and their staff have the voices of industry figures like Wilson ringing in their ears. Consequently, they’ve take steps to make sure none of their students leave without some practical grounding in the way games are really made. While their students might be variously studying character modelling, texturing, realism and theory or game narrative, all come together for two semesters for a big engine-based group project. That’s students, in the course of two semesters, making an entire game.
Over the course of the next five months, a dozen teams will build their games in the Unreal engine’s development kit, UDK. They’ve each been tasked with producing a design document for a game based on one of Grimms’ Fairy Tales, and are now setting about bending Epic’s engine to their collective wills and vision.
That’s where we come in. Between now and May, Paul and I will be tracking five of these teams in the wild as they engineer minor miracles and come to terms with heartbreaking compromises – in short, as they live game development for the very first time. We’re going to do this because it’s bound to be a bloody good ride, and because we hope it might inspire a few amateurs to start working on something themselves.
Of course, building your first game in Unreal is a bit like being asked to drive to the shops in a starship. How well do students cope when given the keys to a commercial engine?
“Well, we don’t give them much choice.”
That’s Nia Wearn, Staffordshire uni games lecturer and the module’s leader.
“It’s really helpful for us to be able to support the module with the wealth of extra information [available] for the Unreal engine,” says Nia. “It helps the students’ research skills too. They are also fully aware of the capabilities of the engine as well so they have something to aim for.”
XCOM and Dishonored. Mass Effect 3 and Hawken. All Unreal games released in the last year. Those targets may be distant, but as a former modder told me not so long ago, foolish ambition never sits more comfortably than in the lecture theatre.
“Especially as students,” said Wilson, “at the end of the day these guys and girls can do whatever they like. Just go and create something really offensive or deeply stupid or whatever. Who cares? Because if you get into the games industry you’re not going to be able to do that. Very high probability says you’ll be creating something for Mickey Mouse or whatever it turns out to be. And your creativity will be very focused, very channelled.”
So what can we expect? There’s Rapunzel, a 2.5D platformer which follows the titular princess’ hair up an ever-climbing tower; The Golden Twins, a frantic chase on foot through a dense cityscape; The Grimm Battles, an arcade fighting game which bids fairytale characters pugilate each other for whatever reason they can find; Shard, an action-adventure thing which rattles through the seasons and currently boasts a very pretty waterfall; and Hansel, an Amnesia-inspired take on the ‘…and Gretel’ myth which features more dry ice than the West End.
Expect, then, to see the silly, the surreal and the cerebral squeezed down the pipes of student game production. And if we’re to take Nia’s word for it, expect to see something rather accomplished emerge from the other side.
“If last year’s students are anything to go by we’re in for some really good work,” said Nia. “This is the first year we’ve asked for a full game as opposed to a more vertical slice single level. The work so far has been excellent but it’s a long time between now and the hand in May.”
What do they say about aiming for the stars? Something about Icarus. Stay tuned over the next few months to see the stories of five very different games unfold.Just two days out from what will likely be a name-making fight against Phil “CM Punk” Brooks at UFC 203, you’d think that Mickey Gall would be looking to avoid as many distractions as necessary. On one hand, he’s got the bulk of the MMA community ready to burn an effigy of him should he not defeat Punk with ease this weekend, and on the other, he’s got the WWE fanatics hoping he gets his teeth smashed in for daring to call out their straight edge hero.
The point is, Gall likely has a lot on his mind right now, and would probably not want to waste even an ounce of his mental energy on something as insignificant as the song he will be walking out to on fight night. Which is why Dana White is here to distract him with just that.
In the latest episode of UFC 203 Embedded released last night, Gall revealed that his choice of walkout song had been rejected by the UFC boss on account of it being too soft for a sport as hardcore and super-serious as MMA.
“I was going to do my walkout song — ‘Hey, Mickey you’re so fine’ — cause that would have been awesome. But he wants something harder,” Gall said.
Gall is of course referring to the 1981 song “Hey Mickey” by famed one-hit wonder Toni Basil, which would have been a pretty excellent choice all things considered. Aside from adhering to every jock bro stereotype imaginable, White’s assertion that the song wouldn’t be “hard” enough also clashes with several examples we’ve seen in the past. This is the same promotion that allowed Akihiro Gono and his entire crew to enter the arena in full drag, that allowed James Te Huna to do a choreographed dance set to the “Men in Black” theme song, and allowed Dave Kaplan to strut out to General Public’s “Tenderness.” Is “Oh Mickey” supposed to be more flamboyant than any of those choices, and if so, why does it matter?
Basically, what I’m saying is that the UFC needs to have a big old glass of calm down juice and quit ruining everyone’s good time.What's the story behind how your guild was founded?
I started this guild with some longtime Xbox friends and some family. We started recruiting for the guild when work and family schedules started to differ and we couldn't run as a 5 man team. We recruited ingame only for awhile and then decided to give the arc forums a try and we took off and haven't looked back yet
How did your guild choose its name?
I decided on our name because of the mental image I have on a Phoenix coming out of the ground to reign havoc on its foes
What's the message you want conveyed about your guild?
There is clearly no way to describe how much fun it has been to play this game with the group of people our guild has in it. Everybody literally helps everybody. Everyone gets along great and works well together. Our Officer Corp is one of the best and they will go out of their way to support our members and this guild. And I can't say enough about our members. All of them work together for individual and guild goals. All of our members follow this statement. If you need anything ask for help, if you can help someone, offer it, and always be respectful to all members.
If your guild had a superpower, what would it be?
To make Astral Diamonds at will
Any favorite hang-out spots?
I would say the most popular spots are right in front of the Moneycoins bank in the enclave or the Well of Dragons and as of late Caer-Konig.
If your guild was surrounded by a horde of zombies from the Dread Ring, what would you do?
Our guild would mow right thru them. Straight in to Dread Spire
What's one of the best guild events you've done?
We have had many from our Crab encounters in Drowned Shore, our weekend bank event where we added page 3 and 4 of our bank in 2 nights just from running dungeons. But I would have to say the best event was before the last mod when nearly the entire instance in the Well of Dragons was our guild and we farmed all the encounters for the entire evening. Nothing was cooler than having every person you saw in an instance with Rise from the Ashes under their name
What has you most excited about Strongholds?
I am most excited to see our guild in action having to take down all those dragons at the same time. Communication, skills and timing are going to be critical in that encounter. I look forward to the challenge and I know we will Rise from it stronger than ever.
If your guild was an animal, what would it be?
A Phoenix
Who can players contact if they want either more information or want to join the guild?
Anybody wishing to join or have questions about us can contact myself (gt Bleedin Blue75) or HarleyQuinnbrazen thru the arc forums on our guild recruitment thread. We are the main contacts to join
Any final comments?
We would like to thank you for picking our guild as the first to be spotlighted. We look forward to the release of Strongholds and future mods to come.
Discuss on the official forumsPORT CHARLOTTE, FLA. -- Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Nick Blackburn has earned a spot in the starting rotation, leaving two pitchers batting for the fifth spot -- Scott Baker and Kevin Slowey.
Blackburn tossed three perfect innings Saturday in a 6-1 victory over the Rays.
"I’d say Blacky’s in the rotation," Gardenhire said. "I like that sinkerball. I like the way he’s going about it. If he’s healthy, he’s going at it pretty good. I like what we’re seeing. He’s one of my guys."
Blackburn went 10-12 with a 5.42 ERA last year but had arthroscopic surgery to remove loose particles from his right elbow and has come back feeling strong. He also tossed two scoreless innings against Boston in his first start.
"This is probably the best I’ve felt in the last several springs, with knees and everything included," Blackburn said. "I’m finally getting out there to run a little bit. My legs feel stronger, which carries over to my delivery, too. My elbow feels great. I can’t remember having as much freedom in my elbow as I’ve had."
Gardenhire hinted that he'd like to make it a three-man battle for the final rotation spot, adding prospect Kyle Gibson to the mix. But the manager knows the front office will lean toward starting Gibson in the minors.The (Metaphorical) Bet: Paul Ehrlich versus Norman Borlaug By James Schneider
Like many libertarians, I find the bet between Paul Ehrlich and Julian Simon to be a fascinating episode in intellectual history. However, I’ve always been even more interested in Ehrlich’s descriptions of imminent mass starvation from The Population Bomb. By 1980, when Ehrlich and Simon made their bet, it was already clear that Ehrlich’s most dire scenarios had failed to materialize. Yet these failed predictions provided Ehrlich his international fame. Few people have done so well by being so wrong.
When I first learned about Ehrlich, I only knew that his predictions of mass starvation went unfulfilled. It wasn’t until I read Cormac Ó Gráda’s Famine that I realized just how poorly timed Ehrlich’s pessimism was. In the 50-year period before The Population Bomb, Ó Gráda lists six famines with excess mortality greater than a million lives. Since 1968, the worst famine that Ó Gráda listed, the North Korean tragedy from 1995-2000, had an excess mortality of “only” 0.6 to 1 million people.
After Ehrlich’s The Population Bomb was written, the human population increased dramatically but the rate of dying from famine imploded. (Interestingly, to this day, Ehrlich believes that he has been basically right all along. He still argues that the odds of avoiding a collapse of civilization “seems small.”)
Later, I found out that the poor timing of Ehrlich’s doomsaying was no accident. By the time that Ehrlich came to the world’s attention with The Population Bomb, Norman Borlaug had basically ensured that Ehrlich’s nightmare scenarios would go unfulfilled. In fact, by the time that The Population Bomb saw it’s 1971 edition, Borlaug had already won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work revolutionizing agricultural productivity in the developing world. For many years, Borlaug had gambled his life on an obsessive quest to enable nations like Mexico and India to feed themselves. During much of this time, he was a migrant farmworker in the literal sense; he moved between Mexican farms with the seasons, and he worked long hours in the field. (Fittingly, he was working in the field when he learned that he had won the Nobel Prize.)
For someone who isn’t a household name, Borlaug inspires outsized praise by those who discuss his accomplishments. Some call him the greatest human who ever lived and many say that he saved a billion lives. This latter claim seems to be an exaggeration; for example, in 1971 the entire population of India was only 548 million. Borlaug’s New York Times obituary more modestly mentions “hundreds of millions of lives” saved. In any event, Borlaug spared India immense suffering by dramatically increasing the country’s wheat production. (As it was, Ó Gráda lists drought as having caused 0.1 million excess deaths in India from 1972-1973.) Just as the Ehrlich/Simon bet might not have occurred without Ehrlich’s pessimistic predictions bringing him notoriety, the bet might not have occurred without Borlaug. Ehrlich might have been “above” betting with Simon if anything resembling his nightmare scenario had actually occurred.
When you save millions of people from starvation, you are bound to do a lot of collateral good. Borlaug’s work safeguarded arguably the most important liberty, the right to have children, for a wide swathe of the world. In fear of overpopulation, some countries implemented heavy-handed population control programs. For example, here are a few quotes from Matthew Connelly’s Fatal Misconception that describe the coercive nature of India’s sterilization program.
Sterilization became a condition not just for land allotments, but for irrigation water, electricity, ration cards, rickshaw licenses, medical care, pay raises and promotions.
Gandhi had still not decided whether states like Maharashtra would be permitted to impose compulsory sterilization. One day, in November 1976, Dhar passed along a report describing how schoolteachers were treated when they failed to meet their quota. Teachers, like everyone else, could be demoted, fired, or threatened with arrest. They, in turn, sometimes expelled students when their parents did not submit to sterilization.
Gandhi seemed saddened and remained silent for some time after reading the report.
Altogether, in the course of one year, the government would record more than 8 million sterilizations…
The astonishing thing about this sterilization program is that it occurred after Borlaug had dramatically increased India’s wheat production. By 1974, India was self-sufficient in grain production. Had Ehrlich’s nightmare vision become reality, India might have imposed far more draconian rules to reduce population growth.Former National Soccer League (NSL) defender David Cervinski will present the biggest individual honour in the Westfield FFA Cup on Tuesday night when he hands out the Mark Viduka Medal for the Player of the Match at the Final.
Cervinski, who played with Melbourne Knights, Carlton, and Wollongong Wolves during his impressive NSL career, was chosen by the former Caltex Socceroos striker to present this year’s Mark Viduka Medal after Sydney FC plays Adelaide United at Allianz Stadium.
Cervinski has been battling Melanoma since 2016, and over the past two years has felt the genuine support of Australia’s football family.
Cervinski said having the chance to present a Medal which is named after one of Australia’s best players, and one of his former teammates, will be a privilege.
“It will be an honour to present the Mark Viduka Medal,” Cervinski said. “To know that he (Viduka) requested me to do it via Josip Skoko and John Didiluca is quite special.”
“Mark (Viduka) is one of the best players Australia has produced. He was a young boy when we were teammates but straight away you could see that he was very talented.
"At training you just couldn’t get the ball off him. ‘Dukes’ had many special traits as a footballer, so to hand out this Medal will be a proud moment for me.”
“To be named best on ground in any Final is a great achievement,” concluded Cervinski.
Interestingly, in the past three Westfield FFA Cup Finals the Mark Viduka Medal has always been awarded to a foreign player.
Sergio Cirio (2014) was the inaugural Mark Viduka Medal winner, before Kosta Barbarouses (2015) and Bruno Fornaroli (2016) claimed the gong in the following years.
Thus far Mark Viduka Medal has always been awarded to a player from the winning team – Adelaide United, Melbourne Victory, and Melbourne City FC.
So, will an Aussie impress on Tuesday evening to claim the Mark Viduka Medal, or will it go to one of Sydney’s or Adelaide’s imports?
And will the Mark Viduka Medallist hail from the winning club?
The Westfield FFA Cup Final 2017 will be broadcast LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on FOX SPORTS from 7.30pm (AEDT) on Tuesday night.
Tickets to the Westfield FFA Cup Final 2017 can be purchased at
www.theffacup.com.au/ticketsI’ve been following the work of the Basilique Performing Arts Company for a while now, and with good reason. Their work stands at the forefront of performing arts within Second Life featuring ambitious, cutting-edge productions which engage and enthrall. So much so that their masterful production of Paradise Lost: The story of Adam and Eve’s original sin, which runs through until the end of June, is completely sold-out.
Now comes word that their inaugural production, Romeo+Juliet, is set to return for a special 3-date early summer season, ahead of a full 2014 season’s run commencing in August.
The three special performances come courtesy of the Linden Endowment for the Arts, and will take place in a purpose-built setting on LEA14, designed and built by the production’s directors, Canary Beck and Harvey Crabsticks.
The centrepiece of this is the playhouse where the performances will take place, located on a high plateau and surrounded by lush countryside. Around this lay four locations central to the unfolding story of tragic love: the town of Verona; the Capulet mansion; Mantua, the place to which Romeo retreats when the Prince proclaims him to be exiled from Verona, and the Capulet’s chapel, wherein the two lovers are reunited in death.
Visitors to the region are invited to explore the various settings, either before or after each of the performances, or any time on days when no performance is scheduled. Signposts have been placed throughout to help guide people between the various locations.
As the name suggests, Romeo + Juliet, which I reviewed here, presents Shakespeare’s famous play about star-crossed lovers in a brilliant mix of renaissance-inspired sets, 1940s costumes, and contemporary music from the likes of Nat King Cole, Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman, Michael Buble, Jack Black, Carl Douglas, Queen and more. With a nod towards Baz Luhrmann and a rich weaving of music and dance as the means by which the unfolding story is largely told, the production is unique and fully engages the audience.
For the performance at LEA14 and the upcoming full season, Romeo+Juliet hold something special for audiences. “We’ve completely remastered it from the ground up,” Canary told me when she contacted me to let me know about the LEA dates. “We have redone the show with the new techniques and technology that we’ve learned as a result of Paradise Lost, and it’s better for it.” Hence why the new production has a “2.0” in it!
So even if you enjoyed Romeo+Juliet during its original 40-week run in 2013, this production is still not to be missed.
The LEA14 performances are all free to attend, but audience numbers are limited to 20 per show, with seats allocated on a first come, first serve basis.
Performance Dates
The three LEA14 performances will take place as follows (all times SLT):
08:30, Saturday May 31st, 2014
11:30, Sunday June 8th
11:30, Sunday June 15th
Do be sure to mark your diary and to attend at least one; I can guarantee you will not be disappointed.
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AdvertisementsGone are the days, when for even the smallest information one had to switch on the desktop or open the laptops. Discussing something or had that eureka moment and you have to get more information on the same; you have a smart gadget right in your pockets.
Smartphones have fast become the important part of our lives. Even the smartphone companies understand the need and the expectancy level of the consumers. To offer the best of the rest to the consumers, companies are coming up with smartphones with unique cool features.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the way consumers connect with the world around them. Panasonic with the Arbo, the virtual assistance promises to enhance the mobile experience. The two new smartphones from Panasonic named Eluga Ray Max and Eluga Ray X from Panasonic come with the cool AI feature to make the consumers drool over.
Take a look at what more these two newbies have in store and know more about the cool specifications, features, camera details, price and availability in India.
Eluga Ray Max and Ray X Design and Build
Eluga Ray Max comes with 5.2-inch IPS LCD screen, Full HD display (1080×1920 pixels) and weighs merely 165 gms, features a metal unibody with Gorilla Glass. The Eluga Ray Max body is shaped in such a way that it don’t slip out of your hands. It comes with a fingerprint sensor on the bottom of the phone without any capacitive touch buttons which means it surely takes some space on display screen. However, one thing that I didn’t understand is why Panasonic is still using Gorilla Glass screen while some of the phones in the same category are coming up with Gorilla Glass 5.
Eluga Ray X has 5.5-inch IPS LCD screen, HD display (1280×720 pixels) and features a metal unibody. The design of the phone somehow doesn’t look so impressive as compared to Eluga Ray Max as it looks bulky from the sides even it is only 77.0mm thin. Fingerprint sensor is placed on the same place as Eluga Ray Max and doesn’t have any capacitive buttons as its big brother.
Eluga Ray Max and Ray X Specifications
Eluga Ray Max is powered by 1.4GHz 64 bit Octa Core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor paired with 4GB RAM and comes with 64GB and 32GB internal memory variants that can be expanded up to 128GB. Eluga Ray Max is equipped with a front fingerprint sensor in collaboration with ‘Android for work’ which provides the smartphone an impenetrable security that can be surpassed only by the designated user.
Eluga Rax X is powered by 1.3GHz Quad Core, 3GB RAM with 32GB internal memory upgradable upto 64GB, the smartphone catches your attention. If you are sick and tired of your phone slowing down every time you open a large app, the cool new Panasonic Eluga Ray X is here to grab your attention. With this gadget, you won’t face any lag as powerful and ensures smooth and fast performance.
As already mentioned, both the smartphones include the virtual assistant, which is a self-learning technology that understands the user behaviour and maps their daily activities for them accordingly. This virtual assistant comes with ‘location identification’ feature that help it in recognizing the places often visited by the user and sends out prompt responses.
Both the smartphones run on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) platform have USB 2.0 with OTG support, ambient Light sensor, accelerometer, proximity sensor.
Eluga Ray Max and Ray X Camera Details
Eluga Ray Max has 16 MP rear camera with professional mode and an 8 MP front camera with a selfie flash, a feature which enables the user to take perfect selfies even in the darkest spots.
Eluga Ray X has 16 MP rear camera with professional mode and an 5 MP front camera. With Eluga Ray X, you can capture beautiful moments, share with your friends. Good news for selfie addicts is that the gadget comes with wide-selfie shot feature that expands the frame to take group selfies.
Eluga Ray Max and Ray X Battery and Connectivity
Eluga Ray Max comes with a battery capacity of 3000mAh with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0.
Eluga Ray X comes with 4000mAh battery capacity with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 which is more than Eluga Ray Max. Fair enough to let you use the gadget without having to bother much about the running out of the battery.
Eluga Ray Max and Ray X Price and Availability
Eluga Ray Max smartphone is priced at INR 12,499 and is available in Gold, Rose Gold and Space Grey color. It comes in two variants of 32 GB and 64 GB.
Eluga Ray X is priced at INR 8,999. It is also available in Gold, Rose Gold and Space Grey color.
Whether to Buy it Or Not
Eluga Ray Max and Eluga Ray X are Panasonic’s first AI assisted smartphones powered by Arbo and are the perfect blend of style and innovation. The super cool features that these two gadgets come endowed promise to offer the customers with on the go access to high-speed information and content at a value-based pricing. The cool new smartphones are not just incredibly smart but powerful too. Indeed worth checking out.
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1. Uther PartyImagine Mario Party but for Dota, that's essentially what Uther Party was in a nutshell. A group of friends join the game in compete in a series of mini-games, each last a few minutes. My favourite was the in-game quiz, fastest answer won points, but there were lots of mini-games to remember. Ideal for when you're drunk, high or in low priority to cool off and chillax.2. Run Kitty RunAs the title suggests you control a kitty (it was the Priestess of the Moon model in wc3), and try to leap and dodge past obstacles, all to the tune of terrible trance music. It looks easy but it definitely wasn't. Good fun with friends.3. Footman FrenzyAnother WC3 mod already been attempted by custom map designs for Dota 2, but still yet to reach the beauty of the original. The aim of the game was to help your swarm of footmen defeat the opposing enemies footmen. It's like Dota creeps vs creeps but on steroids as the video demonstrates. (the video is 3x btw so don't get a heart attack)4. Tower Line DefenseThere were many different versions of Tower Defense but the concept is the same. Enemies would spawn and go through a maze to reach the centre or end point. Your job was to stop them ever reaching their goal by spending gold and upgrading towers to kill them. Nice bit of strategy involved to decide where to play your towers and when to upgrade. If you let too many enemies through you lost.5. Micro ArenaFor those who liked mods similar to the original wc3, micro arena allowed players to practise "micro" a term not often used in Dota 2 but which means the ability to control multiple units effectively. Micro Arena had different levels of difficulty, giving you and your opponent the same or similar group of units and placed you in a confined space to see who had the best micro.6. Poke the OgreAbout as pointless as Candy Crush but equally addictive, Poke the Ogre was a silly wc3 mod which for reasons hard to explain was actually entertaining to play. The point of the game was to enrage the Ogre so that he went bonkers and you tried to survive when that happened.7. Enfo's Team SurvivalMuch like Footman Frenzy, an attempt has been made to revive the wc3 mod in Dota 2 but doesn't really run smoothly as the original. The original in terms of a concept was new, you got to pick your hero from Warcraft3 and take part in blood carnage as you took on waves of monsters and upgraded your heroes skills and purchased items. Sounds familiar? Well at the time it was a new and it was definitely a lot of fun. Perhaps if random ability draft mode could be used but on a new map it could give Enfo's a new twist.8. Sheep vs Wolf/Sheep TagYou were a sheep who for no apparently reason could construct buildings. A bit like Pingu except you built farms to block the hunters from killing you. You were slim enough to pass through two buildings but you had to keep your wits about you to avoid getting slaughtered. High tempo and fun for those who like a bit of a clicking frenzy.9. Islands TDA semi-TD game with a slightly different twist, Islands TD had a nice design that broke away from the stone labrynths of the more traditional maps. Dota 2 has very little water in the original map, so would be nice to explore what a nautical/carribean style map would look like in the new Source 2 engine.10. Warlock BrawlAccording to our readers one of the "most popular wc3 mods of all time", doesn't need much introduction besides this video. FFA!!!BONUS: Pudge WarsWell this one has actually already been created in Dota 2, and featured in a showmatch during the Summit (video below). One of the most popular mods back in the day, will be nice to see this upgraded and moved to the main client in the future.What Wc3 mod do you want to see return in Dota 2 Reborn?The myth of Custer’s glorious last stand is debunked by a new exhibition of drawings by the Native American |
worst buys are still in the petty range! Q: What’s the most embarrassing mistake you’ve ever made? VB: Spinning behind the Safety Car in China! Q: When was the last time you were really angry? VB: China – spinning behind the Safety Car! Q: Which superpower would you prefer: being able to fly or being able to become invisible? VB: Very clearly: being able to become invisible. Imagine what I could see or hear without anybody knowing it. I could make a grab for world domination! (Laughs) Q: What do you sing in the shower? VB: No, I’ve never done that! I have done karaoke a few times – but never singing under the shower! Q: You can invite 3 people to dinner, living or dead. Who do you invite? VB: Ha! Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un. Would be nice to ask some questions!
The ideal dinner guest? Bottas has already shared a podium with the Russian president... © Sutton ImagesApple’s Safari 4 browser is a pig. It’s a resource hog that doesn’t clean up after itself — and it remembers every site you visit, even in “porn mode.”
Safari records every site you visit, even if you turn on the “Private Browsing” feature or clear the browser history. And the files it generates can consume gigabytes of disk space.
“This is a huge privacy concern,” writes designer and musician C. Harwick, from Chapel Hill, NC, who did some snooping in Safari’s hidden system folders. “With no good way of getting rid of them except manually (clearing the history doesn’t do it, and I don’t think resetting Safari does either), these hidden files are strewn all over the user’s hard drive unbeknownst to him waiting for snooping relatives (or more pertinently, law enforcement) to dig them up. I really like Safari, but I’m going to have to seriously consider using Firefox now (ack).”
But the worst offender was the Quicklook folder, a Finder feature that gives a sneak peek of unopened files. Safari’s Quicklook folder included thumbnails of all the sites Hardwick had ever visited with the browser — and had grown to a whopping 2GB.
“Safari does not delete the webpage previews it generates for Quicklook. Ever. 2.03 GB of webpage previews (2 per website – a full resolution and a thumbnail), all generated since downloading the Safari 4 beta — hidden away in an obscure folder,” Harwick wrote.
According to MacOSXTips.com, to disable the “Top Sites” feature, fire up Terminal, and type the following command:
defaults write com.apple.Safari DebugSafari4IncludeTopSites -bool FALSE
Via Slashdot.Thursday morning Danna Henderson woke bright and early to be at the University of Regina for the prime minister’s visit; not to get a selfie — but to bring some attention to water issues.
Henderson, a member of Keepers of the Water a grassroots environmental group, said when she heard of Justin Trudeau’s pending visit she knew she had to be there.
Wednesday night, she quickly organized a Water is Life rally in response to his visit and she’s not sorry.
“Sometimes I want to be quiet, but that’s not me,” said Henderson.
Unsure of who would respond on such short notice, she was surprised that Trudeau was met by not one, but three groups of protesters on his walk through the university.
“I think people need to realize that people like me are not going anywhere,” she said. “We may not be large in numbers but we are still here fighting for a cause.”
Henderson said she is fighting to preserve clean water not just for indigenous people, but for all people.
She said the recent oil spill on Ocean Man First Nation was upsetting because of the lack of public outcry about it.
“We only have one Earth,” said Henderson. “That analogy of Mother Earth, I take that seriously, because as a woman we have to our best to nourish out children and provide for them. I see our Mother Earth as the exact same thing, but we keep digging and we keep destroying and honestly how long can she handle it?”
She wanted Trudeau to hear the voice of those like herself but said he chose to ignore her and others.
“We can’t let him forget that there are people who care about (clean water) at the grassroots level,” said Henderson. “He didn’t acknowledge us, but that didn’t stop me from screaming, ‘Water is life.’ ”
Being completely ignored by the prime minister is a far cry from when she met him last year. Nine months ago, she and her daughter Dannalee, who has spina bifida, were at the Treaty 4 Governance Centre in Fort Qu’Appelle when Trudeau met with chiefs from the File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council.
“At that time he came up and talked to my daughter,” said Henderson.
In addition to fighting for clean water, she is waiting for the Prime Minister to implement Jordan’s Principle.
Jordan’s Principle is an initiative to address the needs of all First Nations children to ensure health or social services are not delayed, disrupted or prevented while they’re being discussed or reviewed.
Henderson’s perception of Trudeau has changed because she does not see him taking any action to improve the lives of indigenous people, children and the environment.
[email protected] is no secret that our city thrives on tourist dollars.
For a tourist, New Orleans is the greatest destination in this country for culture, events, fun, and so much more.
Which is exactly why we love to call it home.
What happens when crumbling infrastructure starts to get noticed by the people that pump blood through the economic veins of New Orleans?
They stop coming.
They stop spending.
Fix My Streets received the following email, completely unexpected, from a tourist who had recently explored New Orleans...
To Whom it May Concern,
I'm an American in my 40's, but until last month I had never been to your culturally rich and historically significant city. I stayed in an independent hotel near the garden district and explored N.O. on foot and by car.
Long story short: the streets were so bad that it put a damper on my entire visit.
I almost regretted visiting in the first place. I'm not exaggerating. The potholes, missing street signs, sidewalks, faded/worn crosswalk paint, etc.. were all so bad that I decided I will never return to NOLA unless I see a report on the national news stating that your city has completed a major street repair project.
This may sound melodramatic, but I have to say that I was truly shocked at the condition of the streets... I've never seen anything like it.
I visited some neighborhoods where I found it hard to believe residents drove on the streets on a daily basis. I could not drive close to the speed limit for fear of damaging my vehicle.
I saw nice homes for sale on streets that were absolute deal breakers for any buyer. At one point I said to myself that if I had to live here I'd have to drive a large SUV just to safely navigate the street terrain.
Why should my experience and opinion matter to your city's leaders?
My experience and opinion should matter simply because I'm the kind of person that your city wants to have paying your city hotel tax, and employing your over 70,000 tourism workers. I'm here to spend money on historically/culturally oriented things like tours, musical performances, museums, and historic hotels...as well as dining, shopping and gambling.
My household income is $150,000+. I tend to return to places I've visited and enjoyed (i.e: Key West, Savannah, Orlando, etc.) I'm here to have a good time without being destructive or rowdy. So, in these regards, I'm the type of tourist your city should want as a repeat visitor... my opinion should be of great concern to your city and business leaders.
I realize that your city has faced one of the most significant crises in our country's history. I'm sure Katrina decimated the city's funds. Unless you are planning to close up shop completely, the roads are a pretty basic priority after water and electricity.
Sincerely and Regretfully,
Geoffrey T.
St Petersburg, FL
Here's what is really scary.
Geoff probably told plenty of friends and family about his experience. Are those people going to skip out on coming to New Orleans because they're afraid of the scarred roadways?
If this letter doesn't scare the you-know-what out of every citizen and city leader of New Orleans, nothing will.
If you care about the future of our great city, please share this letter with everyone you know. By staying angry and organized, we can keep the pressure on our leaders to fix the streets of New Orleans.
Hopefully this process gets started soon so we can welcome tourists like Geoffrey back to New Orleans with open arms... and smooth streets.
Sincerely and regretfully,
Your friends at Fix My Streets.Mr. Obama and his family now live in an 8,200-square-foot, nine-bedroom home in Washington valued at $6 million. The house, which rents for an estimated $22,000 a month, is in one of Washington’s richest neighborhoods, surrounded by ambassadors, executives and other members of the political elite.
“I don’t think that former presidents necessarily take vows of poverty, or should,” said David Axelrod, one of Mr. Obama’s closest advisers. “Will he be out there doing good? I think he will be. I watched him for eight years devote every ounce of his energy and thought and attention to the service of this country. I hope that he does find some personal time and solace and enjoyment now. He’s earned it.”
Mr. Obama is hardly the first former president to collect big checks after his time in the White House. Former President Bill Clinton became rich after leaving office, earning an average of more than $200,000 per speech over more than a decade. And former President George W. Bush was blunt when asked, shortly after he left office, what he intended to do.
“I’ll give some speeches, just to replenish the ol’ coffers,” he told The New York Times in 2007. Eventually, Mr. Bush reportedly received $100,000 to $175,000 for each appearance.
In 1989, Ronald Reagan earned $2 million for a week of speechmaking in Japan after leaving office. The Japan visit, for which he was subsequently the subject of derision, was sponsored by Fujisankei Communications Group, the country’s largest media conglomerate.
“Every president since I’ve been active in politics immediately got whacked for big speechifying” after leaving office, said Joe Trippi, a veteran Democratic strategist. “I can’t remember it not happening. And they never look good.”
Mr. Obama, who grew up without great wealth, had amassed several million dollars by the time he became president, mostly from sales of his first book, “Dreams From My Father.” He and his wife, Michelle, have each received multimillion-dollar contracts to write new memoirs. Some reports pegged the two book deals together at a total of $60 million.
The Cantor Fitzgerald speech will take place at a hotel in New York, where the firm hopes to woo wealthy investors, mutual fund representatives and hedge fund executives to the conference.The editorial suggests LGBT+ Australians were naive to reject the plebiscite. (SMH / Getty Images)
A slow clap please for the hero nobody asked for.
We naïve, politically uninformed LGBT+ folk have shot ourselves in the foot by objecting to the plebiscite, and we’ve pushed same-sex marriage up to a decade away, or so Fairfax’s chief political correspondent Mark Kenny felt the need to explain to us this weekend.
By opposing a national vote on our basic rights, and rejoicing in its defeat, we have stupidly destroyed our one chance at happiness.
“What if, despite wide public support and the backing of all mainstream political leaders, marriage equality is suddenly three years away at best? Or even three terms away?” Kenny wrote.
First things first buddy - marriage equality isn’t ‘suddenly’ anything.
Kenny might be new to this fight, but the battle against legal discrimination has been raging for decades.
It’s been 15 years since same-sex marriage was legalised in The Netherlands, 12 years since Massachusetts.
My friend has been with his partner for over 30 years. They’re still waiting.
Recommended: Comment: Yes, you do have to bake my damn gay wedding cake Change ‘same-sex’ to ‘interracial’ and see how comfortable you are in granting people an exemption to anti-discrimination legislation based on a ‘conscientious objection’.
Kenny then criticised the “broad left including the LGBTI community” for celebrating the death of the plebiscite.
“At the heart of this unquestioning glee lay several critical miscalculations. Misunderstandings that are informed not so much by hard political realities, as by a mixture of naive optimism, and tribalism.”
Let’s break this down. (We'll overlook the assumption that all LGBT+ people are rabid leftists. I’ve met gay Trump supporters who have given the plebiscite the thumbs down).
“Unquestioning glee”
Yes, many people were happy to see the death of this policy, but not all LGBT+ people were dancing on its grave.
Some of us had a hard time working out how to feel about an intentional delay tactic.
On the one hand, this was a chance for basic legal equality and recognition, on the other, it was an ugly political fix which put the dignity of our relationships up to a national opinion poll.
Our peak marriage equality advocacy group refused to take a position on it. A cruel wedge issue for a minority already suffering enough indignity.
A “misreading” of politics
Key among our failings, Kenny suggests, was an inability to understand the internal politics of the Coalition.
A failure to understand the deal which was done to build a bridge between the right, who supported Tony Abbott, and the moderates pushing for Malcolm Turnbull.
“It may seem shabby that the swift delivery of human rights to a whole class of persons has been traded away to sate the ambitions of one man, but this is what happened,” Kenny says, apparently expecting this to be some sort of shocking revelation.
Recommended: The plebiscite is dead, here’s what’s next for marriage equality No weddings and a funeral.
At this point I will issue a spoiler alert, because – plot twist – that’s exactly why many LGBT+ Australians opposed the plebiscite in the first place.
We're well aware of the origins of the plebiscite, right back to when Tony Abbott announced it all that time ago just last year.
“Hard political realities”
The next failing of ours - apparently LGBT+ people lack an appreciation of 'hard political realities'.
Well, how’s this for a hard political reality:
When you see a close friend slit their wrists in high-school and you get called a faggot when walking down the street, you realise there are worse things than not being able to get married for a few more years.
For many, giving millions of taxpayer dollars to a ‘No’ campaign was a bridge too far.
Maybe the end – as much as you may yearn for it – doesn’t justify the means.
It’s not often you see an interest group so close to achieving their goal, only to walk away because the victory would be tainted.
Perhaps the word you’re looking for is nobility, not naivety.
Recommended: Straight people need to stop telling us how to feel about the plebiscite One of the through-lines of the plebiscite debate has been straight people giving their opinions to the LGBTQI community. That's fine, but Rebecca Shaw draws the line at a Rowan Dean column in News Corp papers that tells LGBTQI people how they should feel, think, and act. Here's why.
Or maybe you’re selling us short. Maybe for some of us it isn’t optimism or naivety or nobility, but calculating political malice.
Maybe some would sooner wait than grant a political victory to a party whose leaders have said they’re threatened by our existence and whose MPs who have compared our relationships to bestiality.
And yes, maybe there are some of us who are optimistic enough to believe that the government will now be pushed into allowing a conscience vote.
To be honest though, if you think our naïve optimism needs to be crushed, you’ve got a tough act to follow.
It wasn’t so long ago that an unmarried atheist female Prime Minister from the left wing of a centre-left party confirmed that she didn’t support same-sex marriage.
It doesn’t get much more disheartening than that.
The root of the problem
But the key point is this though, LGBT+ Australians have a rich tapestry of different opinions.
A rich, fabulous, well-informed tapestry that has endured too much to be all that naïve about anything.
So thanks but no thanks.
We didn't really need your “lesson for same-sex couples" or your help in identifying the real roadblock to marriage equality – which was apparently LGBT+ Australians all along.Toulon fly-half Jonny Wilkinson is unsure if he will be fit to face Munster in the Heineken Cup semi-finals in three weeks' time.
The World Cup-winning former England fly-half, 34, pulled up with a hamstring problem in the first half of the 29-14 win over Leinster on Sunday.
"I've had this for the past two weeks and felt it immediately when I went to kick in the 28th minute," he said.
"I'll take it day-by-day and hour-by-hour as I would love to play Munster."
Heineken Cup semi-finals Saracens v Clermont Toulon v Munster To be played 25/26/27 April
If Wilkinson, who is expected to retire at the end of the season, is not fit to play against Munster, it may be that he will join Leinster's former Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll, 35, in playing his final European game on Sunday.
Defending champions Toulon had too much class and power for Leinster and the defeat means O'Driscoll's bid to add the Heineken Cup to the Six Nations title he won with Ireland before retiring at the end of the campaign is over.
Wilkinson, a former Lions team-mate and a frequent opponent of O'Driscoll, said the Irishman's impending retirement was "a sad moment for the sport, but I also respect his decision as he leaves at the top".
For his part, O'Driscoll said: "We just didn't play well. It was 6-6 at half-time but we didn't come out and play. We made too many mistakes and too many turnovers."The complaints are, switching to a slot base system that doesn't take into consideration weight or volume or size, while removing a fairly attractive part of the game (area building) which kinda makes the engineering portion of the game, somewhat useless, don't bother building a cart or crane or other devices to move your materials where they need to be, just stuck it in your pockets of holding.
Honesly, the inventory changes, if they applied to small items alone (wood scraps small stone)with area and item building in (not build a table stick it in your pocket), it's a godsend, it gives you an easy way to deal with the finnicky items, while still leaving you to actually manage the larger items and make engineering in the game worthwhile and having a point. THAT in my opinion, would be the way to go, not this. Also one of the reasons for a simpler inventory was so that things were quicker, but now with the research timesink and the timesink of waiting for the spinner to count down to pick up stuff, it kind of nullifies that time saving a bit.
My own personal opinion is, Keen is looking and player numbers, seeing that they're low, and misattributing it to what is in the game (i.e the inventory handling system) rather than what ISN'T in the game, they think simplyfying the game, and remooving some of the stuff that was actually a draw to the game, will bring in more players, when the game just doesn't have the features to hold a decent sized player base, and won't even with the new inventory system. The real reason the player base is low is this game seriously lacks content, it's got rather shafted in terms of updates, first there was the infamous roof tile period, then very soon after it went into a large bugfixing phase with relatively few large features actually added, and some alterations and removals and changes of the existing features, that, in my opinion, is the reason the playerbase is low, not that the inventory handling system is putting off people.
Click to expand...Share. DICE confirms Battlefield 3's performance on consoles. DICE confirms Battlefield 3's performance on consoles.
Over the weekend, DICE confirmed that Battlefield 3 will run at 30 frames per second on consoles, half the framerate of the PC version. The developer claims that this will allow a greater degree of graphical detail whilst enabling the consoles to cope better with vehicles and multiplayer.
Speaking on Twitter in response to fan questions, DICE's Johan Andersson said: "We always do 30 fps on consoles, not possible to fit in vehicles, fx [effects], scale and all players otherwise."
As IGN reported last week, Battlefield 3 was shown running for the first time on console on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. You can see the demonstration below.
Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer, meanwhile, have consistently claimed that Modern Warfare 3 will never dip below 60fps.
How much does framerate matter? Does the promise of double Battlefield 3's framerate give Modern Warfare 3 an advantage over its rival that it didn't have before? Or is it ultimately an irrelevant specification?Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders greets members of the audience after speaking at Northstar Elementary School in Knoxville, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015. (Photo: Andrew Harnik/The Associated Press)
Middle and high school students in Pleasantville will receive the ultimate civics lesson Monday as Sen. Bernie Sanders brings his campaign to their campus.
In October, students in Dennis Oliver's government and civics classes began inviting several presidential candidates on both sides of the aisle to speak at their school. Sanders accepted the invitation and will visit Pleasantville High School at 2:30 p.m. Monday. The Vermont senator kicks off a four-day Iowa campaign swing on Friday.
"Our students were pumped," Oliver said. "I would say the Pleasantville students are very enthusiastic about him coming to our school, and to be quite honest surprised, if not shocked, that a significant contender would take time to come to our school and talk to us."
The campaign says Sanders will hold a forum with middle and high school students, focusing his address on education, minimum wage and other issues. Word of Sanders' visit immediately began spreading Wednesday.
"It was kind of like a prairie fire. It went ahead of me," Oliver said. "I was having kids come up and high-fiving me, saying 'way to go, didn’t think you could do it.'"
Oliver, who has taught in Pleasantville's middle and high school for 38 years, has recruited various politicians and candidates for statewide or national office to speak to his students over the years. Massachusetts politician Paul Tsongas visited the school during his 1992 failed bid for the Democratic nomination for president. But Oliver said Sanders is by far the most high-profile politician yet.
"Hopefully it will be a lifelong learning experience, but also a very memorable experience for them," he said. "And perhaps they are witnessing the process of electing the next president of the United States. Obviously, there's no guarantee, but you never know."
He stressed that his civics and government students made the event possible, sending multiple invitations. And he said the event is a chance for students to learn about politics and government, not an endorsement of Sanders.
"This is not an elect-Bernie machine that I’m trying to create," Oliver said. "He was just generous enough with his time and interested enough in our school. Had Donald Trump accepted our invitation, I would have allowed that and our administration would have, too."
NEWSLETTERS Get the Breaking News Alert newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Alerts on breaking news delivered straight to your inbox. Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-877-424-0225. Delivery: Varies Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Breaking News Alert Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters
Sanders' chief rival, Hillary Clinton, visited tiny Keota High School in late December after a trio of students there petitioned the Democratic front-runner to visit their school.
Read or Share this story: http://dmreg.co/1OPGI6uThanks to an extraordinarily generous vacation policy, a select group of BART’s white-collar employees have stockpiled a combined seven decades’ worth of unused time off — literally like money in a bank that can be cashed in for fat retirement windfalls.
The costly perk isn’t getting much scrutiny as commuters sweat a potential strike and management and blue-collar unions slug it out at the bargaining table. That’s because this little-known benefit isn’t available to the vast majority of BART workers who are threatening to cripple the Bay Area’s commute over their pay and benefits. It’s reserved for BART’s top-level employees like former general manager Dorothy Dugger.
The same “vacation bank” that allowed her to stay on the payroll for almost two years after she resigned has permitted hundreds of other BART managers and nonunion employees to rack up a combined 69 years — that’s right, years — of unused vacation and holiday now worth about $7.8 million, an analysis by this newspaper reveals. One veteran engineer has more than 970 vacation days himself in the bank.
And it gets even sweeter for employees like Dugger, because BART lets them continue to accrue benefits — and even more vacation — while burning off unused time off after they quit.
Labor relations specialist Wilbur Wong’s last day of work was March 21, 2011, but he banked so much time off — 5,000 hours — that he won’t stop getting BART checks until the end of this year. Records show Wong was paid $98,000 last year, all for unused time off.
“You can’t make this up,” said Thomas Schatz, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Citizens Against Government Waste. BART’s policy “is certainly unusual. I’ve never heard of it before. It’s costly to taxpayers and transit users to give employees such lavish benefits.”
Dugger’s $558,000 windfall came to light earlier this month in this newspaper’s analysis of BART’s 2012 payroll that showed she was still the agency’s highest-paid employee — despite being forced to resign in May 2011. She stayed home — but on the payroll — continuing to draw benefits, management bonuses and vacation that added about another $100,000 to her pay.
At the time, BART officials said they didn’t know the scope of the problem. The newspaper obtained more documents under the Public Records Act to find Dugger was far from alone in banking time off: 290 BART employees, mostly nonunion and engineers and managers, have a combined 135,000 hours of vacation and holiday time banked — or 3,600 weeks off under the agency’s 371/2-hour workweek.
Management should look “close to home” for cost-cutting measures like eliminating terminal leave before cutting pay and benefits of “front-line workers,” said Leah Berlanga, a spokeswoman for the Service Employees International Union, which represents the agency’s maintenance workers.
Currently, 25 BART employees have more than 1,400 hours vacation and holiday time set aside — more than 37 weeks each, data shows.
With more than 7,300 hours ¿of unused time off squirreled away during a 44-year career, no one is more illustrative of the generous vacation and holiday policies than 81-year-old engineer Robert Fickes.
He started at BART before the trains even started running, and he’s sitting on a payday of more than $472,000 when he retires — but that’s only if he decides to take a lump-sum check on his last day of work.
If Fickes chooses, instead, to stay on the rail agencies books, it will take nearly four years to burn down all his accumulated vacation. And by remaining on the payroll, he’d rack up about 25 more weeks of vacation and holidays worth about $62,500, payroll data shows.
All ¿BART employees receive generous time-off benefits. Those who have worked at the agency for more than 19 years get six weeks of vacation a year, and every employee gets 13 holidays off.
The workers eligible to bank unused time off are allowed to stockpile five holidays a year and all unused vacation. The vacation banks have no caps, so longtime employees can continue to add unused time off year after year. When they finally cash it out, employees are paid at their last rate of pay, which is typically their highest.
BART President Tom Radulovich of San Francisco said the numbers show a need to both limit time-off accruals and to stop letting employees stay on the payroll to slowly burn off their unused vacation after they leave BART instead of taking a lump-sum payment. He also said it’s time to find a reasonable cap on how much time employees can bank.
“It would make a lot more sense,” he said.
The agency’s General Manager Grace Crunican was not available for an interview this week because of union contract negotiations. She told this newspaper’s editorial board earlier this month that allowing managers to bank time off for future paydays was an incentive to inspire hard work and innovation.
Thursday, Crunican’s spokeswoman, Alicia Trost, said in a statement that the general manager “will be taking a look into BART’s terminal leave program to get an understanding of (its) scope and impacts.”
Fickes declined to be interviewed. Trost described him as a legend in the agency for his work ethic, and that he told her that he doesn’t enjoy travel or time away from work, where one of his recent projects was installing new fare gates at stations.
Workers like Wong and Fickes violated no policies and aren’t to blame, Trost said.
But critics like Schatz said BART riders and taxpayers should be appalled by the policy. “If this was something that members of Congress got,” he said, “there would be total outrage.”
Reach investigative reporter Thomas Peele at [email protected]. Follow him at Twitter.com/thomas_peeleSamsung has been forced to cease production of its disastrous Galaxy Note 7 Smartphones because they keep catching fire, but it still has to address the problem of cleaning up its mess. The phone has been recalled twice, and owners now have to send their incendiary handsets back to the South Korean firm. And that poses a bit of a problem: if you need to issue a recall for a phone that is prone to spontaneously combust, you don't want those phones catching fire in transit.
This concern has already seen the phones banned from planes, and the UK's Royal Mail is also refusing to handle them. Samsung's solution is a fancy "Note 7 Return Kit," and it has sent one to XDA Developers.
The kit contains a special "Recovery Box" that's lined with ceramic fiber paper to provide some protection against incineration. Samsung warns that some people will have a bad reaction to this lining, so the recovery kit also includes some gloves to protect your hands. They don't appear to be flame retardant, so if your Note 7 is currently ablaze, we'd suggest minimizing contact with it.
Samsung also includes a shipping label to send the phone back. The box reinforces that flying ban, noting that the devices are only to be shipped by ground, safely within reach of the quenching hoses of the fire department.Chatbots are exploding in the finance industry, and it’s no surprise why. With the ability to automate operations, reach more customers, and provide a more friction-free banking experience, chatbots are streamlining and optimizing many banks’ digital services.
Here’s how the world’s biggest banks are using chatbots to boost their business.
1. Bank of America
As one of the largest U.S. banks, Bank of America (BofA) is leading the charge for artificially intelligent chatbots in financial services. Last year, the company announced Erica, a voice- and text-enabled chatbot for BofA customers. Erica is being touted as an intelligent digital assistant designed to help customers make smarter banking decisions.
Erica sends customers notifications, identifies areas where they can save money, provides updates on their FICO score, and facilitates bill pay within the BofA app.
As yet, there is no official date for Erica’s launch. When the project was unveiled at last year’s Money20/20 conference, a company spokesperson announced that the bot would be available sometime in 2017. No doubt the millions of BofA customers are eagerly awaiting Erica’s arrival later this year.
2. JPMorgan Chase
Rather than offering customers a virtual assistant on mobile messaging apps, the largest U.S. bank is using bots to streamline its back office operations.
JPMorgan Chase recently launched COIN, a bot capable of analyzing complex legal contracts faster and more efficiently than human lawyers can. Since its launch in June of last year, the bot has helped JPMorgan save over 360,000 hours of manpower.
COIN is the latest bot to be launched by JPMorgan, which also uses the technology to parse emails for employees, grant access to software systems, and handle common IT requests like resetting passwords. In the future, the company plans to continue to use bots to identify new sources of revenue, reduce expenses, and mitigate risk.
3. Capital One
This week, Capital One launched Eno, a text-enabled chatbot that helps customers manage their money using their smartphone. Customers can ask Eno questions about their account balance, recent transactions, payment history, and credit limit via text message. It can even help customers pay their credit card bill.
Eno is the second of Capital One’s virtual assistants, after the company launched its very own Amazon Alexa skill last year. The skill allows Capital One customers to find out when upcoming bills are due, check account balances, and pay their credit card bill using their voice. Customers can even review recent transactions and get a breakdown of their spending habits by asking questions like, “Alexa, how much did I spend at Starbucks last month?”
4. MasterCard
In an effort to make their digital services more conversational, MasterCard now offers a chatbot on Facebook Messenger. The MasterCard bot enables customers to access their accounts through one of the world’s leading messaging apps.
MasterCard customers can use the bot to review their account balances, purchase history, and spending habits, as well as make payments. The bot also provides customers updates about cardholder benefits and makes contextual offers.
5. American Express
Like the MasterCard bot, the American Express (AmEx) bot lets AmEx customers access their account through Facebook Messenger. The AmEx bot gives customers real-time purchase notifications, reminders of cardholder benefits, and contextual recommendations. AmEx customers can even link a credit card to their Facebook account using the “Add a Card” feature to enable in-app purchases on Facebook.
6. Ally Bank
Ally Bank was one of the first banks to implement a chatbot, with the launch of Ally Assist in 2015. Ally Assist is a virtual assistant within the Ally Mobile Banking app.
Ally customers can interact with the assistant using speech or text to accomplish a range of banking tasks. The feature helps customers monitor accounts and transactions, pay bills, make transfers and deposits, and track spending and saving patterns. The assistant also uses natural language to address common customer service queries.
7. Barclays Africa
Last year, Barclays Africa (Absa) launched a chatbot to meet customers where they are: on the world’s most popular social media channels. Absa’s ChatBanking feature extends the bank’s services to Twitter and Facebook Messenger, allowing customers to bank within their preferred social media app wherever they are.
The service enables customers to check their bank balance, make payments to friends, review recent transactions, and even purchase electricity and cell phone data within a convenient conversational interface.
8. DBS Singapore
Digibank by DBS, Asia’s only digital-only bank, offers customers a 24/7 virtual assistant within the bank’s mobile app. Touted as a personal banker at the customer’s beck and call, the assistant helps DBS customers complete banking tasks and get fast answers to their questions.
DBS customers can interact with the assistant via voice or text to check their current interest rate, review their transaction history, and make payments or money transfers. The assistant can also anticipate and answer over 10,000 common banking questions and for difficult queries, can connect customers to a bank agent via live chat.
9. Royal Bank of Scotland
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is using a chatbot called Luvo to automate and streamline its online customer service.
Developed using IBM’s artificial intelligence platform Watson, Luvo handles simple customer questions, freeing up the bank’s customer support staff to focus on more difficult customer issues. Unlike IVR, Luvo understands customer requests made in plain English rather than forcing them to select from a list of options. In the future, the company plans to expand Luvo’s functionality to include increased personalization, emotional understanding, and predictive analytics to help customers avoid problems before they occur.
10. Santander U.K.
Last month, Santander U.K. launched voice recognition technology within their SmartBank app to enable customers to use speech to manage their money. The feature is an expansion of the company’s voice assistant banking technology, which was introduced last year.
Using voice biometrics, customers can find out their current balance, set up account alerts, make payments or transfers, report a lost card, and get intelligent answers to common banking questions. The feature can also identify spending patterns so customers can understand where and when they’ve spent the most money.
The feature is currently available to a segment of Santander U.K. customers but will eventually be rolled out to all of the bank’s customers. By offering this technology, Santander hopes to make their digital banking experience easier and more seamless for customers.
Conclusion
Artificially intelligent chatbots are rapidly transforming the financial services industry. As the technology becomes more advanced and less expensive to develop and implement, it’s never been easier for banks to leverage this technology to optimize their business.
The largest banks in the world are already taking advantage of the benefits of chatbots to streamline their operations, automate customer support, and provide a more convenient and enjoyable customer experience. As these banks see increased revenue and decreased expenses, no doubt the rest of the banking industry will soon catch up.As expected, Amazon has announced its new and improved Amazon Prime service that now offers more than 5,000 streaming TV |
, and over time we have seen many approaches that web hosting companies use to increase their user base.
Some factors that often help web hosting companies grow are:
Aggressive affiliate programs, offering plenty of profit sharing and perks to affiliates.
Reseller programs.
Blogging and being open about their business and the company, usually with a personal touch, giving insights and creating discussion. Dreamhost is very good at this.
Discussions in blogs and forums.
Overselling (a hotly debated topic, but nevertheless a fact).
Lowering hosting prices (often in connection with campaigns).
Lowering domain name prices.
A good example of how one single aspect can have a major impact is the Ipowerweb growth spike that started in November 2005. This was in all likelihood fuelled by the announcement that they had dumped their domain name prices to a at that time record-low price point of $2.95. This would maybe also explain the dip that starts about a year later when people either did not renew their domain names or moved them away, since the renewal price was not as low.
To be able to easier see how the growth has changed from month to month we also made a separate graph for that.
Growth in domain names per month
This graph shows the net growth in domain names per month for each of the five web hosting companies, i.e. how much they gained or lost a particular month.
Do you have your own take on the numbers presented here? There are so many factors involved, so please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions with us in the comments!
Some notes on the data
We analyzed root zone files for the.com,.net,.org,.biz and.info top-level domains (which we lovingly tend to call CNOBI domains 🙂 ) taken from the time period between April 2005 and December 2007.
Purely using domain names as a basis for estimating the size or success of a web hosting company has some limitations. For example, the website for a domain name could be hosted somewhere else, or it could just be a parked, unused domain name. There will also be a certain number of websites that use other DNS servers than those provided by the web hosting company.
We have done our best to identify the DNS servers of these companies, but there is always the odd chance that we have missed one (though it’s quite unlikely in this case).The Orlando Magic have reached a critical point in their preparation for the 2014 NBA Draft: the arrival of Australian guard Dante Exum.
Exum will work out Tuesday at Amway Center.
The importance of the Magic’s pre-draft workouts in Orlando typically is overstated, but Exum’s upcoming workout could be the exception.
Magic executives and scouts probably have seen Exum play in-person fewer times than any other high-level prospect in this year’s draft.
Magic GM Rob Hennigan and probably assistant GM Matt Lloyd saw Exum compete at the 2013 Nike Hoops Summit in Portland, Ore., while Lloyd and perhaps Hennigan saw Exum play in the FIBA Under-19 World Championships last summer in Prague. Marti Artigas, the Magic’s scout based in Europe, probably also attended the Under-19 World Championships.
Although the Magic probably have seen Exum in-person at least as often as any other NBA team, there’s no doubt Magic executives wish they had seen more of the 6-foot-6 Australian prodigy.
The Magic pride themselves on conducting exhaustive draft research.
Lloyd is on the road for most of the season and parts of every summer.
Hennigan and assistant general manager Scott Perry spent less time attending Magic road games in 2013-14 than they did in 2012-13, most likely because they increased their already heavy scouting workloads. And when Hennigan and Perry did attend Magic road games, they often attended practices of nearby college teams.
Just how thorough are the Magic attempting to be in their research? Here’s one example: Marcus Smart’s coach at Oklahoma State said the Magic were one of the first teams to call to ask questions about Smart during Smart’s freshman season.
Which brings us back to Exum.
Because he grew up in Australia and didn’t play college basketball, the Magic and other NBA teams haven’t seen him much.
No one doubts that Exum has talent, but there are fair, and real, questions about how he’ll play against top-level competition night-in and night-out.
Insufficient information invites risk.
The Magic already have seen every other top-level prospect much more often than Exum — if not in-person, then on TV.
This is why I think the importance of most workouts is overstated by the media. Sure, on-court workouts in June show the growth — or lack of growth — in players’ games since the end of the college season. But the Magic (and other teams) already should have an extensive catalog of scouting reports on all the prospects.
The visits are important, however. Magic officials want to spend as much time interviewing prospects as possible. In addition to the interviews, Hennigan often takes top-level prospects to lunch to get to know them better.
Exum’s workout, however, will be one of the few opportunities for Magic executives and coaches to see his skills.
That’s why it’s important — more important than most workouts the team has held this month.
A team with the fourth overall pick must — simply must — take advantage of the opportunity. This is especially true of the Magic, who desperately need to infuse their franchise with high-level talent.
The Magic should know by now what they could expect from prospects like Smart, Noah Vonleh, Julius Randle, Aaron Gordon and Tyler Ennis after a year (or more) of scouting them.
On Tuesday, the team will hope to close the information gap on Exum as much as possible.
Josh Robbins covers the Orlando Magic and the NBA for the Orlando Sentinel. You can reach him via e-mail at [email protected] and connect with him on Facebook at facebook.com/JoshuaBRobbins. Follow him on Twitter at @JoshuaBRobbins.King’s College London has been keeping track of death toll from those Britons who have travelled to the region to join fighting
British jihadis are being killed in the conflict in Syria and Iraq at a rate of over one every three weeks, according to the most thorough documentation of the death toll to date.
Overall, 23 Britons are believed to have died after travelling to fight in the bloody civil war, says King’s College London’s International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR). ICSR’s figures were updated following Tuesday’s revelation that Mamanour Roshid, 24, had become the third man from Portsmouth to have been killed in Syria.
Roshid was part of a group of five Bengali men who travelled from the port city in October 2013 to join Ifthekar Jaman, 23, also from Portsmouth, who died a few months later. Another of the Portsmouth jihadis, Muhammad Hamidur Rahman, 25, was reported killed in July.
Since the start of 2014 alone, 16 UK fighters have died, the academics believe, meaning approximately three British jihadis are dying every two months in a war zone that spreads from the Mediterranean coast to central Iraq, and north to Kurdish controlled areas on the Turkish border.
Because of the confused information emerging from the war zone, each casualty and death has been verified as completely as possible. In most of the 23 cases, families themselves have reported their child as dead – confirming their real names alongside those used on social media – and have spoken publicly about their child’s lives. In some cases the Guardian has also directly contacted families to confirm the deaths.
In only five cases has the thinktank heavily relied on reports from other verified participants in the conflict, without accompanying photos or “martyrdom” videos, to catalogue the death. In all those cases the fighters were previously tracked in some way on social media by ICSR before accounts suddenly went silent.
From what is known about the 23, they are all second-generation immigrants from a variety of ethnic backgrounds including Libyan, Palestinian, Eritrean and Bangladeshi. Their average age was 23.5, with the oldest being Crawley father Abdul Waheed Majeed, 41, who blew himself up driving a truck bomb during a prison break in February. The youngest, Abdullah Deghayes, from Brighton, and one fighter using the name Abu Hamza Bengali, were both 18.
While three of the dead were from Portsmouth, two have come from Brighton, and five are from north and west London.
Agreeing with many experts in the field, renowned behavioural economist Cass Sunstein said that for most extremists poverty or a lack of educational prospects were not obvious motivating factors.
Many of the 23 dead appear to have had well-paying jobs such as driving an HGV for the Highways Agency, or working for north London estate agents, and at least five of those in ICSR’s database were enrolled in, or had completed, higher education. However, Choukri Ellekhlifi, 22, and Mohammed el-Araj, 23, both from west London, had significant criminal records and had spent time in prison.
ICSR’s Shiraz Maher said most of the British dead had much better prospects than other jihadis from Europe known to have been killed. “These people come from every background imaginable but when you compare Brits to other Europeans, it’s clear that those from this country tend to be better educated, more affluent, and have greater social mobility than their peers on the continent.”
Maher said the true total of British dead could be much higher. ICSR, which has been tracking foreign fighters since mid 2013 was aware of others who had been reported dead but could not be substantially verified, while other deaths may have evaded their monitoring altogether.
“We think it’s incredibly likely that others have died that we’ve not heard of. In some of these cases, we found out by pure chance,” he said.
Although the majority of British fighters have joined Isis, those catalogued as killed have fought for a range of Syrian fighting groups including al-Qaida offshoot Jahbat al-Nusra, Jund al-Aqsa, and Katiba al-Muhajireen (the battalion of migrants) a militia which includes many Chechen and Russian fighters and hundreds of other foreign fighters.
Most of the 23 are known to have died fighting against soldiers loyal to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s government, but four are understood to have been killed in infighting between anti-Assad groups, three in battles against Kurdish militias on the Turkish border, and Abdul Raqib Amin from Scotland is understood to have died battling Iraqi forces in Ramadi.
The earliest known death is that of Ibrahim Mazwagi in February 2013. More recently, three Bangladeshis from east London are understood to have died alongside Brighton teenager Ibrahim Kamara in a US drone strike in western Syria’s Aleppo province this September.
In recent months verification has become harder. Earlier in the conflict many dead fighters were eulogised as anti-Assad “heroes” in pictures or in videos, but this practice appears to have tailed off. One fighter told the Guardian of fears that revealing the names of those who had died would make it easier for police and media to harass grieving families back in the UK.
Speaking at a national security conference on Tuesday, Britain’s most senior police officer, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, said up to five British jihadis were joining armed groups every week. “We know that over 500 British nationals travelled to join the conflict. Many have returned and many will wish to do so in the coming months and perhaps in future years,” Hogan-Howe said, adding that the number of returnees from the civil war were pushing up the number of potential plots and terrorist arrests the police were making.
The Met say they have made 218 arrests for terrorist-related activity this year, an increase of about 70% in three years. “A large part of this increased arrest rate is due to terrorist activities, plots and planning linked to Syria. The trend is, I think, set to continue,” Hogan-Howe said.
• Additional reporting by Jane Denton
• This article was amended on 5 November 2014. An earlier version described Cass Sunstein as a behavioural psychologist. He is a behavioural economist.There is a chance the Broncos will have a new kicker as they prepare for their potentially pivotal AFC West game Sunday night against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
An older kicker. A more experienced kicker. But a new kicker. The Broncos are bringing in veteran kickers Jay Feely and Connor Barth for workouts Tuesday, according to NFL sources.
It’s hardly a surprise, given the inconsistency of first-year Broncos kicker Brandon McManus. With the Broncos on the shortlist of Super Bowl contenders, they could use a kicker with experience at crunchtime.
McManus, 23, missed a field-goal attempt of 33 yards during Denver’s 39-36 victory over Miami, and he ranks last among the league’s 31 ranked kickers with a.692 field-goal percentage (hitting 9-of-13).
Feely, 38, has kicked in 13 NFL seasons for five teams, most recently last season with Arizona. In a 2010 game against the Broncos, Feely scored 25 points in a 43-13 rout of interim coach Eric Studesville’s Broncos. Feely kicked five field goals and four extra points and ran for a touchdown on a fake field-goal attempt. He was 30-of-36 (83.3 percent) on field-goal attempts last season, including 11-of-12 from 40 to 49 yards and 3-of-5 on kicks of at least 50 yards.
Barth, 28, has kicked in five NFL seasons, the last four with Tampa Bay. He missed the 2013 season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in a charity basketball game. In his last season, 2012, Barth was 28-of-33 (84.8 percent) on field-goal attempts, including 12-of-13 from 40 to 49 yards and 6-of-9 from 50-plus.
Feely and Barth were released by their teams in training camp, as both the Cardinals and Bucs went with first-year kickers.There's a quote in the Bible about gathering all of the world's swords and turning them into plowshares, an inspirational symbol of taking weapons of war and putting them to humanitarian use. But while there are tons of uses for old swords (you can melt them into a throne!), what the hell do you do with old landmines? Or bombers? Or nukes full of radioactive material?
5 An Old Minefield Serves as a Penguin Sanctuary
Ahmad Garabli / AFP / Goodshoot / Goodshoot / Getty Images
The Falkland Islands are chock-full of landmines, thanks to the Falklands War, and because mines are a pain in the ass to remove (go try it!). So the minefields are still there, to this day:
Peter Macdiarmid / Getty
Making anything anyone does nearby seem 30 percent more badass.
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You may recognize this as a horrific situation, since any random child or tourist can stumble across the mines and wind up as a tragic headline. But in the Falklands, they're not in too big of a hurry to clear the minefields because something unexpected and adorable happened: The fields have become the world's most effective penguin refuge.
Robert Keeley, The Journal of ERW and Mine Reduction
"Go ahead and take one. We dare you."
If you're expecting a hilarious YouTube embed of a penguin stepping on a landmine and getting blown sky high, you'll be disappointed -- the penguins aren't heavy enough to set off the mines, to what we're assuming is the profound disappointment of many a tourist. But the mines are deadly to all of the things that threaten penguins. For instance, the whole reason the Falkland Islands penguins were an endangered species in the first place was due to overgrazing by sheep. With the minefields in place, however, sheep couldn't graze those areas without horrifying consequences. The result: penguin party.Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.
Sep. 23, 2015, 7:18 PM GMT / Updated Sep. 23, 2015, 7:18 PM GMT / Source: Reuters By Reuters
TOVARNIK, Croatia — Traffic began flowing through the major Serbia-Croatia border crossing at Bajakovo on Wednesday after a two-day blockade imposed to stem the flow of migrants across the two ex-Yugoslav republics' frontier.
The reopening should help ease tensions between the two former Balkan war adversaries that flared up as they struggled to cope with a steady flow of migrants, transiting the region en route to northern and western Europe in the past week.
"Trucks have started moving across the border at Bajakovo," Croatian state radio said in the late afternoon, after earlier reporting that cars and buses were allowed through.
A witness at the border said trucks had started moving from Croatia into Serbia, though not yet the other way round.
Croatia imposed the Bajakovo blockade for cargo on Monday in retaliation for Serbia directing migrants across the border. It earlier closed seven of eight border crossings to traffic.
Serbia had set a Wednesday midnight deadline for Croatia to lift the blockade, threatening to retaliate with unspecified measures. Croatia joined the European Union in 2013 and Serbia wants to join the bloc.
Croatian authorities had agreed on Tuesday to allow in trucks with perishable goods from Serbia but their drivers refused to budge until all traffic resumed.
More than 30,000 migrants, many of them Syrian refugees, have entered Croatia from Serbia since Tuesday last week, when Hungary barred their entry to the EU by sealing its southern border with Serbia with a metal fence.
They are being bussed by Serbia direct to the Croatian border, having entered Serbia from Macedonia, and trekking through fields beyond the official border crossings. Croatia says it cannot cope with the numbers, saying Serbia should send them to Hungary and Romania too.
With a queue of trucks on the Belgrade-Zagreb highway 12 km (7 miles) long by Tuesday evening, Serbia gave Croatia until the end of Wednesday to lift the cargo blockade or face political, legal and economic retaliation.
“Serbia must reply to the destruction of its economic integrity and national policy,” Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday.
Croatian authorities later opened the nearby Tovarnik-Sid crossing to passenger traffic, but not trucks.
Croatia is sending migrants north across its own border with Hungary, which in turn sends them to Austria, but is struggling to keep pace with the influx.
A camp opened in Opatovac in eastern Croatia is fast reaching capacity, while thousands are stuck in no-man’s land between Sid and Tovarnik, some sleeping in a cemetery.10% Think Race Relations Better Since Obama Elected
Voters think America’s a better place since Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous “I have a dream” speech 50 years ago this week, but nearly nine-out-of-10 say race relations have gotten worse or remained about the same since the election of the nation’s first black president.
Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Likely U.S. Voters think race relations in this country are better today than they were 50 years ago. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 13% think those relations are worse today, while just as many (15%) say race relations are about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here).
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(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter and Facebook.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 27-28, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
ORIvory Clark. Credit:Tammy Law However Ivory, who has high-functioning autism, also has a filter. Her mother, Kylie Clark, says: "When she sees something and she wants to tell someone something, she needs to stop, think, breath, think about it again and then, if she's not sure, just leave it." And that's just what Ivory did. However, this time she decided not to leave it, instead penning the senator a poignant open letter on the injustice of the comments Hanson aired in June calling to segregate children with disabilities. "I am intelligent and I have lots to contribute to my class and community," the Brisbane primary school student wrote in the note published by her mother on Facebook. "I am proud to be part of a country that is inclusive and welcomes people with differences.
"I have done lots and lots of work with my psychologist about social skills. I have learned that you need to think about what you say and filter your words so that you don't hurt others. "Lots of kids were talking about autism because of what you said. A few kids said some mean things. That's OK because I know how to deal with that. However I think you should be more thoughtful." The youngest of four, Ivory was diagnosed with autism at the age of two, and work with psychologists and speech pathologists has allowed her to integrate into the mainstream education system. But poor understanding of autism has presented challenges. "There has been a swimming club when Ivory was very young that refused to take her as a swimmer," Ms Clark said. "They'd never met Ivory, they didn't know Ivory. They had no reason to make that call at all." Ms Clark said the stigma attached to the disability could limit opportunities for those affected by autism to access appropriate support.
"My concern is that, if you knew that getting a diagnosis and assistance for your child would ultimately result in something that could be quite damaging for your child - the pattern would then be not to get a diagnosis at all, which would then mean kids are not getting the help they need," she said. One initiative attempting to redress the inequalities those on the autism spectrum may face in the classroom is currently being undertaken by the Autism Cooperative Research Centre. "Not every child has success – there's quite large [number] of children who are bullied or excluded because sometimes there's difficulties with interacting and behaviours," National Director of Research at Autism Spectrum Australia, Dr Trevor Clark, said. "Sometimes parents... get fed up of trying to get schools to support their children so they will take them into home schooling. It's not always a rosy picture, which is exactly why we're doing all of this research." Ivory's open letter to Pauline Hanson. Credit:Facebook
The Transition Models of Practice study, led by Autism Spectrum Australia, seeks to equip teachers with "practice briefs" to best manage the needs of students on the spectrum. After receiving validation from a range of international autism experts, coaches this week were being trained in a range of strategies to be rolled out in classrooms across Australia later this year. "We find that many children on the spectrum can thrive very well in mainstream schools," Dr Clark said. "To support any child with a disability, it's very important that the school understands autism and the best way to support children within a mainstream education system." And for Ivory, acceptance at her school has allowed her to find her voice. Loading
"I did ask her after we talked... why she wrote that letter, and she made a very smart point: 'Well Mum, I have to, because some kids with autism can't speak'." Findings from the research are expected to be published early next year.KPMG has created a microsite dedicated to the government’s spending review. The fearfully awaited review is due on the 20th October and guarantees cost cuts across government departments.
Whatever happens IT services are set to play a key role in transforming government.
The business consultancy will be sharing its insights and giving its views before and after the spending review is announced.
Here is KPMG’s microsite if you want to keep up to date.
KPMG’s public sector boss, Alan Downey, says most public sector organisations are not really prepared for what is about to hit them. See this videocast by him about the spending review.
He describes the review as the ” firing of a starting gun on the deepest and most prolonged period of public expenditure cuts any of us have ever experienced.”
He says its a once in a lifetime opportunity to change how things are done in government.
Sounds like an opportunity for innovative IT service providers to me.
He says the easy way to meet the challenges of the spending review is for each government department to cut services across the board. But the other option, which is preferred, is looking at ways of transforming how the public sector delivers services. The latter might actually require some IT spending up front, but will deliver savings in the long term.
Here is what KPMG’s head of global IT advisory, Bryan Cruickshank, had to say to me about cutting government costs. Note how important technology is in delivering this.Congress is finally tackling the tax code, which is good news because reform is badly needed. Our outdated code is complicated by thousands of credits, deductions and exemptions to individual and corporate interests—and it imposes high rates that inhibit economic growth. However, as we've seen with the failed efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare, getting a consensus among Republican members is easier said than done. It should boil down to three priorities.
First, though overhauling the whole tax code would be great, if the goal is economic growth, reforming the corporate side is the most pressing priority. Everyone knows that the corporate tax system is a punishingly inefficient and large driver of corporate avoidance. Ideally, a reform plan could cut the rate dramatically and move the United States from the highest to one of the lowest rates among industrialized nations. The president has talked about 15 percent, which would make U.S. companies significantly more competitive abroad and at home while dramatically reducing the need for tax avoidance and inversions.
It should also replace "depreciation" with "full expensing." This sounds like a bunch of tedious jargon, but all you need to know is that companies generally aren't allowed to immediately deduct (expense) their investment costs when calculating taxable income and that this creates a bias against business investment. Some exceptions exist and create their own problematic biases because they're targeted toward particular industries or activities supported by politicians. Different rules make for a more complex tax code, encourage lobbying and lead to special privileges for the well-connected. Full expensing would flatten all this out.
These reforms would boost the economy, American competitiveness and job creation the most. A corporate tax reduction would boost standards of living through higher wages, too. That's because the majority of the corporate tax is shouldered by workers, in the form of lower wages.
The second priority? Congress needs a budget. Without that, there's no reconciliation—the process by which Republicans can bypass the need for 60 votes in the Senate. Without that, there's no reform. However, the rules of reconciliation require that tax reform be deficit-neutral outside the 10-year budget window. A lot of the current tension about tax reform is caused by a disagreement about how to meet the deficit-neutral constraint.
A third priority requires that tax reform be paid for. The best way to do that, however, is to restrain spending. We're $20 trillion in debt and heading once again to a $1 trillion deficit, even before the tax cuts. Extending and strictly enforcing the previously bipartisan and quite modest Budget Control Act caps of 2011 until 2025 would pay for tax reform without resorting to new sources of revenue such as the misguided value-added tax, a carbon tax or a border adjustment tax.
Getting rid of genuine loopholes that benefit individuals and corporate interests would also help pay for tax reform. The exclusion for employer-provided fringe benefits, the state and local tax deduction, and the deduction for U.S. production activities are ripe for repealing and could allow for trillions of dollars in tax cuts.
Congress could approve a tax cut that expires after 10 years, of course, but temporary tax cuts are less conducive to growth because entrepreneurs and investors realize that there's no permanent change in incentives to create jobs, income and wealth.
All of this leads to a problem. If Congress and President Donald Trump aren't willing to impose spending discipline and if they're unwilling to tackle a sufficient number of major loopholes, that presumably means there won't be fiscal room to get a large rate cut and expensing.
Politically, it could be easier to push for just a rate cut at the price of expensing, because it's imperative that the corporate rate be dramatically reduced and—let's face it—most people don't even know what expensing is. The bad news is that leaving expensing behind would be a missed opportunity. We know that politics isn't always conducive to good economics, and the good news is that you can't go wrong with cutting the corporate tax rate—but Congress can and should do more than the bare minimum.
COPYRIGHT 2017 CREATORS.COMTypo adds $14.5 billion to Spain's debt
Updated
The Spanish government has admitted to making a typographical error which increased the country's public debt figure by about $14.5 billion.
Four days after announcing the national 2014 debt figure to the world, the economy ministry has issued a correction.
"It is an erratum," an economy ministry spokeswoman said.
It turns out that Spain's public debt in 2014 is expected to be the equivalent of 98.9 per cent of total economic output, not the originally published figure of 99.8 per cent, or 1.05 trillion euros ($1.53 trillion).
The error was not due to a problem in mathematical computations. Rather, the person who typed the number just mixed up the last two digits.
The difference may seem minimal, but when dealing with an economy the size of Spain's, which is the fourth biggest in the eurozone, it is equivalent to about 10 billion euros (about $14.5 billion).
Even after trimming the excess 10 billion euros from the forecast, economists say Spain's debt is rising at a worrying speed as it struggles to emerge from a double-dip recession triggered when a property bubble imploded in 2008.
Spain's public debt soared from 68.5 per cent of total economic output in 2011 to 85.9 per cent at the end of 2012 and 92.2 per cent mid-way through this year.
Prime minister Mariano Rajoy, whose right-leaning government has imposed an austerity regime to fix the state's accounts, expects the public debt this year to rise to the equivalent of 94.2 per cent of total economic output.
AFP
Topics: world-politics, offbeat, spain
First postedThis is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. I’m Amy Goodman. We’re hosting a roundtable discussion on Fidel Castro, who died Friday at the age of 90. We’re speaking with Bill Fletcher, who is the founder of the Black Radical Congress, Peter Kornbluh of the Cuba Documentation Project and Professor Lou Pérez Jr., author of Cuba in the American Imagination: Metaphor and the Imperial Ethos.
Professor Lou Pérez Jr., talk about the effect of Fidel Castro in Latin America. We just left this conversation about Che Guevara, his death. Talk about what Che Guevara was doing there, what he was doing for Fidel, and what Fidel—overall, Fidel Castro was doing in Latin America beyond Cuba.
LOUIS A. PÉREZ JR.: The power of Fidel Castro and the Cuban revolution stands as a phenomenon of resisting the American pushback against the Cuban revolution. That is, in a region that had been—that had been repeatedly intervened militarily, in Mexico and the Central America—in Central America, political intermeddling, economic intervention in South America. The example of Cuba, especially, I think—especially with the failed invasion of the Bay of Pigs, which contributed powerfully to the consolidation and then centralization of power, and the Cubans celebrated the Bay of Pigs as the first defeat of imperialism in the Americas. And that projection, that boast, that victory, just reverberated across Latin America and, perhaps any—more than anything else, suggested that a people resolved, with a leader resolved, with a capacity to resist intervention, perhaps it was indeed possible. And when the Cubans exhort Latin America to make the Andes the Sierra Maestra of the New World, that idea—that idea of being able to affirm autonomy, agency, self-determination, national sovereignty, just resonated across the Western—across Latin America. And Che Guevara takes the model of the Cuban guerrilla war, the foco theory, the idea that a small handful of people who inter themselves in the interior, the hinterland, of a Latin American country can create what we call the subjective conditions of revolution, and from that guerrilla foco would expand a revolutionary movement that would eventually prevail and proclaim victory. The Che Guevara model of revolution essentially is the replication of the Cuban guerrilla war during the—’57 and ’58.
AMY GOODMAN: And talk about what happened with Che Guevara in Bolivia and what that meant to Fidel Castro and the Cuban revolution.
LOUIS A. PÉREZ JR.: Well, the defeat of the guerrilla foco in Bolivia, the capture and the execution of Che Guevara really dealt a body blow to the whole idea of armed struggle in Latin America. It would not be until the Sandinista victory in 1979 where you do have, indeed, a triumph of a guerrilla movement. But after 19—the defeat of the guerrilla foco and the death of Che Guevara, the Cubans turned more toward domestic issues. These are the years of the big push for the economy. This is the year of the disastrous 10 million ton crop. And between the death of Che Guevara and the 10 million ton crop of 1970, it’s possible to take a look at those set of years as really determining moments that altered the trajectory of the Cuban revolution.Produced by SP Tobacco (the makers of Taboca and Romeo y Julieta Portion), Romeo y Julieta Mini Dry Portion is a snus made with high quality hand-selected Cuban tobaccos, and is geared towards the female snus market.
Once I opened my can, I immediately noticed a strong tobacco smell, with a hint of black licorice, and it smelled delicious. This taste reminded me quite a bit of the standard size Romeo y Julieta portions, only with less licorice and a hint of pepper. The flavor lasted quite a long time, and I was able to leave my portion in for nearly an hour before I began to taste an increasingly salty flavor.
I found that even as a dry mini style, the Cuban tobacco in Romeo y Julieta produced a relatively strong nicotine buzz for the size of the portions. The portions contain about 4mg of nicotine, and they produced very little drip until the hour mark.
Overall, Romeo y Julieta Senorita is a great snus, and can be used by both men and women. I can definitely see myself ordering more, as it is a great snus to use when you must be discreet. The flavor and nicotine hit are also quite good as well. I also really like the art on the can (as well as the metallic can itself), and as someone who enjoys fine artwork, it looks quite nice!
Related PostsA bipartisan group is speaking out in opposition to a proposed ballot measure that would split California into six states.
"The measure deserves to die a quick death," Steven Maviglio, one of the group's co-founders, said in a statement. "We're calling in the cavalry now to make sure that it does."
Maviglio, a Democratic political consultant, and Joe Rodota, a GOP political strategist, formed the group OneCalifornia out of concern the ballot proposal will hurt economic development in the state even if it isn't approved, according to the Bay Area News Group.
“It has negative implications that could cost California’s businesses and taxpayers tens of billions of dollars," Rodota said in a Wednesday news release.
The proposed ballot measure, known as "Six Californias," was floated by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper as a means to "bring us closer to our government." It would split California into six states, which Draper said would allow each state to better serve the needs of its residents and "create a fresh start... and best practices," the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Draper has said he's close to having the more-than 800,000 valid signatures needed to put the plan on the ballot. He has also pledged to spend $750,000 of his own money to promote the measure, though the public appears skeptical of the idea.
A spokesman for California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) told the Sacramento Business Journal that the proposal “has serious practical challenges."
The proposed borders for the six states would create the country's richest state -- Silicon Valley -- as well as its poorest -- Central California, according to the state Legislative Analyst's Office. The current state has the 12th highest per capita personal income in the United States.Radio buttons in GTK ; the option "Cat" is selected.
A radio button or option button is a graphical control element that allows the user to choose only one of a predefined set of mutually exclusive options. The singular property of a radio button makes it distinct from a checkbox, which allows more than one (or no) item to be selected and for the unselected state to be restored.
Radio buttons are arranged in groups of two or more and displayed on screen as, for example, a list of circular holes that can contain white space (for unselected) or a dot (for selected). Each radio button is normally accompanied by a label describing the choice that the radio button represents. The choices are mutually exclusive; when the user selects a radio button, any previously selected radio button in the same group becomes deselected (making it so only one can be selected). Selecting a radio button is done by clicking the mouse on the button, or the caption, or by using a keyboard shortcut.
It is possible that initially none of the radio buttons in a group are selected. This unselected state cannot be restored by interacting with the radio button widget, though it may be possible through other user interface elements. When used in an HTML form, if no button in a group is checked, then no name-value pair is passed when the form is submitted. For example, for a radio button group named Sex with the options Male and Female, the variable Sex would not be passed, even with a blank value.
Etymology [ edit ]
A radio that uses pop-out buttons
Radio |
: Religion and the Shaping of Native Cultures in Early America Oxford University Press, 2012.
Oxford University Press, 2012. Gaustad, Edwin S. The Great Awakening in New England (1957)
(1957) Gaustad, Edwin S. "The Theological Effects of the Great Awakening in New England," The Mississippi Valley Historical Review, Vol. 40, No. 4. (Mar., 1954), pp. 681–706. JSTOR 1895863.
Vol. 40, No. 4. (Mar., 1954), pp. 681–706. JSTOR 1895863. Goen, C. C. Revivalism and Separatism in New England, 1740–1800: Strict Congregationalists and Separate Baptists in the Great Awakening 1987, Wesleyan University Press, ISBN 0-8195-6133-9.
1987, Wesleyan University Press, ISBN 0-8195-6133-9. Hatch, Nathan O. The Democratization of American Christianity 1989.
1989. Isaac, Rhys. The Transformation of Virginia, 1740–1790 1982, emphasis on Baptists
1982, emphasis on Baptists Kidd, Thomas S. God of Liberty: A Religious History of the American Revolution (2010).
(2010). Lambert, Frank. Pedlar in Divinity: George Whitefield and the Transatlantic Revivals; (1994)
(1994) Lambert, Frank. "The First Great Awakening: Whose interpretive fiction?" The New England Quarterly, vol.68, no.4, pp. 650, 1995
, vol.68, no.4, pp. 650, 1995 Lambert, Frank. Inventing the "Great Awakening" (1998).
(1998). McLoughlin, William G. Revivals, Awakenings, and Reform: An Essay on Religion and Social Change in America, 1607–1977 (1978).
(1978). Schmidt, Leigh Eric. Holy Fairs: Scotland and the Making of American Revivalism (2001)
(2001) Schmotter, James W. "The Irony of Clerical Professionalism: New England's Congregational Ministers and the Great Awakening", American Quarterly, 31 (1979), a statistical study JSTOR 2712305
, 31 (1979), a statistical study JSTOR 2712305 Smith, Lisa. The First Great Awakening in Colonial American Newspapers: A Shifting Story (2012)
(2012) Winiarski, Douglas L. Darkness Falls on the Land of Light: Experiencing Religious Awakenings in Eighteenth-Century New England (U of North Carolina Press, 2017). xxiv, 607 pp.
Historiography [ edit ]
McLoughlin, William G. "Essay Review: the American Revolution as a Religious Revival: 'The Millennium in One Country.'" New England Quarterly 1967 40(1): 99–110. JSTOR 363855
Primary sources [ edit ]As those of you who follow myself (@jbaumann3), the blog (@underthecblog), or my lab (@castillocorals) on social media may know, our lab has spent the better part of our summer in field collecting coral cores.
The coral cores in the image above were extracted from various reefs across the Florida Keys. Before I tell you about what they can help us learn, we should first talk a little bit about the coral.
For those who are not marine scientists, corals are an animal. Not a rock or a plant. If you thought either of those things you weren’t entirely wrong. Corals lay down a calcium carbonate skeleton, which is akin to limestone (a rock). Corals also harbor a photosynthetic symbiotic dinoflagellate inside of their tissue (let’s just call it a plant-like algae from now on though, ok?). Alright then, tropical corals build reefs, which are great if you are a baby fish or a small bottom dwelling creature who likes to hide from predators. Just how important are coral reefs? Let’s just say global fisheries would pretty much collapse without them (they are struggling with them, so imagine what would happen if reefs were gone). The GDP of many tropical nations is highly dependent on reefs as they bring in money from tourism and provide seafood as an export. Reefs are a big deal. So, how exactly do you core a coral?
Step 1: Acquire a big hydraulic drill, a compressor and power source for said drill, tons of underwater hydraulic hose, and a team of scientists with scuba gear.
Step 2: Go find yourself a coral and make the smallest person on your research team (wo)man the drill:
3.) Drill the coral all the way through to the base (adding more drill bit pipe as necessary).
4.) Extract the coral core!
5.) Now we have a coral at with a hole in it. Certainly that isn’t good, right? The triage team is tasked with filling the hole (we use a concrete plug that is the same length of the core we extracted). The hole needs to be filled to keep any pesky organisms from getting in there and destroying the coral from the inside out (we call these bioeroders).
6.) After the concrete is inside the hole, we seal it with non-toxic marine epoxy. The seal keeps bioeroders out and allows the coral to grow over the hole and heal.
7.) Transport coral cores home to UNC, CT scan them with the help of medical imaging professionals, and then analyze the growth bands.
8.) Age the coral, measure growth rate across years, and compare with satellite and in-situ temperature records.
Corals grow kind of like trees. They lay down a series of bands that allow us to see how old they are. These bands (one light band (low density, fast growth and one dark band (high density, slow growth) per year can show us how much the coral grew each year. We can even dig deeper and use more precise methods to figure out seasonal and even monthly or weekly variations in growth! Coring a coral allows us to see the banding in a given coral. We can then analyze growth, correlate it with historical records of sea surface temperature (usually from satellite measurements), and identify how changes in temperature affect coral growth. We can even take this one step further. The coral skeleton contains isotopes, which we can use to identify the chemistry of the surrounding ocean at the temp of skeleton deposition. If we have a coral core that dates back to 1850 (before satellites), we can determine the pH and temperature of the seawater at the time of deposition.
The usual culprit for slower growth are things like increased water temperature (warming) that can lead to coral bleaching (stress on the coral). Corals can also grow faster or slower for other reasons, including just because (they are animals after all and biology is pretty confusing). However, with a large enough sample size and plenty of measurements, we can pretty much figure out why growth rates are changing. That is out goal here in the Castillo lab. Our newest project is examining the growth rates of massive corals throughout the entire Caribbean in order to asses the health of reefs across the basin.
This project will continue into 2016 and I will be adding additional information as we go, so check back on occasion to see our results!
AdvertisementsDENVER — A Colorado law that allows adults to legally possess and use marijuana may now allow some people found guilty of minor marijuana crimes to challenge their convictions in court, a state appeals court ruled on Thursday.
The decision by the Colorado Court of Appeals stemmed from a 2010 drug case in which a woman from the mountains west of Denver was convicted of possessing small amounts of marijuana and a concentrated form of the drug — both of which are now legal under a 2012 ballot measure approved by Colorado voters. Her lawyers argued that the legal landscape had shifted since she was charged and that her marijuana convictions should thus be thrown out.
The court agreed, saying that the legalization law, known as Amendment 64, could apply retroactively to minor drug offenses if people had already been appealing their convictions when the measure went into effect.
Marijuana advocates cheered the decision, calling it a sign that growing public support for legalizing or decriminalizing marijuana was beginning to resonate in legal circles. They said it could help dozens of people to successfully overturn convictions for possessing less than an ounce of marijuana concentrate or for growing six or fewer marijuana plants in their homes — acts that were once illegal, but that are now allowed for adults 21 and over.(This July 6 story has been refiled to remove extraneous material from quote by MSF member, in 13th paragraph.)
A tank of the Emergency Response Division fires at Islamic State militant in the old city of Mosul, Iraq July 5, 2017. REUTERS/Alaa Al-Marjani
By Stephanie Nebehay and Stephen Kalin
GENEVA/ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) - The population of Mosul has endured huge suffering in the war to retake the northern Iraqi city from Islamic State and trauma cases among civilians are sharply rising in the last stages of battle, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said on Wednesday.
The city’s basic infrastructure has also been hard hit, with six western districts almost completely destroyed and initial repairs expected to cost more than $1 billion, the United Nations said.
Tens of thousands of civilians remain trapped among the shattered buildings in Islamic State’s final redoubt in Mosul’s Old City by the western bank of the Tigris river, MSF said.
Civilians who have managed to get medical treatment are suffering from burns and shrapnel and blast injuries, while many are in need of critical care and are under-nourished, MSF officials said.
But there is concern that only a small number of the civilians were getting the medical attention they required.
“Really, (there is) a huge level of human suffering,” Jonathan Henry, MSF emergency coordinator in west Mosul, told reporters in Geneva after spending six weeks in Iraq.
“This is a massive population that has been traumatized from a very brutal and horrific conflict,” he said.
Iraqi commanders have predicted final victory in Mosul this week after a grinding eight-month assault that has pushed Islamic State into a rectangle no more than 300 by 500 meters in the city whose population used to be 2 million.
International charity Save the Children said in a separate report that fighting and years of living under Islamic State have left Mosul’s children with dangerous levels of psychological damage.
Findings from focus group discussions with 65 children in a displacement camp south of Mosul found that children are so deeply scarred by memories of extreme violence they are living in constant fear for their lives, unable to show emotions, and suffering from vivid “waking nightmares”.
The loss of loved ones was the biggest cause of distress, with 90 percent reporting the loss of at least one family member through death, separation during their escape, or abduction, the report said.
Children said they had seen family members killed in front of them, dead bodies and blood in the streets, and bombs destroying their homes. Others shared stories of family members shot by snipers, blown up by landmines or hit by explosions as they fled.
In short, Mosul is an “extremely traumatic environment for people to flee from and to return to,” affecting their mental health on a large scale, MSF’s Henry said.
“The west (of the city) has been heavily destroyed. It’s really mass destruction... similar to the blitz of the Second World War, hospitals have been destroyed, neighborhoods are in ruins.”
The battles in the Old City’s maze of narrow alleyways is fought house-by-house in streets packed with civilians and planted with multiple explosive devices by the militants, who are also using drones and suicide bombings.
Shrapnel and blast injuries, broken bones from collapsed buildings and burns are the main type of wounds seen by the MSF team of surgeons in west Mosul, Henry said.
Slideshow (13 Images)
Half of the 100 war-wounded over the past two weeks at the MSF 25-bed hospital were women and children in need of critical care and many were malnourished, he said.
“But the most urgent patients we feel are not able to leave the conflict area.”
About 900,000 people have been displaced by the fighting, taking shelter in camps or with relatives and friends, according the aid group.Madonna will perform during the Super Bowl 2012 halftime show at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on February 5, sources close to the event told SBNation.com on Monday. A spokesperson for the NFL declined to comment.
As you'd expect for an artist with her mass appeal, this isn't the first time Madonna's been approached about performing at the Super Bowl. In 1998, it was heavily rumored that Madonna would perform at Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami, only to have the plans fall apart before a deal could be reached. Likewise, Madonna was reportedly to headline the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXV, two years later, but backed out at the last minute.
None of which is to say that she's a stranger to the Super Bowl spotlight. As recently as 2008, Madonna's music was used in a commercial for SunSilk hair products, for which the singer was paid $10 million, according to Rolling Stone. So where does Madonna fit in the lineage of Super Bowl halftime performers?
Let's take a look at the past 10 years.
2002 - U2
2003 - Shania Twain, No Doubt, Sting
2004 - Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake
2005 - Paul McCartney
2006 - The Rolling Stones
2007 - Prince
2008 - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
2009 - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
2010 - The Who
2011 - The Black Eyed Peas, Usher, and Slash
Now we can add Madonna to that list. For the moment, the biggest question is how much freedom she gets from the NFL. Madonna of the '80s and '90s would've been a pretty interesting experiment at the Super Bowl, as no female artist this side of Janet Jackson would've been more likely to push the envelope as far as costumes, themes, and stageplay is concerned.
More: Super Bowl Commercials 2012.
After the debacle with Janet Jackson in 2004, old school Madonna would've been far too risky for the NFL. But today's Madonna is a mom more famous for charity than lack of chastity, and a natural fit for the NFL's biggest stage, especially considering the direction the NFL's taken in the years since 2004's controversy.
She may not match Prince, but she's better than Paul McCartney, and certainly an upgrade over 2011's apocalyptic amalgam of the Black Eyed Peas, a half-dead Slash, and Usher. So, if we can accept that the NFL's not going to give us any relevant new music (like, say, Jay-Z and Kanye West), then fans could certainly do worse than Madonna, right?
The Super Bowl and its halftime show will be televised live on NBC on February 5th, 2012. Stay tuned for further comments from Madonna and/or the NFL as the news emerges.Nerve damage, blindness, and kidney disease are common complications of type 1 diabetes.
People with type 1 diabetes lack the hormone insulin, which regulates the body's use of glucose for energy.
This results in high blood glucose, or hyperglycemia, as glucose builds up in the bloodstream.
The main treatment for type 1 diabetes is lifelong insulin therapy, which lowers blood glucose and allows the body to use glucose as fuel.
High blood glucose is associated with a number of symptoms, such as increased urination, extreme thirst or hunger, and slow-healing sores.
Over time, elevated blood glucose levels can also lead to various complications in different areas of the body, since hyperglycemia damages many different types of tissue.
Diabetic Neuropathy
Neuropathy is a type of nerve damage, or nerve dysfunction.
In people with diabetes, neuropathy may develop when high blood glucose levels damage blood vessels that supply oxygen to nerves.
As many as 60 to 70 percent of all people with diabetes have some form of neuropathy, according the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
A common form of diabetic neuropathy is peripheral neuropathy, which causes numbness, pain, and weakness in the toes, feet, legs, hands, or arms.
Because of this widespread complication, people with diabetes must take special care of their feet.
Nerve damage may cause people to lose feeling in their feet, leading to unnoticed injuries that may become infected (poor blood flow can also lead to slower healing).
What's more, nerve damage may cause foot deformations that lead to additional pressure at certain points on the feet — and these pressure points may develop into blisters, sores, or ulcers.
Diabetic neuropathy may also affect various other areas of the body, including the digestive tract, heart, sex organs, facial muscles, buttocks, and urinary tract.
Diabetic Retinopathy
By affecting the blood vessels in the retina, diabetes may cause retinopathy, a type of eye disease.
In some people, diabetic retinopathy causes blood vessels in the eye to swell and leak fluid, while in others, there is abnormal growth of new blood vessels on the retina.
Diabetic retinopathy often leads to blurred vision, and sometimes blindness.
In fact, it’s the leading cause of blindness among adults 20 to 74 years old, according to a 2010 report in the journal Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America.
People with diabetes are also more likely to develop cataracts (cloudiness of the eye lens) and glaucoma (optic nerve damage).
Diabetic Nephropathy
About 20 to 40 percent of people with diabetes develop nephropathy, a form of kidney disease, according to the 2010 report.
The kidneys work to filter blood, keeping it clean of waste products.
Diabetic nephropathy develops when high blood glucose levels damage blood vessels in the kidneys, causing them to gradually lose their filtering ability — and allowing waste products to build up in the body.
The first symptom of nephropathy is often swelling in certain areas of the body. In many cases, however, nephropathy doesn't cause any symptoms until almost all kidney function is gone.
Dialysis is often necessary if kidney function drops below a certain level. If the kidneys fail completely, a kidney transplant may be necessary.
Other Diabetes Complications
Type 1 diabetes can also lead to other complications, including:
High blood pressure
Cardiovascular disease
Stroke
Skin and mouth infections
Gastroparesis (delayed gastric emptying), a type of neuropathy
Sexual dysfunction
Depression
Diabetes can also cause pregnancy complications — such as an increased risk of stillbirth, miscarriages, and birth defects — if blood glucose is not controlled properly.Sen. Rand Paul (R) of Kentucky is breaking with many members of his own party and other potential Republican candidates for president in 2016 in offering at least some support for the president’s opening to Cuba, highlighting yet another area where he seems likely to offer a contrast but which is also likely to become an area of attack against him in a primary race:
Sen. Rand Paul broke with other likely Republican presidential contenders on Thursday by saying that opening up more trade with Cuba “is probably a good idea” and declaring that the US embargo on the country “just hasn’t worked.” The Kentucky senator’s comments to the West Virginia radio station News Talk 800 WVHU came a day after the White House announced it would normalize relations with the communist island. The other likely GOP 2016 contenders who have weighed in so far on the plans have expressed fierce opposition. But Paul has taken a number of positions on foreign policy that have been at odds with many in his party. “The 50-year embargo just hasn’t worked,” Paul said in remarks confirmed by his office. “If the goal is regime change, it sure doesn’t seem to be working and probably it punishes the people more than the regime, because the regime can blame the embargo for hardship.” [... ] Paul in the past has indicated support for allowing diplomatic talks with Iran over its nuclear program to continue, another policy at odds with many leading Republicans. He also has argued that a less aggressive foreign policy is appealing to younger voters and others who don’t traditionally vote for Republicans.
Paul is, of course, correct in his assessment that the embargo that was put in place 52 years ago and which largely remains in effect, notwithstanding the hopeful and helpful steps that the president took yesterday, has done little to either help the Cuban people or undermine the Castro regime. As far as the Cuban people go, all that it seems to do is to ensure that an economy that has been on the rocks for decades remains there, as the nation remains cut off from what would obviously be its more lucrative trading partner and a lucrative trading partner for the US, in turn, as it was in the years before the 1959 Revolution, although this time hopefully on a much more equal footing. In the years of the Cold War, of course, the Cuban government was able to shield its people from some of the impact of the foolish economics of Castro socialism, thanks to the subsidies it was receiving from the Soviet Union. When those were cut off as the Cold War was collapsing, there was much speculation that the Castro regime would not be far behind, but the regime managed to survive and, in more recent years, has exploited its relationship with the anti-American regime in Venezuela to obtain energy supplies despite a shortage of hard currency. The regime in Havana has also been aided by the fact that, in the wake of the end of the Cold War, many European nations, along with nations like Canada, eased their own policies vis a vis Cuba, despite the fact that the US kept its embargo in place for reasons that have more to do with domestic politics and ongoing resentments from the Cold War on both sides of the 90-mile divide between the US and Cuba than with anything approaching a rational foreign policy. As Paul goes on to note, there remain a host of complicated issues between Havana and Washington, but since we know that following the same road we’ve been on since 1961 isn’t going to change anything there’s nothing wrong at all with trying a different path.
In taking this position, Paul is of course differentiating himself from several potential rivals for the Republican presidential nomination, including Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, as well as what would appear to be the majority of the Republicans on Capitol Hill. This isn’t an unusual position for the senator to be in, of course, since he’s done similar things with regard to US drone and surveillance policy, as well as foreign policy; however, it does present another example of the difficulties that he is likely to face if he does, in fact, run for president in 2016. For the most part, Paul has gotten a good deal of mostly positive press coverage when he takes these contrarian positions, and he’s so far taken only a small number of attacks from fellow Republicans for his refusal to adhere to party orthodoxy. While some of those attacks have come from prominent members of the GOP like former US Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Vice President Dick Cheney, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry, they have been relatively low key so far. If Paul runs for president, and especially if he becomes a major player in the race, he’s likely to become the focus of attacks on issues such as this from all quarters of the GOP. Perhaps he can withstand them and bring to the polls in the early primary states a constituency that is truly interested in taking the Republican Party in a different direction when it comes to issues such as foreign policy and civil liberties. The senator better be prepared to take some incoming fire, though, because it is going to come, and it is going to be quite severe when it does.
Doug Mataconis appears on the Outside the Beltway blog at http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/.One of the first students I ever taught recently related her initial impression of me on her first day in my class:
“You were Snape, Mr. Kirk.”
She hit it right on the head. That was exactly who I was channeling that day. I wanted those students to look upon me and know fear.
A little background: it was my first day at the school and my first permanent teaching contract and I was pretty nervous. But, as they say, the best defense is a good offense: I stormed into the classroom after them, slammed the door and cupboards in my wake as I powered-walked to the front of the class to face them, quaking in their seats, and cried: “In this class, there will be no silly antics or misbehaviour. You are here to learn – and learn you shall. I can teach you secrets of grammar and of ways to use the English language that you have never dreamed.”
(Some of you might recognize this as a modified form of Professor Snape’s speech from Harry Potter’s own first day in Potions class).
At times, teaching is a performance-based profession. Sometimes we model our teaching styles after other notable teacher figures in our lives – perhaps even fictional ones. The conversation with my former student made me think about some of the other teacher characters I’ve consciously or subconsciously copied in various lessons over the years. Here are some of my favorites, and whether you’re a teacher by profession or do some kind of teaching to someone in some way, I hope these may offer inspiration, models and ideas.
PROFESSOR X: THE RELATABLE TEACHER
Professor X has to be the penultimate teacher, a classic intellectual figure and Ph.D. who comes with his own mansion/library. X knows what his students are about to say before they even say it, and who can argue with someone who knows your very thoughts? But besides his formidable intellect and telepathic powers, there’s another reason why Xavier is so cherished by his students: he is the teacher who teaches from a relatable perspective.
I have a number of colleagues who fit this model. They grew up in my school’s neighbourhood and they know all the hang-outs, the clubs, the sports teams – all the perennial neighbourhood features. As such, they know the average student’s lifestyle and life experience to the minute detail.
Xavier had the same mutant experience as his protégés as he grew up. He knew the fear, the apprehension of the humans in 1960’s America regarding mutants. He could relate intimately to his students on that basis and was likewise able to relate his teaching philosophy from a practical level. Having the capacity to read their minds seemed almost non-essential because of this.
ALBUS DUMBLEDORE: THE SUPER TEACHER
This teacher lives at his school, has no family, and protects and cares for a student like his own child. In Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone, he personally seeks the student out at his own home to take him to school and spends most of his private moments berating himself for all the mistakes he’s made.
This is an extreme example of the archetype I like to call “Super Teacher”. This is the overly dutiful guy who volunteers his lunch hours to supervise clubs or activities, stays long after hours, eats the apple someone left on his desk and then stays even later to attend parent council meetings and such. He’s an ideal all teachers try to aspire to be but that we can never fully emulate because of the demands or rigours on our everyday lives.
Dumbledore knows that Harry Potter is an important kid. Not only from the point of view that he will be the one to vanquish Voldemort, but from the perspective that this is an orphan who has a lousy home-life with his relatives. This is a kid who needs one adult in his life to stand up for him, an idea mirrored in contemporary teaching philosophy.
The idea is that you identify these kids who really need a caring adult in their lives. Most kids are generally well-established, so you look for those strays that you coach, encourage, and make accountable to you in times of crisis so that you can intercede on their behalf when necessary. This way, the kids see that if they are important to you, then maybe they’ll realize their own sense of self-importance well enough so that they can re-join the rest of the fold.
BATMAN: THE HARSH TEACHER
Batman is a demanding, relentless and punishing taskmaster who forces his charges to learn their lessons whether they want to or not. Whatever consequences that result from a lesson learned poorly is certainly the student’s own fault and the teacher wastes no tears in sharing that information with them. What a jerk. Or is he?
Now, nobody goes into teaching with the desire to see any negative consequences for his students, but a teacher has to inure himself to seeing students harm themselves in making bad choices. When he delivers bad news to students or enforces consequences – then, in the students’ eyes, that teacher is a “jerk.”
In the comic series Batman and the Outsiders (1983 – 1986), Batman takes a rogue group of neophyte metahumans and shapes them into a crusading team of superheroes. In the process, he has to crush their pride, break their preconceived notions of justice, squash their individualism and teach them how to function as a team.
At times, he borders on the ruthless: he callously tells Metamorpho, disfigured and cursed with freakish powers, to submerge his desires for normality to serve the public good. He may look like a freak, but he needs to act like a man. In short: suck it up, Buttercup.
Batman is the harsh (but ultimately caring) teacher who lets students make their mistakes and suffer the consequences of their poor decision making. Why? Because that is often the only way the lesson is ever truly learned.
OBI WAN KENOBI: THE BRIEF TEACHER
We don’t see a lot of Ben Kenobi’s teaching style in the original Star Wars trilogy. His nobility and his belief in Luke force him to sacrifice himself early in their relationship so that his student and his friends can escape and give the rebellion a fighting chance. Kenobi’s sacrifice obviously has a drastic, emotional effect on Luke. While he is gone, he isn’t forgotten.
Did you ever have a substitute teacher who completely changed the way you looked at things? You walk into class, expecting the same old routine, but lo, and behold: you meet a supply teacher who will be with your class for a number of months while your regular teacher recovers from knee surgery or something (in Luke’s case, he hasn’t met his “regular” teacher, Yoda, yet). During that time, a connection is made. You seem to understand material more easily. The new teacher explains things to you in ways that make more sense. You enjoy interacting with this new teacher and you even like coming to school more.
Then, one day, just as soon as he had arrived, he’s gone. Your new source of information and learning is gone. There’s no warning; it’s abrupt and it’s over. But the source will be with you, always, and when you resume study with your regular teacher, you are more ready to learn.
GANDALF: THE MENTORLY TEACHER
I can’t really say I consider Gandalf a true teacher, but he sure took the Hobbits on some crazy field trips. Ha!
Even though he wasn’t a traditional teacher, he certainly played a pivotal part in shaping Bilbo into the hobbit he grew into. He was also a very influential figure in Frodo’s life. Sometimes, a lot of kids simply need a teacher to be just that: less a figure to pontificate at them and more someone who they can just turn to, in times of crisis, in times of need.
When Gandalf fell in Moria, Frodo’s despair was genuine. The back-story of The Fellowship of the Ring infers that Frodo and Gandalf have that sort of a mentoring relationship. Bilbo is the one responsible for raising Frodo, instilling in him knowledge of Elvish and curiousity about the world outside of the Shire, but Gandalf does a lot to facilitate that upbringing. In Bilbo’s absence, it is Gandalf who Frodo turns to out of a need for guidance when the truth of the Ring’s identity is finally made known.
RUPERT GILES: THE BRAINY TEACHER
Rupert Giles, from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series, represents that stuffy, autocratic, stereotypical teacher character that you traditionally see in literature. To top it off, he’s British.
This is the pure Brainy Teacher who reigns supreme in his classroom by virtue and fiat of the sheer weight of knowledge he possesses. No one can dispute his authority lest they suffer his wrath. Too often, though, Giles tries to solve Buffy’s problems with stuffy, calculated solutions. Buffy’s usual responses to his ministrations are flippant, relaxed and simple – but, effectively simple. This sort of exchange characterizes the nature of their relationship and how to deal with the Brainy Teacher. Buffy’s responses, while counter to Giles’ attitude, are not counter-authoritative.
Now, I don’t want to sound overly Hegelian here, but this is a relationship clearly descended from the theory of the dialectic. This is an intellectual exchange of ideas in that Giles might present a thesis, which Buffy would clearly respond with an antithesis. The resulting clash forms a synthesis and the solution to their mutual problem. This dialectic has been reached through thought, discussion and the sharing of different perspectives – exactly the way that an intellectual like Giles himself would arrive at a conclusion. Buffy works within Giles’ system, which is how one has to deal with a Brainy Teacher.
MORPHEUS: THE DREAMY TEACHER
I remember I had a grade 12 Trigonometry teacher who used to take up a third of every period waxing philosophically about the necessity of understanding the details of mathematic principles as exploring truth rather than just accepting things at face value. He would lecture endlessly about the virtues of math as they related to life, when all I wanted to know was how does the damn trig chart work?
This is the Dreamy Teacher. The Dreamy Teacher archetype is great for awakening passion and curiosity in his students. Often, he is a man or woman of great conviction. Morpheus hates what the Matrix represents so much, and believes that Neo is the One so fully, that he is willing to give his life to enable his student to achieve his potential. Now that’s conviction.
The danger of the Dreamy type is that he tends to forget that in life, problems have to be solved. While endless debate and pondering are great intellectual stimulation, there are some of us who are not going to be experts in the subject being taught, but simply need to have a working knowledge of it in order to obtain a decent educational foundation. Inspiring your students is great, but don’t forget to back it up with practical knowledge.
NICK FURY: THE PRACTICAL TEACHER
Speaking of practicality, no one can accuse this guy of not being practical.
At first, Nick Fury doesn’t seem like a typical teacher-figure; he is more a man who lived for danger and enjoyed getting into trouble. He is the typical representation of the “Greatest Generation” who earned his degree attending the School of Hard Knocks and rose through the ranks the old-fashioned way through grit and determination.
Of course, while that type of success very rarely happens any more in the private sector, it is highly prized in the teaching world. Experience is the best teacher, and those teachers who come to the classroom with experience probably make the best ones.
Nick Fury is a second-career teacher. After the Skrull Invasion, he lost his director’s position, went underground and recruited a cadre of young superheroes he could train to function as an independent, uncorrupted force for good. He trained them to accomplish missions, follow orders unquestioningly and get the job done – whatever it takes, with the end justifying the means (kind of like Batman).
Teachers who come from the working world tend to have this attitude. In the “real world,” these Practical Teachers know that results matter and aren’t too hung up on matters of protocol, procedure or even decorum. They know that when students get into the working world, they won’t be allowed to submit a second copy, get an extension on a deadline or whatever extra consideration they’ve been known to get from previous teachers and, as such, prepare their students accordingly.
INDIANA JONES: THE COOL TEACHER
These are the words that describe Indian Jones: adventurous, brilliant, multi-disciplinary, charming…the list goes on. The man can lecture on ancient civilizations while simultaneously, unintentionally capturing the hearts of college sophomores. Later on, he gets hand-picked for an important archaeological expedition and one of the greatest adventure stories of all time. Who wouldn’t want to be taught by someone like this?
But what makes this guy the Cool Teacher type is his rarity. There aren’t many teachers who are gifted like this, who can bridge theory and practice with such ease, and who are as willing to get their hands dirty like Indy does – in other words, who practice what they preach and then some.
But we want them to be. We want our teachers to be so multi-capable. We hold them to such a high degree of expectations that we expect them to be parents, leaders, psychologists, protectors, administrators, as well as academicians and experts.
We want our teachers to be heroes.
Many people can remember at least one teacher in their life who was like this. Maybe she wasn’t a gun-wielding, whip-snapping expert on ancient cultures, but at least this person gave the student someone they could try to emulate. Even if there was just one such person in our schooling experience that we wanted toteach try and be like, don’t you think that the cumulative effect of that would improve the world just a little bit?
***
Maybe using figures in pop culture as teaching models is a bit silly, but remember: we are all the sum of our experiences and teachers are no different. Teachers are influenced by these archetypes in literature and pop culture and we, in turn, are all greatly affected by the way our teachers teach us. Most importantly, because these characters are so widespread and familiar, they help to enhance communication in the classroom. Students will know what you’re trying to teach because they’ve either read or seen a notable character try to teach something in a similar way. So if I have to channel a psychotic Death-Eater of a wizard to enforce a little bit of classroom discipline in a group of unruly teenagers, then so be it. Maybe there’s a lesson in that?
Editor’s Note: Just as this post was completed we learned that Marcia Wallace, the voice of Mrs. Krabappel, Bart Simpson’s teacher on The Simpsons, passed away. To another one of the great |
GEOPHYSICIST
GEORGE
GEORGE WASHINGTON
GEORGIAITE
GEOSCIENTIST
GERANIUM
GERBIL
GERENUK
GERFALCO
GER
GERMAN BONITO
GERMANIUM
GERMANIUM TETRAHYDRIDE
GERMAN MASTIFF
GERMAN SHEPHERD
GERMKN?DEL
GERONTOLOGIST
GERYGONE
GESSO
GETA
GEYSER
GHARIAL
GHARRI
GHARRY
GHE
GHERKIN
GHETTO
GHETTO BLASTER
GHILODA
GHOST
GHOST FIDDLE
GHOST HUNTER
GHOST INSEC
GHOST ORCHID
GHOST RINGS
GHOST SHAR
GHOST SHIP
GHOUL
GHOUL
GIANT
GIANT AYE-AYE
GIANT BAMBOO
GIANT CLAM
GIANT COG
GIANT ENEMY CRA
GIANT METAL BOX
GIANT METAL CRATE
GIANT PANDA
GIANT SQUI
GIANT STEEL BOX
GIANT TREVALLY
GIANT WORM
GIAOZI
GIBANICA
GIBBERBIRD
GIBBERFIS
GIBBON
GIF
GIFT BA
GIFT BASKET
GIFT BO
GIFT CAR
GIFT CERTIFICATE
GIFT SHOP
GIFT STORE
GIG
GIG
GIGANOTOSAURUS
GIG LIGHT
GILA MONSTER
GILL
GILLBIRD
GILLIFLOWER
GILLNETTER
GILLY
GIM
GIMMICK
GINEA TEE
GINEP
GINGER
GINGER ALE
GINGER BEER
GINGERBREAD
GINGERBREAD HOUSE
GINGERBREAD MAN
GINKGO
GINKGO BILOBA
GINNIP
GINNY GREENTEETH
GINSENG
GIRAFFE
GIRANDOLE
GIRDER
GIRDLE
GIRL
GIRLFRIEND
GIRTH COVER
GITANT
GITS
GIZMO
GIZZARD
GLACIER
GLACIOLOGIST
GLAD
GLADIATOR
GLADIOLUS
GLAI
GLAIR
GLAND
GLARE TESTER
GLASS
GLASS
GLASS ARMONICA
GLASSBLOWER
GLASS BLOWER
GLASS CUTTER
GLASSES
GLASS EYE
GLASSFIS
GLASS HARMONICA
GLASS HARP
GLASSHOUSE
GLASSMAKER
GLASS SLIPPER
GLASS TUBE
GLASS TUBING
GLASSWARE
GLAUCOPHAN
GLAZE
GLAZIER
GLECHOMA
GLEEMAN
GLEN
GLIDER
GLIDING WINDOW
GLITTER
GLITTER BALL
GLOB
GLOBE
GLOBE AEROSTATIQUE
GLOBE A?ROSTATIQUE
GLOBEFISH
GLOBIDENS
GLOCKENSPIEL
GLORIOLE
GLORIOSA DAISY
GLORY
GLORY BOX
GLOSSY-STARLING
GLOVE
GLOVE BOX
GLOVE PUPPET
GLOVER
GLOVES
GLOW FISH
GLOW STICK
GLOWWORM
GLUCOSE MONITOR
GLUE
GLUEBALL
GLUE GUN
GLUINO
GLUON
GLUTARALDEHYDE
GLUTTO
GLUTTON
GLYCERIN MIST
GLYCERYL TRINITRATE
GLYCIDALDEHYDE
GLYCIDOL
GLYCOL MONOETHYL ETHER
GNASHER
GNAT
GNATCATCHER
GNATEATER
GNATWREN
GNEP
GNOCCHI
GNOLL
GNOME
GNU
G-NUT
GOA
GOA BEAN
GOA
GOALIE
GOALKEEPER
GOAL MOUT
GOALPOST
GOALTENDER
GOAT
GOATEE
GOATFIS
GOATHERD
GOATSBEAR
GOATSKIN
GOATSUCKE
GOATWEED
GO-AWAY-BIR
GO AWAY BIR
GO-AWAY BIR
GOB
GOBBLY GOOK
GOBLET
GOBLET DRUM
GOBLIN
GOBLINFISH
GOBLIN SHARK
GOB
GOBOLE
GOBY
GO-CART
GO CART
GOD
GODDESS
GODFATHER
GODMOTHER
GODPARENT
GOD’S ACRE
GODWIT
GO-FAST BOA
GO FAST BOA
GOFER
GOGGLES
GOIDUCK
GOJI BERRY
GOKART
GO-KART
GOLABEK
GOLABKI
GOLD
GOLD BAR
GOLD BULLION
GOLD CARIt’s no secret that lobbyists and corporations have considerable financial influence on politicians in Washington, but finding out exactly who funds who in any given election cycle isn’t exactly a walk in the park.
Well, exposing the money behind the members of Congress has gotten a lot easier thanks to a new browser plugin called Greenhouse. The extension (which is available for Firefox, Chrome, and Safari) was created by a 16-year-old Seattle high school student named Nicholas Rubin, and it’s pretty ingenious.
Once the plugin is installed, the names of politicians will be highlighted on any article you read, whether it’s on BDCwire, the New York Times, Fox News – whatever. If you hover your mouse over the name, a box will pop up containing a detailed report of the politician’s campaign contributions, broken down by industry.Close
Huawei took to CES 2017 to officially announce that its Mate 9 will go on sale on Jan. 6 in the United States, rocking a powerful ally: Amazon Alexa.
The Huawei Mate 9 made its official debut back in early November, shaping up as a great alternative to the ill-fated Samsung Galaxy Note 7. At that time, Huawei only mentioned that its Mate 9 will hit 12 countries at first, but did not offer a specific release date for the United States or other markets.
Recent reports pegged the Huawei Mate 9 U.S. release for Jan. 6 and it turns out they were spot on, as Huawei has now officially confirmed the launch date. At the same time, the company also announced more exciting features bound to make the Huawei Mate 9 more attractive.
"Response to Huawei Mate 9 has been extremely positive, resulting in numerous industry awards and accolades," says Zhendong Zhu, the president of Huawei Device USA. "With Mate 9, we set out to improve every element of the smartphone experience, creating a dynamic and powerful device that takes a big step forward in what consumers expect in a smartphone. We're excited to introduce the Mate 9 flagship device to the U.S. market."
Huawei Mate 9 With Amazon Alexa
Touted as the "first introduced smartphone with Amazon Alexa," the Huawei Mate 9 will offer enhanced functionality thanks to Amazon's cloud-based voice service. Mate 9 users will be able to ask Alexa to make a to-do list, set an alarm, get weather information, traffic reports, news and more. Moreover, Alexa can also control a wide range of smart home devices.
Amazon Alexa will be pre-installed in an app on the Huawei Mate 9 in early 2017. Customers who already own the phablet at that time will get access to Alexa via a software upgrade.
This marks an important milestone for Amazon Alexa, as it's the first time the digital assistant becomes available on a smartphone. Amazon announced plans to bring Alexa to mobile back in October 2016, but it was only for Amazon Fire tablets. With the Huawei Mate 9, Amazon Alexa will now pose a real challenge to Apple's Siri and the Google Assistant.
Huawei Mate 9 Specs
For those unfamiliar with the smartphone, the Huawei Mate 9 boasts a massive 5.9-inch display with a full HD resolution (1080p), Huawei's own Kirin 960 chipset, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of native storage, expandable up to 256 GB via microSD. Other specs include an impressive Leica dual rear camera system with a 20-megapixel monochrome camera and a 12-megapixel RGB one, capable of shooting 4K video. The handset also rocks a highly accurate rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and a 4,000 mAh battery to keep things up and running.
Huawei has also employed machine learning to optimize the performance on the Mate 9 based on the user's needs and habits, allocating resources such as RAM accordingly. This will prevent the smartphone from getting slower with time.
Huawei Mate 9 Price And Availability
The beefy Huawei Mate 9 is all set to go on sale in the United States at a $600 price point, which is lower than the cost of other flagship smartphones such as the iPhone 7.
The Huawei Mate 9 will be available from Best Buy's website and more than 600 Best Buy physical retail stores, as well as from online retailers such as Amazon, Newegg and B&H. The smartphone comes in two color options: Space Gray and Moonlight Silver.
ⓒ 2018 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.Copyright by WJTV - All rights reserved Erica Seagraves, right, has a discussion with Malinda Andrews on the steps of the Rowan County Judicial Center Tuesday, June 30, 2015, in Morehead, Ky. Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis is refusing to issue marriage licenses to all couples until...
Copyright by WJTV - All rights reserved Erica Seagraves, right, has a discussion with Malinda Andrews on the steps of the Rowan County Judicial Center Tuesday, June 30, 2015, in Morehead, Ky. Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis is refusing to issue marriage licenses to all couples until...
The Associated Press - FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) – The first test of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling legalizing gay marriage begins Monday in a Kentucky courtroom, where a county clerk plans to argue that her Christian faith prevents her from issuing same-sex marriage licenses.
The case is reviving memories of the Supreme Court's 1967 ruling in Loving vs. Virginia striking down laws across the country forbidding interracial marriage. Waves of resistance that rippled across the South then took years to dissipate.
Legal experts suggest history might hint at how the coming months will unfold, as some defiant clerks refuse to abide by the gay marriage ruling.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis. Other clerks have rallied behind her, demanding the government protect Christians from having to issue gay marriage licenses.Richard Feynman on How Scientists Can Believe in God
On May 2nd, 1956, acclaimed theoretical physicist Richard Feyman gave a lunchtime talk at the California Institute of Technology. The relation between science and religion was on the docket that day. To organize his thoughts, Feynman wove what may be a familiar story:
A young man, brought up in a religious family, studies a science, and as a result he comes to doubt -- and perhaps later to disbelieve in -- his father's God. Now, this is not an isolated example; it happens time and time again. Although I have no statistics on this, I believe that many scientists -- in fact, I actually believe that more than half of the scientists -- really disbelieve in their father's God; that is, they don't believe in a God in a conventional sense.
Feynman's words prompt a key question: Are all true scientists destined to become atheists? The answer, I believe, is no, or at least that doesn't seem to be the case judging by statistics.
Still, how is it that faith and science can co-exist? According to Feynman, the answer to this question lies in recognizing the limits of science:
I do not believe that science can disprove the existence of God; I think that is impossible. And if it is impossible, is not a belief in science and in a God -- an ordinary God of religion -- a consistent possibility?
Feynman responds to his query:
Yes, it is consistent. Despite the fact that I said that more than half of the scientists don't believe in God, many scientists do believe in both science and God, in a perfectly consistent way. But this consistency, although possible, is not easy to attain...
Here, Feynman is in agreement with other notable scientific minds, including Carl Sagan and Albert Einstein. Where evidence is lacking, concrete proof cannot be attained. Thus -- at this time -- we cannot conclude that God exists, but we also cannot conclude that God does not.
But that still doesn't answer how scientists can believe in both science and God. Ruminating further, Feynman returned to his example of the young scientist, whose skepticism is now flourishing:
What happens, then, is that the young man begins to doubt everything because he cannot have it as absolute truth. So the question changes a little bit from "Is there a God?" to "How sure is it that there is a God?" This very subtle change is a great stroke and represents a parting of the ways between science and religion.
From this parting of the ways, an opening is presented for scientists to reconcile their work with their faith. That opening is uncertainty. Firmly in the realm of
science, uncertainty -- essentially acknowledged ignorance -- is the scientist's key
to a legitimate belief in God:
If they are consistent with their science, I think that they say something like this to themselves: "I am almost certain there is a God. The doubt is very small." That is quite different from saying, "I know that there is a God." I do not believe that a scientist can ever obtain that view - that really religious understanding, that real knowledge that there is a God - that absolute certainty which religious people have.
Admitting uncertainty not only bridges the divide between science and religion, but also -- I believe -- can do the same when applied to a great many of life's seemingly perpetual disputes.
I think that when we know that we actually do live in uncertainty, then we ought to admit it; it is of great value to realize that we do not know the answers to different questions.
Source: California Institute of Technology LibraryRoboGames 2018, the 14th annual all-events world championship, will be held in Pleasanton, CA on Apr 27-29, 2018. All of the results from the 13th annual event are here.
Relive the excitement of RoboGames - Pre-order the DVD!
Watch our videos to see how cool RoboGames is! No matter what your favorite robot sport is, the best bots in the world come to San Francisco every year. The stands are filled with people watching 220 pound robots shoot flames and smash into each other and androids cart-wheeling down the soccer field. Subscribe to our mailing list to make sure you get all the updates about future TV shows, web video releases, and live events.
To see the action, check out our photo page. But the best way to discover RoboGames is to read the press reports about the show! If you're looking for cool stuff to pretend you were at the show, shop at our store.Microsoft Office on iPad. Microsoft Two separate outages meant that the email component of Office 365, the online version of Microsoft's Office suite, has been down for many users, according to CloudPro.
Microsoft told CloudPro that the issue was not affecting all Office 365 users, but "those customers affected likely have a large number of users experiencing impact."
It's unclear why the outage, which affects one of Microsoft's most important products, has been going on for a number of days. One explanation could be that two outages occured.
According to CloudPro, the issues started on January 18. "As part of our efforts to improve service performance, an update was deployed... [that] caused a code issue," said Microsoft.
The fix was temporary, however, as users reported outages on January 24. Microsoft said it had fixed that issue, too, but companies are still not able to access email.
"Engineers have identified that a number of infrastructure components that handle email routing and filtering became degraded due to high resource utilisation," said Microsoft in a statement issued on January 26. "Engineers are restarting services on the affected infrastructure to mitigate impact."
One company, highlighted by CloudPro, says that OneNote Online and Office 365 are still refusing to open, some days later.
Microsoft has experienced four outages in the past two months.
Microsoft provided the following statement: "We've addressed the email disruption a limited number of customers may have experienced. The service is back to normal and running smoothly."Donald Trump. Spencer Platt/Getty Images Donald Trump found himself ahead in three national polls Friday morning.
The Republican presidential nominee held a lead of 1 point in the Investors Business Daily/TIPP tracking poll over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in a four-way race that included Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson and Green Party nominee Jill Stein. Trump led Clinton 41% to 40% in the poll.
Trump also held a 2-point lead in the right-leaning Rasmussen poll, also in a four-way race, in which he had a 43% to 41% edge over Clinton.
And in a two-way race, the Los Angeles Times/USC tracking poll found him up 45% to 44% over the former secretary of state.
Trump has traditionally fared better in those three polls than in others conducted during the cycle.
He is still trailing by a considerable amount in the RealClearPolitics polling averages. In the four-way race, he trails Clinton by 6 points. In a two-way race, he is behind Clinton by 6.3 points.
And in Business Insider's latest electoral map projection, Clinton has enough electoral votes to secure the presidency.Is it cool to still like Taylor Swift? After the release of her first single in three years, "Look What You Made Me Do," the answer to that question is more confusing than ever. While her loyal fans are celebrating her comeback, it seems like the song (and now its music video) has given her detractors even more ammunition against her. But as someone whose life has been changed by Swift's music since the singer's debut self-titled album in 2006, to me, it's simple: I still love Taylor Swift. And, despite the valid criticism against her, that's not going to change.
Last year was a rough one for Swift — and for fans like me who feel obligated to defend her against her haters. Between her unexpected split from Calvin Harris, her high-profile relationship with Tom Hiddleston, and the "Famous" feud with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, it seemed like the hits would never stop coming. But then, Swift, who was known at that time for staying super accessible to her fans on social media, disappeared off the face of the Earth, only returning to perform at a Super Bowl party in January and to release a single, "I Don't Wanna Live Forever," with Zayn Malik for the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack.
After winning her sexual assault trial in August 2017, the clouds parted and Swift was back. She stood up for herself in court, asking for only a single dollar, and pledged herself to inspiring other women who claim they've been sexually assaulted to speak up. She also donated an undisclosed amount to Mariska Hargitay's Joyful Heart Foundation to help sexual assault survivors. Although she got much support during the trial, once she announced her album mere days later, the hate was back in full force. With an album name like Reputation, critics wondered, did that mean she would just continue to deflect blame? To her fans, it seemed like she was stronger than ever, but a loud majority immediately assumed that by singing "Look What You Made Me Do" it was more of the same.
TaylorSwiftVEVO on YouTube
To be fair, at face value, that's exactly what it looks like. "Look What You Made Me Do" sounds like Swift is blaming other people for her downfall, and not taking responsibility for the things that could have been her fault. Yes, the title itself is exactly what deflecting blame sounds like, but I'm not convinced that was what Swift is trying to do here. From my first listen, I knew that the song was just as satirical as her previous single "Blank Space" and seeing the music video, with its Swift U parody of her squad of supermodel friends to her legion of old Taylors cracking jokes about each other, only confirmed that. This wasn't Swift crying "poor me." Instead, she let people see exactly what "playing the victim" would look like, rather than actually playing that role in real life.
In fact, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly's Instant, her friend and backup dancer Todrick Hall explained the song's meaning like this:
“I’m assuming what she means by that is, You made me break every record, you made me out-sell everyone. You made me hire the best backup dancers in the world, you made me come out of a grave, you made me tilt a bunch of tombstones at one time... That’s what they made her do.”
And now that the video is out, it seems pretty clear cut that this is her way of confronting the criticism rather than dismissing it. She brought up her often mocked "surprised face," pointing out that nobody could be that surprised all the time, and confronted the idea that all of her friends are women who look like models. In the video, she even robbed a streaming company, in reference to the letter she wrote to Apple about fairly paying artists. And as every Swift fan knows, anytime Swift stands up for herself like she did by releasing this video, it's easy for critics to call it blame shifting.
Larry Busacca/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
Case in point: the Kanye West "Famous" debacle. After the song came out, Swift used her 2016 Grammys speech to call out West without actually mentioning his name. She said:
"As the first woman to win Album of the Year at the Grammys twice, I want to say to all the young women out there, there are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame, but, if you just focus on the work and you don't let those people sidetrack you, someday when you get where you're going you'll look around and you will know that it was you and the people who love you who put you there. And that will be the greatest feeling in the world."
People took this to mean that Swift was playing the victim once again. Yes, Swift did approve the "famous" line, per Kim Kardashian's Snapchat leak, but she didn't approve of being called a b*tch (and why should she?) and there's absolutely nothing wrong with making it clear that someone else can't take credit for her fame. She wasn't playing the victim; she was using her platform to empower her fans — fans like me who've learned to trust themselves thanks to her music and her words. And she had a good point: She should take credit for her success, because she is the one who is responsible for it.
As much as we feel like we know celebrities' lives — Swift included — we only know so much. We can only judge her based on what she and Kardashian show us publicly, but that's not the whole story. In fact, in the "Look What You Made Me Do" video, Swift implied that Kardashian may have edited the audio before posting it on Snapchat. While it was presented in a humorous way rather than an actual accusation, it highlighted the fact that the public narrative isn't necessarily the entire story. (A source close to the situation told Bustle that what Kardashian posted was "raw unedited footage" but that Kardashian "Snapchatted bits and pieces.")
But I know, it's not just about West. One of the other reasons that Swift often gets called out is because of her flawed feminism. Her detractors claim that Swift only uses feminism for her own gain, while building her "girl power" brand and talking about her squad of women who are killing it and empowering each other. The women she surrounds herself with don't include many women of color, she has benefited from the publicity of a public feud with Katy Perry, and she doesn't seem to have a scope of feminism beyond the idea that women should support each other and be strong. It might seem like she uses the term only for her own benefit because of those flaws, but I still think that the movement is something she wholeheartedly believes in.
Unfortunately, with Swift — and a lot of other celebrities — we make it impossible for her to be the kind of feminist we think she should be. When celebrities don't call themselves feminists, we judge them; when celebrities do, but fail to express their feminism the way we want them to, we judge them too. Meanwhile, non-celebrity feminists can't always live up to those high standards, either. They're given room to grow.
I am a feminist, but I admit that I don't always understand everything that the word encompasses. I believe that women should be equal to men, and I believe that extends to all women — any race, any orientation. But I also know there needs to be space to learn how to be a better feminist — for me, for Swift, for everyone. While she still has some learning to do, if Swift calls herself a feminist, the people who look up to her are being exposed to the movement — and that's positive, no matter how you look at it.
And as for how quiet Swift remains on political matters? That's how she's always been. It's not like she was once an activist and stopped; she has never been open about her views. For some people, politics are a personal thing, and while many people look to celebrities to speak up in this volatile political climate, celebs choosing not to broadcast specific policy opinions isn't something that's unique to Swift, and yet she is one of the only celebrities getting widespread hate for it. Shortly after last November's presidential election, West met with Donald Trump and people seem to have forgotten about that, yet Swift's silence seems to follow her everywhere.
While Swift doesn't speak up about everything, she does take action when she cares about an issue. Through her testimony in her court case and her symbolic win of $1, she publicly offered support to victims of sexual assault who feel like they can't or shouldn't report their abuse. She may not have tweeted about Kesha's lawsuit, but she did donate $250,000 to her for any financial needs she had at the time. She might not have responded to the backlash against her "Wildest Dreams" video, but she did donate the proceeds from the video to the African Parks Foundation. And among many other large donations, she also gave $50,000 to New York City public schools and $4 million to start an education center for children in Nashville. Those good things still count, and, in a world filled with awful truths and so much negativity that we live in today, her kindness (and, in turn, the kindness she inspires in others) is more important than ever.
As a fan, I don't think Swift owes me (or anyone else) anything. I don't need an explanation of her feminism, and I certainly don't need an explanation of why she wasn't OK with one of the world's biggest celebrities — a man who has disrespected her publicly before — calling her a b*tch in one of his songs.
We only know of Swift what she chooses to share with us. And what I know of her, I love. I know that she creates music that has helped me through difficult times in my life, that through her lyrics I feel understood. I know that, as an insecure 19-year-old girl who struggled with her self-confidence, I stood in awe of Swift at a meet and greet in 2008 when I heard the artist I looked up to most say, "Look how beautiful you are!" I know that she surprised other fans who support her with Christmas presents in 2015, and I know that she is constantly giving back to the causes that are important to her.
That's all I need to know to keep loving her, and, unless that changes, I'll be a Swift fan for life.Supporters of the Affordable Care Act celebrate after the Supreme Court up held the law in the 6-3 vote at the Supreme Court in Washington June 25, 2015. Reuters/Joshua Roberts
Obamacare sign-ups in the first few days of the open enrollment period this year have far outpaced those during the same period in previous years, and despite President Donald Trump's efforts to diminish the enrollment period and slash outreach, the number of sign-ups during the period this year has set a new record.
The number of people signing up on HealthCare.gov in the first week of enrollment is "roughly double" what it was in previous years, a source told Politico. On November 1 alone, which was the first day of the enrollment period, 200,000 signed up for a 2018 plan, which itself was double the amount of first-day sign-ups last year according to The Hill.
The Department of Health and Human Services released its official numbers on Thursday, showing that 601,462 people signed up for plans between November 1 and November 4. Of those, 137,322 were new consumers.
While the department did not provide an exact comparison to last year's pace of sign-ups over four days, the initial sign-ups did exceed the weekly pace of enrollment of the first month in 2016.
Trump has been railing against Obamacare since he was a presidential candidate
These high numbers come after efforts by the Trump administration to limit the number of people signing up, including shrinking the enrollment window and dramatically cutting funding for sign-up assistance and advertising for the program. The president has repeatedly said he wants to end Obamacare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act, with or without Congress, and after several unsuccessful efforts to repeal the law this year, Trump said he is willing to do it himself.
"I just keep hearing repeal-replace, repeal-replace," Trump said in October. "Well, we're starting that process."
Trump has also abandoned health care subsidies that would have allowed low-income patients to make out-of-pocket payments more easily and is reportedly planning an executive order that will scrap the individual mandate portion of the Affordable Care Act.
These and other steps initially led analysts at Standard & Poor's to estimate that up to 1.6 million fewer Americans would sign up on HealthCare.gov than last year. In addition, despite Trump's repeal of healthcare subsidies, which many believed would lead to premium spikes, around 80% of Obamacare recipients qualify for premium assistance under the program, meaning that the subsidy repeal would have little effect on the healthcare program, according to Politico.
Reportedly, state-based exchanges are also seeing higher-than-expected enrollment. While it remains unclear if this record pattern of enrollments will continue until the sign-up period closes on December 15, fears that Trump's executive level cuts would decimate Obamacare appear to be largely unsubstantiated so far.Queen Elizabeth will be 90 in 2016, and one of the things that seems to keep her rolling – indeed, she visibly brightens at the prospect – is spending time in Scotland. She loves her Scottish estate at Balmoral where she is now, as she is every year in August and September. But this year being in Scotland presents one of the trickiest problems of her reign. On September 18 the Scots will vote on whether or not to remain in the United Kingdom.
How the Queen feels about this remains one of the many secrets that she conceals behind her well-practiced inscrutability. She knows that if the vote goes in favor of an independent Scotland she won’t be banished from the land – the nationalists have said they want their country to remain a monarchy for as long as the people wish, and she would remain head of state, as she is still, at least nominally, in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
It’s a fair bet, though, that the Queen doesn’t want to see her kingdom dismembered. She herself represents a congenial mingling of English and Scottish blood. Her mother was the daughter of a Scottish noble, Lord Glamis, descended from one of the royal houses of Scotland. In fact, as Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon the Queen’s mother was the first woman to marry into the royal family who wasn’t from one of the numerous and incestuous branches of the European royal tree.
The spell of Scotland and of Balmoral on the royal family began with Queen Victoria. It had a lot to do with prevailing medical opinion that bracing climates were essential to good health. Victoria’s personal physician was a Scot who believed that there was no tonic to equal the air of the Scottish Highlands, possibly reinforced by “a wee dram” of Scottish whisky.
Thus encouraged, in 1847 Victoria bought Balmoral, which she described as “a pretty little castle” with 17,400 acres. Scotland soon worked its magic: “All seemed to breed freedom and peace,” the Queen wrote of her estate, and it was “wonderful not seeing a single human being, not hearing a sound excepting that of the wind, or the call of the blackcock or grouse.”
Two years later Victoria had the house demolished and, after adding another 6,000 acres, in its place built the house that the present Queen so adores. It was designed, with help from an architect and builder, by her consort Prince Albert. Sniffy visitors from London dismissed it for its cascade of Scottish kitsch: tartan drapes, tartan chair covers, tartan wallpaper and tartan carpets. But this was to Victoria’s taste and heart -- her “dearest Albert’s own creation.”
Here we approach, ahem, delicate ground. Albert was a serious polymath of his day, engaged in the promotion of British technical innovation and industry, as well as practicing architecture and landscaping. He was also a terrific stud. Between 1840 and 1851 Victoria had produced seven of the nine children she would bear. A common double entendre circulating at the time was to praise the Prince’s “great industry.”
Victoria’s own libido was, it turns out, just as vigorous. Obviously the idea of the randy Queen ran counter to the supposed moral constraints of the age named after her, and it’s only recently, thanks to newly discovered letters (one for example referring to “heavenly lovemaking”) that Victoria’s secret has finally been documented. There is also a ravishing portrait of the young Victoria in 1843, given to her by Albert, and later buried in the extensive royal art collection, showing her almost post-orgasmic, bare-shouldered, silken haired and with bedroom eyes, that was discovered and disclosed in 2011 by the BBC.
Now, diligent research has more or less completed the counter-intuitive picture of Victoria as a spirited lover by confirming that she had Albert equip their bedroom door with a lock to prevent the unwanted approach of children. (Victoria was a distant mother.)
Balmoral provided both a level of privacy unavailable at her other residences and a climate that clearly acted as a super stimulant. Scotland for her must have been the location of many treasured moments of intimacy. It also became the place that initiated an extraordinary sexual scandal surrounding the widowed Victoria, the truth of which would have to be teased out from more than a century of officially authorized hagiography and concealment.
Victoria’s grief at the premature death of Albert from typhoid in 1861 was as intense as her passion for him when alive – she became the epitome of the inconsolable widow perpetually in black and invariably sour in temperament. That is, until a rough-tongued Scotsman rekindled the flame.
John Brown began working at Balmoral as a stableboy. He was almost a caricature of the Scottish virtues: iron in frame, unflinching in gaze and totally manned-up by a warrior’s beard. Alone among the servants he had no time for sycophancy or subservience. Albert valued these impertinent qualities and trusted Brown to be the Queen’s vigilant protector – and she liked the way he performed, in her own words, “the offices of groom, footman, page and maid, I might almost say, as he is so handy about cloaks and shawls.”
By the late 1860s Brown’s personal care of the widow was a source of fevered gossip. Members of the royal household referred to him as “the Queen’s stallion.” Victoria took increasingly prolonged absences at Balmoral. Frequently, Brown would go with her from the sprawling main house to a small house in the hills. Although her ladies-in-waiting went too, they were confined to a separate corner of the house while Brown had a bedroom next to the Queen’s.
At Buckingham Palace the Queen’s attachment to Brown was a problem that her courtiers were ill-equipped to manage. To them, Her Imperial Majesty and Queen Empress was behaving in a manner unbecoming. The courtiers were an effete and in some cases epicene crew. Their advice was frequently ignored. The Queen trusted Brown, not them. When she died at the age of 81 in January 1901, a photograph of Brown, together with a lock of his hair, was – on her instructions – placed in her left hand as she lay in her coffin.
But then the courtiers and her son Edward, the new King Edward VIII (himself a notoriously debauched figure), began cleaning up. Some of Victoria’s journals were burned. Her letters were combed and purged. Twenty years later a cache of more than 300 letters Victoria wrote about Brown to one of her doctors at Balmoral, many of them said to be “most compromising” by someone who read them, was discovered and bought by the royal family, and never seen again.
But as the grip of Victorian censorship and hypocrisy lessened and faded, modern scholars were able more fully to reconstruct the picture of Victoria’s Scottish idyll. Only the unworldly could still think this was, at its worst, only an unseemly platonic relationship rather than a serious bonding. In 1997 the movie Mrs Brown, in which Judi Dench plays a peppery Victoria and Billy Connolly delivers a tour de force as Brown, left little ambiguity in its picture of this amazing ménage.
Of course, the reason why the idea of a highly sexed woman was more disturbing to the Victorian mind than a healthy male libido had everything to do with the sham |
believe the same, furthermore, for Jackson and Davis -- who I hear is working steadfastly toward a second-half comeback of his own -- and that's based on the same premise as my Odom take. Teams will roll the dice on guys who have the resume and know-how that suggest they can make a difference.
5. Gordon Hayward will land a four-year max offer sheet in restricted free agency next July.
The surprise of Extension Season was undoubtedly Utah's decision to let the July market decide the price for its new face of the franchise. Contrary to some of the chatter out there, Hayward was not seeking the four-year max worth in excess of $60 million from Utah during the past month-plus of negotiations, but I'm convinced that's a legit possibility for him in the summer when he becomes a restricted free agent. There are too many Hayward fans in front offices around the league for the former Butler star not to cost the Jazz more later than a deal would have cost them now, given how many teams are projected to have cap space and knowing that the price tags on restricted free agents are always higher than they seemingly should be because the bidders are trying to dissuade the home team from matching.
You'll recall that it's not too far in the past that Eric Gordon landed a four-year max offer sheet in restricted free agency from Phoenix amid serious questions about his knees. The Suns and Boston Celtics -- just to name two franchises known to be big Hayward admirers with Jeff Hornacek and Brad Stevens running their respective benches -- are among those projected to have the cap space to put an uncomfortable offer on the table. Utah, of course, will have plenty of its own cap space to match a max offer if necessary, but doing a deal with Derrick Favors when Hayward might be an even bigger part of Utah’s future... struck me as curious to say the least.
6. Jerry Sloan will replace Ty Corbin as coach of the Utah Jazz.
This might rank as the most extreme projection on our board, but I can't shake the nagging belief that Sloan really does want to coach in this league one more time. And no spot for a comeback makes more sense than the SLC, where the 71-year-old is back with the franchise in an advisory role that carries a near-daily presence... and where Utah continues to run much of Sloan's offense. The reality is that Washington's Randy Wittman and Toronto's Dwane Casey -- especially Wittman -- are the coaches in the final year of their contracts facing the far more immediate burden of playoff expectations than Corbin. And Sloan has gone out of his way in his new role to try to keep some distance to hush any suggestions that replacing his former player and February 2011 successor is an option.
Yet there's also little evidence to suggest that the Jazz regard Corbin as the long-term answer on their bench, so it really doesn’t strike me as a stretch to suggest that if we ever see Sloan back in the game -- for all the belief that he’d only come back at this point to coach a win-now squad -- Utah is where it's most likely to happen. Perhaps it would only be Sloan taking over on an interim basis if things go awry until Dennis Lindsey, Utah’s new front-office chief, can bring in his own guy after inheriting Corbin. All I’m saying: If folks can throw out the idea of Michael Jordan coming back at 50 to play one game for the Bobcats -- something you can actually wager on -- suggesting we’ll see Sloan coaching the Jazz again is by no means outlandish.
7. Your NBA champion in June is coming from the Eastern Conference.
OK, OK. It's not the most definitive proclamation of all time, but here's the point: LeBron's Heat are either going to three-peat... or the East team that keeps them out of the NBA Finals is going to go on and win it all. Pacers versus Clippers was my real-life Finals pick in ESPN.com's and ESPN The Magazine's respective preseason prediction collections, but what I feel even stronger about is the fact that Indy, Brooklyn and Chicago are all more title-worthy than the best of the West. Whether it's the Clips, Spurs, Thunder, Rockets, Grizzlies or Warriors, I can't talk myself into any of those teams knocking off the Heat or a team that beats the Heat. I just can't.
8. Andrew Wiggins will not go No. 1 overall in the 2014 NBA draft.
Regular readers have heard me say for years that I leave NBA draft forecasts to the real experts: Chad Ford, Andy Katz and now my new teammate Jeff Goodman. And nothing has changed: Big West basketball -- starring Cal State Fullerton specifically -- is the only college basketball I watch. Yet even I’m already hearing stuff here and there about the studs bound for the top of the 2014 lottery, which leads me to ask: Isn’t the top-five talent way too good for all of us to just surrender the No. 1 slot to Wiggins before Thanksgiving? Dante Exum, Jabari Parker, Marcus Smart and a kid who played his high school basketball five minutes from my house -- Julius Randle -- are as responsible for this season’s tanking phenomenon as Wiggins, because the tank teams are convinced they’re getting a franchise-changer as long as they land in the upper half of the lottery. Maybe this take cements my college basketball idiocy, but I really don’t think so. For all of the obvious hype and momentum behind Wiggins’ No. 1 candidacy... it’s early.Sources say Harper’s strategists urged using British Prime Minister David Cameron’s successful “lame-duck” move to salvage a Conservative government, but realized it was too late for such a Hail Mary pass.
OTTAWA—In the final days before the election, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s top campaign organizers floated the idea of telling voters he would not seek another term if he won, the Star has learned.
But it soon became clear to those who trial-ballooned the idea to a handful of trusted party insiders and candidates that the tactic would backfire over questions about who would be Harper’s successor.
Because the Tories’ research was confirming that fear, they considered replicating Cameron’s bold gambit of earlier this year when he promised to serve only a final five-year term.
“It was not Harper’s record or his policies — it’s just that people hated Harper and we saw it happening early,” said one insider, who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal campaign machinations.
Senior Conservative organizer Ken Boessenkool even called New Democrats, advising them to turn their guns on the Liberals or both the Conservatives and the NDP would lose.
That meant the Conservatives would lose badly in places like the Greater Toronto Area, where they had won seats in 2011 because the NDP had split the vote, enabling Tory candidates to come up the middle.
Two weeks ago, the Conservative war room realized NDP support was collapsing and Canadians were shifting to the Liberals as agents of change.
It was a sign of desperation in a disheartened re-election bid — and also a sobering recognition the leader-centred campaign had failed in its central thrust because voters were rallying to the more likeable Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau.
“The instant response was, ‘Well who am I voting for then? Am I voting for Jason Kenney because then I’m definitely not voting Conservative and I’m definitely not supporting your campaign,’ ” said another Conservative source who also spoke on condition of anonymity.
Sources said the Conservative re-election effort was deeply divided into factions loyal to campaign manager Jenni Byrne and those backing Harper confidants Ray Novak and Guy Giorno.
Spokesperson Kory Teneycke struggled to contain damaging stories about Novak’s knowledge of the $90,000 paid to Mike Duffy to make his Senate expense controversy go away, and the role of a divisive Australian political operative Lynton Crosby in the Canadian campaign.
A mid-campaign palace coup against Byrne, who helmed the successful 2011 Conservative majority election victory, failed but bruised egos and hurt feeling persisted throughout the extended 11-week writ period.
Against that fractious backdrop, the Tories concluded they could not win the election.
That forced them to “secure the core,” confided another insider.
In order to motivate their base, the Conservative campaign used the niqab issue, which played well in Quebec and rural Ontario, while also stoking fears of Islamic terrorism that disgusted some Tories.
“We didn’t need to go there. We should have been talking about pocketbook issues not jihadists,” complained the Conservative operative.
Beyond the divisive debate over Muslim veiled women’s right to wear a niqab during citizenship ceremonies or in the public service, there was the Syrian refugee crisis, which painted the Harper government as uncaring.
But a senior Conservative who spoke on background said it was clearly a tactical mistake to push the niqab message so hard because it alienated voters outside Quebec.
Similarly, the Tories’ “barbaric cultural practices” snitch line undermined the party in some ethnic communities that had rallied to them in 2011.
At the same time, Byrne argued for a large Etobicoke rally on the final weekend of the campaign with discredited former Toronto mayor Rob Ford, best known for smoking crack cocaine while in office then repeatedly lying about it.
Some in the campaign argued strenuously against the move, saying it would hurt the party’s candidates in Toronto, Mississauga, and Brampton, where they were wiped out Monday night.
But the last-ditch Ford rally Saturday got the go-ahead — Harper even posed for photographs, widely circulated on social media, with Ford and his brother, Doug Ford, who was the runner-up to Toronto Mayor John Tory in last October’s municipal election.
In Boessenkool’s view, the key turning points that marked the campaign are very different:
First, he said the Conservatives succeeded in “not getting killed” in the polls by late August, after the Duffy trial began and economic headwinds dominated news coverage.
Second, the NDP lost control of its “change” message when it shifted into prime ministerial takeover mode and left the field open to Trudeau, and when that happened, Conservative prospects sank.
Third, the Conservatives did not foresee the ability of Justin Trudeau’s senior team — Katie Telford and Gerry Butts — to run a “near perfect campaign” that effectively countered the main Conservative message.
“They jiu jitsued our ‘He’s just not ready’ ads.”
On Monday night it all unfolded as the Conservatives’ campaign feared it would.
It was worse. In the early going it looked like the party might hang on to 120 seats. By evening’s end, early results showed it had only 99.
Campaign chair Giorno ascribed the Conservative loss to the collapse of the NDP vote, and said, “I’m the chair of the campaign. To the extent we fell short of the mark, I’m accountable, the buck stops with me, I take responsibility for that. There’s no doubt about that, I’m not going to comment on how the NDP ran its campaign, the results speak for themselves, their vote collapsed and they handed the Liberals a majority.”
It stung.
Harper took the stage to deliver an exit speech — one of four he’d had written but the one sources say they least expected to need — acknowledging a Liberal majority. He reminded supporters he and they had built a Conservative party to last.
Right to the end, Harper, a message control freak in government, moved to control how his last speech would be covered by the media in refusing to utter the words that he was quitting as Conservative leader. Two sources said he did not want that to be the sound-bite that lived on in every post-election story about his legacy for years to come.
Harper left it to party president John Walsh to issue a brief statement kicking off a leadership race that will see caucus elect an interim leader to replace him, and a committee struck to oversee the contest ahead.
After Harper left the stage, he gathered his entire campaign team and thanked them, repeating what he’d said on national television minutes ago. “We gave it everything we could. You did nothing wrong. I’m the leader, I’m the one that takes 100 per cent responsibility for this.”
Some there have said that was the main problem of his campaign. Winners win as a team, and lose as a team. And Harper was a one-man show to the end.
One said Harper bears a greater responsibility than simply for poor campaign tactics — his overall strategy failed him.
“You have to have enough self-awareness to know you have a best-before date in politics. Certainly the NDP collapse was a problem, but I think it was our tone” that turned off Canadians. This senior Conservative said the antipathy towards Harper, seven among Conservatives had reached a boiling point.
“Even if we’d somehow formed a minority last night he wouldn’t have had the legitimacy to govern caucus because everybody heard that.”
Harper has told people close to him he is going to be fine.
The long campaign took a toll at times. He escaped the bubble one evening in Toronto to go watch football at the home of TSN host Gord Miller. A campaign source denies there was any campaign re-set among those there, just a chance for Harper to relax. Now Harper must seriously look at his options. At 56, he’s got many working years ahead of him.
He once mused to an aide he could see himself teaching high school. Some expect him to do international work. Others say what he will certainly not do is second-guess a new prime minister, but step out of the spotlight.
Laureen, his wife, long ago talked him into buying a second property in Alberta in addition to their Calgary home. The Harpers have bought land at a bend in the Elbow River. It was a move she had to talk him into. Now he loves it, and the idea of building a new property there is one of his next long-term projects.
After that, it’s anyone’s guess.Professor Brendan Murphy, Chief Medical Officer for the government, has refuted claims a cheap vaccine failed to protect the elderly in what has been Australia's worst flu season on record.
Figures reveal more than 217,000 Australians had laboratory confirmed cases of the flu this year - more than double the previous record of just over 100,000 in 2015.
Despite a horror flu season, Professor Brendan Murphy said the claims Australia used a "cheap vaccine" were "utterly false" and stood by the immunisation being used around the world.
"The flu vaccines chosen this year were the best available in Australian market, selected by medical experts in Australia and around the world," Professor Brendan Murphy said in a media statement.
0:00 Expensive flu vaccine 'doubles protection' against hospitalisation: Van Buynder clarifies cheap vaccine claim 00:00 / 00:00 Share Share on Twitter
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"They are the same vaccines which are available and used in the UK, US and other countries and the same vaccines available on the private market in Australia.
"The two vaccines mentioned in the media today are not available in Australia because the companies have not had them registered for use in Australia with the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
"They have, therefore, not submitted an application for their use on the National Immunisation Program with the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC)."
"A vaccine cannot be considered by the PBAC, unless a company submits an application and the vaccine has been approved for use in Australia by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. "
Seqirus, a vaccine manufacturer in Australia, called claims that a better immunisation was available on the market as "grossly misleading".
0:00 Professor Dominic Dwyer, from the Institute for Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, explains how herd immunity and the flu vaccine works 00:00 / 00:00 Share Share on Twitter
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"Claims made in the media today that an enhanced influenza vaccine was available and not selected by the Federal government for the 2017 influenza season are incorrect and grossly misleading," a statement from Seqirus read.
"Australia has one of the most sophisticated and integrated national immunisation programs in the world. Seasonal influenza vaccine is provided on the Australian Government’s National Immunisation Program (NIP) at no-cost to at-risk members of the community including for persons aged over 65 years.
"In 2016, the Australian Government was the first in the world to exclusively offer quadrivalent (four strain) influenza vaccination for the National Immunisation Program, superceding trivalent (three strain) vaccines."
In a press conference, Professor Murphy said the influenza A strain underwent change throughout the season resulting in the elderly responding poorly to the flu.
"Another very important factor this year was the nature of the predominant influenza A strain, which is a virus that did seem to undergo some change during the year, and generally vaccine protection was less across the whole community for this strain," he said.
"So the elderly had a double impact, as you might think, from a virus that changed a bit and, generally, they have a weaker immune response."
Influenza expert Professor Paul Van Buynder, chair of the Immunisation Coalition, says stronger vaccines are available overseas but because of licensing issues and the purchasing process they could not be accessed here.
"We didn't have a choice to get the better one," Prof Van Buynder said.
The vaccine that was used, however, did not protect the elderly effectively and was partially to blame for more than 500 flu-related deaths this year, Prof Van Buynder said.
"There was a range of strains circulating and that's really what did the damage. We had new viruses, we had lots of children spreading viruses and we had no protection in the elderly from the vaccine itself," Prof Van Buynder said.
For supply through the NIP the vaccines need to be registered by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and recommended by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) based on strain advice from the World Health Organization.
Professor van Buynder works as a public physician on the Gold Coast and has worked as a member of an expert panel to help the government choose the vaccine for national immunisation.
The Australian Influenza Surveillance Report showed notification rates have been highest for adults aged 80 years or older, with a peak also amongst children aged five to nine-years-old.
Influenza A was the most common virus throughout the season.
- With AAPI spent 5 years setting necks and fitting dovetails while working at The Santa Cruz Guitar Company. This is where and when the idea of incorporating a Japanese style neck joint came to me. And 10 years later it has come to reality.
In the new Katana model there is also a few other ideas implemented.
One piece solid body (Mahogany or Walnut)
One piece neck (Cocobolo or Paduk)
No truss rod
No glue or screws for neck attachment
No cavities
The neck is fretted, there is no fingerboard.
This guitar is about as bare bones as it comes. The idea of the body and neck interacting together and the reaction between them are really highlighted here. Using old air dried woods, quarter sawn and stable really provides a strong resonant musical platform you won’t see or hear in any other guitar.
The arch top style bridge matches with the neck angle and geometry of the guitar, given the player plenty of real-estate to really dig in to the strings. This really gives the player an unconscious freedom and expression with the right hand.
The Damascus steel tailpiece and pick guard give it a solid, “tuning fork” musical quality that really is unique to this guitar.
Other specs:
24 3/4 scale length
1 11/16″ nut width
Lollar “Johnny Smith” neck mount pickup
There is also Podcast #99 with The Fretboard Journal where we talk more about this modelWe here present a complete set of images of the core volumes of the Boyle Papers at the Royal Society. The volumes that are available are listed to the left. These represent a selection from the Boyle Papers chosen for the importance of the material within them. For the content of the rest of the archive, see the online catalogue at royalsociety.org/collections.
To view the images, first select a volume. This will lead you to a list giving the title and extent of all the documents in it.
In the list, click on the document that you wish to see. This will bring up an image of the first opening of the document in question. Accompanying this is a full description of the item, taken from the catalogue of the Boyle Papers. After the title, this tells you whether the document is published and, if so, where. For details of the texts cited in this section, see Abbreviations. The rest of the description gives details of date, handwriting, etc. For further elucidation, see Notes on Catalogue.
To view images of further openings of the document, click on 'Next image'. You can then navigate backwards and forwards by using 'Next image' or 'Previous image'. The description stays on the screen for each image of the document.
To select another document, return to the Index of Boyle Papers volumes and click on the required document.
For hints on the kind of material available in the online volumes, see Pathways for the study of the digitised Boyle manuscripts.
All images in this section © The Royal SocietyThe head of the Democrat Party’s fundraising arm announced that his party is willing to fund pro-life candidates, and the president of Planned Parenthood responded with rage.
“There is not a litmus test for Democratic candidates,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman and New Mexico Rep. Ben Ray Luján told The Hill. “As we look at candidates across the country, you need to make sure you have candidates that fit the district, that can win in these districts across America.”
Luján’s goal is to wrest enough seats from Republicans to take control of Congress.
“To pick up 24 [seats] and get to 218, that is the job. We’ll need a broad coalition to get that done,” he said. “We are going to need all of that, we have to be a big family in order to win the House back.”
Rosie O’Donnell gives us what we’ve all been waiting for: A new political Party, but wait there’s more…
Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards undoubtedly supports getting more seats into the Democrat aisle, but the right to murder babies in the womb in “non-negotiable” to her.
‘Sick sick sick’ racist Procter & Gamble ad crosses every line! If you are white, brace yourself before watching
Women’s health & rights are non-negotiable – incl. access to safe, legal abortion. We’ll hold any politician who says otherwise accountable. — Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) August 1, 2017
Trading away women’s health and rights will just alienate one of the most powerful political forces in this country. https://t.co/6gHiEw3CHN — Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) August 1, 2017
Access to safe, legal abortion is central to women’s economic empowerment and bodily autonomy. — Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) August 1, 2017
Most of America agrees: 7 in 10 Americans support Roe v. Wade. Access to abortion has more support than any political party in the country. — Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) August 1, 2017
We will never be able to move this country forward if we are leaving women behind. That’s why 4M marched in January – and keep showing up. pic.twitter.com/AeUl6REb1j — Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) August 1, 2017
The future is female. It’s time for politicians to listen to women. They have three options: Lead, follow, or get out of the way. — Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) August 1, 2017
The future is female, except for the females they slaughter in the womb.
The anti-men sentiment in Richards’ comments was strong.
It’s time for a Women’s Democratic Party. I won’t follow male leaders who condone the abuse of women, which is what anti-choice is. — (((L’EtatC’estMoi))) (@letat_lechat) August 2, 2017
we need more women in government. period. — wabi sabi (@wabisabine) August 2, 2017
We really need a major effort to have women run for office to remove the abysmal among the men who are in office. — TsinKletsin (@TsinKletsin) August 2, 2017
Others hit Richards’ with some uncomfortable truth.
not really when u keep murdering baby girls! — Lisa Kell (@ljok1999) August 2, 2017
It should NOT be funded with tax payer dollars. I’m female, you do NOT speak for me. — Erin Reilly (@ereilly44) August 2, 2017
What about the future females who are aborted? There is no female future if you kill them. — JenNoCo (@nocojen) August 2, 2017
abortion kills the future. Sick choice of words. — Kim Sherman (@GardenGal4444) August 2, 2017
Stop using this woman crap! This is about $$ and it conveniently finds its way to the D party through HUGE donations!! — ConcernedCitizen (@wandandspell) August 2, 2017
I think you mean listen to LIBERAL women. By the way, the future is both male and female. — Darkseid (@_Spasmolytic_) August 2, 2017
One would think that. Unless Richards has some way to make a future where there are only women work.
I identify as neither male nor female. Do I not have a future? — Slarty Bartfast (@slarty21) August 2, 2017
Rosie O’Donnell gives us what we’ve all been waiting for: A new political Party, but wait there’s more…
Now that is a conundrum.
Wake up right! Receive our free morning news blast HEREBy Irene Klotz
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - A Russian Soyuz rocket blasted off on Friday to deliver a cargo ship loaded with food, water and equipment to the International Space Station, breaking a string of launch failures, a NASA TV broadcast showed.
The Progress capsule, carrying more than three tons (2,700 kg) of supplies, was expected to reach the orbiting outpost on Sunday following launch at 12:55 a.m. EDT from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
“All of the systems on the Progress (are) in excellent shape,” said NASA launch commentator Rob Navias.
Friday’s liftoff came five days after a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket exploded after launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The accident destroyed a Dragon capsule carrying about 5,000 (2,200 kg) pounds of food, science experiments and equipment, including a docking system for two new space taxis under development by SpaceX and Boeing.
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
On April 28, a Russian Progress capsule failed to separate properly from the upper-stage of its Soyuz launcher, dooming the mission. Unable to reach its intended orbit, the capsule incinerated as it re-entered the atmosphere on May 8.
Another launch accident on Oct. 28 by Orbital ATK destroyed a Cygnus cargo capsule bound for the station, a $100 billion research laboratory that flies about 260 miles (418 km) above Earth. A final report on that accident is still pending, said Orbital spokesman Barry Beneski.
The failures cast a shadow over the still emerging space transport industry, but experts said they had not exposed any fundamental flaws.
The accidents, involving three different rockets, had nothing in common "other than it's space, and it's difficult to go fly," NASA Associate Administrator William Gerstenmaier told reporters after the SpaceX failure.
The station, a joint project involving 15 nations which is staffed by a crew of six astronauts and cosmonauts, currently has a four-month supply of food and water, NASA said.
The arrival of the Russian cargo ship, and the planned launch of a Japanese HTV freighter in August, should replenish the station’s pantries through the end of the year, NASA said.
Friday’s successful launch clears the way for three new crew members to fly to the station later this month.
NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko and Japan’s Kimiya Yui had been preparing for a May 26 blastoff, but Russia delayed the flight while engineers analyzed the Soyuz rocket problem. The booster that botched the April cargo ship is similar to one used to fly the Russian Soyuz crew capsules.
(Editing by Andrew Heavens)There’s a lot to like about Obama as a candidate for President. The man has gifts; no doubt about it. But the thing that fascinates me most is how hard it is to label him.
He’s neither white nor black.
He’s neither old nor young.
He’s not a southerner or northerner because he grew up in Hawaii.
He’s not too left or too right.
He’s not too Christian, and even has a Muslim name.
He’s not an old school politician or a newcomer.
He’s not handsome in a standard way, yet he’s attractive.
He’s a man, but somehow projects a feminine vibe too.
I predict Obama will win the Democratic nomination. In the general election he will lead in the polls but lose to John McCain because the Republicans will do a better job of rigging the election.Two pages of the United Nations Human Rights Council's recently released report on the 2014 Gaza conflict tell just about the whole story. The report, the work of the Human Rights Council's Independent Commission of Inquiry, provides 183 pages of facts, legal analysis and conclusions about the conduct of Israeli forces and Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. Although the report attempts to present at least an appearance of balance, let's remember that beauty is only skin deep. Unfortunately, the report is replete with faulty legal analysis, unjustified presumptions and an astounding willingness to take Hamas's claims at face value coupled with an unrelenting skepticism about Israeli efforts to comply with the law of war.
Back to those two pages, which sum up neatly the flaws in the report's use and analysis of international law and its presentation of information. First, near the beginning, the commission summarizes the key principles of the law of war governing the conduct of hostilities: distinction, proportionality and precautions. What the report states about these principles is correct; it's what it omits that is so significant.
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The principle of distinction states that all parties to a conflict must distinguish between those who are fighting and those who are not, and only direct attacks at the former. As such, it is an essential principle of the law of war and the foundation on which the law's core purpose of protecting civilians from the dangers of war rests.
The principle of distinction also requires, however, that persons who are fighting distinguish themselves from those who are not — if you are a soldier or fighter for an armed group, you must differentiate yourself (by uniform, arm band, insignia or other method) from civilians, those who are not fighting. This obligation is just as important as the first component of distinction explained above; indeed, it is easy to see how the obligation to distinguish oneself from uninvolved civilians is central to the protection of such civilians.
And yet the commission simply omits this aspect of the principle of distinction altogether. One is left with the impression, therefore, that the law of war only imposes obligations in choosing the target of an attack and ignores the dangers of fighters comingling with civilians, using civilian infrastructure for military purposes or disguising themselves as civilians to gain a tactical advantage (such as a suicide bomber). This impression, however, is entirely erroneous. The law of war prohibits perfidy (disguising oneself as a civilian in order to benefit from the law's protections while launching an attack); using protected objects, such as hospitals or religious buildings, for military purposes; and using civilians as human shields. All of these prohibitions rest on the principle of distinction and the obligation for those who are fighting to distinguish themselves from those who are not.
In the context of conflict in Gaza, where Hamas and other armed groups deliberately — as they themselves proclaim — comingle with the civilian population and turn the failure to distinguish into an art form, this omission is remarkable in its shortsightedness and the message it sends about the report's methodology.
The report repeats this error of omission in presenting the principle of precautions. The principle of precautions states that parties to a conflict must take all feasible precautions to protect civilians and minimize civilian suffering during military operations. In particular, as the report states, parties launching attacks must take specific precautions, such as verifying that the target is a military objective; using a means and method of attack that minimizes harm to civilians; providing an advance warning when feasible; and cancelling an attack that is likely to cause excessive harm to civilians given the anticipated military advantage. These obligations operationalize the principle of distinction and put the law's core purpose of protecting civilians into practice.
Once again, however, it's what the report fails to state that is consequential and revealing. The principle of precautions does not only apply to the launching of attacks. Defending parties also have precautions: to remove civilians from the vicinity of military objectives; avoid locating military objectives in or near densely populated areas; and take other measures to protect civilians from the dangers of military operations. It may come as no surprise that violations of these precautions are the mainstay of the Hamas playbook. And yet the commission does not even mention these fundamental obligations in its statement of the principle of precautions. A piecemeal presentation of the basic legal framework thus sets the stage for a flawed pick-and-choose analysis of the parties' conduct.
And now to the second of the two pages that tell the whole story of the report: the recommendations at the end. The commission issues numerous recommendations for the government of Israel and the Israeli military with regard to the conduct of hostilities, investigations into potential violations, the choice of weapons, the identification of targets, the issuing of warnings and broader "structural issues that fuel the conflict."
The recommendations directed at Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups call on such groups to end attacks on Israeli civilians and civilian objects — critically important, to be sure — but the commission makes no recommendations at all with regard to the use of civilians as human shields, comingling with the civilian population and using civilian objects and infrastructure for military purposes (such as launching rockets from hospitals, mosques or United Nations schools), or fighting while disguised as civilians. When these fundamental legal principles get short shrift in the statement of the legal framework, their wholesale absence from the recommendations section is a foregone conclusion.
With these two pages, the report hands Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups a free pass to continue their modus operandi. A report analyzing the conduct of Israel and Hamas under the law of war has to use all of that law. The report's glaring omissions of foundational legal principles emasculate the law, weakening the essential tools for the protection of civilians and emboldening those who use civilians as pawns for their own strategic gain.
Blank is clinical professor of law and director of the International Humanitarian Law Clinic at the Emory University School of Law.MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Vikings returned from their bye week with a two-game lead in the NFC North, a fresh anointing from the national media as one of the NFL's "It Teams" and a ready-made storyline before their trip to face Sam Bradford's old team in Philadelphia this weekend.
The trusty cadre of naysayers that coach Mike Zimmer has typically used for motivation might be hard to find this week, but after a week spent scouting his own team's tendencies, Zimmer wasn't about to let the Vikings return from their break in a haughty mood.
"There are lots of things [we need to improve]," Zimmer said. "Some of the coverages we're playing, we have to do a better job of. Offensively, we've got to eliminate minus plays -- keeps putting us in difficult situations -- and a lot of it is philosophical talk about five weeks, too, which I'm not going to talk about."
Several minutes later, though, Zimmer offered an outlook on the season that sounded like something he might have told his players.
"I think it's 0-0 now, and we start a new season," he said. "You just forget about what has happened in the past, and we start moving on. So, now it's, for us, I think it's an 11-game season, and we'll see where we're at then."
The Vikings' ability to mimic their coach's singular focus has been beneficial in a season already lined with sudden plot twists, and it will serve the Vikings well if the wins (and the attention) keep mounting.
When the Vikings used to get time off during the coach's first season, Zimmer said, they'd return "and forget everything they had learned." That wasn't a problem on Monday, as the Vikings had what cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said might have been the best practice he'd ever seen from a team returning from its bye.
"Today, we were kind of locked in, focused, flying around and having fun," Munnerlyn said. "Everybody's excited to just get back on the field and get back to work. We know we're 5-0, but at the same time, it's a new season for us. The only thing on our mind is going 1-0 now."
That mindset could help insulate the Vikings from their growing reputation as contenders.
"Everybody's going to want to knock the undefeated team off," Munnerlyn said. "Teams are going to come at us a little bit more. We're going to expect that, but at the same time, we've got to do what we can control, and that's go out there and play hard-nosed football."If I die before I wake, at least in Skellige I can skate.
Have you ever played Witcher 3 and thought Geralt of Rivia wasn't extreme enough? Well then, you're in luck, because a series of new mods will fix that issue.
Modder eutirion created several mods, collectively titled Geralt of Rivia's Pro Witcher 3, which, when used in combination, improve Geralt's combat and make him move at lightning fast speed.
The modSlideEverywhere does exactly what it says on the tin. Geralt moves around at insane speeds on his heels. This mod is meant to be a replacement for fast travel and makes Geralt move so fast that, on occasions, the environment hasn't even had time to load. The mechanics almost look like grinding a rail in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, but without the skateboard or rail.
Complementing Geralt's faster traveling is the modFasterSwimming, which gives our favourite Witcher the 'killer whale' buff. This buff grants Geralt a ridiculous speed boost when in water.
On top of this, Geralt's general combat and movement are improved by modPredictableAttacks and modDirectMovement. Geralt moves faster generally and chooses his attack based on his attack type (light, |
the situation can be kept under control in individual hives, and further spread can be minimized if not completely avoided.I would like to stress that this is not a scenario that we currently envisage at a large scale, although this has already been reported in some areas of China with extreme levels of environmental stress and pollution. There is resilience within the pollinator community – many flowers and crops can be pollinated by a range of pollinators including honeybees and wild pollinators. Managed honeybees have the huge advantage of providing pollination services where and when we need them, and of course providing honey and other useful materials. Much of our current crop production, notably pollination of mass flowering crops such as almonds, would have to change dramatically if honeybees were not available.We have two issues here: maintaining the health of managed honeybees and maintaining biodiversity and population strength in wild pollinators. Together they are needed for the production of many fruits and vegetables and for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystems with wild flowering plants."Deformed wing virus is a recent global epidemic in honeybees driven by Varroamites", is published in Science on Friday February 5, by L.Wilfert, G Long, H.C. Leggett, P Schmid-Hempel, R. Butlin, S.J.M Martin and M Boots.Image courtesy of Umberto SalvagninIf we're going to date, you may need to defeat my Seven Evil Exes. — Ramona
The League of Evil Exes is a loose association of villains who used to date Ramona Flowers before she met Scott Pilgrim.
They are the main antagonists in the series, and their one and only goal is to interfere and control Ramona's love life, making Scott a primary target. According to Ramona, Scott has to fight (and defeat) all seven Ex's to continue dating her. Whether from Ramona herself or the League, Scott learns of each Ex's past relationships with her.
The League was formed when Gideon Graves, after being left by Ramona, posted a drunken rant on Craigslist. The other six exes responded to the rant, and Gideon used this situation to take his "revenge" on Ramona.
Contents show]
The Evil Exes Edit
Matthew Patel is Ramona's first evil ex-boyfriend. He is Indian and has mystical powers and can summon "Demon Hipster Chicks" at will. Scott gains $2.40 for defeating him in an epic battle at Club Rockit in which Matthew barely touches Scott.
Lucas Lee is Ramona's second evil ex-boyfriend, a pro skateboarder turned movie star. Scott often mistakes him for Lucas Wilson. Scott tricks Lucas into doing a difficult and fatal grind trick on some icy rails. Scott gets $14 in coins and a Mithril Skateboard (that he can't use since he lacks a skateboarding proficiency) for defeating him.
Todd Ingram is Ramona's third evil ex-boyfriend. He is a bass player for The Clash at Demonhead. He has special "Vegan-based" psychic powers (although he is secretly consuming non-vegan foods). Personality-wise, he is incredibly arrogant, narcissistic, and uncaring, as well as a liar. In addition to cheating on his vegan diet, he repeatedly cheats on Envy, his childhood love, with Lynette, the band's drummer. Scott gets some money (again in coins) plus an Extra Life when he defeats him with a powerful headbutt.
Roxanne "Roxie" Richter is Ramona's fourth evil ex, an ex-girlfriend, and her former college roommate. She is a "half-ninja" and an accomplished fine artist, who taught Ramona much of what she knows in terms of her ninja abilities and subspace. Scott continuously wondered why Ramona kept correcting him that the term "Ex-Boyfriends" was actually "Exes" until he finally figures out that Ramona once had a "sexy phase" relationship with Roxy. Roxy has an inferiority complex over her "half-ninja" background, as well as her figure. She claims Scott is a "pussy" who refuses to fight his own battles, prompting Scott to finally mature in his relationship with Ramona, gaining a sword called the "Power of Love". When defeated by Scott, she explodes into a cascade of woodland creatures, a reference to Sonic the Hedgehog series.
Kyle & Ken Katayanagi are Ramona's fifth and sixth evil ex-boyfriends, a pair of Japanese twins who often finish each other's sentences. The pair are 'expert roboticists' who summon robots to fight Scott. They vowed to work together closely once the pair realized Ramona had been cheating on them with each other. After three separate attacks by robots fail to defeat Scott, the twins capture Kim Pine to lure Scott to them, pointing out in the meantime that Pine may still be in love with Scott. Scott defeats them and gets $79.95 for Ken, $74.95 for Kyle, and a $2 twins bonus (again all in coins) after defeating them as well as an Achievement for finishing them both at the same time.
Gideon Gordon Graves is the leader of the League of Ramona's Evil Ex-Boyfriends and suggested to be Ramona's boyfriend previous to Scott, in New York City. He is mentioned several times throughout the series, but never seen fully until the end of Volume 3. He is the owner of "The Chaos Theatre" in NYC and "GGG Heavy Industries," which is opening "Chaos Theatre Toronto". Ramona has also "worked for" him previously, though her work is implied to be sexual in some way. He eventually makes contact with Scott in volume 5, simply to taunt him by asking when would be a convenient time to die. There is also a small cat living at Ramona's house by the same name. After defeating Gideon, Scott received $7,777,777 in coins which sprays all over the viewing audience in a painful manner.
Evil Ex Numerology Edit
Each Evil Ex is surrounded by their number of appearance in the comics, the film and the game.
Matthew's History Edit
A former boyfriend from the seventh grade. Ramona Flowers and he dated for only a week and a half, during which Ramona pretty much used Matthew and his mystical powers to ward off flocks of jocks interested in her. She dated Matthew, according to her own story, because he was the only non-white and non-jock kid at her school. The two only kissed once, and it ended shortly after due to Matthew's pre-adolescent capriciousness. Afterward, Matthew turned evil during his high school years and by that time had moved far, far away. He also apparently took the break-up very badly, looking much more evil than most of the exes.
Looks Edit
His hair always covers one eye.
eye. Matthew's signature pose is him pointing with one finger.
finger. Unlike the other exes, he clearly and openly states his title as " Ramona's first Evil Ex Boyfriend".
Wallace states that Matthew is "That one guy.".
guy.". Matthew is the only non-white, non-jock kid in town when he dated Ramona.
non-white, non-jock kid in town when he dated Ramona. Ramona states that "[They] only kissed once."
." Matthew's demon hipster chicks have one star on their shirt.
Film Edit
The chevron on the shoulder of Matthew's jacket appears as a stylized number one at the angle he holds his arm while introducing himself.
at the angle he holds his arm while introducing himself. Matthew has one chevron (as opposed to the two he had in the books), representing his role as the first Evil Ex.
(as opposed to the two he had in the books), representing his role as the Evil Ex. Scott earns 1000 points after defeating Matthew Patel.
after defeating Matthew Patel. Matthew warns Scott about the League once through e-mail, as opposed to twice in the book.
Game Edit
Matthew has two special attacks, he uses each only once.
Lucas' History Edit
Ramona and Lucas Lee started dating during their freshman year in high school together. Around that time Lucas Lee was, according to Ramona, a "whiny little greasy-haired skater." Prior to the relationship Lucas followed Ramona around and constantly asked to go out with her. Eventually Ramona said okay and the two went out for a short while. Although Lucas Lee claims he was an important figure in Ramona's past, he lacks any real relevance in Ramona's life; According to Ramona, all they really did was sit together on a street curb and smoke. At some point in the relationship Ramona cheated on and left him for the "first cocky pretty boy".
Books Edit
Ramona mentions that she was either in Math or Drama with Lucas. That's two possible classes.
. Lucas Lee has two wrist bands on each arm.
wrist bands on each arm. Lucas also has an X over both of his back jean pockets ( two Xs ).
). Scott mentions that he learned the bass line from Final Fantasy 2.
The flight of stairs with the rails that Lucas grinds on contains 200 steps.
. Lucas mentions two other members of the League by name, Patel and Gideon.
, Patel and Gideon. Lucas has the number 2 car.
car. When Ramona cuts her hair she dyed it in two colors
When Kim replies "we'll meet your new new girlfriend" she said new new (twice).
Film Edit
On their way to the set, Scott and Ramona passes through stairs with two X signs.
X signs. The crosswalk light counts down from 2.
. Lucas' trailer has a number 2 on its door.
on its door. In Lucas' Movie Trailer, He says on the phone that "Now listen close, and you listen hard, bucko. The next click you'll hear is me hanging up. The one after that... is me pulling the trigger." two clicks.
clicks. On lucas' trailer two (1's) are upside down turn into 2 LL's (Lucas Lee).
(1's) are upside down turn into 2 LL's (Lucas Lee). Lucas stated that "the only thing keeping [him] and [Ramona] apart are the two minutes its gonna take to kick [Scott's] ass." two times.
minutes its gonna take to kick [Scott's] ass." times. Lucas cracks his neck two times during the universal theme.
times during the universal theme. Lucas punched Scott two times after walking up to him.
times after walking up to him. Lucas' manager sprays his knuckles two times.
times. Briefly, while walking toward Scott to punch him, under Lucas' feet you can see a " 2 " on the street.
" on the street. Wallace tells Scott to ask the stunt doubles, "how it feels to always get his sloppy seconds."
." The car on the set has the number 2 on its sides.
on its sides. Lucas has a number 2 tattoo in his neck.
tattoo in his neck. Lucas points at Scott with two fingers.
fingers. Lucas fights alongside his stunt doubles.
. Scott earns 2000 points after defeating Lucas Lee.
points after defeating Lucas Lee. Lucas pats his stunt double on the shoulders two times.
on the shoulders times. Lucas' belt buckle has two Xs on it.
Xs on it. Wallace taps Lucas on his shoulder twice when handing him his skateboard.
when handing him his skateboard. The newspaper has two advertise pictures on the front & on the back of Lucas Lee.
Game Edit
The Lucas Lee adverts on the side of the buses in World 1 have the number 2 on it. Said buses also only appear twice
on it. Said buses also only appear When Lucas summons skateboarders to help him two come at a time.
come at a time. He tries blowing Scott up two times during the level.
times during the level. Two characters are present during the fight against Lucas.
are present during the fight against Lucas. There are two pits of lava in the "Ruins" section.
in the "Ruins" section. The entire level has two overstuffed suitcases.
. Edgar Wright, cameos twice.
. There are 2 movie fights.
Todd's History Edit
Todd knew Envy since they were eleven as they grew up together in Montreal. The two shared (in Envy's opinion) a deeply loving relationship until Todd's family moved away. Ramona dated Todd for the remainder of high school after she left Lucas Lee, saying they were the "bad kids" together. He vanished for two weeks while they dated, during which he went vegan and gained his telekinetic powers (having apparently been studied by scientists). Todd returned and took Ramona out of class to prove his love for her by blasting one of the two craters in the moon.(causing what Ramona described as "About 30 pages of explosions and tidal waves.") Todd ended up going to a vegan college while Ramona went to the The University of Carolina in the Sky, though, so the two decided to call it quits.
Books Edit
Todd has had three known girlfriends.
. There are three members in The Clash at Demonhead.
in The Clash at Demonhead. Todd has a number 3 on his shirt. Said shirt also has 3 stripes on it.
on his shirt. Said shirt also has on it. The Skull design on his other shirt has three teeth.
teeth. Scott faces Todd three times (Backstage at Lee's Palace, Honest Ed's and Lee's Palace again).
(Backstage at Lee's Palace, Honest Ed's and Lee's Palace again). Todd tells Scott that he'll be swept up by the cleaning lady on Monday. Since the fight takes place on Friday, Monday is 3 days from then.
from then. Todd wears sweatbands with three strips in them.
strips in them. After he punches a hole in the moon, Ramona mentions that there were "30 pages of explosions and tidal waves".
of explosions and tidal waves". There are three characters on the back cover of the book.
on the back cover of the book. Todd is seen having an affair with Lynette three times.
. The first fight between Scott and Todd ends around 3:30.
. Ramona states that she changes her hair every 3 weeks.
. When Todd goes insane inside Honest Ed's, he has three flashbacks. Said flashbacks also feature three characters: His father, Gideon, and Lynette.
Film Edit
After the Clash at Demonhead's show, Todd uses his vegan powers on Scott three times.
times. There are 3 number 3 posters on the wall in the room where Todd and Envy spoke to Scott and his friends.
on the wall in the room where Todd and Envy spoke to Scott and his friends. When Todd threw Scott with his vegan telekinetic powers for the first time, the trash cans beside Scott has the number 3 written all over it.
written all over it. Scott and Todd both have 3 solos each in their Bass Battle.
each in their Bass Battle. Scott only plays on 3 notes on the 1st and 2nd solo.
on the 1st and 2nd solo. After their Bass Battle, Todd made Scott fly through three walls.
. There are three leaves on the logo of the cup where Todd drank half and half.
on the logo of the cup where Todd drank half and half. Todd had three strikes, when the Vegan Police take his powers.
, when the Vegan Police take his powers. Scott earns 3000 points after defeating Todd Ingram.
after defeating Todd Ingram. After the fight, Kim claims that a third of the band just went 'boom'.
of the band just went 'boom'. In the room where Todd is defeated, there is a lamp with 3 bulbs.
. During The Clash at Demonhead's performance of Black Sheep, Envy says "Oh Yeah!" 3 times.
. Todd describes Veganism as not eating three things (meat, breastmilk, ovum) from any creature with a face.
things (meat, breastmilk, ovum) from any creature with a face. Todd wears a shirt with the number 3 on it.
Game Edit
During World 3, the Rex and Brad enemies are encountered three times before being defeated.
times before being defeated. Todd is encountered in three areas. (The stage, backstage, and the back alleyway)
. (The stage, backstage, and the back alleyway) The stage where the player fights Envy and Lynette has three lights spots.
. From the start of the level to the stage, three Clash at Demonhead posters are seen. The area behind the stage (where the player is being chased by Todd) also has three posters.
are seen. The area behind the stage (where the player is being chased by Todd) also has. The "Clash at Demonhead" portraits contain three pictures of Todd.
of Todd. The door in the back alley has three hinges on it.
on it. The main area of the level has three electrical outlets.
. The bar has three large bulbs above it.
above it. The letters "Leo's Place" are seen three times throughout the stage.
throughout the stage. The bar section has three beer dispensers.
Roxie's History Edit
Ramona's university roommate and the only ex-girlfriend. She explains that their relationship was just a phase she went through. After post-secondary, they broke up and hadn't seen or heard much from one another.
Books Edit
Scott meets Roxie in four different places, on the street, The Happy Avocado, his dream and Ramona's house.
different places, on the street, The Happy Avocado, his dream and Ramona's house. On their first encounter, Roxie missed attacking Scott four times, until Scott managed to "punch her in the boob".
, until Scott managed to "punch her in the boob". Scott and Ramona have been dating for four months by the time this issue takes place.
by the time this issue takes place. Lisa mentions that it's been about four years since she last saw Scott.
Film Edit
The bar that Scott faces Roxy in is simply called 4.
. The spelling for Roxie is changed to Roxy, which has four letters.
. Roxy does not have the number 4 on her outfit, but there are four different rips in her leggings.
in her leggings. Ramona strikes Roxy with her giant hammer 4 times.
times. On their final battle, Roxy used the black smoke teleportation ability four times.
. Scott earns 4000 points after defeating Roxy.
after defeating Roxy. When Roxy uses her black smoke teleportation to get between Scott and Ramona, the phrase "Lazy Ass!" can be heard echoing four times before she says it herself before getting in between Scott and Ramona.
before she says it herself before getting in between Scott and Ramona. When Ramona explains her relationship with Roxy, she states that she was "a little bi-curious." and Roxy proclaims that she's "a little bi-furious!" (Bi means two, so 2+2=4)
Game Edit
You encounter her four times, three times on the tram and in Ramona's back garden.
times, three times on the tram and in Ramona's back garden. During the battle, Roxie will summon four clones of herself to attack.
clones of herself to attack. Ramona's back garden (the stage before you fight Roxie) has four lanterns.
. There are also four stone lamps in the same area.
in the same area. Ramona's back garden also contains four small rock formations.
. The middle of Sushi Bar area has four sushi grills, each with four stools.
, each with. The last section of the Sushi Bar area has four wet spots.
The last section also has four monk statues.
. At the end of the tram, the very back has four seats.
. On the top of the tram, you fight four ninjas.
Kyle & Ken Katayanagi's History Edit
It is known that Ramona used to date both of them at the same time, but without each knowing about other (basically cheating on both of them). When the truth was revealed, the twins had sworn to always do everything together from that moment on. There seems to be no hostility between the two considering their former relationship with Ramona. They seem to place the blame solely on her.
Books Edit
There are K' s in both the twin's names. K is the 11th letter in the alphabet ( 5 + 6 = 11 ).
s in both the twin's names. K is the in the alphabet ( ). There are five syllables in Katayanagi, (Ka-ta-ya-na-gi).
in Katayanagi, (Ka-ta-ya-na-gi). Dragon is the symbol for the 5th zodiac sign.
. When Scott defeats the Twins, he gets $79.95 from Ken, and $74.95 from Kyle. there is a difference of 5 dollars between their prize money.
between their prize money. By the time the issue takes place, Scott and Knives' breakup was 6 months ago.
Film Edit
The Twins maximize their volume to the highest, which is 11 ( 5 + 6 = 11 ).
). The Katayanagi twins' dragons logo is in the form of both 5 and 6.
. The Twins have the numbers 5 & 6 on their cuffs, one is the character for the number, the other is represented with dots.
, one is the character for the number, the other is represented with dots. Scott earns 5000 to 6000 points after defeating the Katayanagi twins.
after defeating the Katayanagi twins. One the poster proclaiming the Band Battle between the Twins and Sex Bob-omb, the first line has 5 exclamation marks, and the second and third lines have 11. ( 5+6= 11 )
, and the second and third lines have 11. ( ) During the start of the Katayanagi's song, Ken presses the Sixth white key from the bottom up on his keyboard, whilst Kyle presses the fifth black key from the bottom up on his keyboard.
Game Edit
Kyle and Ken have six sunbeams on their shirts.
Gideon's History Edit
Gideon first met Ramona at a party in New York and the two quickly formed a relationship. Despite Ramona's feelings for Gideon, Gideon saw his relationship with Ramona purely as an experiment, during which he inflicted Ramona with The Glow. Fed up of him constantly pushing her away, Ramona decided to leave Gideon, leaving nothing except a letter. Unfortunately for Ramona, Gideon walked in on her just as she finished the letter. Ramona, filled with intense emotions, became overwhelmed by The Glow and vanished into Subspace, taking the letter with her. After Ramona left, Gideon got totally wasted out of his mind and put up a huge drunken rant on Craigslist about her. This got the attention of Ramona's other six evil exes who contacted him, thus forming the League.
Books Edit
If you rotate Gideon's Logo 120 degrees clockwise, the 3 stylized "G"s turn into 3 stylized "7"s.
. Gideon is 31 making him older than Ramona and Scott by 7 years.
years. Gideon's first, middle and last name starts with a G. G is the 7th letter in the alphabet.
in the alphabet. Gideon has seven Ex-Girlfriends.
Ex-Girlfriends. When Scott enters Ramona's Subspace in Volume 6, seven pillars can be seen.
pillars can be seen. Scott wins $ 7,777,777 ( seven 7 s) worth of coins for defeating Gideon.
( s) worth of coins for defeating Gideon. After Gideon stabs Scott, there are seven panels full of characters with horrified looks on their faces, not counting Gideon (who has a triumphant look on his face) in the middle of the panels.
full of characters with horrified looks on their faces, not counting Gideon (who has a triumphant look on his face) in the middle of the panels. When Gideon and Scott first meet with Envy there are seven panels of them staring at each other before Scott runs away.
of them staring at each other before Scott runs away. Gideon steals The Power of Love from Scott, which has +2 guts, + 3 heart, + 1 smarts, and +1 will (3+2+1+1=7)
When Gideon first appears before Scott and Envy, there are seven silhouettes of people around him.
of people around him. Stephen Stills complains that it costs seven dollars (Canadian currency) for the Coat Check to hold your coat.
(Canadian currency) for the Coat Check to hold your coat. Two characters get kissed a total of seven times. (Scott gets kissed 6 times and Stephen Stills only gets kissed once)
. (Scott gets kissed 6 times and Stephen Stills only gets kissed once) There are seven chapters in Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour.
Film Edit
In a deleted scene, when Scott slammed down the phone in his'secret lair', he earned 700 points.
. Gideon performed seven jutsu hand techniques to release his sword.
to release his sword. The stats multipliers for Gideon's Pixel Katana is 7.
. Gideon's life bar was split up into seven sections when Scott fought with him.
sections when Scott fought with him. When Scott approaches the Chaos Theatre, the caption states the theatre as Level 7 (It also has a 7 on the buildings top).
(It also has a on the buildings top). Gideon swallowed his gum, which he mentioned will take seven years to digest.
to digest. On his way into the Chaos Theatre for the second time after beating up the guards, Scott earns 350 points from each of the two guys he pushes out of his way ( a total of 700 points ).
). Each of Gideons's hipsters award Scott 700 points upon their defeat.
upon their defeat. Every hit on Gideon is worth 700 points.
. Scott earns $ 7,000,000,000 dollars worth of coins after defeating Gideon.
dollars worth of coins after defeating Gideon. There are seven people present when Scott defeated Gideon (Scott, Ramona, Negascott, Young Neil, Stephen Stills, Kim and Knives).
when Scott defeated Gideon (Scott, Ramona, Negascott, Young Neil, Stephen Stills, Kim and Knives). Scott earns 7000 points after knocking down Gideon.
after knocking down Gideon. When Gideon's guards first appear to attack Scott, 7 guards can be seen.
can be seen. When Scott reenters the Chaos Theatre, he defeats the first guard (by telling him his hair is stupid) and gains 700 points. He then beats up the two guards in charge to the elevator and gains 700 points from each guard.
. He then beats up the two guards in charge to the elevator and gains from each guard. There is a total of 7 words exchanged between Scott and the guards at the beginning of the level. (Password, Whatever. Cool. Second Password. [Sighs]. Cool.)
words exchanged between Scott and the guards at the beginning of the level. (Password, Whatever. Cool. Second Password. [Sighs]. Cool.) Before Gideon blows up he confesses to Scott about putting up his league for two hours and calls him a pain in his ass.
While not an Evil Ex himself, Scott is shown to have the potential to become one, with Ramona outright stating at one point in Volume 5 that he's "just another evil ex waiting to happen." In Volume 6, Gideon even asks Scott to join the League (which Scott refuses). To represent this, Scott is sometimes associated with the number zero.
Books Edit
Scott wears a Zero t-shirt from the Smashing Pumpkins album of the same name in Volume 3.
t-shirt from the Smashing Pumpkins album of the same name in Volume 3. Scott's patch on his parka, as well as being a X-Men reference, is an X with a circle (or zero) around it.
Film Edit
Scott's favorite drink is Coke Zero.
. During the course of the film, Scott removes the X patch on his parka.
patch on his parka. Scott wears T-shirt ZERO.
As Gideon is dying, he chides Scott, telling him he's zero and nothing.
Notes Edit
Despite being evil, the League does seem to abide by certain unwritten rules, namely that they can't gang up on Scott all at once. Instead, each member must challenge Scott in the order they dated Ramona, however, Kyle and Ken Katayanagi violate this rule by fighting Scott side-by-side (though they justify this by pointing out that Ramona cheated on them at the same time). Roxie also violates this rule in the film when she tries to attack Scott before his encounter with Todd Ingram. The League (with the exception of Gideon) also tries not to inflict any physical harm on Ramona herself - as she is the reason they exist in the first place.
In the trailers for the movie, when the faces of all the Evil Exes are shown, Lucas Lee's face is at the center space instead of Gideon.
Though they all appear to die and disintegrate into coins after they are defeated, they don't at all die. They just simply respawn back to their homes, having learned their lesson. They also wouldn't consider a vendetta on Scott anymore since they would find it boring and not worth the effort anymore (and travelling from the US to Canada would cost a lot. They all live in the US.) Details here and here.
Roxie and Matthew are actually the only members of the League that are not famous.When Dr. Robert Zarr wants to help kids with obesity and diabetes in Washington D.C., he doesn’t just order in another set of pills. He looks up a database of green spaces and asks his patients if they’ve been outside recently. Then he writes a prescription–to a park.
Over the last three years, Zarr has been chief evangelist for Park Rx, a system that makes it easier for doctors to recommend outdoor activity, offering an alternative or supplement to drug treatments.
We wanted to know whether actually prescribing a park during a doctor’s visit would change behavior.
With the help of the National Park Service, the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation and other groups, Zarr mapped and rated 380 parks for their activities, cleanliness, safety, and accessibility to transit. Now when DC’s doctors look up a patient’s electronic record, they can see a database of greenery alongside other options. They can ask patients about their physical activity and what they like doing, then print out a page with details of a nearby park with a map and picture.
Since launching Park Rx last July, 30 doctors at Unity Health Care have signed up to the program, issuing about 550 prescriptions. Follow-up interviews show an average increase of 22 minutes of activity per week across 400 kids. “We wanted to know whether actually prescribing a park during a doctor’s visit would change behavior,” Zarr says. “And the answer was ‘absolutely yes’.”
The National Park Service came up with the original Park Rx concept. But it’s taken Zarr’s efforts to build the database and see it being used by colleagues. In an interview, he says he was inspired by a book by Richard Louv called Last Child in the Woods, which explores “nature-deficit disorder” and its effect on youth health.
Zarr doesn’t think prescribing parks is a radical step, though it may require a little getting used to. “Once you get over the conceptual hurdle of prescribing park, and you believe the scientific literature that clearly says being outside is good for health, then all it takes is to push a button on a computer. They have to do that anyway,” he says.
Zarr now hopes to develop a mobile app, and perhaps get the “have you been outside recently?” question included in patients’ pre-interviews alongside other vital signs queries.These days, Yalda T. Uhls always takes a moment before posting a photo of her child on social media. She learned this the hard way.
“It came home to roost a year ago when my daughter, who is now 15, told me to take a photo of me kissing her off Facebook because she was embarrassed by it. My first reaction was, ‘I don’t have to do that, it’s my photo and it’s sweet.’ But then I realized that she had every right to ask me, so I took it down.”
If this can happen to Uhls, a Los Angeles-based child psychologist, she says it could happen to anyone. Uhls says parents rarely think ahead a few years to when their child may cringe to see an old photo of themselves online. Children are not only over-scheduled these days, she adds, they are oftentimes over-photographed.
To prevent this, some parents give themselves clear rules for posting about their children on social media, like creating filters and select groups that only have access to certain photo albums. “I do not have any video footage of my child,” says Carly Sommerstein, a Weehawken, N.J.-based production editor with a major book publisher, and mother to an 11-year-old son.
“I live with him every day and I know what he looks like. I don’t I.D. him by name on Facebook. My Facebook wall is completely locked down and photos there are not sharable.” Nor does she roam her home with a smartphone. “Not everything has to be captured. Some things can be kept in your heart and your mind. My son is a separate human being, and I respect his autonomy and privacy. Narcissism in our culture is so destructive, but it’s never been so accepted.”
Also see: This academic study of people who post selfies confirms everything you suspect
And yet many parents are living through the lens of their smartphone rather than in the moment: 80% of adults say they’ve seen parents put their attempts to get the perfect photo ahead of their child’s enjoyment of an event, according to a recent survey — “Society’s New Addiction: Getting a ‘Like’ Over Having a Life” — of over 1,600 adults by VitalSmarts, a training and consulting firm in Provo, Utah.
The study interviewed people about their social media habits — how many followers or friends they have online and how often they check their accounts — and asked them to fill out the widely used Subjective Happiness Scale. People who chase ‘likes’ on social media are also likely to regard themselves as less happy, it found.
Other research also shows that parents are going gaga over photos of their children. The average parent will post almost 1,000 photos of their child online before he/she turns five, according to another recent survey of 2,000 parents by The Parent Zone, a U.K.-based site devoted to Internet safety and parenting in the digital age.
More than half (53%) of these photos are posted on Facebook FB, -0.30%, while the remainder are posted on Twitter TWTR, -3.06%, Instagram and other sites. A quarter of parents say they never ask permission of people in photos before sharing them and nearly one-fifth of parents have never checked their privacy settings. Indeed, less than half of the parents surveyed are even aware that photos often contain data about where it was taken.
Parents compete with each other online
Behind this growing body of research on “sharenting” — parents who share details of their family life online, ostensibly to give other parents advice — there are some shocking stories of how moms and dads put the prospect of Facebook ‘likes’ ahead of being present with their child, the VitalSmarts study found.
One mother of a 3-year old child told researchers, “I disciplined my son and he threw a tantrum that I thought was so funny that I disciplined him again just so I could video it. After uploading it on Instagram I thought, ‘What did I just do?’” Another parent snapped photos of a crying child who had lost a tooth rather than console him. Other admissions involve making children recreate happy “spontaneous” moments for the camera.
This videotaping and photographing becomes more intense when you combine the virtual stage with the school stage. One father told the VitalSmarts interviewers that he videotaped his daughter’s 65-minute dance recital rather than simply sitting back and enjoying it. “My wife asked me throughout the event to stop and enjoy the real performance,” he said.
What’s more, he was videotaping the wrong little girl for 80% of the show and, he said, “the tape was grainy, dark, and almost unwatchable.” And for children who do want to act, an audience filled with glowing iPads does not accurately prepare a child for a career as a performer, Sommerstein says. Schools should film performances and ban cellphones in the auditorium, she adds.
That said, some parents are becoming aware that asking their kids to say cheese (rather than eat it) is a problem, at least when it comes to others. The majority of parents who use social media (74%) say they know of another parent who has shared too much information about a child, including parents who gave embarrassing information about a child, offered personal information that could identify a child’s location or shared inappropriate photos of a child, a 2014 survey of 570 parents by C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital found.
“Parents need to be thoughtful about how much and what they share about their kids on social media,” says Sarah Clark, associate research scientist in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Michigan.
Children are picking up bad life skills
Children learn by example, even a bad example. “Our children will do what we do,” says Catherine Steiner-Adair, author of “The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age” and research associate at Harvard Medical School’s Department of Psychiatry.
“Kids should have veto power over the pictures we take and post on social media,” she says. “We need to teach children the message that we own our body and we own our image and ask questions like, ‘Would you mind me sending it to grandma or grandpa?” Her research is based on interviews with 1,000 children between four and 18 years of age, 24 children aged between two and four, 250 adults aged 18 to 30, plus 500 teachers and 500 parents.
Howard Rappaport “I do not have any video footage of my child,” says Carly Sommerstein, a mother to an 11-year-old son.
This culture of taking and sharing family photographs can be wonderful, fun and intimate, but when done excessively can also backfire and put more distance between parents and kids, experts say, rather than bring them closer together.
One 11-year-old boy told Steiner-Adair, “I hate it when my dad comes to watch me play hockey and all he does is videotape me playing and then when it’s over he |
in an Armada jersey."
Barrow, who hails from Braunton, England, began his youth training at Chivenor Soccer School under the guidance of his head coach and father Lee Barrow before joining the youth system at English Football League Two side Plymouth Argyle FC. He then moved to the development academy at West Bromwich Albion in 2011. Known for his speed in the wide-right role, Barrow’s success with West Brom's U-18 team earned him a one-year professional contract with the club in 2014.
At just 14-years-old, he was called up to the Wales U-17 National Team. Barrow won two matches as a starter for Wales in the U-16 and U-17 European championships in 2010 and 2011. He came on as a substitute in Wales’ 4-0 win over England in the 2010 Victory Shield, an annual U-16 tournament contested at the time between Wales, Scotland, England and Northern Ireland.
The Armada FC will announce additional signings in the coming days.Apache is the venerable old-timer in the http server world. There are many younger siblings like Nginx, Lighttpd, and even Node.js, which are often touted as being faster, lighter, and more scalable alternatives than Apache.
Apache probably looks like this to many Nginx and Lighty users.
Though many alternatives are more lightweight and can be faster in certain circumstances, Apache offers many benefits (not the least of which is abundant documentation and widespread support) and is still a top-notch web server that can be tuned to fly.
Below I describe a few seemingly innocuous Apache configuration settings that can make a huge difference for your site's performance, and help Apache run as fast or faster than alternative servers in many circumstances.
KeepAlive
There is no need to dance to stay alive.
Note: There is a good discussion on Reddit about situations when KeepAlive may be helpful and may, in fact, help Apache (or your server in general) perform better, like if you have an AJAX-heavy site, or if you are serving many requests to mobile or international users. Additionally, if you use a reverse proxy like squid, Varnish, or Nginx in front of Apache, KeepAlive doesn't have the same cost in terms of memory and process usage.
KeepAlive does one simple thing: destroy Apache's ability to handle many concurrent requests. Well, that and speed up existing connections by allowing them to download all assets before closing a TCP connection between a browser and your server (see note above).
This feature was designed to help ensure a browser could load the HTML, some images, stylesheets, etc. from your server all within one connection. Before people started using CDNs like CloudFlare or Amazon S3 for static content, and when most people had internet connections with hundreds of milliseconds of latency, this setting was much more valuable. (It still could be, in some circumstances, for mobile clients on 3G or LTE networks, or if you have an AJAX-heavy site.)
However, for many websites today, either setting the KeepAliveTimeout to a lower value like 1-5 seconds or switching KeepAlive off altogether will be a much better option.
Real-world example: When I launched Server Check.in with this thread on Hacker News, the post made the HN front page, meaning I was getting upwards of 10-20 requests per second for an hour or so. I noticed quickly that the server's load was under 1.00, and nothing seemed awry, but trying to access http://www.jeffgeerling.com/ was taking 30 seconds or longer!
Turning off KeepAlive allowed the server to serve more users more quickly, since I didn't have a bunch of httpd threads sitting connected to browsers that had already received all the content they needed. If I want to turn it back on at some point, I'll make sure to set it lower than the default of 30 seconds!
Caveat: Now, in my case, I have the MaxClients directive set to 45, because with Drupal, I've made sure I don't spawn more threads than my server's limited memory can handle (I'll get to the why's for this below). If you are serving only static/cached content, and don't need to have a bunch of memory-hogging httpd threads for a PHP application like Drupal, you may be able to live with KeepAlive (make sure the timeout is low, still!), and a much larger MaxClients setting.
MaxClients
Queuing requests may save your server from swapping.
This setting helps Apache fly when your server is getting hit hard, say by a post from Reddit, Hacker News, or some fast and furious marketing campaign.
MaxClients is pretty self-descriptive: it's a setting that tells Apache the maximum number of clients it should serve simultaneously. It's important that you choose a sane value for this setting to prevent any number of bad things from happening:
Set it too low and you might cause people to wait for Apache to respond to their request while your server is almost sitting idle, with plenty of RAM and CPU to spare.
Set it too high and watch your server die in a slow, painful death as Apache runs out of RAM and starts swapping to disk. And watch page response times go from milliseconds to seconds or even minutes.
There's a really simple way you can know exactly how high to set MaxClients:
(Total RAM - RAM used for Linux, MySQL, etc.) / Average httpd process size.
To get the average httpd process size, log into your server and run the following on the command line: ps aux | grep 'httpd' | awk '{print $6/1024 " MB";}'. This will output a list of process sizes. If you want to calculate the average on-the-fly, try the command ps aux | grep 'httpd' | awk '{print $6/1024;}' | awk '{avg += ($1 - avg) / NR;} END {print avg " MB";}'. It's best to run this a few different times throughout a normal day to see if there's any major fluctuation in process size.
Let's say your average process is 50 MB (fairly common if you're using PHP and a CMS like Wordpress or Drupal!). You have a VPS with 2 GB of RAM, and you have about.5 GB allocated to MySQL (you can find the full amount with the command ps aux | grep'mysql' | awk '{print $6/1024 " MB";}' ). Let's leave a little overhead for Linux and other bits on the server, say.4 GB:
(2000 MB - 900 MB) / 50 MB = 22
You should set the MaxClients directive to 22, maybe even a little lower to allow for more overhead when your server is getting hammered. Apache's default is usually > 200—this means if your server gets hit by a more than 22 people in a short period of time, it will slow to a crawl, since Apache will gobble up all the RAM!
Setting the MaxClients value lower will allow Apache to simply queue up further requests until it gets a free thread (remember, also, that if you have KeepAlive on, threads will be locked up for [KeepAliveTimeout] seconds!). This might seem like a bad thing... but it's a lot better doing this and serving queued requests quickly (since Apache is working from RAM and not swap space), than trying to serve a hundred requests at once and having massive slowdowns for everyone!
Real-world example: One site I work with had a page pick up tons of traffic over the course of a few hours, and the web server (a small 2 GB VPS running LAMP) was getting hammered by up to 100 separate requests per second. We had the MaxClients setting a bit too high, and the server immediately started swapping. It was hard even connecting to the server via SSH, and when I checked top, the server was using about 4 GB of swap (yikes!), and the CPU was spiking around 45 (normally around.2-.3). Once we set MaxClients to a sane amount and restarted Apache, the server was able to get most pages served in 2-3 seconds (instead of 2-3 minutes—if ever). Once traffic died down, we were serving pages in less than 1 second again.
AllowOverride
Prevent recursion from slowing down Apache.
AllowOverride is basically Apache's way of allowing developers to be lazy. Instead of using a global configuration file and includes, Apache lets you stick an '.htaccess' file in any directory, anywhere, and every time anyone requests any page through Apache, Apache will recursively scan every directory from the site's root to apply rules in.htaccess files.
This is very convenient—especially in situations like shared hosting, where the hosting provider can't be bothered to include hundreds of extra configuration directives in the main httpd.conf file, or (for security purposes) allow everyone on the server to have their own configuration files included via httpd.conf!
However, if you are running only one or two websites on a server, or you generally have full control of the server, you can turn off this convenient feature and simply add the rules into httpd.conf or an include (to add an include, just use something like Include /home/user/public_html/.htaccess inside the VirtualHosts directive for your server, along with the rule AllowOverride None.
Real-world example: The impact of this change on server performance varies greatly, and depends mostly on how many directory-levels deep you have files that are served on a given page request. For most people, though, there may be a file in something like /home/user/public_html/sites/sitename/files/images/cached/large/thumbnail/image.jpg. In this case, Apache has to recurse through 10 levels of directories, parsing all found.htaccess files, just to serve this one image file. For one Drupal site, though, which is a VPS with a virtualized disk on a SAN, I've measured 7-10% faster individual page loads.
Caveat: Many CMSes like Wordpress and Drupal rely on.htaccess rules for certain functionality, like 'Clean URLs', www-to-non-www redirects, file upload protections, and static content caching. Make sure you include any relevant.htaccess files in your VirtualHosts directive if you set AllowOverrides to None. See more: How to make Apache faster for Drupal.
Also, the real-world speedup you'll get when using a server that has a dedicated, real hard drive or SSD will be much smaller than a server that has a slow drive or uses NAS/SAN storage.
Conclusion
These are just three of 'low-hanging fruit' performance-related settings buried in your Apache httpd.conf file; many others will have a big impact on your site's performance as well. With proper tuning, and an eye towards memory usage, you can make Apache as scalable, fast and lightweight as almost any web server.
Photo of queue by hktang on Flickr.Next stop: divorce court.
Huma Abedin and estranged hubby Anthony Weiner look as if they wish they were anywhere but with each other while riding a downtown No. 6 train in Manhattan on Saturday afternoon.
The former couple acted more like strangers than husband and wife, making no eye contact as they painfully endured each other’s company on the packed subway car.
Hillary Clinton’s top aide hid behind large dark sunglasses and stonily stared straight ahead while her sext-crazed estranged husband — a k a “Carlos Danger’’ — used a baseball cap to shield his face as he peered down at his mobile phone.
Checking his text messages, perhaps?
Weiner and Abedin were so intent on not engaging with any other straphangers — or each other — that they apparently forgot that it’s a no-no to lean on the subway doors.
The pair rode on the train for 10 minutes before changing to an express across the platform at Union Square Station.
Abedin announced she was separating from Weiner last month after The Post exclusively reported that he had sexted with a woman while with the couple’s young son.
Weiner has a long history of despicable actions that have led him to this point:This article is about the television series. For other uses, see Spitting Image (disambiguation)
Spitting Image is a British satirical television puppet show, created by Peter Fluck, Roger Law and Martin Lambie-Nairn. The series was produced by 'Spitting Image Productions' for Central Independent Television over 18 series which aired on the ITV network. The series was nominated and won numerous awards during its run including ten BAFTA Television Awards, one for editing in 1989 and two Emmy Awards in 1985 and 1986 in the Popular Arts Category.[1]
The series features puppet caricatures of celebrities prominent during the 1980s and 1990s, including British Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major and other politicians, US president Ronald Reagan, and the British Royal Family; the series was the first to caricature Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (as an elderly gin-drinker with a Beryl Reid voice).[2]
One of the most-watched shows of the 1980s and early 1990s, the series is a satire of politics, entertainment, sport and British culture of the era, and at its peak it was watched by 15 million people.[3] The series was cancelled in 1996, after viewing figures declined. ITV had plans for a new series in 2006, but these were scrapped after a dispute over Ant & Dec puppets used to host Best Ever Spitting Image, which were created against Roger Law's wishes.[4] In 2018, Law donated his entire archive – including original scripts, puppet moulds, drawings and recordings – to Cambridge University.[5]
History [ edit ]
Martin Lambie-Nairn proposed a satirical television show featuring caricature puppets created by Peter Fluck and Roger Law. Fluck and Law, who had both attended the Cambridge School of Art, had no previous television experience, but had, for several years, constructed plasticine caricatures in order to illustrate articles in The Sunday Times Magazine.
The idea for the series was rejected by many in the industry, who thought it would only be suitable for children, but the series was finally accepted for development and first broadcast in 1984.[6]
English comedy writer and National Lampoon editor Tony Hendra, was brought in as a writer; Fluck and Law had met him while they were working in the US. Hendra brought in John Lloyd, producer of Not The Nine O'Clock News. They were joined by Jon Blair, a documentary producer. They then hired Muppet puppeteer Louise Gold. Development was funded by Clive Sinclair.
The puppets, based on public figures, were designed by Fluck and Law, assisted by caricaturists that included David Stoten, Pablo Bach, Steve Bendelack and Tim Watts. The episodes included musical parodies by Philip Pope (former member of Who Dares Wins and The Hee Bee Gee Bees) and later Steve Brown.
The first episode of Spitting Image, in 1984, aired with a laugh track, apparently at the insistence of Central Television. This episode was shown to a preview audience before transmission.[7]
In the early years of the show, Spitting Image was filmed and based in the enterprise zone at London Docklands at the Limehouse Studios, where scriptwriters convened and puppets were manufactured.[8][9] Impressionist Steve Nallon recalls that "they were able to get away with no health and safety, so all of the building of the puppets with all the toxic waste from the foam was just in a warehouse. There were no extractor fans; it was quite Dickensian."[10]
In later series, Spitting Image was recorded at Central's studios in Nottingham with last minute additions being recorded at the Limehouse Studios at Canary Wharf, London.
Reception [ edit ]
Before the first episode was broadcast, the parodies of the Royal Family were cut, as a courtesy to the Duke of Edinburgh, who opened the East Midlands television centre a few days later. The scenes were however all reinstated in later episodes.[11]
The first episode had an audience of 7.9 million, but numbers rapidly dropped, which meant economies had to be introduced since the series cost £2.6 million, which was nearly double the price of other prime time series.[12]
The series had been scheduled to have 13 episodes[11] but was cut back to 12, after the series was nearly cancelled. Rob Grant and Doug Naylor were then brought in as head writers to save the show.
By 1986, under their supervision, Spitting Image had become popular, producing a number one song on the UK Singles Chart ("The Chicken Song"). However, Grant and Naylor subsequently left to create Red Dwarf for BBC2. Spitting Image had a short-running dispute with the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) in 1985, over the use of subliminal images.
Evolution [ edit ]
When Margaret Thatcher resigned as both Prime Minister and Leader of the Conservative Party in November 1990, her successor was Chancellor of the Exchequer John Major. This marked a shift in the show's style, with the writers moving from the Punch and Judy style to more subtle and atmospheric sketches, notably a series in which an awkward Major and wife Norma ate peas for dinner. The producers dressed Major, skin and all, in shades of grey, and invented an affair between him and Virginia Bottomley.
The show added animated sketches from 1989 and again from 1994 (with short, animated segments before 1989). For the 1992 Election Special, a studio audience was used; this format was revisited for two episodes in late 1993. A spoof Question Time took questions from the audience. The 1992 show was fronted by a puppet Robin Day, a puppet Jeremy Paxman filling the role in the episodes broadcast on 14 November 1993 and 12 December 1993.
Decline [ edit ]
[13] Puppets of a Court Flunkey and Osama Bin Laden. The face of the court Flunkey is a caricature of 18th century cartoonist James Gillray, intended as a homage to the fact that he is the father of British political cartooning.
The writers, Mark Burton, John O'Farrell, Pete Sinclair, Stuart Silver, and Ray Harris quit the show in 1993 and in 1995, and with viewing figures in decline, production was cancelled. The final series was in January and February 1996, with the final episode featuring "The Last Prophecies of Spitting Image" in which Labour moved into Number 10.
A few years later, most of the puppets were sold at an auction hosted by Sotheby's,[14] including a puppet of Osama Bin Laden never used in the series.[15]
During 2004, the idea of the series coming back started to appear after John Lloyd held talks with ITV executives about the show's return. John Lloyd also held talks with a number of people who voiced the Spitting Image puppets, including John Sessions, Harry Enfield and Rory Bremner, with all responding positively.
Mr Lloyd commented, "There's enormous enthusiasm from ITV to do it. We're just trying to work out how it would be affordable. The budget is about to go off to ITV," he said. "Everybody seems to have residual affection for Spitting Image. It could be scrappy and uneven, but it's rather like a newspaper. You don't expect it to be brilliant every time, but there's something delicious in every edition," Mr Lloyd said.[16][17]
By early 2006, ITV were producing a documentary celebrating the series and if the audience figures were good a full series might have been produced.[18] On 25 June 2006, ITV transmitted Best Ever Spitting Image[19] as a one-off special of Spitting Image which took a nostalgic look back at the programme's highlights. This special actually prevented ITV directly resurrecting the famous satire as they had planned, because it featured new puppets of Ant and Dec – a move which was against the wishes of Roger Law, who owns the rights to the Spitting Image brand.[4][20]
Spitting Image, as ITV's primary satirical programme, was succeeded by 2DTV, a cartoon format that had five series between 2001 and 2004. In 2008 ITV created a CGI version to caricature and lampoon the famous, called Headcases,[21] but it only aired for one series. Satirical puppets finally returned to ITV in 2015, in Newzoids.[22]
Revival [ edit ]
In April 2017, it was reported that US broadcaster HBO was set to revive the series in light of the presidency of Donald Trump. As of the report, no official confirmation or announcement was made.[23]
Archive donated to Cambridge University [ edit ]
In 2018, Spitting Image co-creator Roger Law donated his entire archive – which includes original scripts, puppet moulds, drawings and recordings – to Cambridge University. The collection is located in the university library, with its librarian Dr Jessica Gardner describing the collection as a "national treasure".[5] She added, "Spitting Image was anarchic, it was creative, it entered the public imagination like nothing else from that era. It is an extraordinary political and historical record. Great satire holds up a mirror, it questions and challenges."[5]
All episodes and specials were broadcast on Sunday, usually at 10pm. The programme was also picked up overseas. It aired on Canada's CBC Television on Sunday nights in the late 1980s. The American network NBC aired several prime-time specials in the same period. Austrian public broadcaster ORF broadcast Spitting Image in English with German subtitles late on Friday nights in approximately four-week intervals in the late 1980s and early 1990s, introducing it to the German-speaking world (where foreign programming is usually dubbed into German). Spitting Image was also briefly shown in France on the private TV channel M6 in English with French subtitles. The show was also aired in New Zealand on TVNZ in the 1980s.
Series [ edit ]
Series Year Dates No. episodes Times Series 1 1984 26 February – 17 June 12 episodes Mostly 10pm Series 2 1985 6 January – 24 March 11 episodes Mostly 10pm Series 3 1986 6 January – 2 November 18 episodes Mostly 10pm Series 4 1987 1 November – 6 December 6 episodes Mostly 10pm Series 5 1988 6 November – 11 December 6 episodes Mostly 10pm Series 6 1989 11 June – 9 July 5 episodes Mostly 9.30pm Series 7 1989 12 November – 17 December 6 episodes Mostly 10.05pm Series 8 1990 13 May - 24 June 6 episodes Mostly 10.05pm Series 9 1990 11 November – 16 December 6 episodes Mostly 10.05pm Series 10 1991 14 April - 19 May 6 episodes Mostly 10.05pm Series 11 1991 10 November – 15 December 6 episodes Mostly 10.05pm Series 12 1992 12 April - 17 May 6 episodes Mostly 10.05pm Series 13 1992 4 October – 8 November 6 episodes 10.05pm Series 14 1993 16 May - 20 June 6 episodes 10.45pm Series 15 1993 7 November – 12 December 6 episodes 10pm Series 16 1994 1 May - 5 June 6 episodes 10pm Series 17 1994 6 November – 18 December 7 episodes 10pm Series 18 1996 14 January – 18 February 6 episodes Mostly 11.15pm
Specials [ edit ]
Title Year Date Times Duration Down And Out In The White House 1986 14 September 9.45pm 45 minutes The Spitting Image 1987 Movie Awards 1987 Saturday 4 April 10.45pm 30 minutes Election Special 1987 Thursday 11 June 10pm 45 minutes A Non-Denominational Spitting Image Holiday Special 1987 27 December 10pm 30 minutes The Ronnie And Nancy Show 1988 17 April 9.30pm 30 minutes Bumbledown - The Life and Times of Ronald Reagan 1988 Saturday 29 October 10.15pm 45 minutes The Sound Of Maggie 1989 Saturday 6 May 10.10pm 45 minutes Election Special 1992 Wednesday 8 April 10.40pm 30 minutes The Spitting Image Pantomime 1993 26 December 10pm 30 minutes Ye Olde Spitting Image 1995 1 January 10.45pm 30 minutes Spitting Image at 30 2014 28 February 9.30pm 30 minutes
Repeats [ edit ]
From October 1996 to September 1998, Spitting Image Series 1-11 were on UK Gold, until September 1998. Edited episodes from Series 1-3 and 7 were on Granada Plus from 2001-2003.
In February 2008, Comedy Central Extra started showing regular repeats of Spitting Image from 9pm on Tuesday evenings, with a whole weekend's worth of evenings devoted to the first two series. It reappeared in a late night slot in November 2010, through to 18 December 2010 and has not been aired since then. From 2001 to 2004 the ITV series 2DTV had a similar style, but using computer animation instead of puppets.
The programme is rebroadcast on the digital network "PuppeTV" as a part of its "Puppets After Dark" post - watershed slot. In 2011, the network dedicated an entire month to broadcasting all episodes of the show, from 10:00pm until 6:00am, including the 2006 clipshow special and the American specials, which they called "Spitting Image 24/7".
United States version [ edit ]
In an attempt to crack the American market, there were some attempts to produce a US version of the show. A 45-minute'made for market' show by the original Spitting Image team, titled Spitting Image: Down and Out in the White House was produced in 1986 by Central for the NBC network.
Introduced by David Frost, it departed from the sketch-based format in favour of an overall storyline involving the upcoming (at that time) Presidential election. The plot involved a conspiracy to replace Ronald Reagan with a double (actually actor Dustin Hoffman in disguise). This plan was hatched by the Famous Corporation, a cabal of the ultra-rich headed by Johnny Carson's foil Ed McMahon (in the show, Carson was his ineffectual left-hand man) who met in a secret cavern hollowed out behind the façade of Mount Rushmore. Eventually, their plot foiled, the famous corporation activated their escape pod – Abraham Lincoln's nose – and left Earth for another planet, but (in a homage to the beginning of the Star Wars movies) were destroyed during a collision with 'a nonsensical prologue in gigantic lettering'.
The show was not very successful with its target audience, possibly because its humour was still very British and it was so irreverent about Ronald Reagan at a time when he was enormously popular with the American public. It did, however, receive great praise from critics and it was followed by several more television specials: The Ronnie & Nancy Show (also satirising the Reagans), The 1987 Movie Awards (sending up the Academy Awards), Bumbledown: The Life and Times of Ronald Reagan (a quasi-documentary about the President), and The Sound of Maggie (satirising Thatcher and parodying several musicals such as Oliver!, West Side Story and many others).
Characters [ edit ]
Politicians [ edit ]
Many British politicians in parliament during Margaret Thatcher's tenure were parodied.[5] By far the most prominent was Thatcher herself, portrayed as an abusive tyrant and cross-dresser (she wore suits, shaved, used the urinals, was portrayed as a cigar-chomper and addressed by her Cabinet as "Sir"). The Thatcher puppet had a strong dislike of anything French (agreeing with Hitler about 'teaching those Frenchies where to go' and throwing an apple out of the window because it was French).
In the first series, Thatcher sought advice from her enraptured neighbour Herr Jeremy Von Wilcox (who is actually an elderly Adolf Hitler, living at 9 Downing Street) about the unions and the unemployed. Mr. Wilcox/Hitler compares the Trade unions with the Soviet Union and advises not to attack in winter. Regarding unemployment, he says that people out of work should be put in the army, and tells Thatcher that he thinks the SS (meaning SAS) are a "great bunch of guys".[24]
Alongside Thatcher were her Cabinet, which included:
Thatcher's Cabinet were often depicted as bickering schoolchildren, with Thatcher acting as teacher.
Thatcher's successor John Major was portrayed as a dull, boring grey character who enjoyed a meal of peas with his wife Norma and was constantly mocked by Humphrey, the Downing Street cat. Before Thatcher's resignation, Major had been portrayed as wearing a leopard print suit and swinging in on a trapeze, referencing his background as the son of a circus acrobat (which he would frequently remind everyone about). Upon his appointment to Prime Minister, Major was initially portrayed as robotic with a spinning antenna on his head (it was explained in a sketch that Thatcher used it to control Major, standing behind Thatcher in the crowd of sycophantic cabinet members, eager to repeat whatever the Thatcher puppet screeched).
The Opposition (Labour Party) politicians included:
Neil Kinnock, the 'Welsh Windbag', talking for hours about anything other than policies.
than policies. Roy Hattersley, spitting with every word because of his lisp (on 'Best Ever Spitting Image', Hattersley praised his puppet for 'putting the spit into Spitting Image' ). [27]
). Michael Foot, aged and senile, ending sentences with "Yes! Argh!".
Tony Benn, a rampant socialist with eyes that never looked in the same direction.
Ken Livingstone, whose living room was filled with salamanders and snakes.
Denis Healey, with giant eyebrows, who helped to make Kinnock look foolish (the real Healey appeared in the programme in 1984).
Gerald Kaufman, portrayed as a Hannibal Lecter-style maniac.
Arthur Scargill, who was a member of the Labour Party until 1997, appeared as head of the National Union of Mineworkers, and was portrayed as a big-nosed egotist who was ignorant about mining.
In 1994, a puppet of Tony Blair made his appearance. He was originally a public school boy, wearing grey shorts, blazer and cap. His catchphrase was "I'M THE LEADER" in reference to his attempt to lead the Labour Party. When Blair did become Labour leader, the puppet changed and he was portrayed with his grin replaced with an even bigger smile if he said something of importance. The deputy leader, John Prescott, was portrayed as a fat bumbling assistant, along with a squeaky voiced Robin Cook, and an enormous glasses-wearing Jack Straw.
The SDP-Liberal Alliance was portrayed by the election-losing, populist, arrogant and undecided David Owen, with whining, bedwetting David Steel in his pocket. They were soon replaced by Paddy Ashdown, whose "equidistance" from the larger parties was satirised by his frequent appearance at the side of the screen during unrelated sketches, saying: "I am neither in this sketch nor not in it, but somewhere in-between". This running gag was used when Ashdown's extramarital affair was revealed, and his puppet commented that "I didn't touch her on the left leg, or the right leg, but somewhere in-between." Former liberal MP Cyril Smith also made a few appearances depicted as a morbidly obese giant.
In the first series, Former Prime Ministers Harold Wilson, James Callaghan, Harold Macmillan and Alec Douglas-Home were depicted as living in a highly restrictive retirement home named Exchequers, where they were frequently abused by Queen Victoria. Wilson constantly attempted escape, whilst Callaghan took delight in tormenting him. Edward Heath was also said to have resided there, but he was not seen on screen, later he would appear as a naked piano player.
Royal Family [ edit ]
The main characters were:
Other members who were parodied include: Prince Andrew, Duke of York, The Duchess of York, The Princess Royal, Prince Edward, Princess Michael of Kent and Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, who was always tipsy.
International politicians [ edit ]
Spitting Image lampooned US President Ronald Reagan as a bumbling, nuke-obsessed fool in comparison with his advisors Edwin Meese and Caspar Weinberger. Next to his bed were red buttons labelled 'Nuke' and 'Nurse'. His wife Nancy was the butt of cosmetic surgery jokes.
Mikhail Gorbachev had his forehead birthmark in the shape of hammer and sickle. All other Russians looked like Leonid Brezhnev, often said "da" ("yes") and talked about potatoes. In Russia it was snowing even indoors and the Soviet television had extremely low-tech visual effects.
François Mitterrand was wearing a beret and a garlic wreath. P. W. Botha was shown as a racist cleverly disguising his views (once he had a badge "anti-anti-apartheid"). Adolf Hitler incognito had a house at 9 Downing Street. Some appearances were also made by Idi Amin, Robert Mugabe, Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, Ruhollah Khomeini, Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi.
Other international caricatures included Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger; George H. W. Bush and Dan Quayle; Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, Konstantin Chernenko, Raisa Gorbachova and Boris Yeltsin.
Sport [ edit ]
England manager Bobby Robson was a senile worrier nicknamed 'Rubbisho'. Emlyn Hughes was portrayed with a high pitched and annoying voice. England midfielder Paul Gascoigne appeared, frequently crying – a parody of the 1990 World Cup semi-final against West Germany in which he famously cried after being booked, which would have ruled him out of the final had England won the game.
Ian Botham was a violent drug addict, while Mike Gatting spoke with a high voice. Lester Piggott had to be subtitled. Boxing characters included Frank Bruno with his trademark laugh and catchphrase "where's 'Arry?", and Chris Eubank, with his lisp. Snooker player Steve Davis was boring, upset because he had no nickname, but thought himself interesting.
Celebrities [ edit ]
News reporters were also depicted. Alastair Burnet was sycophantic towards the Royal Family and with a nose that inflated. Sandy Gall was effeminate, always worrying what coat he would wear. John Cole was incomprehensible and had to be dragged off-screen when he talked too long. Nicholas Witchell was always turning up during a strike to work rather than report. Kate Adie was a thrill-seeker, BBC Head of Bravery. Jeremy Paxman appeared as uninterested and self-loving. Trevor McDonald frequently lamented his lot after being paired with Ronnie Corbett as newscasters, with the latter always getting the punchlines. William Rees-Mogg was portrayed as a censorship-crazy person with eyes that would frequently pop out of the socket.
David Coleman had a very loud ear prompter and sometimes did not know what he was commentating on. Frank Bough was portrayed as being a drug user. Bruce Forsyth spoke every sentence as though it was a catchphrase. Celebrity chef Keith Floyd was always getting drunk on wine. Film critic Barry Norman was not a fan of his puppet, because it had a wart on its forehead.[26] Paul Daniels did not mind jokes about his toupée but took offence to a sketch depicting him nuzzling his assistant Debbie McGee's breasts.[26][28]
Comedian Billy Connolly was portrayed as a jester, and Jimmy Tarbuck was said to use old jokes and always take part in Royal Variety Performance. Bernard Manning was an obese racist, Ben Elton was always shown with a microphone. Writer and MP Jeffrey Archer appeared as an annoying, self-commenting writer whose books were not read by anyone. Kenneth Williams was depicted with a large nose and big teeth. Harry Secombe was depicted as overly religious. Alan Bennett was shown at home as watching Spitting Image on TV.
A Mick Jagger character seemed perpetually high, and Keith Richards so old and haggard that he thought he was dead. Ringo Starr was a drunkard, and Paul McCartney was always releasing albums and films that flopped. Madonna changed her hair and clothes with every episode, and Michael Jackson's skin turned lighter. Kylie Minogue was depicted as a vain robot. Luciano Pavarotti was hugely overweight and ate everything he saw. Matt and Luke Goss of the band Bros were depicted as children wanting to grow up. Esther Rantzen always had a permanent grin. Cilla Black had large teeth and a thick Scouse accent.
Actor Dustin Hoffman spoke nasally and was parodied for his method acting. John Gielgud and Laurence Olivier were lamenting their friends, even their own death. Roger Moore was shown as an actor "with a wooden delivery" – only his eyebrows moved. Arnold Schwarzenegger was muscle-bound but insecure about the size of his genitals. Donald Sinden was parodied as also trying to become the greatest Shakespearian actor and get a knighthood. Clint Eastwood was frequently portrayed as a badass tough guy.
Archbishop Robert Runcie, Mary Whitehouse and Cliff Richard were portrayed as Christian censors. Ian Paisley was always shouting and dressed in black. Archbishop David Jenkins was depicted as not believing in anything. Pope John Paul II was a banjo-playing womaniser who spoke with a Texan accent.
Media moguls Robert Maxwell and Rupert Murdoch were also on the show, the latter depicted as an extremely flatulent individual encouraging obscenity in his mass media.
Lord Lucan appeared in various background roles often as a bar tender.
The songs [ edit ]
Spitting Image album cover for "Da Do Run Ron" satirical parody of Ronald Reagan
The first single from Spitting Image, released in 1984, was a rework of the Crystals' "Da Doo Ron Ron".[29] The Spitting Image version, "Da Do Run Ron", was a spoof election campaign song for Ronald Reagan, featuring Nancy Reagan listing reasons why "you gotta re-elect him", with lyrics like "Yeah! He can really act, Yeah! He lowered income tax, Yeah! He hates the Warsaw Pact". The cover of the single |
provided by the University or programming-related sponsors. Many of them are supported by the organization Major League Hacking, which was founded in 2013 to assist with the running of collegiate hackathons.
PennApps at the University of Pennsylvania was the first student-run college hackathon; in 2015 it became the largest college hackathon with its 12th iteration hosting over 2000 people and offering over $60k in prizes.[58][59] The University of Mauritius Computer Club and Cyberstorm.mu organized a Hackathon dubbed "Code Wars" focused on implementing an IETF RFC in Lynx in 2017.[60][61]
ShamHacks at Missouri University of Science and Technology is held annually as an outreach activity of the campus's Curtis Laws Wilson Library. ShamHacks 2018[62] focused on problem statements to better quality of life factors for US veterans, by pairing with veteran-owned company sponsors.[63]
For internal innovation and motivation [ edit ]
Some companies hold internal hackathons to promote new product innovation by the engineering staff. For example, Facebook's Like button was conceived as part of a hackathon.[64]
To connect local tech communities [ edit ]
Some hackathons (such as StartupBus, founded in 2010 in Australia) combine the competitive element with a road trip, to connect local tech communities in multiple cities along the bus routes. This is now taking place across North America, Europe, Africa and Australasia.[65]
Code sprints [ edit ]
In some hackathons, all work is on a single application, such as an operating system, programming language, or content management system. Such events are often known as "code sprints", and are especially popular for open source software projects, where such events are sometimes the only opportunity for developers to meet face-to-face.[66]
Code sprints typically last from one week to three weeks and often take place near conferences at which most of the team attend. Unlike other hackathons, these events rarely include a competitive element.
The annual hackathon to work on the operating system OpenBSD, held since 1999, is one such event; it may have originated the word "hackathon".[citation needed]
Controversies [ edit ]
A team at the September 2013 TechCrunch Disrupt Hackathon presented the TitStare app, which allowed users to post and view pictures of men staring at women's cleavage. [67] TechCrunch issued an apology later that day. [68]
TechCrunch issued an apology later that day. A November 2013 hackathon run by Salesforce.com, billed as having the largest-ever grand prize at $1 million, was accused of impropriety after it emerged that the winning entrants, a two-person startup called Upshot, had been developing the technology that they demoed for over a year, and that one of the two was a former Salesforce employee. [5]
Major League Hacking expelled a pair of hackers from the September 2015 hackathon Hack the North at the University of Waterloo for making jokes that were interpreted as bomb threats, leading many hackers to criticize the organization.[69] As a result of the controversy, Victor Vucicevich resigned from the Hack the North organizing team.[70]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]Welcome to another edition of AppAdvice’s The Weekly Echo, a column that covers all things related to Amazon Echo and the Internet of Things. Alexa, the artificial intelligence and “brains” behind the Amazon Echo, keeps getting smarter and gaining new capabilities, so I’ve got some cool new features to tell you about.
Same app, different name
The first thing you should know is that the iOS app you use to set up your Echo has gone through a name change. Instead of being called Amazon Echo, the app is now named Amazon Alexa. The jury is still out on why Amazon named the brains behind the Echo Alexa, but hey, I like it.
New skills
Two new skills have been added to Alexa, including a Bingo app and a Cat Facts function. With Bingo, Alexa will call out the numbers for you. Each number is repeated and sent to the Alexa app, and you can get a free Bingo card from the LoveMyEcho Web page.
Cat Facts is a fun app filled with interesting details about our feline friends. I asked Alexa to open Cat Facts, and she responded by telling me, “Female felines are ‘superfecund,’ which means that each of the kittens in her litter can have a different father. Meow.” Yes, Alexa actually meowed at the end of that one; this gal’s got some real personality programmed into her.
New flexibility in Google Calendars
If you have linked your Google Calendar to Alexa, you’ve got some new flexibility. You can select which shared calendars Alexa will read from when you ask her what’s on your schedule. This is very helpful if you have several different shared calendars, but only want to hear about one or two of them. I use this to keep track of app launches and interviews, and it’s very handy to be able to listen to a list of appointments instead of having to look at my calendar.
More smart home functionality
Even though it hasn’t been released yet, Amazon Echo already works with Samsung’s SmartThings to control additional connected home devices. The repertoire of things you can control with Alexa keeps growing, and it means I’m going to need a second Amazon Echo soon for my downstairs time.
Something different about Dash
Finally, in the Internet of Things realm, don’t forget that you can use those Amazon Dash buttons for more than just ordering things. As we discussed in a recent article, one hacker has figured out how to use the branded buttons to track everything from poopy diapers to sleep patterns.
Coming soon
More skills are on the way to the Echo. For example, the developer behind the Crystal Ball and Bingo skills has an upcoming addition to Alexa called Angry Bard. When available, it will hurl insults at you from the collected works of William Shakespeare. Should be fun.
Closing thoughts
That’s it for this week’s Echo roundup. What would you like to see me talk about in The Weekly Echo? I am listening and ready to delve deep into whatever you might want to know about this amazing gadget. While you’re thinking about that, try asking Alexa if her refrigerator is running or if she has Prince Albert in a can.I ran into a situation recently where a user would not or could not remember to commit their changes before exiting their FileMaker Go solution on their iPad.
The truth is it’s easy to complain that the user isn’t using the system as it was intended. Complaining about the user doesn’t really solve the problem, and we are problem solvers. This is custom software; it should work the way the user works, not the other way around.
In this case, the user was using an iPhone or iPad Mini. He pulls it from his pocket, opens a work order, adds some photos and notes, and then sticks the device back in his pocket. Then he does some work (like replacing a window in a building) and then takes some more photos of the completed repair.
The way FileMaker Go reconnects to the server (and now in version 14 FileMaker Pro works this way also) makes this work seamlessly for the user. The problem in this case is that the user is sleeping his device without committing changes so when another user modifies that record while FileMaker Go is “sleeping”, the iPad user’s changes are lost.
When FileMaker Go is in a “sleeping/disconnected” state, uncommitted changes don’t get explicitly committed…and other users can modify the record.
Here at Skeleton Key we keep a “Developer’s Chat room” open on Slack throughout the day. The team kicked this issue around for a bit trying to come up with a good solution. We came up with several ideas:
Show some sort of alert to the user when there were uncommitted changes
Use a wizard style interface for making changes
Use a web page approach (edit & submit) buttons
Capture changes via global fields then write them with a transaction style script
All of these items came with their own set of issues and drawbacks. And we felt like they were really just treating the symptom rather than solving the problem. What was the problem? The problem was that the user wasn’t “saving” their changes. Or to say that differently, the data wasn’t being saved (again, not really the user’s fault).
So we decided to take a different approach and see if we could save the changes without changing how the user was working.
The solution was found by utilizing the way OnTimer script triggers work. To be honest, I usually don’t have much use for OnTimer scripts. Maybe it is because one of the first examples I saw of how they could be used was to show a dialog once an hour reminding users to submit their time sheets. In general, they have always been kind of a turn off for me.
Despite its drawbacks the OnTimer trigger has some specific characteristics that play a big role in our solution.
Any window can only have one OnTimer trigger at any moment Calling the Install OnTimer Script step will cancel any currently running trigger Calling the Install OnTimer Script step without a script specified will cancel all timer scripts Calling the Install OnTimer Script step with the interval set to 0 or blank will cancel all timer scripts
Time-triggered events run during idle time
The solution for us was to use an OnObject Modify script trigger to call a script that invoked an OnTimer trigger that would commit the current record and restore our cursor to its original position.
In its most basic form, that solution looked like this:
Save It
Commit & Restore Cursor (simple)
You’ll notice we are waiting 1 second in the script above. In the picker example referenced at the end of this article a.25 second wait time works best. We found that on an iPad the longer wait time was needed.
The basic idea is that each time a field is modified it initiates the “Save It” script. Subsequent calls cancel the previous calls and the timer script won’t start until there is idle time (the user stops typing). Once there is a lull in the action the timer will fire the “Commit & Restore Cursor” script.
There are a few things you need to put in place to make this work:
First, you’ll need to give each field on the layout a name because after we commit the record we use the Go To Object script step to get the cursor back to its original location.
Next, you’ll need to attach an OnObject Modify trigger to each field on the layout. Don’t worry, they all call the same script and there are no parameters to pass, so it’s still pretty easy to implement
And there are a few “gotcha” items as well:
Portals When the user makes a change to a field in a portal the Go to Object step will put the cursor in the first portal row regardless of which row the user was originally in. We can overcome this issue by capturing the portal row before the commit, and then using a looping script to get back to the correct row.
Containers Container fields in FileMaker Go will show a dialog pop over whenever the cursor is put into the field. Therefore the “restore cursor” portion of our script causes an unwanted dialog. We can overcome this issue by using the “FieldType” function to capture whether the current field is a container field or not and if it is, exit the script before the “restore cursor” steps.
Styles Similar to the issue with container fields, fields that have any control style applied (drop-down list, pop-up menu, checkbox, radio button, drop-down calendar) will behave poorly when we go back to the field after the commit step. We can overcome this issue by using the “FieldStyle” function to capture whether the current field is using a control style or not and if it is, exit the script before the “restore cursor” steps.
When you put it all together the result looks like this:
Commit & Restore Cursor
I first came across a similar technique over at www.modularfilemaker.org. The issue there was running a picker over a WAN and trying to make it behave quickly. The solution was an OnTimer triggered script used in a similar way to what we have done here.
Let me know in the comments if you’ve found this technique useful. Feel free to leave your own stories of users who don’t “use the system the way it was designed.” 😉
About Skeleton Key
Skeleton Key helps turn complex, complicated, and outdated systems into true information platforms. Our team of consultants and developers do this by developing custom-fit software tools and reporting dashboards that help businesses find, use, and understand their data, freeing them to focus on and grow their core business.
In addition to custom databases and applications, we also provide training and coaching for getting the most out of your existing systems and understanding your unruly data. Skeleton Key is an open-book management company and active player of the Great Game of Business.(NOTE: We've updated this article with much more information from Friday evening. Please scroll down if you haven't read it all yet. Thx.)
All four members of U2 were back at work today at Electric Lady Studios in New York City, where Danger Mouse has been mixing the next U2 album.
We had a reporter on scene for a few hours in the afternoon, after Bono, The Edge and Adam Clayton had already arrived. While there, our reporter saw Coldplay's Chris Martin arrive, followed by Larry Mullen Jr. about two minutes later.
Shortly after that, a van arrived with three guitars -- each with a white label that said "U2/Edge" -- and our reporter actually helped bring the gear into the studio. (!) He saw Larry and Chris Martin together in another room before heading back outside. There was also a delivery of Ludwig drum heads; Larry's drum tech, Sam O'Sullivan, signed for that delivery.
Bono's assistant was there with what looked like a small case of clothes. The rumor is that there may be some kind of video shoot this weekend in the studio. Our reporter talked to the owner of a shop across the street from the studio, who said "they" (he thinks it was U2's crew) bought props for a video shoot. (That said, there are often lots of TV and movie shoots in New York City, so this could be anything.)
Our reporter also heard some drum tracks from outside, but no full songs, and shot this brief video of Chris Martin leaving. Martin denied he was there with U2, even though our reporter saw him and Larry together in the studio.
Word is that U2 -- or at least The Edge -- are in town until Monday, so there may be more news over the weekend.
Another fan was in the area earlier today, before our reporter showed up. Adrienne Wenner spoke to Dallas Schoo, and shared this on Twitter:
I saw my good buddy Dallas Schoo today. He said the new U2 album has a different mix. Some pop and rock. — Adrienne Wenner (@AidreenWhen) May 31, 2013
UPDATE: Shortly after we posted the above, there was more activity at Electric Lady Studios. U2 took part in a video shoot on the studio roof, doing an acoustic version of "Sunday Bloody Sunday." The video shoot apparently had nothing to do with the new album, and seems to have been instead done with people involved in the Inside Out art project. No idea when or where that video will see the light of day. Jaime Scatena, one of the people involved in the art project, shared this photo via Instagram.
After that ended, the band -- or at least Bono and The Edge -- went with the Inside Out folks to the SoHo district of New York City and gave a small, private performance. Scatena tweeted a photo of Bono and The Edge, saying "Photo: Private concert… Bono & The Edge… Wow, thanks @JR or everything! #u2 #nyc (at SoHo)."
The "@JR" mentioned above is the artist who founded the Inside Out art project in 2011 after winning a TED prize. The private performance was at his studio, and he also tweeted a photo of Bono and Edge (and Chris Martin behind them, it appears):
There's also a tweet from @KrinkNYC which says that Bono and Edge did an acoustic version of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" at JR's studio. (So that's two performances of SBS on the night.)
Last, but not least, JR himself also sent out another tweet and photo earlier from his studio.
We see Edge on the stairs right next to "The Family" sign (to the right of it), and Bono is on the left side of the photo below the sign. That might be Larry in between Bono and Edge, behind the woman in the yellow shirt. We don't see Adam anywhere in this photo.
And that, as best we can tell, is the full rundown of Friday's events.Feral cat skins drying on a laundry rack. Credit:Emma Byrnes Referring to a dog-eared notebook Barry Green confirms he's accounted for 1366 feral cats (including a few road kill and those brought in by farmers) since joining a program to preserve and protect local native birds. "It averages out to about two a week but I don't trap as much as I used to – I can't afford to travel and you've got to check the traps every day," he says, switching on the lights to his lounge room, which now doubles as a fantastic, if macabre, museum of feline fur craft. To help pay for petrol and cat food (which he uses for bait) Green sells the skins and has experimented over the years making cat fur accessories, including stubby holders, bookmarks, caps and fridge magnets. His home, which he shares with his wife Julie Green, has become a popular outsider tourist destination. "I have hundreds of letters [but] I don't advertise anywhere because of the cat lovers," he says, adding that he's only had two death threats and only one of these was serious enough to report to police.
Gregory Andrews, Federal Threatened Species Commissioner. Credit:Paul Miller In Canberra, threats and daily abuse are now routine for Gregory Andrews. Since becoming Australia's Threatened Species Commissioner in 2014 he's been the public face of our war on feral cats. "One person actually wrote on Facebook that they hoped I get raped by feral cats and somebody else told me that they hoped that I burn in hell and, if not, that I'm the next target of ISIS, which I thought was kind of extraordinary," Andrews tells Fairfax Media. He says the bulk of the vitriol comes from "well-meaning, naïve people", often from New York and England, who don't understand the damage feral cats are doing to native animals in Australia. (His office has also received angry letters from high profile cat-lovers including actor Brigitte Bardot and UK singer Morrissey.) Inside Barry Green's house is an artwork called "Curiosity". The kitten curtains open up to reveal a panel about a metre wide comprising cat heads and skins with native bird feathers stuffed in their mouths, a comment on the impact of feral cats on native wildlife. Credit:Emma Byrnes "I feel sorry for them because they obviously must feel very conflicted because they love animals. I love animals and I don't think it's something enjoyable to be killing animals in the fight against extinction but I know it's the right thing. And I know that we're saving animal lives by culling cats."
And the science is compelling. Andrews says a conservative estimate puts 20 million feral cats currently roaming Australia. Since Europeans arrived here there have been 29 mammal species extinctions; feral cats have contributed to 28 of them (the thylacine or Tasmanian Tiger was hunted to extinction by humans). By comparison, in North America, where native fauna has adapted to feline and other top-order predators, only one mammal species – the sea mink – has been lost and that was due to hunting by humans. Bob Green at the entrance to his aptly named home on Kangaroo Island. Credit:Emma Byrnes Feral cats in Australia are intrepid, able to roam 99.8 per cent of mainland and survive arid, low-water conditions by ingesting moisture from their prey. "Field work has shown they kill between four and over 20 Australian native animals every day, ranging from a grasshopper to a bilby or a mid-sized wallaby," says Andrews. "They're very powerful killing machines." Each feral cat causes at least 1400 native animal deaths per year or 7000 over its lifespan. "I sleep very well at night knowing that by tackling feral cats I'm not only helping avoid extinctions but it's humane to tackle feral cats." A catskin stubby holder made by Barry Green. Credit:Peter Barrett
Since 2014 the Federal Government has spent more than $130 million on threatened plants, animals and ecosystems. Last year Minister for the Environment Greg Hunt announced a further $5.4 million for 93 projects around the country specifically tackling the feral cat problem. Commissioner Andrews visited Kangaroo Island early last year and found the vast majority of the island's 4500 people are behind the idea of eradicating feral cats and becoming one of five planned feral cat-free Australian islands by 2020. The greatest challenge now is to scale-up the national effort, he says. "It's a threat to so much more than our wildlife because it's a threat to our identity as Australians. We have already lost eight wallaby species to feral cats and 16 more are at risk. We can't keep naming our rugby teams 'the wallabies' and putting these animals on our coins, on our coat-of-arms, if we lose them to extinction." Meanwhile, Barry Green continues introducing the island's more intrepid visitors to an issue that seems to be gathering mainstream momentum. "I'm a hands-on environmentalist," he grins.Storytelling is a powerful tool for social change and building community.
The Embracing Identities Project is searching for personal stories of coming out as LGBTQ and atheist in a variety of communities. Our mission is to increase understanding of the diverse collection of people who identify as queer and faithless, examine the intersections of identities and experiences within this group, and to inspire others to embrace their identities within their communities.
If you are interested in sharing your coming out story, let us know! Participants can expect to set up time for one or two interviews in person or via phone. You will be involved in the process of editing your story into a written narrative with the potential of being published on Applied Sentience – a multi-university, online, humanist publication.
Interested? Or just want more information? Please contact Heather Yaden at [email protected](OTTAWA) – The Green Party of Canada (GPC) released the following statement regarding the planned closure to Canada’s high Arctic research station, The Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL):
“The last time this vital research station on Ellesmere Island was threatened with closure was in 2012, during the infamous anti-science Harper years, which also featured the muzzling of scientists on the government payroll,” said Richard Zurawski, GPC Climate Change Critic.
“I am not surprised PEARL is on the chopping block again. The Liberals say a lot of nice things – mouthing all the proper words at the right time, projecting a pro-science and research campaign – while simultaneously choking off funding and giving vested fossil fuel interests a free hand,” Mr. Zurawksi said.
Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada (MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands), said: “The Arctic recorded its eighth lowest summer ice extent, along with the lowest winter extent this year, and ocean levels are rising at their fastest levels on record, which threatens low-lying coastal cities.
“Why would a government, supposedly so committed to science, climate change and international collaboration, allow this research station to be closed? I wish I had an answer. Without research, we will not discover answers. And without answers, we cannot take educated, informed action on climate change,” Ms. May said.
- 30 -
For additional information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Dan Palmer
Press Secretary | Attaché de presse
[email protected]
m: (613) 614-4916Accepting that numbers can do strange, new things is one of the toughest parts of math:
There are numbers between the numbers we count with? (Yes — decimals)
There’s a number for nothing at all? (Sure — zero)
The number line is two dimensional? (You bet — imaginary numbers)
Calculus is a beautiful subject, but challenges some long-held assumptions:
Numbers don’t have to be perfectly accurate?
Numbers aren’t just scaled-up versions of each other (i.e. 1 times some number)?
Today’s post introduces a new way to think about accuracy and infinitely small numbers. This is not a rigorous course on analysis — it’s my way of grappling with the ideas behind Calculus.
Counting Numbers vs. Measurement Numbers
Not every number is the same. We don’t often consider the difference between the “counting numbers” (1, 2, 3…) and the “measuring numbers” like 2.58, $\pi$, $\sqrt{2}$.
Our first math problems involve counting: we have 5 apples and remove 3, or buy 3 books at \$10 each. These numbers change in increments of 1, and everything is nice and simple.
We later learn about fractions and decimals, and things get weird:
What’s the smallest fraction? (1/10? 1/100? 1/1000?)
What’s the next decimal after 1.0? 1.1? 1.001?
It gets worse. Numbers like $\sqrt{2}$ and π go on forever, without a pattern. Numbers “in the real world” have all sorts of complexity not found in our nice, chunky counting numbers.
We’re hit with a realization: we have limited accuracy for quantities that are measured, not counted.
What do I mean? Find the circumference of a circle of radius 3. Oh, that’s easy; plug r=3 into circumference = 2 * pi * r and get 6*pi. Tada!
That’s cute, but you didn’t answer my question — what number is it?
You may pout, open your calculator and say it’s “18.8495…”. But that doesn’t answer my question either: What, exactly, is the circumference?
We don’t know! Pi continues forever and though we know a trillion digits, there’s infinitely more. Even if we knew what pi was, where would we write it down? We really don’t know the exact circumference of anything!
But hush hush — we’ve hidden this uncertainty behind a symbol, π. When you see π in an equation it means “Hey buddy, you know that number, the one related to circles? When it’s time to make a calculation, just use the closest approximation that works for you.”
Again, that’s what the symbol means — we don’t know the real number, so use your best guess. By the way, e and √(2) have the same caveat.
40 digits of pi should be enough for anyone
We think uncertainty is chaos: how can you build a machine unless you know the exact sizes of its parts?
But as it turns out, the “closest approximation of pi that works for us” tends to be surprisingly small. Yes, we’ve computed pi to billions of digits but we only need about 40 for any practical application.
Why? Consider this:
Atoms are about 1e-11 meters across
The universe is about 90 billion light years (1e27 meters) wide
Dividing it out, it takes about 1e38 (1e27 / 1e-11) atoms to span the universe. So, around 40 digits of pi would be enough for an exact count of atoms needed to surround the universe. Were you planning on building something larger than the universe and precise to an atomic level? (If so, where would you put it?)
And that’s just 40 digits of precision; 80 digits covers us in case there’s a mini-universe inside each of our atoms, and 120 digits in case there’s another mini-universe inside of that one.
The point is our instruments have limited precision, and there’s a point where extra detail just doesn’t matter. Pi could become a sudoku puzzle after the 1000th digit and our machines would work just fine.
But I need exact numbers!
Accepting uncertainty is hard: what is math if not accurate and precise? I thought the same, but started noticing how often we’re tricked in the real world:
Our brains are fooled into thinking 24 images per second is the same as fluid motion.
Every digital photo (and printed ones, too!) are made from tiny pixels. Pictures seem smooth image until you zoom in:
The big secret is that every digital photo is pixelated: we only call it pixelated when we happen to notice the pixels. Otherwise, when the squares are tiny enough we’re fooled into thinking we have a smooth picture. But it’s just smooth for human eyes.
This happens to mechanical devices also. At the atomic level, there limits on measurement certainty that restrict how well we can know a particle’s speed and location. Some modern theories suggest a quantized universe — we might be living on a grid!
Here’s the point: approximations are a part of Nature, yet everything works out. Why? We only need to be accurate within our scale. Uncertainty at the atomic level doesn’t matter when you’re dealing with human-sized objects.
Every number has a scale
The twist is realizing that even numbers have a scale. Just like humans can’t directly observe atoms, some numbers can’t directly interact with “infinitesimals” or infinitely small numbers (in the line of 1/2, 1/3… 1/infinity).
But infinitesimals and atoms aren’t zero. Put a single atom and on your bathroom scale, and the scale still reads nothing. Infinitesimals behave the same way: in our world of large numbers, 1 + infinitesimal looks just like 1 to us.
Now here’s the tricky part: A billion, trillion, quadrillion, kajillion infinitesimals is still undetectable! Yes, I know, in the real world if we keep piling atoms onto our scale, eventually it will register as some weight. But not so with infinitesimals. They’re on a different plane entirely — any finite amount of them will simply not be detectable. And last time I checked, we humans can only do things in finite amounts.
Let’s think about infinity for a minute, intuitively:
Infinity “exists” but is not reachable by our standard math. No amount of addition or multiplication will take you there — we need an infinite amount of addition to make infinity (circular, right?). Similarly, no finite amount of division will create an infinitesimal.
Infinity and infinitesimals require new rules of arithmetic, just like fractions and complex numbers changed the way we do math. We’ll get into this more later.
It’s strange to think about numbers that appear to be zero at our scale, but aren’t. There’s a difference between “true” zero and a measured zero. I don’t fully grasp infinitesimals, but I’m willing to explore them since they make Calculus easier to understand.
Just remember that negative numbers were considered “absurd” even in the 1700s, but imagine doing algebra without them.
Life Lessons
Math can often apply to the real world. In this case, it’s the realization that accuracy exists on different levels, and perfect accuracy isn’t needed. We only need 40 digits of pi for our engineering calculations!
When doing market research, would knowing 80% vs 83.45% really change your business decision? The former is 100x less precise and probably 10x easier to get, yet contains almost the same decision-making information.
In science, there’s an idea of significant figures, which help portray uncertainty in our measurements. We’re so used to contrived math problems (“Suzy is driving at 50mph for 3 hours”) that we forget the real world isn’t that clean. Information can be useful even if it’s not perfectly precise.
Math Lessons
Calculus was first developed using infinitesimals, which were abandoned for techniques with more “rigor”. Only in the 1960′s (not that long ago!) were the original methods shown to be justifiable, but it was too late — many calculus explanations are separate from the original insights.
Again, my goal is to understand the ideas behind Calculus, not simply rework the mechanics of its proofs. The first brain-bending ideas are that perfect accuracy isn’t necessary and that numbers can exist on different scales.
There’s a new type of number out there: the infinitesimal. In future posts we’ll see how to use them. Happy math.
Other Posts In This SeriesLong-term loves Kit Harington and Rose Leslie are engaged, sources have claimed.
The Game Of Thrones actor, 30, has reportedly popped the question to his Scottish girlfriend of five years Rose Leslie - who he met on the HBO series in 2012.
The smitten couple, who shut down engagement speculation over the summer, are rumoured to have told friends and family last week that they're set to wed.
Scroll down for video
Rumour has it: Long-term loves Kit Harington and Rose Leslie are engaged, sources have claimed
'They're yet to set a date, but told friends and family last week that they've got engaged,' a source told The Sun.
'Kit's known for ages he's wanted to marry Rose but he wanted them to get a house and settle down a bit first.'
The insider claimed Kit felt marriage was the natural next step for him and Rose, also 30, after they moved into a £1.75million mansion in East Anglia.
'After moving in together in January he felt it was the right time to take the next step,' they said. MailOnline have contacted reps for Kit and Rose for comment.
Engaged? The Game Of Thrones actor, 30, has reportedly popped the question to his co-star girlfriend of four years Rose Leslie, also 30
Cute couple: The couple, who shut down engagement speculation over the summer, are rumoured to have told friends and family last week that they're set to wed
'I've moved in with my other best friend Rose, so I'm very happy,' Harington told chat show host James Corden in June.
'It's going well, so she's got all sorts of ideas for the house.'
'I said to her, cause she's moved into my house, "Look darling, it's important that this is our space. That it feels like our space.
'That you haven't just moved into mine. Move anything you want around, change anything, chuck anything out".'
Screen stars: The Scottish actress appeared on GOT as Ygritte from 2012 to 2014, while Kit has played Jon Snow on the series since its premiere in 2011
Going strong: The insider claimed Kit felt marriage was the natural next step for the couple after they moved into a £1.75million mansion in East Anglia
The couple - who met on the set of the HBO fantasy series - purchased a medieval 15th century timber home in the English countryside.
The seven-bedroom house boasts a medieval-inspired moat around the property that sits on eight acres in East Anglia.
The proposal claims come after the couple denied they are engaged back in July.
Sweet: After they moved in, Kit said: 'I've moved in with my other best friend Rose, so I'm very happy. It's going well, so she's got all sorts of ideas for the house'. Pictured together in 2016
The stars shut down reports that they are to wed, after Life & Style claimed the pair were 'planning their nuptials'.
The U.S. tabloid alleged that Kit had popped the question over a romantic dinner, leaving his long-time girlfriend in tears.
'Kit recently cooked Rose a romantic candlelight dinner and proposed to her. She burst into tears and immediately said yes!' a unnamed source claimed.
However, the stars' reps denied that the pair were set to tie the knot at the time.
Smitten: Kit recently said of the couple, who met on GoT in 2012, that it was'really special' that they met on the HBO series and are still going strong now. Pictured in 2014
The Scottish actress appeared on GOT as Ygritte from 2012 to 2014, while Kit has played Jon Snow on the series since its premiere in 2011.
Rose, who found fame as servant girl Gwen in Downton Abbey, is said to want a traditional wedding 'with kilts and bagpipes' in her native Scotland, Life & Style reported.
At the season seven premiere for Game Of Thrones in Los Angeles, Kit spoke about his relationship with his former co-star.
'I think that's the really special thing about it is that we met on this show and here we are seven years down the line back here promoting season seven,' he said on the red carpet.
'I mean it's mad. It's such a special thing. I'm so privileged,' he added.
Life imitating art: Kit revealed how 'easy' it was to fall in love with Rose while they were shooting Game Of Thrones
While the actor didn't divulge too many details about their relationship, which had apparently been on and off since 2012, he said the couple were'very, very happy.'
He also revealed last year how 'easy' it was to fall in love with Aberdeen beauty Rose.
Recalling his favourite memory of shooting GoT, he told L'Uomo Vogue: 'The three weeks in Iceland where we shot the second season... because the country is beautiful, the light of the North magic, and why it was there that I fell in love.
'If you are attracted to a person and in fiction is your love interest, it becomes easy to fall in love.'Citing a need to allow him to focus on his football career, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network has announced that it is postponing its planned TV series centered around openly gay football player Michael Sam.
The still-untitled documentary special, which was announced on Wednesday, promised to follow the former University of Missouri athlete who was recently drafted by the St. Louis Rams during his “historic journey as he prepares to enter the biggest professional sports league in America.” An air date had not been set.
“After careful consideration and discussion with the St. Louis Rams, ‘The Untitled Michael Sam Project’ has been postponed, allowing Michael the best opportunity to achieve his dream of making the team,” said Erik Logan, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network prexy. “OWN is about elevating and empowering people to achieve their best. It’s clear that we, along with the world, recognize the important opportunity that Michael now has in this moment. We will continue to support him in his journey to earn a spot playing for the Rams.”
“After today’s meeting |
a party which lost more than 900 legislative seats under Obama! Yowzah!
5. A White House run by a reality TV star is the stage for reality TV! Righteous!
6. More Russia distraction! Boo-yah!
7. Oil companies continue to escape blame! Woo-hoo!
8. People in the Republican Party (like the Democratic) disagree with each other! Woot!
9. Progressives win a couple of seats while being purged by the Democratic Party leadership! Fun fun fun!
10. The border fence won't be a wall! Celebrate!
11. People don't like the President they elected to keep Solnit's preferred candidate out of the White House! Awesome!The AMC movie theater at the Freehold Raceway Mall has been evacuated for the second time in a week.
Joe Hewes of Freehold told New Jersey 101.5 he was watching "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" with his 21-year-old daughter Friday afternoon when the when the screen went dark and a woman came into the theater and told everyone to leave.
Hewes said everyone in his theater left in an orderly fashion and several police cruisers reported to the theater. He said many people simply left in their own cars after being evacuated.
Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office spokesman Charles Webster confirmed Freehold Police and the Monmouth County Sheriff's Dept. responded to a threat at the theater, but has not yet provided further details. Update: Authorities have since said the matter was a bomb threat.
Two theaters were screening the new Star Wars movie at the time of the evacuation. Theater employees offered free tickets to come back and see the film according to Hewes.
The theater is at the mall's Route 537 entrance and is a free standing building not attached to the mall.
Earlier this week, the same complex was evacuated after an employee found a written bomb threat, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said at the time.
In that earlier case, the employee found a note in a bathroom Monday evening saying bombs had been placed in multiple theaters. But after authorities searched the complex, no bomb or other threat was found.A mucky-muck at a prominent department store chain would certainly have the resources to build and furnish a mansion. And that's exactly what Meier & Frank executive Leon Hirsch did in 1923 after he hired acclaimed architects Sutton & Whitney to design a Jacobean Tudor-style house in Portland Heights.
The architectural style, first popularized during the 17th century reign of King James I of England, is noted for its use of columns, arched recessed entries and other classic English Renaissance ornamental details.
Hirsch's four-level brick mansion, at 1957 SW Montgomery Dr., has a formal dining room with a Baccarat crystal chandelier, wood paneled library and three fireplaces.
It's no wonder the stately house was included in the venerable book, "Classic Houses of Portland, Oregon, 1850-1950."
Hirsch was related by marriage to Meier & Frank founder Aaron Meier, who married Jeanette Hirsch. Leon worked 50 years for the company that transformed the general store concept into a modern department store, according to historians.
The chain operated in the Pacific Northwest from 1857 to 2006, and was considered one of America's Great Stores. It's credited with introducing the perk of a money-back guarantee.
Members of the Meier, Frank and Hirsch families owned most of the stock when the company was sold in 1966. The company sold again in 2005 to the May department stores, and was later rolled into the Macy's brand.
Leon Hirsch was characterized by colleagues as a loyal, efficient and vigilant company man. He was married to Edith E. Dittenhofer, and they had a daughter, who graduated from Miss Catlin's School (now Catlin Gabel) and the University of Washington.
Another footnote: Leon's cousin Max Hirsch purchased Willamette Tent & Awning in 1907 and turned it into the Hirsch-Weis canvas products company. Max's son Harold founded White Stag skiwear.
Leon Hirsch's home has changed hand over the decades, but still retains its original architectural character. For the latest improvement, Heidi Semler Interior Design worked with brothers Brian and Jeff Bohrer of Cornerstone Construction Services, who were praised for restoring and updating the John Yeon designed Shaw House in Lake Oswego that was selected as the centerpiece of the 2015 Street of Dreams.
In the Portland mansion, original oak floors, crown moldings and cast-iron radiators were restored. The updated kitchen has white tile backsplashes and quartzite counters that mirror the era in which the home was built.
Step outside to see the covered dining porch that looks like an arched arcade. The front terrace, gardens and grounds were designed by landscape architect Craig Kiest of Huntington & Kiest, a Portland firm he founded with the late architectural historian and landscape architect Wallace Kay Huntington.
The historic mansion, on a third of an acre, was listed for sale on Saturday, April 1. The price: $2.8 million.
With 8,994 square feet of living space, that breaks down to $311 a square foot, which is under the median price of $491 a square foot for the Northwest Portland area, according to real estate database Redfin. (Update: Redfin linked to the Northwest when it should be Southwest, which is $262 a square foot.)
Annual taxes are about $34,500.
Who would live in the Leon Hirsch house today? Past recent occupants have included young families with sophisticated tastes, international travelers and business movers-and-shakers who want to live close to the cultural center, restaurants and shops of the Pearl District area, says MJ Steen of Windermere Stellar, who listed the property.
And maybe scholars of Portland's rich retail history?
-- Janet Eastman
[email protected]
503-799-8739
@janeteastmanEditor’s Note: Brenden Mulligan created Onesheet, a tool that enables musicians to create beautiful web presences in two minutes. Before that he founded and sold ArtistData and spent years working in the traditional music industry. Follow him on Twitter at @mulligan.
MySpace. Or is it Myspace. Or is it My______. I’m not sure. Truth is, it doesn’t matter.
What matters is that MySpace has made increasingly bad decisions for too many years to every hope that they’ll become relevant again. Their latest bad decision shows how detached they are from the little value they still offer the entertainment industry.
When MySpace launched its Justin Timberlake-heavy redesign, there was a critical aspect missing from every artist page. An asset that bands, record labels, and interns spent countless hours building: their fan base. MySpace decided that they would erase the audience that the bands had built and ask them to start over.
To put it simply, THEY DELETED THE F*CKING FANS.
It was upon realizing this that my brain exploded.
But before we get to that, relax in your favorite armchair as I tell the tale of what MySpace meant to the music industry.
A Godsend
A site called MySpace launched in 2003 and immediately got the attention of the music industry because it was the easiest way for a musician to set up a web presence with songs, blog posts, tour dates, etc. I was working at a record label at the time, and MySpace was truly revolutionary. It was a gift to all of us who spent way too much time worrying about artist web presences.
It also came with the amazing concept of “friends.” OMG CARTWHEELS. We could quantify a fan base, and even better, by encouraging fans to share (and using spammy friend-adder tools), we could actually grow a fan base. Suddenly “friend count” was one of the most important metrics in the industry. When trying to get a band hired to play a concert, the number of MySpace friends became a big big selling point.
Customization Joy
Over time (mostly because the MySpace code was such a nightmare and unsecure) people learned how to hack their MySpace pages to look however they wanted. This was another huge win for musicians, because a branded web presence is a really important thing. We wanted the pages to represent the artist, not MySpace. And while this was amazing for musicians, it also greatly benefitted MySpace, because the industry started telling fans about the social network instead of the artist’s website. We even re-directed the artist’s domain name to their MySpace page (which actually was a missed opportunity for MySpace, but that’s an entirely different post).
The Conundrum
MySpace was then acquired in 2005 by News Corp for $580 million, but honestly, the industry didn’t care. MySpace still worked just like we wanted. The bigger problem that emerged around that time was Facebook started taking off, and there were fewer consumers coming to MySpace. But that’s okay, because MySpace’s Google ranking was still phenomenal. Most times when searching a band name, their MySpace profile was the first link. So regardless of Facebook’s popularity, the MySpace presence was still very very important. So for years, we kept updating it religiously.
It was around 2007 when it became clear that MySpace had a looming problem. Because their code allowed musicians to be totally flexible with their pages, MySpace couldn’t really innovate. If they re-designed their site, it would break all the customizations that its core, and only remaining valuable, users had invested time and money into.
Facebook was winning because of its clean streamlined design and more engaged users. MySpace couldn’t really do anything to beat them as a social network. But what MySpace could try was to own the entertainment vertical. But at the same time, they had to be very very careful about keeping that vertical happy, because at any moment the entertainment industry could say “screw it, we’re moving to Facebook.”
And the MySpace conundrum emerged. They could innovate and piss off their core users, or do nothing and continue to crumble. Not an enviable position.
MySpace sat stagnant for a long time. Bands remarkably kept updating it, but for the most part, there wasn’t a clear future for it. And eventually NewsCorp sold it for a fraction of what they bought it for.
The Refocus
When Specific Media bought the site, their plan sounded good on paper. Completely focus the site around the one thing people actually use it for, entertainment content. They had hundreds of millions of users and an enormous amount of traffic, and they could leverage those very valuable assets to revamp the site to be the premiere entertainment destination on the web. Plus, they recruited Mouseketeer turned dick-in-a-boxer Justin Timberlake to help breathe fresh new life into the archaic brand.
The Elephant In The Room
In fact, the brand was the site’s biggest liability. Although MySpace was an internationally recognized brand and very associated with music and entertainment, it was also seen as a poorly designed site that was past its prime. While the brand could be considered an asset, I always felt like it was more of a liability, and I thought that getting users to get excited about MySpace again was near impossible.
If I had been running Specific Media, at this moment I would have acquired a less well-known but more respected brand, such as Bandcamp, Reverbnation, or, yes, Onesheet. Then I would have found a way to leverage the assets of MySpace (traffic and users) under the new brand’s identity. I think this would have given Specific Media a better chance at a return on investment than reviving a brand with the negative connotations of MySpace.
But, they decided to forge on with MySpace and embark on a drastic redesign that they claimed would bring MySpace back.
The Teaser Video
In 2012, MySpace released a teaser video that gave a glimpse into what they would be releasing. The New MySpace depicted in the video was beautifully designed and a really interesting concept. I personally thought the user interaction looked too confusing, but at least it showed that MySpace had brought together a team that could build a compelling and visually well-designed product. It actually got me excited to give it a try.
The New Site
When MySpace finally started letting people in to experience the new site, we all realized the same thing. While it’s neat, it’s not easy to use and doesn’t feel like it’s worth rebuilding a social graph again.
As I played with the new site, I noticed I wasn’t connected to any bands or friends. I realized that my old account was under a different email address, so I signed out and tried to sign in with my old address. That didn’t work, but then I saw the option to use my old MySpace account. I used my old email and password and then it became clear that while I was using my old credentials, it wasn’t really porting over my account. It was just letting me use the old login info.
When it asked me to connect with my friends, it emphasized Facebook and Twitter over MySpace. This makes sense because those social graphs are probably more updated. Then I saw the column on the right that prompted me to connect to certain artists. That was confusing to me. I’d been connected to them on MySpace before. Shouldn’t I still be connected to them?
And then it hit me. MySpace had shit the bed. Again.
The OMG WTF DID THAT REALLY JUST HAPPEN Moment
Immediately, I started looking around the site in complete disbelief.
Getting musicians to care at all about MySpace again is a hard enough challenge. Getting them to care enough to try to rebuild a fan base on the platform is out of the question. And that’s what they’re expecting. Every musician starts out in the new MySpace with zero fans. They need to start from scratch. To tell their audience “Go back to MySpace and connect with us!”
An example: Britney Spears has about 1.5 million friends on the old MySpace. She has fewer than 7,000 connections on the new MySpace. Hell, even ever-present well-dressed JT has about 1.5 million friends on the old and 50,000 on the new.
I know that the data from the old system isn’t optimal. I know that most of us have moved on and there’s very little chance we’d actually engage with MySpace again. But the fact that MySpace didn’t automatically port our accounts and the friend graph over from its old system is lost on me. I don’t get it. IT’S ONE OF THE LAST ASSETS THEY HAD.
Musicians take advantage of every audience they have. They still used MySpace because regardless of activity, they still have a set of fans on there. Now, musicians have a choice: Ignore MySpace and keep building their fan bases on platforms people actually use, or try to drive their fans from Facebook and Twitter back to an ancient social network that’s confusing.
Musicians and entertainment professionals were the only real users MySpace had left. And the only reason they came was because they already had built an audience in MySpace’s heyday.
Now, they have no reason to return.
The Rise And Fall Of Empires
John Boyd Orr wrote “in the last five or six thousand years, empires one after another have arisen, waxed powerful by wars of conquest, and fallen by internal revolution or attack from without.”
For MySpace, regardless of the external attacks from Facebook, the “internal revolution” was its own misunderstanding of what its users found valuable, squandering the one thing the site had left to offer to musicians and entertainers: the audience they worked so hard to build.Single-parent families so common in today's Britain that couples are now a minority
Seven constituencies in the country constitute more single-parent families than couples
Britain has highest proportion of single parent families in Europe
Single-parent families are now so common that couples living with their children are the minority in some parts of the country.
Data shows there are seven Parliamentary constituencies where single-parent families make up the majority of households.
There are close to 2million single-parent families in the UK and we have the highest proportion of children brought up in one-parent families of any major European country.
Single parent families make up the majority in some of the country's biggest cities, including London, Manchester and Birmingham
The seven areas where single-parent families are the majority are in the urban hearts of London, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds.
In one constituency, Lewisham Deptford, 58 per cent of households with children are headed by lone parents.
At the other end of the spectrum, in the rural district of South Northamptonshire just one in every 20 family units is headed by a single parent.
The figures, from a Freedom of Information request to the Office for National Statistics, were greeted with concern yesterday.
Jill Kirby, a social policy expert and former director of the Centre for Policy Studies, said: ‘Children need input from both parents in order to thrive.
‘Research shows children growing up in fatherless homes are much less likely to do well at school and are at twice the risk of getting into problems with drink or drugs, or involved in crime. The UK welfare system has been partly to blame, by providing a substitute breadwinner rather than encouraging parents to stick together.’
Two years ago a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which represents industrialised nations, exposed Britain’s shocking record on broken homes.
It found we have more children living in one-parent families than any other European country and more of our single mothers are unemployed and on benefit than anywhere else on the Continent.
The study revealed 23 per cent of British children up to the age of 14 live in single-parent families, behind the US on 26 per cent. And 48 per cent of single mothers in Britain are unemployed, the highest rate in the OECD apart from Turkey.
Britain's broken families
The Parliamentary constituency with the highest proportion of lone-parent families is Lewisham Deptford in South East London, which includes such places as New Cross, Brockley and Honor Oak.
There are around 8,000 lone-parent families in the seat – represented by hard-left Labour MP Joan Ruddock – making up 58 per cent of the total.
Next comes Lewisham East and Liverpool Riverside, both on 56 per cent. Manchester Central and Vauxhall are on 54 per cent, while Birmingham Ladywood and Leeds Central are on 53 per cent.
The area where children are most likely to live with two parents is South Northamptonshire, which covers small towns such as Brackley and Towcester.We’ve all been there. Really. We were new riders once. We understand where you’re at: You’ve just bought your first motorcycle. You’re all excited to be riding your new (or new-to-you) bike home, you park your bike and stand back to admire it – and then it hits you: Now what do I do?
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Here we’re offering some ideas for how to change from a newbie to a seasoned motorcyclist with a minimum of mistakes and a maximum dose of fun. As we thought about the hurdles we had to surmount as new riders, we decided that since some of our memories had faded with hindsight, we should enlist an actual new rider to give us his/her experience. You know, the view from the trenches.
After weeks of searching, we found Giovanny Olivares, who at 25 is the proud owner of his first motorcycle, a 2015 Honda CBR300R. We’ve taken him under our wing to travel the road of a new motorcyclist and offer advice about life on two wheels. Together with Giovanny, we’ve broken new ridership down into four categories: gear, wrenching, community, and education.
Saddle up, and let’s hit the road.
Giovanny says: Back in 2009, I saw a Harley-Davidson Iron 883, and the first time I saw that bike, I thought, man, I’ve got to get into motorcycles. On forums, people were saying that it was better to start on something small. You know, less expensive and light. I decided to go with a smaller sportbike because I wanted to test the waters to see if I liked riding. When I first looked, one of the things that stood out, as a starter bike, was the Kawasaki Ninja 300. I also saw the Honda CBR300R and liked the looks of it. Since my car is a 2009 Honda Civic and it never gave me any issues, I knew the Honda was reliable which is the main reason I decided to go with the CBR300R.
Gear Up
Immediately after you purchase your first motorcycle, a new task follows: acquiring proper riding gear. In fact, having riding gear is so important that you should include it in your budget when buying a bike since first-time riders often spend everything they’ve got on just the bike.
You don’t need to spend top dollar to protect yourself in a crash. You just need to make sure you’re properly protected for a mishap. Additionally, riding gear will actually make your rides more comfortable. So, we’ll take a look at what you should get and in the order you should get it.
Your local motorcycle dealership is a tremendous asset to have. The well-run ones will have a variety of riding gear available for you to try on. For a new rider, this is of primary importance since you don’t yet have the experience to make good buying decisions without checking the items for correct fit. This is also a good time to start building a relationship with your dealer’s parts guy. They can help you through many problems, so it’s good to be on friendly terms with them. In these days of internet discounts, remember that if you try on the gear at the dealership and decide to buy it, you really should buy it there, too. Yes, you can save a few bucks online, but a web store isn’t going to be there to hand you a part you suddenly realize you need late on the day before you leave for a big ride. So, help them stay in business. It’s in your self-interest as a motorcyclist.
Buyer’s Guide To Motorcycle Helmets
If you’re in one of the 19 states (plus the District of Columbia) that have universal helmet laws, you’ve probably already purchased a helmet when you picked up your bike. If you live in one of the 28 states that have limited use helmet laws that require only some motorcyclists to use helmets or one of the three states with no helmet law, we’re going to risk offending some of you by saying that your first gear purchase should be a DOT-legal (U.S. Dept. of Transportation) helmet. Really. The statistics are in, and those who wear helmets fare far better in crashes.
When dealing with helmets, the truism of buying the best riding gear you can afford is a major factor. Since you’re only considering DOT-legal helmets, the extra money you spend on premium brands/models might not provide extra protection. Instead, it gets you more comfort features, like a softer liner, lessened wind noise or better ventilation. Eight hours into a 10-hour ride, you’ll understand the importance of comfort in your gear. Although the racer graphics may appeal to you, the plain white helmet offers just as much protection. Also, we recommend sticking to the major helmet brands which have a reputation to protect.
Warm-Weather Gloves Buyer’s Guide
The next item to purchase may seem counter-intuitive, but you need a set of gloves. In a crash, humans stick out their paws to absorb the impact. Since that’s hardwired into our systems, the only logical thing to do is wear gloves when we ride. Gloves can be had for less than $50 and are worth their weight in gold should you hit the pavement. The rest of the time on a motorcycle, they’ll be offering you better grip and control of your bike’s levers. Oh, and they’ll make you look like a rider.
The key features to look for are leather construction with additional layers (plus padding) in the heel of the palm – the primary impact point. Leather construction throughout offers better protection than those featuring textile components. Gloves with hard armor over the knuckles offer better protection than those without. Some gloves combine finger protection with active vents, allowing air to flow over a rider’s hands. A strong wrist closure is important – as is a fit that is not too loose – to prevent the gloves from being flung off in a crash. Shorty gloves offer less protection than one with gauntlets that cover jacket sleeves. However, shorty gloves can allow a cooling breeze to flow up your sleeves on a hot summer day. So, consider your compromises. Finally, avoid gloves with metal components in the palms because they can get hot enough in a slide to give a serious burn.
Warm-Weather Jackets And Pants Buyers Guide
Now, we finally arrive at motorcycle-specific jackets, pants, and/or suits. Many riders begin just wearing a jean jacket, sweatshirt, external plastic spine protector, or even just a t-shirt for the first few months of riding. After all, the down payment on a new bike plus a helmet and gloves can tax the resources of many first-time motorcycle buyers. That’s okay. However, you will ultimately want to purchase some riding gear that features armor and higher abrasion resistance than your Levis. The good news is that many textile jackets are equipped with quality armor and other features, like breathable mesh, at reasonable prices. If you think you’ll want to buy riding pants other than riding jeans, look for jackets that offer attachments for pants that can be purchased at a later date. The advent of riding jeans has made it possible for you to go to the grocery store after a ride without looking like a leather fetishist.
When looking for jackets and pants, pay special attention to whether the armor is CE-approved or similar. Also, look for reflective piping, panels, or strips to make you more visible at night – particularly if you buy black riding gear. Options to consider, if you can afford them, are zip-out liners to extend the amount of the year your gear can be comfortably used. Also, if you’re planning on commuting on your bike, consider buying waterproof gear or a rain suit to cover your riding gear. Some jackets come with back protectors, and some only have a zippered pocket for an optional back pad. Consider buying one.
Warm-Weather Boot Buyers Guide
The last piece of motorcycle-specific gear to buy is a pair of riding boots. Why last? Simply, many people already own boots or high-topped sneakers that can work in a pinch while saving for a pair of dedicated riding boots. If you own a pair of boots that cover your ankles, like work boots, hiking shoes, or cowboy boots, (padding is a nice extra), you’ve got footwear that offers basic protection. The type of riding you do will tell you which path to follow for your first boots. Over the years, that style may change. Many riders start with a nice basic boot and add other options over the years.
When you are ready for motorcycle boots, look for ones that offer protection for your ankle bones and shins. Extra-cost items, like Gore-tex or venting, are nice but not necessary if you’re struggling to afford them. As you move up the cost spectrum, boots will gain adjustable fit and replaceable components. While the MO staff love these features, we all started with more basic boots and moved up as our riding experience – and the content of our wallets – increased.
Giovanny says: I never really looked in to gloves before. I thought I should just put something on. I didn’t really see gauntlets and things like that. I’ve never seen anything like that webbed pinkie finger, either.
Service Oriented
Motorcycles depend on us for more than just keeping from falling over. They are a good bit more maintenance intensive than other vehicles. So, an integral part of becoming a motorcyclist is learning how to wrench on your machine. Whether it is performing maintenance on your bike or bolting on performance or dress-up parts, the satisfaction and self-confidence that come from wielding your own tools can’t be overstated. Most new riders, unless they’re already experienced mechanics, begin with easy, low-risk tasks, like changing oil or adjusting a chain. Eventually, it moves on to replacing bent levers or scratched bodywork. Ultimately, you may find yourself venturing into the realm of valve adjustment and clutch replacement – or more.
Evans Off Camber – Wrenching
Traveling by motorcycle involves its own set of mechanical challenges, from setting up your bike to accommodate extra weight of luggage or a passenger, to roadside maintenance (like lubing/adjusting your chain), to repairs from tip-overs or equipment failure. If you have no previous experience in wrenching on your bike, a campground 60 miles from the nearest shop isn’t the place to start. Why not learn in the comfort of your own garage with the help of an experienced friend (or Youtube)?
The place to start with your mechanical education is your bike’s owner’s manual and its list of periodic maintenance items. If your bike has a chain, you’ll quickly become familiar with measuring its slack – if not the actual adjustment. Second in line will be the routine oil change. This simple chore can be a real confidence builder for a neophyte mechanic. Adjusting throttle free play and shifter/brake pedal height will go a long way towards making your bike fit you better. Lubing the pivot points on your bike (shifter, brake pedal, clutch/brake levers, and sidestand) will help you become intimate with the condition of your motorcycle while providing an often overlooked form of upkeep.
At some point, you’ll probably want to move on to modifying your bike. Many riders start with an aftermarket exhaust system. Unfortunately, many are simply way too loud, reflecting poorly on all motorcyclists. Another issue that often appears with a pipe is that, while it may increase top-end power (then again, it may not), it can also cause dead spots in other places in the rpm range – quite possibly at an engine speed you use frequently. So, perhaps try something else as your first modification.
Cruiser riders have a wealth of dress-up items available from the manufacturers and the aftermarket. Sport riders usually go for more performance-oriented modifications, like braided stainless steel brake lines. For those feeling less adventurous, a fender-eliminator kit or aftermarket turn signals are a great place to start modifying your bike. However, beware of changes that radically alter an important function of street bikes. (We’re looking at you, tiny billet or bar-end mirrors.)
Giovanny says: Wrenching is a skill I’d like to learn. One day, I definitely want to build my own bike. That’s something I would like to do. Once I’m a little more settled and have looked into the designs, I’d probably take on a project. Wrenching is something I would definitely like to do. It’s something I’m really interested in.
Plug In
New riders, today, are blessed to live in an era where information about riding and motorcycles is so easy to gather. Have an obscure question about your particular model of bike and nobody in your town that owns one? Well, odds are that there’s a web forum inhabited by knowledgeable riders devoted to that bike. All you have to do is log in. Now, opinions are as common as avatars on the web, so a modicum of caution is recommended. If you’re unfamiliar with a particular forum, take the first advice you get with a grain of salt until you hear from other users, or you can check the person’s profile to read their previous posts to see if their suggestions are coming from some actual knowledge or just being pulled out of their posterior orifice.
VerticalScope’s Motorsports Forums
When looking for forums, your favorite search engine is your friend, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that MO’s parent company VerticalScope owns a ton of motorcycle forums. A thorough, but by no means complete, listing can be found here. Once you’ve found a forum that fits your needs, introduce yourself in the new members section, but the best way to learn from these sites is to search their archives. Unless you’re unusual, your questions have probably been asked before. After you’re familiar with the topics, you can start a new thread with a basis on the previous discussions. Also, many forums have regional sections that might allow you to meet up with some local members, allowing you to start building your group of riding buddies.
Join a brand-specific club. Many manufacturers either offer their own sanctioned clubs, like Desmo Owners Club, Honda Riders Club of America, Riders Association of Triumph, Riders of Kawasaki, and STAR. Facebook is also a great place to look for brand/location/model-specific motorcycle groups.
Bike nights are a good way to meet other riders. Ask your local dealership if they know of any. If all else fails, call the local Harley dealer, they seem to have mastered the art of social interaction as a means of selling motorcycles. Once at a bike night, don’t be shy. People at these events want to hang out with other riders and show off any modifications they’ve made to their bikes. Don’t let brusque exteriors fool you; many riders love to help newbies out.
Many areas also have a popular destination for the Sunday ride. Find out where the nearest one to you is and go by yourself a few times. Even if you don’t know anyone, this environment is a great place to watch motorcyclists in their natural habitat. Sooner or later you’re going to click with a few people, and you’ll have someone to meet when you get there – or possibly ride with beforehand. This is how most of us found our riding buddies.
Giovanny says: Meeting other riders has been the most challenging thing about getting my bike. I use it to commute. I don’t know anyone else who rides motorcycles.
School of (Avoiding) Hard Knocks
Humans learn from making mistakes, but when the stakes are as high as they are when riding a motorcycle, we want to maximize the learning while minimizing the risk associated with miscues. Riding schools offer a controlled environment with expert instruction to help riders improve their technique. For riders who have never ridden a motorcycle before or those with very few miles, it’s hard to beat a MSF Basic RiderCourse. While nothing can beat logging miles on a motorcycle, a MSF course gives many new motorcyclists the tools to use in their journey to become proficient street riders. More experienced riders can move up to the Advanced RiderCourse, which expands on the basic rider skills and delves deeper into crash avoidance techniques. MSF courses are taught nationwide. Go to the MSF website to find the location nearest you.
Filling in the gap between the MSF courses and the more race track-focused, high-speed riding schools, riders can look to Lee Parks’ Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic (ARC). Combining classroom discussions ranging from vehicle dynamics to suspension setup to riding techniques with step-by-step instruction in a parking lot riding range, the ARC builds rider’s skills and confidence incrementally without the need for a high-speed venue. With an emphasis on cornering skills and how different styles of bikes (cruiser vs. sportbike vs. tourer) require slightly different techniques, students can begin practicing their skills as soon as they ride home from the class.
Lee Parks’ Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic Review
Streetmasters Motorcycle Workshops, which has previously run on Willow Springs Raceway’s street-modeled race track, the Horsethief Mile, has moved to actually riding on the street with their students. Unlike many track schools, Streetmasters has always focused on developing skills for riding on the street regardless of the type of bike ridden.
Then there are the more sportbike-focused track riding schools. While the net benefit of taking one of these schools is that the students become more proficient riders in the controlled environment of the track and carry those skills over to the street, these schools are primarily directed towards sportbike riders who want to explore their bike’s capabilities in the environment for which it was designed. Still, most track-based schools are very newbie friendly (in addition to welcoming bikes other than the sporty ones) in their structure and content. Here is a sampling of options: American Supercamp, California Superbike School, CLASS Motorcycle Schools, Keigwins @ The Track, STAR Motorcycle School, and Yamaha Champions School.
Giovanny says: I learned a lot in my motorcycle safety class. Most of the stuff I learned, I wouldn’t have figured out on my own. Maybe in the future I might go to a more advanced riding school. That’s something I’ve been looking in to. It’s definitely an experience I want to have.
Sidestand Down
Becoming a motorcyclist is a tremendous adventure. Many safety instructors mention the contact high they get from new riders as they feel the skills start to come together in the riding portion of a class. Revel in your newness. While more experienced riders may have a broader skill set and more tall tales to share, we’re all a little jealous of new riders because they’re in the early days of riding when everything is new and exciting. Just like a relationship, there’s a level of infatuation that comes with the unfamiliarity before the comfort – and maybe even a bit of complacency – that can settle in over the long-term.
As a new rider, you’re at the steep part of the bell curve – where the new experiences are coming at you at a phenomenal rate. You’re acquiring the basic skills that you spend the rest of your riding years refining, and you’re beginning to make the riding buddies with whom you’ll share many an adventure. Yeah, experienced riders may smile when you ask them a question. They’re not mocking you (well, maybe a little). So, look closely, and you might see a little envy. We were all novices once, and it was that feeling that’s kept us coming back all these years.
This article was made possible through the generous support of Honda.Plus: Resurgence in indoor location-based marketing, ITS America annual meeting report
Autonomous vehicle technology has made industry-smart people pause and think what the consequences will be if cars and other platforms drive themselves. Will there be a huge increase in traffic when everyone decides to call their cars to grab a loaf of bread at a store? Many of these topics were discussed at the ITS America annual meeting held in Pittsburgh May 31-June 3. In other location news, there seems to be a resurgence in location-based marketing and indoor positioning conferences, leading one to believe that large retailers are finally taking notice.
By Kevin Dennehy
PITTSBURGH — Chris Urmson, Google’s self-driving cars director, told autonomous vehicle proponents what they wanted to hear during his keynote presentation at the recent Intelligent Transportation Society of America’s annual meeting here. He told them that self-driving vehicles will cut down on the 33,000 U.S. traffic deaths each year (“the equivalent of a 737 falling out of the sky five days a week,” he said) and save time and productivity wasted.
Urmson also said his goal, and his team’s goal, at Google was to ensure son doesn’t have to get a driver’s license, a trend that has become popular with urbanized youth.
The message |
wait to receive medical treatment in restive Quetta EPA 6/10 A doctor treats an injured lawyer at the scene of a bomb blast in restive Quetta EPA 7/10 People comfort a man mourning the death of a family member who was killed in suicide bombing, at a funeral in Quetta AP 8/10 People transfer an injured man from the blast site in Quetta Rex Features 9/10 Pakistani security officials and lawyers gather around the bodies of victims killed in a bomb explosion at a government hospital premises in Quetta AFP/Getty Images 10/10 The scene following a bomb blast outside a hospital in Quetta Naseer Ahmed/Reuters
Friday's bombing came a day after a woman was killed by a grenade in Lower Mohmand Agency when militants attacked a pro-government tribal elder's home.
Mohmand lies in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas, a semi-autonomous tribal region bordering Afghanistan.
Largely deeply conservative, the territory is remote and hard to access, providing sanctuary for extremist fighters targeted in decades of military operations and drone strikes.
Tehrik-i-Taliban (Pakistani Taliban) militants are waging an Islamist insurgency in the area and have launched a series of bombing attacks and assaults on security services.
Its Jamaat ul-Ahrar faction claimed responsibility for a bombing targeting lawyers that killed 74 people in the city of Quetta last month, as well as the the Easter Sunday blasts in Lahore that killed 72 people, many of them children.
Al-Qaeda fighters are also present in Pakistan, while Isis has recently bene seeking to increase its presence in the country and neighbouring Afghanistan, where it has founded an affiliate called Khorasan Province.
We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view.
At The Independent, no one tells us what to write. That’s why, in an era of political lies and Brexit bias, more readers are turning to an independent source. Subscribe from just 15p a day for extra exclusives, events and ebooks – all with no ads.
Subscribe nowDevin Mesoraco to play in minor league game this week
Devin Mesoraco. (Photo: The Enquirer/Gary Landers)
Devin Mesoraco could join the Reds for their upcoming road trip to Philadelphia and Washington. The catcher was eligible to come off the disabled list on Sunday, but he will make a minor-league rehab appearance or two before being activated.
"He got very good reviews running the bases yesterday. He's been hitting, he's been catching in the bullpen, he was down in the bullpen (Saturday) catching guys who were throwing on the side, who were getting ready to come into the game," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "It's conceivable that he could be playing as soon as the next day or two in minor-league games, with the chance to make that road trip with us. A chance, but these rehab games are important, because you don't want to activate a guy until you're sure he can play in game speed and game situations. You'd hate to bring him back, activate him and have another something arise."
Mesoraco suffered a strained hamstring in Atlanta late last month and was placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 26.
Price didn't say where Mesoraco would do his rehab work, but it could be either in Louisville, which has an 11:05 a.m. home game on Monday before traveling to Norfolk, Va., or Dayton, which starts a three-game series at home starting Monday.
Read or Share this story: http://cin.ci/1l7AIHzHow To Pitch A Hamburger In A War Zone
Even as Ukraine remains in a military and financial crisis after the upheavals of 2014, Ukrainian business owners are trying to drum up interest from Western investors.
LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:
The Ukrainian economy is in trouble. The government's nearly bankrupt, but that has not stopped Ukrainian businesses from looking for investors. They're making the rounds of western financial capitals to drum up investment. First, Frankfort, then London and last month, New York City where our correspondent Gregory Warner stopped by to hear how you pitch a business when your country is at war.
GREGORY WARNER, BYLINE: In a conference room in an office building in midtown Manhattan, Anton Kharytonov, age 34, is pitching his big idea - hamburgers in Ukraine.
ANTON KHARYTONOV: So this is the United States, Poland and Ukraine.
WARNER: Anton runs a chain of American food restaurants in the city of Dnipropetrovsk in eastern Ukraine. He's just 150 miles west of a war zone. In fact, Kharytonov has coached himself not to mention the war in this crowd of portfolio fund managers and private equity investors.
KHARYTONOV: Everybody's talking about the war, and OK, there is a war but it's only on small territory.
WARNER: The part of Ukraine where Russian troops are stationed is less than 10 percent of the country, he says, while his customer numbers are up 50 percent. But afterward during the coffee break, it's pretty clear that for most investors, all of Ukraine has entered that toxic category of high risk. Joe Garrity is with the consulting and recruiting business Salem.
JOE GARRITY: Our clients, who are primarily large, financial institutions, are very risk-averse. And obviously, what Russia is doing near eastern Ukraine and Crimea; obviously that's a huge risk. So I think that's another business risk that gets weighed into the formula and whether or not you'd want to invest. But we see opportunity.
WARNER: Now, it may seem like really bad timing to hold an Invest in Ukraine conference now during a crisis, during a war, but a meeting like this between businesses from Ukraine and investors from the west is what the Revolution was trying to bring about.
(SOUNDBITE OF PROTESTERS)
WARNER: When protesters gathered last year in Independence Square in Kiev, chanting slogans and burning car tires, they were demanding one thing - that the president sign a trade deal with Europe, an association agreement. And the key aspect of that agreement where government reforms that pledged to make Ukraine less corrupt and less criminal; a safer and more attractive destination for western capital.
But a revolution intended to make Ukraine a better place for investment ended up sparking a war that's scaring that investment away. Outside the conference, I meet Natalia Stelmakh. She's a technology entrepreneur, who's come here more as a Ukrainian booster. I find her checking Facebook on her phone.
NATALIA STELMAKH: Because every morning you open your Facebook, and you see in your news feed someone get killed.
WARNER: So she's reading these stories, and then she's going off to pitch Ukraine as an investment destination. And it's hard. She's been to investment conferences in Khan and Stockholm.
STELMAKH: And it was just so depressing because everybody was like, Ukraine, are you kidding me? I'm not going to invest in Ukraine. Nobody wanted to invest in Ukraine. And the whole world's now afraid of the third world war and of Putin going for us. This is what Putin wants. He wants everybody to get scared, to run away from Ukraine.
WARNER: Now I hear this theory from many people I meet here. That the reason that Russian President Vladimir Putin started a war in Eastern Ukraine was not primarily to grab land, but to scare away Western investors at the very moment that Ukraine needed those investors most. Putin is the downside risk that every investor at this conference is talking about. And in many ways, what the Ukrainian businesses are looking for here is an investor or multiple investors who are willing to stand up to the Russian president. And near the end of the conference, I meet one.
STEPHEN BALINSKAS: Would you rather be looking seriously at Ukraine now, today, or last year or the year before? This is the best time ever.
WARNER: Stephen Balinskas is portfolio manager at Empire State Capital Partners, which is actually based in Kiev. He specializes in investing in places that are distressed, that are sometimes at war.
BALINSKAS: Investors liked me, when they go into distressed markets like Ukraine, actually play a big role.
WARNER: That big role, he says, is to inject capital at a time when businesses need that money the most. And sure, Balinskas is looking for cheap assets, but Ukrainian business owners tell me that they would welcome investors like this with a stomach for conflict, investors ready to place a bet on a future of a reformed and peaceful Ukraine, one that even some Ukrainians right now are having trouble imagining. Gregory Warner, NPR News.
WERTHEIMER: This story was produced with the help of our Planet Money team. Hear a longer version including how Kiev accountants turned into tire thieves at npr.org/planetmoney.
Copyright © 2014 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.Congratulations to federal employee David Wineland for winning the Nobel Prize in physics.
David Wineland, after learning he and Serge Haroche of France were awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics. (MARK LEFFINGWELL/REUTERS)
Wineland was awarded the prize, which he shares with Serge Haroche of the Collège de France and Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, “for ground-breaking experimental methods that enable measuring and manipulation of individual quantum systems.”
Thomas O’Brian, chief NIST’s time and frequency division, explained what that means at a news briefing Tuesday. O’Brian said projects Wineland “has worked on are related to making better atomic clocks. Atomic clocks are involved in modern technology infrastructure in all different kinds of ways, from GPS that pretty much everyone has on his or her cell phone now, to telecommunication systems and a whole host of other things.”
Wineland said many people share in the prize, including his NIST colleagues.
“Obviously, it’s a great honor,” he added. “I don’t have any plans of changing my course of action until they drag me out of here for being too old. But I think the thing to say is, you know, the real reward is the science itself and the work with our colleagues and that’s what keeps us going, not the awards you sometimes get along the way.”
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Twitter: @JoeDavidsonWP
Previous columns by Joe Davidson are available at wapo.st/JoeDavidson.Not everyone expected the current election season to be cordial, dignified or be used as a platform to debate crucial economic reforms that India so desperately needs to hot-wire its economy. In fact, other than some discourse available here and there on news channels, debate over pathways to economic reforms has been largely non-existent.
The absence of such debate is probably electorally insignificant to the vast majority. All said and done, both the Congress and BJP are not too far from each other’s economic policy ideology. However, one thing that the now incoming government must deal with is ministerial reforms, specifically with the Ministry of Railways.
Recently, a retired railway employee narrated to me that as he went to collect his free annual pass for travel with the Indian Railways, he had to wait for four hours as the officer at the station was not in. After waiting, he was informed that in fact the officer was on leave, just that no one knew. “He will come when he wants to come, he is bade sahib, he can do that,” the retired gentleman was told.
No one needs a reminder that the Indian railways is like the nerve centre of India. It is the primary mode of transportation for majority of Indians. However, the entire railway infrastructure has become a quagmire of corruption, inefficiency and political and bureaucratic apathy.
During the current electoral campaigning, one of the most common complaints around the country has been that of the lack of electricity supply. According to data, nearly 380 million Indians live below the ‘energy poverty line,’ that is more than the entire population of US.
Power companies, both public and private, regularly put lack of railway infrastructure to feed thermal power plants in the country with uninterrupted supply as one of the top most reasons for fluctuating output. Calls have been made from near and far for years on end for a comprehensive overhaul of the Indian Railways, with various committees suggesting the same. However, outcome under successive governments has been superficial.
Reasons behind this neglect are varied, ranging from political compulsions of the railways being used as a big job provider with over a million employees to bureaucratic unwillingness to orchestrate major reforms, which may see job cuts and increased demands and reduced perks off the employees. However, the fact that the railways is too important an asset to “fail”, has apparently escaped every government and railway minister’s strategy.
Why reforms are urgent here is backed by the fact that even today, it is next to impossible for the railways to adjust its fares according to the demands of the free market. The political fallout of such a move has been seen in the past, most recently when TMC’s Mamata Banerjee withdrew her party member and then railway minister, Dinesh Trivedi, as tariffs were increased under his watch. This, according to her, and many others in Indian politics, was seen as an ‘anti-people’ move. Raising tariffs was interpreted as the government not using the railways as a ‘socially responsible’ resource.
The fact that tariffs cannot be increased substantially even when the National federation of Indian Railwaymen has repeatedly demanded an average increase of 60% in tariffs, which will raise nearly Rs 12,000 crore in funds, shows how the railways has suffered due to unviable populist policies. The Rail Tariffs Authority, as of today, still waits to be unbiasedly empowered to decide tariff changes. To put matters in perspective further, according to a 2012 report by FICCI and Ernst & Young, only 1,750 km of new tracks were laid from 2006 to 2011. China meanwhile has achieved 4,000 km of new lines, excluding 10,000 km of high-speed links. Modernisation of railway infrastructure has been excruciatingly slow, largely due to funding issues.
India is in line to set up nearly 400 new thermal power plants across the country by 2018. Most of these will need new rail infrastructure to supply fuel. However, the Railway Board/Ministry of Railways, while being aware of the need to reform and outlining the specifics have been either unable or unwilling to move forward.
It is high time for politics to be kept aside, committees to be put to rest and reforms in the truest sense of the word applied to the Indian railways. No economy can carry a dead elephant on its back for long, which is precisely what the Indian Railways risks of becoming today. The ‘too big to fail’ factor may not materialise if the economy, which is more exposed to global financial risks than ever before, does not support it.Bang on the Drum All Day There are only 16 regular season games a year. For fans of the Packers, the other 349 days are spent looking forward to the next game. Whether dancing in the aisles after a victory or picking our hearts up off the floor after defeat, we are always looking forward to that next game.
It's All About the Fans No team has a more dedicated following. While other teams' fans are enjoying their hot dogs and lattes in a dome, Packer Nation is braving the elements and loving every minute of it. We may bleed Green & Gold, but on a cold day at Lambeau the stands are full of hunter's orange & camouflage.
13 Is Our Lucky Number The Packers have won more Super Bowls than most teams, but their championship history goes way deeper than that. Welcome to Packerpedia, a site devoted to the team that has won the most championships in NFL history. Some people try to avoid the number 13, but Packer fans don't mind. We do want that 14th championship soon though!
Addicted to the Packers? You're safe now. Welcome to Packerpedia, a site devoted to all things related to the Green Bay Packers. We are devoted to bring you content year-round, win or lose. You will also find links to all the major news outlets that cover the Packers, plus more. For more coverage, be sure to follow us on Twitter.
The Forgotten Man
by Mike Conklin
E-mail: [email protected]
June 23, 2012
The Packers have made bold moves to address the problems with their defensive line last year. They traded up to draft Jerel Worthy. They signed Anthony Hargrove and all the baggage that came with him. They brought Daniel Muir back into the fold. They even took a flier on Phillip Merling.
And then, there's the Forgotten Man. The draft pick nobody's talking about.
When Mike Daniels was drafted with one of the compensatory picks at the end of the fourth round, fans gave a collective shrug. After thumbing through the draft guides and doing a little research on him, he seemed like a decent enough player. He just didn't seem to fit what the Packers needed.
To make matters worse, there was barely any news on him throughout the offseason program because he was held out with a shoulder injury. Whether it's fair or not, one reason fans may be a little hesitant to get excited about Daniels is because he may subconsciously remind them of Mike Neal.
Neal was drafted out of a Big Ten school, just like Daniels. Neal was drafted a shade earlier than where some of the "experts" had him rated, just like Daniels. Neal was nicked up during college, just like Daniels.
And as mentioned previously, at first glance he just didn't seem to be a good fit. Since Dom Capers came to town and the Packers switched to a 3-4 defense, we have had it pounded into our heads what a 3-4 defensive end should look like. The prototypical 5-technique end necessary for this defense should be a physical specimen: tall with long limbs, yet agile and heavy enough to be stout against the run. Scouts like for these players to be at least 6'4" and over 300 pounds. Daniels, on the other hand, is 6'0", has short arms, and had to put on 60 pounds during college just to get up to 290.
So why should we be excited to see what he may bring to the table?
For one thing, Iowa cranks out NFL players. Mike Daniels was on a line with several other players who were drafted, including Adrian Clayborn (1st round), Christian Ballard (4th), and Karl Klug (5th) all selected a year ago. In the last three years Iowa also had five offensive linemen drafted, so during practice he went up against first round guys like Riley Reiff and Bryan Bulaga.
"We feel good about the people we know at Iowa on the coaching staff," said Ted Thompson after the draft. "We've had good success with Iowa guys. We feel like we have a good chance to have success with Mike."
"When you pick a player out of Iowa, they've been producing players," added Dom Capers. "Offensive linemen and defensive linemen. Mike Daniels is a guy we saw last year, when they had a couple linemen last year. He was a guy who stood out. We were very impressed with him in the interview (at the combine). We think he's an all-football guy who brings a lot of energy."
As Capers alluded, the Packers had their eye on Daniels for a while. They noticed him while scouting the three aforementioned defensive linemen drafted last year. Some observers said that there were moments when he looked like the best of that group. Obviously, he made an impression on the Packers brass.
As the radio voice for the Packers, Wayne Larrivee has a lot of access to people within the organization. Shortly after the draft he checked with one of his sources, and wrote the following in his blog on JSOnline :
"I told my source I didn’t understand the selection of undersized Mike Daniels in the 4th round out of Iowa. This is where a smile came across his face; 'Scouts pick.' I asked what does that mean? He said, 'Unique, really good inside pass rusher. He is very quick, a longtime wrestler so he understands leverage and hands. He will be a change of pace guy.'”
Packers scouts have acquitted themselves well in the past, so if a smile came across the face of Larrivee's source during that interview, maybe one should come across ours too. The wrestling angle is worth noting as well. Many young defensive linemen don't make an impact early in their career because they need time to learn how to use their hands effectively in the trenches. With a background in wrestling Daniels may be ahead of the game in that regard. Football scouts across the league are certainly aware of the benefits of a wrestling background. For example, Tennessee Titans General Manager Ruston Webster is a big fan of drafting former wrestlers, and ended up drafting a couple of them this year.
“To me, wrestlers do have that natural leverage, and they understand leverage and they understand how to use their hands, and typically they are tough guys,” Webster said. “That’s why I think that you see it more in guards and centers and defensive tackles. It's something that to me, when a guy has been a wrestler, especially when he has been a successful wrestler, it says something about his toughness and his commitment."
Daniels has been asked which of his former teammates at Iowa he took after the most, and his answer was Karl Klug, a fifth round draft pick of the Titans last year. Klug came in and impressed coaches early despite the lack of an offseason, earned playing time, and went on to rack up a team-leading seven sacks as a rookie. Klug also had a wrestling background in high school, and credited that to his rookie success.
“I think (wrestling) helped me out a lot,” Klug said. “Even though that was in high school, I still think that’s helped me up to this point as far as being aggressive with my hands, understanding leverage and playing underneath the guy. In wrestling, you are constantly in an athletic stance. You have bent knees. That’s how you want to play football — you don’t want to stand straight-legged.” (Insert Donnell Washington reference here.)
Mike Daniels also has other intangibles that the Packers liked. He showed great leadership, having been named team captain as a senior. He also won the Iron Hawk Award, which is “presented to the student athlete who has maximized his physical potential on the playing field through his persistent dedication to Strength and Conditioning.” That attribute should fit in nicely with the Packers draft-and-develop philosophy. He appears to be a good guy from a solid family background, and volunteered many hours to help at-risk kids. Sounds like Packer People, right up Ted Thompson's alley.
But as we all know, it doesn't matter how great of a guy as he may be...the only thing that really matters is whether he can get it done on the field. Daniels did that at Iowa. He started 21 games for the Hawkeyes over the past two years, and led the team in tackles for loss and sacks during that period. After playing through an ankle injury early last year, he really started coming on toward the end. He finished third in the Big Ten in sacks with nine, and added 13.5 tackles for loss.
One of the intriguing things about him is that he was just starting to hit his stride at the end of the year. Judging by how he finished his college career, his arrow appears to be pointing upward. Consider his final three games:
Purdue: Career-best nine tackles. Five tackles for loss including three sacks.
Nebraska: Matched career-best nine tackles. One pass break-up.MANILA— A Mass attended by government troops was held at the St. Mary’s Cathedral for the first time on Sunday since the takeover of Marawi City by Islamic State-aligned Maute group.
Presided by a military chaplain, the 7am Eucharistic celebration went on as gunfire and explosions were heard outside the cathedral where walls and roof are riddled with bullet holes.
“The Mass was held while assault of government forces on Maute’s defensive positions are ongoing,” said Col. Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of Joint Task Group Ranao.
He said the Mass was also significant because Sunday marked the feast of St. Therese, the patron saint of the military.
The military retook the cathedral last month as they pursued to take Marawi back from the Maute group.
The Maute had abducted Fr. Teresito “Chito” Suganob and some churchgoers last May 23, when the extremists laid siege to the predominantly Muslim city, prompting the government to put entire Mindanao under martial law.
Suganob along with another hostage were rescued by the military on Sept. 16 but dozens more hostages are still being held by the militants.
On a video that surfaced on social media last June 5, the gunmen were shown smashing and stomping on religious images and a big wooden crucifix.
They also burned pages of the Bible, including photographs of Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, and other religious items. CBCPNewsOLYMPIA – Sen. Rebecca Saldaña, D-Seattle, introduced the Washington Voting Rights Act (WVRA) to the state Senate on Wednesday.
The WVRA is designed to help cities, counties, school boards and other local elected bodies voluntarily adopt changes to their elections system that will improve representation in local elections.
“This bill is a significant step in the ongoing effort to remove barriers and expand access to our democracy, particularly for disenfranchised populations,” Saldaña said. “Like we’ve seen in Yakima and Pasco in recent years, having community members participate in drawing districts is the best way to ensure they have the opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. The WVRA will create the most effective process for voters in the nation to ensure a collaborative and less costly process for fair and equitable local elections.”
In most cities in Washington, state law only allows for at-large elections. This system is more likely than district-based elections to result in certain voters being underrepresented, including communities of color. The WVRA would allow local governments to implement a more fair system while also helping cities and counties avoid costly litigation under the federal Voting Rights Act.
“This is our opportunity to ensure that as a state institution we are doing everything to level the playing field and create an environment where everyone is represented,” said Rep. Mia Gregerson, D-SeaTac, the prime sponsor of the House of Representatives’ version of the bill (House Bill 1800). “When the Federal Voting Rights Act was passed, it was a major milestone, but that was 53 years ago. A lot has changed and so should we. I want to pay respect to the many legislators in the House who have worked on this year after year and I am excited to work with the Senate to finally pass this important legislation into law.”
“On behalf of OneAmerica and our immigrant leaders across the state, we are thrilled to see the Washington Voting Rights Act moving forward as a key priority for the 2018 legislative session,” said Rich Stolz, Executive Director of the immigrant advocacy group OneAmerica. “For the last seven years, our communities have fought to ensure people of color have greater access and representation in local governments and school boards. Now is the time and we look forward to working with Sen. Saldaña and Rep. Gregerson, as well as leadership in the House and Senate, to pass the Washington Voting Rights Act.”
“The WVRA promotes a strong, healthy democracy by empowering people to work with their local elected representatives to ensure all voices are heard,” said Elisabeth Smith, Legislative Director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington. “No voter or community should be denied an equal opportunity to elect the candidates of their choice.”
“We are delighted that Sen. Saldaña and Rep. Gregerson have taken the lead fighting for a Washington State Voting Rights Act,” said Peter Bloch Garcia, Executive Director of the Latino Community Fund of Washington State. “This law will dramatically improve the lives of countless Latinos throughout Washington state by making local representation possible in many communities. For too long, Latinos have not been at the table when the decisions are made that leave our community behind. We call on the Legislature to pass this law and make political opportunity a reality for our community.”Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons throws a pass during the second half against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night. (Photo: Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images)
Atlanta — Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons picked up where they left off against the Green Bay Packers, building a big halftime lead on the way to a dominating victory Sunday night.
The rematch of last season’s NFC championship game was essentially a repeat: Ryan threw for 252 yards and a touchdown, Devonta Freeman had a couple of scoring runs, and Desmond Trufant darted to the end zone off an attempted pass by Aaron Rodgers that was ruled a fumble, leading the Falcons to a 34-23 victory over the Packers that wasn’t really that close.
Back in January, Atlanta earned a trip to the Super Bowl by racing to a 24-0 halftime lead and a 31-0 edge early in the third quarter on the way to a 44-21 blowout of the Packers.
In the first regular-season NFL game at $1.5 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and the first sporting event with in which the facility’s camera lens-like roof was open, the Falcons put on quite a show to mark the occasion.
They were ahead 24-7 at halftime and 31-7 less than a minute into the third period.
Unlike the Super Bowl, Atlanta (2-0) made sure this lead stood up.
Ryan threw for 201 yards in the first half. Julio Jones finished with five catches for 108 yards. Freeman rushed for 84 yards, and Tevin Coleman chipped in with 42 on the ground plus a touchdown catch. Trufant not only scored a defensive touchdown, he came up with a crucial interception near the end of the first half.
“That’s when we really come to light,” coach Dan Quinn said. “Different weapons. You never know who’s going to be the one.”
After struggling a bit offensively in a season-opening victory at Chicago that was preserved with a goal-line stand in the closing seconds, the Falcons dominated right from the start in an early showdown for conference supremacy.
On the opening possession, Ryan guided a nine-play, 86-yard drive that was reminiscent of the league’s highest-scoring team a year ago. Jones hauled in two passes for 53 yards and the Falcons didn’t get to third down until they were at the Green Bay 1. Freeman powered in from there to make it 7-0.
The Packers (1-1) responded with a 75-yard drive of their own, capped by Ty Montgomery’s 1-yard TD run. But it was downhill from there for Rodgers and the Green Bay offense, which was missing both of its starting tackles and lost receiver Jordy Nelson early on with a quadriceps injury.
Atlanta led 17-7 after Freeman’s second TD run from 2 yards out and Matt Bryant’s 51-yard field goal. Then, the game totally got away from Rodgers and the Packers near the end of the first half. Three penalties in four plays pushed Green Bay back to its own 3 before Rodgers lofted a terrible pass down the right sideline that was picked off easily by Trufant at the 36.
Ryan hit Mohamed Sanu with a 21-yard pass, setting up a 3-yard scoring pass to Coleman with 24 seconds remaining.
On the second play of the second half, Trufant turned it into a rout.
Rodgers was plastered by 2016 sack leader Vic Beasley Jr. attempting to throw, the ball wobbling out of his hand for what appeared an incomplete pass. But Trufant wisely scooped it up and scooted into the end zone for what was ruled a 15-yard touchdown. The call stood when the replay didn’t show conclusively that the pass went forward.
“A big play by him with the interception at the end of the half,” Quinn said, “then a smart play to start the second half on the forced fumble.”
The Packers finally showed a bit of life with a couple of fourth-quarter touchdowns, including Rodgers’ 300th career scoring pass.
It wasn’t nearly enough.
Already short-handed up front, the Packers lost several more players during the game. Nelson was the most prominent injury, but also going down were defensive tackle Mike Daniel (hamstring), receiver Randall Cobb (shoulder) and cornerback Davon House (quad). In addition, backup safety Kentrell Brice was forced out by a groin injury.
On the first touchdown of the night, Atlanta right tackle Ryan Schraeder was knocked out of the game with a concussion. The Falcons also lost Beasley (hamstring) and defensive lineman Courtney Upshaw (ankle).
Falcons at Lions
Kickoff: 1 p.m. Sunday, Ford Field
TV/radio: FOX/760 AM
Series: Lions lead, 24-12In last night's presidential debate Romney responded to a question about equal pay with an annecdote about how he went about recruiting women to his cabinet. This is what he said he did:
"I went to a number of women's groups and said, "Can you help us find folks," and they brought us whole binders full of women."
The transcript in full:
"An important topic, and one which I learned a great deal about, particularly as I was serving as governor of my state, because I had the chance to pull together a cabinet and all the applicants seemed to be men. And I... and I went to my staff, and I said, "How come all the people for these jobs are... are all men." They said, "Well, these are the people that have the qualifications." And I said, "Well, gosh, can't we... can't we find some... some women that are also qualified?" And.. and so we... we took a concerted effort to go out and find women who had backgrounds that could be qualified to become members of our cabinet. I went to a number of women's groups and said, "Can you help us find folks," and they brought us whole binders full of women."
Binders full of women. This is not how Ryan Gosling would do it:
(from bindersfullofwomen.tumblr.com)
According to David Bernstein, it's not what Romney did either. Binders were involved, but Romney wasn't the one who requested them:
What actually happened was that in 2002 -- prior to the election, not even knowing yet whether it would be a Republican or Democratic administration -- a bipartisan group of women in Massachusetts formed MassGAP to address the problem of few women in senior leadership positions in state government. There were more than 40 organizations involved with the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus (also bipartisan) as the lead sponsor. They did the research and put together the binder full of women qualified for all the different cabinet positions, agency heads, and authorities and commissions. They presented this binder to Governor Romney when he was elected.
Bernstein also points out that the percentage of senior-level appointed positions held by women " actually declined throughout the Romney administration, from 30.0% prior to his taking office, to 29.7% in July 2004, to 27.6% near the end of his term in November 2006."
But whether the annecdote is true or not, it's interesting that Romney automatically hits upon "women's groups" as the go-to place to find qualified women. Does he not know any himself?The Aegis Combat System is an American integrated naval weapons system developed by the Missile and Surface Radar Division of RCA, and now produced by Lockheed Martin. It uses powerful computer and radar technology to track and guide weapons to destroy enemy targets.
Initially used by the United States Navy, Aegis is now used also by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Spanish Navy, Royal Norwegian Navy, Republic of Korea Navy and Royal Australian Navy. Over 100 Aegis-equipped ships have been deployed. It is also part of NATO's European missile defence system.[1]
Etymology [ edit ]
The word "Aegis" is a reference that dates back to Greek mythology, with connotations of a protective shield, as the Aegis was the buckler (shield) of Zeus, worn by Athena.[citation needed]
Overview [ edit ]
Diagram of the Aegis Combat System (Baseline 2-6)
The Aegis Combat System (ACS) is an advanced command and control (command and decision, or C&D, in Aegis parlance) and weapon control system (WCS) that uses powerful computers and radars to track and guide weapons to destroy enemy targets.
The ACS is composed of the Aegis Weapon System (AWS), the fast-reaction component of the Aegis Anti-Aircraft Warfare (AAW) capability, along with the Phalanx Close In Weapon System (CIWS), and the Mark 41 Vertical Launch System.[2] Mk 41 VLS is available in different versions that vary in size and weight. There are three lengths: 209 in (5.3 m) for the self-defense version, 266 in (6.8 m) for the tactical version, and 303 in (7.7 m) for the strike version. The empty weight for an 8-cell module is 26,800 lb (12,200 kg) for the self-defense version, 29,800 lb (13,500 kg) for the tactical version, and 32,000 lb (15,000 kg) for the strike version, thus incorporating anti-submarine warfare (ASW) systems and Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missiles (TLAM). Shipboard torpedo and naval gunnery systems are also integrated.
AWS, the heart of Aegis, comprises the AN/SPY-1 Radar, MK 99 Fire Control System, WCS, the Command and Decision Suite, and SM-2 Standard Missile family of weapons; these include the basic RIM-66 Standard, the RIM-67 extended range missile, and the newer RIM-161 designed to counter ballistic missile threats. A further SM-2 based weapon, the RIM-174 Standard ERAM was deployed in 2013. Individual ships may not carry all variants. Weapons loads are adjusted to suit assigned mission profile. The Aegis Combat System is controlled by an advanced, automatic detect-and-track, multi-function three-dimensional passive electronically scanned array radar, the AN/SPY-1. Known as "the Shield of the Fleet", the SPY high-powered (6 megawatt) radar is able to perform search, tracking, |
like Eldrazi, Death's Shadow, and Gurmag Angler or combo-killing with Storm, Scapeshift, or Burn spells. Plus, nearly every deck is playing Surgical Extraction or some form of graveyard hate that can stop the Punishing Fire engine. This isn't to say that Punishing Fire would be safe in our current Modern format, just that I'm not sure if the reasons why Punishing Fire was originally banned still apply today.
Bloodbraid Elf / Deathrite Shaman
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If you've only started playing or following Modern recently, you might not realize that there was a very long period of time when Jund was the best deck in the format. While the archetype still exists today, it normally floats in the tier 1.5 range, in part because of the bannings of Bloodbraid Elf and Deathrite Shaman.
The story behind the banning of these two Jund cards is actually a bit confusing. Jund, formerly the best deck in Modern, had dropped off a bit. Then, in Return to Ravnica, Deathrite Shaman was unceremoniously spoiled in the big spoiler dump on the last day of preview season. Next thing you know, Jund was absolutely dominating Pro Tour Return to Ravnica thanks to the one-drop planeswalker. While making up 31% of the meta might not sound that crazy (since this happens fairly often in Standard), having one deck make up 31% of the Modern meta is shocking, considering the most played deck in the format often hovers around 10%. Seeing these results, Wizards decided that something needed to be done about Jund, but instead of banning Deathrite Shaman, they threw its partner in crime Bloodbraid Elf into jail instead.
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Of course, Jund specifically (and Deathrite Shaman in general) was still too good, so a little while later, Wizards banned the one-drop as well, which pushed Jund down from being the best deck in Modern to being just another good deck but also leaving us with one of the great "what if" questions of the Modern format. What if Wizards had just banned Deathrite Shaman in the first place? Was Bloodbraid Elf really guilty, or was she unjustly found guilty thanks to some of the unsavory company she kept? Because of this, Bloodbraid Elf often comes up when people debate unbanning cards in Modern. While there's no doubt that Bloodbraid Elf is powerful, as a hasty threat that comes along with a free Liliana of the Veil, Thoughtseize, or Tarmogoyf, it's just another grindy two-for-one in a deck that's overflowing with grindy two-for-ones. It's possible that it's only a matter of time before the Elf is vindicated. Perhaps some new DNA evidence will prove once and for all that she is innocent, releasing her to cascade her way back into Modern and bring Jund back to the top of the format.
Too Free
Gitaxian Probe
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Gitaxian Probe doesn't look like the kind of card you'd expect to find on a banned list, essentially just being a free Peek at your opponent's hand that also lets you draw a fresh card, but it just goes to show how dangerous free effects can be. It doesn't really matter how much a card does; when it doesn't cost you mana or an actual card, it's likely someone will find a way to abuse it (see: Street Wraith, which probably should be banned on the principle that it violates the spirit of the "free stuff" rule, even though it never actually gets cast as a creature).
$ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
While it's easy to miss the power of Gitaxian Probe at first glance, when you really dig into what it did in the Modern format, the reasons for the banning become clearer (as does the overwhelming power of the card). It gives you a look at your opponent's hand, which lets you know if it's safe to go all-in on your combo, a line of play that was especially important to the Infect deck at the top of the format a year ago. It gives you a free card in your graveyard, which was important in powering up Treasure Cruise and Dig Through Time, not to mention the delve cards that remain in the format like Gurmag Angler and Tasigur, the Golden Fang. It gives you a free "spell" trigger for cards like Pyromancer Ascension and Young Pyromancer, and it even loses you life, which is strangely a benefit rather than a drawback in a world ruled by Death's Shadow. All of these little, seemingly insignificant effects added up to Gitaxian Probe being one of the most powerful cards in the Modern format, which eventually led to its downfall.
Dig Through Time / Treasure Cruise
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While Dig Through Time and Treasure Cruise aren't actually free, they are way too close to free to be fair in Modern. Wizards has been pretty forthcoming about the fact that most of their testing is focused on Standard, and the delve cards from Khans of Tarkir block are a great example of how cards can be fair in Standard but broken in older formats, as counterintuitive as this seems. In Standard, even Khans Standard with fetch lands, it took some effort to make Treasure Cruise and Dig Through Time cheap. In Modern, the combination of fetch lands, cheap graveyard fillers like Thought Scour and Gitaxian Probe, and efficient burn spells like Lightning Bolt made it so Treasure Cruise played a lot like Ancestral Recall and Dig Through Time like Demonic Tutor.
The end result was a period of time where UR Delver was by far the best deck in Modern, thanks to the power of Treasure Cruise, which led to both of the blue delve spells being banned just a few months after they were printed. While this may have been partly because a Modern Pro Tour was around the corner (Birthing Pod, which we'll talk about in a minute, was banned at the same time), there were few complaints from the community because unlike other Pro Tour-related bannings, it was clear to pretty much everyone involved that the cards were simply too efficient for Modern.
Dread Return
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Dread Return is actually similar to Golgari Grave-Troll in the sense that the original reason it was banned was to power down Dredge, which doesn't really have a place as a tier deck in the Modern format. More importantly, even discounting Dredge specifically, Dread Return is just a bit too free to be set loose in Modern. One of the ways that Wizards makes Modern feel different than Legacy is the lack of powerful free spells. In Legacy, even if your opponent is tapped out, you always have to worry that your key spell will be Force of Willed or Misdirectioned. In Modern, the free spells are much tamer. While we see cards like Disrupting Shoal show up occasionally, for the most part, if you want to do something powerful, you are going to need to spend mana on it. Dread Return is easy enough to cast without any real mana that it breaks the "no powerful free spells" rule, which should keep it on the sidelines in Modern for the foreseeable future.
Mental Misstep
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Our last free spell was actually the first of the free spells banned in Modern: Mental Misstep. Mental Misstep was banned in the initial Modern banned announcement, based mostly on how it played in Legacy, where it essentially pushed one-mana plays out of the format and made most decks 56 cards, since everyone had to run Mental Misstep, not so much because they wanted Mental Misstep in their deck but because they needed to be able to counter their opponent's Mental Missteps. Having a card that you essentially must put in your deck, no matter what deck your are playing, is a pretty unhealthy thing for a format, which means Modern is likely better off with Mental Misstep on the banned list.
Too Slow and Boring
Second Sunrise
While Second Sunrise probably would have been banned anyway, it was Brian Kibler who sealed the card's fate when he infamously "put an F6 (the Magic Online key for "pass until end of turn") into play" during the Top 8 of Grand Prix San Diego back in 2013. That moment was emblematic of everything that was wrong about Eggs combo. While the deck wasn't that good (it scoops to a lot of sideboard cards), it's also nearly impossible to beat if you don't happen to have the right sideboard cards. Plus, it's incredibly boring to play against (the combo occasionally involved playing through your entire deck before eventually looping a Pyrite Spellbomb to win the game) and even more boring to watch. After sneaking out a win at Pro Tour Return to Ravnica by catching the field by surprise, Eggs became a "real" deck in Modern, which was a miserable experience for everyone involved except for the person playing Eggs. It was the combination of 20-minute combo turns, mind-numbing boredom, and Kibler's "F6" that finally put the Second Sunrise to rest. While it's probably true that Eggs wouldn't be too powerful for Modern at the moment, being too powerful was never really the problem—the deck simply was too unfun and slow for Modern. Especially with Wizards' focus on coverage and the return of the Modern Pro Tour, it seems exceedingly unlikely Second Sunrise will rise again in the format anytime soon.
Sensei's Divining Top
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Sensei's Divining Top is another original member of the Modern banned list, but instead of power-level concerns (although it might be too good now, thanks to the miracle mechanic and Counterbalance, giving Modern access to most of the pieces of the now-banned Legacy Miracles deck), the main reason the artifact was banned is because it slows the game down to a halt. While it's possible to play quickly with Sensei's Divining Top, it's more common that tournaments devolve into people playing with Sensei's Divining Top for the first time and turns going something like this: end of your turn, activate Top, spend 45 seconds rearranging the top of my library, pause to think for 15 seconds, crack a fetch land, use the mana to activate Top, spend 45 more seconds rearranging the top of my library, untap, draw for my turn, activate Top, spend 45 seconds rearranging the top three cards of my library, rinse and repeat. The end result is usually the match going to time, assuming the Top player's opponent doesn't flip the table first. And I say this as someone who absolutely loves playing with Sensei's Divining Top. It's one of my all-time favorite cards to activate, since it supports the "endlessly durdle and draw extra cards" technique perfectly.
There's a Modern Pro Tour Coming!!!
Splinter Twin
I'm not going to spend too long talking about why Splinter Twin was banned, mostly because I wrote an entire article discussing the topic (you can read it here). Basically, from my perspective, any explanation for the banning of Splinter Twin other than "Wizards wanted to shake up the Modern format for the sake of the Pro Tour and perhaps to make sure that the Oath of the Gatewatch Eldrazi got a chance to shine on the Pro Tour stage" rings hollow. Splinter Twin was a good deck, at some point even the best deck in Modern, but if you look at the numbers, they weren't any higher than decks like Affinity, peak Death's Shadow, or any number of other top-tier decks in the Modern format.
Now, you're probably thinking that the card should probably be unbanned, considering the initial reasons for banning Splinter Twin are suspect at best, but I'm not sure this is true. While I do think that it would probably be safe to unban Splinter Twin, Modern is in a very diverse and healthy place at the moment, and I'm not sure that it's worth risking this balance just to right the wrong that was done to Splinter Twin years ago. In some strange way, it was both wrong to ban Splinter Twin at the time but also wrong to unban it now, as crazy as it sounds.
Birthing Pod
Birthing Pod looks a bit like Splinter Twin, being banned to shake up a Modern Pro Tour, and while this is true on its face, unlike Splinter Twin, there are also a lot of good reasons why Birthing Pod is banned. For the last several years, Wizards' focus has been on printing power creatures, and every time a good creature is printed, Birthing Pod gets a little bit better. It wasn't that long ago that most combo decks were built around spells (think Storm and Ad Nauseam), but now, many combos are creature-based, like Melira, Sylvok Outcast and Kitchen Finks or Devoted Druid and Vizier of Remedies. Because of this, Birthing Pod is a fairly unsafe card to have floating around in Modern. Even if it wasn't objectively too good when it was banned (although it was very good), it was getting better set by set and would have almost certainly become too good eventually, as Wizards continued to print great creatures to tutor up. With this in mind, cutting it out of the format entirely was probably the correct move, rather than waiting until Birthing Pod got even more out of hand (and until even more people bought into the deck), which would have made the inevitable banning even more painful in the long run. So, while an impending Modern Pro Tour likely hastened Birthing Pod's demise, the end was coming sooner or later, so it's unfair to blame the banning on the Pro Tour in its entirety.
Conclusion
As you can see, while there are a lot of different cards banned in Modern, most fall into a few simple categories, with producing fast mana, enabling Turn 3 combos, and being free (or at least way too cheap) being the most common. Two things stand out if you look over the list of currently banned cards. First, most of the bannings seem to be correct. Out of the 35 cards on the list, you might be able to make a strong argument that four or five should be considered for unbanning, but for the rest, it's hard for me to even justify having a conversation about their unbanning. Second, looking over the categories of banned cards, there are still some weird inconsistencies in the format. It's hard to see why Eldrazi Temple is safe if all of the other cards that make two mana are banned, or why Chrome Mox deserves a life sentence while Mox Opal is running free in Affinity.
Now that we've discussed why the cards on the Modern banned list are on the list, it's time for the fun part. As I mentioned in the intro, Wizards suggested that it is looking at possibly unbanning something in February, after the next Modern Pro Tour. So, keeping the reasons for all of these bannings in mind, what card(s) do you want to see come off the Modern banned list? Are any of the cards currently on the list safe, or would they break Modern? How good would former Standard all-stars like Jace, the Mind Sculptor or Stoneforge Mystic be in the format? Should we unleash any of the currently banned fast-mana cards, or should Wizards look into banning some of the fast mana still in the format for the sake of consistency? Let me know in the comments!
As always, leave your thoughts, ideas, opinions, and suggestions, and you can reach me on Twitter @SaffronOlive or at [email protected] is to send four officials to France in November to retrieve the remains of two Indian soldiers killed during World War I, an army official said Saturday.
The remains of two unidentified soldiers from the Garhwal Rifles were found in September 2016 along with their regimental insignia in a field near the north-western French town of Laventie, 70 kilometres from the Channel port of Dunkirk.
The remains of a British and a German soldier were also found by local authority employees working at the site.
France told India of the discovery and Delhi decided to send a team of four officials, including a brigadier from the regiment, to identify the soldiers and artefacts found with them and bring back their remains.
"We will try our best to identify them, although it will be difficult," said Colonel Ritesh Roy of the Garhwal Rifles. "The bodies were buried for more than 100 years, so very little is left."
The Garhwal Rifles, named after the eponymous region in the northern Himalayas, was raised in 1887 as part of the Bengal Army before it was incorporated into the British Indian Army.
It remains an infantry regiment in the Indian Army.
Soldiers from the regiment fought in World War I and World War II.
It lost 721 men in the first conflict and 349 in the second.
Two of its soldiers won the Victoria Cross, the highest military honour in the UK and the Commonwealth.
One of them, Gabar Singh Negi, was killed at the 1915 Battle of Neuve Chapelle, whose site is less than eight kilometres from Laventie, leading to speculation that the soldiers found last year were killed during that battle.
More than one million Indians served in World War I and more than 62,000 of them were killed.
Another 2.5 million served in World War II.
An Indian Memorial now stands at Neuve Chapelle.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited it when he came to France in 2015.Secure Password Storage in Go, Python, Ruby, Java, Haskell, and NodeJS Posted by Kelby Ludwig
In order to authenticate users, web applications often store user passwords. This can be tricky, because password storage mechanisms are a watering hole for bad advice: there are several solutions to this problem but very few are truly secure. If you store the passwords of your users, your goal should be to make sure that in the event of a data compromise, user passwords should remain safe. The best way to store users passwords is to use a password-based key derivation function (PBKDF) with a sufficient work factor. If your application does not leverage a PBKDF, you should migrate password storage schemes immedietely. More on this later.
A note on terminology: I will use terms interchangably (e.g. hash/derived-key, etc.) that are not technically the same but commonly used as synonyms in practice. If this troubles you, feel free to email me.
The Many Incorrect Ways To Store User Passwords
If you are not using a PBKDF, you may be using one of the following schemes:
Cleartext password storage
Storing encoded (e.g. base64) passwords
Encrypting passwords
Storing a general purpose hash function that may involve salts and/or peppers.
These schemes do not sufficiently protect your user’s passwords! Cleartext password storage or storing encoded passwords requires no effort to reverse and encrypted passwords are susceptible to compromise by anyone with the encryption key (A password is a secret, no one should know it but the individual who decided to use it). Storing unsalted/salted/peppered [1][2] hashed passwords using general purpose hash functions (e.g. MD5, SHA1, SHA256, etc.) is better than most options but suffers from a serious flaw:
General purpose hash functions are designed to be performant
This may seem counterintuitive. Generally speaking, faster is better. With password storage schemes, the opposite is true! In the event of a data compromise, if an attacker has collected your user’s password hashes, her next step is to compute the hash of millions/billions of potential passwords. If you are using a general purpose hash function to store passwords, an attacker can compute password hashes at the rate of BILLIONS a SECOND [3]. Salting and/or peppering your hashes may make the attackers life a bit more difficult but the underlying issue remains.
Re-enter PBKDFs
Several password-based key derivation functions address the efficiency issue in a clever way: they include a key-stretching or work factor parameter that purposefully slows down the computation of the password hash. This decrease in efficiency is negligible over the Internet but a massive burden to any attacker who is computing millions/billions of password hashes. In other words, your users will not notice a decrease in response time but attackers will struggle to crack passwords. Whats not to like about that?
How Do I Get A Fancy PBKDF?
Use bcrypt [4]! bcrypt addresses just about every issue that I mentioned above. bcrypt hashes have a built-in salt and most bcrypt APIs should allow you to select a work factor. Furthermore, bcrypt is widely available via standard libraries or can be provided by an external dependency. There are other options, but bcrypt is probably your best bet.
Example Implementations
For the rest of this post, I will demonstrate example implementations in common backend programming languages. Please feel free to copy this code! I am using an interface (a function that takes a string password and returns a string hash) which is imperfect but fits well to most languages.
Go import ”golang.org/x/crypto/bcrypt” func hash(password string) string { hash,err := bcrypt.GenerateFromPassword([]byte(password), 12) if err!= nil { //handle the error } return string(hash) } Python #Install with: $ pip install bcrypt import bcrypt def hash(password): return bcrypt.hashpw(password, bcrypt.gensalt(12)) Ruby #Install with: $ gem install bcrypt require "bcrypt" def hash(password) return BCrypt::Password.create(password, :cost => 12) end Java //This example uses jBcrypt: http://www.mindrot.org/projects/jBCrypt/ public static String hash(String password) { return BCrypt.hashpw(password, BCrypt.gensalt(12)); } Haskell -- Thanks to @LukeHoersten for the feedback import Crypto.BCrypt (hashPasswordUsingPolicy) import Data.ByteString.Char8 (ByteString, pack) hash :: String -> IO (Maybe ByteString) hash = hashPasswordUsingPolicy hp. pack where hp = HashingPolicy 12 $ pack "$2y$" Node.JS //Install with: $ npm install bcrypt var bcrypt = require(‘bcrypt’); function hash(password) { return bcrypt.hashSync(password, bcrypt.genSaltSync(12)); }
A Note on Password MigrationThursday 20th September 2012
- Embargoed until 00:01 hrs Thursday 20 September 2012 -
A new report out today (Thursday 20 September) examines in depth why men from disadvantaged backgrounds in their 30s, 40s and 50s are at higher risk of suicide. On average, around 3,000 middle-aged men take their own lives each year and men from low socio-economic backgrounds living in deprived areas are ten times more likely to die by suicide than men from high socio-economic backgrounds living in the most affluent areas.
The report, commissioned by Samaritans, the helpline charity, explores the reasons for suicide beyond mental health issues in this group of men and calls for suicide to be addressed as a health and social inequality. The research, Men and Suicide: Why it’s a social issue, reveals that:
men compare themselves against a ‘gold standard’ which prizes power, control and invincibility. When they believe they aren’t meeting this standard they feel a sense of shame, which can lead them to have suicidal thoughts
men in mid-life are now part of the ‘buffer’ generation, not sure whether to be like their older, more traditional, strong, silent, austere fathers or like their younger, more progressive, individualistic sons
the changing nature of the labour market over the last 60 years has affected working class men. With the decline of traditional male industries, they have lost not only their jobs but also a source of masculine pride and identity
men in mid-life remain overwhelming dependent on a female partner for emotional support. But today men are less likely to have one life-long partner and more likely to live alone, without the social or emotional skills to fall back on.
This report comes on the day Samaritans launches its We’re in Your Corner campaign. It is part of a five year partnership with Network Rail to reduce suicides on the railways. It will include posters and other initiatives across the rail network aimed at reaching out to this group, encouraging them to seek help and consider calling Samaritans.
Stephen Platt, Samaritans’ Trustee and Professor of Health Policy Research at the University of Edinburgh, said: “It has been recently recognised that men in mid-life can no longer be ignored as a group at high risk of suicide. However, this report shows that it is men from low socio-economic backgrounds who desperately need help.
“Men are often criticised for being reluctant to talk about their problems and for not seeking help. With this in mind, we need to acknowledge that men are different to women and design services to meet their needs, so they can be more effective.
“The role of mental health problems in suicide is well-established and must not be ignored. But we also need to look at the economic and social inequalities that contribute to people wanting to take their own lives. Policy-makers and practitioners need to take forward our recommendations from the report as a matter of urgency.”
Samaritans is calling on national governments, health, welfare and social services, as well as the third sector, to recognise the heightened risk of suicide among disadvantaged men in mid-life, treating suicide as a health and social inequality. There are six recommendations:
Take on the challenge of tackling the gender and socio-economic inequalities in suicide risk. Suicide prevention policy and practice must take account of men’s beliefs, concerns and context – in particular their views of what it is to ‘be a man’. Recognise that for men in mid-life, loneliness is a very significant cause of their high risk of suicide, and help men to strengthen their social relationships. There must be explicit links between alcohol reduction and suicide prevention strategies; both must address the relationships between alcohol consumption, masculinity, deprivation and suicide. Support GPs to recognise signs of distress in men, and make sure that those from disadvantaged backgrounds have access to a range of support, not just medication alone. Provide leadership and accountability at local level, so there is action to prevent suicide.
– ENDS –
- Strictly embargoed until 00:01 hrs Thursday 20 September 2012 -
Access the full press pack, including a summary of case studies and the report.
For further information about the report, to set up interviews or case studies, please contact Samaritans’ press office on 020 8394 8300 or email [email protected].
Notes to editors:Working in R&D since '95, Mark became Magic head designer in '03. His hobbies: spending time with family, writing about Magic in all mediums, and creating short bios.
For those that might be unaware, I love the color pie. It is the foundation of Magic both in flavor and mechanics, and gives the game a psychological underpinning that creates a unique identity. Back in 2003, I wrote a series of articles where I examined each of the five colors and delved into its philosophy. Well, in the last twelve years, I have had a lot of time to fine-tune how I think about the colors and their relationship with each other; so I decided it was time to revisit those articles and dig a little deeper. (One quick note: of all the colors, white was the one I think I hit best twelve years ago, but white came first in our theme weeks, so white it is.)
In those articles I asked six questions. I am going to ask the same questions, but explore a few facets that I didn't last time around. As a reminder, here are the six questions:
What does the color desire? What is its end goal?
What means does the color use to achieve these ends?
What does the color care about? What does the color represent?
What does the color despise? What negatively drives the color?
Why does the color like its allies and hate its enemies?
What is the color's greatest strength and biggest weakness?
At the end, as I did last time, I will give some pop culture examples of characters that are primarily white.
Let's get to it.
Patron of the Valiant | Art by Steve Argyle
What does the color desire? What is its end goal?
White wants peace.
White looks around and sees a world of suffering. There are so many individuals that struggle day to day, but the world has the resources to address this suffering. There is enough for everyone to have what they need (as opposed to what they want). Suffering is a by-product of individuals not prioritizing the good of the group.
White wants to create a world where there is no unnecessary suffering, a world where life is as good as it can be for each individual. The key to making this happen is teaching individuals the importance of taking actions which benefit the group as a whole, even if those actions might not benefit them personally.
The problem with this plan is it can only succeed if everyone is working toward the same unified goal. As soon as some individuals prioritize other things, like say their own desires, the plan falls apart. This means that white has to work extra hard to get the group to understand the power it holds and to keep the focus on the bigger picture.
White does want as many as possible to understand its motives and share them. But white realizes that in order to accomplish its larger goal, some individuals will have to be lead down the path rather than venture there of their own accord.
Grasp of the Hieromancer | Art by Igor Kieryluk
What means does the color use to achieve these ends?
How do you get a large number of individuals to all follow the same path? By creating rigid structure. There are simply too many temptations to leave the larger task in the hands of individual choice. As such, white has embraced rules and laws. If the system spells out what each individual can and cannot do, individuals do what they are supposed to.
This structure breaks into two pieces: moral laws and civil laws. The moral laws are defining the concepts of right and wrong. Certain actions are moral and thus need to be encouraged, while other actions are immoral and need to be discouraged. The importance of moral laws is making individuals understand that there is a right and wrong way to think. This frames the larger picture—the need to prioritize the group. Inherent in moral laws is the implication that there is a long-term penalty for failure to abide by them.
Civil laws clamp down on unwanted actions. Do thing X and there will be an immediate consequence, most often in the form of a loss of resources (usually money) and/or freedom. Illegal actions will be punished as soon as they are noticed. Civil laws are usually enforced by the government through police or military.
The moral laws control how people think and the civil laws control how they act. Together, these two forms of structure create a framework that helps ensure individuals are working for the benefit of the group.
I should note that white's influence can also be a bit more subtle, as it introduces the idea of a conscience. The concepts of right and wrong can be introduced in many ways from personal codes to ideals like honor or chivalry. White also makes use of things like guilt to help keep individuals in line.
Arrest | Art by Greg Staples
What does the color care about? What does the color represent?
Here are a number of things white cares about along with why:
Religion—While there are different ways to teach moral law, religion has proven to be the most effective. Military—White believes that strength comes from many individuals banding together, making a whole that is much more powerful than the sum of its parts. The military is a perfect example where individual soldiers come together to make a powerful army. Also, this plays into white's reliance on the combined strength of a lot of little things, the strength of numbers. Law—Civil structure is based upon the creation of rules by the governing body. The law is a powerful tool to help control the actions of individuals in a society. Court System—Part of creating laws is ensuring that they are properly applied. Politics—In order for laws to be potent and do their necessary work, you have to make sure you are the ones in charge of creating, interpreting, and enforcing them. Politics is just an elaborate structure to ensure that this is so. Government—Something that allows white to oversee the military, laws, court system, and politics. Community—Looking out for the group means the group will look out for your causes. Honor—According to white's definition of "honor," it's another twist on moral laws. It is a system that prioritizes individuals acting in the interest of the group. Chivalry—Yet another twist on moral laws. Defense—White's entire philosophy is about the welfare of the group. This extends to conflict, where white prioritizes no one getting hurt. In addition, defense plays into white's strength of using structure as a weapon. Self-sacrifice—If you believe that decisions need to be made for the good of the group over the good of the individual, sometimes the right move is to sacrifice yourself for the greater good. Cooperation—The power of the group is its ability to work together. Light—White believes that secrets are dangerous, in that they allow people to act as if they are working toward the good of the group when in reality they are not. Light metaphorically represents white's desire to bring things out into the open. It also plays into the imagery that white likes playing up, of the idea of good vs. evil. Remember that this conflict is how white likes to frame it, as black doesn't believe in the concepts of good or evil or even the concept of morality itself. Purity—White sees its ideals as absolute and shies away from the idea that there are gray areas. White, interestingly enough, sees things in black and white. Charity—An important part of making sure every individual is looked after is having those with more help those with less. Strategy—Structure can also be applied to warfare and other conflicts. Part of making your army successful is making sure each individual is contributing to the larger goal. Organization—Structure also helps you keep track of what resources you have.
Heavy Infantry | Art by David Gaillet
What does the color despise? What negatively drives the color?
White abhors anything which gets in the way of protecting the larger group. The two biggest issues are selfishness and recklessness. The first hurts others because it motivates an individual to not care that their actions are resulting in the harm of others. The second is a problem because it keeps an individual from being aware that they are hurting others. These two issues fly in the face of the two types of laws white uses. Selfishness undermines moral law while recklessness undermines civil law. Obviously this brings white into conflict with black and red, as black is primarily responsible for the first while red is primarily responsible for the second. More on this in a moment.
White is so obsessed with maintaining its structure that it can dwell on the tiny details. This can cause white to get agitated over what, on the surface, might appear to be a minor issue. White believes that all its rules must be followed, so it will at times treat minor infractions with the same vigor as major ones. White can also take individual losses very hard because it truly does care about the welfare of everyone.
Iona, Shield of Emeria | Art by Jason Chan
Why does the color like its allies and hate its enemies?
White looks at blue and sees a color that understands the value of carefully thinking things through. Blue, like white, is very detail oriented and sees the power in rules. White and blue share red as an enemy and are both concerned about the danger of impulsivity and emotion. Where white is a little concerned is that blue, as an ally of black, values the contributions of individuals higher than white is comfortable with. White wishes blue would focus more on perfecting society as a whole and less on perfecting individuals.
White looks at green and sees a color that shares its importance of community. Both colors find understanding the role an individual plays in the context of the world around them to be key. White and green share black as an enemy, and both dislike how black's selfish motives actively try to disrupt the harmony of those around it. White's concern with green comes from its bonding with red over embracing its wild side. Green seems okay with losing control, something that white knows only leads to trouble.
White looks at black and hates its focus on the importance of the individual. Black is selfish, immoral, and cruel. Black not only allows others to suffer but will actively be the one causing the suffering. Black actually enjoys inflicting pain. Black seems to go out of its way to break every moral code white has identified. If black had its way, individuals would only look out for themselves, and a vast majority of them would suffer. As a rule, white believes in nonviolence, but black is such a danger that white makes an exception. Black is a cancer that, if not excised, will kill society as a whole.
White looks at red and is afraid of the carelessness it enables. Red is impulsive, following its emotions, and thus is unpredictable and reckless. Red has no regard for laws and seems to break them without a second thought. Red is less sadistic than black, but no less dangerous. By undermining white's laws, red is inviting anarchy-creating chaos with just as much potential to cause harm to individuals. Red needs to be restrained and locked up before it can do any more damage.
The tie between the white/black conflict of the group versus the individual, and the red/white conflict of chaos versus order, deals with white's preoccupation with minimizing any disruption into its greater plan. In each case, white sees its enemy as a source of danger and feels it has to proactively stop it before individuals come to harm.
Mirran Crusader | Art by Eric Deschamps
What is the color's greatest strength and biggest weakness?
White's greatest strength is its organization. White is detail oriented and always has an answer to every problem. White has built up a complex infrastructure and is very efficient at using that infrastructure, be it laws, politics, or religion to its benefit. White's division of power, spreading evenly among all its supporters, makes defeating it difficult because no one piece is, unto itself, more important than any other piece. Finally, white has learned how to make small pieces interact in a way where their power is far stronger than the sum of their parts.
White's greatest weakness comes from its reliance on structure. White has no flexibility. It can only adapt to the things it predicted, and has great trouble when something new comes along. This inflexibility makes white slow to adapt so white can often fall behind when an environment changes. White also, at times |
but in this case it’s not necessarily true. One one hand, a drinking glass or two left on the coffee table isn’t the end of the world. Meanwhile, a mountainous pile of laundry on the floor isn’t acceptable. Both parties can learn to give a little. Instead of it being your-way-or-the-highway, discuss what is okay to leave as a little mess and what is absolutely not okay.
Designate messy and clean zones
I’m not suggesting you let one room devolve into the town recycling center, but not every room in your home needs to have the same level of tidiness expectations. The front room and kitchen might be your “always clean” zones and your garage workshop, sewing room, or game room can receive a little leeway and be a “messy” zone.
Motivate
My family has instituted the “hour of clean,” a time dedicated to giving the house a good once-over. Everyone knows when it’s scheduled and can prepare accordingly. Plus, it’s kind of fun with everyone involved and working together. Remember, too, that nagging has never motivated anyone, so leave that off your list of motivating strategies.
Have clear-cut responsibilities
I’m best when working from a specific list. When my wife hands me a list of chores or tasks, that’s great, as I have a clear definition of what needs to be done. For kids, you might take a photo of what an acceptable definition of “clean room” looks like and outline exactly what steps you want the child to take to get the desired result.
If a list would make other people in your home’s heads explode, use a less formal method of divvying up tasks. “I’ll do the laundry and mow the yard today.” “I’ll run the dishwasher and take out the trash.”
Have solutions that work for everyone
What works for one person in your home might not work for all. A three-step process for putting something away might be just fine for an adult, but a one-step process might be more appropriate for a toddler. When discussing your expectations, consider organizing and mess-busting solutions that everyone in your home can follow. You might be able to take off your shoes at the door and immediately walk them down to your clothes closet to be stored in labeled boxes, but your spouse might have trouble doing much more than taking off his or her shoes and not tracking mud through the house. A shoe storage solution by the main entrance of the house might be perfect for him or her, even though you have no use for it, and will help to keep the entrance clean to your specifications.Incredible Game 6 YouTube compilation video
Howdy, loyal readers of PH8. If you haven't been around for a while, please take note that we've moved to a new home. We'd love for you to come visit us at Cards Conclave and check out the other great writers while you're there. Thanks for reading!
[UPDATE: I’ve added another video in the comments below, per request. It is also completely awesome. Don’t forget to scroll down after you’ve watched the first one!]
This might be the coolest thing you’ll watch all day, especially since the Cardinals are off today.
Sent in to PH8 HQ by the video’s creator, identified as TeleVicious, what you’ll see below is a compilation of fan-made 2011 World Series Game 6 videos. More specifically, fan reactions – both from the ballpark and the couch – to David Freese’s (and Lance Berkman’s, lest we forget) heroics in that game.
Be forewarned, there is some choice language in the video, as one might imagine. We typically try to keep things clean here at PH8 (we do it for the kids!), but felt this video was worth sharing. So if you can sneak some time away from young ears and the boss, and can deal with some choice words brought to you by the letter F…
Watch the video after the jump.
NOTE: This video contains NSFW language. But it’s so worth it.
Chills, goose bumps, eyes welling up a bit even – all over again.
I really enjoyed the quick switches to all the different perspectives from the ballpark at the same moment.
The guy just lying on the floor laughing hysterically at around 7:20 might as well have been me, I think I was doing the same exact thing.
Thanks to TeleVicious for the work putting this together and emailing the link.
What was your favorite part/reaction in the video? Leave a note below or find me on Twitter @PitchersHit8th.
emailCulture Mapping Decoding the Bible Ken Zhang, Carlos Folgar and Jess McCuan
It was perhaps a leap of faith to think software could shed light on the Bible.
But two California biblical scholars were willing to take the leap with us, and last month, they liked where Quid landed.
Quid software distills massive amounts of text-based data, including news stories, blogs, patent applications, and academic papers. But a new feature in Quid, Opus, can handle any text -- including an ancient one like the Bible -- and our team wanted to see how all the individual chapters of 66 books of the Old and New Testaments visualized based on their linguistic similarities.
To help us understand the outcome were two noted biblical scholars: Father John Endres of the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University, an expert in the Old Testament; and Father Daniel Kendall of the University of San Francisco, who’s spent his career studying the New Testament. The two professors met with us in early October to review parts of Quid’s analysis.
In the following network visualizations, each node is a chapter (e.g. Exodus Ch. 27). A link connecting two chapters means they share unique words relevant to the entire corpus. Dense clustering of chapters represents groups of chapters that share a strong similarity in unique words. Other structural features of the network, such as distance and bridges between clusters, represent how the chapters connect with each other based on their language.
A team at Quid uploaded the entire King James Bible into the software. In this network, each node represents a Bible chapter. Dense clustering of chapters indicates the strength of their shared language.
Then we colored the network to show the difference between the Old (blue) and New Testaments (red). The algorithm detects a clear distinction between the two testaments.
Once we could see the difference between testaments, we colored the chapters by their pertaining book (below). The resulting visualization shows many regions of the network with multi-colored chapters, meaning chapters from different books share similar language. But there are a few books’ chapters that clustered together, suggesting that the topics in those books are unique. According to Father Kendall, this makes sense: “You find some characters that are only in Genesis.”
The later chapters of Exodus clustered fairly separately from any other book. Mainly, the scholars explained, because those chapters are descriptions of construction projects -- detailed accounts of Bezaleel and his methods and measurements for building the Ark of the Covenant.
Our analysis also revealed that the books connecting the two testaments are Revelation and Acts.
Next, we colored the books by their “popularity” -- in this case, by how many times people had searched for chapters or verses in each book in Google. We saw that Genesis was the most-searched book, followed by Psalms and parts of Deuteronomy.
To Father Kendall, this metric also made sense. “Psalms is used in every ceremony you can think of,” he said in a meeting at UCSF.
Then we looked at sentiment. The highest degree of negative sentiment, not surprisingly, fell in the Old Testament books -- particularly Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Zechariah. Jeremiah, for example, heavy on themes of punishment and justice from a wrathful God, accounted for a significant chunk of the most negative part of the map. One of the most cited passages from Jeremiah:
“Thus says the Lord concerning the house of the king of Judah…I will make you a desert, an uninhabited city. I will prepare destroyers against you….And many nations will pass by this city, and all of them will say one to another, “Why has the Lord dealt in this way with that great city?” And they will answer, “Because they abandoned the covenant of the Lord their God.”
Some of the Psalms also had a surprisingly high degree of negative sentiment. Father Kendall explained that around a third of the Psalms are laments, complaints to God about what’s going on.Every three years, the Library of Congress has the thankless task of listening to people complain about the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The DMCA forbade most attempts to bypass the digital locks on things like DVDs, music, and computer software, but it also gave the Library the ability to wave its magical copyright wand and make certain DRM cracks legal for three years at a time.
This time, the Library went (comparatively) nuts, allowing widespread bypassing of the CSS encryption on DVDs, declaring iPhone jailbreaking to be "fair use," and letting consumers crack their legally purchased e-books in order to have them read aloud by computers.
The exemptions
The DMCA was passed in 1998, so this is the fourth go-round for the Library. In the past, people have usually complained that DRM prevented them from making legitimate use of items like DVDs—format-shifting a copy to one's iPod, for instance, was forbidden. The Register of Copyrights (who is part of the Library of Congress) dutifully listened to these complaints and then did... very little. Previous exemptions could charitably be described as "parsimonious." After all, if you need a two-minute clip of a film, you could always get it from a VHS tape or by taping a TV screen. Right?
The Librarian and the Register, cautious folks that they are, have moved slowly, but after more than a decade of the DMCA, they are increasingly willing to acknowledge its harms. That lead to this morning's ruling, which provides DRM circumvention exemptions for the following six classes of works:
(1) Motion pictures on DVDs that are lawfully made and acquired and that are protected by the Content Scrambling System when circumvention is accomplished solely in order to accomplish the incorporation of short portions of motion pictures into new works for the purpose of criticism or comment, and where the person engaging in circumvention believes and has reasonable grounds for believing that circumvention is necessary to fulfill the purpose of the use in the following instances: (i) Educational uses by college and university professors and by college and university film and media studies students;
(ii) Documentary filmmaking;
(iii) Noncommercial videos. (2) Computer programs that enable wireless telephone handsets to execute software applications, where circumvention is accomplished for the sole purpose of enabling interoperability of such applications, when they have been lawfully obtained, with computer programs on the telephone handset. (3) Computer programs, in the form of firmware or software, that enable used wireless telephone handsets to connect to a wireless telecommunications network, when circumvention is initiated by the owner of the copy of the computer program solely in order to connect to a wireless telecommunications network and access to the network is authorized by the operator of the network. (4) Video games accessible on personal computers and protected by technological protection measures that control access to lawfully obtained works, when circumvention is accomplished solely for the purpose of good faith testing for, investigating, or correcting security flaws or vulnerabilities, if: (i) The information derived from the security testing is used primarily to promote the security of the owner or operator of a computer, computer system, or computer network; and (ii) The information derived from the security testing is used or maintained in a manner that does not facilitate copyright infringement or a violation of applicable law. (5) Computer programs protected by dongles that prevent access due to malfunction or damage and which are obsolete. A dongle shall be considered obsolete if it is no longer manufactured or if a replacement or repair is no longer reasonably available in the commercial marketplace; and (6) Literary works distributed in ebook format when all existing ebook editions of the work (including digital text editions made available by authorized entities) contain access controls that prevent the enabling either of the book’s read-aloud function or of screen readers that render the text into a specialized format.
The language here can be opaque, so let's parse these a bit.
DVDs
First up: DVDs! Previous exemptions have been carved out for college professors who might use film clips in class. But note the broad nature of the new rule—it applies to everyone. As long as you are making a documentary or noncommercial video, you're in.
The exemption only covers "short portions of motion pictures," since the Register was not convinced that longer portions would necessarily be fair use. And if there's some other way of getting the clips short of bypassing DRM, you should take it.
According to the official explanatory text (PDF), "Where alternatives to circumvention can be used to achieve the noninfringing purpose, such noncircumventing alternatives should be used." Thus, if you have screen capture software and need only a low-quality copy for some purpose, you should use that.
But the exemption is a key one, despite its limiting language. As the Librarian of Congress finally admitted, "I agree with the Register that the record demonstrates that it is sometimes necessary to circumvent access controls on DVDs in order to make these kinds of fair uses of short portions of motion pictures."
Jailbreaking
The most surprising ruling was on "jailbreaking" one's phone (exemption number two), replacing the company-provided operating system with a hacked version that has fewer limitations. Make no mistake: this was all about Apple. And Apple lost.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation argued that jailbreaking one's iPhone should be allowed, even though it required one to bypass some DRM and then to reuse a small bit of Apple's copyright firmware code. Apple showed up at the hearings to say, in numerous ways, that the idea was terrible, ridiculous, and illegal. In large part, that was because the limit on jailbreaking was needed to preserve Apple's controlled ecosystem, which the company said was of great value to consumers.
That might be true, the Register agreed, but what did it have to do with copyright?
"Apple is not concerned that the practice of jailbreaking will displace sales of its firmware or of iPhones," wrote the Register, explaining her thinking by running through the "four factors" of the fair use test. "Indeed, since one cannot engage in that practice unless one has acquired an iPhone, it would be difficult to make that argument. Rather, the harm that Apple fears is harm to its reputation. Apple is concerned that jailbreaking will breach the integrity of the iPhone's ecosystem. The Register concludes that such alleged adverse effects are not in the nature of the harm that the fourth fair use factor is intended to address."
And the Register concluded that a jailbroken phone used "fewer than 50 bytes of code out of more than 8 million bytes, or approximately 1/160,000 of the copyrighted work as a whole. Where the alleged infringement consists of the making of an unauthorized derivative work, and the only modifications are so de minimis, the fact that iPhone users are using almost the entire iPhone firmware for the purpose for which it was provided to them by Apple undermines the significance" of Apple's argument.
The conclusion is sure to irritate Steve Jobs: "On balance, the Register concludes that when one jailbreaks a smartphone in order to make the operating system on that phone interoperable with an independently created application that has not been approved by the maker of the smartphone or the maker of its operating system, the modifications that are made purely for the purpose of such interoperability are fair uses."
SecuROM and SafeDisc
Exemption four is quite clear—security research on DRM-limited video games is allowed—but why is it there? What research needs to be done?
It turns out that the real target here is the DRM itself, specifically two controversial systems called SecuROM and SafeDisc. Professor Alex Halderman, a longtime security researcher in this area, begged the Library to let him investigate these kinds of invasive DRM without legal worries.
"The evidence relating to SecuROM tends to be highly speculative," said the Register, explaining her approval of the exemption, "but Professor Halderman asserted that this situation has been crying out for an investigation by reputable security researchers in order to rigorously determine the nature of the problem that this system cause[s], and dispel this uncertainty about exactly what's going on. He believed that the prohibition on circumvention is at least in part to blame for the lack of rigorous, independent analysis."
But the SafeDisc situation is clearer. "In contrast to SecuROM, SafeDisc has created a verifiable security vulnerability on a large number of computers. Opponents of the proposed class did not dispute that SafeDisc created a security vulnerability, but they argued that the security flaw was patched by Microsoft in 2007, without the need of an exemption. However, SafeDisc was preloaded on nearly every copy of Microsoft's Windows XP and Windows 2003 operating systems and was on the market for over six years before a security researcher discovered malware exploiting the security. The vulnerability had the capacity to affect nearly one billion PCs."
Given what's at stake, the Library decided to allow such security research.
E-books
Remember how Amazon got into trouble with publishers for allowing its Kindle to do automated text-to-speech? Publishers objected that this could cut into their audiobook money and that it might violate their rights.
Amazon may have clamped down on the feature in response, but the Library of Congress has now given users the right to crack e-book DRM in order to hear the words. Exemption number six only applies in cases where there is no alternative; if e-book vendors offer any sort of version that allows screen-reading or text-to-speech, even if the price is significantly higher, people must use that version rather than bypass DRM.
But if there are no commercial alternatives, e-book buyers are at last legally allowed to bypass DRM.
The clock is ticking
Other, broader exemptions were not allowed. Bypassing the DRM on purchased music when the authentication servers have gone dark? Still illegal. Bypassing the DRM on streaming video in order to watch it on non-supported platforms? Nope.
But the exemptions that did make it were carefully thought out and actually helpful this time around. That's the good news. The bad news is that they must be re-argued every three years, and the Library has taken so long getting its most recent ruling out that that the next review happens just two years from now.
So enjoy your exemptions while you can.I recently heard about this legend of a conversation between an old Cherokee Indian and his grandson. The message is great but the storytelling is even better.
One evening, an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside us all. One is Evil – It is anger, envy, jealousy, greed, and arrogance. The other is Good – It is peace, love, hope, humility, compassion, and faith. ” The grandson thought about this for a while and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?” To which the old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
I think that we all have a tendency to feed both wolves, but we always feed one more than the other. It’s usually the wolf that we feed the most that tends to determine the quality of our life. If you start to pay attention, you’ll also notice that while you may not feed the evil wolf a sizzling steak, you might be throwing it some scraps.
Here are some examples of some emotions applicable to this story:
Anger: Somebody cuts you off in traffic and you start yelling profanities.
Envy: Your friend or colleague is slightly or greatly ahead of you in his or her career.
Jealousy: Someone has acquired a new car, girlfriend, or some other possession you think will bring you happiness.
Greed: You might have tons of money, but you still don’t see abundance in your life.
Arrogance: You start to see yourself above other people because of your station in life (ivy league degrees, large bank accounts, etc.).
You also have an ability to feed the other wolf. When you can learn to make feeding this wolf your dominant tendency it can dramatically improve your quality of life:
Peace: Peace seems to be at the root of almost every personal development resource I’ve come across.
Love: Ziggy Marley sang “Love is my Religion”, a message that tells us to treat the world around us with unconditional love.
Hope: Hope is what keeps us going and keeps us motivated to be our best.
Compassion: Compassion opens up the doors to the hearts and mind of the world around you.
Faith: If you feed all of the characteristics of the wolf above with complete faith, you overcome the battle inside of you.
I admit, I love this kind of stuff. This idea of the inclinations you feed being a conscious choice is pretty realistic. It also makes complete sense that the more one works on a habit the easier it becomes. [If you were to stop eating fried food, each week that passes you would crave it less and less.]
But I also don’t think the idea above is to live exclusively within this “Good” sphere of life. It is a constant battle and I’m not sure how much quality of life there is without stumbling and letting ourselves be human.
There is richness when we’re not perfect and not everything is reconciled. I like to mix it up sometimes and not always try to reconcile some behaviors that may be contradictory. To me, enjoying life entails a non-linear but continuous journey to get more out of life.
The main takeaway for me with this legend is the more we manage negative tendencies, the more enjoyable life becomes overall.
What’s your personal perspective on this story?
Written on 7/24/2009 by Srinivas Rao. Srinivas is a volunteer for the Quality of Life Project. The website shares best practices on getting the most out of life from well known types like Richard Branson and Tom Skerritt to lesser known but equally interesting individuals. Srinivas also writes at www.theskooloflife.com. Photo Credit: LaenulfeanImage caption The Sellafield site handles nuclear material and is carefully guarded
Previously confidential government files from 1983, released on Friday in Belfast, confirm the secret dumping of radioactive waste in Belfast and Londonderry in the early 1980s.
They also show that the issue of radioactive discharges, from the Windscale nuclear plant in Cumbria, generated concern among Northern Ireland Office (NIO) officials, 30 years ago.
The issue first surfaced in a briefing note for a visit by an NIO minister to Down District Council in November 1983.
In a note to officials, Miss A E V Kingsmill warned that "the question of radioactive pollution from Windscale and the associated cancer scare has raised a great deal of concern in certain coastal areas of the district, for example at Kilclief (County Down)."
At the same time, the Northern Ireland Assembly, set up by Northern Ireland Secretary Jim Prior to advance devolution, had discussed the issue of nuclear waste being dumped into the Irish Sea from Windscale. It had called upon the government to carry out an urgent survey into the levels of radioactivity on the coastline.
In response to these concerns, officials prepared a briefing note for NIO minister Adam Butler that sought to reassure the public.
It was dated 6 December 1983 and emphasised that regular monitoring of the coastline, as well as of seaweed and fish, had been carried out since 1977, following the Windscale Inquiry of that year.
Image caption Jim Prior was the Northern Ireland Secretary in 1983
These surveys showed that the radioactivity of the seaweed samples generally fell within a typical West Europe background level.
It went on: "The fish samples are taken from catches landed at Ardglass and Portavogie. The activity of the samples can be above normal background levels depending on the season and the area of the catch."
However, even these enhanced levels were well within the limits recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection.
The files show that in the Republic of Ireland, samples of seaweed were collected at Carlingford, Skerries, Dunmore and Rosslare and sent to the United Kingdom's Fisheries Research Laboratory for analysis.
The files said: "The concentrations reported to date (in the south) are considered to be of no radiological significance."
The NIO's interest in Sellafield coincided with a Yorkshire Television programme in November 1983 about a possible increase in the incidence of cancer in the communities surrounding the reprocessing plant.
In response to the impact of this programme in Northern Ireland, a memo in the file, dated 5 December 1982, revealed that solid radioactive waste had been buried at two local authority disposal sites during the period 1977-1982.
These were at Duncrue Street in north Belfast and at Culmore Point, outside Derry.
At Duncrue Street, the memo noted "a number of controlled burials of hospital/university waste of short half-life, together with small amounts of industrial waste were arranged."
The total activity disposed of was approximately 180 millicuries, of which the bulk comprised radioactive iodine with a half-life of less than two months.
At Culmore Point, two consignments of hospital waste had been disposed of by controlled burial; the total activity amounted to 170 microcuries.
The file noted that a number of hospitals, fertiliser plants and both of Northern Ireland universities had been authorised to dispose of radioactive waste by controlled burials at these sites.More than three months after the plane crash of an Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, comes the sad confirmation that the Hoare family of four who lived in Roeser, have now been formally identified as being on board the aircraft.
The announcement was made jointly by Luxembourg police and Dutch authorities on Monday.
The identification took place in the military barracks located in the city Hilversum (Netherlands) headed up by national forensic police investigation units.
The Malaysia Airlines plane was shot down on July 17 this year in eastern Ukraine.
The Hoare family, including Andew, Estella (Vermeulen), Jasper and Friso, were among the 298 passengers and crew members who died on the plane.
They had been on their way to the holiday of a lifetime in the Borneo jungle.
Hundreds attend Hoare-Vermeulen family memorial
Do not miss the news - sign up to receive the wort.lu newsletter in English delivered to your inbox six days a week.Have you ever given your horse an aid and got nothing in return?
Perhaps your horse simply didn't respond? You did it again, and nothing resulted even the second time.
Perhaps your horse gave you an unwanted response - did he pin his ears, scramble forward or even throw out a little buck or kick?
Most of us would then repeat the aid, and expect the horse to "learn" the correct response, because after all, it is the horse that needs to understand what we are doing, and not the other way around!
If you ever find yourself in a vicious cycle with the horse not improving and possibly deteriorating in response, there could be one other variable that you might not have considered - the TIMING of the aid.
The timing of the aid has to do with everything - time it wrong, and you might as well be doing nothing, or worse still, irritating your horse.
Every gait has an inherent rhythm to it. You can probably already feel the "swing" of the horse's back in that gait. You might already know how to post and/or sit rhythmically in the trot, and follow the canter gently through your seat so you don't smack the horse's back with each stride. You can already use your seat and leg aids and steadily, with feeling, use your hands to keep the energy "recycling" back into the horse rather than let it all out the front.
For the most part, your horse is quite pleased with your riding skills! But you know that you and your horse are not yet "one" - there is something missing that prevents you from moving together in tandem - the type of communication that makes onlookers think that you can read each other's mind.
Breaking down the stride
Simply put, the horse cannot respond to your aid if the inside hind foot is on the ground. Once that foot lands on the ground, it is immobilized and unable to do anything other than bear weight.
The time to use an aid is when that foot is heading off the ground into the air. You need to energize the leg as it is cycling through the air into the next stride. It is through that moment when the horse is able to reach further underneath the body, or take a lateral step, or change gait. The moment resurfaces every time the horse takes the inside hind leg off the ground, but it is there only for that moment!
You have to find that moment and make it useful. Applying an aid should be done in rhythm within those moments - stride by stride rather than maintained steadily through several strides. You may find yourself, in effect, dancing your aids to the horse, in the rhythm that works best for him.
It may sound complicated to time your aids, but it really isn't too difficult. Rather than having to focus on the inside hind leg (which can be difficult if you haven't developed the "feelers" in your seat), you can look to the inside front leg for a clue as to what the inside hind leg is doing.
When to time Your Aids
Walk or Trot: Apply your aids when the inside front leg is on its way back.
Canter: Apply your aid when the horse is in the "down stride" of the canter
(as Jane Savoie says, when you can see the mane flop down in the stride).
In both examples, the inside hind leg would be in the moment of elevation. Should you apply the aid in that moment, the leg would be able to respond as it is still gliding through the air.
That is all there is to it! Pay close attention, wait for the moment, execute the aid during the moment, and let the horse respond.
Try it and tell us know how it works out!
Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!
Ready for something completely different? If you liked what you read here, you might be interested in the new Horse Listening Practice Sessions. This is NOT a program where you watch other people's riding lessons. Start working with your horse from Day 1. Click here to read more and to join one of the most complete programs on the Internet!
Don’t miss a single issue of Horse Listening! If you like what you are reading, become a subscriber and receive updates when new Horse Listening articles are published! Your email address will not be used on any other distribution list. Subscribe to Horse Listening by Email
Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding
Avail able as an eBook or paperback.
Other posts you might enjoy:
Secrets to a Great Turn (a.k.a. Shift Out To Turn In): Turning a horse is all about using the outside aids!
Speaking "Horse" (a.k.a. Pushing the Envelope): Your horse would be happy if you could ask him in his own language.
To Lesson or Not To Lesson: That should not even be a question!
Stepping "Forward" in Horse Riding: What does the term "forward" really mean?
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Like this: Like Loading...In a recent issue of The Translational Scientist, Editor Charlotte Barker addressed several aspects of the “Cancer Moonshot”(1). I would like to add my perspective – that a billion dollars doesn’t even come close to what our trip to the moon cost. Back then, when a billion meant something, the moon budget was $24 billion, which in current dollars is about $200 billion. Even today, NASA’s annual budget is about $18 billion while the NCI is allocated about $5 billion. In the Apollo era, the NASA budget was around four percent of federal spending; NCI’s current $5 billion is about 0.1 percent. For a little perspective, NBA players make $3 billion collectively, and as a nation we spend more money on candy or lottery tickets than on cancer research. Of course, basketball players, candy companies, and state governments think these are fine expenditures.
Some might remember that in 2007 President Obama promised to double the NCI budget – something that never happened – and the extra billion promised by the moonshot, even if actually allocated or redirected, is a bit anemic. In either case, the value of new expenditures is based on the assumption that more money would bring proportionally more progress, which may or may not be true. Yes, every researcher would like a bigger grant, but having more may not mean consistently greater productivity –especially in the short term, as more infrastructure and people would have to be brought on line. Perhaps lab-ready is the science equivalent of shovel-ready, which is to say, research that can “immediately” and effectively be undertaken.
It’s worth noting that Vice President Biden’s commitment to this endeavor is likely associated, at least in part, with the sad loss of his son, Beau Biden, to a brain tumor. Does this suggest that if his son had succumbed to some other disease, Biden would now be championing an entirely different cause? This reflects our generally poor collective ability to rationally prioritize things. Cancer, however important, is not the overall leading cause of death; heart disease tops that list. For deaths occurring between 1 and 44 years of age, the number one cause is “unintentional injury”. Between 15 and 34 this is followed by suicide and then homicide. The focus on heart disease and cancer is actually a focus on what is killing older people.
Every area of disease tends to have champions who believe and/or assert that their focus deserves our full and immediate attention – usually while avoiding the issue of whose cause should lose out.
Every area of disease tends to have champions who believe and/or assert that their focus deserves our full and immediate attention – usually while avoiding the issue of whose cause should lose out. Such promotion often includes flamboyant descriptors such as “moonshot”. But this type of narrow, and in part self-interested, focus is not limited to research. I once knew a wrist surgeon who was appropriately devoted to the importance of the wrist; I jokingly suggested to someone that the surgeon believed that the wrist came right after the brain and heart in terms of importance. “I’m not sure they would agree that the wrist would come third...” was the return quip.
In an ideal world, or indeed in a better world, rational action would not require bombastic rhetoric. If more federal money is appropriate for cancer research, then it should be provided, after a proper assessment of resources and priorities. If it can’t or won’t be provided, we should be told why.This weekend kicks off the holiday shopping season. We know you are DYING to shop at Crafty Supermarket’s holiday market on December 2 at Music Hall but also might have a few things you want to mark off your list this weekend. An investment in your local community is more likely to stay in your local community than if you spend it in a big box store or even online from the comfort of your own home. There are some great shops around our beautiful city that will treat you right and help you find what you are looking for. Here’s our guide! Start by waking up at a respectable hour and proceed down the list.
First start your morning at Redtree Gallery and Coffee Shop in Oakley, you can get your coffee fix and check out local handmade items while you do it. Relax and enjoy yourself! Ask the staff there for other shop recommendations around there. There are tons to chose from.
Swing up to Robot Inside. Tara the owner is the nicest person ever and she offers handmade goods plus you can sign up for classes while you are at it!
Now it’s time to stock up on supplies so you can start making yourself! Head to Silk Road Textiles in College Hill. They have the yummiest yarn and fabric selection and you can sign up for classes. If you need more caffeine you can refuel at College Hill Coffee. You can also stop by Fern to grab some plants to keep your house feeling alive as we head into winter.
Next you’re going to head down the hill into Northside. In route you are going to stop off at Nvision. She offers an impressively curated collection of vintage clothing and furniture. Forget the midcentury modern remakes that are everywhere right now, she has the REAL DEAL! She also has a small selection of handmade goods too and regular art openings.
It’s time to head to Shake It Records, if you need more vintage, you can also stop at Chicken Lays and Egg on your way. Shake It is famous for their record collection but they also have an amazing book, card and gift section. As you head in, admire the handprinted store front sign as you walk in. It’s sweet!
Next make your way up to the Chocolate Bee where you can buy beautiful chocolate gifts made by Chocolats Latour and beeswax goods made by Bee Haven Honey. A few doors down you’ll find The Hoop & Needle, they offer an amazing assortment of stitching supplies. Their store front is also the BEST. If you need more vintage before you leave Northside, Casablanca has you covered!
Ok, now it’s time to head downtown. Stop by Findlay Market for lunch at Eli’s BBQ and grab a treat from Dojo Gelato. They are a magical pair. Be sure to wander through the market before you head down to Mica 12/v. I’d like to live inside this shop. It is so well curated and just perfectly arranged. You can find a gift for every person on your list here.
Then you’ll walk a few blocks to Main Street, grab a snack at Macaron Bar before you hit Lucca Laser Workshop and Indigo Hippo! Lucca has amazing custom options as well as ready to buy pieces. Indigo Hippo offers repurposed supplies and they have a great show hanging right now featuring local artists!
Now it’s time to head over to Covington, yes technically you aren’t in Cincinnati anymore BUT this place is worth the trip away from home, Handzy is an awesome little retail shop and design studio offering a variety of handmade items. It’s all run by two BFFs. Tell them we said HI!
Last of all you need something for yourself so you can go home and relax. Head east to Manitou Candle Co., they have every scent you’ll ever want! Perfect gift for those people you love who have everything or it’s the perfect touch to make your house all cozy as you put up for feet for the night. They are also super nice peeps.
What an exhausting day! This list is absolutely not complete, we actually started out with a goal to list ten businesses but got carried away. There are tons of other local businesses to support in our awesome city of entrepreneurs and makers. Get out there but make sure you save some funds for Crafty Supermarket on |
pleasing thing. flOw is perhaps the most obviously “art museum” choice, but great to see it there, and I just love seeing Dwarf Fortress and Canabalt getting such attention. Vib-Ribbon I’m afraid I never played, never owning a PSX at the time – forgive me.
It’s weird to realise that for once it’s a lack of older games in the list that seems the oddity. Eight since the millennium, and only two from the Eighties. While I’m delighted that it’s not just a rogues’ gallery of obvious hoary arcades, familiar to all, it does seem a bit wanting in the first half. Of course, that’s likely something that will be addressed as the collection enlarges.
Those with access to the New York terminals will have to wait until March next year to see the exhibit. But coo, what a nice thing to exist.Image copyright AFP Image caption Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (left) and Fethullah Gulen were once close allies
Turkey is to start extradition proceedings against US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.
Mr Gulen, a former ally of the prime minister, has been accused by Mr Erdogan of using his supporters to try to topple him.
The cleric denies mounting a campaign against him.
Turkey's government has faced a string of corruption scandals and rights groups accuse it of authoritarianism.
Speaking at parliament after meeting with deputies from his Justice and Development Party (AKP) party on Tuesday, Mr Erdogan confirmed the extradition process "will begin", reports say.
'Model partner'
The Turkish PM was speaking hours after an interview with US broadcaster PBS, in which he said he hoped the US would deport Mr Gulen and send him back to Turkey.
It was his first interview with foreign media since his party claimed victory in local elections last month.
Hizmet movement Hizmet ("service") is the Turkish name of what is commonly known as the Gulen movement
The movement is inspired by the teachings of Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, who lives in exile in the US
Gulen is a mainstream Sunni Hanafi Muslim scholar, influenced by Anatolian Sufism
There is no formal structure but Hizmet followers are numbered in the millions, spread across more than 150 countries
First expanded into Central Asia after the USSR's demise in 1991 Gulen: Powerful but reclusive Profile: Hizmet movement
In the interview, Mr Erdogan said he hoped Washington, as a "model partner", would deliver on the issue.
"At least they should deport him," he added.
Mr Gulen, 74, has lived in self-imposed exile in the US state of Pennsylvania since 1997.
He has many supporters in the police and judiciary, and has denounced moves to shut down an investigation into corruption allegations levelled against several of the prime minister's allies.
His teachings have inspired the Hizmet ("Service") movement, which is believed to have millions of followers spread across over 150 countries.
Hizmet promotes a tolerant form of Islam, emphasising education, altruism and hard work.
Mr Erdogan has accused the movement of being behind a series of wiretaps and social media leaks allegedly exposing major corruption of figures with ties to the government.
Thousands of alleged Hizmet sympathisers in the police and judiciary have since been demoted or reassigned to other jobs.
Over the past year, Turkey has been convulsed by mass protests against Mr Erdogan's ten-year rule and the corruption allegations.Bahrain's Civil Defence personnel safely evacuated around 300 people, including 24 children as a fire broke out at The Domain Hotel and Spa in capital Manama.
The fire broke out at 12.30pm on the 28th floor and soon soon the floor was engulfed in thick smoke, according to the Ministry of Interior.
Seven fire engines were pressed into service to battle the blaze, which forced an emergency evacuation of guests and hotel staff, the ministry said in its twitter account.
On information, the Civil Defence teams rushed to spot within no time and prevented the fire from spreading into nearby rooms, it stated citing the deputy general director of Civil Defence.
The initial investigations pointed towards short circuit as the likely cause. No injuries were reported, it added.I follow, like, and read short stories by Tobias Wade, a contributor to this collection of short stories. I obtained the novel from his website. Wade writes approximately short stories several times per week and sends them out in email alerts on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Some are brilliant, others are merely good but he is a writer that will hold the interest of genre horror fans.
This collection was written by four authors and has a total of 41 stories. David Maloney is an English teacher living in China. An expat English teacher and also a writer? With13 stories in this collection, he joins a well-populated subculture. Ha-yong Glen Bak lists editor among other credentials. Offering 11 titled stories plus a bonus story, writers must fear him as they fear all editors. Kyle Alexander is described as a professional graffiti artist. Is this another form of the ultimate short story, or flash fiction? Alexander contributes two short stories and a collection Teenagers which is presented in three chapters. Tobias Wade seems to be an outlier as far as writer associated occupations with a former profession of neuroscience researcher. Wade brings 12 stories to this collection. I have read another collection of his, 51 Sleepless Nights, and am currently reading The Last Man. I also enjoy his weekly horror wake-up calls. With so many stories to choose from, I will comment on my favorite contribution from each author.
DavidMaloney’s story Welcome to Hell, Please Take a Number, is a creative categorization of types of demons and levels of possession. Read this through to the end and become very much afraid. What a great beginning to this collection! I was only to comment on one story per collection but how could I not to comment on She Says the Smell of Death Turns Her On? You might want to read this explicit one after the kids have gone to bed.
Tobias Wade’s story From Rags to Stitches gets my vote as the most chilling Wade tale. Casey was his sister, he should have been able to protect her. But Mom married Leroy and Leroy didn’t like children. He had seen the bruises on his sister’s body but she had told him to be quiet, that the two of them had not yet earned Leroy’s love. Now they never would; he remembered his feelings when he found Casey dead. Would he be next? There is more than one surprise in this chilling ending.
Ha-yong Glen Bak begins with a very strong offering, my favorite, Make Money or Die Trying. The theme will begin along familiar lines. Jared, a homeless guy, is offered to play in a reality “game” with four other competitors. The prize is huge but only the survivor gets the prize. Finishers 2, 3 4, and 5 are dead. The manners of their deaths are varied and dependent on the wish of subscribers to this reality contest. Screenwriters and authors have used this set-up a lot. Here Glen Bak twists the idea in its implementation. Keeping in mind the title of this collection, this is the first point at which the word “brutal” is appropriate. This story is extremely brutal and not for the sensitive. And all the brutality is topped off with a surprise. If any of the stories deserve a warning notice for brutality, this is it.
Kyle Alexander contributes two short stories and the chapters of Teenagers with a common theme. Humans become something else, maybe more highly evolved, maybe not. The chapters of Teenagers are a romp through high tech possibilities as humans become more machine-like yet try to retain human qualities of benevolence and humanitarian concern. Kafka would have an interesting comment on the conclusion of Teenagers.
This is a nice varied presentation of the work of four skilled writers in the horror and fantasy-horror genre. See the note above about the brutal designation. Not all parts are for all readers. I will click on each of the links I learned found in the author descriptions to read more works from these authors. In such a collection there is always the brilliant and the lesser shining offering so I give the collection a four-star rating on Amazon.WASHINGTON, Oct 14 (Reuters) - The family who shared an apartment with a Liberian man who died of Ebola in Texas is showing no signs of illness, while the dog of a nurse who contracted the deadly virus is healthy and being cared for, Dallas’s mayor said on Tuesday.
Thomas Eric Duncan’s girlfriend, her 13-year-old son and two nephews in their 20s had been living with Duncan before he was admitted to a Dallas hospital on Sept. 28.
“So far no signs of the virus in any of them,” Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said on CNN. “We check them twice a day, and everybody’s healthy.”
Rawlings said none of the other people being monitored after contact with Duncan, who died Oct. 8, have gotten sick. There is a 21-day incubation period for the virus that has killed at least 4,400 people, predominantly in West Africa.
Federal health officials are working around the clock at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, Rawlings said, as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tries to determine how 26-year-old nurse Nina Pham became infected while caring for Duncan in an isolation ward where he was treated for 11 days.
Pham’s dog, Bentley, a 1-year-old King Charles Spaniel, was taken from her apartment Monday night and is being cared for in isolation, said the mayor, who called the nurse a hero.
“That dog was very important to her. We want to make sure that dog is healthy as can be at this point and being taken care of at this point,” Rawlings said. He said Pham was sent a video of her pet, “so hopefully that buoys her up a bit.”
Officials have said they do not know how the virus infected Pham, who was wearing protective gear while caring for Duncan. She is the first person known to have contracted Ebola in the United States.
Dr. Brett Giroir, who was appointed by Texas Governor Rick Perry to lead a task force on infectious disease preparedness, said on CNN that every person at the Dallas hospital who had any contact with Duncan was interviewed by the CDC and local health authorities and assessed for risk.
He would not say how many hospital workers were on that list. Those who had real contact with Duncan were being actively monitored by the CDC, he said.
Ebola, which can cause fever, vomiting and diarrhea, spreads through contact with bodily fluids such as blood or saliva.
The infection of the Dallas nurse is the second known to have occurred outside West Africa since the outbreak that began in March. It follows that of a nurse’s aide in Spain who helped treat a missionary from Sierra Leone who died of the virus.
Texas Health Presbyterian has been criticized for not admitting Duncan the first time he went to the hospital.
“He should have been identified as an Ebola patient and put in isolation,” Giroir said. “There will clearly be lessons learned from this incident.” (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)As the Washington Post explained in January, President Bush added $5.1 trillion in red ink to the national ledger. But while the debt has grown by over $5 trillion during Obama's first term, less than $1 trillion can be attributed to new programs he put in place. The rest is the result of the tax revenue loss from the deep recession which began in December 2007 and the continuation of policies inherited from George W. Bush. As Ezra Klein explained:
What's also important, but not evident, on this chart is that Obama's major expenses were temporary -- the stimulus is over now -- while Bush's were, effectively, recurring. The Bush tax cuts didn't just lower revenue for 10 years. It's clear now that they lowered it indefinitely, which means this chart is understating their true cost. Similarly, the Medicare drug benefit is costing money on perpetuity, not just for two or three years. And Boehner, Ryan and others voted for these laws and, in some cases, helped to craft and pass them.
"There is no reason in the world, and I simply don't buy the notion, that somehow we come to office now as a, quote, 'weakened president.' [...] We've got a good program, and we're going to pursue it."
That started with the Bush tax cuts of 2001. Despite losing the popular vote and facing a 50-50 Senate, President Bush and Vice President Cheney claimed a mandate for their $1.3 trillion tax cut package. As Bush put it to Congressional leaders on December 18, 2000, "I think all four standing here understand that I campaigned on a clear view of tax relief, and that's what I'm going to bring to the floor of the House and the Senate." Cheney, as usual, was blunter:Which is pretty much what transpired. By the summer of 2001, President Bush and Vice President Cheney had their $1.3 trillion tax cut, courtesy of precisely the strategy Gloria Borger ridiculed as "cherry pick[ing] one or two Democrats here and there and get them to sign on to whatever tax bill you have." (They had to use the budget reconciliation process to do it, which is one of the reasons the Bush tax cuts were not permanent.) Unlike Bill Clinton's upper-income tax hikes of 1993 (which received zero GOP votes in either house of Congress) and Barack Obama's 2009 stimulus bill (which garnered three Republican votes in the Senate and none in the House), 12 Democratic Senators and 28 Representatives provided President Bush's margin of victory.
Bush got his victory, despite warnings from Democrats that his tax cuts would produce oceans of red ink while the benefits would flow primarily to very rich. (That's why John McCain opposed the 2001 measure, arguing "I cannot in good conscience support a tax cut in which so many of the benefits go to the most fortunate among us at the expense of middle-class Americans who need tax relief.") That is, of course, exactly what happened. The Bush income tax cuts of 2001 and the capital gains and dividend tax reductions of 2003 didn't drive economic growth. But they have resulted in the lowest federal tax bite since 1950, record income inequality and a ballooning of the national debt.
In his version of the Republican myth that "tax cuts pay for themselves," President Bush confidently proclaimed, "You cut taxes and the tax revenues increase." As it turned out, not so much.
The mythmaking of Republican supply-side snake oil salesmen to the contrary, tax cuts don't generate enough economic growth to offset the loss of revenue the previously higher rates would have produced. The chart below shows just how dire the tax revenue drought has become. As a share of American GDP (see chart above), tax revenues peaked in 2000; that is, before the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003. Federal tax revenue did not return to its pre-Bush tax cut level until 2006. (While this graph shows current dollars, the dynamic is unchanged measured in inflation-adjusted, constant 2005 dollars.)
All told, the Bush tax cuts drained about $2 trillion from the U.S. Treasury during his presidency and, if continued, would produce another $4 trillion hole over the next decade. So much for Mitch McConnell's law-dropping claim that:
"There's no evidence whatsoever that the Bush tax cuts actually diminished revenue. They increased revenue because of the vibrancy of these tax cuts in the economy. So I think what Senator Kyl was expressing [that "you should never have to offset the cost of a deliberate decision to reduce tax rates on Americans"] was the view of virtually every Republican on that subject."
As the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities concluded (see chart at top), the Bush tax cuts accounted for half of the deficits during his tenure, and if made permanent, over the next decade would cost the U.S. Treasury more than Iraq, Afghanistan, the recession, TARP and the stimulus--combined.
That's not to say the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq haven't had a dramatic impact. They have--and will for years to come.
By 2020, the direct cost of America's wars to U.S. taxpayers could reach $3 trillion. In March 2011, the Congressional Research Service put the total cost of the wars at $1.28 trillion, including $444 billion for Afghanistan and $806 billion for Iraq. (Only World War II cost the United States more in real dollars.) In addition, baseline defense spending has almost doubled since the 9/11 attacks, jumping from $297 billion in fiscal year 2001 to $531 billion in FY 2012:
But in addition to the roughly $1.5 trillion tally for both conflicts through the theoretical 2014 American draw down date in Afghanistan, the U.S. faces staggering bills for veterans' health care and disability benefits. Last May, an analysis by the Center for American Progress estimated the total projected total cost of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans' health care and disability could reach between $422 billion to $717 billion. Reconstruction aid and other development assistance represent tens of billions more, as does the additional interest on the national debt. And none of the above counts the expanded funding for the new Department of Homeland Security.
All told, the tab for the "global war on terror" could hit $3 trillion by the end of this decade. But thus far, American taxpayers haven't been asked to pay one cent more to fund it. Noting that "'the federal budget will have the second largest surplus in history," President Bush moved forward with the massive tax cuts of 2001. But even as the World Trade Center site was still smoldering, Bush in the wake of the September 11 attacks told the American people not to sacrifice but to go shopping and "get down to Disney World." And in 2003, George W. Bush became the first modern president to cut taxes during wartime. (It should be noted that Barack Obama became the second.)
But America's overseas conflicts weren't the only items Republicans charged to Uncle Sam's credit card. The 2003 Medicare prescription drug plan got added to his tab as well.
As you may recall the sordid tale, the Bush White House flip-flopped on adding a prescription benefit within the Medicare program in order to win over elderly voters as the 2004 campaign neared. But with Democrats opposed to a bill that forbade the federal government from negotiating prices directly with pharmaceutical firms, the GOP needed every vote it could get. With 204 Republicans (including John Boehner and Eric Cantor) voting yes, President Bush and Tom Delay got their bill passed. But not without first bending the rules and breaking the law.
Arguing "we must forget about ideological absolutes," then Majority Leader Delay resorted to unprecedented machinations on the House floor to round up the needed votes. As the New York Times recalled:
Under heavy pressure from President Bush and Republican Congressional leaders, lawmakers backed the legislation by a vote of 220 to 215, sending it to the Senate, which is expected to act in the next few days. The vote, which ordinarily takes fifteen minutes to record, was kept open for an extraordinary three hours as Republicans struggled to switch votes and obtain a majority.
After a six-month investigation, the committee concluded that DeLay had told Rep. Nick Smith (R-Mich.) he would endorse the congressional bid of Smith's son if the congressman gave GOP leaders a much-needed vote in a contentious pre-dawn roll call on Nov. 22.
A White House desperate for an election year win on Medicare deliberately misrepresented the program's costs in order to ensure passage. On December 8, 2003, President Bush rolled out a program he claimed would cost $400 billion over 10 years. Within two months, however, the White House notified Congress that the real price tag would approach $550 billion. When Medicare actuary Richard Foster sought to present the true price tag to Congress in late 2003, then agency chief Thomas Scully threatened to fire him. Fast forward two years and the estimated 10 year price tag for the Medicare prescription plan now exceeds $720 billion for its 43 million beneficiaries.
"It was standard practice not to pay for things."
"The health-care reform bills currently under consideration in both the Senate and the House actually cut money from the deficit, but they are being criticized as fiscally irresponsible by many of the people who voted for Medicare Part D. It's like watching arsonists calling the fire department reckless."
And what happened during those three hours was a new low, even for Tom Delay. As the Washington Post later reported, long before Ben Nelson's "Cash for Cloture" imbroglio, the House Ethics Committee reprimanded Delay for trying to buy votes for the Medicare bill:Then there's the matter of the Medicare bill's price tag Ultimately, the $720 billion nightmare scenario forecast in 2005 did not come to pass. But it was lower enrollment and the rapid adoption of generic drugs, rather than "competitive mechanisms" which largely explain the lower Medicare Part D bill for taxpayers. Still, the Medicare drug plan may cost as much as $1 trillion over the next 10 years (higher than the $900 billion overall price tag for the fully-funded Affordable Care Act) making it, as Bruce Bartlett noted, an "unfunded drug benefit" which adds "to our nation's indebtedness." In 2009, Utah Senator Orrin Hatch admitted as much of the Medicare Rx episode and the Bush years in general:As for Mitch McConnell, John Boehner and the GOP's willing executioners of health care reform in Congress, Ezra Klein may have put it best that same year:That's an apt description for the Republicans now dead set against including any tax increases in a fiscal cliff compromise. (It should be noted that there isn't really a cliff at all; while not ideal, the triple whammy of expiring Bush tax cuts, end of the payroll tax holiday and the budget cuts from the 2011 sequestration agreement can be addressed any time before or after the January 1st witching hour.) As recent stories from the AP and new polling suggests, the press and the public is increasingly in agreement about the budget arsonists behind the nation's prairie fire of debt.
That would be the Republicans. After all, they built that.Illustration: John Shakespeare In the past two decades, just three people have died as victims of terrorist attacks (broadly defined) in Australia. They were the two victims of the Martin Place siege and the NSW police accountant Curtis Cheng. When Malcolm Turnbull was announcing the formation of the mega Home Affairs department last week, which he insisted was all about improving the domestic security response to "the very real threat of home-grown terrorism that has increased with the spread of global Islamist terrorism", he said that intelligence and law enforcement agencies had successfully interdicted 12 imminent terrorist attacks since September 2014. There's no way of checking that claim, nor guessing how much harm would actually have transpired, but if that figure of 12 impresses you, you're making my point. Relative to all the other threats we face, it's chicken feed. Professor Greg Austin, of the Australian Centre for Cyber Security at the University of NSW, has written that more Australians have died at the hands of police, lawfully or unlawfully, in 10 years – at least 50 between 2006 and 2015 – than from terrorist attacks in Australia in the past 20 years.
Illustration: Andrew Dyson. You reckon terrorism's a great threat? What about the more than 318 deaths from domestic violence just in 2014 and 2015? The former senior bureaucrat John Menadue has written that Australia's alcohol toll is 15 deaths and 430 hospitalisation a day. The Prime Minister backed by rows of gas-masked, camo-clad, machine-gun-toting special forces. Credit:Ben Rushton The journalist Bernard Keane says that between 2003 and 2012, there were 2617 homicides and 190 deaths from accidental gun discharges. More than 130 rural workers died from falling off vehicles, 206 died from electrocution and 1700 Indigenous people died from diabetes.
Why do we so greatly overestimate the risk of being affected by terrorism? Many reasons. Part of it is that, as psychologists have demonstrated, the human animal is quite bad at assessing probabilities. We tend to underestimate big risks (such as getting killed on the road) and overestimate small risks (such as winning Lotto or being caught up in terrorism). We tend to assess the likelihood of a particular event according to its "salience" – how well we remember hearing of similar events in the past and how much notice we took of them. Trouble is, most of what we know about what's happening beyond our personal experience comes to us from the news media, and the media focus almost exclusively on happenings that are highly unusual, ignoring the everyday occurrences. They do so because they know this is what we find most interesting. They tell us more about the bad things that happen than the good things for the same reason.
The media know how worried and upset we get by terrorist attacks, so they give saturation coverage to attacks occurring almost anywhere in the world. The unfortunate consequence is we can't help but acquire an exaggerated impression of how common terrorist incidents are and how likely it is one could affect us. But it's not all the media' fault. Of the many threats we face, we take special interest in terrorism because it's far more exciting than boring things like road accidents or people drinking too much. The other special, anger-rousing characteristic of terrorism is that it comes from overseas and thus stirs one of our most primeval reflexes: xenophobia. Our response to terrorism is emotional rather than thoughtful. And that leaves us open to manipulation by people with their own agendas.
After the media come the politicians. It's conventional wisdom among the political class that security issues tend to favour the Liberals over Labor. That's why conservative politicians are always trying to heighten our fear of terrorism (see Turnbull above) and why Labor avoids saying anything that could have it accused of being "soft on terror". After the politicians come all the outfits that make their living from "domestic security" – spooks, policy people, equipment suppliers and myriad consultants – all of them doing what they can to keep us alarmed but not alert. Domestic security is probably the fastest-growing area of government spending. None of the budget restraint applies to it. That's partly because of public pressure, partly because of the security industry's success in wheedling money out of the pollies, and partly because, should some terrible event ever happen, the pollies want to have proof they tried their best to prevent it. What's this got to do with economics? Everything. Economics is about achieving the most efficient use of scarce resources. LoadingAnnecy shootings Black: Location of the family's campsite
Red: Location of the shootings Location Near Chevaline, Haute-Savoie, France Coordinates Coordinates: Date 5 September 2012
c.15:45 CEST (UTC+02:00) Attack type Shooting Deaths 4 Non-fatal injuries 1 Perpetrator Unknown
The Annecy shootings, also the French Alps shootings or the Chevaline killings, were the deaths on 5 September 2012 of three members of a British family and a French citizen on the Route Forestière Domaniale de la Combe d'Ire near Chevaline, Haute-Savoie, near the southern end of Lake Annecy.
Four people were killed: an Iraqi-born British tourist named Saad al-Hilli, 50; his wife Iqbal, 47; her mother Suhaila al-Allaf, 74, who held a Swedish passport; and French cyclist Sylvain Mollier, 45. The al-Hillis' two daughters both survived the attack. One, aged four, was hidden under the legs of her dead mother in the rear footwell for eight hours even while the gendarmerie were on the scene; she was only discovered by specialist forensic investigators. The elder daughter, aged seven, was shot in the shoulder and also suffered a head wound; she returned to the United Kingdom on 14 September 2012.
Police investigated al-Hilli's past in Iraq as an engineer on sensitive topics, as well as his work at the time of his death, as a potential motive for the attack.[1] Al-Hilli's work in the UK involved nuclear and satellite technology, whilst Mollier was also probed to determine if he was the primary target of the attack.[2]
The attack has been compared to the 1952 killing of biochemist Jack Drummond in the Dominici Affair.[1][3][4]
In September 2017, after 5 years of investigation, French police said they had "no working theory" to explain the murders and no suspects. Veronique Dizot, the lead prosecutor, suggested that the family "may have been targeted randomly."[5]
Description of the attack [ edit ]
The attack took place in a lay-by on the mountain-side road at about 15:45 CEST on 5 September 2012. 25 shots were fired in total.[6] Initial reports stated only one semi-automatic pistol was fired, though it was later reported that full ballistics analysis is likely to disprove this.[7]
The bodies were discovered by Brett Martin, a British ex-RAF pilot, who is a resident in France, while he was out riding his bicycle. He heard nothing of the shots.[6] This might be because he was crossing the last river bridge just a few hundred metres from the murder location; the noise of the water easily masking the sound of gunfire. Al-Hilli's eldest daughter, seven-year-old Zainab, was the first victim he saw when he arrived on the scene. She was stumbling into the road and collapsed in front of the British family's BMW car.
Prior to the incident, the BMW was reversed sharply into the side of the lay-by, leaving marks which were still visible when the site was reopened to the public.[1] When the car was found by Martin, the engine was still running and the car was in reverse gear, the rear wheels spinning in the loose sand. The doors were locked. The deceased in the car were each shot twice in the head.[6]
The French cyclist killed near the car was Sylvain Mollier. It has been reported that he was shot seven times.[6]
Police investigation [ edit ]
The investigation is being carried out by the municipal police force of Chambéry, together with the Institut de recherche criminelle de la gendarmerie nationale of the National Gendarmerie.[citation needed] On 10 September, the Royal Logistics Corps bomb disposal unit were called to the home of al-Hilli in Surrey after concerns were raised about items discovered during the police search, although the items under investigation were later described as "non-hazardous".[8] The search did yield a Taser, an item that is illegal to possess in the UK.[9]
In September 2012, in order to speed up the investigation, France and Britain agreed to create a joint Franco-British investigation team under Eurojust, which is rarely used in the UK.[10]
A 54-year-old man was arrested on 24 June 2013 in Surrey in connection with the murders. Although unconfirmed by the police, some reports named the suspect as Zaid al-Hilli, the brother of Saad al-Hilli.[11][12]
On 21 October 2013, BBC Panorama reported that a grey BMW X5 right hand drive 4x4 car was at the crime scene at the time of the murders, the driver of which may be a possible accomplice to the crime along with a motorcycle rider also spotted nearby. The motorcycle rider has been reported as having a goatee beard and an unusual helmet by French investigators.[13] Panorama also found that Zaid al-Hilli had tried to create a false will for his father and to withdraw £2m from his father's bank account at Crédit Agricole Geneva in Switzerland. Zaid al-Hilli claimed he was not guilty of the shootings and has offered to take a lie detector test.[14]
Al-Hilli leads [ edit ]
Police investigating the shootings are following several leads relating to the activities of Saad al-Hilli. They have stated that he could have been targeted over a contract he was working on for EADS.[15] Connections to al-Hilli's previous work at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory are also being investigated.[16] There are considerations as to whether there was a family financial feud that may have led to a contract killing.[17]
In October 2012, Swiss prosecutors stated al-Hilli had visited a bank in Geneva shortly before he was murdered.[18] A leaked report revealed that Saad al-Hilli may have had access to bank accounts belonging to Saddam Hussein.[19]
In January 2014, it was announced that there was insufficient evidence to bring a charge and bail was lifted.[20]
Mollier lead [ edit ]
It had been suggested that the target of the murders may have been Sylvain Mollier, instead of the al-Hilli family.[21] A police source stated that Mollier, a local father of three who worked as a welder in a workshop at a subsidiary of Areva, "doesn't appear to have been exposed to nuclear secrets".[9]
"Lone psychopath" theory [ edit ]
In October 2012, confidential police files on the case were leaked to a French newspaper, showing investigators believed the killings were carried out by "a lone and psychologically disturbed killer". One of the reasons given was that the killer used a pre-World War II Luger P06 semi-automatic pistol, a weapon unlikely to be used by a professional assassin.[22]
In November 2013, two men broke into the property of a man and woman who owned and ran a camping site close to the village of Lathuile,[citation needed] just a few kilometres from Chevaline. The woman was shot dead with a handgun and the man was beaten and pistol whipped.[citation needed] The motive for the attack was unknown.
Arrest of local ex-policeman [ edit ]
On 18 February 2014, a 48-year-old man was arrested following the issue of an artist's impression of a man in a motorcycle helmet. Police removed several guns from his home. The man, living in the local village of Lathuile, and said to be a weapons collector, reportedly had been dismissed from the municipal police in June 2013. It is not clear whether the investigators thought he could be involved in the killings.[23][24][25]
Missing motorcyclist [ edit ]
In 2015, the motorcyclist spotted nearby the incident, and sought by the police, was traced and ruled out of the inquiry as an innocent passer-by.[26]
French Foreign Legionnaire [ edit ]
Since his suicide in June 2014, Patrice Menegaldo, an ex-French Foreign Legion soldier from Ugine has been positioned very high on the list of suspects. According to Éric Maillaud, the state Prosecutor: "The hypothesis at the top of the chain for the investigators is a local killing. We have a real suspect. I am referring to the Legionnaire from Ugine."[27] Menegaldo had for seven years an affair with Mollier's sister and knew Mollier's partner, Claire Schutz.[28] Police assume that Menegaldo committed suicide because he thought of himself as being a suspect, even though police admitted not to have had him as a primary suspect when they spoke to him in April 2014.
Nordahl Lelandais hypothesis [ edit ]
Police are looking into whether a suspected serial killer could be behind the unsolved Alps murders. Nordahl Lelandais, a 34-year-old ex-soldier, is the main suspect in two other cases in the area[29].
One relates to the disappearance and death of an eight-year-old girl, Maëlys de Araujo in August 2017 at a wedding where the suspect was a guest; the other to the killing of a hitchhiking soldier in April of the same year.
Lelandais has been in custody since September 2017, as part of the investigation of the disappearance and death of the de Araujo child in the Chambéry region of south-eastern France. He has been charged with kidnapping and murder of the girl.
Prosecutors also charged Lelandais with the killing of Arthur Noyer, a 24-year-old soldier, who vanished after hitchhiking from a disco in Chambéry on April 12 2017[30], Investigators probing the Maëlys case found that Lelandais' cell phone had been in the same area at the same time as Arthur Noyer. Lelandais's black Audi A3 car was identified in the area on surveillance cameras, prosecutor Thierry Dran told a news conference, and an analysis of his phone found he had looked up "decomposition of a human body" on the internet.
"We are going to look at all the disturbing disappearances which have taken place in this region," Chambéry Prosecutor Thierry Dran told reporters. When asked about the Annecy shootings, Mr Dran told Le Parisien: "Given this new development, we will be verifying (any connections), and that will naturally be done, to rule out or include (the suspect in the investigation). It would be wrong not to."[31]
Reactions [ edit ]
British Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Obviously the faster we can get to the bottom of what happened, the better."[32] He also said, "I have spoken to the British ambassador in France and consular staff are working very hard so that we do everything we can... and to find out what happened in this very tragic case."[33]
French President François Hollande said "I expressed my emotion earlier today to the British people in relation to the terrible deaths. Both the French and the British family have been impacted by this terrible event and we will do our utmost to find the perpetrators, to find the reasons behind that event. Our police are co-operating and everything that is found will be shared."[34]
Bibliography [ edit ]
Tom Parry (2015): The Perfect Crime. Mirror Books. ISBN 978-1907324598
See also [ edit ]The authors of articles in The Space Review, like the attendance of many space conferences like the NSS’s ISDC, remains overwhelmingly male. (credit: Explore Mars) Are there going to be any women at this party?
Last week was the tenth anniversary of The Space Review. These days barely a week goes by without somebody launching yet another space blog. There are now so many of them, with so much overlapping coverage, that it’s impossible to keep track. That has been one of the benefits of The Space Review: it is not a blog, it is a weekly journal, with longer-form opinion and commentary and even historical essays (sometimes with footnotes!) Although sometimes the essays stray into goofy territory, they are rarely partisan or uncivil, which cannot be said for many space blogs. But if you go back over ten years of The Space Review, or even over the past year, |
fuselage. I’m not terribly familiar with this airplane or why it makes for a good tow plane… maybe someone in the comments can fill in that gap for me.
The canopy on the Glider opens up with a small metal latch and you climb into the front seat. The CFIG sits in the seat behind you. The Glider has a stick, not a yoke (love it), and instrumentation is pretty minimal. An airspeed indicator, altimeter, a transponder, and a radio make up the panel. There is a vent for air on the panel also and in a manner of speaking there is a turn coordinator… Not on the panel but actually on the outside of the aircraft attached to the pitot tube is a piece of orange yarn. When in flight if the yarn is slipping off center you add opposite rudder to bring her back to center. This is the opposite of the whole “step on the ball” so it can take a second to adjust to that but still pretty neat to use yarn to see if you are slipping or skidding and by how much.
I was told that you don’t use a headset in a glider. In this glider we do which is fine but I was kinda looking forward to the idea of just having speakers in the cockpit and listening to the unobstructed sound of the rushing wind over the aircraft. Alas, perhaps down the road. Something odd was that I brought my own ANR headset and they insisted that I use their headset. No difference in the plugs, they just seemed to want me to use the old DC green rentals. Okay.
The seatbelts were duel shoulder with a lap belt and really secure you in the seats, although not the most comfortable.
There is a step to climb in and the helpers were still holding the wing. Oh, and on the panel is also a round ball. You pull on the ball to attach or release the tow rope.
There is a lever to the left side of the front seat that operates the spoilers. Spoilers are like flaps except instead of increasing lift they simply spoil lift. When pulled back (in the direction of the rear of the aircraft) the last few inches active the wheel break. When this is first explained to you log it away as a vital part of the landing process, however, it turns out that you really should need the wheel break unless you land long or fast. The reason is that in this glider there is another “break”. On the bottom of the nose of the glider is a strip of metal and wood, a kind of ski, if you will. As you land the weight is in the front of the glider and the nose comes down onto this ski grinding away on the runway which slows you down in a hurry. The experience is loud, uncomfortable, and unnerving. I have never landed a retractable without putting the gear down and I hope to never do so but if I ever am in a retractable and the gear are not lowered I now have some idea as to the noise and feeling that will follow.
It takes a small army of people to launch one of these gliders and so there’s lots of activity around the aircraft while getting ready for take-off. The kid holding the wing up is watching you for hand signals through the glass and you are watching the kid hooking up the tow rope so you know when to open the tow hook with the ball.
Initially, we were towed out onto the runway from the staging area by way of a golf cart. The idea is to pull the release at the right time to put the main wheel on the centerline. Once you do that the wing-kid turns the glider 90 degrees and lines it up. While this is going on you are doing a preflight checklist making sure your instruments, spoilers, flight controls, etc, all work and the tow rope kid is crawling under the nose of the glider to hook you up to the Tow plane, so watch for hand signals there.
Once everything is set you make your radio call, identify as normal and add “Ready to Tow” and the tow plane starts to roll. This is where it gets real tricky because the rope tightens and the nose wants to come up. You react by pushing the stick forward and several moments after you expect some form of response from the flight control the nose goes down, then the instructor yells at you “No, no, no, keep the nose up.” You pull back and the nose goes to high again followed by a response from the instructor “Keep the nose level!” All this while using the rudder to keep the glider in line with the tow plane.
After doing a few take offs you come to realize that when the tow plane starts to go the nose is going to come up, then dip down and pretty much self-correct in a matter of about 1.5 seconds. Just don’t let the nose drag or make the situation worse by pitching up when it bobs down a little.
The Glider lifts off the ground before the tow plane and your job is to keep that tow plane right in your window, nice and level with your glider. Pretty easy to do now that you have some air moving over the control surfaces. As the tow plane rises and climbs you keep that plane right there level with you, you turn as much as he turns, and you climb or descend as much as he climbs or descends. You never want the tow rope to go slack or it could snap taught and break or worse.
Now that all seems pretty easy until you think about doing this in turbulence, which is what we did, and what you will do a lot when gliding. The turbulence effects the glider in a way that is VERY different than, say, my C182. The PA-25 was no exception and it bounced around differently than the glider. None of that matters to you because you have to keep that glider right there with the tow plane. *Later we would do “low-tow,” where you put the glider below the level of the tow plane, and we would fly a box around the wake of the tow plane, but the principal is the same: keep the slack out of the tow rope.
I don’t know about all Schweizer SGS 2-33 gliders but this one (and perhaps all of them) has very squishy controls. You add right bank input and a half second goes by before the glider responds. It reminded me of slow-flight in a C172 with full flaps in and barely enough power to keep her from stalling. The responsiveness of the flight controls is.. well, squishy, sloppy, slow, not as good. That’s what this aircraft is like even at normal speeds, even when being towed.
I’ve done some formation flying with Jim and he taught me to find a spec or smudge or scratch on the windshield and put that spec on the aircraft you are trying to follow in formation with. “Keep it there.” Jim would say. “Keep it right there and never let it leave.” I found a black spec and put that speck right in between the 7 and the Z painted on the back of the PA-25.
This exercise in good old stick and rudder skills was exhilarating! Now, like I said earlier the two aircraft react differently in the same turbulence and so it became a game of anticipating what the glider needed (as far as control inputs) to put it in the right place in relation to the tow plane at times. The tow plane would get a gust to the left and using the rudder you keep your spec right where it needs to be and muscle the glider gracefully into position using the ailerons. This experience is very engaging and very satisfying but it isn’t the best part.
Once we were at 9000 feet (runway is 5901 MSL) and in position, you call release and pull that ball unhooking the tow rope and for the first time, gliding. It’s a marvelous sensation. The aggressive and almost violent experience all at once stops and you are left with a gentle, calm, quiet environment in the glider. It’s still squishy on the controls but now you aren’t wrestling an alligator with lackluster response from your aircraft. No, you feel like you have time, you have room and it doesn’t bother you much at all.
Again the Glider isn’t punching through the air with a motor and so the updrafts, downdrafts, gusts of wind, from this direction or that, is a different sensation. It’s informative rather than forceful. It’s hard to describe, just know it’s not as uncomfortable at it can be in a small single engine airplane. At least that’s what it’s been like for me.
Timing is a big deal in a glider and entering the pattern at a prescribed spot on an exact elevation is critical to success. You can enter the pattern further along the downwind to compensate for a lack of altitude or vice-versa but keep in mind there are no “go-arounds” in a Glider. You land or you crashland, no second chances.
This is part of what drew me to gliders also. I wanted to gain that level of precision in an approach. What I experienced though did not match my expectation.
Spoilers are a cool apparatus on a glider. They make you descend and there isn’t a real equivalent on a powered aircraft. The closest thing is to think of them like you do the power setting. Reduce power and descend, control speed with pitch. No spoiler input and your glide ratio is insane! So where you execute your turn onto downwind, from downwind to base and final is CRITICAL, and whatever your other situation is with airspeed and altitude you use the spoilers to compensate for. Land on a point and grind to a halt on that ski.
Landing in that Schweizer SGS 2-33 was as violent a thing as I have experienced in aviation. You keep it straight with the rudder (nothing new) and keep the wings level with aileron… however you can push that stick full right and it just doesn’t do crap to keep the wing up. Add to that the idea that you steer the Schweizer SGS 2-33 onto a sort of off-ramp within moments of the grinding on that ski rocking your world, which causes the wing to dip and I don’t know what to tell ya, it seemed like chaos to me. I reportedly did just “fine”, whatever that means, but I gotta say it was a cold bucket of water in the face of the smooth patient experience of gliding that precedes it.
I inquired what I was doing wrong and “Nothing, you’ll get a feeling for all that” was the unsatisfying response. Okay.
We did this four times. Push the glider to the runway and tow up to 9000 feet then practice maneuvers until 7000 where we enter the downwind at this same tree. We turn to base (sharply) over a dam then turn final and lawn dart down to a spot on the runway where we grind to a halt like we crashed in the field. Success! Do it again.
I tried to get any info I could about how to “read the winds” but was met with, “That’s for later, you aren’t ready to soar yet.” As I left, some of the glider pilots stopped me and inquired with grins, “What did you think?” I didn’t know how to answer. I felt disappointed and elated at the same time. I was good at some things bad at others and none of it was what I was there for, which is neither bad nor completely surprising save the $400/hour price tag.
So at the end of lesson one what DID I learn? To be humble as a student, to be excited and expect much, but be open to the unexpected delights so common in aviation. I learned that becoming a super pilot is a journey one is on all their aviation life and that your “super pilot” skills are the sum of all the time you were willing to spend doing the uncomfortable learning, the tedious and often tough training. It’s also expensive. I learned that (again) too.
This article was intended to describe my first foray into Gliding and attempts to describe it as I experienced it and not intended to be a training document. Often our experience as a beginner at anything is full of inaccurate perceptions and conclusions and I try to keep all those intact as I try to explain what it was like on lesson 1.“Obviously, Secretary Clinton has won. So congratulations to her. I am sure they feel good about that, they should,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said.
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Earnest also applauded Sanders, saying the self-proclaimed democratic socialist’s “passionate following” fired up liberals and helped make the race close.
“This is the first contest in what I expect will be a series of competitive ones,” Earnest said.
“Secretary Clinton knows better than anybody that the path to the Democratic nomination is a long one,” he added, referring to her 2008 upset loss against Obama in Iowa, and subsequent bounce-back win in New Hampshire.
The spokesman predicted that a lengthy Democratic primary would not hobble Clinton for the general election if she does eventually become the nominee, as is expected.
“It’s good for the country, it’s good for the Democratic process,” he said.
Clinton, who served four years as Obama’s secretary of State, is widely believed to be the president’s preferred successor.
Obama made remarks in an interview last week that strongly suggest he supports Clinton over Sanders, but since then has sought to strike a neutral pose in the Democratic nominating contest.Herbicide
2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (usually called 2,4-D) is an organic compound with the chemical formula C 8 H 6 Cl 2 O 3. It is a systemic herbicide which selectively kills most broadleaf weeds by causing uncontrolled growth in them, but leaves most grasses such as cereals, lawn turf, and grassland relatively unaffected.
2,4-D is one of the oldest and most widely available herbicides and defoliants in the world, having been commercially available since 1945, and is now produced by many chemical companies since the patent on it has long since expired. It can be found in numerous commercial lawn herbicide mixtures, and is widely used as a weedkiller on cereal crops, pastures, and orchards. Over 1,500 herbicide products contain 2,4-D as an active ingredient.
Applications [ edit ]
2,4-D is primarily used as a selective herbicide which kills many terrestrial and aquatic broadleaf weeds, but not grasses. It acts by mimicking the action of the plant growth hormone auxin, which results in uncontrolled growth and eventually death in susceptible plants.[5] Because it was discovered in the 1940s, a patent no longer governs the manufacture and sale of 2,4-D, and any company is free to produce it. Thus, it is sold in various formulations under a wide variety of brand names.[5] 2,4-D can be found in commercial lawn herbicide mixtures, which often contain other active ingredients including mecoprop and dicamba. Over 1,500 herbicide products contain 2,4-D as an active ingredient.[6]
A wide variety of different sectors uses products containing 2,4-D to kill weeds and unwanted vegetation. In agriculture, it was the first herbicide found to be capable of selectively killing weeds but not crops. It has been used since 1945[7] to control broad-leafed weeds in pastures, orchards, and cereal crops such as corn, oats, rice, and wheat.[8] Cereals, in particular, have excellent tolerance to 2,4-D when it is applied before planting. 2,4-D is the cheapest way for farmers to control winter annual weeds by spraying in the fall, often at the lowest recommended rate. This is particularly effective before planting beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas.[9]
In domestic lawn and garden maintenance, 2,4-D is commonly used for weed control in lawns and other turf. It is used to kill unwanted weeds such as dandelions, plantain, clover, and chickweed. In forestry, it is used for stump treatment, trunk injection, and selective control of brush in conifer forests. Along roadways, railways, and power lines, it is used to control weeds and brush which might interfere with safe operation and damage equipment. Along waterways, it is used to control aquatic weeds that might interfere with boating, fishing, and swimming or clog irrigation and hydroelectric equipment. It is often used by government agencies to control the spread of invasive, noxious, and non-native weed species and prevent them from crowding out native species, and also to control many poisonous weeds such as poison ivy and poison oak.[10]:35–36 [11]
A 2010 monitoring study conducted in the US and Canada found that "current exposures to 2,4-D are below applicable exposure guidance values."[12]
2,4 D has been used in laboratories for plant research as a supplement in plant cell culture media such as MS medium since at least 1962.[13] 2,4-D is used in plant cell cultures as a dedifferentiation (callus induction) hormone. It is classified as an auxin plant hormone derivative.[14]
Health effects [ edit ]
Men who work with 2,4-D are at risk for abnormally shaped sperm and thus fertility problems; the risk depends on the amount and duration of exposure and other personal factors.[15]
Acute toxicity [ edit ]
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "The toxicity of 2,4-D depends on its chemical forms, including salts, esters, and an acid form. 2,4-D generally has low toxicity for humans, except certain acid and salt forms can cause eye irritation. Swimming is restricted for 24 hours after application of certain 2,4-D products applied to control aquatic weeds to avoid eye irritation."[16] As of 2005 the median lethal dose or LD 50 determined in acute toxicity rat studies was 639 mg/kg.[17]
Urinary alkalinisation has been used in acute poisoning, but evidence to support its use is poor.[18]
Cancer risk [ edit ]
The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies 2,4-D as a possible carcinogen to humans while the United States Environmental Protection Agency does not.[19][20] The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), said 2,4-D was classified as "possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B), based on inadequate evidence in humans and limited evidence in experimental animals".[21]
In June 2015 the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer confirmed its 1987 classification of 2,4-D as a possible carcinogen.[22][23]
On August 8, 2007, the EPA issued a ruling that existing data do not support a link between human cancer and 2,4-D exposure.[24]
A 1995 panel of 13 scientists reviewing studies on the carcinogenicity of 2,4-D had divided opinions. None of the scientists thought the weight of the evidence indicated that 2,4-D was a "known" or "probable" cause of human cancer. The predominant opinion indicated that it is possible that 2,4-D can cause cancer in humans, although not all of the panelists believed the possibility was equally likely: one thought the possibility was strong, leaning toward probable, and five thought the possibility was remote, leaning toward unlikely. Two panelists believed it unlikely that 2,4-D can cause cancer in humans.[25]
In a prior 1987 report the IARC classified some chlorphenoxy herbicides including 2,4-D, MCPA and 2,4,5-T as a group as class 2B carcinogens - "possibly carcinogenic to humans".[26]
Contaminants [ edit ]
A July 2013 Four Corners investigation found elevated levels of dioxins in a generic version of 2,4-D, one of Australia's most widely used herbicides. One scientist said the product tested by Four Corners, which was imported from China, had "one of the highest dioxin readings for 2,4-D in the last 10 to 20 years, and could pose potential health risks."[27]
Metabolism [ edit ]
When radioactively labeled 2,4 D was fed to livestock, 90% or more of the total radioactive residue (TRR) was shed in urine unchanged or as conjugated forms of 2,4-D. A relatively small portion of 2,4 D was metabolized into dichlorophenol, dichloroanisole, and 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (6.9% of the TRR in milk), and 2,4-dichlorophenol13 (5% of the TRR in milk; 7.3% of the TRR in eggs and 4% of the TRR in chicken liver). Residue levels in kidney were the highest.[10]:21
Environmental behavior [ edit ]
Owing to the longevity and extent of use, 2,4-D has been evaluated several times by regulators and review committees.[28][29]
2,4-D amine salts and esters are not persistent under most environmental conditions.[30] The degradation of 2,4-D is rapid (half life of 6.2 days) in aerobic mineral soils.[17]:54 2,4-D is broken down by microbes in soil, in processes that involve hydroxylation, cleavage of the acid side-chain, decarboxylation, and ring opening. The ethyl hexyl form of the compound is rapidly hydrolyzed in soil and water to form the 2,4-D acid.[30] 2,4-D has a low binding affinity in mineral soils and sediment, and in those conditions is considered intermediately to highly mobile, and therefore likely to leach if not degraded.[30]
In aerobic aquatic environments, the half life is 15 days, while in anaerobic aquatic environments, 2,4-D was moderately persistent to persistent (half life of = 41 to 333 days). 2,4-D has been detected in streams and shallow groundwater at low concentrations, in both rural and urban areas. Breakdown is pH dependent.[30] Some ester forms are highly toxic to fish and other aquatic life.[31]
"The ester forms of 2,4-D can be highly toxic to fish and other aquatic life. 2,4-D generally has moderate toxicity to birds and mammals, is slightly toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates, and is practically nontoxic to honeybees" per EPA.[16][date missing]
Microbial breakdown [ edit ]
A number of 2,4-D-degrading bacteria have been isolated and characterized from a variety of environmental habitats.[32][33] Metabolic pathways for the compound’s degradation have been available for many years, and genes encoding 2,4-D catabolism have been identified for several organisms. As a result of the extensive metadata on environmental behavior, physiology, and genetics, 2,4-D was the first herbicide for which the bacteria actively responsible for in situ degradation were demonstrated.[34] This was accomplished using the technique of DNA-based stable isotope probing, which enables a microbial function (activity), such as degrading a chemical, to be linked with the organism’s identity without the need to culture the organism involved.[35]
Regulation [ edit ]
Maximum residue limits were first set in the EU in 2002 and re-evaluated in 2011 by the European Food Safety Authority, which concluded that the codex maximum residue limits were "not expected to be of concern for European consumers".[10]:26 The total chronic exposure represented less than 10% of the acceptable daily intake (ADI).[10]:28 Concern over 2,4-D is such that it is currently not approved for use on lawns and gardens in Denmark, Norway, Kuwait, and the Canadian provinces of Québec[36] and Ontario.[37] 2,4-D use is severely restricted in the country of Belize. In 2008, Dow AgroScience, LLC, sued the Canadian government for allowing Quebec to ban 2,4-D, but settled in 2011.[38]
In 2005, the US EPA approved the continued use of 2,4-D.[17] On July 10, 2013, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency in Canada updated the re-evaluation notice of 2,4-D, stating that the 2,4-D registrants had provided it with required data and deemed them acceptable.[39] On April 18, 2012, EPA denied the petition filed November 6, 2008, by the Natural Resources Defense Council to revoke all tolerances and to cancel all registrations of 2,4-D. EPA stated that recent new study and EPA’s comprehensive review confirmed EPA’s previous finding that the 2,4-D tolerances are safe at anticipated exposure.[29][40][41]
In October 2014, the US EPA registered Enlist Duo, an herbicide containing the less volatile 2,4-D choline salt, glyphosate, and an antidrift agent, for use in six states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.[42] In November 2015, the EPA attempted to withdraw its own approval of Enlist Duo, as a result of legal actions against both the agency and Dow by two U.S. groups. However, while it was implied that the approval was "gone" because of the action, in fact, Enlist Duo was still approved pending a decision by the courts. On January 25, 2016, the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied EPA's motion to vacate its Enlist Duo registration. Dow stated the product would be available in 15 US states and Canada for the 2016 crop season.[43][44]
On 21 August 2013, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) banned selected 2,4-D high volatile ester (HVE) products due to their environmental hazards. HVE 2,4-D products had already been banned in Europe and North America for 20 years; low volatile ester products continue to be available in Australia and worldwide.[45] In July 2013 APVMA published their report findings.[46]
Mode of action [ edit ]
2,4-D is a synthetic auxin, which is a class of plant hormones. It is absorbed through the leaves and is translocated to the meristems of the plant. Uncontrolled, unsustainable growth ensues, causing stem curl-over, leaf withering, and eventual plant death. 2,4-D is typically applied as an amine salt, but more potent ester versions exist, as well.[47]
Effect of 2-4-d foliar application
Manufacture [ edit ]
2,4-D is a member of the phenoxy family of herbicides.[30]
2,4-D is manufactured from chloroacetic acid and 2,4-dichlorophenol, which is itself produced by chlorination of phenol. Alternatively, it is produced by the chlorination of phenoxyacetic acid. The production processes create several contaminants including di-, tri-, and tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin isomers and N-nitrosamines, as well as monochlorophenol.[48]
Containers of 2-4 D herbicide, ca. 1947
Genetically modified crops [ edit ]
In 2010, Dow published that it had created genetically modified soybeans made resistant to 2,4-D by insertion of a bacterial aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase gene, aad1.[49][50][51]:1 Dow intended it to be used as an alternative or complement to Roundup Ready crops due to the increasing prevalence of glyphosate-resistant weeds.[52]
As of April 2014, genetically modified maize and soybeans resistant to 2,4-D and glyphosate have been approved in Canada.[53] In September 2014, the USDA also approved Dow's maize and soybeans, and in October, the EPA registered the "Enlist Duo" herbicide containing 2,4-D and glyphosate.[42][50][54]
History [ edit ]
The discovery of 2,4-D as well as the similar hormone herbicides 2,4,5-T, and MCPA occurred during World War II and was a case of multiple discovery by four groups working independently under wartime secrecy in the United Kingdom and the United States: William G. Templeman and associates at Imperial Chemical Industries in the UK; Philip S. Nutman and associates at Rothamsted Research in the UK; Franklin D. Jones and associates at the American Chemical Paint Company; and Ezra Kraus, John W. Mitchell, and associates at the University of Chicago and the United States Department of Agriculture. All four groups were subject to wartime secrecy laws and did not follow the usual procedures of publication and patent disclosure. The first scientific publications about these herbicides were by other workers who were not the original discovers, so the exact order of discovery is a matter of some debate.[55]
William Tempelman found that when indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), the naturally occurring auxin, was used at high concentrations, it could stop plant growth. In 1940, he published his finding that IAA killed broadleaf plants within a cereal field.[56] The related compound, MCPA, was discovered at about the same time by other UK scientists.[57]:Sec 7.1
The search for an acid with a longer half life, i.e., a metabolically and environmentally more stable compound, led to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T), both phenoxy herbicides and analogs of IAA. Robert Pokorny, an industrial chemist for the C.B. Dolge Company in Westport, Connecticut, published their synthesis in 1941.[58]
Both compounds were developed as part of a clandestine wartime effort to create chemical warfare agents for use in World War II; although 2,4-D was not used this way during the war.[57]:Sec 7.1 Britain and the United States were looking for a chemical to starve Germany and Japan into submission by killing their potato and rice crops, but 2,4-D was found to be ineffective for that purpose, because both crops are tolerant of it. Within a year after the war ended, 2,4-D was commercially released as an herbicide to control broadleaf weeds in grain crops such as rice,[59] and in the 1950s it was registered in the United States to control size and enhance skin colour in potatoes without affecting yields.[60]
The first publication of 2,4-D's use as a selective herbicide came in 1944.[61][62] The ability of 2,4-D to control broadleaf weeds in turf was documented soon thereafter, in 1944.[63] Starting in 1945, the American Chemical Paint Company brought 2,4-D to market as an herbicide called "Weedone". It revolutionized weed control, as it was the first compound that, at low doses, could selectively control dicotyledons (broadleaf plants), but not most monocotyledons — narrowleaf crops, such as wheat, maize (corn), rice, and similar cereal grass crops.[57] At a time when labor was scarce and the need for increased food production was large, it literally "replaced the hoe".[57]:Sec 7.1
2,4-D is one of the ingredients in Agent Orange, an herbicide that was widely used during the Vietnam War.[31] However, 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD), a contaminant in the production of another ingredient in Agent Orange, 2,4,5-T, was the cause of the adverse health effects associated with Agent Orange.[30][64]
In the 2000s, Dow AgroSciences developed a new choline salt version of 2,4-D (2,4-D choline) that Dow included in its "Enlist Duo" herbicide along with glyphosate and an agent that reduces drift; the choline salt form of 2,4-D is less volatile than 2,4-D.[42][53][65]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]Naya Rivera was arrested and charged with domestic battery after allegedly hitting her estranged husband, Ryan Dorsey.
The two announced their split last year after two years of marriage. Rivera, who starred on "Glee," and Dorsey are parents to a 2-year-old boy, Josey.
The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that a deputy was dispatched to an address in Chesapeake, West Virginia, Saturday night, on a domestic violence complaint. When the officer arrived, Dorsey claimed that Rivera, 30, had hit him in the head and face.
Glee actress Naya Rivera arrested on domestic battery charge. Full story on https://t.co/gLqggB15yU pic.twitter.com/YqlflJ23T6 — Kalea Gunderson (@KaleaWCHS) November 26, 2017
"The deputy saw minor injuries consistent with [Dorsey's] statement," the statement said. Dorsey provided a video of the incident that supported his account.
Naya Rivera Splits From Husband Ryan Dorsey After 2 Years
Naya Rivera Pregnant: 'Glee' Star and Ryan Dorsey Expecting First Baby
'Glee' Star Naya Rivera Marries Ryan Dorsey Months After Big Sean Split
PHOTO: Naya Rivera and husband Ryan Dorsey arrive at the 2016 InStyle And Warner Bros. 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards Post-Party at The Beverly Hilton Hotel, Jan. 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images) More
After her arrest, Rivera was taken to the Kanawha County Magistrate Court, where she was arraigned and a bond was set. She was released on bond.
ABC News has reached out to the actress but has not immediately heard back.
PHOTO: Santana (Naya Rivera, R) and Brittany (Heather Morris, L) tie the knot in the 'Wedding' episode of 'Glee.' (FOX via Getty Images) More
Rivera and Dorsey wed in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in July 2014, only three months after she called off her engagement to rapper Big Sean. It was the first marriage for both.ABOUT RedditLands
Community of Reddit users and Borderlands players.Feel free to invite nice friends who are not familiar with Reddit but who play nice and doesn't afraid of anything.Some tips to make the game better:- Try to make two characters, one for online play with your buddies and one for singleplayer so you can play all by yourself and don't get too much high-level in comparison with your friends.- Port Forward info(or How I Learned to Stop Worrying about Hosting and Love the Port Forward)" There has been a list of ports going around that was stated should be forwarded in order to host the game. The comprehensive list is:3783 (Voice Chat Port)27900 (Master Server UDP Heartbeat)28900 (Master Server List Request)29900 (GP Connection Manager)29901 (GP Search Manager)13139 (Custom UDP Pings)6515 (Dplay UDP)6500 (Query Port) "- Borderlands TweaksDespite the fact that Newt Gingrich has been in Washington since 1979 and makes his living as the head of an only-in-DC network of "think" tanks, media production companies, and influence-peddling operations that together form what I like to call GloboNewtCorp, he is now running as the enemy of the elite Washington establishment. Sure, it's because it's always fashionable to present yourself as an outsider, and Newt has no identity unless he's somebody's enemy. But there's also an element of truth beneath all that posturing. The Republican establishment really does want him to lose. It isn't because they fear his transformative vision of transformative transformation, as Newt would have people believe. It's because they know that if he's their nominee, you can pretty much write off any chance they'd have of unseating Barack Obama. So now they're starting to get seriously worried.
Look around the conservative media today, and you can see the signs. The Drudge Report, which is still hugely important in setting the conservative media's agenda, has basically become the Newt Sucks Report. I counted links to 11 different anti-Newt stories in the top half of Drudge's page Thursday, including the screaming headline about how Newt—cover your ears, children—insulted Ronald Reagan. There are more anti-Newt pieces in places like the National Review and the American Spectator (the Politico has a round-up of all this). But will it work?
Well...no. If Newt falls, it'll be because he brings himself down, because his own craziness and incompetence render him unable to overcome Mitt Romney's money and methodical organization. The Florida primary isn't going to turn on a piece in the National Review. So DC Republicans can squawk all they want about what a disaster a Gingrich nomination would be, but like the rest of us, they're mostly going to have to sit back and wait for Newt to destroy himself, probably in the most dramatic way possible. But if I were them I'd be reasonably confident that he will sooner or later. After all, this is Newt Gingrich we're talking about.On the fifth day of Star Wars, Chewbacca said to me:
"GRONNK GRONK-GRONK GRONNNK!"
-- The Twelve Days of Star Wars (Tom Smith)
Substitute lines of cocaine for lines of H.G. Wells, trade in crowds of adoring groupies for a group of intrepid Dr. Who fans, swap fog machines and strobes for a foldable chair and a $50 acoustic guitar: you’ve got “filk" music. Though more likely to have Chewbacca figurines thrown on stage than undergarments, filk musicians are the unrequited rockstars of the science fiction world.
For those on the outside, the sci-fi culture is intensely strange, mysterious, and endearingly nerdy -- con attendees are, in general, typecast as “Trekkies” or Issac Asimov fanboys. Au contraire, there is a vast, oscillating sea of small communities that operate within the “con-verse;” at its oft-unexposed center, are the filkers.
To modest fanfare, they compose epic parodies that weave together complex sci-fi themes. They sing of elves, pirates, spaceships, |
to productivity are nearly twice Spain's.
The government favors the elites in business with tax-free status.
Some state employees even get a bonus for showing up to work on time.
It is less well-known that Greece's private sector is rife with companies that do not compete with each other and block or impede entry of new firms bearing new ideas. The dearth of competition can be measured: The last available OECD data showed profits as a share of business income at a whopping 46 percent in Greece, far exceeding the shares in the 22 other members. Here Italy was second at 42 percent and France at 41 percent. (The U.K. was at 32, the U.S. at 35 and Germany at 39.) Greece appears to be the most corporatist economy in Europe.
"The Greek economy is almost devoid of the dynamism needed for indigenous innovation."
The resulting economy is almost devoid of the dynamism needed for indigenous innovation. Hence, Greece has high unemployment and little potential for sustained productivity growth. And with competition so weak, entrepreneurs have not rushed in to hire people from the swollen ranks of the unemployed. It is no wonder that the employment recovery underway from late 2013 until early 2015 was relatively slow next to Ireland, the U.K. and Spain.
What can be done? Some economists believe that the Greeks' work ethic and thrift can pull them through. But the classical virtues can do nothing to offset the dearth of innovation that plagues the economy.
Some other economists believe that Keynesian tools alone -- devaluation and other stimuli to demand -- can offer wide prosperity. But the Keynesian belief that "demand" is always at the root of under-employment and slow growth is a fallacy. (Greece's long structural stagnation, interrupted briefly by Brussels' "structural funds," is a counterexample.)
Equally fallacious is the belief that even if an economy has been stunted by corporatist practices, Keynesian tools can hammer the economy back into shape. As history shows, including Greece's, the resort to fiscal stimulus is ultimately ineffective at best; and it may even add to the difficulties.
Thus, no amount of debt restructuring, even debt forgiveness, will help the Greeks achieve real prosperity. What they need is not short-term relief but, rather, a long-term cure.
The eurozone creditors could best help Greece by inducing it to rid itself of its corporatist practices in the public and private sectors. It is a question, though, of whether the creditor countries, themselves rather corporatist, would be willing to eradicate practices in Greece that they largely accept at home.The Coast Guard is celebrating its birthday by naming its new class of Offshore Patrol Cutters after a mix of the earliest and most famous vessels in the service, according to a Friday morning ALCOAST message.
Four of the first 11 cutters will bear the names used for the earliest vessels in the Revenue Cutter Service — Active, Argus, Diligence and
Vigilant, read the message.
Additionally, “OPC Pickering will pay homage to the distinguished combat record of the Quasi-War cutter Pickering. OPCs Chase and Ingham will carry the names of [cutters] that served with distinction in World War II, read the message. OPC Rush will bear the name of the Bering Sea cutter that helped open the Alaskan frontier for generations of American settlers,” read the message.
“OPC Icarus will be named for a cutter that sank one of the first U-boats after U.S. entry into World War II and captured her crew. OPCs Alert and Reliance bear the names of famed workhorses of the medium-endurance cutter fleet.”
Active One of the ‘First Ten’ U.S. Revenue Cutters. Active entered service in 1791 Argus One of the ‘First Ten’ U.S. Revenue Cutters. Argus entered service in 1791 Diligence One of the ‘First Ten’ U.S. Revenue Cutters. Diligence entered service in 1792 Vigilant One of the ‘First Ten’ U.S. Revenue Cutters. Vigilant entered service in 1791 Pickering In 1799 the cutter bested a more heavily armed French privateer after a nine-hour gun battle during the Quasi-War. Chase USRC Salmon P. Chase, named after Lincoln’s Treasury Secretary was commissioned in 1878 as a training vessel and ended its career as a detention barge. Ingham The Treasury-class cutter served as a convoy escort in World War II, sinking a German U-Boat in 1942. Rush The Dexter-class Revenue Cutter was commissioned in 1874 and made several cruises off the Alaskan territory. Icarus The Thetis-class patrol boat sank a German U-Boat and captured its crew off of North Carolina in 1942. Alert Alert is an active a Reliance-class cutter that was named for an early cutter in the Revenue Cutter Service. Reliance Reliance is an active a Reliance-class cutter named for an early cutter in the Revenue Cutter Service.
The Offshore Patrol Cutter program was awarded to Florida shipbuilder Eastern Shipbuilding as part of a $110.3 million initial contract in September. The program for the 25 cutters could be worth up to $2.38 billion.
“The offshore patrol cutter will be the backbone of Coast Guard offshore presence and the manifestation of our at-sea authorities,” said Adm. Paul Zukunft, commandant of the Coast Guard in a statement. “It is essential to stopping smugglers at sea, for interdicting undocumented migrants, rescuing mariners, enforcing fisheries laws, responding to disasters and protecting our ports.”
The first OPC is expected to deliver in 2021Recently, the news of anonymous’ so-called “war on ISIS” has hit the mainstream, surrounded by a strange sense of excitement and then, later, scepticism. On face value, an online war on ISIS’ internet based recruitment seems to be a good thing, a stride in a direction arguably not possible by a government agency. However, in the real world, its outcome was not as expected.
In theory, Anonymous have been successful. In the past few days, they have claimed to have shut down over 5,000 twitter accounts; with 20,000 foreigners travelling to Syria and Iraq, it is clear that the international recruitment is crucial in the survival and success of IS. There is a huge majority of this recruitment done online, through common social media platforms and websites. In fact, ISIS has its own media company backing its video production and sharing, with the hope that well produced and easy to find propaganda (such as the beheading of James Foley) will influence thousands of young westerners to join IS. However, the online recruitment doesn’t just benefit IS in the Middle East, but also helps their terror plots in the west. The most notable example is the Belgium suicide bomber Bilal Hadfi who attacked the Stade de France in recent weeks. He had a strong social media presence, being Facebook friends with the Syrian jihadi Abu Isleym (Abu’s photos show him posing with a decapitated body), and posting a call on Facebook for more attacks on the west in 2015. By shutting down twitter accounts, anonymous hope that men such as Abu and Bilal will not have the ability to preach hate and spread propaganda, and, by doing this, they hope to reduce the number of westerners travelling to Syria.
But, Anonymous’s war does not end on twitter, but they have attacked specialised IS run websites. The most common example of this is when they took down a website supporting IS, and replaced it with a viagra ad. Of course, this was only temporary, with the whole website being removed shortly after a host of spam attacks. However, the hacking is much more serious than the viagra ad may make it seem. This is again evidence of Anonymous stopping key recruiting tools, as many of the websites they attempt to remove contain information on how to contact members of IS in Syria, with some even hosting a Q and A for prospective jihadists. Again, anonymous argues this is them taking the fight to IS, removing their huge online presence and supporting the free world.
However, anonymous are not as successful as they make themselves look. Many have argued that they are having a negative effect, and that removing twitter accounts forces IS to move into other areas, such as the dark web. On face value, this seems like a good thing. If they move out of the mass market and into less popular areas of the internet then they lose possible recruits. Companies such as GhostSec, however, would disagree. They monitor jihadi accounts, recording information and monitoring their activity. This information is then passed on the FBI and other intelligence agencies. The information they record varies, and can help prevent attacks in Europe to inform bombing in Syria. In fact, there was once an incident of an IS member keeping location on their twitter, resulting in a successful bombing campaign. But, thanks to the war on IS, members are moving to anonymous platforms such as Telegram so they cannot be tracked. So, in practise, they are not removing the social media presence of the Islamic State, but are just forcing it further underground.
Also, not all of Anonymous’ information has been valuable. In their recent “pro-isis” twitter account list, their flaws were clear to see. Not only did the list contain innocent peoples account, but also included BBC news, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. In addition to this, some accounts were simply added if they were in Arabic. This totally counters their image, of small concentrated attacks on accounts my thousands of members, and seems to be more of a random selection, hoping to remove a handful of true IS accounts.
Overall, it is clear that the removal of twitter accounts will help to limit online recruitment, but resulting loss of information on IS cannot be ignored. It fundamentally comes down to whether this is a cultural or military war. If military, then we cannot lose a source of information, but if culturally, we must do everything to stop indoctrination. However, Anonymous’ true effect will be shown through time.
Be sure to comment and share!
AdvertisementsGLENDALE – With the start of the 2014-15 season just around the corner, workers will begin installing and painting the ice inside soon-to-be named Gila River Arena early Thursday morning.
Installing the ice is a complex, time-consuming task that will require about 10,000 gallons of water and gallons and gallons of paint to finish.
Photo by Norm Hall.
The ice will be used for the first time on Saturday, Sept. 13 when rookies begin a five-day camp before the veterans report on Thursday, Sept. 18 and skate for the first time on Friday, Sept. 19.
For the first time, the installation of the ice will be live-streamed at the team’s official web site – arizonacoyotes.com – starting at 7 a.m. on Thursday.
The Coyotes will host 41 regular-season games at the arena starting with the home opener vs. the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 9.
The Glendale City Council is expected to approve the arena’s new name – Gila River Arena – at its next meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 9. It is estimated Glendale will receive $600,000 annually as part of the arena’s new naming rights deal announced last month.
“We don’t see there being any issues with an approval (by Glendale),” Coyotes Co-Owner, President and CEO Anthony LeBlanc said.
Joe Vitale. Photo by Jesse Aranda
Players have started trickling back into Arizona in recent days and most are voluntarily getting ready for the 2014-15 season by skating at the Ice Den in Scottsdale.
On Tuesday, nearly a dozen Coyotes players – including Shane Doan, Mike Smith, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Mikkel Boedker - skated informally with others for just over an hour.
Other participants included prospect Henrik Samuelsson and newcomer Joe Vitale.
“Going out here and passing the puck with your future teammates, there’s a little bit of nerves going into that,” Vitale said. “They’re trying to feel you out and you’re feeling them out. If you can get that done before camp starts, obviously that’s an advantage. I’m trying to do that now. It’s been great so far.”
The skates, which the players coordinate themselves, are staged four times per week.
Vitale, Sam Gagner and Devan Dubnyk all participated in recent “Twitter Takeovers” to enable Coyotes fans to ask the newcomers questions/get to know them a little better before the season starts.
Among the revelations:
Vitale said former teammate Sidney Crosby is, by far, the most superstitious teammate he has ever played with:
“When I first started with the Pens I felt like I was walking on eggshells on game days,” Vitale said.
READ MORE: http://bit.ly/YotesTwitterVitale
Gagner said new teammate Mike Smith is the hardest goalie he’s had to score against in the NHL.
“I'm glad I'm on his side now,” Gagner said.
READ MORE: http://bit.ly/Yotes_GagnerTwitter
And Dubnyk said he’s thrilled to play for such a defensive-minded team.
"I'm looking forward to a fresh start and the chance to play on a new, hardworking team that's always competitive,” Dubnyk said.
READ MORE: http://bit.ly/Yotes_TwitterDubnyk
Hulse
Former Coyotes defenseman Cale Hulse has joined the team as Senior Advisor, Business Development & Alumni Relations.
Hulse played 619 NHL games, including 82 with the Coyotes in 2003-04.
His primary focus will be in corporate sponsorship sales but he will also assist in ticket sales, premium and suite sales and serve as the official liaison between the team and Coyotes Alumni.Ajay Devgan is elated but definitely not surprised with the National Award his film Shivaay has won for VFX. The actor-filmmaker feels the movie’s special effects deserved the honour. The film has bagged the 64th National Award for best special effects. Shivaay, which was unanimously praised for its special effects after its release last year, had VFX by Ajay’s VFX studio, NY VFXWAALA, with Naveen Paul as the creative head.
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Expressing his happiness and congratulating the film’s team, Ajay, also the film’s producer, said in a statement, “I feel delighted that Prestigious 64th National Award for Best Visual Effects has been awarded to our very own Naveen Paul of NY VFXWALA for our film SHIVAAY. Many Congratulations to Naveen and the entire team of NY VFXWALA. I’m thankful for the honourable jury but I have to say that I am not at all surprised by their decision. This indeed is a well-deserved win.”
The studio, NY VFXWAALA, which is almost-two-year-old in the industry, has earlier worked on films like Bajirao Mastani, Theri, Drishyam (also starring Ajay) and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. Shivaay, which was produced by Ajay under his banner Ajay Devgn’s Films, was perhaps the biggest project for this young studio.
Also Read: Mohanlal wins special jury award at 64th National Film Award: I didn’t expect it
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The 64th National Film Awards announced on Friday, April 7. Akshay Kumar won the best actor award for his performance in Rustom. Neerja starring Sonam Kapoor won the best Hindi film award. Marathi film Kasaav won the best film award. Rajesh Mapuskar won the best director for his film Ventilator. The film which was produced by Priyanka Chopra bagged three awards.Most famously, Arizona's Republican governor, Jan Brewer, vetoed that state's Senate Bill 1062 late last month, saying it had the potential to "divide Arizona in ways we cannot even imagine" and that while "religious liberty is a core American and Arizona value, so is non-discrimination."
This is not the way social conservatives expected this debate to play out. Bills like SB 1062 cropped up in 12 different legislatures this year, most of them solidly conservative states where proponents didn't foresee any political obstacles to their new, proactive front in the war for "traditional marriage."
After all, as American public opinion has rapidly turned to favor gay marriage in recent years, a key to the issue’s political success has been convincing people it will not affect them—that there is no "homosexual agenda” to conscript their children, and that their lives, their marriages, and their churches will stay the same if the state begins to recognize the relationships of gays and lesbians.
Schubert knows how powerful an argument this is, which is why his campaigns have worked so hard to knock it down. In 2008, working for Proposition 8 in California, he made ads that claimed children would be taught about gay marriage in school. In 2012, running the anti-gay-marriage campaigns in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington, his ads featured an innkeeping couple in Vermont complaining they were sued by a pair of lesbians for "not supporting their gay wedding because of our Christian beliefs.” The message: If you voted to legalize same-sex marriage, the gays weren’t going to line up peacefully at the courthouse. They were going to barge into your home and make you go along.
Gay-marriage proponents also understood how damaging this notion could be to their cause. To combat it, they crafted same-sex-marriage laws with explicit carve-outs for churches and clergy, so that no priest, minister, or rabbi could be forced to officiate a gay wedding and no house of worship would be forced to host one. Ads in favor of gay marriage stressed the notion that parents would be free to shape their kids’ values and no one would take that away from them. Assurances like these made it harder and harder for people to believe the religious right's insistence that allowing gays to marry would somehow harm everyone else.
A few months after those four gay-marriage ballot initiatives triumphed, the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act and Proposition 8. Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the majority, claimed the decisions were not an attempt to impose same-sex marriage nationwide. But dissenting Justice Antonin Scalia warned that that would inevitably follow from the majority’s reasoning. "It takes real cheek for today's majority to assure us, as it is going out the door, that a constitutional requirement to give formal recognition to same-sex marriage is not at issue here—when what has preceded that assurance is a lecture on how superior the majority's moral judgment in favor of same-sex marriage is to the Congress's hateful moral judgment against it,” Scalia wrote.There are many reasons why the world is ensnared in an obesity epidemic, and they don’t only involve the quantity of food people are eating (though that’s a big part of it). In some cases, toxic substances found in products we encounter everyday are contributing to the problem–along with genetically modified food, forks, and countless other factors. Today’s obesity epidemic has also led to a diabetes epidemic–today, 25.8 million people in the U.S. (that’s more than 8% of the population) have diabetes.
In a study published recently in the journal Pediatrics, researchers from New York University School of Medicine found a strong link between insulin resistance in U.S. teens and their urinary concentration of DEHP, a chemical (specifically a type of phthalate) used in medical equipment and packaged food. Researchers have previously seen links between insulin resistance–a precursor to diabetes that can trigger weight gain–and DEHP levels in both adults and animals.
When the body becomes insulin resistant, it’s akin to having rusty keys that won’t turn.
Using a national survey, the researchers collected data from a sample of teenagers related to glucose levels, fasting insulin, height, weight, poverty, ethnicity, and other factors. Phthalate levels were measured using a urine sample.
Their results: Higher phthalate levels were linked to insulin resistance. The researchers write that more studies are needed:
While dietary sources are likely to be the chief source of exposure, given the uses of DEHP in other products, we cannot rule out nondietary sources as contributors to the associations identified here…Knowledge gaps also persist in understanding food contamination with DEHP. A comprehensive review suggests that most studies are dated and may not represent current exposures.
Insulin resistance is, according to diabetes educator Gary Scheiner, “the root cause of almost all cases of Type 2 diabetes.” Insulin (a hormone generated in the pancreas) regulates the amount of sugar in the bloodstream by directing glucose into fat, muscle, and liver cells. It’s like a key that unlocks access to these cells, Scheiner explained to the Chicago Tribune. When the body becomes insulin resistant, it’s akin to having rusty keys that won’t turn–glucose can’t get into cells, and the body panics at the rise of blood sugar in the pancreas, producing even more insulin. Blood sugar eventually rises to untenable levels, and diabetes occurs.
In a study earlier this year, Dr. Leonardo Trasande–the lead author on the DEHP paper–also found that low-molecular weight phthalates, often found in cosmetics, lotion, and creams, are linked to increased body mass among African American children. Phthalate exposure, the report explained, could be responsible for a 1.7 pound increase in body weight in children.
There are ways to avoid phthalate exposure in daily life. Don’t use unnecessary personal care products, for starters. And the researchers suggest that it’s possible to avoid some DEHP exposure by opting for fresh foods instead of foods that are canned or wrapped in plastic–a move that can reduce DEHP metabolites up to 56%. Certain kinds of packaging, like wax paper and aluminum wrap, don’t contain DEHP at all.Why I’m investing in Danish startups
Guillaume Durao Blocked Unblock Follow Following Apr 3, 2016
After announcing investments in Peakon and Planday, 2 startups launched out of Copenhagen, I thought it was time to reflect on what attracted me to that vibrant, emerging startup hub.
Copenhagen School of Design and Technology
On May 25th, 2015, after a weekend spent celebrating a hardly obtained promotion into Luxemburgish Second Division with my teammates from my beloved football club, Avenir Beggen FC, I boarded a 6AM plane at Findel airport and 2 hours later, I landed in Copenhagen for the first time in my entire life. With a very painful ear infection.
It was Whit Monday, it was raining and the city was looking grey, sad and empty. My wife and kids were on holidays in Cascais with my parents and I was feeling tired, depressed and homesick.
Beautiful view of rainy Copenhagen
Some 300 days later, I have met with more than 50 Copenhagen-based startups (including some really special ones such as Tattoodo and Tonsser) and there are many more I want to meet in the coming weeks. My venture capital firm, Idinvest Partners, has injected over $10 million in Danish startups during Q1 2016 alone, which undoubtedly establishes us as one of the most active early-stage investors in the Oresund region (the area composed notably of Copenhagen and Malmo, two cities which are linked by the beautiful Oresund bridge, probably one of the most impressive things ever built by men).
Personally, I’m honored to serve on the board of two very promising Copenhagen-born SaaS startups, Peakon and Planday, with great founders and some of the most famous representatives of the Scandinavian startup ecosystem: Tommy Ahlers, founder of ZYB (sold to Vodafone) and former CEO of Podio (sold to Citrix); Klaus Nyengaard, former CEO of Just Eat and Chairman of Treatwell; Nikolaj Nyholm, Partner at Sunstone and angel investor in Mojang (Minecraft); and Johan Brenner, Partner at Creandum and whose career is simply too long and successful to be summarized here.
I find myself travelling to Copenhagen every 3 weeks, I read Danish newspapers (in English) and I’m taking my family to Denmark for a weekend in May. Around last Christmas, my wife and I even watched Season 3 of Broen, a great Danish/Swedish TV series taking place between Copenhagen and Malmo. Original version with subtitles of course.
I guess a fair question is: what happened?
Well, first, I obviously got extremely lucky. I met the right people at exactly the right time. When I look back at it, it’s almost a joke.
It all started in Amsterdam actually. I had just joined Idinvest Partners from Mangrove Capital Partners and I wanted to focus on some of the new emerging startup hubs in Europe.
In Amsterdam, I met with Kasper Brandi Petersen, the Danish founder of The Cloakroom (a startup that he actually sold a few months later). Kasper recommended me to consider Copenhagen and he quickly introduced me to Jasenko Hadzic who was then running #CPHFTW, the association promoting startups from Copenhagen (Jasenko left #CPHFTW a few weeks after that to launch his own startup and was replaced by Christoffer Malling). But before that, he organized a great event for Idinvest, during which my partner Matthieu Baret and I met 9 startups that he had selected for us.
Jasenko notably encouraged us to invite Phil Chambers, founder of “Thrive AI” (that would later become Peakon) to that event and we met Phil and his cofounder Kasper Hulthin (it was Kasper’s first day being full time with the company) although Thrive AI had just been created. As a former tech investment banker, I had been doing a lot of hiring, training, staffing and mentoring of junior bankers for many years and I had worked with several Talent Management software companies such as Jobpartners, Taleo, Talentia Software, etc. so I was immediately attracted to Peakon’s vision and ambition of building a People Analytics platform. I introduced them to Curse and Scality, two of Idinvest’s portfolio companies which happened to be then looking for a way to replace their annual surveys to measure employee engagement and which gave me some very positive feedback on Peakon’s product (when compared to competitors Officevibe, TinyPulse and Culture Amp) and finished to convince me to keep an eye on Kasper and Phil.
Dan Rogers, Phil Chambers and Kasper Hulthin giving birth to Peakon
Funnily, at that event, there was only one company invited by Jasenko which could not come to meet us (and which ignored me for a long time afterwards…). It was Planday, a collaborative employee scheduling and workforce management solution.
Luckily, a few months after that, Christian Steffensen from Churchdesk (a startup backed by my ex colleagues from Mangrove Capital Partners) recommended Klaus Nyengaard (a famous angel investor in Copenhagen and a shareholder in Planday) to get in touch with me as Klaus wanted to meet more French startups. I quickly introduced him to an exciting seed opportunity in Paris in which we ended up co-investing. Now I had my angle to convince Christian Brøndum, CEO of Planday to meet with me right when his company was starting a road show for its Series B round…
Peakon and Planday are two great companies in industries that I love and that I somehow understand, started by top entrepreneurs who were founders and key executives at startups and leading tech companies such as Podio, Gumtree, Qype, Citrix, Iris Software, Songkick, IBM, etc. and who are surrounded by some of the most experienced investors I’ve met (guys from Creandum, Sunstone, Zendesk, Atlassian, Bookatable, etc.).
It was easy to decide to “tag along” and it was even comfortable to invest in a foreign country under such conditions.
As a VC, when you stumble on very talented teams, you just behave opportunistically. Christian Brøndum, John Coldicutt, Phil Chambers, Kasper Hulthin & co invested in me at least as much as Idinvest and I invested in them — by now you probably believe that most Danish men are called Christian and Kasper. Well, that’s actually kind of true :).
The Planday team in front of Founders House
That being said, let me try now to rationalize “ex post” what attracted me to Copenhagen, as a person and as a venture capitalist.
First, very quickly, there are some obvious, objective reasons for investing in Denmark:
Denmark has the highest broadband adoption in the world, 4G coverage is practically universal and substantial investments have been made to the infrastructure.
It’s a welfare state, which actually encourages people to take risks and become entrepreneurs as they don’t have to worry about the most basic needs of their loved ones as much as in other countries (health insurance, good schools for free, unemployment benefits, etc.).
Denmark has numerous tech success stories (and exits) to showcase (especially in the software space) that inspire local entrepreneurs: Zendesk, Success Factors, Sitecore, Trustpilot, Just Eat, Podio, Endomondo, etc.
Denmark is consistently ranked as a top country to do business: transparency, rule of law, stable country, stable currency, etc.
Cost of housing in Copenhagen is reasonable (compared to London and Stockholm for instance). You can have a very good life in Copenhagen.
Etc.
But I won’t focus on those reasons and will rather discuss them in another post. I prefer simply sharing some of the reasons that specifically attracted me to Copenhagen.
It’s a relatively small ecosystem and a close-knit community
Many founders from Copenhagen know each other and some of them have worked together in the past. They all want their startups to be successful but not to the detriment of others. Entrepreneurs don’t trash other entrepreneurs and have a common interest in promoting the local startup scene and having success stories in Copenhagen that would give visibility to the ecosystem.
Many startups have offices in the city center, at Founders House or at Rainmaking Loft, which makes it easy to visit them and every entrepreneur I meet in Copenhagen will generally recommend 2 or 3 other startups to look at.
Beautiful Rainmaking Loft in Copenhagen
Finally, most startups collaborate with #CPHFTW to promote the city as a startup hub.
So it’s easy for me to understand what is going on in Copenhagen remotely, from Paris, even if I only spend 2–3 days there every 3 to 4 weeks.
I know which startups have traction, which ones are struggling, which ones are hiring good talent, which ones are trying to raise money, which new startups are being started, etc.
In the last 10 months, I have rarely been surprised by a startup’s fundraising announcement. This happens to me all the time with cities such as London and Berlin.
There’s a lot of talent available and eager to work at startups
I often discuss another startup scene (Amsterdam) with Arthur Kosten, the main business angel there and his view is that most of the tech talent is sucked out of the entrepreneurial ecosystem by a few Tech giants which also happen to be cool companies with a great culture (Booking.com, Adyen, Coolblue, Takeaway) and by a few exciting scale-ups (Catawiki, WeTransfer and Elastic).
Copenhagen does not really suffer from such phenomenon.
Level of education is very high, everyone speaks perfect English, the pool of tech talent is extremely deep and more importantly it is available and eager to work at startups.
Denmark has actually one of the world’s highest rates of startup companies created per capita.
Copenhagen is also very attractive to foreign talent. Again, welfare state, reasonable cost of housing, open-mindedness, quality of spoken English, etc. The initial team at Peakon at the time I funded them was a small version of my INSEAD class: Danes, Swedes, Brits, Germans, a French girl on customer support, a Brazilian full stack developper…
I face less competition from other top international VCs
Creandum is covering Denmark quite well (Vivino, Planday, etc.) and has just added a Danish professional to its team (Bjarke Staun-Olsen). Apart from them, only Index, Mangrove, Prime and Balderton have invested in Denmark in the last 3 years (in Vivino, Falcon Social, Autobutler, Churchdesk and Opbeat).
No sign yet of some of the other best European investors such as Accel, Atomico, Highland, Kennet, Partech, Felix, Eight Roads, Northzone, Point Nine, Notion (only Tradeshift 5 years ago), Ventech, etc. And almost no investment from US-based VCs (only Sequoia invested in Malmo-based Mapillary).
Generally speaking, I’m hearing from Danish entrepreneurs that they rarely see international investors in Copenhagen and that they have to travel a lot to fundraise.
This will change as the ecosystem becomes more and more visible and successful and also because Chris Malling at #CPHFTW is doing a great job at promoting the local scene but right now I face less competition in Copenhagen than at home in Paris or in London and Berlin.
This is actually very pleasant. It gives me time to meet entrepreneurs several times, to get to know them, to follow their progress, to take references, speak to customers, introduce customers, study a market and the competitive environment, etc.
In a nutshell, I can do my job properly and work the way I like.
Danish startups think internationally from day one
This is something I personally like a lot. It comes from my time at Mangrove Capital Partners watching Israeli startups such as Wix and WalkMe.
As Denmark is a small country and has a small domestic market, it’s completely normal for Danish entrepreneurs to think internationally almost from day one.
Danes are the most “international people” I know in Europe. It’s natural for them to travel everywhere to find customers, to hire foreigners or to accept foreign investment. They don’t even think about it.
Peakon’s first 10 customers were almost from 10 different countries (France, Israel, US, Germany, UK, Sweden, Denmark, etc.) and Planday has hundreds of customers in the US, in the UK, in Norway, etc.
I believe that this comes with challenges in terms of organization, prioritization and customer support but overall, I see this ability to move fast in many markets as a key competitive advantage and a very specific DNA when compared to startups from Berlin, Paris or London that enjoy a big local market.
For a foreign investor with its home in Paris, it’s also very important to see international ambitions. We could not be helpful sharing our network with a company intending to build a local leader in a country that is not France.
The Danish founders of Zendesk about to IPO in NYC
There’s a healthy environment for startups in their early days
Denmark is lacking local capital at the Series A+/Series B and Growth stages. But not at the early stage.
Seed Capital, Northcap, Sunstone, etc. and top business angels such as Tommy Ahlers, Klaus Nyengaard, Thor Angelo, Anders Pollas, Morten Primdahl, Tommy Andersen, Nicolaj Nielsen, etc. Copenhagen has all it needs at the seed stage in terms of capital, experience and mentoring in order for its startups to get started.
Successful Danish entrepreneurs are deeply attached to Copenhagen and its startup scene and you very often see the founders of Zendesk, Tradeshift, Trustpilot, Just Eat, Podio, etc. in the city and… in the cap tables.
I find it easy to do business in Denmark
It probably sounds obvious but it’s not. I’ve worked with startups from Israel, India, Spain and Russia while I was at Mangrove and the sense of cultural differences was way higher than when I’m working in Denmark.
Again, people speak perfect English. Founders, VCs, business angels are very sophisticated when it comes to business. I can work with top law firms such as Kromann Reumert and top financial advisors like Deloitte. Term sheets are close to what we see in France, legal documentation is very similar, etc. Things are done properly, in due time, everything is clean and done by the book.
And I like the Danes. Very direct, simple, straightforward people. They call a spade a spade. Negotiations don’t take forever, there is a lot of trust, transparency and listening, the line of communication is very clear, etc.
And Danish entrepreneurs usually have that level of self-confidence (without being arrogant) that I like.
Danes are also very polite, respectful and “borderline cold” people the first time you meet them but once you get to know them a bit better, they are friendly and empathetic. I recognize myself very much in those types of personalities and it’s a comfortable and efficient environment for me to work in.
Since I like to use football comparisons for almost everything in life, Danes remind me of Thierry Henry, one of the most talented and successful French football players ever (and the hero of London-based Arsenal FC) who was sometimes considered arrogant although he would always say he was absolutely not. Henry used to say the following: “If you ask me if I can score from 30 meters by putting the ball in the top corner of the goal, I will say yes. And you will think I’m arrogant. But actually, that’s just the honest answer to your question. I simply know I can do it. But if you ask me if I’m good with the head, I will say no. Not because I’m humble. I’m just not good at it. Period.”
Most of the Danes I’ve met so far are like “this”.
Copenhagen is a very pleasant city
This is very personal but I enjoy spending time in Copenhagen.
It’s a European capital and a very nice city but also a small one. Pedestrian streets, great restaurants, very safe, no traffic, no pollution, good hotels for decent prices, great outdoor activities if you want to stay around for the weekend. Nice, polite people who are also welcoming to foreigners.
To this you can also add a very efficient airport, 15 minutes away from city center, the best “low cost” in Europe (Norwegian Airlines) that can take you from Copenhagen to London for €20 in 80 minutes.
It’s just always a pleasure to come to Copenhagen.
Studio, one of the top new restaurants in Copenhagen
In the coming months, I’ll be spending even more time in Copenhagen, working with Peakon and Planday and looking for Idinvest’s third Danish investment. And I will also go up North to see if I can replicate this great personal experience (building a presence in Copenhagen) in another Scandinavian city: Stockholm.
If you consider investing in Copenhagen and you would like my very humble tips and advice, feel free to get in touch. I will be happy to help.Side-scrolling brawlers have delighted generations of gamers throughout the years, but few have managed to really make an impact in terms of mechanics, tone, or gameplay variety.
Cobalt, coming from Oxeye Game Studio |
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